Tune in Tuesday at 9 a.m. to 94.3 FM/1400 AM KAYS for a live conversation about Ukraine, what has led to the current escalation of armed conflict between the country and Russia, its historical ties to Russia and why it matters to the globe with Fort Hays State University historian and professor Amber Nickell.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1646070392083.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tune in Tuesday at 9 a.m. to 94.3 FM/1400 AM KAYS for a live conversation about Ukraine, what has led to the current escalation of armed conflict between the country and Russia, its historical ties to Russia and why it matters to the globe with Fort Hays State University historian and professor Amber Nickell.

Learn about Ukraine Tuesday morning on KAYS

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

It might only be the second month of the calendar year, but the first
steps to enrolling kindergarteners into USD 489 for the 2022-23 school year soon will be underway.

The annual Kindergarten Roundup is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday in
Gym A on the Hays High campus, giving parents an opportunity to meet with
district officials, set up school tours, choose the child’s preferred school
and enroll children for the upcoming school year.

“There are a few reasons why it's important for parents to
attend,” said Roosevelt Elementary principal Keri Petersen. “No. 1, the event is for all parents who
student enrolling in kindergarten.”

But she said for parents with students already in the district, the
night could be a refresher for the first year.

To enroll in the district next year, children must be five
years of age on or before Aug. 31.

While many of the in-person functions of the roundup remain
the same, this year the district is moving to an online enrollment system.

“We've already had our pre-enrollment paperwork sent out to
families who are already in our district,” Petersen said. “We will send out an online enrollment link following our
Roundup time that evening at 6:30 p.m. So that parents can take care of all of
that online this year, so there won't be any of the paperwork involved in it.”

During the Roundup, Superintendent Wilson and Assistant Superintendent Shanna
Dinkel will speak, as well as each one of the principles about school-year
topics.

“You just take a seat in the gym. We will probably likely
have a slideshow that you can view while we're doing our talking and, at the
end, you'll have an opportunity to speak with us if you'd like,” Petersen said.
“It's not a long timeframe, it's just a nice time for you to actually get to
be introduced to each one of us.

“And it's a great time if you have questions to get some
answers, especially after the presentation, which is pretty brief,”
she said. “So that gives parents time to speak with each one of us or
whoever they feel like they need to have a discussion with. ... That's what we're there for.”

Along with the information, a part of the process is deciding a family's first, second and third choice of elementary schools in the district.

School placement will be decided by the district later, and
parents will be informed as to their child’s school in late April, Petersen said.

School tours can be arranged for those looking to view the individual
schools before making a decision.

“The dates are not officially set hour tours in some of our
buildings,” Petersen said. “So, if you'd like, if you're undecided about which
building you'd like your child to attend, you can certainly call the buildings
and set up a time to tour.”

The meeting also is an opportunity to learn about parent
groups in the district.

“Each one of our buildings has great parent groups who are
involved in trying to make our buildings the best place they can be for all of
our students,” Petersen said. 

“We're looking forward to meeting new students to meeting
parents who are coming in. And of course, if you're a repeat parent, and you
already have kids in our buildings or in the district, we'd love to see you on
that same evening on Feb. 28,” she said.

<div><iframe title="489 readies for Kindergarten Round-up" 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=36txk-11b3e35-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostIt might only be the second month of the calendar year, but the first
steps to enrolling kindergarteners into USD 489 for the 2022-23 school year soon will be underway.The annual Kindergarten Roundup is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday in
Gym A on the Hays High campus, giving parents an opportunity to meet with
district officials, set up school tours, choose the child’s preferred school
and enroll children for the upcoming school year.“There are a few reasons why it's important for parents to
attend,” said Roosevelt Elementary principal Keri Petersen. “No. 1, the event is for all parents who
student enrolling in kindergarten.”But she said for parents with students already in the district, the
night could be a refresher for the first year.To enroll in the district next year, children must be five
years of age on or before Aug. 31.While many of the in-person functions of the roundup remain
the same, this year the district is moving to an online enrollment system.“We've already had our pre-enrollment paperwork sent out to
families who are already in our district,” Petersen said. “We will send out an online enrollment link following our
Roundup time that evening at 6:30 p.m. So that parents can take care of all of
that online this year, so there won't be any of the paperwork involved in it.”During the Roundup, Superintendent Wilson and Assistant Superintendent Shanna
Dinkel will speak, as well as each one of the principles about school-year
topics.“You just take a seat in the gym. We will probably likely
have a slideshow that you can view while we're doing our talking and, at the
end, you'll have an opportunity to speak with us if you'd like,” Petersen said.
“It's not a long timeframe, it's just a nice time for you to actually get to
be introduced to each one of us.“And it's a great time if you have questions to get some
answers, especially after the presentation, which is pretty brief,”
she said. “So that gives parents time to speak with each one of us or
whoever they feel like they need to have a discussion with. ... That's what we're there for.”Along with the information, a part of the process is deciding a family's first, second and third choice of elementary schools in the district.School placement will be decided by the district later, and
parents will be informed as to their child’s school in late April, Petersen said.School tours can be arranged for those looking to view the individual
schools before making a decision.“The dates are not officially set hour tours in some of our
buildings,” Petersen said. “So, if you'd like, if you're undecided about which
building you'd like your child to attend, you can certainly call the buildings
and set up a time to tour.”The meeting also is an opportunity to learn about parent
groups in the district.“Each one of our buildings has great parent groups who are
involved in trying to make our buildings the best place they can be for all of
our students,” Petersen said. “We're looking forward to meeting new students to meeting
parents who are coming in. And of course, if you're a repeat parent, and you
already have kids in our buildings or in the district, we'd love to see you on
that same evening on Feb. 28,” she said.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

🎙 Hays USD 489 readies for Kindergarten Roundup

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Midwest Energy is replacing an outdated substation in northwest Ellis County as part of its ongoing maintenance program.

The substation will be located at about 400th and Severin Road in the Fairport area on land owned by Robert and Coleen Dickinson. 

A public hearing for a conditional-use permit for the substation is set for March 23.

Mike Morley, Midwest Energy director of corporate communications, said the substation will replace a substation that has been operation since about the 1950s or '60s.

"It's definitely reached the end of its service life," he said.

The substation will carry a load for oil wells throughout that area.

The substation will be located in a rural area and have little to no impact on neighbors.

Midwest Energy has about 150 substations in its service area. In any given year, the company might replace four to 10 of these stations, Morley said.

The Fairport substation will be a little under a $1 million investment for Midwest Energy. The company is also completing a $4 million-plus project on Cedar Street in Hays at the 11th Street service center.&nbsp;

Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay, via <a href="https://www.abelectricians.com.au/">A&amp;B Electrical &amp; Communications Ltd.</a>

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostMidwest Energy is replacing an outdated substation in northwest Ellis County as part of its ongoing maintenance program.The substation will be located at about 400th and Severin Road in the Fairport area on land owned by Robert and Coleen Dickinson. A public hearing for a conditional-use permit for the substation is set for March 23.Mike Morley, Midwest Energy director of corporate communications, said the substation will replace a substation that has been operation since about the 1950s or '60s."It's definitely reached the end of its service life," he said. The substation will carry a load for oil wells throughout that area.The substation will be located in a rural area and have little to no impact on neighbors.Midwest Energy has about 150 substations in its service area. In any given year, the company might replace four to 10 of these stations, Morley said. The Fairport substation will be a little under a $1 million investment for Midwest Energy. The company is also completing a $4 million-plus project on Cedar Street in Hays at the 11th Street service center.&nbsp;Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay, via <a href="https://www.abelectricians.com.au/">A&amp;B Electrical &amp; Communications Ltd.</a>

Midwest Energy to complete substation projects in Ellis County

WICHITA – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. District Court of Kansas will welcome 162 people as new U.S. citizens Friday at Wichita State University. Magistrate Judge Gwynne Birzer will preside, and a clerk of the court will administer the Oath of Allegiance.

The citizenship candidates originate from 37 countries: Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, Congo (Kinshasa), Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guatemala, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Venezuela and Vietnam.

The citizenship candidates live in Andover, Bel Aire, Coffeyville, Colby, Copeland, Derby, Dodge City, Garden City, Goddard, Great Bend, Hays, Haysville, Hesston, Hoisington, Holcomb, Hugoton, Hutchinson, Liberal, Lindsborg, McConnell Air Force Base, McPherson, Modoc, Norton, Pratt, Preston, Rose Hill, Salina, Satanta, Ulysses, Valley Center, WaKeeney, Wichita and Winfield, Kansas.

Hamilton Middle School color guard will open the ceremony. The League of Women Voters will be in the lobby if new citizens want to register to vote.

USCIS encourages new U.S. citizens and their families and friends to share their naturalization photos on social media using the hashtag #NewUSCitizen.

USCIS naturalized approximately 808,000 people in fiscal year 2021. Many of them applied using USCIS online tools. To file online, individuals must first create a USCIS online account.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629927322321.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>USCISWICHITA – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. District Court of Kansas will welcome 162 people as new U.S. citizens Friday at Wichita State University. Magistrate Judge Gwynne Birzer will preside, and a clerk of the court will administer the Oath of Allegiance.The citizenship candidates originate from 37 countries: Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, Congo (Kinshasa), Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guatemala, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Venezuela and Vietnam.The citizenship candidates live in Andover, Bel Aire, Coffeyville, Colby, Copeland, Derby, Dodge City, Garden City, Goddard, Great Bend, Hays, Haysville, Hesston, Hoisington, Holcomb, Hugoton, Hutchinson, Liberal, Lindsborg, McConnell Air Force Base, McPherson, Modoc, Norton, Pratt, Preston, Rose Hill, Salina, Satanta, Ulysses, Valley Center, WaKeeney, Wichita and Winfield, Kansas.Hamilton Middle School color guard will open the ceremony. The League of Women Voters will be in the lobby if new citizens want to register to vote.USCIS encourages new U.S. citizens and their families and friends to share their naturalization photos on social media using the hashtag #NewUSCitizen.USCIS naturalized approximately 808,000 people in fiscal year 2021. Many of them applied using USCIS online tools. To file online, individuals must first create a USCIS online account.

Several NW Kan. residents to be sworn in as new U.S. citizens

On Sunday, the local Sunflower Chapter of the American Society of Germans from Russia will have&nbsp;its&nbsp;annual&nbsp;Fasenacht&nbsp;program at the former Kennedy Middle School cafeteria. This will be a&nbsp;potluck&nbsp;of finger foods. The program will include a demonstration of&nbsp;Grebbel&nbsp;making&nbsp;and a polka dance.

Join&nbsp;us for the entire meeting and program (noon – 3 p.m.)&nbsp;or just come to dust up on your dance moves (dance begins&nbsp;at 1:30 p.m.). No cover, donations for band accepted. All are encouraged to bring a favorite finger&nbsp;food&nbsp;type dish to share, drinks are provided.&nbsp;Park and enter on west side of building.

Invitation is extended to all, not only Sunflower members.&nbsp;Please invite your friends&nbsp;or family&nbsp;to dance with us and help keep our traditions alive.

For more information email: &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:werthmoore@yahoo.com">werthmoore@yahoo.com</a>

SUNFLOWER Chapter&nbsp;Fasenacht program

St. Joseph (Kennedy) School Building West side - West 14th Street&nbsp;

Fasenacht&nbsp;Meeting - February 27th&nbsp;– NOON to 3pm

Program&nbsp;-&nbsp;Grebbel&nbsp;Demonstration,&nbsp;Polka Dance by Joe Dolezal, Galen&nbsp;Schmidtberger

Meal&nbsp;- Pot Luck—FINGER FOODS&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645543790408.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedOn Sunday, the local Sunflower Chapter of the American Society of Germans from Russia will have&nbsp;its&nbsp;annual&nbsp;Fasenacht&nbsp;program at the former Kennedy Middle School cafeteria. This will be a&nbsp;potluck&nbsp;of finger foods. The program will include a demonstration of&nbsp;Grebbel&nbsp;making&nbsp;and a polka dance.Join&nbsp;us for the entire meeting and program (noon – 3 p.m.)&nbsp;or just come to dust up on your dance moves (dance begins&nbsp;at 1:30 p.m.). No cover, donations for band accepted. All are encouraged to bring a favorite finger&nbsp;food&nbsp;type dish to share, drinks are provided.&nbsp;Park and enter on west side of building.Invitation is extended to all, not only Sunflower members.&nbsp;Please invite your friends&nbsp;or family&nbsp;to dance with us and help keep our traditions alive.For more information email: &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:werthmoore@yahoo.com">werthmoore@yahoo.com</a>SUNFLOWER Chapter&nbsp;Fasenacht programSt. Joseph (Kennedy) School Building West side - West 14th Street&nbsp;Fasenacht&nbsp;Meeting - February 27th&nbsp;– NOON to 3pmProgram&nbsp;-&nbsp;Grebbel&nbsp;Demonstration,&nbsp;Polka Dance by Joe Dolezal, Galen&nbsp;SchmidtbergerMeal&nbsp;- Pot Luck—FINGER FOODS&nbsp;

American Historical Society of Germans from Russia potluck, dance scheduled

One of the powerful reminders of the university’s unique relationship with our hometown is found in the spirit and energy on display every Friday in the restaurants, shops, and offices in Hays, America. The Tiger Gear on Friday (TGOF) tradition is an ongoing celebration of the innovative, determined, and caring people that make Tiger Nation unique. It was established as Tiger Gold on Friday in 2014 and reintroduced in 2019 as Tiger Gear&nbsp;on Friday. The change was made to expand the number of ways the folks could demonstrate their Tiger pride.

TGOF has always been a highly visible and unifying movement in Hays. According to&nbsp;Downtown Hays Development Corporation&nbsp;Director Sara Bloom:&nbsp;“We see an incredible benefit&nbsp;of&nbsp;the TGOF program. Not only does it help highlight the opportunities, shops, and restaurants downtown to those on campus, it’s a way for us to show FHSU faculty, staff, and students how truly valued they are. Hays thrives because of the impact&nbsp;Fort Hays State&nbsp;has on our community. Campus life brings new momentum and excitement to Hays. Being a TGOF partner lets us say thank you in a small way for that impact and the university’s contribution to our quality of place.”

On a Friday morning earlier this month, at a “Chamber Chat” event at a packed Professor’s&nbsp;Classic&nbsp;Sandwich&nbsp;Shop&nbsp;&amp; More&nbsp;in Hays, Hays Chamber President Sarah&nbsp;Wasinger&nbsp;and the university’s TGOF Steering Committee Chair Scott Cason introduced a new TGOF engagement program that is now open to TGOF community partners. The&nbsp;TGOF Partner-of-the-Year&nbsp;contest will be an annual competition where TGOF Community Partners&nbsp;can win&nbsp;a tremendous prize package. Those prizes&nbsp;include a TGOF-sponsored Chamber Chat for their organization;&nbsp;up to 20 tickets and special recognition at a 2022 Tiger football game;&nbsp;a photoshoot with the university mascot, Victor E. Tiger;&nbsp;and an extensive TGOF prize package branded merchandise.&nbsp;

To earn TGOF Partner-of-the-Year honors, the winning community partner will document their efforts to promote Tiger Nation spirit in any combination of the following ways:

•Tiger spirit on display in social media postings (a minimum of four)•Members of your group “getting caught” wearing Tiger gear in town by a TGOF Community Outreach Committee member•Purchasing TGOF or FHSU branded apparel for your organization from the&nbsp;<a href="https://victoreapparelandgiftco.myresero.com/">Victor E. Apparel and Gift Company</a>&nbsp;shop at FHSU•&nbsp;Sharing images of “Tigerized” work on home spaces on social media or via a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/tgof-partners/partner-of-the-year-self-report">web form</a>&nbsp;on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/">TGOF website</a>

This tremendous energy in the community doesn’t exist by accident. It is the direct result of the energetic work of the TGOF Community Outreach Sub-Committee. Led by Brittney Squire,outreach services specialist&nbsp;at FHSU’s&nbsp;Forsyth Library,&nbsp;the group works to expand the reach and impact of TGOF.&nbsp;Comprising that group are several FHSU&nbsp;staff&nbsp;members, a student government leader, and representatives from TGOF’s four “Premier Partners”&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Chamber in Hays, The Downtown Hays Development Corporation, the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Grow Hays.

If your organization isn’t a TGOF Community Partner yet, I encourage you to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/tgof-partners/">sign up today</a>. It costs nothing to join, and when you&nbsp;do, you’ll get a welcome kit and recognition on FHSU’s social media channels. Some of our partners offer Friday discounts for those who enter their&nbsp;stores wearing Tiger&nbsp;gear. Other community organizations join as “Spirit&nbsp;Partners”&nbsp;and participate in Friday celebrations simply by wearing their Tiger gear, putting up posters in their spaces, and posting photos on social media.&nbsp;

Hays, America is a great town and a great college town because of the caring people who chose to live and work here.

For&nbsp;me, and I think&nbsp;for&nbsp;many of my FHSU colleagues who didn’t grow up in Hays, I believe we are here because we found the best balance of professional opportunity, fellowship, a shared calling to serve our community, and the infectious civic pride on display in the TGOF movement.We came here and stayed because we found our home in Hays, America.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the powerful reminders of the university’s unique relationship with our hometown is found in the spirit and energy on display every Friday in the restaurants, shops, and offices in Hays, America. The Tiger Gear on Friday (TGOF) tradition is an ongoing celebration of the innovative, determined, and caring people that make Tiger Nation unique. It was established as Tiger Gold on Friday in 2014 and reintroduced in 2019 as Tiger Gear&nbsp;on Friday. The change was made to expand the number of ways the folks could demonstrate their Tiger pride.TGOF has always been a highly visible and unifying movement in Hays. According to&nbsp;Downtown Hays Development Corporation&nbsp;Director Sara Bloom:&nbsp;“We see an incredible benefit&nbsp;of&nbsp;the TGOF program. Not only does it help highlight the opportunities, shops, and restaurants downtown to those on campus, it’s a way for us to show FHSU faculty, staff, and students how truly valued they are. Hays thrives because of the impact&nbsp;Fort Hays State&nbsp;has on our community. Campus life brings new momentum and excitement to Hays. Being a TGOF partner lets us say thank you in a small way for that impact and the university’s contribution to our quality of place.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645646830108.png" alt="TGOF Logo Black.png" />
 <figcaption>TGOF Logo Black.png</figcaption>
 </figure>On a Friday morning earlier this month, at a “Chamber Chat” event at a packed Professor’s&nbsp;Classic&nbsp;Sandwich&nbsp;Shop&nbsp;&amp; More&nbsp;in Hays, Hays Chamber President Sarah&nbsp;Wasinger&nbsp;and the university’s TGOF Steering Committee Chair Scott Cason introduced a new TGOF engagement program that is now open to TGOF community partners. The&nbsp;TGOF Partner-of-the-Year&nbsp;contest will be an annual competition where TGOF Community Partners&nbsp;can win&nbsp;a tremendous prize package. Those prizes&nbsp;include a TGOF-sponsored Chamber Chat for their organization;&nbsp;up to 20 tickets and special recognition at a 2022 Tiger football game;&nbsp;a photoshoot with the university mascot, Victor E. Tiger;&nbsp;and an extensive TGOF prize package branded merchandise.&nbsp;To earn TGOF Partner-of-the-Year honors, the winning community partner will document their efforts to promote Tiger Nation spirit in any combination of the following ways:•Tiger spirit on display in social media postings (a minimum of four)•Members of your group “getting caught” wearing Tiger gear in town by a TGOF Community Outreach Committee member•Purchasing TGOF or FHSU branded apparel for your organization from the&nbsp;<a href="https://victoreapparelandgiftco.myresero.com/">Victor E. Apparel and Gift Company</a>&nbsp;shop at FHSU•&nbsp;Sharing images of “Tigerized” work on home spaces on social media or via a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/tgof-partners/partner-of-the-year-self-report">web form</a>&nbsp;on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/">TGOF website</a>This tremendous energy in the community doesn’t exist by accident. It is the direct result of the energetic work of the TGOF Community Outreach Sub-Committee. Led by Brittney Squire,outreach services specialist&nbsp;at FHSU’s&nbsp;Forsyth Library,&nbsp;the group works to expand the reach and impact of TGOF.&nbsp;Comprising that group are several FHSU&nbsp;staff&nbsp;members, a student government leader, and representatives from TGOF’s four “Premier Partners”&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Chamber in Hays, The Downtown Hays Development Corporation, the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Grow Hays.If your organization isn’t a TGOF Community Partner yet, I encourage you to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tgof/tgof-partners/">sign up today</a>. It costs nothing to join, and when you&nbsp;do, you’ll get a welcome kit and recognition on FHSU’s social media channels. Some of our partners offer Friday discounts for those who enter their&nbsp;stores wearing Tiger&nbsp;gear. Other community organizations join as “Spirit&nbsp;Partners”&nbsp;and participate in Friday celebrations simply by wearing their Tiger gear, putting up posters in their spaces, and posting photos on social media.&nbsp;Hays, America is a great town and a great college town because of the caring people who chose to live and work here.For&nbsp;me, and I think&nbsp;for&nbsp;many of my FHSU colleagues who didn’t grow up in Hays, I believe we are here because we found the best balance of professional opportunity, fellowship, a shared calling to serve our community, and the infectious civic pride on display in the TGOF movement.We came here and stayed because we found our home in Hays, America.&nbsp;

MASON: Introducing a new way to celebrate your Tiger spirit 

<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/2022/2/1645650099620.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

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer We have officially entered the countdown to spring break mindset in our household. The recent winter blasts that have netted a few snow days for the kids are no longer acceptable for my children. They are ready for an extended, week-long break from school. And in their eyes, it can’t get here soon enough! &nbsp; They ask me daily how many more days until their beloved break begins. They have been constantly discussing in detail the grand plans they have for their week-long hiatus from all school responsibilities. My daughter is already planning out her wardrobe of sundresses, sandals and swimsuits, while my son is brainstorming plans for an adventure course he plans to build in our pasture.&nbsp; &nbsp; We have less than a month until my two can experience the “freedom” that they have been dreaming of daily, and there is no denying that their anticipation is showing loud and clear. &nbsp; When I asked my third-grader why he’s so adamant about aggressively marking each day off the giant calendar that hangs in our mudroom, his response surprised me. &nbsp; “Mom, the closer we get to spring break means the closer we are to summer break,” he told me. &nbsp; “And once it’s Summer Break, I can spend all of my time on the farm,” he added. &nbsp; I immediately made a mental note to increase the amount of chores for my boy this summer to ensure he will look forward to returning to school in the fall. &nbsp; For me, our children’s spring break is the final visible block on our family’s calendar of calmness prior to the start of an incredibly busy season on our farm. &nbsp; Aside from the expected spring sports practices and games that will begin occupying time slots during my evenings and weekends following spring break, the overall pace within our household will dramatically shift as well. &nbsp; Our winter evenings together at the dinner table will transition to meals hurriedly prepared and delivered out to fields while we plant our crops for next fall’s harvest. &nbsp; I’ll increase my audiobook consumption while navigating the dirt roads to deliver seed and equipment while the kids attend their final months of school. &nbsp; My visits to the local tractor dealership will become more frequent as I anticipate making many trips into town for parts as well. &nbsp; Secretly, I hope it takes a while for spring break to arrive this year. I want to soak up the calmness of the current season that we’re in. Unfortunately, I think I’m outnumbered in our house, and these next few weeks will quickly pass and usher in another season on the farm.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer We have officially entered the countdown to spring break mindset in our household. The recent winter blasts that have netted a few snow days for the kids are no longer acceptable for my children. They are ready for an extended, week-long break from school. And in their eyes, it can’t get here soon enough! &nbsp; They ask me daily how many more days until their beloved break begins. They have been constantly discussing in detail the grand plans they have for their week-long hiatus from all school responsibilities. My daughter is already planning out her wardrobe of sundresses, sandals and swimsuits, while my son is brainstorming plans for an adventure course he plans to build in our pasture.&nbsp; &nbsp; We have less than a month until my two can experience the “freedom” that they have been dreaming of daily, and there is no denying that their anticipation is showing loud and clear. &nbsp; When I asked my third-grader why he’s so adamant about aggressively marking each day off the giant calendar that hangs in our mudroom, his response surprised me. &nbsp; “Mom, the closer we get to spring break means the closer we are to summer break,” he told me. &nbsp; “And once it’s Summer Break, I can spend all of my time on the farm,” he added. &nbsp; I immediately made a mental note to increase the amount of chores for my boy this summer to ensure he will look forward to returning to school in the fall. &nbsp; For me, our children’s spring break is the final visible block on our family’s calendar of calmness prior to the start of an incredibly busy season on our farm. &nbsp; Aside from the expected spring sports practices and games that will begin occupying time slots during my evenings and weekends following spring break, the overall pace within our household will dramatically shift as well. &nbsp; Our winter evenings together at the dinner table will transition to meals hurriedly prepared and delivered out to fields while we plant our crops for next fall’s harvest. &nbsp; I’ll increase my audiobook consumption while navigating the dirt roads to deliver seed and equipment while the kids attend their final months of school. &nbsp; My visits to the local tractor dealership will become more frequent as I anticipate making many trips into town for parts as well. &nbsp; Secretly, I hope it takes a while for spring break to arrive this year. I want to soak up the calmness of the current season that we’re in. Unfortunately, I think I’m outnumbered in our house, and these next few weeks will quickly pass and usher in another season on the farm."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Spring break secrets

Union Pacific could be closing various railroad crossings at intersections in Hays over the course of the next seven to 10 days. Be advised that alternate routes may be necessary to avoid these closures. 

The crossings at Main and Elm street (south of Hall Street) are currently closed and expected to remain closed through Friday.&nbsp;

City of HaysUnion Pacific could be closing various railroad crossings at intersections in Hays over the course of the next seven to 10 days. Be advised that alternate routes may be necessary to avoid these closures. The crossings at Main and Elm street (south of Hall Street) are currently closed and expected to remain closed through Friday.&nbsp;

Various railroad crossings could be closed in Hays for next several days

Dangerously low wind chills will continue Thursday, with some light snow also possible, the National Weather Service in Dodge City reported.

Wind chill indices across west-central Kansas could dip as low as 15 below zero, the NWS said.

There is a 20 percent chance of snow Wednesday night after 4 a.m., increasing to 50 percent Thursday morning. Less than an inch of accumulation is expected in the Hays area.

The mercury will drop to 3 degrees Wednesday night, with a high of just 18 degrees expected Thursday. A high of 35 and low of 10 is expected Friday, before milder conditions return this weekend. A high of 46 is predicted Saturday, with a high in the upper-50s expected Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645652045121.png" alt="Dodge City NWS" />
 <figcaption>Dodge City NWS</figcaption>
 </figure>Dangerously low wind chills will continue Thursday, with some light snow also possible, the National Weather Service in Dodge City reported.Wind chill indices across west-central Kansas could dip as low as 15 below zero, the NWS said.There is a 20 percent chance of snow Wednesday night after 4 a.m., increasing to 50 percent Thursday morning. Less than an inch of accumulation is expected in the Hays area.The mercury will drop to 3 degrees Wednesday night, with a high of just 18 degrees expected Thursday. A high of 35 and low of 10 is expected Friday, before milder conditions return this weekend. A high of 46 is predicted Saturday, with a high in the upper-50s expected Sunday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The bitterly cold arctic air will continue Thursday morning. The arctic air will modify just slightly, and with increasing clouds and a bit less wind, so it will be slightly less bitter. Temperatures will continue to moderate back toward normal through the weekend. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/d6fBgbjzvk">pic.twitter.com/d6fBgbjzvk</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1496587472599277568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Wind chills of around 15 below will continue through the rest of the morning hours, with subzero wind chills into the afternoon hours. Tonight and Thursday morning, wind chills will drop to 10 to 20 below once again. <a href="https://t.co/UFSGGpyf0s">pic.twitter.com/UFSGGpyf0s</a>&mdash; NWS Goodland (@NWSGoodland) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSGoodland/status/1496504236992983041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

NWS: Bitter cold will continue, some snow possible

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 10 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Monday.

As of Wednesday morning, there were 13 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed, including five active cases and eight recovering cases.&nbsp;

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

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/75f061b1-d7f1-4dba-ad9d-36bcbccc8ee8">RELATED: Drive-through testing site returns to Big Creek Crossing</a>

The Kansas Hospital Organization reported last week that 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents (5 and older) are fully vaccinated.&nbsp;

Since reporting began, there have been 7,095 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 80 coronavirus-related deaths.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645639845711.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 10 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Monday.As of Wednesday morning, there were 13 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed, including five active cases and eight recovering cases.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/75f061b1-d7f1-4dba-ad9d-36bcbccc8ee8">RELATED: Drive-through testing site returns to Big Creek Crossing</a>The Kansas Hospital Organization reported last week that 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents (5 and older) are fully vaccinated.&nbsp;Since reporting began, there have been 7,095 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 80 coronavirus-related deaths.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645639888704.png" alt="Statewide COVID-19 curve / KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Statewide COVID-19 curve / KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: 10 new COVID cases in Ellis Co. since Monday

By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN FHSU University Communications

Taylor Clark is grateful for all the scholarship money she has won while participating in the Miss Kansas Organization (MKO) since she was 5 years old.

Clark, who now bears the title of Miss Kansas, wants other young women to experience the same kind of opportunities.

Not long after being crowned Miss Kansas 2021 last July, Clark decided to try to expand the scholarship opportunities for Miss Kansas participants. Numerous community colleges and a few private four-year colleges have partnered with the Miss Kansas Scholarship Program for years. But there were no four-year public universities on that list.

Last month, Fort Hays State University became the first institution in the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) system to join this partnership with the Miss Kansas Organization, establishing an in-kind scholarship program that will begin in the 2022-23 school year.

Clark contacted the KBOR, which sent her to the individual universities. Fort Hays State jumped on board immediately.

There are several layers to the FHSU program, highlighted by a full-ride scholarship for undergraduate students – renewable for three years – to winners of both the Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen competition in March and the Miss Kansas competition in June.

The full-ride scholarship will be worth more than $14,000 annually. But the Fort Hays State scholarship program features much more. It includes $2,000 annual scholarships for those who finish first runner-up through fourth runner-up, and all other candidates will earn $1,000 scholarships per year. All these awards can be combined with other eligible FHSU scholarship awards.&nbsp;Questions pertaining to these scholarships can be addressed by calling the FHSU admissions office at 785-628-5666.

“I’m really excited about this scholarship program,” Clark said. “I went into this hoping for a $2,000 scholarship to our top winners. But Fort Hays State wanted to go above and beyond. The night I got the email from FHSU with the breakdown, I was ecstatic.”

Joey Linn, vice president for student affairs at Fort Hays State, said it was an easy decision to join the partnership with MKO.

“It’s part of our DNA here at Fort Hays State University to find ways to promote and support student success,” Linn said. “The contestants at the MKO program are exactly the type of hard- working, determined, dedicated students we want as part of our Tiger family. We’re excited to expand our opportunities and keep our talented women here in Kansas.”

Clark grew up in St. John, just 25 miles from Pratt – home to the Miss Kansas Pageant. She participated in the Sunflower Princess mentoring program when she was 5 years old, and she was hooked. She has competed in age-division MKO programs ever since, with the exception of her first two years of college at Kansas State University. She was crowned Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen in 2017.

“I decided really young I wanted to be Miss Kansas someday and make an impact,” Clark said. “Then when I won two talent awards at the national Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competition, that solidified I wanted to be Miss Kansas.”

She is definitely fulfilling her dream of making an impact.

Clark’s Miss Kansas platform is “Sound for Common Ground: Music Connects.” She travels all over the state and begins her presentation with a musical activity called “Bucket Beats.” She invites participants to make music with her, encouraging them to talk about anything they want. She then gives each participant a pair of drumsticks. Just this last weekend, Clark also started a new partnership with Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters and plans to hold several match events with BBBS.

Clark competed in the Miss America competition in December. Although she didn’t make the finals, she said the experience was invaluable – just like all her years of competing in Miss Kansas programs. She also won a $3,000 participation scholarship and enjoyed representing Kansas.

Clark is busy during her last few months wearing the Miss Kansas crown. She has already made appearances at 300 events. After crowning her Miss Kansas successor in June, Clark will finish her last year at KSU in 2022-23 and graduate with a music education degree in May 2023. She said the experiences she gained during her years in the Miss Kansas Organization are empowering and will be invaluable for years to come.

“The Miss Kansas program prepares great women for the world,” she said, “setting up a launching pad to learn the best version of ourselves and learn professional skills. The personal and professional skills a person learns through this organization are very transformative. They’re not trying to change us. They’re trying to develop us into career-minded young women.”

Clark first visited with FHSU administrators in January and returned to campus again last week with Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen Gracie Hendrickson, a 17-year-old high school junior from Newton. Their day began at a local preschool, where Clark and Hendrickson performed an age-appropriate leadership activity with the children. They also had time for a tour of campus.

“FHSU rolled out the red carpet for me during my first visit,” Clark said, “and again this week. Each time, it was a great day to learn more about Fort Hays State. What I learned was that they really care about students.”

About Miss Kansas:&nbsp;According to its website, the Miss Kansas Scholarship Program is for single women 19 to 26 years old. The Miss Kansas' Outstanding Teen Program is for young women at least 13 years old. The Sunflower Program is for children ages 5 to 12 and a great way to learn about Teen and Miss. The Sunflower Program is a mentoring program for children ages 5-12 who have an interest in learning about citizenship, leadership, volunteerism, and have a future interest in the Miss Kansas' Outstanding Teen and Miss Kansas programs.

Candidates in the Miss Kansas Organization, at both the state and local level, gain experience through participation in interviews, talent performances, public speaking, promoting individual social impact initiatives, and social/digital media interaction. Cash and in-kind educational scholarships are available to all young women who advance to the state competition. More about Miss Kansas can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.misskansas.org/">www.misskansas.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645565149193.jpeg" alt="Miss Kansas Taylor Clark and Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen Gracie Hendrickson." />
 <figcaption>Miss Kansas Taylor Clark and Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen Gracie Hendrickson.</figcaption>
 </figure>By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN FHSU University CommunicationsTaylor Clark is grateful for all the scholarship money she has won while participating in the Miss Kansas Organization (MKO) since she was 5 years old.Clark, who now bears the title of Miss Kansas, wants other young women to experience the same kind of opportunities.Not long after being crowned Miss Kansas 2021 last July, Clark decided to try to expand the scholarship opportunities for Miss Kansas participants. Numerous community colleges and a few private four-year colleges have partnered with the Miss Kansas Scholarship Program for years. But there were no four-year public universities on that list.Until now.Last month, Fort Hays State University became the first institution in the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) system to join this partnership with the Miss Kansas Organization, establishing an in-kind scholarship program that will begin in the 2022-23 school year.Clark contacted the KBOR, which sent her to the individual universities. Fort Hays State jumped on board immediately.There are several layers to the FHSU program, highlighted by a full-ride scholarship for undergraduate students – renewable for three years – to winners of both the Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen competition in March and the Miss Kansas competition in June.The full-ride scholarship will be worth more than $14,000 annually. But the Fort Hays State scholarship program features much more. It includes $2,000 annual scholarships for those who finish first runner-up through fourth runner-up, and all other candidates will earn $1,000 scholarships per year. All these awards can be combined with other eligible FHSU scholarship awards.&nbsp;Questions pertaining to these scholarships can be addressed by calling the FHSU admissions office at 785-628-5666.“I’m really excited about this scholarship program,” Clark said. “I went into this hoping for a $2,000 scholarship to our top winners. But Fort Hays State wanted to go above and beyond. The night I got the email from FHSU with the breakdown, I was ecstatic.”Joey Linn, vice president for student affairs at Fort Hays State, said it was an easy decision to join the partnership with MKO.“It’s part of our DNA here at Fort Hays State University to find ways to promote and support student success,” Linn said. “The contestants at the MKO program are exactly the type of hard- working, determined, dedicated students we want as part of our Tiger family. We’re excited to expand our opportunities and keep our talented women here in Kansas.”Clark grew up in St. John, just 25 miles from Pratt – home to the Miss Kansas Pageant. She participated in the Sunflower Princess mentoring program when she was 5 years old, and she was hooked. She has competed in age-division MKO programs ever since, with the exception of her first two years of college at Kansas State University. She was crowned Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen in 2017.“I decided really young I wanted to be Miss Kansas someday and make an impact,” Clark said. “Then when I won two talent awards at the national Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competition, that solidified I wanted to be Miss Kansas.”She is definitely fulfilling her dream of making an impact.Clark’s Miss Kansas platform is “Sound for Common Ground: Music Connects.” She travels all over the state and begins her presentation with a musical activity called “Bucket Beats.” She invites participants to make music with her, encouraging them to talk about anything they want. She then gives each participant a pair of drumsticks. Just this last weekend, Clark also started a new partnership with Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters and plans to hold several match events with BBBS.Clark competed in the Miss America competition in December. Although she didn’t make the finals, she said the experience was invaluable – just like all her years of competing in Miss Kansas programs. She also won a $3,000 participation scholarship and enjoyed representing Kansas.Clark is busy during her last few months wearing the Miss Kansas crown. She has already made appearances at 300 events. After crowning her Miss Kansas successor in June, Clark will finish her last year at KSU in 2022-23 and graduate with a music education degree in May 2023. She said the experiences she gained during her years in the Miss Kansas Organization are empowering and will be invaluable for years to come.“The Miss Kansas program prepares great women for the world,” she said, “setting up a launching pad to learn the best version of ourselves and learn professional skills. The personal and professional skills a person learns through this organization are very transformative. They’re not trying to change us. They’re trying to develop us into career-minded young women.”Clark first visited with FHSU administrators in January and returned to campus again last week with Miss Kansas Outstanding Teen Gracie Hendrickson, a 17-year-old high school junior from Newton. Their day began at a local preschool, where Clark and Hendrickson performed an age-appropriate leadership activity with the children. They also had time for a tour of campus.“FHSU rolled out the red carpet for me during my first visit,” Clark said, “and again this week. Each time, it was a great day to learn more about Fort Hays State. What I learned was that they really care about students.”About Miss Kansas:&nbsp;According to its website, the Miss Kansas Scholarship Program is for single women 19 to 26 years old. The Miss Kansas' Outstanding Teen Program is for young women at least 13 years old. The Sunflower Program is for children ages 5 to 12 and a great way to learn about Teen and Miss. The Sunflower Program is a mentoring program for children ages 5-12 who have an interest in learning about citizenship, leadership, volunteerism, and have a future interest in the Miss Kansas' Outstanding Teen and Miss Kansas programs.Candidates in the Miss Kansas Organization, at both the state and local level, gain experience through participation in interviews, talent performances, public speaking, promoting individual social impact initiatives, and social/digital media interaction. Cash and in-kind educational scholarships are available to all young women who advance to the state competition. More about Miss Kansas can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.misskansas.org/">www.misskansas.org</a>.

FHSU launches scholarship program with Miss Kansas Organization

Four nurses with Hays USD 489 were honored by the school board Monday for their service providing early morning COVID testing for students, staff and families during this school year. 

Those nurses included Jessica Roe, Lottie Porsi, Alaina Cunningham and Mary Ann Shorman.   

&nbsp;The nurses also aided with COVID vaccine and booster clinics.

"We want to thank them for their time and efforts this school&nbsp; year," Superintendent Ron Wilson said. "We know it took a great deal of your time to help with these important things. 

"Because of your effort, many people benefited from these services."

Wilson said the women were very busy for about about a three-week period, but their positive attitudes never changed.

"It's really been an honor and a privilege," Porsi said. "We really enjoyed it. I really got to know school people a lot better, and I'm amazed at what you do to get everybody tested and keep everybody in school."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645562823670.jpeg" alt="Hays USD 489 nurses (from left) Lottie Porsi, Alaina Cunningham, Mary Ann Shorman and Jessica Roe (not pictured) were honored by the Hays USD 489 school board for their help with COVID testing. " />
 <figcaption>Hays USD 489 nurses (from left) Lottie Porsi, Alaina Cunningham, Mary Ann Shorman and Jessica Roe (not pictured) were honored by the Hays USD 489 school board for their help with COVID testing. </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostFour nurses with Hays USD 489 were honored by the school board Monday for their service providing early morning COVID testing for students, staff and families during this school year. Those nurses included Jessica Roe, Lottie Porsi, Alaina Cunningham and Mary Ann Shorman. &nbsp;The nurses also aided with COVID vaccine and booster clinics. "We want to thank them for their time and efforts this school&nbsp; year," Superintendent Ron Wilson said. "We know it took a great deal of your time to help with these important things. "Because of your effort, many people benefited from these services."Wilson said the women were very busy for about about a three-week period, but their positive attitudes never changed."It's really been an honor and a privilege," Porsi said. "We really enjoyed it. I really got to know school people a lot better, and I'm amazed at what you do to get everybody tested and keep everybody in school."

Hays school nurses honored for work on front lines

Midland Marketing's annual FFA video contest!

<div> <script src="https://embed-881380.secondstreetapp.com/Scripts/dist/embed.js" data-ss-embed="promotion" data-opguid="2b9537d5-c5c8-4574-b7db-9bacd3cc1491" data-routing="hash">/**/</script></div>Midland Marketing's annual FFA video contest!

The Russell school district is hoping to become a part of the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative by the 2024-25 school year.

Hays, Ellis, Victoria and La Crosse are already members of the co-op.

The Hays school board heard a presentation from Kyle Carlin, co-op director, about the proposal on Monday night. 

Russell already has a contract with the co-op for gifted services.

Russell, with a student body of about 800, is one of the smaller school districts to provide its own special education services, Carlin said. Russell has been trying to align itself with a larger special education organization for many years.

The program outlined Monday would bring Russell into the West Central Kansas co-op slowly.

All five school boards would have to agree on adding Russell to the co-op. Carlin said he hoped those votes would happen this spring.

Carlin said he hopes most special education students would continue to be served in their home schools in Russell. 

The districts also hope to devise an agreement that would hold harmless Russell's special education staff.

The staff would preserve their years of service as Russell's services transfer to the co-op. Those employees would also be able to retain their current compensation and benefits, Carlin said.

The Russell district would agree to pay a buy-in fee of $250 per staff member and $5 per student. It would also agree to cover any additional costs of compensation and benefits to staff that the co-op would encumber as part of the transition.

Russell will also provide a payment equal to the average carryover over for its special education department for the last five years.

Including Russell in the co-op would decrease the percentage that each member school district would pay of the co-op cost. If the Russell school district were a part of the co-op for the 2022 school year, Carlin estimated Hays' contribution would drop from 77 percent to 65 percent or by about $23,000.

The Hays school district is still facing a likely increase in its contribution to the co-op, Carlin said, because the Kansas Legislature is planning to decrease its contribution during the next two years.

The agreement would also include a $250,000 hardship fee that would be paid if one party decided to withdraw from the agreement. This protects both parties in the event of a leadership change at the administrative or school board levels. 

If both parties agree to dissolve the agreement, no fee would be assessed. If the agreement can't be enacted because of something outside of the control of either party, the fee will not be assessed.

By next spring, Carlin said he hopes to have an updated co-op agreement ready. The current co-op agreement has not been updated since the 1980s. That agreement would also have to be approved by all five school boards, as well as the Kansas Department of Education and the Kansas Board of Education.

"I think it will add to our special ed co-op and keep it going and strong," Hays school board vice president Craig Pallister said.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Russell school district is hoping to become a part of the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative by the 2024-25 school year. Hays, Ellis, Victoria and La Crosse are already members of the co-op.The Hays school board heard a presentation from Kyle Carlin, co-op director, about the proposal on Monday night. Russell already has a contract with the co-op for gifted services. Russell, with a student body of about 800, is one of the smaller school districts to provide its own special education services, Carlin said. Russell has been trying to align itself with a larger special education organization for many years.The program outlined Monday would bring Russell into the West Central Kansas co-op slowly.All five school boards would have to agree on adding Russell to the co-op. Carlin said he hoped those votes would happen this spring.Carlin said he hopes most special education students would continue to be served in their home schools in Russell. The districts also hope to devise an agreement that would hold harmless Russell's special education staff.The staff would preserve their years of service as Russell's services transfer to the co-op. Those employees would also be able to retain their current compensation and benefits, Carlin said.The Russell district would agree to pay a buy-in fee of $250 per staff member and $5 per student. It would also agree to cover any additional costs of compensation and benefits to staff that the co-op would encumber as part of the transition.Russell will also provide a payment equal to the average carryover over for its special education department for the last five years. Including Russell in the co-op would decrease the percentage that each member school district would pay of the co-op cost. If the Russell school district were a part of the co-op for the 2022 school year, Carlin estimated Hays' contribution would drop from 77 percent to 65 percent or by about $23,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645548171342.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays school district is still facing a likely increase in its contribution to the co-op, Carlin said, because the Kansas Legislature is planning to decrease its contribution during the next two years. The agreement would also include a $250,000 hardship fee that would be paid if one party decided to withdraw from the agreement. This protects both parties in the event of a leadership change at the administrative or school board levels. If both parties agree to dissolve the agreement, no fee would be assessed. If the agreement can't be enacted because of something outside of the control of either party, the fee will not be assessed.By next spring, Carlin said he hopes to have an updated co-op agreement ready. The current co-op agreement has not been updated since the 1980s. That agreement would also have to be approved by all five school boards, as well as the Kansas Department of Education and the Kansas Board of Education."I think it will add to our special ed co-op and keep it going and strong," Hays school board vice president Craig Pallister said.

Russell school district seeks to enter West Central special ed co-op

The Union Pacific Railroad crossing on U.S. 183 (Vine Street) in Hays will close for reconstruction Feb. 28 through March 1. The crossing is located just north of the intersection of Eighth&nbsp;and Vine streets.

During the work, the Kansas Department of Transportation will close U.S. 183 in both directions at the crossing. Local traffic may continue to access the road up to the closure point. Through traffic will be detoured on I-70 and the U.S. 183 bypass.

The Union Pacific Railroad and their traffic control subcontractor will oversee the reconstruction of the crossing and traffic control signage.

KDOTThe Union Pacific Railroad crossing on U.S. 183 (Vine Street) in Hays will close for reconstruction Feb. 28 through March 1. The crossing is located just north of the intersection of Eighth&nbsp;and Vine streets.During the work, the Kansas Department of Transportation will close U.S. 183 in both directions at the crossing. Local traffic may continue to access the road up to the closure point. Through traffic will be detoured on I-70 and the U.S. 183 bypass.The Union Pacific Railroad and their traffic control subcontractor will oversee the reconstruction of the crossing and traffic control signage.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Hays railroad crossing to close for reconstruction

The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 18 traffic stops Thu., Feb. 10, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Warrant
Service (Fail to Appear)—2000 block Vine St, Hays; 12:12 PM 
Animal At Large—200 block E 16th St, Hays; 12:21 PM 
Mental Health Call—3000 block Sherman Ave, Hays ; 1:17 PM 
Juvenile Complaint—300 block W 12th St, Hays; 1:49 PM 
Welfare Check--200 block E 6th St, Hays; 1:47 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1300 block E 18th St, Hays; 2:12 PM 
Suspicious Activity—1200 block Main St, Hays; 2/8 3:30 PM; 4 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle--1300 block MacArthur Rd, Hays; 2:39 PM 
Dead Animal Call--1300 block Hall St, Hays; 2:42 PM 
Found/Lost Property—Hays; 3:14 PM 
Welfare Check—400 block E 13th St, Hay; 3:45 PM 
Assist - Other (not MV)--3300 block Vine St, Hays; 4:42 PM 
MV Accident-Hit and Run--300 block W 9th St, Hays; 5:37 PM 
Mental Health Call—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 5:46 PM 
Domestic Disturbance—2300 block Donald Dr, Hays; 2 PM; 10:20 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 15 traffic stops Fri., Feb. 11, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Animal Bite
Investigation—2700 block Colonial St, Hays; 12:45 PM 
Criminal Trespass—4200 block Vine St, Hays; 6 AM; 8:58 AM 
Abandoned Vehicle—1700 block Douglas Dr, Hays; 8:52 AM 
Driving Under the Influence—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 9:06 AM; 9:11 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—100 block W 36th St, Hays; 9:21 AM 
Found/Lost Property—1500 block Main, Hays; 9:40 AM 
Found/Lost Property—3300 block Vine St, Hays; 10:10 AM 
Found/Lost Property—500 block 210th Ave, Hays; 11:24 AM 
Animal at Large—Vine St and I70, Hays; 2:23 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley—1400 block Walnut St, Hays; 3:27 PM; 3:29 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle—1500 block Marjorie Dr, Hays; 4:38 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 5:15 PM 
Animal Call—1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:05 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 9 animal calls and conducted 29 traffic stops Sat., Feb. 12, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Suspicious
Activity—1300 block Vine St, Hays; 3:23 AM 
Suspicious Activity--2500 block Vine St, Hays; 3:45 AM 
Suspicious Activity—1900 block Vine St, Hays; 3:46 AM 
Criminal Trespass—1300 block W 43rd St, Hays; 2/11 7 PM; 2/12 9:08 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—2500 block Henry Dr, Hays; 9:49 AM 
Found/Lost Property—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 1/25 11 AM 
Abandoned Vehicle--1500 block Holmes Rd, Hays; 11:33 AM 
Abandoned Vehicle—1300 block E 17th St, Hays; 11:41 AM 
Found/Lost Property—400 block W 3rd St, Hays; 2:31 PM; 3:30 PM 
Suicidal Subject—2500 block Sherman Ave, Hays; 2:35 PM; 2:37 PM 
Found/Lost Property—2900 block Vine St, Hays; 3:07 PM 
Welfare Check—700 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 3:10 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle—200 block W 35th St, Hays; 3:40 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—2700 block Ash St, Hays; 5:28 PM 
Domestic Disturbance—3500 block Lincoln Dr, Hays; 1/12 8 PM; 1/31 8:30 PM 
Parking Complaint—3400 block Summer Ln, Hays; 6:23 PM; 6:45 PM 
Disturbance – Noise—100 block W 18th St, Hay; 7:28 PM; 7:36 PM 
Theft (general)—100 block Ash St, Hays; 11:38 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 11 traffic stops Sun., Feb. 13, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Drug
Offenses--400 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:34 AM 
Disturbance – General—2700 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 3:16 AM 
Welfare Check—400 block W 14th St, Hays; 6:55 AM; 6:56 AM 
Theft (general)—400 block S Elm St, Lebo; 5:05 AM; 5:35 AM 
Burglary/business—1300 block E 22nd St, Hays; 9:08 AM 
Theft (general)—500 block E 20th St, Hays; 2/12 5:30 PM; 6:30 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle--1000 block Cedar St, Hays; 12:24 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1300 block E 18th St, Hays; 12:37 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—3300 block Thunderbird Dr, Hays; 2:11 PM 
Aggravated Assault—2000 block Vine St, Hays; 2:40 PM; 2:45 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—400 block E 22nd St, Hays; 3:05 PM 
Animal At Large—200 block W 13th St, Hays; 4:40 PM 
Battery – Domestic—300 block E 15th St, Hays; 12:01 AM; 12:30 AM 
Burglary/storage unit—2000 block General Custer Rd, Hays; 1/23 12 AM; 11:59 PM 
Burglary/storage unit—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 2/1 12 AM; 11:59 PM 
Burglary/residence—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 12 AM; 11:59 PM 
Domestic Disturbance—400 block E 21st St, Hays; 9:32 PM 
Drug Offenses—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 5:30 PM; 8:30 PM 
Juvenile Complaint—400 block E 12th St, Hays; 11:01 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 8 traffic stops Mon., Feb. 14, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Juvenile
Complain—300 block W 12th St, Hays; 7:57 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley—600 block E 15th St, Hays; 10:05 AM 
Search Warrant--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:44 AM 
MV Accident-Personal Injury--800 block Vine St, Hays; 11:26 AM 
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)—1900 block Main St, Hays; 11:38 AM 
Welfare Check—2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 1:47 PM 
Civil Dispute—1000 block W 37th St, Hays; 3:24 PM 
Found/Lost Property—3600 block Vine St, Hay; 3:24 PM 
Harassment (All Other)--400 block E 8th St, Hays; 3:27 PM 
Aggravated Assault—500 block E 20th St, Hays; 3:44 PM 
Sex Offense—200 block E 7th St, Ha; 4:15 PM 
Suspicious Activity—2400 block Indian Trl, Hays; 4:29 PM 
Welfare Check--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 5:13 PM 
Harassment, Telephone/FAX—1300 block Haney Dr, Hays; 1/13 6:56 PM; 2/14 4:17 PM
Unattended Death—4500 block Larned Cir, Hays; 5:43 PM 
Disturbance – General--200 block W 6th St, Hays; 7:04 PM 
Found/Lost Property—500 block W 27th St, Hays; 10:03 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 6 animal calls and conducted 10 traffic stops Tue., Feb. 15, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Welfare
Check—2200 block E 22nd St, Hays; 8:46 AM 
Criminal Trespass—1600 block Main St, Hays; 8:55 AM 
Shoplifting—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 9:21 AM 
Intoxicated Subject—1300 block Vine St, Hays; 9:43 AM 
MV Accident-Private Property—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 10:04 AM 
Dead Animal Call—1100 block E 27th St, Hays; 11:35 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1300 block E 30th St, Hays; 12:10 PM 
Traffic/Driving Complaint--3700 block Autumn Ln, Hays; 12:13 PM 
Dead Animal Call--6th and Oak, Hays; 1:34 PM 
Theft (general)—600 block E 13th St, Hays; 2:05 PM 
Found/Lost Property—1100 block E 27th St, Hays; 3:05 PM 
Driving Under the Influence—Hays; 3:16 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--200 block W 33rd St, Hays; 3:18 PM 
Animal At Large—1700 block Volga Dr, Hays; 3:50 PM 
Civil Dispute—2700 block Plaza Ave, Hays; 4:31 PM 
MV Accident-Private Property-Injury—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 5:38 PM 
Shoplifting--2600 block Vine St, Hays; 8:05 PM; 8:06 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 0 animal calls and conducted 23 traffic stops Wed., Feb. 16, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Driving
Under the Influence--200 block W 17th St, Hays; 2:06 AM 
Theft (general)--1400 block E 25th St, Hays; 2/15 8 PM; 2/16 8 AM 
Drug Offenses—2700 block Colonial St, Hays; 9:03 AM; 9:05 AM 
Mental Health Call—400 block E 13th St, Hays; 4:07 PM; 4:56 PM 
Burglary/residence—600 block E 13th St, Hays; 2/16 1 PM; 2/17 8:42 PM 
Disorderly Conduct—1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 9 PM; 9:15 PM

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 18 traffic stops Thu., Feb. 10, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.Warrant
Service (Fail to Appear)—2000 block Vine St, Hays; 12:12 PM 
Animal At Large—200 block E 16th St, Hays; 12:21 PM 
Mental Health Call—3000 block Sherman Ave, Hays ; 1:17 PM 
Juvenile Complaint—300 block W 12th St, Hays; 1:49 PM 
Welfare Check--200 block E 6th St, Hays; 1:47 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1300 block E 18th St, Hays; 2:12 PM 
Suspicious Activity—1200 block Main St, Hays; 2/8 3:30 PM; 4 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle--1300 block MacArthur Rd, Hays; 2:39 PM 
Dead Animal Call--1300 block Hall St, Hays; 2:42 PM 
Found/Lost Property—Hays; 3:14 PM 
Welfare Check—400 block E 13th St, Hay; 3:45 PM 
Assist - Other (not MV)--3300 block Vine St, Hays; 4:42 PM 
MV Accident-Hit and Run--300 block W 9th St, Hays; 5:37 PM 
Mental Health Call—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 5:46 PM 
Domestic Disturbance—2300 block Donald Dr, Hays; 2 PM; 10:20 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 15 traffic stops Fri., Feb. 11, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.Animal Bite
Investigation—2700 block Colonial St, Hays; 12:45 PM 
Criminal Trespass—4200 block Vine St, Hays; 6 AM; 8:58 AM 
Abandoned Vehicle—1700 block Douglas Dr, Hays; 8:52 AM 
Driving Under the Influence—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 9:06 AM; 9:11 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—100 block W 36th St, Hays; 9:21 AM 
Found/Lost Property—1500 block Main, Hays; 9:40 AM 
Found/Lost Property—3300 block Vine St, Hays; 10:10 AM 
Found/Lost Property—500 block 210th Ave, Hays; 11:24 AM 
Animal at Large—Vine St and I70, Hays; 2:23 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley—1400 block Walnut St, Hays; 3:27 PM; 3:29 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle—1500 block Marjorie Dr, Hays; 4:38 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 5:15 PM 
Animal Call—1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:05 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 9 animal calls and conducted 29 traffic stops Sat., Feb. 12, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.Suspicious
Activity—1300 block Vine St, Hays; 3:23 AM 
Suspicious Activity--2500 block Vine St, Hays; 3:45 AM 
Suspicious Activity—1900 block Vine St, Hays; 3:46 AM 
Criminal Trespass—1300 block W 43rd St, Hays; 2/11 7 PM; 2/12 9:08 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—2500 block Henry Dr, Hays; 9:49 AM 
Found/Lost Property—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 1/25 11 AM 
Abandoned Vehicle--1500 block Holmes Rd, Hays; 11:33 AM 
Abandoned Vehicle—1300 block E 17th St, Hays; 11:41 AM 
Found/Lost Property—400 block W 3rd St, Hays; 2:31 PM; 3:30 PM 
Suicidal Subject—2500 block Sherman Ave, Hays; 2:35 PM; 2:37 PM 
Found/Lost Property—2900 block Vine St, Hays; 3:07 PM 
Welfare Check—700 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 3:10 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle—200 block W 35th St, Hays; 3:40 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—2700 block Ash St, Hays; 5:28 PM 
Domestic Disturbance—3500 block Lincoln Dr, Hays; 1/12 8 PM; 1/31 8:30 PM 
Parking Complaint—3400 block Summer Ln, Hays; 6:23 PM; 6:45 PM 
Disturbance – Noise—100 block W 18th St, Hay; 7:28 PM; 7:36 PM 
Theft (general)—100 block Ash St, Hays; 11:38 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 11 traffic stops Sun., Feb. 13, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.Drug
Offenses--400 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:34 AM 
Disturbance – General—2700 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 3:16 AM 
Welfare Check—400 block W 14th St, Hays; 6:55 AM; 6:56 AM 
Theft (general)—400 block S Elm St, Lebo; 5:05 AM; 5:35 AM 
Burglary/business—1300 block E 22nd St, Hays; 9:08 AM 
Theft (general)—500 block E 20th St, Hays; 2/12 5:30 PM; 6:30 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle--1000 block Cedar St, Hays; 12:24 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1300 block E 18th St, Hays; 12:37 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—3300 block Thunderbird Dr, Hays; 2:11 PM 
Aggravated Assault—2000 block Vine St, Hays; 2:40 PM; 2:45 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—400 block E 22nd St, Hays; 3:05 PM 
Animal At Large—200 block W 13th St, Hays; 4:40 PM 
Battery – Domestic—300 block E 15th St, Hays; 12:01 AM; 12:30 AM 
Burglary/storage unit—2000 block General Custer Rd, Hays; 1/23 12 AM; 11:59 PM 
Burglary/storage unit—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 2/1 12 AM; 11:59 PM 
Burglary/residence—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 12 AM; 11:59 PM 
Domestic Disturbance—400 block E 21st St, Hays; 9:32 PM 
Drug Offenses—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 5:30 PM; 8:30 PM 
Juvenile Complaint—400 block E 12th St, Hays; 11:01 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 8 traffic stops Mon., Feb. 14, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.Juvenile
Complain—300 block W 12th St, Hays; 7:57 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley—600 block E 15th St, Hays; 10:05 AM 
Search Warrant--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:44 AM 
MV Accident-Personal Injury--800 block Vine St, Hays; 11:26 AM 
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)—1900 block Main St, Hays; 11:38 AM 
Welfare Check—2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 1:47 PM 
Civil Dispute—1000 block W 37th St, Hays; 3:24 PM 
Found/Lost Property—3600 block Vine St, Hay; 3:24 PM 
Harassment (All Other)--400 block E 8th St, Hays; 3:27 PM 
Aggravated Assault—500 block E 20th St, Hays; 3:44 PM 
Sex Offense—200 block E 7th St, Ha; 4:15 PM 
Suspicious Activity—2400 block Indian Trl, Hays; 4:29 PM 
Welfare Check--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 5:13 PM 
Harassment, Telephone/FAX—1300 block Haney Dr, Hays; 1/13 6:56 PM; 2/14 4:17 PM
Unattended Death—4500 block Larned Cir, Hays; 5:43 PM 
Disturbance – General--200 block W 6th St, Hays; 7:04 PM 
Found/Lost Property—500 block W 27th St, Hays; 10:03 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 6 animal calls and conducted 10 traffic stops Tue., Feb. 15, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.Welfare
Check—2200 block E 22nd St, Hays; 8:46 AM 
Criminal Trespass—1600 block Main St, Hays; 8:55 AM 
Shoplifting—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 9:21 AM 
Intoxicated Subject—1300 block Vine St, Hays; 9:43 AM 
MV Accident-Private Property—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 10:04 AM 
Dead Animal Call—1100 block E 27th St, Hays; 11:35 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1300 block E 30th St, Hays; 12:10 PM 
Traffic/Driving Complaint--3700 block Autumn Ln, Hays; 12:13 PM 
Dead Animal Call--6th and Oak, Hays; 1:34 PM 
Theft (general)—600 block E 13th St, Hays; 2:05 PM 
Found/Lost Property—1100 block E 27th St, Hays; 3:05 PM 
Driving Under the Influence—Hays; 3:16 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--200 block W 33rd St, Hays; 3:18 PM 
Animal At Large—1700 block Volga Dr, Hays; 3:50 PM 
Civil Dispute—2700 block Plaza Ave, Hays; 4:31 PM 
MV Accident-Private Property-Injury—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 5:38 PM 
Shoplifting--2600 block Vine St, Hays; 8:05 PM; 8:06 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 0 animal calls and conducted 23 traffic stops Wed., Feb. 16, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.Driving
Under the Influence--200 block W 17th St, Hays; 2:06 AM 
Theft (general)--1400 block E 25th St, Hays; 2/15 8 PM; 2/16 8 AM 
Drug Offenses—2700 block Colonial St, Hays; 9:03 AM; 9:05 AM 
Mental Health Call—400 block E 13th St, Hays; 4:07 PM; 4:56 PM 
Burglary/residence—600 block E 13th St, Hays; 2/16 1 PM; 2/17 8:42 PM 
Disorderly Conduct—1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 9 PM; 9:15 PM<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Hays PD Activity Log, Feb. 10-16

In a news release Tuesday,&nbsp;Chris McGowne announced he has filed to run for the Ellis County Commission Third District seat. 

McGowne, a lifelong Republican, is a local small business owner and lawyer who grew up in Hays and has family roots in the Ellis County community reaching back more than 60 years, the release said. McGowne and his wife work in the oil and gas industry and have for most of their careers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Chris firmly&nbsp;believes that local government and its elected officials should work for the&nbsp;people,&nbsp;and he knows first-hand how&nbsp;much the commission&nbsp;impacts&nbsp;your&nbsp;daily life," the release said. "He is dedicated to&nbsp;this&nbsp;community and&nbsp;is running for the&nbsp;commission because he&nbsp;believes&nbsp;it is&nbsp;crucial that the&nbsp;seat&nbsp;is filled with a fighter who is willing to tackle&nbsp;the&nbsp;important challenges&nbsp;that are ahead.&nbsp;He will fight for strong economic growth, wise zoning and land use, and responsible stewardship of county tax revenue&nbsp;by keeping the mill levy low."

McGowne invited residents of the Third District to contact him with questions at (785) 259-9233.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b8fc9a7c-1cec-4c60-aa64-d7c8b5029fcb">Longtime Ellis County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst stepped down</a> from his Third District seat in January. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/62d42e46-c5f5-495f-9646-7d902d844f0a">Victoria's Joe Leroux </a>was appointed by the Ellis County Republican Party to serve the remainder of Haselhorst's term.

The seat will be be on the November general election ballot for a two-year term.

The Third District is the largest in land size of the three county commission districts. It is made up of six townships, which includes the entire eastern edge of Ellis County and an area north of Hays.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645551942408.png" alt="Chris McGowne" />
 <figcaption>Chris McGowne</figcaption>
 </figure>In a news release Tuesday,&nbsp;Chris McGowne announced he has filed to run for the Ellis County Commission Third District seat. McGowne, a lifelong Republican, is a local small business owner and lawyer who grew up in Hays and has family roots in the Ellis County community reaching back more than 60 years, the release said. McGowne and his wife work in the oil and gas industry and have for most of their careers.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Chris firmly&nbsp;believes that local government and its elected officials should work for the&nbsp;people,&nbsp;and he knows first-hand how&nbsp;much the commission&nbsp;impacts&nbsp;your&nbsp;daily life," the release said. "He is dedicated to&nbsp;this&nbsp;community and&nbsp;is running for the&nbsp;commission because he&nbsp;believes&nbsp;it is&nbsp;crucial that the&nbsp;seat&nbsp;is filled with a fighter who is willing to tackle&nbsp;the&nbsp;important challenges&nbsp;that are ahead.&nbsp;He will fight for strong economic growth, wise zoning and land use, and responsible stewardship of county tax revenue&nbsp;by keeping the mill levy low."McGowne invited residents of the Third District to contact him with questions at (785) 259-9233.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b8fc9a7c-1cec-4c60-aa64-d7c8b5029fcb">Longtime Ellis County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst stepped down</a> from his Third District seat in January. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/62d42e46-c5f5-495f-9646-7d902d844f0a">Victoria's Joe Leroux </a>was appointed by the Ellis County Republican Party to serve the remainder of Haselhorst's term.The seat will be be on the November general election ballot for a two-year term.The Third District is the largest in land size of the three county commission districts. It is made up of six townships, which includes the entire eastern edge of Ellis County and an area north of Hays.

McGowne declares candidacy for Ellis County Commission 

Crude prices are on the rise despite rising inventories.&nbsp; Crude prices in New York gained $1.28 in afternoon trading Tuesday to $92.35 per barrel. London Brent gained 91 cents to $96.30 per barrel. U.S. crude inventories jumped more than a million barrels, according to the latest weekly tally from the Energy Information Administration. Stockpiles on February 11th reached 411.5 million barrels, about ten percent below the five-year average for this time of year. Gasoline inventories dropped by 1.3 million barrels, and are about three percent below the five-year seasonal average. US crude-oil production increased slightly last week. EIA reports output of 11.561 million barrels per day in the week through February 11th. That's up about 5,000 barrels per day from the week before. The government reported another dip in US crude imports, down 600,000 barrels per day to 5.8 million. Over the last four weeks, average imports are more than nine percent higher than the same four-week period last year. The Rig Count in Kansas was unchanged from the week before, with fourteen active rigs east of Wichita and 25 in Western Kansas. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service said operators were about to spud two wells in Barton County and one in Ellis County. Drilling activity so far this year roughly doubles that of last year to this point. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 128 spuds in 2022, up from 58 a year ago, and 53 active operators compared to 37 a year ago. Regulators in Kansas okayed 15 new drilling locations last week, with five in eastern Kansas, and ten in the western half of the state, including one in Barton County, two in Ellis County and two in Stafford County. There are 138 new drilling permits on file across the state so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 30 new well completions last week, 210 so far this year. Operators completed 16 wells in eastern Kansas, and 15 west of Wichita, including on in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. The number-two shale-oil basin in the US has been re-branded "mature," by operators who note good economics but slow long-term growth. The top energy regulator in North Dakota met recently with ten top operators in his state, and only one of those had more than a ten-year inventory of drilling locations. Lynn Helms of the Department of Mineral Resources said operators used the term "cash cow" but said they are not reinvesting revenue, and capital spending is expected to remain flat. Helms said crude production in North Dakota was down two percent in December. The average daily output dipped to 1.13 million barrels, down more than 20,000 barrels per day from November. Natural-gas output was down 3 percent, and the amount of flared gas increased slightly. The US backlog of drilled but uncompleted wells, or DUCs, is shrinking. Back as early as 2014, low crude prices forced some drillers to delay completion in hopes of higher prices later.&nbsp; Those prices are here, and DUC inventories are dropping. The Energy Information Administration reports the total in all seven of the major shale plays dropped in January by 191 wells or about four percent. Nearly half of those were in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico, but four other basins showed double-digit drops in DUCs. Two years ago, the State of Colorado adopted a rule requiring a 2,000-foot buffer between drilling rigs and homes, unless operators can offer what are called substantially equivalent protections. The state's biggest oil and gas producer is putting that to the test. Kerr-McGee hopes to drill 26 new wells near 87 homes in the city of Firestone. The company announced some concessions it had originally opposed during a hearing before state regulators, which then delayed an effort to kill the project entirely. The company now agrees to use quieter, cleaner electric drilling rigs and non-polluting muds. They also The last time crude prices topped $90 a barrel, we reported a similar story. Back then and today, drillers trying to boost output fast are facing a shortage of fracking sand. Crude output is expected to hit records in parts of Texas and New Mexico, the heart of U.S. shale activity. Shale operators use the sand to pry open the shale and release the oil deposits trapped inside. But Reuters reports sand supplies are so tight that it is slowing the pace of work for some drillers, and eating into the bottom line for others. The Republic of Congo, which holds OPEC's rotating presidency this year, is pushing to host a global oil conference and exhibition in June. They hope to show off the continent's energy sector and attract financing. The new OPEC President said Wednesday there is no immediate solution to rising oil prices. He said the lack of investment in oil supply in recent years is limiting the ability of oil-producing countries to boost production significantly. The cartel and its export partners are not meeting earlier pledges to increase production. Last month they fell short of their targets by up to 900,000 barrels per day, according to estimates from the International Energy Agency.

By JOHN P. TRETBARCrude prices are on the rise despite rising inventories.&nbsp; Crude prices in New York gained $1.28 in afternoon trading Tuesday to $92.35 per barrel. London Brent gained 91 cents to $96.30 per barrel. U.S. crude inventories jumped more than a million barrels, according to the latest weekly tally from the Energy Information Administration. Stockpiles on February 11th reached 411.5 million barrels, about ten percent below the five-year average for this time of year. Gasoline inventories dropped by 1.3 million barrels, and are about three percent below the five-year seasonal average. US crude-oil production increased slightly last week. EIA reports output of 11.561 million barrels per day in the week through February 11th. That's up about 5,000 barrels per day from the week before. The government reported another dip in US crude imports, down 600,000 barrels per day to 5.8 million. Over the last four weeks, average imports are more than nine percent higher than the same four-week period last year. The Rig Count in Kansas was unchanged from the week before, with fourteen active rigs east of Wichita and 25 in Western Kansas. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service said operators were about to spud two wells in Barton County and one in Ellis County. Drilling activity so far this year roughly doubles that of last year to this point. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 128 spuds in 2022, up from 58 a year ago, and 53 active operators compared to 37 a year ago. Regulators in Kansas okayed 15 new drilling locations last week, with five in eastern Kansas, and ten in the western half of the state, including one in Barton County, two in Ellis County and two in Stafford County. There are 138 new drilling permits on file across the state so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 30 new well completions last week, 210 so far this year. Operators completed 16 wells in eastern Kansas, and 15 west of Wichita, including on in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. The number-two shale-oil basin in the US has been re-branded "mature," by operators who note good economics but slow long-term growth. The top energy regulator in North Dakota met recently with ten top operators in his state, and only one of those had more than a ten-year inventory of drilling locations. Lynn Helms of the Department of Mineral Resources said operators used the term "cash cow" but said they are not reinvesting revenue, and capital spending is expected to remain flat. Helms said crude production in North Dakota was down two percent in December. The average daily output dipped to 1.13 million barrels, down more than 20,000 barrels per day from November. Natural-gas output was down 3 percent, and the amount of flared gas increased slightly. The US backlog of drilled but uncompleted wells, or DUCs, is shrinking. Back as early as 2014, low crude prices forced some drillers to delay completion in hopes of higher prices later.&nbsp; Those prices are here, and DUC inventories are dropping. The Energy Information Administration reports the total in all seven of the major shale plays dropped in January by 191 wells or about four percent. Nearly half of those were in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico, but four other basins showed double-digit drops in DUCs. Two years ago, the State of Colorado adopted a rule requiring a 2,000-foot buffer between drilling rigs and homes, unless operators can offer what are called substantially equivalent protections. The state's biggest oil and gas producer is putting that to the test. Kerr-McGee hopes to drill 26 new wells near 87 homes in the city of Firestone. The company announced some concessions it had originally opposed during a hearing before state regulators, which then delayed an effort to kill the project entirely. The company now agrees to use quieter, cleaner electric drilling rigs and non-polluting muds. They also The last time crude prices topped $90 a barrel, we reported a similar story. Back then and today, drillers trying to boost output fast are facing a shortage of fracking sand. Crude output is expected to hit records in parts of Texas and New Mexico, the heart of U.S. shale activity. Shale operators use the sand to pry open the shale and release the oil deposits trapped inside. But Reuters reports sand supplies are so tight that it is slowing the pace of work for some drillers, and eating into the bottom line for others. The Republic of Congo, which holds OPEC's rotating presidency this year, is pushing to host a global oil conference and exhibition in June. They hope to show off the continent's energy sector and attract financing. The new OPEC President said Wednesday there is no immediate solution to rising oil prices. He said the lack of investment in oil supply in recent years is limiting the ability of oil-producing countries to boost production significantly. The cartel and its export partners are not meeting earlier pledges to increase production. Last month they fell short of their targets by up to 900,000 barrels per day, according to estimates from the International Energy Agency.

News From the Oil Patch: Prices and inventories rise

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645566460954.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast click here.</a>

I’m really telling my age here, but I can remember walking up the road with my dad to a couple ponds near our place when I was just a pup. We had a couple cane poles, each with a hook, sinker and bobber and a can of nightcrawlers for bait. We would sit there on the bank and catch largemouth bass and bullheads, usually taking home a bass or two for mom to fry. 

Next came a cheap fiberglass rod with a Johnson reel when I was in&nbsp;grade school. The neighbor kids and I would load up our bikes with rods &amp; reels and worms for bait and pedal to an old mill on the river a couple miles away where we’d fish in the calm back-waters near the old mill building, rarely even getting bites, let alone catching fish. If I happened to get to visit my grandparents in the nearby town, I’d get leftover dough from the bakery downtown, then walk to the park and fish with doughballs in a weed-infested pond there. Then, in junior high, my other grandpa would take my cousin and I to Michigan each summer, towing his wooden boat and motor behind his pickup and camper. We would fish for Rock bass, using nightcrawlers for bait.&nbsp;Not many fish were caught on any of these early fishing excursions, which relied on our knowledge and skills to put fish in the skillet.

Fast forward to a trip to Lake Fork, Texas ten years ago to visit friends. They took us fishing late in the afternoon, setting “waypoints” with the GPS feature on their high-dollar trolling rig&nbsp;as wedodged&nbsp;submerged stumps all the way across the lake. Later that night, well after dark, that GPS system guided us back to the dock, dodging all those same stumps in the pitch-black darkness, without our friend ever having to touch the boat steering wheel.

On an early-spring fishing trip last year to Kanapolis, another friend spent fifteen minutes(unsuccessfully)&nbsp;trying to teach me how to use his new sonar. On a monitor next to my seat, I could watch my jig descend to the bottom, and see it twitch and dance each time I “jigged” the rod tip up-and-down. I never really got the hang of using it, but I could see everything around us on the lake bottom, leaving me wondering “Just when is an advancement too advanced?”

Kansas Deppartment of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Fisheries staff pondered the same question, “When is an advancement too&nbsp;advanced”&nbsp;as they considered the implications of the latest advancement in fish location&nbsp;technology&nbsp;called Live-Imaging Sonar, LIS for short. LIS is sonar that shows anglers fish and structure around and below their&nbsp;boat, usually with great clarity. LIS has fishermen choosing sides; some see it as&nbsp;a great&nbsp;addition, helping to guarantee a better fishing experience. Others see it as more of an ethical dilemma, blurring the lines of fair chase.&nbsp;KDWP sought to&nbsp;understand the impact of LIS on Kansas sportfishing, but no data was available to examine, so they decided to create their own study.

In early December, 2021, 32 fishermen, comprised of KDWP Fisheries and Wildlife employees, and people from Kansas State University,&nbsp;participated in a two-week experiment at Cedar Bluff Reservoir. Anglers were randomly partnered up&nbsp;and instructed to fish for&nbsp;winter crappie for&nbsp;seven hours on either the north or south side of the lake, and to fish either with or without the aid of LIS. The next day, they all switched sides of the lake and swapped use of the&nbsp;equipment. For data purposes, this resulted in sixteen controlled samples to examine. KDWP says the results were “unexpected.” I’m not sure what that means or what they expected to find, but here&nbsp;were&nbsp;the results:

•Anglers not using the new LIS sonar averaged 6.3 crappie per day, while anglers using the new LIS averaged 7.3 crappie per day.•Addinginto the studyall other species of fish caught, fishermen not using LIS averaged catching 12.9 fish per day, compared to an average of 14.4 fish per day by anglers using LIS.•Fishermen using the LIS caught crappie SLIGHTLY larger (less than one-half inch difference.)

More experienced fishermen and anglers already proficient in using Live-Imaging Sonar were not considered in this study, and the study concentrated on crappie, but overall, the data collected demonstrated that while the use of LSI by the casual weekend angler might SLIGHTLY improve the number and size of crappie caught, the difference was statistically minimal.

I’m certain LIS was what my friend tried to teach me to use at Kanapolis, and I’m also sure I have other friends who already have it on their boats or soon will have. Mind you, I’m not against technology and advancements in outdoor equipment, but let’s not allow them to water-down the reason we hunt and fish to begin with, and that is to continue to explore Kansas Outdoors.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>I’m really telling my age here, but I can remember walking up the road with my dad to a couple ponds near our place when I was just a pup. We had a couple cane poles, each with a hook, sinker and bobber and a can of nightcrawlers for bait. We would sit there on the bank and catch largemouth bass and bullheads, usually taking home a bass or two for mom to fry. Next came a cheap fiberglass rod with a Johnson reel when I was in&nbsp;grade school. The neighbor kids and I would load up our bikes with rods &amp; reels and worms for bait and pedal to an old mill on the river a couple miles away where we’d fish in the calm back-waters near the old mill building, rarely even getting bites, let alone catching fish. If I happened to get to visit my grandparents in the nearby town, I’d get leftover dough from the bakery downtown, then walk to the park and fish with doughballs in a weed-infested pond there. Then, in junior high, my other grandpa would take my cousin and I to Michigan each summer, towing his wooden boat and motor behind his pickup and camper. We would fish for Rock bass, using nightcrawlers for bait.&nbsp;Not many fish were caught on any of these early fishing excursions, which relied on our knowledge and skills to put fish in the skillet.Fast forward to a trip to Lake Fork, Texas ten years ago to visit friends. They took us fishing late in the afternoon, setting “waypoints” with the GPS feature on their high-dollar trolling rig&nbsp;as wedodged&nbsp;submerged stumps all the way across the lake. Later that night, well after dark, that GPS system guided us back to the dock, dodging all those same stumps in the pitch-black darkness, without our friend ever having to touch the boat steering wheel.On an early-spring fishing trip last year to Kanapolis, another friend spent fifteen minutes(unsuccessfully)&nbsp;trying to teach me how to use his new sonar. On a monitor next to my seat, I could watch my jig descend to the bottom, and see it twitch and dance each time I “jigged” the rod tip up-and-down. I never really got the hang of using it, but I could see everything around us on the lake bottom, leaving me wondering “Just when is an advancement too advanced?”Kansas Deppartment of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Fisheries staff pondered the same question, “When is an advancement too&nbsp;advanced”&nbsp;as they considered the implications of the latest advancement in fish location&nbsp;technology&nbsp;called Live-Imaging Sonar, LIS for short. LIS is sonar that shows anglers fish and structure around and below their&nbsp;boat, usually with great clarity. LIS has fishermen choosing sides; some see it as&nbsp;a great&nbsp;addition, helping to guarantee a better fishing experience. Others see it as more of an ethical dilemma, blurring the lines of fair chase.&nbsp;KDWP sought to&nbsp;understand the impact of LIS on Kansas sportfishing, but no data was available to examine, so they decided to create their own study.In early December, 2021, 32 fishermen, comprised of KDWP Fisheries and Wildlife employees, and people from Kansas State University,&nbsp;participated in a two-week experiment at Cedar Bluff Reservoir. Anglers were randomly partnered up&nbsp;and instructed to fish for&nbsp;winter crappie for&nbsp;seven hours on either the north or south side of the lake, and to fish either with or without the aid of LIS. The next day, they all switched sides of the lake and swapped use of the&nbsp;equipment. For data purposes, this resulted in sixteen controlled samples to examine. KDWP says the results were “unexpected.” I’m not sure what that means or what they expected to find, but here&nbsp;were&nbsp;the results:•Anglers not using the new LIS sonar averaged 6.3 crappie per day, while anglers using the new LIS averaged 7.3 crappie per day.•Addinginto the studyall other species of fish caught, fishermen not using LIS averaged catching 12.9 fish per day, compared to an average of 14.4 fish per day by anglers using LIS.•Fishermen using the LIS caught crappie SLIGHTLY larger (less than one-half inch difference.)More experienced fishermen and anglers already proficient in using Live-Imaging Sonar were not considered in this study, and the study concentrated on crappie, but overall, the data collected demonstrated that while the use of LSI by the casual weekend angler might SLIGHTLY improve the number and size of crappie caught, the difference was statistically minimal.I’m certain LIS was what my friend tried to teach me to use at Kanapolis, and I’m also sure I have other friends who already have it on their boats or soon will have. Mind you, I’m not against technology and advancements in outdoor equipment, but let’s not allow them to water-down the reason we hunt and fish to begin with, and that is to continue to explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Fishing advances

A recent fight between two men in Hays, led to the discovery of stolen property taken from area storage units and the subsequent arrest of both.

After initially being called for a disturbance between&nbsp;Richard Kody Lyon, 29, and&nbsp;Alvino Damian Almerez, 41, Hays, police learned Almerez had threatened Lyon with a machete, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler.

"While investigating that crime, the patrol officers and detectives uncovered they had also been committing storage unit break-ins," he said.

Lyon was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft and criminal damage to property.

Almerez was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft and criminal damage to property and aggravated assault.

While a portion of the recovered property has been returned to owners, Scheibler said some is still with the department.

"If you haven't checked your storage unit lately, please check it and if you are missing property, please give us a detailed list," he said.

Those reports can be directed to Hays Police Department Detective Dave Gillan from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday at (785) 625-1030. 

"He will need a good description of your stolen
property to cross-check with the recovered property to see if it has been
located," an announcement from the department said. "Serial numbers, model numbers and brand names along with good
descriptions of the missing item will be important to give to Detective Gillan,
along with when your storage unit was broken into and the location of your
storage unit."

By JAMES BELL Hays PostA recent fight between two men in Hays, led to the discovery of stolen property taken from area storage units and the subsequent arrest of both.After initially being called for a disturbance between&nbsp;Richard Kody Lyon, 29, and&nbsp;Alvino Damian Almerez, 41, Hays, police learned Almerez had threatened Lyon with a machete, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler."While investigating that crime, the patrol officers and detectives uncovered they had also been committing storage unit break-ins," he said.Lyon was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft and criminal damage to property.Almerez was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft and criminal damage to property and aggravated assault.While a portion of the recovered property has been returned to owners, Scheibler said some is still with the department."If you haven't checked your storage unit lately, please check it and if you are missing property, please give us a detailed list," he said.Those reports can be directed to Hays Police Department Detective Dave Gillan from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday at (785) 625-1030. "He will need a good description of your stolen
property to cross-check with the recovered property to see if it has been
located," an announcement from the department said. "Serial numbers, model numbers and brand names along with good
descriptions of the missing item will be important to give to Detective Gillan,
along with when your storage unit was broken into and the location of your
storage unit."While the work continues to get the stolen property back into the hands of owners, Schiebler praised the work of the officers."(It was) a really good job by the patrol officers investigating the initial report, but also that began to expand off into other criminal activity and they were able to follow up on those also," he said.And the investigation also continues.&nbsp;"We suspect there may be other people involved, so if anybody has any information they should contact Detective Gillan," Scheibler said.While the men are currently detained in the Ellis County jail, he said, they are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.