After an unseasonably warm weekend, expect the mercury to dive Monday night.&nbsp;

The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a wind chill advisory for much of western Kansas, including Ellis County, beginning Monday night.

After an expected high of 59 Monday, blustery winds are expected to pick up Monday night, producing wind chills as low as 14 below zero. The low temperature is expected to drop to 4 degrees Monday night.

A high of just 18 degrees is predicted Tuesday, with wind chills as low as 19 below zero Tuesday night.&nbsp;

There is a 30 percent chance of snow Wednesday night, increasing to 60 percent Thursday, when the low temperature is expected to drop to 5 below zero.&nbsp;

The mercury isn't expected to rise above the freezing point until Saturday, the NWS said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645458023076.png" alt="Dodge City NWS" />
 <figcaption>Dodge City NWS</figcaption>
 </figure>After an unseasonably warm weekend, expect the mercury to dive Monday night.&nbsp;The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a wind chill advisory for much of western Kansas, including Ellis County, beginning Monday night.After an expected high of 59 Monday, blustery winds are expected to pick up Monday night, producing wind chills as low as 14 below zero. The low temperature is expected to drop to 4 degrees Monday night.A high of just 18 degrees is predicted Tuesday, with wind chills as low as 19 below zero Tuesday night.&nbsp;There is a 30 percent chance of snow Wednesday night, increasing to 60 percent Thursday, when the low temperature is expected to drop to 5 below zero.&nbsp;The mercury isn't expected to rise above the freezing point until Saturday, the NWS said.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Partly to mostly cloudy tonight with lows in the single digits to the mid-teens. <a href="https://t.co/fePRwCorNj">pic.twitter.com/fePRwCorNj</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1495782626979840000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645458076359.png" alt="Dodge City NWS" />
 <figcaption>Dodge City NWS</figcaption>
 </figure>

NWS: Wind chill advisory issued, snow on the way

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The repercussions of a recent ransomware attack against Hays USD 489 is yet to be fully known.

However, a USD 489 parent and cybersecurity expert at Fort Hays State University spoke to Hays Post about the attack and offered practical tips to parents and students about how to avoid being victims in the future.

Jason Zeller, assistant professor in the Department of Informatics, said ransomware attacks are usually about money. 

Zeller, who has a student at Hays High School, told his son not to log into the Hays USD 489 WiFi since the system has been compromised. Doing so could infect cellphones, laptops or other private devices that connect to the network, he said.

Zeller said, in general, he recommends users never to use public hotspots. Don’t go into a coffee shop and use their WiFi, he said.

It is not uncommon for schools to be targeted by attackers, said Tim Medin of Red Siege, a cybersecurity firm. In 2020, there were 408 publicly disclosed cyber attacks on K-12 public schools or districts, which was an 18 percent increase from 2019.

Park Hill school district in Kansas City was the victim of a ransomware attack in March 2021. That district had to cancel school for a day because of the attack.

The issue of cybersecurity was addressed at a state board of education meeting in January. An audit report found 58 percent of Kansas school districts don’t require security awareness training and 63 percent don’t annually assess IT security risks.

In a ransomware attack, hackers typically confiscate data, and then the business or agency has to pay in order to get that information back, Zeller said

Hackers usually request payment in crypto currency because it is more difficult to trace.

“The thing about ransomware is that most people can avoid it by having secure backups,” Zeller said. “If something like that happens, you just back up everything and it’s no big deal.”

However, often the backups are on the same networks and they’re not secure, which gives the attackers opportunity to encrypt the backup as well, he said.

There is always the potential in an attack such as this for an attacker to take personal data and sell it on the dark web, Zeller said. 

Information, such as birthdates and Social Security numbers, could be used in identity theft.

“Usually what they’re after is not student information — my son’s information,” Zeller said. “I’m not too concerned about that, but making sure that my son is aware and educated as to what this is, because this isn’t going to be the only time he sees it.

“He’s been the victim of other types of cyber attacks, and I’m the cybersecurity professor.”

Many companies and organizations are now paying for cyber insurance policies. If the entity is hit with an attack, the insurance company pays the ransom.

If a ransom is not paid, attackers will usually do one of a couple of things, Zeller said. They will usually wipe the drives of all the data or they will sell the data on dark web in attempts to make some money for their efforts.

Payment of a ransom is no guarantee that information won’t still be sold on the dark web, Zeller said.

Zeller said paying a ransom is a double-edged sword. It does encourage attackers to continue to hack into companies. However, it may be more palatable than losing the data.

Medin, an international speaker on cybersecurity, said a decision to pay a ransom is not an easy ethical or moral decision. 

“In an ideal world, no one pays the ransom. If no one pays, there isn’t an incentive for any of the ransomware business model,”  he said. “The problem is many organizations have no choice but to pay. …

“That said, if much of the money and effort was proactive and spent on defending the systems before the attack, many attacks wouldn’t happen and it could defund portions of the ransomware ecosystem.”

Hays Post reached out several times to the Hays USD 489 administration to learn more about the attack, including if the ransom was paid, what system and data was compromised and what steps the district was taking to prevent future attacks.&nbsp;The school district has declined to comment on Hays Post's questions.

Although the attack occurred Thursday, Feb. 10, the public was not notified until the following Tuesday.

Hays Post tried to determine if a law enforcement agency was investigating this case. The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of investigation said they were not involved in the case.

The Kansas City Bureau of the FBI said it could neither confirm nor deny its involvement in the case.

Small business and small communities are no longer immune to these types of attacks, Zeller said. He said the attackers will target anyone they think will pay.

Unfortunately, schools might not have the same IT and security budgets as businesses of the same size, Medin said.

It’s very easy to be infected with ransomware, Zeller said. Attackers usually target people within the system with phishing emails and infiltrate the system when a&nbsp;student or staff member downloads an infected file.

“What I train students here is that it’s mostly social engineering,” Zeller said. “I could spend all day trying to break into the firewalls of the servers and all the equipment. It’s much easier to for me to hack a person than it is to hack a server.”

Ransomware doesn’t occur overnight, Zeller said. The initial hack of the system could have happened some time ago.

Ransomware attacks can come from anywhere in the world and are difficult to track. Zeller said some foreign militaries have warehouses full of people doing nothing but attempting to hack systems for data.

Medin said a recent report indicated 75 percent of stolen cryptocurrency from ransomware attacks went to Russia in 2021.

Because ransomware attacks are becoming more common, Zeller said many companies and agencies are requiring their employees to take cybersecurity classes. Many insurance companies offering cyber attack insurance are requiring it.

FHSU is organizing some cyber security workshops for this summer.

The other side is making sure that your organization’s networking core is secure, Zeller said.

It’s important for everyone to understand what ransomware attacks are, as well as know what phishing or spear phising attacks might look like.

Phishing is usually a generic attempt to get the user to click on a link or download a corrupt file.

Spear phishing usually entails the attacker pretending to be a friend, colleague or trusted business to gain information or infiltrate a business, Zeller said. 

If the request seems odd or the language seems odd, check it out, he said. You can also check to see if the email address matches the person it says it is coming from. 

Prevention is much less expensive than paying a ransom or dealing with an attack once it’s happening. Students that Zeller trains are paid $100 to $200 an hour upon leaving the FHSU program.

Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe repercussions of a recent ransomware attack against Hays USD 489 is yet to be fully known.However, a USD 489 parent and cybersecurity expert at Fort Hays State University spoke to Hays Post about the attack and offered practical tips to parents and students about how to avoid being victims in the future.Jason Zeller, assistant professor in the Department of Informatics, said ransomware attacks are usually about money. Zeller, who has a student at Hays High School, told his son not to log into the Hays USD 489 WiFi since the system has been compromised. Doing so could infect cellphones, laptops or other private devices that connect to the network, he said.Zeller said, in general, he recommends users never to use public hotspots. Don’t go into a coffee shop and use their WiFi, he said.<h2>Schools in the crosshairs</h2>It is not uncommon for schools to be targeted by attackers, said Tim Medin of Red Siege, a cybersecurity firm. In 2020, there were 408 publicly disclosed cyber attacks on K-12 public schools or districts, which was an 18 percent increase from 2019.Park Hill school district in Kansas City was the victim of a ransomware attack in March 2021. That district had to cancel school for a day because of the attack.The issue of cybersecurity was addressed at a state board of education meeting in January. An audit report found 58 percent of Kansas school districts don’t require security awareness training and 63 percent don’t annually assess IT security risks.<h2>What happens in a ransomware attack?</h2>In a ransomware attack, hackers typically confiscate data, and then the business or agency has to pay in order to get that information back, Zeller saidHackers usually request payment in crypto currency because it is more difficult to trace.“The thing about ransomware is that most people can avoid it by having secure backups,” Zeller said. “If something like that happens, you just back up everything and it’s no big deal.”However, often the backups are on the same networks and they’re not secure, which gives the attackers opportunity to encrypt the backup as well, he said.There is always the potential in an attack such as this for an attacker to take personal data and sell it on the dark web, Zeller said. Information, such as birthdates and Social Security numbers, could be used in identity theft.“Usually what they’re after is not student information — my son’s information,” Zeller said. “I’m not too concerned about that, but making sure that my son is aware and educated as to what this is, because this isn’t going to be the only time he sees it.“He’s been the victim of other types of cyber attacks, and I’m the cybersecurity professor.”<h2>To pay or not to pay</h2>Many companies and organizations are now paying for cyber insurance policies. If the entity is hit with an attack, the insurance company pays the ransom.If a ransom is not paid, attackers will usually do one of a couple of things, Zeller said. They will usually wipe the drives of all the data or they will sell the data on dark web in attempts to make some money for their efforts.Payment of a ransom is no guarantee that information won’t still be sold on the dark web, Zeller said.Zeller said paying a ransom is a double-edged sword. It does encourage attackers to continue to hack into companies. However, it may be more palatable than losing the data.Medin, an international speaker on cybersecurity, said a decision to pay a ransom is not an easy ethical or moral decision. “In an ideal world, no one pays the ransom. If no one pays, there isn’t an incentive for any of the ransomware business model,” he said. “The problem is many organizations have no choice but to pay. …“That said, if much of the money and effort was proactive and spent on defending the systems before the attack, many attacks wouldn’t happen and it could defund portions of the ransomware ecosystem.”<h2>District quiet on attack</h2>Hays Post reached out several times to the Hays USD 489 administration to learn more about the attack, including if the ransom was paid, what system and data was compromised and what steps the district was taking to prevent future attacks.&nbsp;The school district has declined to comment on Hays Post's questions.Although the attack occurred Thursday, Feb. 10, the public was not notified until the following Tuesday.Hays Post tried to determine if a law enforcement agency was investigating this case. The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Bureau of investigation said they were not involved in the case.The Kansas City Bureau of the FBI said it could neither confirm nor deny its involvement in the case.<h2>Small communities not safe</h2>Small business and small communities are no longer immune to these types of attacks, Zeller said. He said the attackers will target anyone they think will pay.Unfortunately, schools might not have the same IT and security budgets as businesses of the same size, Medin said.It’s very easy to be infected with ransomware, Zeller said. Attackers usually target people within the system with phishing emails and infiltrate the system when a&nbsp;student or staff member downloads an infected file.“What I train students here is that it’s mostly social engineering,” Zeller said. “I could spend all day trying to break into the firewalls of the servers and all the equipment. It’s much easier to for me to hack a person than it is to hack a server.”Ransomware doesn’t occur overnight, Zeller said. The initial hack of the system could have happened some time ago.Ransomware attacks can come from anywhere in the world and are difficult to track. Zeller said some foreign militaries have warehouses full of people doing nothing but attempting to hack systems for data.Medin said a recent report indicated 75 percent of stolen cryptocurrency from ransomware attacks went to Russia in 2021.<h2>Preventing attacks</h2>Because ransomware attacks are becoming more common, Zeller said many companies and agencies are requiring their employees to take cybersecurity classes. Many insurance companies offering cyber attack insurance are requiring it.FHSU is organizing some cyber security workshops for this summer.The other side is making sure that your organization’s networking core is secure, Zeller said.It’s important for everyone to understand what ransomware attacks are, as well as know what phishing or spear phising attacks might look like.Phishing is usually a generic attempt to get the user to click on a link or download a corrupt file.Spear phishing usually entails the attacker pretending to be a friend, colleague or trusted business to gain information or infiltrate a business, Zeller said. If the request seems odd or the language seems odd, check it out, he said. You can also check to see if the email address matches the person it says it is coming from. Prevention is much less expensive than paying a ransom or dealing with an attack once it’s happening. Students that Zeller trains are paid $100 to $200 an hour upon leaving the FHSU program.Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay

Schools increasingly targeted by cyber attacks

Technology and time has negated the need for a large home
for the city’s official newspaper.

But as a testament to the ongoing ability of area residents
to adapt to the future, the former home of the Hays Daily News at 507 Main soon will be home to a science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning
center.

The building’s new owner, Dallas Haselhorst, has named the
upcoming center STEM Harvest, reflecting his desire to encourage STEM education
in the region, while also finding in the building a new home for office spaces
downtown, including his own TreeTop Security.

And while creating a new learning center in downtown Hays is
an exciting opportunity for Haselhorst, he also said saving and rehabilitating
the building, while preserving its history is also a rewarding experience.

“As I was growing up, obviously had a lot of ties to the
building,” Haselhorst said. “I had friends that had newspaper routes, and I'd
often fill in for them. So obviously even I have my own bit of history with it,
but it really is a community centerpiece that a lot of people have looked at
over the years.

While most today will remember the building as the home to
the newspaper, it was first built as a home for Scheufler Supply Co., an automotive
parts and repair business in 1954, according to a 1979 Hays Daily News article.

It would also temporarily serve as the Hays Post Office from
Feb. 1, 1964, until Jan. 31, 1965, while the current facility was being constructed
from the shell of the previous building standing in the same location as it is
today.

A few years after the post office moved into its new
facility, Scheufler would also move out his business to a smaller location and
sell the building to Pete Felten, who then would sell the building to Hays Daily
News in January 1967.

After the first of several remodels, the paper would move
into the location in October of the same year.

The paper’s local operations would run from there until
Haselhorst bought the building from Gannett in 2021.&nbsp;

As soon as the purchase was completed, he would begin work
to secure the building, which had been suffering water damage from a roof that
was in desperate need of repair.

"(The) very first thing that we did, before we even purchased
the building, was actually go out and get some roofing bids,” Haselhorst said, “because the roof was about 10 to 15 years past where we needed it to be.”

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5df916f657544d3fe90e7c9c">Related
story: Historical society faces artifact damage, considers church demo</a>

After getting a new roof on the building, the next step was
cleaning out the countless office supplies and artifacts left behind.

“We actually picked up a handful of old newspapers, some
from the 1800s,” Haselhorst said. “So those are kind of interesting to kind
of leaf through and see,” noting some included President McKinley on the campaign trail.

“To go through some of that stuff, we found some old
negatives of, say, the Kennedy assassination, some things like that from the
actual front page of the Hays Daily, so yeah, lots of cool history, lots of
cool artifacts.”

While he saved some of the most unique items, stacks of everyday newspapers from decades gone by — many damaged beyond saving — were discarded.

“We recycled a lot of paper — to say the least. We actually
ended up taking, I think, 27 truckloads of recycled materials of papers that
have just been from the past 20 years that didn't really have any value,”
Haselhorst said.

For the materials that were saved, he said finding ways to
showcase that history for the community is in the works.

Now moving the building away from the past, with an eye
toward the future, a large portion of the building will be dedicated to STEM Harvest, designed as a center for STEM education.

“STEM Harvest is something that honestly is about 10 years
in the making,” Haselhorst said. “And so it's going to have a heavy tech
slant, obviously, with me being involved with it. So coding, programming, 3D
printing, prototyping, fast-track prototyping is something that we've talked
about — to where you kind of get all of those skills together, you now start
producing products and start creating ideas.”

He said the center could provide after-school learning opportunities,
as well as camps, where youth can learn about the skills needed
for jobs in the future.

“And really, it kind of goes back to you teach the
fundamentals, and then see what a kid can create,” Haselhorst said.

“We can also bring in some mentors,” he said. “I have kind
of friends all over the place in the tech field. … We've also talked with
bringing in some different experts, at least on a monthly basis.”

Those experts span a wide range of fields and positions who Haselhorst said would be happy to share their experiences with the next generation.

“I think it has the chance, the possibility, to be really,
really special for the area,” he said.

As the space continues to develop, Haselhorst said the search
for funding is underway, to help him achieve his goal of a free-to-use facility.

“One of probably the most exciting things for me is
we are currently working for trying to get grants, sponsorships and things like
that,” he said. “I, ultimately, I want it to be free. … What I really, really
want to do is to keep that free so every kid that really has access to it.”

And ultimately, Haselhorst said, bringing high-tech
educational opportunities could strengthen and grow the local workforce.

“The the idea is to get kids to really learn those skills,
and then stay right here,” he said. “Whether that means that they're working
remotely for some other company, or whether they're generating new businesses,
new ideas for this area, there's absolutely zero reason that we can't be a tech
(center). Maybe we're not going to be a Denver, we're not going to be a Kansas
City, but Hays is a very attractive place to live and there's no reason why we
can't keep people here.”

While he hopes for a summer opening for STEM Harvest, as work
continues inside the building, other businesses, including his own TreeTop Security,
could soon be located there as well. A new façade is planned for March, which will break the front of the building up into separate offices.

“So it's revisioning, dividing that up a little bit, for
some other businesses to come in and add to the vibrancy of downtown,”
Haselhorst said.

Haselhorst will also turn the building into a home for his cybersecurity
company, TreeTop Security, along with office space for other area enterprises.

“For the last few years, we've been looking for space for
the kids’ area, as well as TreeTop,” Haselhorst said. “And so I knew going in
that we were needing about 6,000 square feet.”

That large a space in Hays has been hard to come by, he
said, but when the former Hays Daily News building came up for sale, he knew it
would be a fit, but also there would be ample space left over.

“It was kind of the idea that, well, what else can we do
with this?” Haselhorst said. “What other ideas? Could we make it kind of a — not gonna say a centerpiece, beautiful downtown Hays is already there and very
well established — but how can we make it kind of its own unique blend?”

He hopes that along with what is already located in downtown
Hays, the facility can be another draw with the right combination of businesses.

“There's already a lot of fantastic businesses, fantastic
things to do,” Haselhorst said. “You have the pool right there. You have a
lot of festivities and activities in downtown. So (it will) just to try and
promote that area, even just a little bit more.”

And while he works toward those long-term plans, he knows
the process will be a long one.

“Phase one, really, is to have the front 60 percent of the
building … hopefully have it 100 percent used,” Haselhorst said. 

For the remainder of the space, currently in the form of a warehouse
space that housed the paper’s printing press and circulation operations, finding
the right operation to move in remains up in the air.

“So it's really, get the front half going because, well,
honestly, that's easiest,” Haselhorst said. “But then also, kind of that back
half, that's where the artifacts, hopefully, eventually play into that.”

But he is also open to other ideas for the space.

“I've had a number of other ideas, business owners pitch
ideas I should say, for different things that that could be transformed into,”
Haselhorst said. “So yeah, we'll see. It's a space there and available that we
can try some different things with.”

For more about STEM Harvest, visit <a href="https://stemharvest.org/">stemharvest.org.</a>

For more about TreeTop Security, visit <a href="https://www.treetopsecurity.com/">treetopsecurity.com.</a>

<div><iframe title="Icon of Hays’ past to become beacon for the future" allowtransparency="true" height="150" 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=dp7h3-11ae8cc-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=f6f6f6&size=315"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645216228969.jpeg" alt="Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst." />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostTechnology and time has negated the need for a large home
for the city’s official newspaper.But as a testament to the ongoing ability of area residents
to adapt to the future, the former home of the Hays Daily News at 507 Main soon will be home to a science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning
center.The building’s new owner, Dallas Haselhorst, has named the
upcoming center STEM Harvest, reflecting his desire to encourage STEM education
in the region, while also finding in the building a new home for office spaces
downtown, including his own TreeTop Security.And while creating a new learning center in downtown Hays is
an exciting opportunity for Haselhorst, he also said saving and rehabilitating
the building, while preserving its history is also a rewarding experience.“As I was growing up, obviously had a lot of ties to the
building,” Haselhorst said. “I had friends that had newspaper routes, and I'd
often fill in for them. So obviously even I have my own bit of history with it,
but it really is a community centerpiece that a lot of people have looked at
over the years.“It's a part of the community.”While most today will remember the building as the home to
the newspaper, it was first built as a home for Scheufler Supply Co., an automotive
parts and repair business in 1954, according to a 1979 Hays Daily News article.It would also temporarily serve as the Hays Post Office from
Feb. 1, 1964, until Jan. 31, 1965, while the current facility was being constructed
from the shell of the previous building standing in the same location as it is
today.A few years after the post office moved into its new
facility, Scheufler would also move out his business to a smaller location and
sell the building to Pete Felten, who then would sell the building to Hays Daily
News in January 1967.After the first of several remodels, the paper would move
into the location in October of the same year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645219214071.jpeg" alt="An undated photo of the Hays Daily building, before it was remodeled into its current configuration. -&nbsp;Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst." />
 <figcaption>An undated photo of the Hays Daily building, before it was remodeled into its current configuration. -&nbsp;Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst.</figcaption>
 </figure>The paper’s local operations would run from there until
Haselhorst bought the building from Gannett in 2021.&nbsp;As soon as the purchase was completed, he would begin work
to secure the building, which had been suffering water damage from a roof that
was in desperate need of repair."(The) very first thing that we did, before we even purchased
the building, was actually go out and get some roofing bids,” Haselhorst said, “because the roof was about 10 to 15 years past where we needed it to be.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645218041805.jpeg" alt="Buckets located around the building collected water from a leaking roof. - Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst." />
 <figcaption>Buckets located around the building collected water from a leaking roof. - Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645218070736.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5df916f657544d3fe90e7c9c">Related
story: Historical society faces artifact damage, considers church demo</a>After getting a new roof on the building, the next step was
cleaning out the countless office supplies and artifacts left behind.“We actually picked up a handful of old newspapers, some
from the 1800s,” Haselhorst said. “So those are kind of interesting to kind
of leaf through and see,” noting some included President McKinley on the campaign trail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645218163903.jpeg" alt="Items and artifacts left behind after Haselhorst bought the building at 507 Main. -&nbsp;Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst." />
 <figcaption>Items and artifacts left behind after Haselhorst bought the building at 507 Main. -&nbsp;Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645217939504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“To go through some of that stuff, we found some old
negatives of, say, the Kennedy assassination, some things like that from the
actual front page of the Hays Daily, so yeah, lots of cool history, lots of
cool artifacts.”While he saved some of the most unique items, stacks of everyday newspapers from decades gone by — many damaged beyond saving — were discarded.“We recycled a lot of paper — to say the least. We actually
ended up taking, I think, 27 truckloads of recycled materials of papers that
have just been from the past 20 years that didn't really have any value,”
Haselhorst said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645218108460.jpeg" alt="Among the items left behind were stacks of editions of the Hays Daily News. -&nbsp;Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst." />
 <figcaption>Among the items left behind were stacks of editions of the Hays Daily News. -&nbsp;Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645219151939.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>For the materials that were saved, he said finding ways to
showcase that history for the community is in the works.<h2>STEM Harvest</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645219093437.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Now moving the building away from the past, with an eye
toward the future, a large portion of the building will be dedicated to STEM Harvest, designed as a center for STEM education.“STEM Harvest is something that honestly is about 10 years
in the making,” Haselhorst said. “And so it's going to have a heavy tech
slant, obviously, with me being involved with it. So coding, programming, 3D
printing, prototyping, fast-track prototyping is something that we've talked
about — to where you kind of get all of those skills together, you now start
producing products and start creating ideas.”He said the center could provide after-school learning opportunities,
as well as camps, where youth can learn about the skills needed
for jobs in the future.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645219242630.png" alt="An architectural drawing shows the vision for the STEM Harvest space. -Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst." />
 <figcaption>An architectural drawing shows the vision for the STEM Harvest space. -Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst.</figcaption>
 </figure>“And really, it kind of goes back to you teach the
fundamentals, and then see what a kid can create,” Haselhorst said.“We can also bring in some mentors,” he said. “I have kind
of friends all over the place in the tech field. … We've also talked with
bringing in some different experts, at least on a monthly basis.”Those experts span a wide range of fields and positions who Haselhorst said would be happy to share their experiences with the next generation.“I think it has the chance, the possibility, to be really,
really special for the area,” he said.As the space continues to develop, Haselhorst said the search
for funding is underway, to help him achieve his goal of a free-to-use facility.“One of probably the most exciting things for me is
we are currently working for trying to get grants, sponsorships and things like
that,” he said. “I, ultimately, I want it to be free. … What I really, really
want to do is to keep that free so every kid that really has access to it.”And ultimately, Haselhorst said, bringing high-tech
educational opportunities could strengthen and grow the local workforce.“The the idea is to get kids to really learn those skills,
and then stay right here,” he said. “Whether that means that they're working
remotely for some other company, or whether they're generating new businesses,
new ideas for this area, there's absolutely zero reason that we can't be a tech
(center). Maybe we're not going to be a Denver, we're not going to be a Kansas
City, but Hays is a very attractive place to live and there's no reason why we
can't keep people here.”While he hopes for a summer opening for STEM Harvest, as work
continues inside the building, other businesses, including his own TreeTop Security,
could soon be located there as well. A new façade is planned for March, which will break the front of the building up into separate offices.“So it's revisioning, dividing that up a little bit, for
some other businesses to come in and add to the vibrancy of downtown,”
Haselhorst said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645218017967.jpeg" alt="Several pieces of leftover furniture are being rehabbed for use in the new space. -&nbsp;Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst." />
 <figcaption>Several pieces of leftover furniture are being rehabbed for use in the new space. -&nbsp;Photos courtesy Dallas Haselhorst.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>TreeTop Security and more</h2>Haselhorst will also turn the building into a home for his cybersecurity
company, TreeTop Security, along with office space for other area enterprises.“For the last few years, we've been looking for space for
the kids’ area, as well as TreeTop,” Haselhorst said. “And so I knew going in
that we were needing about 6,000 square feet.”That large a space in Hays has been hard to come by, he
said, but when the former Hays Daily News building came up for sale, he knew it
would be a fit, but also there would be ample space left over.“It was kind of the idea that, well, what else can we do
with this?” Haselhorst said. “What other ideas? Could we make it kind of a — not gonna say a centerpiece, beautiful downtown Hays is already there and very
well established — but how can we make it kind of its own unique blend?”He hopes that along with what is already located in downtown
Hays, the facility can be another draw with the right combination of businesses.“There's already a lot of fantastic businesses, fantastic
things to do,” Haselhorst said. “You have the pool right there. You have a
lot of festivities and activities in downtown. So (it will) just to try and
promote that area, even just a little bit more.”And while he works toward those long-term plans, he knows
the process will be a long one.“Phase one, really, is to have the front 60 percent of the
building … hopefully have it 100 percent used,” Haselhorst said. For the remainder of the space, currently in the form of a warehouse
space that housed the paper’s printing press and circulation operations, finding
the right operation to move in remains up in the air.“So it's really, get the front half going because, well,
honestly, that's easiest,” Haselhorst said. “But then also, kind of that back
half, that's where the artifacts, hopefully, eventually play into that.”But he is also open to other ideas for the space.“I've had a number of other ideas, business owners pitch
ideas I should say, for different things that that could be transformed into,”
Haselhorst said. “So yeah, we'll see. It's a space there and available that we
can try some different things with.”For more about STEM Harvest, visit <a href="https://stemharvest.org/">stemharvest.org.</a>For more about TreeTop Security, visit <a href="https://www.treetopsecurity.com/">treetopsecurity.com.</a>

🎙 TURN THE PAGE: Icon of Hays' past to become beacon to future

The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to close a 6-mile portion of K-383 in Phillips County on Monday, March 7, weather permitting.

The closure will begin 2 miles east of Long Island near the Prairie Dog Creek bridge and end at the U.S. 183 junction. Traffic should follow the signed detour route on U.S. 183, U.S. 36 and K-60.

The closure is part of Phase I of the T-WORKS project to rehabilitate and reconstruct the K-383 corridor from the east U.S. 36 junction in Norton County to the U.S. 183 junction in Phillips County. KDOT split the project into three separate phases for construction with Phase II consisting of the 6 miles from the east U.S. 36 junction to Almena and Phase III covering the remaining 14 miles from Almena to east of Long Island.

KDOT expects Phase I to be completed in December 2022.

KDOTThe Kansas Department of Transportation plans to close a 6-mile portion of K-383 in Phillips County on Monday, March 7, weather permitting.The closure will begin 2 miles east of Long Island near the Prairie Dog Creek bridge and end at the U.S. 183 junction. Traffic should follow the signed detour route on U.S. 183, U.S. 36 and K-60.The closure is part of Phase I of the T-WORKS project to rehabilitate and reconstruct the K-383 corridor from the east U.S. 36 junction in Norton County to the U.S. 183 junction in Phillips County. KDOT split the project into three separate phases for construction with Phase II consisting of the 6 miles from the east U.S. 36 junction to Almena and Phase III covering the remaining 14 miles from Almena to east of Long Island.KDOT expects Phase I to be completed in December 2022.

Stretch of K-383 to close for construction in Phillips Co.

Submitted<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645047734268.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

New date for 'Saving Bees by Killing Them!' at FHSU Science Café

Fort Hays State University will host an event next week, celebrating the publication of the book “Winter in America.” The book was written by an FHSU faculty member – Dr. Daniel R. McClure, assistant professor of history – and published by The University of North Carolina Press.

McClure’s book follows the interaction between culture and economics during the transition from Keynesianism in the mid-1960s to the triumph of neoliberalism at the dawn of the 1980s.

From the 1965 debate between William F. Buckley and James Baldwin, through the pages of BusinessWeek and Playboy, to the rise of exploitation cinema in the 1970s, McClure tracks the increasingly shared perception by white males that they had “lost” their long-standing rights.

The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and the history department will be holding a “book talk” along with the book signing event from 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, in the Sunset Atrium of the Memorial Union.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Books will be available for purchase through the Victor E. Tiger Apparel and Gift Co. in the Memorial Union.&nbsp;The event is free and open to the public.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645473792827.jpeg" alt="Dr. Daniel R. McClure" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Daniel R. McClure</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsFort Hays State University will host an event next week, celebrating the publication of the book “Winter in America.” The book was written by an FHSU faculty member – Dr. Daniel R. McClure, assistant professor of history – and published by The University of North Carolina Press.McClure’s book follows the interaction between culture and economics during the transition from Keynesianism in the mid-1960s to the triumph of neoliberalism at the dawn of the 1980s.From the 1965 debate between William F. Buckley and James Baldwin, through the pages of BusinessWeek and Playboy, to the rise of exploitation cinema in the 1970s, McClure tracks the increasingly shared perception by white males that they had “lost” their long-standing rights.The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and the history department will be holding a “book talk” along with the book signing event from 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, in the Sunset Atrium of the Memorial Union.&nbsp;&nbsp;Books will be available for purchase through the Victor E. Tiger Apparel and Gift Co. in the Memorial Union.&nbsp;The event is free and open to the public.

FHSU history department will host book signing

Writing a final news column has proven to be more difficult than I expected.&nbsp;I have started and then started again, and the words just don’t seem to want to be in print. &nbsp;I thought I had a great amount of wisdom to share, but this might be much shorter than I planned.

Friday, Feb. 25,&nbsp;will be my final official day in the Cottonwood Extension District Office in Hays. I have asked Donna Maskus, a master food volunteer for many years, to help me with a program on scones. The program will be&nbsp;Friday, Feb. 25,&nbsp;beginning at 12:10 p.m. at the Extension Office meeting room at 601 Main in Hays.&nbsp;

If you cannot attend over the noon hour, please consider stopping by the office between 1 and 3 p.m. on Friday for some scones and tea. Donna and I have baked and tried a variety of recipes and we will share the best with you in a handout. We also have many past Kansas Wheat Commission booklets from the past that&nbsp;we would love to find a home for.&nbsp;

If you have time to stop by and say goodbye on Friday, I would love to see you. If&nbsp;you&nbsp;are not able to come, we can still get you a handout with scone recipes. Don’t be a stranger to the Extension office and all the Extension activities in the future.&nbsp;

I don’t know that I really believe in forever goodbyes. I hope I will meet up with you in the future. Good luck to all of you as you continue your good work in your community. And if those words of wisdom pop into my mind this week, maybe I will be allowed one more column.<a></a>

​Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. &nbsp;She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588274071306.jpeg" alt="Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>Writing a final news column has proven to be more difficult than I expected.&nbsp;I have started and then started again, and the words just don’t seem to want to be in print. &nbsp;I thought I had a great amount of wisdom to share, but this might be much shorter than I planned.Friday, Feb. 25,&nbsp;will be my final official day in the Cottonwood Extension District Office in Hays. I have asked Donna Maskus, a master food volunteer for many years, to help me with a program on scones. The program will be&nbsp;Friday, Feb. 25,&nbsp;beginning at 12:10 p.m. at the Extension Office meeting room at 601 Main in Hays.&nbsp;If you cannot attend over the noon hour, please consider stopping by the office between 1 and 3 p.m. on Friday for some scones and tea. Donna and I have baked and tried a variety of recipes and we will share the best with you in a handout. We also have many past Kansas Wheat Commission booklets from the past that&nbsp;we would love to find a home for.&nbsp;If you have time to stop by and say goodbye on Friday, I would love to see you. If&nbsp;you&nbsp;are not able to come, we can still get you a handout with scone recipes. Don’t be a stranger to the Extension office and all the Extension activities in the future.&nbsp;I don’t know that I really believe in forever goodbyes. I hope I will meet up with you in the future. Good luck to all of you as you continue your good work in your community. And if those words of wisdom pop into my mind this week, maybe I will be allowed one more column.<a></a>​Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. &nbsp;She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

UNRUH: Time to say farewell

<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/2022/2/1645214574669.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

I have been watching some of the Olympics over the last few weeks. While there can be controversy surrounding these events, I chose to focus on the time and effort of the athletes, many of whom have sacrificed so much to be in this competition.

While watching skating, the announcers were discussing one of the Australian skaters who has come back from a serious injury and then illness in order to make their best effort and show the result of years of training and focus on the tiniest details.

I think of countless hours of training, planning, and practice time each of them put in with a goal to be better every time. It is easy for me to watch and be critical of errors and think of how effortless the athlete makes is look while recognizing that there are so many details of a performance that I don’t understand or even notice that can have a huge impact on a score.

This past weekend, 4-H members across Barton County competed in our 4-H Club Day. This event provides an opportunity for youth to showcase their communication skills through demonstrations, illustrated talks, public speaking, and skits. In the same way that athletes don’t magically have all of the skills to&nbsp;successfully&nbsp;hurl themselves&nbsp;into the air in a skating competition, public speakers&nbsp;don’t automatically have all the skills to plan, organize, and effectively share their thoughts and ideas. It&nbsp;starts&nbsp;small and&nbsp;they&nbsp;improve their skills with feedback from others. In both cases, it&nbsp;takes many hours of practice and a focus on consistency to be better.&nbsp;

I loved to skate as a little girl but my double-runner skates, and lack of natural ability,&nbsp;were not going to make me a champion skater.&nbsp;In a similar manner, not all of us going to feel comfortable addressing huge crowds or even small crowds. But each of us can work on skills to improve our communication with others every day. We can channel a little of those Olympic athletes as we set about finding mentors who will give us frank and honest feedback as well as opportunities to improve our&nbsp;own&nbsp;communication skills.

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.

Michelle Beran is the 4-H and Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District – Barton County office. For more information on this article or other 4-H and Youth Development related questions, email Michelle at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:mberan@ksu.edu">mberan@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or call 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579114162620.jpeg" alt="Michelle Beran is the 4-H and Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Michelle Beran is the 4-H and Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>I have been watching some of the Olympics over the last few weeks. While there can be controversy surrounding these events, I chose to focus on the time and effort of the athletes, many of whom have sacrificed so much to be in this competition.While watching skating, the announcers were discussing one of the Australian skaters who has come back from a serious injury and then illness in order to make their best effort and show the result of years of training and focus on the tiniest details.I think of countless hours of training, planning, and practice time each of them put in with a goal to be better every time. It is easy for me to watch and be critical of errors and think of how effortless the athlete makes is look while recognizing that there are so many details of a performance that I don’t understand or even notice that can have a huge impact on a score.This past weekend, 4-H members across Barton County competed in our 4-H Club Day. This event provides an opportunity for youth to showcase their communication skills through demonstrations, illustrated talks, public speaking, and skits. In the same way that athletes don’t magically have all of the skills to&nbsp;successfully&nbsp;hurl themselves&nbsp;into the air in a skating competition, public speakers&nbsp;don’t automatically have all the skills to plan, organize, and effectively share their thoughts and ideas. It&nbsp;starts&nbsp;small and&nbsp;they&nbsp;improve their skills with feedback from others. In both cases, it&nbsp;takes many hours of practice and a focus on consistency to be better.&nbsp;I loved to skate as a little girl but my double-runner skates, and lack of natural ability,&nbsp;were not going to make me a champion skater.&nbsp;In a similar manner, not all of us going to feel comfortable addressing huge crowds or even small crowds. But each of us can work on skills to improve our communication with others every day. We can channel a little of those Olympic athletes as we set about finding mentors who will give us frank and honest feedback as well as opportunities to improve our&nbsp;own&nbsp;communication skills.Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.Michelle Beran is the 4-H and Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District – Barton County office. For more information on this article or other 4-H and Youth Development related questions, email Michelle at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:mberan@ksu.edu">mberan@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or call 620-793-1910.

BERAN: Olympian inspiration

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams discusses workforce shortages in the area.

<div><iframe title="Enticing workforce back to the market relies on diverse factors" 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=zxibh-11ae55a-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>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams discusses workforce shortages in the area.

🎙Post Podcast: Enticing workforce back to the market relies on diverse factors

The Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation free dental clinic — the Kansas Mission of Mercy — is accepting applications for volunteers and registering children for treatment for its event March 25 and 26 in Hays.

Patients do not have to show proof of income, residence or insurance or have dental records available.&nbsp;

Doors will open for patient registration at 5:30 a.m. each day at the Ellis County Fairgrounds. 

The event hopes to serve up to 500 people over the two days of the event. The Mission of Mercy usually draws people from across the region, and organizers are expecting patients from as far as Colorado and Nebraska.

Everyone will be required to wear a mask in the building regardless of COVID vaccination status.

Services for adults will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. However, pre-registration is being accepted for children. Local school nurses have this information. 

Parents and guardians can also access the link directly at <a href="https://kmomkids.as.me/schedule.php" target="_blank">https://kmomkids.as.me/schedule.php</a>

Children ages 1 to 13 are granted the special privilege to schedule an “arrival time” at the clinic with a pediatric specialist. This "arrival time" does not guarantee they will be seen at that exact time, but it will limit their waiting time for treatment. Appointments are limited. 

A parent or legal guardian must bring the child and be present with the child at all times. If you are a parent or guardian and require dental treatment for yourself, please plan to come at another time, other than your child's assigned arrival time, according to the event's website.

The event will need about 500 volunteers. Although dentists, hygienists and other health care professionals will be donating their time at the event, the event also needs a large number of lay volunteers.

These positions include escorts for dental patients, people to assist with registration, serving meals, and set up and tear down, among other duties. 

Some people will be volunteering with groups, which can be noted on the online registration form. Individuals can also register online and will be assigned where they are needed.

If you previously registered to volunteer for event for February, you will need to register again for the March dates. To register, visit the <a href="https://www.ksdentalfoundation.org/volunteer-registration-re-opens-for-kmom-hays-2/">Kansas Charitable Dental Foundation website</a>.

Between 25 and 35 dentists will volunteer at the event.

Hays dentist Jarrod Jones has volunteered for the free dental clinic in the past and will offer dental services again at the clinic in Hays.

Jones said this is a great help for people who don't have dental insurance.

"A lot of them get the health care that they either can't afford or haven't been able to obtain. It helps to get things in good shape," he said.

It's not just dentistry. Other health care providers will be on hand to help screen patients. Those screenings sometimes identify other health issues patients are unaware they have.

KMOM offers dental procedures such as fillings, cleanings, root canals and extractions.

Jones said he has seen advanced dental issues in patients at the free clinics.

"You look in their mouth, and it's a gateway to their overall health," he said. "There are some unfortunate stories behind how they get to the event."

Jones said being a part of the dental clinic is a great way to give back to the community and the state.

Janet Kuhn, Hays convention sales manager, said the event will have a significant financial impact on Hays. 

The dental foundation raised about $160,000 to stage this year's event in Hays, including $50,000 donated by the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation. Much of that $160,000 will be spent in Hays on items including food, T-shirts and a variety of other services.

Rent for the fairground buildings also stays in the county.

The dental clinic will draw dental professionals and other volunteers from across the region, many of whom will be staying in Hays hotels.

Hays has been courting the Mission of Mercy for almost two decades, but the organization insisted Hays did not have a location big enough to stage the event.

The clinic has been scaled back this year due to COVID, which allowed Hays to be in the running for the event. This is the first time the Mission of Mercy has been staged in northwest Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637346509792.jpeg" alt="A previous Kansas Mission of Mercy dental clinic. Courtesy photo " />
 <figcaption>A previous Kansas Mission of Mercy dental clinic. Courtesy photo </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation free dental clinic — the Kansas Mission of Mercy — is accepting applications for volunteers and registering children for treatment for its event March 25 and 26 in Hays.Patients do not have to show proof of income, residence or insurance or have dental records available.&nbsp; Doors will open for patient registration at 5:30 a.m. each day at the Ellis County Fairgrounds. The event hopes to serve up to 500 people over the two days of the event. The Mission of Mercy usually draws people from across the region, and organizers are expecting patients from as far as Colorado and Nebraska.Everyone will be required to wear a mask in the building regardless of COVID vaccination status.<h2>Care for children</h2>Services for adults will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. However, pre-registration is being accepted for children. Local school nurses have this information. Parents and guardians can also access the link directly at <a href="https://kmomkids.as.me/schedule.php" target="_blank">https://kmomkids.as.me/schedule.php</a>Children ages 1 to 13 are granted the special privilege to schedule an “arrival time” at the clinic with a pediatric specialist. This "arrival time" does not guarantee they will be seen at that exact time, but it will limit their waiting time for treatment. Appointments are limited. A parent or legal guardian must bring the child and be present with the child at all times. If you are a parent or guardian and require dental treatment for yourself, please plan to come at another time, other than your child's assigned arrival time, according to the event's website.<h2>How to volunteer</h2>The event will need about 500 volunteers. Although dentists, hygienists and other health care professionals will be donating their time at the event, the event also needs a large number of lay volunteers.These positions include escorts for dental patients, people to assist with registration, serving meals, and set up and tear down, among other duties. Some people will be volunteering with groups, which can be noted on the online registration form. Individuals can also register online and will be assigned where they are needed.If you previously registered to volunteer for event for February, you will need to register again for the March dates. To register, visit the <a href="https://www.ksdentalfoundation.org/volunteer-registration-re-opens-for-kmom-hays-2/">Kansas Charitable Dental Foundation website</a>.<h2>Dental care</h2>Between 25 and 35 dentists will volunteer at the event.Hays dentist Jarrod Jones has volunteered for the free dental clinic in the past and will offer dental services again at the clinic in Hays.Jones said this is a great help for people who don't have dental insurance. "A lot of them get the health care that they either can't afford or haven't been able to obtain. It helps to get things in good shape," he said.It's not just dentistry. Other health care providers will be on hand to help screen patients. Those screenings sometimes identify other health issues patients are unaware they have.KMOM offers dental procedures such as fillings, cleanings, root canals and extractions.Jones said he has seen advanced dental issues in patients at the free clinics."You look in their mouth, and it's a gateway to their overall health," he said. "There are some unfortunate stories behind how they get to the event."Jones said being a part of the dental clinic is a great way to give back to the community and the state.<h2>Benefit to the community</h2>Janet Kuhn, Hays convention sales manager, said the event will have a significant financial impact on Hays. The dental foundation raised about $160,000 to stage this year's event in Hays, including $50,000 donated by the Robert E. and Patricia Schmidt Foundation. Much of that $160,000 will be spent in Hays on items including food, T-shirts and a variety of other services.Rent for the fairground buildings also stays in the county. The dental clinic will draw dental professionals and other volunteers from across the region, many of whom will be staying in Hays hotels. Hays has been courting the Mission of Mercy for almost two decades, but the organization insisted Hays did not have a location big enough to stage the event.The clinic has been scaled back this year due to COVID, which allowed Hays to be in the running for the event. This is the first time the Mission of Mercy has been staged in northwest Kansas.<h2>Key facts for patients</h2><ol>
 <li>Patients
 should continue taking any prescription medication as directed so bring
 it along, so a dose is not missed should the patient have to wait a 
good portion of the day.</li><li>The patient will need to fill out a 
brief health history so bring a list of allergies, prescriptions, etc. 
to have this information available.</li><li>Patients do not need to bring dental records or proof of income.</li><li>Services are first come, first served and all adult patients must be able to wait in line – no appointments.</li><li>The
 doors will open for patient registration at&nbsp;5:30 a.m. on both Friday 
and Saturday (March 25-26) and waiting in line or determining how early to
 get in line, is up to the patient. </li><li>Parking is limited so there may be no preferential parking for handicapped patients.</li><li>The
 event only lets in as many patients as it will be able to treat that 
day and officials will then close the doors. Standing in line on Friday 
and not getting in does not give the patient priority the next day. It 
is the same process on Saturday – first come, first served.</li><li>Be 
prepared to wait and potentially be there all day. Even though a patient
 might arrive early in the morning, it could be mid-afternoon before the
 patient is treated.</li><li>A sack breakfast and lunch will be provided
 for the patients at no cost to them. Patients with diabetes or anyone 
else who may require an alternative diet should bring food with them.</li><li>After
 an X-ray and medical screening, the patient will be examined by a 
dentist and the patient’s greatest need will be treated. For example, if
 a patient needs extractions and fillings, the greatest need (probably 
the extractions) will be treated. The patient does have the option to 
come back Saturday to get the fillings, but they must wait in line again
 like everybody else. No line priority is given.</li><li>There is no 
sedation or nitrous oxide used at this event. The patient will be numbed
 in the area of the procedure being done using an injectable numbing 
agent.</li><li>No dentures or implants will be provided.</li><li>Full 
mouth extractions (with the exception of wisdom teeth) will be done if 
determined necessary by the examining dentist. The patient will be able 
to discuss treatment/procedure options with the dentist prior to care.</li><li>The
 event typically has as many volunteers as need registered prior to the 
event. Therefore, volunteering will not give priority or access to 
treatment. Registered volunteers who wish to be treated need to manage 
their schedule, so they can wait in line for treatment.</li><li>Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times.</li><li>After
 treatment, patients will be provided a phone number to call for follow 
up emergency care if they experience any problems regarding the 
treatment received.</li><li>Even though safe and effective coronavirus 
vaccines have been widely distributed, the organizers of the Kansas 
Mission of Mercy ask that if are sick or feeling like you are getting 
sick, please stay home.</li>
 </ol>

Free dental clinic in Hays seeks volunteers, accepting signups for kids

A new western clothing boutique is set to open in March in downtown Plainville.

Bee Reif, owner, said Bluestem will carry men's, women's, children's&nbsp; and baby apparel, as well as accessories, shoes and housewares.

Sizes for women will range from XS to 2XL.

"We don't really have anything here in downtown Plainville," she said, "so it's going to be a little trial and error. I know a lot people are excited to just go shop."

Bluestem will be carrying the Rowdy Crowd Clothing line and is trying to become an outlet for Twisted X boots and shoes.

"What I'd really like to focus on is if someone comes here and sees something they love, and we don't have it in store, I'll make sure you get it," she said.

The housewares inventory will also reflect the shop's western theme. Reif already has tumblers, as well as western print cutting boards in stock.

Plainville is a small community, and Reif said she knows not everyone is going to want to own the same shirt or shoes.

"The inventory is going to change consistently," she said. "I don't want to have a place where people shop, and everybody buys the same thing. ... I might only carry five of one shirt line, and then I'll bring something else in."

Reif has worked in retail before, but this is her first venture as an owner.

The Bluestem building, 215 W. Mill, is one of three storefronts Reif and her husband have been renovating. Two doors to east, 213 W. Mill, is her husband's mortgage company, C2C Mortgage. The Reifs are remodeling the storefront directly to east of Bluestem into office space.

The building that will house the boutique was vacant before the Reifs began remodeling. Bee Reif said it has been sad to see the empty buildings in downtown Plainville, but she hopes the boutique will be a new draw for the community.

"It brings a business to downtown," Reif said of the boutique. "It also brings something that downtown Plainville doesn't have. ... I think it gives something for people to do when they're downtown. It brings people, money, everything into that community."

Reif has also been a part of the Save Downtown Plainville's Historical Buildings effort, which has raised money to stabilize 217 and 219 W. Mill, one of the oldest buildings in Plainville.

Remodeling efforts are still ongoing at Bluestem, but Reif said she hopes to open by mid-March. Hours at the shop will be 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

"I just hope everyone is as excited as we are to open the doors and have somewhere else to come and shop and be involved with the downtown things that happen in Plainville," she said. 

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/bluestemplainville">You can follow Bluestem on Facebook.</a> You can also call the business at 785-312-2038.

The store's website is under construction. Once it is completed, shoppers will be able to order from the website and have items shipped to them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644874277766.jpeg" alt="The new Bluestem boutique is set to open in mid-March in downtown Plainville. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>The new Bluestem boutique is set to open in mid-March in downtown Plainville. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA new western clothing boutique is set to open in March in downtown Plainville.Bee Reif, owner, said Bluestem will carry men's, women's, children's&nbsp; and baby apparel, as well as accessories, shoes and housewares.Sizes for women will range from XS to 2XL. "We don't really have anything here in downtown Plainville," she said, "so it's going to be a little trial and error. I know a lot people are excited to just go shop." Bluestem will be carrying the Rowdy Crowd Clothing line and is trying to become an outlet for Twisted X boots and shoes."What I'd really like to focus on is if someone comes here and sees something they love, and we don't have it in store, I'll make sure you get it," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644874469857.jpeg" alt="This original hand-painted mural was created by local artist Brooke Werner for the new Bluestem boutique in Plainville. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>This original hand-painted mural was created by local artist Brooke Werner for the new Bluestem boutique in Plainville. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The housewares inventory will also reflect the shop's western theme. Reif already has tumblers, as well as western print cutting boards in stock.Plainville is a small community, and Reif said she knows not everyone is going to want to own the same shirt or shoes."The inventory is going to change consistently," she said. "I don't want to have a place where people shop, and everybody buys the same thing. ... I might only carry five of one shirt line, and then I'll bring something else in."Reif has worked in retail before, but this is her first venture as an owner. The Bluestem building, 215 W. Mill, is one of three storefronts Reif and her husband have been renovating. Two doors to east, 213 W. Mill, is her husband's mortgage company, C2C Mortgage. The Reifs are remodeling the storefront directly to east of Bluestem into office space.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644874688764.jpeg" alt="Accessories on display at the new Bluestem boutique in Plainville. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Accessories on display at the new Bluestem boutique in Plainville. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The building that will house the boutique was vacant before the Reifs began remodeling. Bee Reif said it has been sad to see the empty buildings in downtown Plainville, but she hopes the boutique will be a new draw for the community. "It brings a business to downtown," Reif said of the boutique. "It also brings something that downtown Plainville doesn't have. ... I think it gives something for people to do when they're downtown. It brings people, money, everything into that community."Reif has also been a part of the Save Downtown Plainville's Historical Buildings effort, which has raised money to stabilize 217 and 219 W. Mill, one of the oldest buildings in Plainville.Remodeling efforts are still ongoing at Bluestem, but Reif said she hopes to open by mid-March. Hours at the shop will be 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays."I just hope everyone is as excited as we are to open the doors and have somewhere else to come and shop and be involved with the downtown things that happen in Plainville," she said. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644874733391.jpeg" alt="Bluestem boutique in Plainville. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Bluestem boutique in Plainville. Photo by Cristina Janney / Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bluestemplainville">You can follow Bluestem on Facebook.</a> You can also call the business at 785-312-2038. The store's website is under construction. Once it is completed, shoppers will be able to order from the website and have items shipped to them.

New Bluestem western boutique to open in downtown Plainville

United Women’s Empowerment&nbsp;(United WE), a nonprofit organization based in Kansas City, and the Institute for Policy and Social Research at the University of Kansas released a&nbsp;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/545815dce4b0d75692c341a8/t/61fa931d5cf4fa1101723fb5/1643811618520/StatusofWomeninKansas2021_1.26.22.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;earlier this month showing that gender inequality has grown in our state since 2016.&nbsp;

Women’s&nbsp;labor supply and&nbsp;employment&nbsp;has been hugely impacted&nbsp;by the COVID-19 pandemic&nbsp;over the past two years. Increased&nbsp;caregiving responsibilities&nbsp;and&nbsp;the closure of in-person schools and daycare centers&nbsp;have forced many women caregivers out of the labor force.&nbsp;

Additionally, women in Kansas are more likely to work in sectors that were subject to layoffs due to the pandemic.

Nationally, current women’s employment numbers mirror those of 1987 according to the US Department of Labor — regressing 30 years of progress in the period since March 2020

Furthermore, the gender pay gap has widened&nbsp;in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;over the past five years.&nbsp;According to the United WE&nbsp;and KU&nbsp;report, on average, Kansas women make 78 cents for&nbsp;every&nbsp;dollarKansas men make, though that gap varies across the state —&nbsp;in some rural areas it drops to 51 cents for every dollar.&nbsp;The national average is 82 cents per dollar.

The result is a $11,000 difference in median earnings between women and men in Kansas.&nbsp;Furthermore,&nbsp;Kansas women earn less regardless of education level and location.

Poverty disproportionately affects women and children because of women’s lower earnings&nbsp;and single-mother households.

Kansas officials have lamented the state’s struggle to appeal to young people, a necessary demographic for&nbsp;the state’s economy.&nbsp;If the state wants to keep young people here and encourage others to make Kansas their home, it must address these issues.

Young people are leaving Kansas in droves, especially the state’s rural areas.&nbsp;

Last year a survey from the Kansas Sampler Foundation and the Kansas Office of Prosperity found that young people were leaving due to lack of childcare, internet access, and housing.&nbsp;The state’s resistance to&nbsp;change on social issues certainly&nbsp;hasn’t helped either.&nbsp;

Access to childcare is a problem for both urban and rural Kansans. 104 of the state’s 105 counties have a higher demand for childcare than availability. The supply and demand issue raises childcare costs and prices many women out of the workforce.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633377761670.jpeg" alt="Alexandra Middlewood, PhD&nbsp;is an Assistant&nbsp;Professor of Political Science at&nbsp;Wichita State&nbsp;University." />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Middlewood, PhD&nbsp;is an Assistant&nbsp;Professor of Political Science at&nbsp;Wichita State&nbsp;University.</figcaption>
 </figure>United Women’s Empowerment&nbsp;(United WE), a nonprofit organization based in Kansas City, and the Institute for Policy and Social Research at the University of Kansas released a&nbsp;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/545815dce4b0d75692c341a8/t/61fa931d5cf4fa1101723fb5/1643811618520/StatusofWomeninKansas2021_1.26.22.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;earlier this month showing that gender inequality has grown in our state since 2016.&nbsp;Women’s&nbsp;labor supply and&nbsp;employment&nbsp;has been hugely impacted&nbsp;by the COVID-19 pandemic&nbsp;over the past two years. Increased&nbsp;caregiving responsibilities&nbsp;and&nbsp;the closure of in-person schools and daycare centers&nbsp;have forced many women caregivers out of the labor force.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Additionally, women in Kansas are more likely to work in sectors that were subject to layoffs due to the pandemic.Nationally, current women’s employment numbers mirror those of 1987 according to the US Department of Labor — regressing 30 years of progress in the period since March 2020Furthermore, the gender pay gap has widened&nbsp;in&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;over the past five years.&nbsp;According to the United WE&nbsp;and KU&nbsp;report, on average, Kansas women make 78 cents for&nbsp;every&nbsp;dollarKansas men make, though that gap varies across the state —&nbsp;in some rural areas it drops to 51 cents for every dollar.&nbsp;The national average is 82 cents per dollar.The result is a $11,000 difference in median earnings between women and men in Kansas.&nbsp;Furthermore,&nbsp;Kansas women earn less regardless of education level and location.Poverty disproportionately affects women and children because of women’s lower earnings&nbsp;and single-mother households.Kansas officials have lamented the state’s struggle to appeal to young people, a necessary demographic for&nbsp;the state’s economy.&nbsp;If the state wants to keep young people here and encourage others to make Kansas their home, it must address these issues.Young people are leaving Kansas in droves, especially the state’s rural areas.&nbsp;Last year a survey from the Kansas Sampler Foundation and the Kansas Office of Prosperity found that young people were leaving due to lack of childcare, internet access, and housing.&nbsp;The state’s resistance to&nbsp;change on social issues certainly&nbsp;hasn’t helped either.&nbsp;Access to childcare is a problem for both urban and rural Kansans. 104 of the state’s 105 counties have a higher demand for childcare than availability. The supply and demand issue raises childcare costs and prices many women out of the workforce.According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, childcare is affordable if it costs no more than 7% of a family’s income.However,&nbsp;in Kansas&nbsp;about 29% of a working mother’s salary is spent&nbsp;on&nbsp;childcare costs alone, making&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;childcare costs as a percentage of salary one of the highest in the country.Infant care costs&nbsp;in&nbsp;our state&nbsp;exceed the expense of full-time college tuition at a public university, and&nbsp;childcare costs for kids under the age of four are about equal to full-time public university tuition costs.&nbsp;The United WE and KU report&nbsp;highlights the economic research that indicates women are drawn into the labor force by higher wages and lower childcare costs. The report concludes “Kansas has the ingredients necessary to expand the economy, but alternative policies that facilitate the empowerment of Kansas women and the growth of the Kansas economy should be implemented.”Failure to do so will lead to continued&nbsp;declining&nbsp;population trends, inevitably&nbsp;worsening&nbsp;state budget&nbsp;problems&nbsp;and making&nbsp;it increasingly difficult for the state government to provide basic services, especially in rural areas.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD&nbsp;is an Assistant&nbsp;Professor of Political Science at&nbsp;Wichita State&nbsp;University.