Homecoming weekend at Fort Hays State University reminds alumni and community members alike of the value of coming together. Familiar faces from the 50 and 60-year reunion classes shared memories, jokes, and stories about their time at Fort Hays State. Those visiting for the first time in years felt nostalgia as they toured campus and stopped by new buildings and recently renovated spaces.

Fort Hays State’s 102nd&nbsp;Homecoming exceeded the expectations of the FHSU Alumni Association and Foundation, who rejoiced in the opportunity to bring everyone together again.

Thursday’s warm autumnal weather welcomed those participating in the annual golf tournament. More than 40 teams participated in the tournament this year, a record for the already successful event. Warm weather carried through to Thursday evening’s fan-favorite Tiger bonfire and pep rally, which also had a tremendous turnout of Tiger fans to enjoy camaraderie and food from local vendors.

On Friday, Jason Williby, FHSU Foundation President and CEO announced a generous lead gift from Lorena Kellogg and her late husband Wilmer for a new Shotgun Team facility during Friday morning’s press conference. Duane Shepherd, FHSU Shotgun Team head coach, and team members Lane Sorensen and Hailey Zulkoski shared their remarks about how the Kellogg family’s generosity will impact the team’s future success and recruitment efforts.

From there, families, community members, and students donned their warm winter gear and headed to Oktoberfest to start the celebrations.

Those back in town for the first time in a while enjoyed walking and bus tours of the Fort Hays State campus and Hays and met with various departments on campus for further celebrations. Six Alumni Award recipients were celebrated at a meet and greet event, as well as an evening banquet and were honored for their various accomplishments over the years and on campus.&nbsp;

Saturday welcomed back guests for a delicious breakfast with FHSU President Dr. Tisa Mason, who shared a campus update with alumni, donors, and students. Homecoming parade-goers and those attending the second day of Oktoberfest enjoyed the warmer and drier weather. After festive tailgating parties and watching the Tigers face off against the Washburn Ichabods, the 2022 Homecoming festivities concluded.&nbsp;

“It was truly remarkable to see the Hays community and FHSU campus bustle with new and familiar faces. The memories shared by our students, returning alumni, and Tiger fans during Homecoming will endure for years to come,” said Carolyn Tatro, Alumni Engagement Strategist with the FHSU Alumni Association.

FHSU Homecoming 2023 is set for Sept. 28 to 30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665506338073.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Alumni AssociationHomecoming weekend at Fort Hays State University reminds alumni and community members alike of the value of coming together. Familiar faces from the 50 and 60-year reunion classes shared memories, jokes, and stories about their time at Fort Hays State. Those visiting for the first time in years felt nostalgia as they toured campus and stopped by new buildings and recently renovated spaces.Fort Hays State’s 102nd&nbsp;Homecoming exceeded the expectations of the FHSU Alumni Association and Foundation, who rejoiced in the opportunity to bring everyone together again.Thursday’s warm autumnal weather welcomed those participating in the annual golf tournament. More than 40 teams participated in the tournament this year, a record for the already successful event. Warm weather carried through to Thursday evening’s fan-favorite Tiger bonfire and pep rally, which also had a tremendous turnout of Tiger fans to enjoy camaraderie and food from local vendors.On Friday, Jason Williby, FHSU Foundation President and CEO announced a generous lead gift from Lorena Kellogg and her late husband Wilmer for a new Shotgun Team facility during Friday morning’s press conference. Duane Shepherd, FHSU Shotgun Team head coach, and team members Lane Sorensen and Hailey Zulkoski shared their remarks about how the Kellogg family’s generosity will impact the team’s future success and recruitment efforts.From there, families, community members, and students donned their warm winter gear and headed to Oktoberfest to start the celebrations.Those back in town for the first time in a while enjoyed walking and bus tours of the Fort Hays State campus and Hays and met with various departments on campus for further celebrations. Six Alumni Award recipients were celebrated at a meet and greet event, as well as an evening banquet and were honored for their various accomplishments over the years and on campus.&nbsp;Saturday welcomed back guests for a delicious breakfast with FHSU President Dr. Tisa Mason, who shared a campus update with alumni, donors, and students. Homecoming parade-goers and those attending the second day of Oktoberfest enjoyed the warmer and drier weather. After festive tailgating parties and watching the Tigers face off against the Washburn Ichabods, the 2022 Homecoming festivities concluded.&nbsp;“It was truly remarkable to see the Hays community and FHSU campus bustle with new and familiar faces. The memories shared by our students, returning alumni, and Tiger fans during Homecoming will endure for years to come,” said Carolyn Tatro, Alumni Engagement Strategist with the FHSU Alumni Association.FHSU Homecoming 2023 is set for Sept. 28 to 30.

FHSU’s 102nd Homecoming an unforgettable success

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Enter to win Eagle Radio's Cash Grab

On this episode of the Post Podcast Holy Family IT director Duff Watson shares information about recent technology upgrades in Hays Catholic Schools.

<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 Holy Family IT director Duff Watson shares information about recent technology upgrades in Hays Catholic Schools. <div><iframe title="Technology upgrades benefit Holy Family Elementary students" allowtransparency="true" height="450" 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=ems8i-12e5f00-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=450" 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: Technology upgrades benefit Holy Family Elementary students

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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/_J1a3AlZUOY"></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

The benchmark Nymex crude futures contract gained another $4 Friday to settle at $92.64 per barrel. Prices are up nearly $16 a barrel in the last two weeks. In lunchtime trading Monday, prices were down slightly, but WTI was trading over $92 and London Brent was over $97 a barrel. Kansas prices were up more than $4 a barrel Friday. The so-called OPEC+ crude exporters announced they would cut output by two million barrels per day, sounding alarm bells for inflation-hawks and poll-watchers worried about gasoline prices. Some analysts point out the cartel has been unable to reach its own production quotas since the pandemic. Some lawmakers are once again touting the so-called "NOPEC" Act and other efforts to rein in the cartel. The auto club AAA says rising gasoline demand paired with diminishing supplies have fueled a big bump in pump prices. The national average is over $3.91 a gallon, up 12 cents from a week ago. Average prices Monday range from $6.33 in California, down a nickel from a week ago, to $3.25 in Mississippi, which is 20 cents higher. The average across Kansas is $3.51 a gallon, a jump of more than 11 cents in seven days. According to the Energy Information Administration, gasoline demand increased nationally from 8.83 million to 9.47 million barrels per day last week, and total domestic gasoline stocks decreased by 4.7 million barrels. State regulators report slight increases in local and statewide crude output. Operators here have pumped more than 11.5 million barrels through May, the latest numbers available from the Kansas Geological Survey.&nbsp; That's over 76,000 barrels per day compared to just over 75,000 a year earlier. 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 report 161 new intent-to-drill notices across the state last month, including three in Barton County, five in Ellis County, one in Russell County and five in Stafford County. So far this year, the Kansas Corporation Commission reports 1,342 new intents, compared to 868 through September of last year. Drilling activity in Kansas is up 55% compared to last year at this time but down slightly for the week. The Rig Count in Kansas is down one east of Wichita and down one in the western half of the state. Drilling was underway Friday on one lease in Stafford County, and was about to resume on one lease in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 1,196 wells spudded so far this year, up 425 wells from last year. They're scouting 489 wells currently being drilled or completed.&nbsp; Regulators okayed new drilling locations in Barton, Ellis and Stafford counties last week. Among the 48 new permits statewide, 39 are east of Wichita and ten in Western Kansas. Kansas operators completed 28 new wells last week, according to Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service, with 13 in eastern Kansas and 15 west of Wichita. The list includes two new wells in Barton County and one each in Russell and Stafford counties.&nbsp; State regulators in New Mexico and Texas reach common ground on wells that cross their common border. Officials are hailing a landmark development involving a landmark oil deposit, the Permian Basin. A Memorandum of Agreement will govern the development, operation, and maintenance of wells that cross their shared border and produce minerals from each state. The MOA will help them allocate millions of dollars in production from such wells, and will help enforce regulations in both state. U.S. crude production last week reached 12.035 million barrels per day, an increase of 1,000 barrels per day from a week ago. The government reports current output is more than 600,000 barrels per day higher than for the same week last year. U.S. Crude inventories dropped by 1.4 million barrels last week. The Energy Information Administration reported stockpiles of just over 429 million barrels as of September 30. That's three percent below the five-year seasonal average. Gasoline inventories dropped by nearly five million barrels and are about nine percent below the five-year average. EIA reports domestic crude imports last week dropped nearly half a million barrels to 5.9 million barrels per day. The four week average is roughly 2.6 percent lower than a year ago. Oil-by-rail traffic in the U.S. was up six percent in the week through October first. The Association of American Railroads reports 10,449 tanker carloads, up more than 1,000 tankers from the week before and more than six percent higher than the same week a year ago. Canadian traffic was is up two percent over last year, posting an increase of 42 carloads week over week.

By JOHN P. TRETBARThe benchmark Nymex crude futures contract gained another $4 Friday to settle at $92.64 per barrel. Prices are up nearly $16 a barrel in the last two weeks. In lunchtime trading Monday, prices were down slightly, but WTI was trading over $92 and London Brent was over $97 a barrel. Kansas prices were up more than $4 a barrel Friday. The so-called OPEC+ crude exporters announced they would cut output by two million barrels per day, sounding alarm bells for inflation-hawks and poll-watchers worried about gasoline prices. Some analysts point out the cartel has been unable to reach its own production quotas since the pandemic. Some lawmakers are once again touting the so-called "NOPEC" Act and other efforts to rein in the cartel. The auto club AAA says rising gasoline demand paired with diminishing supplies have fueled a big bump in pump prices. The national average is over $3.91 a gallon, up 12 cents from a week ago. Average prices Monday range from $6.33 in California, down a nickel from a week ago, to $3.25 in Mississippi, which is 20 cents higher. The average across Kansas is $3.51 a gallon, a jump of more than 11 cents in seven days. According to the Energy Information Administration, gasoline demand increased nationally from 8.83 million to 9.47 million barrels per day last week, and total domestic gasoline stocks decreased by 4.7 million barrels. State regulators report slight increases in local and statewide crude output. Operators here have pumped more than 11.5 million barrels through May, the latest numbers available from the Kansas Geological Survey.&nbsp; That's over 76,000 barrels per day compared to just over 75,000 a year earlier. 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 report 161 new intent-to-drill notices across the state last month, including three in Barton County, five in Ellis County, one in Russell County and five in Stafford County. So far this year, the Kansas Corporation Commission reports 1,342 new intents, compared to 868 through September of last year. Drilling activity in Kansas is up 55% compared to last year at this time but down slightly for the week. The Rig Count in Kansas is down one east of Wichita and down one in the western half of the state. Drilling was underway Friday on one lease in Stafford County, and was about to resume on one lease in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 1,196 wells spudded so far this year, up 425 wells from last year. They're scouting 489 wells currently being drilled or completed.&nbsp; Regulators okayed new drilling locations in Barton, Ellis and Stafford counties last week. Among the 48 new permits statewide, 39 are east of Wichita and ten in Western Kansas. Kansas operators completed 28 new wells last week, according to Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service, with 13 in eastern Kansas and 15 west of Wichita. The list includes two new wells in Barton County and one each in Russell and Stafford counties.&nbsp; State regulators in New Mexico and Texas reach common ground on wells that cross their common border. Officials are hailing a landmark development involving a landmark oil deposit, the Permian Basin. A Memorandum of Agreement will govern the development, operation, and maintenance of wells that cross their shared border and produce minerals from each state. The MOA will help them allocate millions of dollars in production from such wells, and will help enforce regulations in both state. U.S. crude production last week reached 12.035 million barrels per day, an increase of 1,000 barrels per day from a week ago. The government reports current output is more than 600,000 barrels per day higher than for the same week last year. U.S. Crude inventories dropped by 1.4 million barrels last week. The Energy Information Administration reported stockpiles of just over 429 million barrels as of September 30. That's three percent below the five-year seasonal average. Gasoline inventories dropped by nearly five million barrels and are about nine percent below the five-year average. EIA reports domestic crude imports last week dropped nearly half a million barrels to 5.9 million barrels per day. The four week average is roughly 2.6 percent lower than a year ago. Oil-by-rail traffic in the U.S. was up six percent in the week through October first. The Association of American Railroads reports 10,449 tanker carloads, up more than 1,000 tankers from the week before and more than six percent higher than the same week a year ago. Canadian traffic was is up two percent over last year, posting an increase of 42 carloads week over week.

News From the Oil Patch: Kansas crude output rising

BELOIT — Numerous donors in collaboration with North Central Kansas Technical College Endowment Association and Foundation, have established endowed funds&nbsp;and pass-thru funds&nbsp;specifically to be used for student scholarships.

Seventy-one students received scholarships this school year. The recipients of the scholarships are students enrolled in a variety of programs offered at North Central Kansas Technical College on the Beloit and Hays Campuses.&nbsp;

These scholarships offer financial assistance to qualifying students now and into the future by providing an enduring legacy of these donors through annual scholarships at North Central Kansas Technical College.

NCK Tech hosted two receptions for students and donors, one on the Hays Campus on Sept. 28 and the other on the Beloit Campus on Oct. 5. During these receptions, 27&nbsp;scholarships were awarded, many with multiple awards. These scholarships range in amounts from $500 to $2,000.

“Honoring the legacy of our donors, their contributions and their leadership to the education of our future workforce is such a pleasure and we can’t thank them enough for their generosity,” said Eric Burks, president of North Central Kansas Technical College.

“We are deeply grateful to these donors for establishing these important scholarship funds, which we are honored to administer,” said Mendi Anschutz, director of advancement for the North Central Kansas Technical College Endowment Association and Foundation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586713055800.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseBELOIT — Numerous donors in collaboration with North Central Kansas Technical College Endowment Association and Foundation, have established endowed funds&nbsp;and pass-thru funds&nbsp;specifically to be used for student scholarships.Seventy-one students received scholarships this school year. The recipients of the scholarships are students enrolled in a variety of programs offered at North Central Kansas Technical College on the Beloit and Hays Campuses.&nbsp;These scholarships offer financial assistance to qualifying students now and into the future by providing an enduring legacy of these donors through annual scholarships at North Central Kansas Technical College.NCK Tech hosted two receptions for students and donors, one on the Hays Campus on Sept. 28 and the other on the Beloit Campus on Oct. 5. During these receptions, 27&nbsp;scholarships were awarded, many with multiple awards. These scholarships range in amounts from $500 to $2,000.“Honoring the legacy of our donors, their contributions and their leadership to the education of our future workforce is such a pleasure and we can’t thank them enough for their generosity,” said Eric Burks, president of North Central Kansas Technical College.“We are deeply grateful to these donors for establishing these important scholarship funds, which we are honored to administer,” said Mendi Anschutz, director of advancement for the North Central Kansas Technical College Endowment Association and Foundation.

NCK Tech hosts scholarship receptions in Hays, Beloit

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. —&nbsp;Jared&nbsp;Leiker, longstanding Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation administrator and teacher, has been named the next principal of Lawrenceburg High School after&nbsp;receiving&nbsp;school board approval during a meeting on Oct. 6. Leiker will&nbsp; formally take the position after Mr. Snyder’s retirement in July 2023.

“Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation is excited about the enthusiasm and energy Mr.&nbsp;Leiker&nbsp;looks to bring to the&nbsp;position,” said Superintendent Karl Galey,&nbsp;“He plans to build upon the&nbsp;foundation built by the current high school administration of being accessible, collaborative, visible,&nbsp;and organized. Mr.&nbsp;Leiker plans to do this by building relationships, being in the community, and at school activities, as well as actively listening to the students, parents,&nbsp;staff,&nbsp;and community.”

Having served the Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation for the past 16 years in a variety of different roles, Leiker&nbsp;is bringing his vast&nbsp;experience in&nbsp;education and leadership into his role as the new principal. Currently, he is in his sixth year as assistant principal of Lawrenceburg Primary School and Central Elementary School&nbsp;and&nbsp;can also be found on the football field as Coach&nbsp;Leiker. Prior to being an administrator, Mr.&nbsp;Leiker&nbsp;served for seven years as&nbsp;a&nbsp;Project Lead the Way&nbsp;Teacher at LHS, a&nbsp;math teacher at LHS,&nbsp;and three years as an instructional technology specialist.

“Having the opportunity to serve and lead our students, staff, and community is an honor and privilege that I am extremely thankful for,” Leiker said.&nbsp;

Leiker, who grew up in Meade, was raised by parents who served in education as a school administrator and teacher. After completing a bachelor of science in mathematics from Fort Hays State&nbsp;University, he went on to earn a master of education and completed the Principal Licensure Program at Indiana Wesleyan University.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Leiker&nbsp;has been married to Sarah&nbsp;Leiker, an educational consultant, for&nbsp;11 years. They are the parents of two children, Owen, a first-grade student at Lawrenceburg Primary School, and Olivia, a preschool student at St. Lawrence School.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665410701410.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseLAWRENCEBURG, Ind. —&nbsp;Jared&nbsp;Leiker, longstanding Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation administrator and teacher, has been named the next principal of Lawrenceburg High School after&nbsp;receiving&nbsp;school board approval during a meeting on Oct. 6. Leiker will&nbsp; formally take the position after Mr. Snyder’s retirement in July 2023.“Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation is excited about the enthusiasm and energy Mr.&nbsp;Leiker&nbsp;looks to bring to the&nbsp;position,” said Superintendent Karl Galey,&nbsp;“He plans to build upon the&nbsp;foundation built by the current high school administration of being accessible, collaborative, visible,&nbsp;and organized. Mr.&nbsp;Leiker plans to do this by building relationships, being in the community, and at school activities, as well as actively listening to the students, parents,&nbsp;staff,&nbsp;and community.”Having served the Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation for the past 16 years in a variety of different roles, Leiker&nbsp;is bringing his vast&nbsp;experience in&nbsp;education and leadership into his role as the new principal. Currently, he is in his sixth year as assistant principal of Lawrenceburg Primary School and Central Elementary School&nbsp;and&nbsp;can also be found on the football field as Coach&nbsp;Leiker. Prior to being an administrator, Mr.&nbsp;Leiker&nbsp;served for seven years as&nbsp;a&nbsp;Project Lead the Way&nbsp;Teacher at LHS, a&nbsp;math teacher at LHS,&nbsp;and three years as an instructional technology specialist.“Having the opportunity to serve and lead our students, staff, and community is an honor and privilege that I am extremely thankful for,” Leiker said.&nbsp;Leiker, who grew up in Meade, was raised by parents who served in education as a school administrator and teacher. After completing a bachelor of science in mathematics from Fort Hays State&nbsp;University, he went on to earn a master of education and completed the Principal Licensure Program at Indiana Wesleyan University.&nbsp;&nbsp;Leiker&nbsp;has been married to Sarah&nbsp;Leiker, an educational consultant, for&nbsp;11 years. They are the parents of two children, Owen, a first-grade student at Lawrenceburg Primary School, and Olivia, a preschool student at St. Lawrence School.&nbsp;

Fort Hays State grad will take reins at Indiana high school

TREGO COUNTY — Two people were injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Monday in Trego County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Chevy S-10 pickup driven by Meagan Lynnette Herrington, 35, Ellis, was traveling in the 32000 block of Old 40 just west of Kansas 147.

The driver lost control of the vehicle when it made contact with loose dirt, rotated facing southwest, entered the south ditch and rolled ejecting both the driver and passenger.

EMS transported&nbsp;Herrington to Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital and a passenger Jordyn Lindsey Herrington, 15, Ellis, to Salina Regional Health Center. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

TREGO COUNTY — Two people were injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Monday in Trego County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Chevy S-10 pickup driven by Meagan Lynnette Herrington, 35, Ellis, was traveling in the 32000 block of Old 40 just west of Kansas 147.The driver lost control of the vehicle when it made contact with loose dirt, rotated facing southwest, entered the south ditch and rolled ejecting both the driver and passenger.EMS transported&nbsp;Herrington to Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital and a passenger Jordyn Lindsey Herrington, 15, Ellis, to Salina Regional Health Center. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Woman from Ellis, 15-year-old hospitalized after rollover accident

<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/2022/10/1665432594306.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

​I am concerned about the election for Kansas State Board of Education, District 5.

​What if the person who represented you in an office was someone that you knew had “skin in the game”? &nbsp;What if they spoke up for folks who don’t have a voice? &nbsp;What if they had demonstrated their commitment to healthy families and communities?&nbsp; Wouldn’t&nbsp;you really like to have someone like that in the office of the Fifth District of the Kansas State Board of Education?&nbsp;

<a></a>Write in Jean&nbsp;Clifford for District 5, Kansas State Board of education on &nbsp;your ballot on Nov. 8. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>​I am concerned about the election for Kansas State Board of Education, District 5.​What if the person who represented you in an office was someone that you knew had “skin in the game”? &nbsp;What if they spoke up for folks who don’t have a voice? &nbsp;What if they had demonstrated their commitment to healthy families and communities?&nbsp; Wouldn’t&nbsp;you really like to have someone like that in the office of the Fifth District of the Kansas State Board of Education?&nbsp;You can do this. &nbsp; &nbsp;<a></a>Write in Jean&nbsp;Clifford for District 5, Kansas State Board of education on &nbsp;your ballot on Nov. 8. &nbsp;I know Jean. I trust Jean. &nbsp;Verna Rundell, Syracuse

LETTER: Write-in candidate best choice for state school board

THOMAS COUNTY—A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after 11a.m. Monday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Western Star Semi driven by Tyler D.&nbsp;Deshazo, 31, Colby, was northbound on U.S. 83 Highway near County Road 36.

The vehicle was unable to come to a stop and yield to other traffic that was legally stopped in the northbound lane waiting for another vehicle to make a righthand, south turn. 

The semi left the roadway to the right, traveled over County Road 36, struck a dirt embankment and came to a rest east of County Road 36 onto its passenger side, spilling all of trailer's grain.

EMS transported Deshazo to the hospital in Colby. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

THOMAS COUNTY—A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after 11a.m. Monday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Western Star Semi driven by Tyler D.&nbsp;Deshazo, 31, Colby, was northbound on U.S. 83 Highway near County Road 36.The vehicle was unable to come to a stop and yield to other traffic that was legally stopped in the northbound lane waiting for another vehicle to make a righthand, south turn. The semi left the roadway to the right, traveled over County Road 36, struck a dirt embankment and came to a rest east of County Road 36 onto its passenger side, spilling all of trailer's grain.EMS transported Deshazo to the hospital in Colby. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. man hospitalized after semi  overturns, spills load of grain

HaysMed recently welcomed three new providers to the medical staff.

Sam Elzay, PA, and Ethan Fort, PA, both began seeing patients at the Orthopedic Institute.

Elzay has a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Promotions from the University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo.&nbsp; He has a Masters of Public Health and Physician Assistant Studies, from Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Health Science, Buies Creek, North Carolina.&nbsp; Elzay will be working with Dr. Tim Wright, Orthopedic Surgeon.

Fort received a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.&nbsp; He has a Masters of Physician Assistant from Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. Fort, a Hays native, will be assisting Dr. Max DeCarvalho, Orthopedic and Spine Surgeon.

Appointments can be made by calling 785-261-7699 or going to&nbsp;<a href="http://haysmed.com/orthopedic-institute">haysmed.com/orthopedic-institute</a>.

Christy Moeder, APRN joined the Convenient Care Clinic.&nbsp; She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Fort Hays State University and a Master’s degree from The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665436877433.jpeg" alt="Elzay" />
 <figcaption>Elzay</figcaption>
 </figure>HaysMedHaysMed recently welcomed three new providers to the medical staff.Sam Elzay, PA, and Ethan Fort, PA, both began seeing patients at the Orthopedic Institute.Elzay has a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Promotions from the University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo.&nbsp; He has a Masters of Public Health and Physician Assistant Studies, from Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Health Science, Buies Creek, North Carolina.&nbsp; Elzay will be working with Dr. Tim Wright, Orthopedic Surgeon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665436964670.jpeg" alt="Fort" />
 <figcaption>Fort</figcaption>
 </figure>Fort received a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.&nbsp; He has a Masters of Physician Assistant from Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. Fort, a Hays native, will be assisting Dr. Max DeCarvalho, Orthopedic and Spine Surgeon.Appointments can be made by calling 785-261-7699 or going to&nbsp;<a href="http://haysmed.com/orthopedic-institute">haysmed.com/orthopedic-institute</a>.Christy Moeder, APRN joined the Convenient Care Clinic.&nbsp; She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Fort Hays State University and a Master’s degree from The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665436988229.jpeg" alt="Moeder" />
 <figcaption>Moeder</figcaption>
 </figure>

HaysMed welcomes new providers

By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-10-10/this-city-in-kansas-really-conserves-its-water-but-that-still-might-not-be-enough-to-survive">Kansas News Service</a>

This town’s water problem couldn't be put off any longer.

After
 an especially dry year, the wells that pumped water to Hays ran 
dangerously low in early 1992. If the northwest Kansas town did nothing,
 people feared they could run out of water by late summer.

Most folks agreed it was an emergency. They just couldn’t agree on what to do about it.

When
 City Hall suggested installing low-flow toilets, people argued that 
would just clog things up and overload the town’s plumbers. One city 
commissioner implored the town’s clergy to preach the water conservation
 gospel from their pulpits. A letter in the Hays Daily News described a 
plan for strict water rationing as “trying to incite a riot.”

“Hays
 has an opportunity to become famous,” a local editorial suggested. “Not
 as the town in Kansas with a water problem, but as that town in Kansas 
that solved its water problem.”

While communities across the semi-arid High Plains all face their 
share of droughts, Hays was — and is — the only city in Kansas with more
 than 15,000 residents but no sustainable source of water.

It’s caught in the middle. Too far west for reliable rainfall and reservoirs. And too far east to tap into the massive — <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-05-05/farmers-trying-to-save-the-ogallala-aquifer-face-tension-from-peers-but-their-profits-are-improving" target="_blank">if disappearing</a> — Ogallala aquifer. So when prolonged drought hits, the town’s bucket of backup plans isn’t exactly overflowing.

That’s
 why Hays continues its decades-long quest for a sustainable water 
source today — it’s now in the middle of jumping through <a href="https://www.eenews.net/articles/farm-vs-city-kansas-water-law-gets-a-major-stress-test/" target="_blank">legal</a> and <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/dwr-water-appropriation-documents/2019-05-20-haysrussell-transfer-app.pdf?sfvrsn=7fe88bc1_0" target="_blank">regulatory</a> hoops to build a 70-mile pipeline that would bring in water from three counties away.

The 1992 crisis wasn’t the first or last time Hays has had to worry about running low on water. But it marked a turning point.

“It
 was a wake-up call for the city leaders at the time,” current city 
manager Toby Dougherty said. “They realized quickly the best thing they 
can do is start conserving what they have.”

Fast forward three decades to a parking lot on the east edge of town.

As
 the sun creeps toward the horizon, dozens of families mull about at a 
school district street fair. Some kids line up for a chance to sit in a 
street sweeper, get a balloon animal or turn an auger dangling from a 
power company crane.

But in the corner, a big blue local celebrity draws a crowd of his own.

That’s WaterSmart Wally, the mascot of the city’s water conservation program, giving out one high five after another.

And this fuzzy raindrop gets around. Waving from the back of a truck 
during parades. Dancing at basketball games. Dropping in on classrooms 
to teach water conservation bingo.

“Kids love him.” Holly Dickman, the city’s water conservation specialist, said. “He loves hugs, so he gets lots of those.”

As
 far as Dickman knows, she and Wally are the only ones doing their 
particular jobs in the whole state. And their presence is just one sign 
of how far Hays has come in its push to absorb water conservation into 
the town’s culture.

That type of shift can’t happen overnight. And some folks in town <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WaterSmartHays/photos/pb.100067670374176.-2207520000../1383875275136085/?type=3" target="_blank">still gripe</a> about not being able to water their lawns in the summer or call the strict regulations <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WaterSmartHays/photos/pb.100067670374176.-2207520000../848530908670527/?type=3" target="_blank">government overreach</a>.

But two generations of children have now grown up here since the 
water crisis of 30 years ago. And for many of them, the water-saving 
practices that make Hays such an outlier in Kansas are just a normal 
part of life.

When the town held its annual poster contest earlier
 this year, kids as young as 2nd and 3rd grade drew pictures of people 
xeriscaping and using rain barrels. One illustrated the benefits of 
waiting to run your dishwasher until it’s full.

Another depicted a
 familiar face — WaterSmart Wally — front and center, shedding a 
horrified tear as he watched the town’s precious resource drip away from
 a leaky pipe.

“If you grew up here, you lived with it,” Dickman said. “We are that way because we had to be. We have to be.”

Twelve years 
ago, city manager Dougherty boarded a flight bound for Las Vegas to meet
 with water districts from across the western U.S.

At the time, 
Hays was riding high from the water-saving measures it put in place in 
the 1990s, he said, and the city hadn’t thought much about updating 
them. After all, its efforts were still leaps and bounds above its 
neighbors.

“We were the leader in Kansas,” Dougherty said. “But I felt like the dumbest kid in the classroom out there.”

Looking
 around the conference room at the stuff towns out West were doing to 
conserve water, he quickly realized how far Hays had fallen behind its 
water scarcity peers and decided to double the town’s efforts.

So he and other city leaders ventured West again and again to pick 
the brains of some of the country’s most water-conscious cities.

“We
 have had to look to places like Las Vegas and Tucson and Phoenix,” 
Dougherty said. “ We stole our landscaping regulations from Utah.”

The city’s cash-for-grass program that pays residents to remove their irrigation-dependent lawns? That idea came from Las Vegas.

The
 demonstration gardens that were planted around town to show residents 
how to xeriscape with native plants? Modeled on similar ones in Salt 
Lake City.

Dougherty said Hays is now studying how Sierra Vista, 
Arizona, uses wetlands to naturally filter and store its wastewater for 
reuse.

Even the idea for WaterSmart Wally came from other conservation mascots out West.

Here’s a sprinkling of the ways Hays pushes and pulls its residents to save water today:

• Hays was the first city east of Colorado and north of Texas to start a cash-for-grass program, which offers residents up to $3,000 to replace typical fescue and bluegrass lawns with less thirsty options, such as xeriscaping with rocks and shrubs or planting drought-tolerant types of grass. It remains the only program of its kind in the state.

• Hays built a system that irrigates the town’s golf course and baseball fields with recycled wastewater, known as effluent. That saved more than 100 million gallons of water last year. 

• Hays sends welcome buckets to new residents filled with rain gauges, shower timers and a blue dye tablet to check your toilet for leaks. The city has also handed out thousands of low-flow showerheads over the years. Residents can stop by city hall to trade in their old head for a new one anytime at no cost.

• People can still get rebates for installing low-flow toilets — $150 a pop. They can also get $200 rebates for putting in high-efficiency washing machines. 

• Unlike other cities that offer utility customers discounts for buying water in bulk, the water rate in Hays gets more expensive the more you use. 

• The city has someone on staff whose job it is to personally call customers who are using a lot of water. That can both alert customers to unknown leaks and let them know that they’re being watched.

• Hays has a half-cent sales tax dedicated exclusively to funding water projects, like getting water from new sources or making its existing wells more efficient. 

• And finally, one of the most visible measures: outdoor watering restrictions. For the warmest four months of the year, residents can’t water their lawns from high noon until the evening. Homes and businesses can also get a violation for having an outdoor water leak or a sprinkler that sprays into the road year-round.

The Hays Police Department has handed out 85 outdoor watering 
violations this year so far. First-time violators get a warning and some
 education about why Hays has to conserve. A second violation within two
 years comes with a $50 fine. A third violation ups the fine to $200.

But
 because strict water regulations are so rare in this part of the 
country, getting one of those warnings might be the first time a Hays 
newcomer gets the message.

Perry Harrison moved to Hays with his 
family three years ago after growing up in eastern Texas, where there’s 
plenty of rainfall. So he was surprised to get a knock on his door from 
three city employees this summer telling him to turn off his sprinkler.

“We
 don't want to be those people, so we were a little mortified,” Harrison
 said about receiving his first water violation warning. “It was very 
much a ‘Welcome to having a lawn in Hays, Kansas.’ ”

That’s all part of changing the culture.

If you’re the only 
house on your block trying to save water, Dougherty said, it can feel 
like you’re swimming upstream. But the more people who buy in, the 
easier it is to follow along.

And one lot at a time, having a brown lawn in Hays has become socially acceptable. In a dry year like this one, it’s the norm.

“Eventually,
 you'll be the outlier if you have the lush, irrigated fescue lawn that 
gets irrigated four times a week,” Dougherty said. “Peer pressure's a 
big motivator.”

So, how big of a dent have all these conservation efforts made in the town’s water use?

Each person in Hays uses an average of <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/dwr-water-appropriation-documents/municipalsummaryreport2017.pdf?sfvrsn=fa6788c1_8" target="_blank">83 gallons of water</a> a day. That’s the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/14/us/water-conservation-california.html" target="_blank">same amount</a> of water people use on average in California.

“The
 problem is we are the only city in Kansas that is acting like … a city 
in the Mojave Desert,” Dougherty said. “And because of that, a lot of 
the state looks at us as the poor people that don't have any water.”

In fact, Hays uses less water per capita than just about any other city in the state.

The state’s most populated city, Wichita, goes through 112 gallons per person each day, according to the most recent <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/dwr-water-appropriation-documents/municipalsummaryreport2017.pdf?sfvrsn=fa6788c1_8" target="_blank">statewide water use data</a> from the Kansas Division of Water Resources.

The
 water district that covers most of Johnson County in the Kansas City 
suburbs, including Overland Park and Shawnee, pumps out 135 gallons a 
day per person. In Kansas City, Kansas, people average 147 gallons a 
day. Even folks in Lawrence — perhaps the most politically progressive 
place in the state — draw 95 gallons a day.

What about cities with
 population sizes similar to Hays? Derby, Emporia and Junction City use 
104 gallons, 132 gallons and 115 gallons, respectively.

In western Kansas, Hays is even more of an outlier.

Colby,
 Garden City and Ulysses each use more than double the amount of water 
per person that Hays does. It’s common for towns across western Kansas —
 from Elkhart to Scott City to St. Francis— to go through more than 200 
gallons of water per person each day.

Even some of the desert cities that Hays took inspiration from haven't caught up.

In Salt Lake City — where Hays stole its landscaping regulations from — people still go through <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2021/12/28/heres-how-much-water-salt/" target="_blank">more than 200 gallons</a> of water a day. Each Phoenix resident uses <a href="https://morrisoninstitute.asu.edu/sites/default/files/sun_corridor_2021_final.pdf" target="_blank">more than 115 gallons</a> a day. The water district in Las Vegas has a goal to reduce its current <a href="https://www.snwa.com/assets/pdf/letter-entsminger-081522.pdf" target="_blank">110 gallons per capita</a> rate to fewer than 100 gallons by 2035.

Some
 of Hays’ western Kansas neighbors have begun implementing their own 
conservation measures. Garden City installed smart water meters that 
send hourly readings to the city and alert crews to fix leaks. It also 
opened a new aquatic center last year that uses 28.4 million gallons 
less per year than the leaky pool it replaced. Dodge City started 
irrigating its golf course with <a href="https://www.dodgecity.org/DocumentCenter/View/10929/Water-Conservation-Plan" target="_blank">reclaimed</a> wastewater.

But every population center in western Kansas besides Hays sits atop the Ogallala aquifer. Even though the aquifer is <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2022-03-31/how-kansas-could-lose-billions-in-land-values-as-its-underground-water-runs-dry" target="_blank">rapidly depleting</a>, it’s still a more steady water source than anything Hays has nearby.

And as long as there’s water readily available, it can be a challenge to change people’s habits about using it.

“The
 reality is (other Kansas towns) don't really have to change their ways 
that much,” Dougherty said. “We truly are on an island in how we have to
 look at this.”

But as climate change <a href="https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2018/04/11/the-100th-meridian-where-the-great-plains-used-to-begin-now-moving-east/" target="_blank">pushes dry Western weather eastward</a>, Hays could get some company.

Decades
 from now, the aridification of the Great Plains could lead cities like 
Wichita or Salina to rethink their own water use. Even cities on the 
Ogallala aquifer might have to borrow more tips from Hays as wells run 
low and the cost of buying more water — or running pumps to draw from 
ever deeper underground — dwarfs the cost of conserving.

The drought this summer has already pushed towns from <a href="https://www.kake.com/story/46714059/dodge-city-residents-urged-to-conserve-water-amid-heat-drought" target="_blank">southwest Kansas</a> to <a href="https://www.kake.com/story/47295392/kansas-town-declares-water-emergency-bans-outdoor-water-use" target="_blank">southeast Kansas</a> to enact emergency water-saving measures as their reserves ran low.

Newsha
 Ajami, a water expert and Chief Research Officer at the Lawrence 
Berkeley National Laboratory in California, sees similar dynamics play 
out across the country.

“A lot of communities are grappling with 
this … drier droughts, longer droughts,” Ajami said, “and a little bit 
of a shift in mindset from droughts being an occasional thing to maybe 
droughts are our new reality.”

She and other experts say the key is for towns to focus less on 
increasing their water supply and more on decreasing their water demand.
 And even for towns like Hays, there’s more they could do. Using 
effluent water — water that’s been cleaned but isn’t quite up to 
drinking standards — to flush toilets or run showers, Ajami said, could 
reduce indoor water use by 30%.

And she warned that building a 
pipeline to bring in water from another area — like Hays plans to do — 
has proven to be disastrous in parts of California. For example, when 
Los Angeles built an aqueduct to take water from the Owens Valley, it 
ended up with a dry lake that <a href="https://www.npr.org/2013/03/11/173463688/owens-valley-salty-as-los-angeles-water-battle-flows-into-court" target="_blank">polluted the air</a> and a series of lawsuits that became known as the California water wars.

“Ultimately,” Ajami said, “it can become more of a problem rather than a solution.”

But
 it’s rare and impressive, she said, to see a small town implement an 
aggressive long-term plan to reduce water demand — as Hays has done — 
rather than cycle through phases of short-term emergency measures each 
time a drought crops up.

It also shows, Ajami said, that water 
conservation can be popular even in places like rural western Kansas — 
more than 70% of voters in Hays’ county backed Donald Trump in 2020 — 
rather than being cast as a liberal issue that people will only care 
about in California.

“No matter what political background they have,” Ajami said, “people are driven by what impacts their community.”

In a backyard just south 
of Interstate 70, Dickman, the Hays water conservation specialist, 
crouches over a patch of surprisingly green buffalo grass.

She 
plucks a seed from the ground and compares it with another in a bag she 
uses to demonstrate how the city pays homeowners to convert their yards 
to this native drought-tolerant plant.

As opposed to typical 
fescue lawns that need to be watered two or three times a week, buffalo 
grass can usually get by with just one watering a month.

“Once they get their root systems under them,” Dickman said, “you really shouldn't have to water them at all.”

That’s
 the benefit of native plants. They evolved to handle the dry western 
Kansas climate because their species have thrived here for centuries 
with no sprinkler system in sight.

'California of Kansas': Hays water conservation successes — and future challenges

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<div><iframe title="Hays Library continues free tutoring for area students" allowtransparency="true" height="450" 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=buif4-12e484b-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=450" 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: Hays Public Library continues free tutoring for area students

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Catering company Grater Whey has opened a new storefront and kitchen at 3005 Hall in Hays.

Krystan Stinemetz, 38, owner, started the business out of her home in 2020. She specializes in charcuterie boards, platters and grazing tables.

The charcuterie boards start at about $35 and increase in cost depending on how many people customers wish to feed.

Grazing tables are like giant charcuterie boards, Steinmetz said. Imagine a table filled with cheeses, bread, crackers, jams, meats and honey.

She also offers entree catering, buffet and food bars, as well as box lunches. The lunches will likely run $10 to $12 each. This might include a soup and salad. Offerings will be changed often.

Steinmetz said she plans to start offering individual take-out lunches from her Hall location after the holidays. These will include an entree, side and small dessert.

The business' new home on Hall had been a dentist's office, an advantage for Stinemetz because multiple rooms were plumbed for water. Stinemetz has been working on the remodel for almost a year.

Stinemetz of Hays was a home cook. She had been a stay-at-home mom with her five kids. Her youngest, who are 4, are now in full-time preschool and she decided she wanted to strike out as an entrepreneur.

"I've cooked my whole life, and it's always been a passion," she said.

Stinemetz worked in the corporate world as a headhunter and said she didn't want to go back to that. She said she likes the flexibility of being her own boss.

She is able to express her creative side through her charcuterie boards, which have fun themes, including "Hocus Pocus" and Octoberfest.

Stinemetz will have Halloween-themed charcuterie board options in the coming weeks.&nbsp; In the past, these boards had been geared toward kids, but she also is planning something more adult-oriented this year.

The holidays are a busy time for Grater Whey with lots of sales of boards and boxes. Stinemetz also offers gift certificates. She will deliver for a fee of $5 within the City of Hays.

She said her food boards have been popular sympathy gifts as an alternative to flowers.

The name Grater Whey was a play on words that came to Stinemetz over a glass of wine. It's a play off of cheese references as well as a "greater way."

In the future, Stinemetz hopes to add a limited line of food and gift items at the storefront.

Grater Whey's website is under construction but will be up soon at gwhays.com. You can find Grater Whey on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EatSleepDreamCheese">Facebook</a>.

Grater Whey is open by appointment. You can call Stinemetz for orders at 785-432-3188.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665004960583.jpeg" alt="A "Hocus Pocus"-themed snack board offered by Grater Whey catering. Courtesy photo " />
 <figcaption>A "Hocus Pocus"-themed snack board offered by Grater Whey catering. Courtesy photo </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostCatering company Grater Whey has opened a new storefront and kitchen at 3005 Hall in Hays.Krystan Stinemetz, 38, owner, started the business out of her home in 2020. She specializes in charcuterie boards, platters and grazing tables.The charcuterie boards start at about $35 and increase in cost depending on how many people customers wish to feed. Grazing tables are like giant charcuterie boards, Steinmetz said. Imagine a table filled with cheeses, bread, crackers, jams, meats and honey.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665005424183.jpeg" alt="Krystan Stinemetz, owner Grater Whey, in her newly remodeled kitchen at 3005 Hall in Hays. The space used to be a dentist's office. " />
 <figcaption>Krystan Stinemetz, owner Grater Whey, in her newly remodeled kitchen at 3005 Hall in Hays. The space used to be a dentist's office. </figcaption>
 </figure>She also offers entree catering, buffet and food bars, as well as box lunches. The lunches will likely run $10 to $12 each. This might include a soup and salad. Offerings will be changed often. Steinmetz said she plans to start offering individual take-out lunches from her Hall location after the holidays. These will include an entree, side and small dessert. The business' new home on Hall had been a dentist's office, an advantage for Stinemetz because multiple rooms were plumbed for water. Stinemetz has been working on the remodel for almost a year.Stinemetz of Hays was a home cook. She had been a stay-at-home mom with her five kids. Her youngest, who are 4, are now in full-time preschool and she decided she wanted to strike out as an entrepreneur. "I've cooked my whole life, and it's always been a passion," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665005844754.jpeg" alt="Octoberfest -themed charcuterie board by Grater Whey. Courtesy photo " />
 <figcaption>Octoberfest -themed charcuterie board by Grater Whey. Courtesy photo </figcaption>
 </figure>Stinemetz worked in the corporate world as a headhunter and said she didn't want to go back to that. She said she likes the flexibility of being her own boss. She is able to express her creative side through her charcuterie boards, which have fun themes, including "Hocus Pocus" and Octoberfest.Stinemetz will have Halloween-themed charcuterie board options in the coming weeks.&nbsp; In the past, these boards had been geared toward kids, but she also is planning something more adult-oriented this year.The holidays are a busy time for Grater Whey with lots of sales of boards and boxes. Stinemetz also offers gift certificates. She will deliver for a fee of $5 within the City of Hays.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665006475379.jpeg" alt="Krystan Stinemetz, owner Grater Whey, offers catering and boxed lunches. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Krystan Stinemetz, owner Grater Whey, offers catering and boxed lunches. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>She said her food boards have been popular sympathy gifts as an alternative to flowers.The name Grater Whey was a play on words that came to Stinemetz over a glass of wine. It's a play off of cheese references as well as a "greater way."In the future, Stinemetz hopes to add a limited line of food and gift items at the storefront. Grater Whey's website is under construction but will be up soon at gwhays.com. You can find Grater Whey on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EatSleepDreamCheese">Facebook</a>.Grater Whey is open by appointment. You can call Stinemetz for orders at 785-432-3188.

Charcuterie, catering business Grater Whey opens storefront in Hays

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The National Weather Service in Dodge City is calling for unseasonably high temperatures Tuesday, with a high in the mid- to upper-80s predicted.&nbsp;

While most of the week looks to be sunny and dry, there is a slight chance of showers or thunderstorms after midnight Tuesday.

After Tuesday, high temperatures are expected to be in the upper-60s to mid-70s, with overnight lows dropping to the low-40s.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665408997721.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The National Weather Service in Dodge City is calling for unseasonably high temperatures Tuesday, with a high in the mid- to upper-80s predicted.&nbsp;While most of the week looks to be sunny and dry, there is a slight chance of showers or thunderstorms after midnight Tuesday.After Tuesday, high temperatures are expected to be in the upper-60s to mid-70s, with overnight lows dropping to the low-40s.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tuesday will be the warmest day this week, with strong warm southwest winds, and temperatures well above normal for mid October. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/fhYgIi48Fl">pic.twitter.com/fhYgIi48Fl</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1579438020343627776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

NWS: Unseasonably warm Tuesday with chance of rain on the way

On Monday, Pine Street will be closed to through traffic just south of Sixth Street for waterline work. Sixth Street will remain open, and Pine Street should be back open to traffic by the end of the day.

For more information, call (785) 628-7350. 

On Monday, Pine Street will be closed to through traffic just south of Sixth Street for waterline work. Sixth Street will remain open, and Pine Street should be back open to traffic by the end of the day.For more information, call (785) 628-7350.

Portion of Pine Street closed on Monday

THOMAS COUNTY — Five people were injured in an accident just after 9 p.m. Sunday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Honda CRV driven by Christina R.&nbsp;Oleartchick, 22, Arlington, was northbound on U.S. 83 nine miles east of Colby.

The driver failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the U.S. 24 junction and struck an eastbound 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Olivia&nbsp;Chavez Garcia, 30, Hoxie, in the back passengers side.

EMS transported&nbsp;Chavez Garcia and passengers Carlos&nbsp;Trevino Garcia, 32, Hoxie, an 8-year-old boy, a 5-year-old boy and a 9-month old boy all of Hoxie to Citizen's Medical Center in Colby.

The KHP did not report Oleartchick was transported for treatment.

The older children were wearing seatbelts but not properly restrained in a child safety seat, according to the KHP. The adults were properly restrained and the baby was properly restrained in a child safety seat.

THOMAS COUNTY — Five people were injured in an accident just after 9 p.m. Sunday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Honda CRV driven by Christina R.&nbsp;Oleartchick, 22, Arlington, was northbound on U.S. 83 nine miles east of Colby.The driver failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the U.S. 24 junction and struck an eastbound 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Olivia&nbsp;Chavez Garcia, 30, Hoxie, in the back passengers side.EMS transported&nbsp;Chavez Garcia and passengers Carlos&nbsp;Trevino Garcia, 32, Hoxie, an 8-year-old boy, a 5-year-old boy and a 9-month old boy all of Hoxie to Citizen's Medical Center in Colby.The KHP did not report Oleartchick was transported for treatment.The older children were wearing seatbelts but not properly restrained in a child safety seat, according to the KHP. The adults were properly restrained and the baby was properly restrained in a child safety seat.

2 adults, 3 children hospitalized after 2-vehicle NW Kan. crash

Genoa Healthcare, the pharmacy located inside High Plains Mental Health Center, will offer a new flu vaccine program this year. 

Genoa will provide flu shots at no cost to the community, no matter if there is insurance or not. If you have insurance, bring the card in with you. 

Vaccines are offered from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday, while supplies last. There is no appointment necessary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665076549284.png" alt="Screen Shot 2022-10-06 at 12.15.33 PM.png" />
 <figcaption>Screen Shot 2022-10-06 at 12.15.33 PM.png</figcaption>
 </figure>Genoa Healthcare, the pharmacy located inside High Plains Mental Health Center, will offer a new flu vaccine program this year. Genoa will provide flu shots at no cost to the community, no matter if there is insurance or not. If you have insurance, bring the card in with you. Vaccines are offered from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday, while supplies last. There is no appointment necessary.

Free flu shots available at HPMH pharmacy

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — Pets are 
supposed to provide comfort. That's especially true of therapy pets, 
whether they be the typical cat or dog or the less common therapy snake 
or chicken. One dog in Great Bend is helping young readers. Since 2018, 
Glenn Schraeder and Luna the Burnese mountain dog have helped turn many 
young students into more confident readers.

Schraeder had worked 
with a previous therapy dog that was approaching retirement several 
years ago. He knew he wanted to continue doing therapy work and began 
looking for the perfect pet. Burnese mountain dogs are originally from 
Switzerland, and a full-size male can pull up to 1,000 pounds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665410460903.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostGREAT BEND — Pets are 
supposed to provide comfort. That's especially true of therapy pets, 
whether they be the typical cat or dog or the less common therapy snake 
or chicken. One dog in Great Bend is helping young readers. Since 2018, 
Glenn Schraeder and Luna the Burnese mountain dog have helped turn many 
young students into more confident readers.Schraeder had worked 
with a previous therapy dog that was approaching retirement several 
years ago. He knew he wanted to continue doing therapy work and began 
looking for the perfect pet. Burnese mountain dogs are originally from 
Switzerland, and a full-size male can pull up to 1,000 pounds."We
 made the decision to pick out a dog that might be capable of doing 
that," he said. "In the process, we probably looked at six or eight 
different breeds of dogs and narrowed it down to Luna."Therapy 
dogs are often personal pets that have been trained to go into nursing 
homes, hospitals, and reading programs like those at Great Bend Public 
Library. Schraeder opted to train Luna himself so the pair could strike a
 true bond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665410499748.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"I always believed training your own dog is a little bit better than 
taking it to a trainer because there are so many quirks that you have - 
hand signals or your eyes are twitching," Schraeder said. "It's always 
best, I think, if you train your dog yourself. Once that process went 
through, there was a pretty extensive study course I had to do online 
for Pet Partners. After that was all done, we had to go for an 
evaluation."Washington-based Pet Partners is an international 
leader in the field of demonstrating and promoting the wellness benefits
 of animal-assisted therapy. The organization put Glenna and Luna 
through a rigorous evaluation of some 20-30 qualities to determine if 
the duo would make an effective therapy team."Through the 
evaluation, they not only evaluate me, they evaluate Luna, and they 
evaluate how we interact together," said Schraeder. "Once that process 
was done, we were registered with them and able to go out and do some 
work."The results now speak for themselves. Glenna and Luna, now 7
 years old, were recently featured in a story by Pet Partners, and Great
 Bend Public Library Assistant Director Amy Mayhill said they are very 
welcome guests."The library cherishes Luna and Glenn and their 
willingness to give of their time to encourage children to read, and 
read in a safe environment," Mayhill said. "We are very fortunate to 
have them in Great Bend."The Pet Partners feature includes some 
stories about local readers, including a fifth-grader who did not like 
to read out loud because she did not know all the words. She began 
reading aloud to Luna, who does not judge. The mother of another young 
reader said her daughter could never sit still long enough to finish an 
entire book - until she started reading with Luna. Another girl checked 
out books and practiced at home ahead of time so she could read well 
with Luna."You always have a bunch of kids that are just gung ho 
to come in and read to Luna, but there's always that one kid standing in
 the background you have to entice to come in there and read out loud to
 Luna," Schraeder said. "A lot of kids don't like reading out loud, and 
it's an opportunity for them to do that. When you look at those five, 
six, eight, 10 stories, we're visiting over 800 people a month right 
now. Those are really the special stories."Glenn and Luna also 
make stops at Clara Barton Hospital and some area nursing homes. Luna is
 usually at the Great Bend Public Library from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. each 
Thursday, but will be taking a few weeks off in October.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665410534327.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“She offers a short but meaningful break from routines in nursing homes with many reminiscing about all their dogs in their lives,” Schraeder said. “At hospitals, she helps patients and people in the waiting rooms forget for a second about their problems. She also loves to interrupt therapy sessions to give those people a short break. When done there, we will visit the staff."

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