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Work will begin soon on a crack repair project on K-4 in Rush County.

The Kansas Department of Transportation project involves crack repair on K-4 from the Ness/Rush county line to the junction with U.S. 183. The length is 19 miles.

During the work, expected to start around Oct. 26 and end around Nov. 18, traffic will be controlled by flaggers and a pilot car. Motorists should be prepared to stop and face delays of up to 15 minutes.

Scodeller Construction Inc., of Wixom, Michigan, is the prime contractor for the $244,807 project.

The map below shows the project location, highlighted in red.

For updated information on other KDOT highway projects and road conditions across the state, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kandrive.org/" target="_blank">www.kandrive.org</a>.

Work will begin soon on a crack repair project on K-4 in Rush County.The Kansas Department of Transportation project involves crack repair on K-4 from the Ness/Rush county line to the junction with U.S. 183. The length is 19 miles.During the work, expected to start around Oct. 26 and end around Nov. 18, traffic will be controlled by flaggers and a pilot car. Motorists should be prepared to stop and face delays of up to 15 minutes.Scodeller Construction Inc., of Wixom, Michigan, is the prime contractor for the $244,807 project.The map below shows the project location, highlighted in red.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666107486273.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>For updated information on other KDOT highway projects and road conditions across the state, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kandrive.org/" target="_blank">www.kandrive.org</a>.

Crack repair on K-4 in Rush County starting soon

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 13 new COVID-19 cases had been identified in Ellis County from Oct. 8 to 14. KDHE reports updated case numbers weekly on Wednesdays.

Ellis County remained in the moderate-incidence category, KDHE reported. (See map below).&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 7,887 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666204256848.png" alt="Ellis County COVID-19 curve / KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County COVID-19 curve / KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 13 new COVID-19 cases had been identified in Ellis County from Oct. 8 to 14. KDHE reports updated case numbers weekly on Wednesdays.Ellis County remained in the moderate-incidence category, KDHE reported. (See map below).&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 7,887 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666204314834.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: New COVID-19 cases in Ellis Co. continue to decline

Midwest Energy's proposes demand charge; public meetings planned

The latest government reports show demand for regular gasoline is dropping and supplies are rising. Thus the national average price for a gallon of regular dropped three cents last week, to $3.88 per gallon. Diesel prices continue to rise. The Energy Information Administration reports diesel inventories were down nearly five million barrels last week, and are about 23% below the five-year seasonal average. Diesel fuel deliveries are down nearly four percent. The average price for diesel at the pump nationwide was just over $5.27 per gallon last week, up 30 cents from a month ago, and a $1.74 higher than a year ago. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped more than three dollars on Friday to start the week at $75.75 per barrel. That's up six dollars a barrel from the first of the month, but down more than seven dollars from a week ago. The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes was up eight oil rigs. The count in Texas was up five; New Mexico was down four. The Rig Count in Kansas was up one west of Wichita at 32 active rigs. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reported operators were preparing to spud new wells in Barton and Stafford counties on Friday. State regulators report slight increases in Kansas crude output, both statewide and in our area. Operators across Kansas pumped more than 11.5 million barrels through May, the latest numbers available from the Kansas Geological Survey. That's over 76,000 barrels per day. Barton County output is just under 4,000 barrels per day with production of 596,000 barrels through May. Ellis County pumped 905,000 barrels, or nearly 6,000 barrels per day. Russell County output through May stands at 545,000 barrels, or 3,600 barrels per day.&nbsp; The tally in Stafford County is 383,000 barrels or 2,500 barrels per day. Kansas regulators okay 21 new drilling permits. There are five new permits east of Wichita and 16 in Western Kansas, including one in Barton County and three in Ellis County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 19 new well-completions last week, with ten in eastern Kansas and nine west of Wichita including three in Barton County and one in Ellis County. Operators have completed 1,256 wells so far this year, compared to 680 at this time last year. The government says U.S. crude stockpiles last week rose by nearly ten million barrels to just over 439 million, or about one percent below the five-year seasonal average. Gasoline stockpiles were also higher. But diesel inventories, and production, were lower. EIA reports average crude imports of 6.1 million barrels per day last week, up 100,000 barrels from the week before.&nbsp; U.S. crude production dropped below 12 million barrels per day last week for the first time in 12 weeks. The Energy Information Administration reports output during the week through October 7 averaged 11.932 million barrels per day. That's down 106,000 barrels per day from the week before, but is nearly 600,000 barrels per day ahead of the same week last year. In its weekly Short Term Energy Outlook, the government predicts rising U.S. crude output for the rest of this year and record output next year. EIA forecasts U.S. production of 12.4 million barrels per day next year, which would surpass the record set in 2019. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reports mixed results, but solid growth in the energy industry hereabouts. A quarterly report in the Fed's District 10 notes the pace of growth slowed slightly in both profits and revenues. But the oil patch posted the highest level of employment gains in the history of the quarterly survey. The 10th District includes all of Kansas, Oklahoma Nebraska Colorado, and Wyoming along with parts of Missouri and New Mexico.

By JOHN P. TRETBARThe latest government reports show demand for regular gasoline is dropping and supplies are rising. Thus the national average price for a gallon of regular dropped three cents last week, to $3.88 per gallon. Diesel prices continue to rise. The Energy Information Administration reports diesel inventories were down nearly five million barrels last week, and are about 23% below the five-year seasonal average. Diesel fuel deliveries are down nearly four percent. The average price for diesel at the pump nationwide was just over $5.27 per gallon last week, up 30 cents from a month ago, and a $1.74 higher than a year ago. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped more than three dollars on Friday to start the week at $75.75 per barrel. That's up six dollars a barrel from the first of the month, but down more than seven dollars from a week ago. The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes was up eight oil rigs. The count in Texas was up five; New Mexico was down four. The Rig Count in Kansas was up one west of Wichita at 32 active rigs. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reported operators were preparing to spud new wells in Barton and Stafford counties on Friday. State regulators report slight increases in Kansas crude output, both statewide and in our area. Operators across Kansas pumped more than 11.5 million barrels through May, the latest numbers available from the Kansas Geological Survey. That's over 76,000 barrels per day. Barton County output is just under 4,000 barrels per day with production of 596,000 barrels through May. Ellis County pumped 905,000 barrels, or nearly 6,000 barrels per day. Russell County output through May stands at 545,000 barrels, or 3,600 barrels per day.&nbsp; The tally in Stafford County is 383,000 barrels or 2,500 barrels per day. Kansas regulators okay 21 new drilling permits. There are five new permits east of Wichita and 16 in Western Kansas, including one in Barton County and three in Ellis County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 19 new well-completions last week, with ten in eastern Kansas and nine west of Wichita including three in Barton County and one in Ellis County. Operators have completed 1,256 wells so far this year, compared to 680 at this time last year. The government says U.S. crude stockpiles last week rose by nearly ten million barrels to just over 439 million, or about one percent below the five-year seasonal average. Gasoline stockpiles were also higher. But diesel inventories, and production, were lower. EIA reports average crude imports of 6.1 million barrels per day last week, up 100,000 barrels from the week before.&nbsp; U.S. crude production dropped below 12 million barrels per day last week for the first time in 12 weeks. The Energy Information Administration reports output during the week through October 7 averaged 11.932 million barrels per day. That's down 106,000 barrels per day from the week before, but is nearly 600,000 barrels per day ahead of the same week last year. In its weekly Short Term Energy Outlook, the government predicts rising U.S. crude output for the rest of this year and record output next year. EIA forecasts U.S. production of 12.4 million barrels per day next year, which would surpass the record set in 2019. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reports mixed results, but solid growth in the energy industry hereabouts. A quarterly report in the Fed's District 10 notes the pace of growth slowed slightly in both profits and revenues. But the oil patch posted the highest level of employment gains in the history of the quarterly survey. The 10th District includes all of Kansas, Oklahoma Nebraska Colorado, and Wyoming along with parts of Missouri and New Mexico.

News From the Oil Patch: Gas taps the brakes, diesel accelerates

Fort Hays State University’s Science Café for this month is set for Monday.

This month’s presentation, entitled&nbsp;“Dive into Hell’s Aquarium: Uncovering Marine Ecosystems During the Age of Dinosaurs,”&nbsp;is sponsored by FHSU’s Science and Mathematics Education Institute. In a world of big predators with big teeth, you better grow up fast or get the heck out of Dodge. The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. at The Venue in Thirsty’s Brew Pub &amp; Grill, 2704 Vine.

Dr. Laura Wilson, Professor of Geosciences, Graduate Program Coordinator, and Chief Curator of Paleontology at the Sternberg Museum, will discuss the latest research findings about life in the age of the dinosaur.&nbsp;

Science Café presentations are free and open to the public. Questions can be directed to Cari Rohleder at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cbrohleder@fhsu.edu">cbrohleder@fhsu.edu</a>&nbsp;or 785-628-4743 or by visiting:

<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJN6YW3ahiFh3u1xso6sQsiDE6GJ06bOQIjYgX8RETmmTAGzd_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BWrvFVRMrglHnmgoHIzxs1TlgROk3sgXpEFVgBr3r-2BeJTqoq56f60I0kPd0ywT4Tpgu5-2FmassyEPYwmAWKAwXAz6uqAVjQTd-2BTQp8vawufkN-2FabEnrDBi-2BCNvg12phaqbVsaohB-2BCcxlqqJZKGHjYfqqtPJ-2BIINtIXJndzH8WukAZWxOj9qFOCvTPSgsRzmnq2B7-2BfN3SB5Y8urArm540zRyTT7f8rh6hvFNJdIHrxQ1CEU9jPNY4xlnEtSF6Kc39fdbGVuQqXIULjGae8utNpg-3D-3D">www.twitter.com/FHSUScienceCafe</a>

<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJM9yMLtcQHFVzIgvo7vtXsa2lh-2FFmlw1B0utYEX-2F-2BAl65ttfmJSIa8vOh5ZwyxplYg-3D-3Dhjn9_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BWrvFVRMrglHnmgoHIzxs1TlgROk3sgXpEFVgBr3r-2BeJTqoq56f60I0kPd0ywT4Tpgu5-2FmassyEPYwmAWKAwXAwTBsUJT1xsjxBdjjqXhb-2B6SzEB3hnyfqKPb3YZ2c614rZbdAtiNZWACXjmji6Ch4AS0XDrBNJ632fxnd0Kc-2B-2FbazyXFNwtoCd19QsKHzBiERe6hK7bo9wH78hUNSw5sIHnmJEMgXNDhtwCiKCu-2BbekKHsrp1zIfzvmN6-2Ft82X-2B6qLEIbb0V6PMKHIHSTyaodA-3D-3D">www.facebook.com/FHSUScienceCafe</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666016055046.jpeg" alt="Wilson" />
 <figcaption>Wilson</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsFort Hays State University’s Science Café for this month is set for Monday.This month’s presentation, entitled&nbsp;“Dive into Hell’s Aquarium: Uncovering Marine Ecosystems During the Age of Dinosaurs,”&nbsp;is sponsored by FHSU’s Science and Mathematics Education Institute. In a world of big predators with big teeth, you better grow up fast or get the heck out of Dodge. The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. at The Venue in Thirsty’s Brew Pub &amp; Grill, 2704 Vine.Dr. Laura Wilson, Professor of Geosciences, Graduate Program Coordinator, and Chief Curator of Paleontology at the Sternberg Museum, will discuss the latest research findings about life in the age of the dinosaur.&nbsp;Science Café presentations are free and open to the public. Questions can be directed to Cari Rohleder at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cbrohleder@fhsu.edu">cbrohleder@fhsu.edu</a>&nbsp;or 785-628-4743 or by visiting:<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJIbWkKLWq-2BAH9EOMnpKiWtF21cgruX7hnOpjSWWak0MV1KUI_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BWrvFVRMrglHnmgoHIzxs1TlgROk3sgXpEFVgBr3r-2BeJTqoq56f60I0kPd0ywT4Tpgu5-2FmassyEPYwmAWKAwXA618IZmNYfCZ63VeVi0fyGHEWC56DOxas8hPvQJ-2BhRrSK7Aim6r6xxh50FIyDTaLePbDuo37ugiSmTRhFMjxtoZin-2B3oLefKgyAQDOOOKBYK-2FnM9hWWt3-2FuIHiIDJ6Waa9lcSyPum1bN8ce7-2B5x59Cs4VDJK6xtZO7xJDnS04uaYLPY5KJ6-2FJH4EBGRHCuJYjQ-3D-3D">www.fhsu.edu/smei</a><a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJN6YW3ahiFh3u1xso6sQsiDE6GJ06bOQIjYgX8RETmmTAGzd_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BWrvFVRMrglHnmgoHIzxs1TlgROk3sgXpEFVgBr3r-2BeJTqoq56f60I0kPd0ywT4Tpgu5-2FmassyEPYwmAWKAwXAz6uqAVjQTd-2BTQp8vawufkN-2FabEnrDBi-2BCNvg12phaqbVsaohB-2BCcxlqqJZKGHjYfqqtPJ-2BIINtIXJndzH8WukAZWxOj9qFOCvTPSgsRzmnq2B7-2BfN3SB5Y8urArm540zRyTT7f8rh6hvFNJdIHrxQ1CEU9jPNY4xlnEtSF6Kc39fdbGVuQqXIULjGae8utNpg-3D-3D">www.twitter.com/FHSUScienceCafe</a><a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJM9yMLtcQHFVzIgvo7vtXsa2lh-2FFmlw1B0utYEX-2F-2BAl65ttfmJSIa8vOh5ZwyxplYg-3D-3Dhjn9_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BWrvFVRMrglHnmgoHIzxs1TlgROk3sgXpEFVgBr3r-2BeJTqoq56f60I0kPd0ywT4Tpgu5-2FmassyEPYwmAWKAwXAwTBsUJT1xsjxBdjjqXhb-2B6SzEB3hnyfqKPb3YZ2c614rZbdAtiNZWACXjmji6Ch4AS0XDrBNJ632fxnd0Kc-2B-2FbazyXFNwtoCd19QsKHzBiERe6hK7bo9wH78hUNSw5sIHnmJEMgXNDhtwCiKCu-2BbekKHsrp1zIfzvmN6-2Ft82X-2B6qLEIbb0V6PMKHIHSTyaodA-3D-3D">www.facebook.com/FHSUScienceCafe</a>

'Hell's Aquarium': Science Café scheduled for Monday

PAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 7p.m. Tuesday in Pawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Toyota passenger car driven by Barbara N.&nbsp;Westeman, 60, Syracuse, was northbound on U.S. 183 eleven miles south of Rush Center.

The Toyota was passing a 2000 International semi driven by Nathaniel J. Dunlay, 40, Torrington, Wyoming, in a No Passing Zone. 

A southbound, non-contact vehicle, traveled into the west ditch to avoid a head-on collision with Toyota. 

Dunlay lost control of the semi as the vehicle traveled partially onto the east shoulder. He overcorrected, the semi crossed the roadway, entered the west ditch and came to rest on its top, facing southwest.

Dunlay was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. Westeman was not injured. Dunlay was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

PAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 7p.m. Tuesday in Pawnee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Toyota passenger car driven by Barbara N.&nbsp;Westeman, 60, Syracuse, was northbound on U.S. 183 eleven miles south of Rush Center.The Toyota was passing a 2000 International semi driven by Nathaniel J. Dunlay, 40, Torrington, Wyoming, in a No Passing Zone. A southbound, non-contact vehicle, traveled into the west ditch to avoid a head-on collision with Toyota. Dunlay lost control of the semi as the vehicle traveled partially onto the east shoulder. He overcorrected, the semi crossed the roadway, entered the west ditch and came to rest on its top, facing southwest.Dunlay was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. Westeman was not injured. Dunlay was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

1 dead after semi swerves to avoid Kan. driver in no passing zone

I have learned over the years leading up to an election not to believe everything I hear. There is so much “fake news” floating around that people start to believe it as the truth.

While getting involved in the race for the 111th District House seat, I started listening to the stance of each candidate and started to realize the “smoke” Barb Wasinger’s opponent was putting out.

One of my pet peeves in an election has been a candidate never having a job where they had to generate a dime of their own money. Taking taxpayer money and spending it is not the same as having to generate business and live within their own means.&nbsp;

I feel candidate Wasinger has tried to stay within the budgets of education and Medicare. What I am hearing from Mr. Hammond is Wasinger has been “anti-” this and that, but all I have heard from his stance is spend more taxpayer money.&nbsp;

With inflation at an all-time high and fuel prices going up, I feel the last thing Kansas’s need are more taxes and, with spending, comes higher taxes because all this has to be paid for somehow.

I have learned over the years leading up to an election not to believe everything I hear. There is so much “fake news” floating around that people start to believe it as the truth.While getting involved in the race for the 111th District House seat, I started listening to the stance of each candidate and started to realize the “smoke” Barb Wasinger’s opponent was putting out.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>One of my pet peeves in an election has been a candidate never having a job where they had to generate a dime of their own money. Taking taxpayer money and spending it is not the same as having to generate business and live within their own means.&nbsp;I feel candidate Wasinger has tried to stay within the budgets of education and Medicare. What I am hearing from Mr. Hammond is Wasinger has been “anti-” this and that, but all I have heard from his stance is spend more taxpayer money.&nbsp;With inflation at an all-time high and fuel prices going up, I feel the last thing Kansas’s need are more taxes and, with spending, comes higher taxes because all this has to be paid for somehow.Keep Kansas Great. Vote Barb Wasinger.Mike Doerfler, Hays

LETTER: Spending more taxpayer money not the answer for 111th

<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/2022/10/1666106889488.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

Doonan Truck is seeking an individual to fill the position of Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck Technician.&nbsp;Qualified candidate would be responsible for diagnosing, repairs and maintenance of heavy-duty Class 7 and 8 diesel powered trucks.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Benefits 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 W. 55th, Hays,&nbsp;Kansas, or contact Bill Rowe at 620-793-0780 or 785-621-4045.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664399164792.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Doonan Truck is seeking an individual to fill the position of Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck Technician.&nbsp;Qualified candidate would be responsible for diagnosing, repairs and maintenance of heavy-duty Class 7 and 8 diesel powered trucks.&nbsp;&nbsp;Benefits 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 W. 55th, Hays,&nbsp;Kansas, or contact Bill Rowe at 620-793-0780 or 785-621-4045.

BERAN: 48Hours of 4-H and community service

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The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the city of La Crosse&nbsp;public water supply system located in Rush&nbsp;County.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:&nbsp;

The advisory took effect on&nbsp;Oct. 18&nbsp;and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved.&nbsp;KDHE&nbsp;officials issued&nbsp;the advisory because&nbsp;of a line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the&nbsp;distribution&nbsp;system.  Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination. &nbsp;

Regardless of whether the public water supplier or Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.&nbsp;

For more information, contact the water system at 785-222-2511, or KDHE at 785-296-5514.&nbsp;For consumer information, visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption">kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their businesses can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety and lodging program at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kda.fsl@ks.gov" target="_blank">kda.fsl@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 785-564-6767.&nbsp;

KDHEThe Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for the city of La Crosse&nbsp;public water supply system located in Rush&nbsp;County.&nbsp;&nbsp;Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.&nbsp;</li><li>Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.&nbsp;</li><li>If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.&nbsp;</li><li>Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>The advisory took effect on&nbsp;Oct. 18&nbsp;and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved.&nbsp;KDHE&nbsp;officials issued&nbsp;the advisory because&nbsp;of a line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the&nbsp;distribution&nbsp;system.  Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination. &nbsp;Regardless of whether the public water supplier or Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.&nbsp;For more information, contact the water system at 785-222-2511, or KDHE at 785-296-5514.&nbsp;For consumer information, visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption">kdhe.ks.gov/waterdisruption</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their businesses can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety and lodging program at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kda.fsl@ks.gov" target="_blank">kda.fsl@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 785-564-6767.&nbsp;

Boil water advisory issued for city of La Crosse

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger and administrative assistant Crystal Young share information about the Ag Appreciation Dinner.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e72721bf-17fe-43d1-a428-8eb7c32185ff">For more about the Post Podcast, including a full list of episodes and episode transcripts click here.</a>

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger and administrative assistant Crystal Young share information about the Ag Appreciation Dinner. <div><iframe title="Preparations underway for Hays Chamber Ag Appreciation dinner" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=zve8b-12ef4d3-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e72721bf-17fe-43d1-a428-8eb7c32185ff">For more about the Post Podcast, including a full list of episodes and episode transcripts click here.</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: Preparations underway for Hays Chamber Ag Appreciation Dinner

<div>  <script src="https://embed-1007182.secondstreetapp.com/Scripts/dist/embed.js" data-ss-embed="promotion" data-opguid="3f27d7e7-9db8-467d-8ceb-af5b4731fd79" data-routing="hash">/**/</script></div>

On this week's Tiger Talk, Voice of the Tigers Gerard Wellbrock speaks with Fort Hays State University Head Football Coach Chris Brown about the latest in FHSU Football.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pJ7YImqF7U8"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On this week's Tiger Talk, Voice of the Tigers Gerard Wellbrock speaks with Fort Hays State University Head Football Coach Chris Brown about the latest in FHSU Football.

🎥🏈 Watch This Week's Tiger Talk

Fort Hays State University Concert
Choirs will take the stage Friday for the first FHSU music event of the year.

Under the direction of professor of music and director of choral activities&nbsp;Terry Crull, the free concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in
the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center, 600 Park.

“It's
going to be a fun concert,” Crull said. “We're calling it Take Me to the Water because
this summer, when I was looking at potential pieces, I found a great gospel,
spiritual arrangement by Rollo Dilworth, an upcoming arranger called Take Me
to the Water, and it features Wait in the Water and Down by the Riverside,
two old spiritual hymns.”

All
selections, he said, feature water, rivers or lakes as a theme.

“We've
got River Run. We've got Walking on the Green Grass, which happens
if you get rain,” Crull said. “And Wade in the Water by the Fort Hays
Singers and At the River, a hymn arrangement, Flow Gently Sweet Afton
a folk song from Scotland. And just every title has something to do in some way
or other with water or rain or rivers.”

The
concert will start with the FHSU Concert Choir singing the Fort Hays alma
mater and then Take Me to the Water.

Following
the adult community group, the Smokey Hill Chorale will offer four songs. The
Fort Hays Singers will take the stage after.

They
will offer songs prepared for the evening but also selections from their
recent trip to the Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs.

“We went
in costume and sang a couple of performances on a beautiful warm day with lots
of people at the Renaissance Festival,” Crull said. “We had a good trip and a
fun stay.”

The
Concert Choir will wrap the concert with several songs dealing with water.

Their
selections will include, To the Old Mill, “about a guy who met a girl 20 years
ago and he didn't make work of it, so now she married somebody else, and he's
still waiting at the mill to grind his meal, and he's turned old and gray,”
Crull said.

“That
can be a nice fun folk story,” he continued, “And Water Night, a great piece for
choral singers by Eric Whitacre. … That was one of his first ones, a big hit Water
Night. Interesting text and beautiful music.”

“So
that'll be, I think, an entertaining concert,” Crull said. “Something for
everybody. ... Fun
spirituals and folk songs for people who just want to hear a great story put to
music. That's what we do, we tell stories.”

While
the concert marks the first of the year for the students, some of the
performers will be familiar to the audience as FHSU students return alongside
new recruits. &nbsp;

Crull estimates
that about half of the choir are music majors, with the others made up of
students from across campus.

“You
don't have to be a music major to be in either group,” Crull said. “Although,
in the Fort Hays Singers, which was the top ensemble, most of them are majors
or music ed majors. Not all of them, but most of them.”

“It's
just a fun group to watch, perform, and to hear perform,” Crull said. “And so,
I invite everybody to come on out and hear us.”

<div><iframe title="FHSU music department kicks-off season with Choirs Concert Friday" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=fcbc2-12ee344-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL Hays PostFort Hays State University Concert
Choirs will take the stage Friday for the first FHSU music event of the year.Under the direction of professor of music and director of choral activities&nbsp;Terry Crull, the free concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in
the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center, 600 Park.“It's
going to be a fun concert,” Crull said. “We're calling it Take Me to the Water because
this summer, when I was looking at potential pieces, I found a great gospel,
spiritual arrangement by Rollo Dilworth, an upcoming arranger called Take Me
to the Water, and it features Wait in the Water and Down by the Riverside,
two old spiritual hymns.”All
selections, he said, feature water, rivers or lakes as a theme.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583259164034.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“We've
got River Run. We've got Walking on the Green Grass, which happens
if you get rain,” Crull said. “And Wade in the Water by the Fort Hays
Singers and At the River, a hymn arrangement, Flow Gently Sweet Afton
a folk song from Scotland. And just every title has something to do in some way
or other with water or rain or rivers.”The
concert will start with the FHSU Concert Choir singing the Fort Hays alma
mater and then Take Me to the Water.Following
the adult community group, the Smokey Hill Chorale will offer four songs. The
Fort Hays Singers will take the stage after.They
will offer songs prepared for the evening but also selections from their
recent trip to the Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs.“We went
in costume and sang a couple of performances on a beautiful warm day with lots
of people at the Renaissance Festival,” Crull said. “We had a good trip and a
fun stay.”The
Concert Choir will wrap the concert with several songs dealing with water.Their
selections will include, To the Old Mill, “about a guy who met a girl 20 years
ago and he didn't make work of it, so now she married somebody else, and he's
still waiting at the mill to grind his meal, and he's turned old and gray,”
Crull said. “That
can be a nice fun folk story,” he continued, “And Water Night, a great piece for
choral singers by Eric Whitacre. … That was one of his first ones, a big hit Water
Night. Interesting text and beautiful music.”“So
that'll be, I think, an entertaining concert,” Crull said. “Something for
everybody. ... Fun
spirituals and folk songs for people who just want to hear a great story put to
music. That's what we do, we tell stories.”While
the concert marks the first of the year for the students, some of the
performers will be familiar to the audience as FHSU students return alongside
new recruits. &nbsp;Crull estimates
that about half of the choir are music majors, with the others made up of
students from across campus.“You
don't have to be a music major to be in either group,” Crull said. “Although,
in the Fort Hays Singers, which was the top ensemble, most of them are majors
or music ed majors. Not all of them, but most of them.”Many are
from Hays, he said.“It's
just a fun group to watch, perform, and to hear perform,” Crull said. “And so,
I invite everybody to come on out and hear us.”

🎙 FHSU music department kicks off season with Choirs Concert Friday

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

Ellis County public works crews will work to patch more than
a dozen trouble spots along the southern portion of Ellis Avenue in the coming
weeks while a final decision on the road will be left to a future commission.

Residents from the area south of Ellis once again approached
the Ellis County Commission last week to discuss the future of a 5-mile
stretch of Ellis Avenue after the commission delayed work on the road last month.

Public Works Director Brendan Mackay was tasked with
presenting the commission with several options for the future of the road after
the commission had previously approved changing the road from a hard surface
asphalt road to a milled rock asphalt surfaced road.

Mackay presented the commission with four options for the
5-mile stretch of road.

The first was a to completely redo the road with hotmix
asphalt for $5.6 million.

Mackay the county does not have the money to do that option.
They would have to contract the work to an outside entity, because the county does not
have the equipment for the job.

Option two was to fix the spots in the road that are in
immediate need of repair. A Trego County farmer who uses the road to access
nearby farm land said at the meeting last month they he wanted the county to
fix the four or five “bad” spots.

Mackay said crews identified 14 spots of road in that stretch that need to be addressed.

The cost for material, but not including county employee labor, is estimated at $132,514, according to Mackay.

The county also does not have all of the material mixed at the
moment and will have to dip into material set aside for next year to make
enough to fix the road. They will also have to go out of
state to Texas or Oklahoma to get the oil and pay to have APAC make the material.

Commission Chair Butch Schlyer asked Mackay if patching is
just “Kicking the can down the road?”

“When you do a patch like this, you want three to five years
of life,” Mackay said. “I'm not willing to say we'll get three years out of it.”

Several times Tuesday, Mackay equated the road to a house.

“You keep patching the plaster, the drywall, but until you
build that foundation up, you're just spending good money after bad,” Mackay
said.

He said the two other options were a prime and seal and
a coldmix repair.

The prime and seal would cost approximately $467,921 and a
coldmix repair was estimated at $2.38 million.

County Administrator Darin Myers said the county has set aside a
total of $250,000 for the project; $50,000 for the next five years.

Mackay recommended to the commission the original plan — mill
the current asphalt surface, work it into the base and top the
newly formed base with work rock into the milled surface.

He said that process would prevent moisture from getting
into the surface from water, snow and freezing and thawing. It
would also stop the moisture from the bottom in the form of springs that are
causing some of the current issues with the roadway.

Mackay said that while it isn’t a hard surfaced road of
asphalt or concrete, it's also not a dirt road. 

The one option that Mackay said he would not go with was the
patching of the trouble stops.

“It's not going to solve the issue,” Mackay said. “The base
needs to be repaired.

“Even with that patching, where we'd do those patches, we
would nail rock into it,” he added. “Where do we start, where do we stop.”

A Rush County resident claimed the county had not
maintained the road had been maintained in the last 15 years.

Mackay said the entire 5-mile stretch of that road was
completely sealed was in 2015.

“And also asphalt patching has occurred every year except
for the fall of last year and this year when we were directed to start operation
to turn it from a paved road to an unpaved roadway,” Mackay said. “So it hasn’t
been 15 years of neglect.”

Despite Mackay’s recommendation against patching the
roadway, Schlyer and Commissioner Neal Younger elected to have
county crews patch the trouble spots.

Schlyer said residents approached
the commission requesting patching the road, so that’s the route he was in
favor of going forward.

“If we patch, it kicks the can down the road to the next board of
commissioners,” he said. 

Younger said that he will be involved in that decision and, “I
have no problem with that.”

“I would be supporting of Band-Aid it together and then when
a new commission comes, we address it at that time,” Younger said. 

Mackay said they do not have the material to make the cold
mix to fix the trouble spots and he does not know if they will be able to get
it this year. If they do, it will likely affect what they are able to do next
year.

He also said they have other projects that are ready to
begin in the coming weeks.

Mackay’s suggestion was to mill in rock in the trouble spots
and level them out.

He said a lot of the problems with similar roads is that
there was never a base built. They instead just used a prime and seal process
over the existing road and never created a solid base.

“Milling the rock in would address the base issue, so we
would have a good solid foundation to build off of,” Mackay said. “Whether we
go back with asphalt or we use the millings and rock mixture on the top.”

Mackay added that 27 states said in a 2018 survey that roads
that have fewer than 250 vehicles that travel it per day probably should not
have been paved to begin with.

A 2018 survey of the road found that approximately 100
vehicles travel that stretch of road every day.

Mackay said they will attempt to begin working on the
patchwork repairs at the end of October. A detour around the area will most likely be
required, he said.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostEllis County public works crews will work to patch more than
a dozen trouble spots along the southern portion of Ellis Avenue in the coming
weeks while a final decision on the road will be left to a future commission.Residents from the area south of Ellis once again approached
the Ellis County Commission last week to discuss the future of a 5-mile
stretch of Ellis Avenue after the commission delayed work on the road last month.Public Works Director Brendan Mackay was tasked with
presenting the commission with several options for the future of the road after
the commission had previously approved changing the road from a hard surface
asphalt road to a milled rock asphalt surfaced road.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665761322510.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Mackay presented the commission with four options for the
5-mile stretch of road.The first was a to completely redo the road with hotmix
asphalt for $5.6 million.Mackay the county does not have the money to do that option.
They would have to contract the work to an outside entity, because the county does not
have the equipment for the job.Option two was to fix the spots in the road that are in
immediate need of repair. A Trego County farmer who uses the road to access
nearby farm land said at the meeting last month they he wanted the county to
fix the four or five “bad” spots.Mackay said crews identified 14 spots of road in that stretch that need to be addressed.The cost for material, but not including county employee labor, is estimated at $132,514, according to Mackay.The county also does not have all of the material mixed at the
moment and will have to dip into material set aside for next year to make
enough to fix the road. They will also have to go out of
state to Texas or Oklahoma to get the oil and pay to have APAC make the material.Commission Chair Butch Schlyer asked Mackay if patching is
just “Kicking the can down the road?”Mackay said, “Yes.”“When you do a patch like this, you want three to five years
of life,” Mackay said. “I'm not willing to say we'll get three years out of it.”Several times Tuesday, Mackay equated the road to a house.“You keep patching the plaster, the drywall, but until you
build that foundation up, you're just spending good money after bad,” Mackay
said.He said the two other options were a prime and seal and
a coldmix repair.The prime and seal would cost approximately $467,921 and a
coldmix repair was estimated at $2.38 million.County Administrator Darin Myers said the county has set aside a
total of $250,000 for the project; $50,000 for the next five years.Mackay recommended to the commission the original plan — mill
the current asphalt surface, work it into the base and top the
newly formed base with work rock into the milled surface.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665761285780.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>He said that process would prevent moisture from getting
into the surface from water, snow and freezing and thawing. It
would also stop the moisture from the bottom in the form of springs that are
causing some of the current issues with the roadway.Mackay said that while it isn’t a hard surfaced road of
asphalt or concrete, it's also not a dirt road. The one option that Mackay said he would not go with was the
patching of the trouble stops.“It's not going to solve the issue,” Mackay said. “The base
needs to be repaired.“Even with that patching, where we'd do those patches, we
would nail rock into it,” he added. “Where do we start, where do we stop.” 
A Rush County resident claimed the county had not
maintained the road had been maintained in the last 15 years.Mackay said the entire 5-mile stretch of that road was
completely sealed was in 2015.“And also asphalt patching has occurred every year except
for the fall of last year and this year when we were directed to start operation
to turn it from a paved road to an unpaved roadway,” Mackay said. “So it hasn’t
been 15 years of neglect.”Despite Mackay’s recommendation against patching the
roadway, Schlyer and Commissioner Neal Younger elected to have
county crews patch the trouble spots.Schlyer said residents approached
the commission requesting patching the road, so that’s the route he was in
favor of going forward.“If we patch, it kicks the can down the road to the next board of
commissioners,” he said. Younger said that he will be involved in that decision and, “I
have no problem with that.”“I would be supporting of Band-Aid it together and then when
a new commission comes, we address it at that time,” Younger said. Mackay said they do not have the material to make the cold
mix to fix the trouble spots and he does not know if they will be able to get
it this year. If they do, it will likely affect what they are able to do next
year.He also said they have other projects that are ready to
begin in the coming weeks.Mackay’s suggestion was to mill in rock in the trouble spots
and level them out.He said a lot of the problems with similar roads is that
there was never a base built. They instead just used a prime and seal process
over the existing road and never created a solid base.“Milling the rock in would address the base issue, so we
would have a good solid foundation to build off of,” Mackay said. “Whether we
go back with asphalt or we use the millings and rock mixture on the top.” 
Mackay added that 27 states said in a 2018 survey that roads
that have fewer than 250 vehicles that travel it per day probably should not
have been paved to begin with.A 2018 survey of the road found that approximately 100
vehicles travel that stretch of road every day.Mackay said they will attempt to begin working on the
patchwork repairs at the end of October. A detour around the area will most likely be
required, he said.

Commission: Patch South Ellis Ave. now; next commission will make final decision

WICHITA — The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/">Kansas Leadership Center</a>&nbsp;has selected 87 organizations across Kansas — two from Hays — as 2023 Leadership Transformation Grant partners. The grants will help the partner organizations create a culture that embraces change, tackles problems and seizes opportunities.

“The Leadership Transformation Grants are our primary vehicle for sharing the gift of KLC's core grant from the Kansas Health Foundation. KLC and KHF partner this way to build the leadership and civic engagement capacity of organizations across the state. We’re proud to see this program grow every year since we started offering these grants nine years ago,” said Julia Fabris McBride, interim president and CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center.

The 2023 Leadership Transformation Grant partners from Hays are Fort Hays State University and Kansas Association of Conservation Districts.

Leadership Transformation Grants provide the opportunity for participants to learn, practice and engage with the KLC Framework. The program also utilizes KLC’s new book,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/when-everyone-leads/">When Everyone Leads</a>, to be released by best-selling business publisher Bard Press on January 31, 2023.

“Leadership isn’t about authority and position, it’s an activity where small actions are taken in moments of opportunity,” said Kaye Monk-Morgan, KLC’s chief impact officer and teacher. “When everyone leads, we make progress on our most important challenges. That’s what the Leadership Transformation Grants are all about – engaging people across the state to solve daunting challenges in their communities, organizations and professional lives.”

Organizations who receive a Leadership Transformation Grant will establish a core team of three to six individuals to take on the responsibilities of the grant. Organizations chosen will have one year to participate in KLC’s dynamic program experiences and utilize KLC resources and consultation.

“The Leadership Transformation Grants provide access to programs on the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/the-klc-path/">KLC Path</a>, a three-step sequence which teaches that leadership is an activity—not a position—and that anyone within an organization can exercise leadership effectively. These programs offer a framework by which organizations can share a common language and skills to approach their challenges and empower employees to mobilize others to create progress in their organization and communities,” said Katy Weidner, KLC program manager.

Applications for Leadership Transformation Grants are accepted between July and September each year.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/announcing-recipients-of-leadership-transformation-grants/">See the complete list of 2023 partners</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634745891489.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseWICHITA — The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/">Kansas Leadership Center</a>&nbsp;has selected 87 organizations across Kansas — two from Hays — as 2023 Leadership Transformation Grant partners. The grants will help the partner organizations create a culture that embraces change, tackles problems and seizes opportunities.“The Leadership Transformation Grants are our primary vehicle for sharing the gift of KLC's core grant from the Kansas Health Foundation. KLC and KHF partner this way to build the leadership and civic engagement capacity of organizations across the state. We’re proud to see this program grow every year since we started offering these grants nine years ago,” said Julia Fabris McBride, interim president and CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center.The 2023 Leadership Transformation Grant partners from Hays are Fort Hays State University and Kansas Association of Conservation Districts.Leadership Transformation Grants provide the opportunity for participants to learn, practice and engage with the KLC Framework. The program also utilizes KLC’s new book,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/when-everyone-leads/">When Everyone Leads</a>, to be released by best-selling business publisher Bard Press on January 31, 2023.“Leadership isn’t about authority and position, it’s an activity where small actions are taken in moments of opportunity,” said Kaye Monk-Morgan, KLC’s chief impact officer and teacher. “When everyone leads, we make progress on our most important challenges. That’s what the Leadership Transformation Grants are all about – engaging people across the state to solve daunting challenges in their communities, organizations and professional lives.”Organizations who receive a Leadership Transformation Grant will establish a core team of three to six individuals to take on the responsibilities of the grant. Organizations chosen will have one year to participate in KLC’s dynamic program experiences and utilize KLC resources and consultation.“The Leadership Transformation Grants provide access to programs on the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/the-klc-path/">KLC Path</a>, a three-step sequence which teaches that leadership is an activity—not a position—and that anyone within an organization can exercise leadership effectively. These programs offer a framework by which organizations can share a common language and skills to approach their challenges and empower employees to mobilize others to create progress in their organization and communities,” said Katy Weidner, KLC program manager.Applications for Leadership Transformation Grants are accepted between July and September each year.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/announcing-recipients-of-leadership-transformation-grants/">See the complete list of 2023 partners</a>.

Hays organizations earn Kansas Leadership Center grants

By RON FIELDS <a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/post-news-network">Post News Network</a>

On Aug. 31, a little-known but fast-growing broadband company received nearly half a billion dollars from the federal government to expand rural access, including in Kansas and Nebraska.

Texas-based <a href="https://nextlinkinternet.com/">Nextlink Internet</a> plans to deploy a mix of fiber and fixed wireless services across 11 states with funding from the Federal Communications Commission's Rural Broadband Opportunity Fund.

“We are excited to partner with the FCC to deploy gigabit connectivity to households across rural America," Bill Baker, co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. "With significant licensed spectrum holdings to support gigabit wireless plus fiber projects ready to kick-off construction, we are well-positioned to move quickly to connect the unconnected.”

Of the $429 million committed by the FCC, more than $50 million is devoted to expansion in Kansas and Nebraska, creating service for an additional 26,000 customers in Kansas and 14,000 in Nebraska. 

"The majority of it is fixed wireless, but fiber is a growing part of our business and will be going forward," said Claude Aiken, Nextlink chief strategy officer. "One of the benefits of fixed wireless is it's quicker and less costly to deploy ... and is relatively easily upgradeable."

Fixed wireless uses an access point — generally located on an existing tower or other high point in a service area — to connect customers who otherwise are unable to get high-speed service via a traditional provider.

Aiken said a typical fixed wireless deployment generally offers 100 MB download and 20 MB upload speeds, although he said the company's technology could offer much higher speeds.

"The technology has really improved by leaps and bounds over the course of the past few years," he said. "We just did a deal with Wise County, Texas, to build out 500-by-100 across 95 percent of the county."

COMING SOON: Legacy broadband providers react to massive FCC award for Nextlink

In 2021, <a href="https://nextlinkinternet.com/american-tower-rural-america/">Nextlink and American Tower entered into a colocation agreement,</a> allowing Nextlink to place equipment on more than 1,000 existing towers across 11 states.

"We do a mix of different things with towers. We'll construct our own, we'll leverage our partnership with American Tower where it makes sense .. or find a high point in a community," Aiken said. "Whatever the best solution is to get to the community."

While there is no specific build schedule or timelines yet, the FCC requires RDOF projects to be completed within six years, with requirements that milestones of completion are met after two years and then annually.

Nextlink already has offices in both Kansas (Kingman, Goddard, Salina, Great Bend) and Nebraska (Hastings, Norfolk, Lincoln, Beatrice), and Aiken said Nextlink plans more expansion as its service area grows.

"It's still a little preliminary to say what's going where," he said. "In the near term, it will be where we have existing public/private partnerships. But we're always looking at new areas for growth and folks who really need high-quality connectivity ... where it makes economic sense and where there is a community need."

While the federal fund is targeted at those who lack rural high-speed internet access, Aiken said there is a competitive aspect to the expansion, as well, offering a second option for some customers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662136805159.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON FIELDS <a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/post-news-network">Post News Network</a>On Aug. 31, a little-known but fast-growing broadband company received nearly half a billion dollars from the federal government to expand rural access, including in Kansas and Nebraska.Texas-based <a href="https://nextlinkinternet.com/">Nextlink Internet</a> plans to deploy a mix of fiber and fixed wireless services across 11 states with funding from the Federal Communications Commission's Rural Broadband Opportunity Fund.“We are excited to partner with the FCC to deploy gigabit connectivity to households across rural America," Bill Baker, co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. "With significant licensed spectrum holdings to support gigabit wireless plus fiber projects ready to kick-off construction, we are well-positioned to move quickly to connect the unconnected.”Of the $429 million committed by the FCC, more than $50 million is devoted to expansion in Kansas and Nebraska, creating service for an additional 26,000 customers in Kansas and 14,000 in Nebraska. "The majority of it is fixed wireless, but fiber is a growing part of our business and will be going forward," said Claude Aiken, Nextlink chief strategy officer. "One of the benefits of fixed wireless is it's quicker and less costly to deploy ... and is relatively easily upgradeable."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665422995103.png" alt="Aiken" />
 <figcaption>Aiken</figcaption>
 </figure>Fixed wireless uses an access point — generally located on an existing tower or other high point in a service area — to connect customers who otherwise are unable to get high-speed service via a traditional provider.Aiken said a typical fixed wireless deployment generally offers 100 MB download and 20 MB upload speeds, although he said the company's technology could offer much higher speeds."The technology has really improved by leaps and bounds over the course of the past few years," he said. "We just did a deal with Wise County, Texas, to build out 500-by-100 across 95 percent of the county."COMING SOON: Legacy broadband providers react to massive FCC award for NextlinkIn 2021, <a href="https://nextlinkinternet.com/american-tower-rural-america/">Nextlink and American Tower entered into a colocation agreement,</a> allowing Nextlink to place equipment on more than 1,000 existing towers across 11 states."We do a mix of different things with towers. We'll construct our own, we'll leverage our partnership with American Tower where it makes sense .. or find a high point in a community," Aiken said. "Whatever the best solution is to get to the community."While there is no specific build schedule or timelines yet, the FCC requires RDOF projects to be completed within six years, with requirements that milestones of completion are met after two years and then annually.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665423054163.png" alt="Active Nextlink coverage map in Nebraska. <a href="https://nextlinkinternet.com/areas-we-serve/internet-in-nebraska/">Click HERE to see a list of communities.&nbsp;</a>" />
 <figcaption>Active Nextlink coverage map in Nebraska. <a href="https://nextlinkinternet.com/areas-we-serve/internet-in-nebraska/">Click HERE to see a list of communities.&nbsp;</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Nextlink already has offices in both Kansas (Kingman, Goddard, Salina, Great Bend) and Nebraska (Hastings, Norfolk, Lincoln, Beatrice), and Aiken said Nextlink plans more expansion as its service area grows.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665423081924.png" alt="Active Nextlink coverage map in Kansas. <a href="https://nextlinkinternet.com/areas-we-serve/internet-in-kansas/">Click HERE to see a list of communities.</a>" />
 <figcaption>Active Nextlink coverage map in Kansas. <a href="https://nextlinkinternet.com/areas-we-serve/internet-in-kansas/">Click HERE to see a list of communities.</a></figcaption>
 </figure>"It's still a little preliminary to say what's going where," he said. "In the near term, it will be where we have existing public/private partnerships. But we're always looking at new areas for growth and folks who really need high-quality connectivity ... where it makes economic sense and where there is a community need."While the federal fund is targeted at those who lack rural high-speed internet access, Aiken said there is a competitive aspect to the expansion, as well, offering a second option for some customers.However, Aiken said some providers without the capital to build into rural areas have welcomed Nextlink."In having some of those conversations with other providers, there are some folks who are very happy to kind of stay in their existing footprint and service folks in town and not do the hard work of connecting the far-flung farmland and ranchland," Aiken said. "On the other hand, we do compete and offer that second option."Nextlink currently serves 88,000 homes and businesses across its seven-state footprint and employs 950. In 2017, when the company served only an area on the outskirts of Dallas-Fort Forth, the company employed 150. "Projecting forward, we anticipate pretty significant employee growth in Kansas and Nebraska," Aiken said, noting the project builds and deployment will be kept in-house "as much as possible."This is the second major influx of federal dollars to fuel growth at Nextlink. <a href="https://www.fiercewireless.com/tech/here-s-how-nextlink-biggest-caf-ii-auction-winner-spending-its-281m">In 2018, the company was awarded $281 million</a> as part of the Connect America Fund Phase II program, which sparked expansion into Kansas and Nebraska. "We were on track for 40 percent (completion) milestone at the end of 2022 ... but now we are 50 percent done. In Kansas, that actually is at about 60 percent complete," Aiken said.Nextlink is owned by <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/1754156D:US">AMG Technology Investments LLC</a> and currently serves customers in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa and South Dakota. With the RDOF award, the company plans to expand into Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wyoming and Louisiana.

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