BUNKER HILL —&nbsp;Doctors on Call, a local production of Smoky Hills PBS, will feature Dr. Tyrel Somers with Russell Regional Hospital.&nbsp; This episode will air&nbsp;Tuesday, April 5th at 7 PM&nbsp;and will focus on chronic care.

Doctors on Call&nbsp;is a program that provides medical information on a variety of different topics. Medical professionals from throughout the state travel to Bunker Hill to provide information and answer questions from the viewing audience. The doctors selected each week have expertise in the topic chosen for that program.&nbsp; Questions can be called in during the show or emailed prior to the broadcast.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The program airs LIVE on Smoky Hills PBS at 7 PM on Tuesdays.&nbsp; You can also stream each episode LIVE on the Smoky Hills PBS YouTube channel:&nbsp;<a href="http://bit.ly/StreamSmokyHillsPBS">http://bit.ly/StreamSmokyHillsPBS</a>

A schedule of programs and past episodes are available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.smokyhillspbs.org/">www.SmokyHillsPBS.org</a>.&nbsp;

To submit questions electronically on a specific topic, viewers can send an email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:doctors@shptv.org">doctors@shptv.org</a>. Questions submitted through email must be received by noon on the day of the show. During the program, viewers can call I-800-337-4788.&nbsp;

Doctors on Call&nbsp;is made possible in part by these current sponsors: Blue Cross Blue Shield of KS, Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, Osborne County Memorial Hospital, Russell Regional Hospital, and Smith County Memorial Hospital.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578663876107.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Smoky Hills PBSBUNKER HILL —&nbsp;Doctors on Call, a local production of Smoky Hills PBS, will feature Dr. Tyrel Somers with Russell Regional Hospital.&nbsp; This episode will air&nbsp;Tuesday, April 5th at 7 PM&nbsp;and will focus on chronic care.Doctors on Call&nbsp;is a program that provides medical information on a variety of different topics. Medical professionals from throughout the state travel to Bunker Hill to provide information and answer questions from the viewing audience. The doctors selected each week have expertise in the topic chosen for that program.&nbsp; Questions can be called in during the show or emailed prior to the broadcast.&nbsp;&nbsp;The program airs LIVE on Smoky Hills PBS at 7 PM on Tuesdays.&nbsp; You can also stream each episode LIVE on the Smoky Hills PBS YouTube channel:&nbsp;<a href="http://bit.ly/StreamSmokyHillsPBS">http://bit.ly/StreamSmokyHillsPBS</a>A schedule of programs and past episodes are available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.smokyhillspbs.org/">www.SmokyHillsPBS.org</a>.&nbsp;To submit questions electronically on a specific topic, viewers can send an email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:doctors@shptv.org">doctors@shptv.org</a>. Questions submitted through email must be received by noon on the day of the show. During the program, viewers can call I-800-337-4788.&nbsp;Doctors on Call&nbsp;is made possible in part by these current sponsors: Blue Cross Blue Shield of KS, Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, Osborne County Memorial Hospital, Russell Regional Hospital, and Smith County Memorial Hospital.

'Doctors on Call' will feature Russell doc speaking on chronic care

For a full look at the weather forecast click here.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648836979204.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>For a full look at the weather forecast click here.

Three-day weather outlook

The Hays Police Department responded to 37 calls from March 8-12, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.

The Hays Police Department responded to 74 calls from March 13-19, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.

The Hays Police Department responded to 64 calls from March 20-26, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 37 calls from March 8-12, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.<figure>
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 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 74 calls from March 13-19, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.<figure>
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 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 64 calls from March 20-26, 2022, according to the HPD Activity Log.<figure>
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Hays PD Activity Log, March 8-26, 2022

It is&nbsp;hard to believe that the first three months of 2022 are coming to a close.&nbsp;Today I want to focus on things that are happening in the Cottonwood District.&nbsp;Recently our Cottonwood Team met with more than twenty of our Program Development Committee members who help&nbsp;guide our work. At our dinner meeting we asked the question “What makes you STOP and consider attending an event/program?”&nbsp;Answers varied but the common theme was that programs should cover relevant topics that help improve a persons’ life in some way.&nbsp;The challenge in our&nbsp;ever-changing&nbsp;world is when to schedule educational events and whether the event will be held in person or available on-line.&nbsp;While we&nbsp;could not&nbsp;solve all the issues in our 2-hour meeting, we all came away with some great ideas of things to consider. In the months ahead look for our team of agents to try some&nbsp;innovative approaches.&nbsp;

Recent “Fermentation Workshops” held in both Great Bend and Hays attracted many participants who were new to Extension. It was fun to share the information from&nbsp;the fact sheet I wrote last year. Participants came away from the&nbsp;hands-on&nbsp;workshop with a quart of cabbage, which after three weeks, will become a tasty jar of sauerkraut. Learning about the health benefits of including a small amount of fermented food in the diet was a bonus.&nbsp;

Other Cottonwood team members have educational programs planned in their respective program areas.&nbsp;I hope you will take a minute to visit our Cottonwood website and follow the link to our monthly newsletter&nbsp;which&nbsp;contains flyers highlighting these opportunities.&nbsp;

Today&nbsp;I&nbsp;also&nbsp;want to bring you up to date on the three Extension Agent positions currently open in the Cottonwood Extension District. The position announcement/application process for the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Hays office will be&nbsp;posted on&nbsp;May 4th. Applications are due by June 1st&nbsp;and the date for interviews has been set for June 28th. The Family Community Wellness position in the Hays office will be announced later in the summer&nbsp;and the District Horticulture&nbsp;position will follow soon after.&nbsp;If you know of anyone who has the qualifications&nbsp;for these agent positions,&nbsp;plus a heart to serve the public, encourage them to apply.&nbsp;We also have a summer intern position in the Hays office&nbsp;open.&nbsp;We are&nbsp;looking for someone who has completed at least two years of college and would like to learn more about a career in Extension. The&nbsp;position description and&nbsp;application process is on our Cottonwood website.&nbsp;

Let me know how&nbsp;our team members&nbsp;in the Cottonwood Extension District, can best serve your needs!

Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141404420.png" alt="Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>It is&nbsp;hard to believe that the first three months of 2022 are coming to a close.&nbsp;Today I want to focus on things that are happening in the Cottonwood District.&nbsp;Recently our Cottonwood Team met with more than twenty of our Program Development Committee members who help&nbsp;guide our work. At our dinner meeting we asked the question “What makes you STOP and consider attending an event/program?”&nbsp;Answers varied but the common theme was that programs should cover relevant topics that help improve a persons’ life in some way.&nbsp;The challenge in our&nbsp;ever-changing&nbsp;world is when to schedule educational events and whether the event will be held in person or available on-line.&nbsp;While we&nbsp;could not&nbsp;solve all the issues in our 2-hour meeting, we all came away with some great ideas of things to consider. In the months ahead look for our team of agents to try some&nbsp;innovative approaches.&nbsp;Recent “Fermentation Workshops” held in both Great Bend and Hays attracted many participants who were new to Extension. It was fun to share the information from&nbsp;the fact sheet I wrote last year. Participants came away from the&nbsp;hands-on&nbsp;workshop with a quart of cabbage, which after three weeks, will become a tasty jar of sauerkraut. Learning about the health benefits of including a small amount of fermented food in the diet was a bonus.&nbsp;Other Cottonwood team members have educational programs planned in their respective program areas.&nbsp;I hope you will take a minute to visit our Cottonwood website and follow the link to our monthly newsletter&nbsp;which&nbsp;contains flyers highlighting these opportunities.&nbsp;Today&nbsp;I&nbsp;also&nbsp;want to bring you up to date on the three Extension Agent positions currently open in the Cottonwood Extension District. The position announcement/application process for the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Hays office will be&nbsp;posted on&nbsp;May 4th. Applications are due by June 1st&nbsp;and the date for interviews has been set for June 28th. The Family Community Wellness position in the Hays office will be announced later in the summer&nbsp;and the District Horticulture&nbsp;position will follow soon after.&nbsp;If you know of anyone who has the qualifications&nbsp;for these agent positions,&nbsp;plus a heart to serve the public, encourage them to apply.&nbsp;We also have a summer intern position in the Hays office&nbsp;open.&nbsp;We are&nbsp;looking for someone who has completed at least two years of college and would like to learn more about a career in Extension. The&nbsp;position description and&nbsp;application process is on our Cottonwood website.&nbsp;Let me know how&nbsp;our team members&nbsp;in the Cottonwood Extension District, can best serve your needs!Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

KRUG: Cottonwood Extension District update​

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams, shares information about some of the tax incentive districts used in Ellis County and beyond.

<div><iframe title="Tax incentives explained" 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=wc3i4-11e9d15-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams, shares information about some of the tax incentive districts used in Ellis County and beyond.

🎙Post Podcast: Tax incentive districts explained

By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN FHSU University Communications

It’s not often that two members of the same family receive full-ride scholarships to the college of their choice in the same year, much less the same day.&nbsp;

Two Kansas families received that good news earlier this month when their sets of twins learned they were all receiving Rudd Scholarships for the 2022-23 school year.

Emilee and Corinne Cole from Philipsburg were honored at a Tuesday luncheon as two of seven new Rudd Scholars at Fort Hays State University. Part of that group was Kyle Lavigne from Ulysses. Kyle’s brother, Jace, will use his scholarship at Wichita State University, which is also part of the Rudd Scholarship program along with Emporia State University.

This year’s class of 30, which all receive full-ride scholarships, was selected from a strong candidate pool of nearly 1,000 students. The expected value for those new recipients over four years is approximately $1.2 million.

When the Roberts sisters learned they had made the final cut, they both agreed to become part of Tiger Nation – and join their older sister, Ashlyn, in Hays. Ashlyn is a junior at FHSU, where she is majoring in medical diagnostic imaging.

“FHSU was close to home, and I liked the personal environment,” said Corinne, who plans to major in health and human performance. “Hays and Fort Hays State have a small-town feel, which I like because we’re from a small town.”

“We never really planned to go to the same college, but we had some other friends who have gone here so we both visited,” said Emilee, who plans to major in biology. “The campus is so clean and welcoming.”

The Lavigne brothers have similar majors – Kyle will study computer science and Jace, computer engineering – but decided to strike out on their own in college.

“I’ve been known as a twin my entire life, so I wanted to go a different direction,” Kyle said. “Before I knew I got this scholarship, I was already looking at Fort Hays State because of the budget aspect - it’s so affordable. I am really looking forward to it.”

All incoming, full-time freshman students from Kansas who qualify for Pell Grants are eligible to apply for the scholarship from the Rudd Foundation.

Rudd Scholarship recipients are selected after a rigorous application process that includes grades, test scores, activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. The application list is pared to 50 finalists, who all interview with the scholarship committee, and from which the final 30 recipients are chosen. Seven of those will attend FHSU, seven scholars will attend Emporia State, and 16 will enroll at Wichita State.

This marks the fifth year of the program, which has offered 111 scholarships that amount to approximately $5 million.

The scholarships cover any costs remaining after all other aid, grants, and scholarships are applied to a student’s account. Cost of attendance includes tuition, fees, supplies, and room and board. Preference is given to first-generation and under-represented students.&nbsp;

Corri Roberts, director of the Rudd Scholarship Program, is personally involved with the selection process and mentoring and coaching the scholars throughout their college journey.

Roberts said the Rudd Foundation started this scholarship program in 2018 “to provide Kansas students who demonstrate our core values of grit, determination, and work ethic with an incredible opportunity to graduate from college with a four-year degree and no debt.” She emphasized that the benefits are more far-reaching, however. Rudd Scholars also receive mentoring, networking and professional development activities, and internship opportunities. They also are encouraged to get involved in philanthropic organizations.

Dr. Tisa Mason, president of Fort Hays State, welcomed the new group of Tigers with open arms.

“We are really proud to partner with the Rudd Foundation and honor their deeply rooted Midwestern values,” Mason said. “Grit and hard work and integrity are what make our people at Fort Hays State University – as well those in the state of Kansas – fantastic. These are the values of a Fort Hays State Tiger. This is what Tiger Nation is all about, and we welcome you to our beloved Tiger Nation.”

Students who were selected for scholarships and chose to attend Fort Hays State in 2022-23 are listed alphabetically with their high school and hometown.

• Jaden Boone, Quinter High School, Quinter.

• Corinne Cole, Phillipsburg High School, Phillipsburg.

• Emilee Cole, Phillipsburg High School, Phillipsburg.

• Kyle Lavigne, Ulysses High School, Ulysses.

• Lyly Le, Wichita North High School, Wichita.

• Starlet Parham, Salina Central High School, Salina.

• McKenna Schaller, Kinsley High School, Kinsley.

Leslie Rudd established the Rudd Foundation in 1998 to honor the Midwestern values that strengthen character and lead to a lifetime of success in business, community, and family. The foundation gives back in meaningful ways to help both people and organizations who possess the initiative, determination, and capacity to achieve their goals and thereby make a positive impact for those around them. For more information, contact Corri Roberts, 316-847-4828,&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJOGED6Y2qmiWY1JCfDu59BYZQVb2opwXx3SVDdOkcxlZ6YYRjVt9BS7NbWzCZ7SkfQ-3D-3Dv5XY_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lE6mcAzErX0FzZi5JGU6rvvK6MLOuHK4jhl5V61fmGkhToZRMbpEKBDAFMZ0jElT3tJmz7vmG2Oh1wrxpMGOIemnGjnAdCZEJTHJ3U3dOlv1-2BwozjPzMVpK9itU89X2jQHAiJF7-2FFOzDiFM-2BaHusc7LMG-2BvmLuR1loDl0seK32ycOG4xjNbuuWI7-2FRV7jKz1lVvySsxPU45iT5cDbPUDzg4SVIf4n78hQ0hCS5dWwsTNb-2FQs5Ffjnk-2Bx9gQHgobPsGjFKa4DfXtz1748e2wDjsHHMgnvL7kv-2BdXeSg-2FgtWwk5AAcs3jl1cR2aBp9eVEscFNp8Sf1hUcDfRNcoIB2eVOvJtd29S6xQSIaBRw8eJLLw-3D-3D">corri.roberts@ruddfoundation.org.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648737121259.jpeg" alt="The class of Rudd Scholars at Fort Hays State for 2022 are: back row from left, Lyly Le, Wichita; Starlet Parham, Salina; and Jaden Boone, Quinter; front row from left, McKenna Schaller, Kinsley; Corinne Cole, Phillipsburg; and Emilee Cole, Phillipsburg." />
 <figcaption>The class of Rudd Scholars at Fort Hays State for 2022 are: back row from left, Lyly Le, Wichita; Starlet Parham, Salina; and Jaden Boone, Quinter; front row from left, McKenna Schaller, Kinsley; Corinne Cole, Phillipsburg; and Emilee Cole, Phillipsburg.</figcaption>
 </figure>By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN FHSU University CommunicationsIt’s not often that two members of the same family receive full-ride scholarships to the college of their choice in the same year, much less the same day.&nbsp;Two Kansas families received that good news earlier this month when their sets of twins learned they were all receiving Rudd Scholarships for the 2022-23 school year.Emilee and Corinne Cole from Philipsburg were honored at a Tuesday luncheon as two of seven new Rudd Scholars at Fort Hays State University. Part of that group was Kyle Lavigne from Ulysses. Kyle’s brother, Jace, will use his scholarship at Wichita State University, which is also part of the Rudd Scholarship program along with Emporia State University.This year’s class of 30, which all receive full-ride scholarships, was selected from a strong candidate pool of nearly 1,000 students. The expected value for those new recipients over four years is approximately $1.2 million.When the Roberts sisters learned they had made the final cut, they both agreed to become part of Tiger Nation – and join their older sister, Ashlyn, in Hays. Ashlyn is a junior at FHSU, where she is majoring in medical diagnostic imaging.“FHSU was close to home, and I liked the personal environment,” said Corinne, who plans to major in health and human performance. “Hays and Fort Hays State have a small-town feel, which I like because we’re from a small town.”Emilee agreed.“We never really planned to go to the same college, but we had some other friends who have gone here so we both visited,” said Emilee, who plans to major in biology. “The campus is so clean and welcoming.”The Lavigne brothers have similar majors – Kyle will study computer science and Jace, computer engineering – but decided to strike out on their own in college.“I’ve been known as a twin my entire life, so I wanted to go a different direction,” Kyle said. “Before I knew I got this scholarship, I was already looking at Fort Hays State because of the budget aspect - it’s so affordable. I am really looking forward to it.”All incoming, full-time freshman students from Kansas who qualify for Pell Grants are eligible to apply for the scholarship from the Rudd Foundation.Rudd Scholarship recipients are selected after a rigorous application process that includes grades, test scores, activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. The application list is pared to 50 finalists, who all interview with the scholarship committee, and from which the final 30 recipients are chosen. Seven of those will attend FHSU, seven scholars will attend Emporia State, and 16 will enroll at Wichita State.This marks the fifth year of the program, which has offered 111 scholarships that amount to approximately $5 million.The scholarships cover any costs remaining after all other aid, grants, and scholarships are applied to a student’s account. Cost of attendance includes tuition, fees, supplies, and room and board. Preference is given to first-generation and under-represented students.&nbsp;Corri Roberts, director of the Rudd Scholarship Program, is personally involved with the selection process and mentoring and coaching the scholars throughout their college journey.Roberts said the Rudd Foundation started this scholarship program in 2018 “to provide Kansas students who demonstrate our core values of grit, determination, and work ethic with an incredible opportunity to graduate from college with a four-year degree and no debt.” She emphasized that the benefits are more far-reaching, however. Rudd Scholars also receive mentoring, networking and professional development activities, and internship opportunities. They also are encouraged to get involved in philanthropic organizations.Dr. Tisa Mason, president of Fort Hays State, welcomed the new group of Tigers with open arms.“We are really proud to partner with the Rudd Foundation and honor their deeply rooted Midwestern values,” Mason said. “Grit and hard work and integrity are what make our people at Fort Hays State University – as well those in the state of Kansas – fantastic. These are the values of a Fort Hays State Tiger. This is what Tiger Nation is all about, and we welcome you to our beloved Tiger Nation.”Students who were selected for scholarships and chose to attend Fort Hays State in 2022-23 are listed alphabetically with their high school and hometown.• Jaden Boone, Quinter High School, Quinter.• Corinne Cole, Phillipsburg High School, Phillipsburg.• Emilee Cole, Phillipsburg High School, Phillipsburg.• Kyle Lavigne, Ulysses High School, Ulysses.• Lyly Le, Wichita North High School, Wichita.• Starlet Parham, Salina Central High School, Salina.• McKenna Schaller, Kinsley High School, Kinsley.About the Rudd Foundation:Leslie Rudd established the Rudd Foundation in 1998 to honor the Midwestern values that strengthen character and lead to a lifetime of success in business, community, and family. The foundation gives back in meaningful ways to help both people and organizations who possess the initiative, determination, and capacity to achieve their goals and thereby make a positive impact for those around them. For more information, contact Corri Roberts, 316-847-4828,&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJOGED6Y2qmiWY1JCfDu59BYZQVb2opwXx3SVDdOkcxlZ6YYRjVt9BS7NbWzCZ7SkfQ-3D-3Dv5XY_-2FnwFlkKVzcKMOkDYhP8GUyFUplsqhIzQPvqFQr864lE6mcAzErX0FzZi5JGU6rvvK6MLOuHK4jhl5V61fmGkhToZRMbpEKBDAFMZ0jElT3tJmz7vmG2Oh1wrxpMGOIemnGjnAdCZEJTHJ3U3dOlv1-2BwozjPzMVpK9itU89X2jQHAiJF7-2FFOzDiFM-2BaHusc7LMG-2BvmLuR1loDl0seK32ycOG4xjNbuuWI7-2FRV7jKz1lVvySsxPU45iT5cDbPUDzg4SVIf4n78hQ0hCS5dWwsTNb-2FQs5Ffjnk-2Bx9gQHgobPsGjFKa4DfXtz1748e2wDjsHHMgnvL7kv-2BdXeSg-2FgtWwk5AAcs3jl1cR2aBp9eVEscFNp8Sf1hUcDfRNcoIB2eVOvJtd29S6xQSIaBRw8eJLLw-3D-3D">corri.roberts@ruddfoundation.org.</a>

Twins double their pleasure as Rudd Scholars at FHSU

The Kansas Department of Transportation announces the winners of the 2022 Kansas Aviation Art Contest, challenging young people to illustrate the importance of aviation through art. The contest is co-sponsored by the Kansas Commission on Aerospace Education (KCAE).

“This art contest showcases the talent of our next generation and inspires us to share their enthusiasm for a bright future in aviation,” said Bob Brock, KDOT Director of Aviation.

A private award ceremony will take place in the Kansas statehouse on Wednesday, March 30. The event will include a photo opportunity with Governor Laura Kelly, a historical statehouse tour and refreshments. The first-place winner in each age group receives a prize package from KCAE, including a drone and several other prizes. All state winners will be submitted to the International Aviation Art Contest hosted by Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.

“Bringing the ‘art’ of aviation to the classroom engages students’ creativity while highlighting careers in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics,” said Logan Falletti-Wright, President of KCAE.

The contest celebrates the adventure and excitement of aviation with the theme, “Design Your Perfect Aircraft.”&nbsp; Over 120 pieces of art were submitted by Kansas students ages 6-17, with winners listed below. To see the winning artwork, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMjguNTU1NDIwNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LkFpckthbnNhcy5jb20_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.motCyf_fdO50IaZlcen3JA_FXVLq-fB9UPxtsxqZq3Y/s/1410648741/br/128742366113-l">www.AirKansas.com</a>.

DIVISION I – (born from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2015)

First Place:&nbsp;Gentri Christiansen, St. Joseph School, McPherson

Second Place:&nbsp;Quinn Brewer, St. Joseph School, McPherson

Third Place:&nbsp;Hattie Krug, St. Joseph School, McPherson

DIVISION II – (born from Jan. 1, 2008, to Dec. 31, 2011)

First Place:&nbsp;Prisha Dalal, Leawood Middle School

Second Place:&nbsp;Chloe Clark, Leawood Middle School

Third Place:&nbsp;Logan Peterson, St. Joseph School, McPherson

DIVISION III – (born from Jan. 1, 2004, to Dec. 31, 2007)

First Place:&nbsp;Isaac Diercks, Hoxie High School

Second Place:&nbsp;Brenden Cook, Hoxie High School

Third Place:&nbsp;Fernando Castaneda, Hoxie High School

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648480498178.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>The Kansas Department of Transportation announces the winners of the 2022 Kansas Aviation Art Contest, challenging young people to illustrate the importance of aviation through art. The contest is co-sponsored by the Kansas Commission on Aerospace Education (KCAE).“This art contest showcases the talent of our next generation and inspires us to share their enthusiasm for a bright future in aviation,” said Bob Brock, KDOT Director of Aviation.A private award ceremony will take place in the Kansas statehouse on Wednesday, March 30. The event will include a photo opportunity with Governor Laura Kelly, a historical statehouse tour and refreshments. The first-place winner in each age group receives a prize package from KCAE, including a drone and several other prizes. All state winners will be submitted to the International Aviation Art Contest hosted by Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.“Bringing the ‘art’ of aviation to the classroom engages students’ creativity while highlighting careers in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics,” said Logan Falletti-Wright, President of KCAE.The contest celebrates the adventure and excitement of aviation with the theme, “Design Your Perfect Aircraft.”&nbsp; Over 120 pieces of art were submitted by Kansas students ages 6-17, with winners listed below. To see the winning artwork, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMjguNTU1NDIwNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LkFpckthbnNhcy5jb20_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.motCyf_fdO50IaZlcen3JA_FXVLq-fB9UPxtsxqZq3Y/s/1410648741/br/128742366113-l">www.AirKansas.com</a>.DIVISION I – (born from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2015)First Place:&nbsp;Gentri Christiansen, St. Joseph School, McPhersonSecond Place:&nbsp;Quinn Brewer, St. Joseph School, McPhersonThird Place:&nbsp;Hattie Krug, St. Joseph School, McPhersonDIVISION II – (born from Jan. 1, 2008, to Dec. 31, 2011)First Place:&nbsp;Prisha Dalal, Leawood Middle SchoolSecond Place:&nbsp;Chloe Clark, Leawood Middle SchoolThird Place:&nbsp;Logan Peterson, St. Joseph School, McPhersonDIVISION III – (born from Jan. 1, 2004, to Dec. 31, 2007)First Place:&nbsp;Isaac Diercks, Hoxie High SchoolSecond Place:&nbsp;Brenden Cook, Hoxie High SchoolThird Place:&nbsp;Fernando Castaneda, Hoxie High School

Hoxie students winners in KDOT aviation art contest

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648837004044.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>For a full look at the weather forecast click here.

This is the third in a three-part series examining plans included in Hays USD 489's bond proposal.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A space that the current Hays High School has never had is an auditorium — a dream that would finally be realized under the a bond proposal up for vote May 10.

"The auditorium is the feature conversation," Shawn Henderson, HHS principal, said. "Yesterday, when we had the talent show, the gym-atorium is just limited from a speaker standpoint, from a lighting standpoint. Those are opportunities that we simply can't provide."

The $143.5 million bond that is being proposed by USD 489 would include building a new high school, renovating the current high school into a middle school, renovating the current middle school into an elementary school and closing Wilson and Lincoln as elementary schools. Roosevelt and O'Loughlin elementary schools would be renovated.

The new high school would be built on land the district already owns along 13th Street east of the current high school .

Because neither the high school nor the middle school have auditoriums but both would be located on the same campus under the bond proposal, school officials hope both schools could use the auditorium at the new high school.

The schools are now forced to have performances or assemblies in their gyms, use the 12th Street Auditorium at Rockwell Administration Center or rent the Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center from Fort Hays State University.

The district paid FHSU $1,570 for the most recent HMS concert.

The 12th Street Auditorium is small for many of the high school's performances. Because it's offsite, Henderson said the HHS can't offer classes, such as stagecraft and others that would be tied to the performing arts.

Until recent repairs, the 12th Street auditorium's roof leaked. The damage to the ceiling tiles is still visible.

As with bond discussions at all of the other district schools, space is a focus. HHS, as are all the other district schools, with the exception of Lincoln Elementary, over capacity. The school has an enrollment of 905 students in a building built for 862.   The new high school would have a capacity for 1,200 students.

Classrooms are holding 20 to 30 students. 

"One of the things we've talked about in the bond is what is the right size classroom for the kids that we have," Henderson said. "You can look in here and see how small this is. It's an interior room with no windows and airflow [issues]."

Henderson said employers are wanting graduates to be able to work in teams and collaborate, but there's no space in HHS's current classrooms to do so.

"The skills that industry tells us that we need ... we need students who can think and collaborate and communicate," Henderson said.

Students have to sit or lie on the floor in the hallways to work with partners or in small groups.

Science labs are similarly very cramped, Henderson said. The new high school would have more square footage for those labs with dedicated spaces for both lecture and experiments.

"What you're looking at from the renderings are varied space," Henderson said. "There are spaces where you're getting direct instruction, but then you have collaborative space ..."

A math classroom barely had enough space to fit tables and chairs for the 30 students per section who are taught in that space. The room had no windows, so the teacher had installed a light box with a picture of a tree hung with curtains on the wall for the students.

The tables in that room were so tight, it was hard to maneuver around the room.

"I know there are a lot of old-school folks out there who think reading, writing and arithmetic was good enough for me, but we don't teach that way anymore," said said HHS assistant principal and activities director Lance Krannawitter. "This ideally should be cooperative tables instead of a mini-lecture hall."

Hays High also has no commons area. Learning commons could not only be places for students to gather for collaborative academics, but for activities as well, Henderson said.

The school recently hosted a wrestling tournament. Two hundred fifty students were coming in for a tournament toward the end of the school day, but the school had nowhere for those students to be while they waited to get into locker rooms prior to the competition.

Henderson said he would like to see a commons connected to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria holds&nbsp; a maximum of 288 students. The school has to split lunches into four sections in order to get all the students through. Henderson said more space would allow the school to cut that to three lunch sections, which would help with scheduling.

Henderson said he would also like to see a place for students to be able to eat outside, so they could have a chance to get some fresh air and sunshine.

New gyms would be part of the new HHS bond plan. The current HHS gym is not large enough to hold the crowds for certain events, Krannawitter said. This sometimes leads to events with standing-room only.

Because of the way the seating is designed in the main gym, people coming and going have to walk onto the court to get to their seats. Krannawitter said this is a hazard. Young children returning to their seats have almost been run over by referees during play. 

Henderson added there is a choke point of about 1,000 square feet as people enter the hallway in front of the gym. People are entering the building, entering the gym and stand in line for concessions all in that space.

When HHS has basketball tournaments, it has to use the gym at HMS because the auxiliary gym at HHS is not large enough for competition.&nbsp; Krannawitter said there would be advantages to having two competition gyms on the same campus, which would include a competition gym at the new HHS and the main gym at the current HHS building that would become HMS.

The current HHS gym is booked solid, not only with USD 489 events, but also with community events and sports. Krannawitter said he would like see that community use continue at the new high school.

The current wrestling room is also heavily booked in season. HHS, HMS and youth wrestling are all using the same facility.

With the emergence of girls wrestling, HHS is running out of space for practice and competition, Krannawitter said. The district is projecting as many as 65 high school wrestlers between girls and boys practicing on two mats a the same time next year.

The HHS bond plans also include a culinary arts classroom. Helping Hands, a culinary class for special education students, is using a culinary facility at Rockwell Administration Center and students have to be bused there. They lose at least 25 minutes of class time per day due to busing, Chris Hipp, assistant superintendent, said.

The addition of the culinary arts classroom could also open the possibility of additional career technical education classes for that industry at HHS.

Although the focus of the bond is not on athletics and outdoor athletic facilities are not included in the current bond,  if the bond passes in May, long-term plans would be to expand and improve athletic facilities on the new combined HHS/HMS campus.

Some of the facilities that district would like to eventually add at the high school/middle school campus would be more tennis courts, a turfed football practice field, a softball field and turfed soccer fields.

Like other activities, tennis has to split its tournaments between city and FHSU facilities. The current football and JV competition football fields are grass and in poor condition, Krannawitter said.

"If we are able to put in these facilities," he said, "these are facilities we can use as a community to bring in multiple events during the summer that would bring outside income into the community."

Soccer competes on a grass field at the high school. That terrain is so rough, players have turned their ankles.

Softball has no place to practice or play at all at the current high school campus. They typically practice at Glassman Field and compete at Bickle Schmidt Sports Complex. Krannawitter said there are issues with underclassmen driving to practice off campus. The field at Glassman is also dirt, which can be an issue when it rains.

The deadline to register to vote for the Hays USD 489 bond election is April 19. In-person early voting begins on April 25 and will be at the Ellis County Administration Center, 718 Main. In-person early voting ends at 4:30 p.m. May 9. In-person voting is May 10.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648841056466.jpeg" alt="An artist rendering of the auditorium that would be included in the new high school building if the Hays USD 489 bond issues passes. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489 " />
 <figcaption>An artist rendering of the auditorium that would be included in the new high school building if the Hays USD 489 bond issues passes. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489 </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648847414409.jpeg" alt="Neither the current Hays High School nor Hays Middle School have auditoriums. The 12th Street Auditorium, which is part of the Rockwell Administration Center, is used for some school performances. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Neither the current Hays High School nor Hays Middle School have auditoriums. The 12th Street Auditorium, which is part of the Rockwell Administration Center, is used for some school performances. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>This is the third in a three-part series examining plans included in Hays USD 489's bond proposal.By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA space that the current Hays High School has never had is an auditorium — a dream that would finally be realized under the a bond proposal up for vote May 10. "The auditorium is the feature conversation," Shawn Henderson, HHS principal, said. "Yesterday, when we had the talent show, the gym-atorium is just limited from a speaker standpoint, from a lighting standpoint. Those are opportunities that we simply can't provide."The $143.5 million bond that is being proposed by USD 489 would include building a new high school, renovating the current high school into a middle school, renovating the current middle school into an elementary school and closing Wilson and Lincoln as elementary schools. Roosevelt and O'Loughlin elementary schools would be renovated. The new high school would be built on land the district already owns along 13th Street east of the current high school .Because neither the high school nor the middle school have auditoriums but both would be located on the same campus under the bond proposal, school officials hope both schools could use the auditorium at the new high school.The schools are now forced to have performances or assemblies in their gyms, use the 12th Street Auditorium at Rockwell Administration Center or rent the Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center from Fort Hays State University.The district paid FHSU $1,570 for the most recent HMS concert.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648842862304.jpeg" alt="An artist rendering of the lobby of the proposed auditorium at Hays High School. School officials hope both HHS and HMS would be able to use this new facility. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489 " />
 <figcaption>An artist rendering of the lobby of the proposed auditorium at Hays High School. School officials hope both HHS and HMS would be able to use this new facility. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489 </figcaption>
 </figure>The 12th Street Auditorium is small for many of the high school's performances. Because it's offsite, Henderson said the HHS can't offer classes, such as stagecraft and others that would be tied to the performing arts. Until recent repairs, the 12th Street auditorium's roof leaked. The damage to the ceiling tiles is still visible.As with bond discussions at all of the other district schools, space is a focus. HHS, as are all the other district schools, with the exception of Lincoln Elementary, over capacity. The school has an enrollment of 905 students in a building built for 862. The new high school would have a capacity for 1,200 students.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648843034433.jpeg" alt="A proposed learning suite at the new high school. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489" />
 <figcaption>A proposed learning suite at the new high school. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648847709407.jpeg" alt="A current math class at HHS with seating for 30 students. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A current math class at HHS with seating for 30 students. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Classrooms are holding 20 to 30 students. "One of the things we've talked about in the bond is what is the right size classroom for the kids that we have," Henderson said. "You can look in here and see how small this is. It's an interior room with no windows and airflow [issues]."Henderson said employers are wanting graduates to be able to work in teams and collaborate, but there's no space in HHS's current classrooms to do so.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648843957204.jpeg" alt="A club and organization space proposed for the high school. The space could also be used for academic small-group study. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489" />
 <figcaption>A club and organization space proposed for the high school. The space could also be used for academic small-group study. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure>"The skills that industry tells us that we need ... we need students who can think and collaborate and communicate," Henderson said. Students have to sit or lie on the floor in the hallways to work with partners or in small groups.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648761932550.jpeg" alt="A proposed science classroom at the new HHS with separate spaces for experiments and lecture. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489" />
 <figcaption>A proposed science classroom at the new HHS with separate spaces for experiments and lecture. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648847927864.jpeg" alt="A current science lab at HHS. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A current science lab at HHS. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Science labs are similarly very cramped, Henderson said. The new high school would have more square footage for those labs with dedicated spaces for both lecture and experiments."What you're looking at from the renderings are varied space," Henderson said. "There are spaces where you're getting direct instruction, but then you have collaborative space ..."A math classroom barely had enough space to fit tables and chairs for the 30 students per section who are taught in that space. The room had no windows, so the teacher had installed a light box with a picture of a tree hung with curtains on the wall for the students.The tables in that room were so tight, it was hard to maneuver around the room. "I know there are a lot of old-school folks out there who think reading, writing and arithmetic was good enough for me, but we don't teach that way anymore," said said HHS assistant principal and activities director Lance Krannawitter. "This ideally should be cooperative tables instead of a mini-lecture hall."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648761971542.jpeg" alt="A learning commons at the the proposed new high school could be used for students to work in groups. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489" />
 <figcaption>A learning commons at the the proposed new high school could be used for students to work in groups. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648848275467.jpeg" alt="The classrooms at HHS are too small to do group work, so student ssit or lie in the hall. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The classrooms at HHS are too small to do group work, so student ssit or lie in the hall. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays High also has no commons area. Learning commons could not only be places for students to gather for collaborative academics, but for activities as well, Henderson said. The school recently hosted a wrestling tournament. Two hundred fifty students were coming in for a tournament toward the end of the school day, but the school had nowhere for those students to be while they waited to get into locker rooms prior to the competition.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648848635347.jpeg" alt="The current HHS cafeteria is built to hold a maximum of 288 students. Because of the size of the cafeteria, the school has to break lunch into four sections. A larger lunch room would allow the school to reduce the number of lunch periods and give officials more flexibility in scheduling, the principal said. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The current HHS cafeteria is built to hold a maximum of 288 students. Because of the size of the cafeteria, the school has to break lunch into four sections. A larger lunch room would allow the school to reduce the number of lunch periods and give officials more flexibility in scheduling, the principal said. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Henderson said he would like to see a commons connected to the cafeteria.The cafeteria holds&nbsp; a maximum of 288 students. The school has to split lunches into four sections in order to get all the students through. Henderson said more space would allow the school to cut that to three lunch sections, which would help with scheduling.Henderson said he would also like to see a place for students to be able to eat outside, so they could have a chance to get some fresh air and sunshine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648843416077.jpeg" alt="Proposed competition gym at the new high school. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489" />
 <figcaption>Proposed competition gym at the new high school. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648848422069.jpeg" alt="The current gym at HHS. Because the seats go up to the sidelines of the court, spectators have to enter and exit on the playing surface. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The current gym at HHS. Because the seats go up to the sidelines of the court, spectators have to enter and exit on the playing surface. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>New gyms would be part of the new HHS bond plan. The current HHS gym is not large enough to hold the crowds for certain events, Krannawitter said. This sometimes leads to events with standing-room only.Because of the way the seating is designed in the main gym, people coming and going have to walk onto the court to get to their seats. Krannawitter said this is a hazard. Young children returning to their seats have almost been run over by referees during play. Henderson added there is a choke point of about 1,000 square feet as people enter the hallway in front of the gym. People are entering the building, entering the gym and stand in line for concessions all in that space. When HHS has basketball tournaments, it has to use the gym at HMS because the auxiliary gym at HHS is not large enough for competition.&nbsp; Krannawitter said there would be advantages to having two competition gyms on the same campus, which would include a competition gym at the new HHS and the main gym at the current HHS building that would become HMS.The current HHS gym is booked solid, not only with USD 489 events, but also with community events and sports. Krannawitter said he would like see that community use continue at the new high school.The current wrestling room is also heavily booked in season. HHS, HMS and youth wrestling are all using the same facility.With the emergence of girls wrestling, HHS is running out of space for practice and competition, Krannawitter said. The district is projecting as many as 65 high school wrestlers between girls and boys practicing on two mats a the same time next year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648844152359.jpeg" alt="Proposed culinary kitchen could mean more opportunities for technical education courses at the high school. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489" />
 <figcaption>Proposed culinary kitchen could mean more opportunities for technical education courses at the high school. Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure>The HHS bond plans also include a culinary arts classroom. Helping Hands, a culinary class for special education students, is using a culinary facility at Rockwell Administration Center and students have to be bused there. They lose at least 25 minutes of class time per day due to busing, Chris Hipp, assistant superintendent, said.The addition of the culinary arts classroom could also open the possibility of additional career technical education classes for that industry at HHS.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648843547014.jpeg" alt="This aerial view of USD 489 13th Street campus shows the location of the new high school along 13th Street in the upper right corner and proposed future athletic field improvements that could be completed after the current bond project.&nbsp; Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489" />
 <figcaption>This aerial view of USD 489 13th Street campus shows the location of the new high school along 13th Street in the upper right corner and proposed future athletic field improvements that could be completed after the current bond project.&nbsp; Image courtesy of DLR Group and Hays USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure>Although the focus of the bond is not on athletics and outdoor athletic facilities are not included in the current bond, if the bond passes in May, long-term plans would be to expand and improve athletic facilities on the new combined HHS/HMS campus.Some of the facilities that district would like to eventually add at the high school/middle school campus would be more tennis courts, a turfed football practice field, a softball field and turfed soccer fields. Like other activities, tennis has to split its tournaments between city and FHSU facilities. The current football and JV competition football fields are grass and in poor condition, Krannawitter said."If we are able to put in these facilities," he said, "these are facilities we can use as a community to bring in multiple events during the summer that would bring outside income into the community." Soccer competes on a grass field at the high school. That terrain is so rough, players have turned their ankles.Softball has no place to practice or play at all at the current high school campus. They typically practice at Glassman Field and compete at Bickle Schmidt Sports Complex. Krannawitter said there are issues with underclassmen driving to practice off campus. The field at Glassman is also dirt, which can be an issue when it rains.The deadline to register to vote for the Hays USD 489 bond election is April 19. In-person early voting begins on April 25 and will be at the Ellis County Administration Center, 718 Main. In-person early voting ends at 4:30 p.m. May 9. In-person voting is May 10.

Auditorium, collaborative spaces highlights of proposed new high school

For the second time in four years, the Fort Hays State University rodeo is falling on Easter weekend. So Bronc Rumford and his coaching team moved the annual event up a day.

The rodeo is usually scheduled for the third weekend – Friday through Sunday – of April at Doug Philip Arena. This year, it will run from Thursday through Saturday.

FHSU hosts the second-to-last rodeo on the Central Plains Region circuit, with the Panhandle State event in Guymon, Okla., concluding the regular season the following week. Competitors who finish in the top four in total points in each event at the end of the regular season advance to the College National Finals Rodeo June 12-18 in Casper, Wyo.

“Most of the rodeos in our region stay on the same dates every year,” Rumford said. “It would be a lot of re-scheduling if we moved it. It’s easier to make adjustments on the days of the week for our rodeo than to completely change dates.”

The annual church service – Cowboy Church – ordinarily held on Sunday morning, is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday.&nbsp;

Qualifying slack performances will begin at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday with public performances at 7:00 each of those nights.

Rodeo events for the nearly 500 competitors from 22 schools in the Central Plains Region are: bareback bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, cowgirl’s barrel racing, cowgirls’ breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, and tie-down roping.

Advanced tickets can be purchased at the Student Service Center in FHSU’s Memorial Union; Orscheln Farm &amp; Home, 2900 Broadway Ave.; and Vanderbilt’s, 2704 Vine.

Advance ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Prices at the gate will be $12 (adults) and $8 (children). FHSU students are admitted free with their Tiger ID card.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648652940312.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsFor the second time in four years, the Fort Hays State University rodeo is falling on Easter weekend. So Bronc Rumford and his coaching team moved the annual event up a day.The rodeo is usually scheduled for the third weekend – Friday through Sunday – of April at Doug Philip Arena. This year, it will run from Thursday through Saturday.FHSU hosts the second-to-last rodeo on the Central Plains Region circuit, with the Panhandle State event in Guymon, Okla., concluding the regular season the following week. Competitors who finish in the top four in total points in each event at the end of the regular season advance to the College National Finals Rodeo June 12-18 in Casper, Wyo.“Most of the rodeos in our region stay on the same dates every year,” Rumford said. “It would be a lot of re-scheduling if we moved it. It’s easier to make adjustments on the days of the week for our rodeo than to completely change dates.”The annual church service – Cowboy Church – ordinarily held on Sunday morning, is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday.&nbsp;Qualifying slack performances will begin at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday with public performances at 7:00 each of those nights.Rodeo events for the nearly 500 competitors from 22 schools in the Central Plains Region are: bareback bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, cowgirl’s barrel racing, cowgirls’ breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, and tie-down roping.Advanced tickets can be purchased at the Student Service Center in FHSU’s Memorial Union; Orscheln Farm &amp; Home, 2900 Broadway Ave.; and Vanderbilt’s, 2704 Vine.Advance ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Prices at the gate will be $12 (adults) and $8 (children). FHSU students are admitted free with their Tiger ID card.

Fort Hays State prepares for annual local collegiate rodeo

TOPEKA — Twenty-two teams from 18 schools will travel to Topeka on Saturday with their sights set on winning a state title in the Kansas KidWind Challenge. To qualify for the event, each team placed first or second in their age division at one of six regional competitions held in February and March.&nbsp; Saturday's competition will determine the top two teams in each age bracket that will represent Kansas in the National KidWind Challenge in San Antonio, TX.

The state finals will be held at Hotel Topeka at City Center, next door to the Stormont Vail Events Center, beginning at 9 a.m. the event is free and open to the public. Area educators are encouraged to attend to find out more about KidWind and see the fun, excitement and learning firsthand.

To prepare for the KidWind competition, team members work together to design, build and test a wind turbine using the materials of their choice. Each team’s turbine will be put to the test in a 48" × 48" wind tunnel at a wind speed of approximately 3.5-5 m/s (meters per second). Scoring is based on turbine performance and efficiency, a knowledge quiz, an instant challenge, and a presentation to judges where the team explains its design process.

Teams participating in the state finals are listed below:

KidWind is an Energy Education Event from the Kansas Corporation Commission and K-State Engineering Extension made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nWc2T_-Q7TU"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Corporation CommissionTOPEKA — Twenty-two teams from 18 schools will travel to Topeka on Saturday with their sights set on winning a state title in the Kansas KidWind Challenge. To qualify for the event, each team placed first or second in their age division at one of six regional competitions held in February and March.&nbsp; Saturday's competition will determine the top two teams in each age bracket that will represent Kansas in the National KidWind Challenge in San Antonio, TX.The state finals will be held at Hotel Topeka at City Center, next door to the Stormont Vail Events Center, beginning at 9 a.m. the event is free and open to the public. Area educators are encouraged to attend to find out more about KidWind and see the fun, excitement and learning firsthand.To prepare for the KidWind competition, team members work together to design, build and test a wind turbine using the materials of their choice. Each team’s turbine will be put to the test in a 48" × 48" wind tunnel at a wind speed of approximately 3.5-5 m/s (meters per second). Scoring is based on turbine performance and efficiency, a knowledge quiz, an instant challenge, and a presentation to judges where the team explains its design process.Teams participating in the state finals are listed below:4th -8th&nbsp;Grade Division<ul>
 <li>Terrible Turbines - The Independent School – Wichita</li><li>Menair – Dodge City Middle School (USD 443) – Dodge City</li><li>Special Forces – Comanche Middle School (USD 443) – Dodge City</li><li>Wind Chill – Dighton Middle School (USD 482) – Dighton</li><li>Wind Hawks – Grinnell Middle School (USD 291) – Grinnell</li><li>Hutch STEM Blue – Hutchinson STEM Magnet School / Allen Elementary (USD 308) – Hutchinson</li><li>Gerald la Turbina – Beloit Jr/Sr High School (USD 273) – Beloit</li><li>KO CO. Windfighters – Centralia Schools (USD 380) – Centralia</li><li>Lizard Kingdom – Paola Middle School (USD 368) –Paola</li>
 </ul>9th-12th&nbsp;Grade Division<ul>
 <li>Zephyr – Baldwin High School (USD 348) – Baldwin City</li><li>The Last Airbender – Baldwin High School (USD 348) – Baldwin City</li><li>Sunflowin – Dodge City Public Schools (USD 443) – Dodge City</li><li>Ochoa’s Pilots – Dodge City Public Schools (USD 443) – Dodge City</li><li>Turbine Turners – Oakley High School – Oakley</li><li>Thunderhawks – Wheatland High School (USD 292) – Grainfield</li><li>Cru Winds – Buhler High School (USD 313) – Buhler</li><li>Wind Gladiators – Sterling High School (USD 376) – Sterling</li><li>Osage City High School – USD 420 – Osage City</li><li>Minneapolis High School – USD 239 – Minneapolis</li><li>Windstars – Nemaha Central (USD 115) – Seneca</li><li>Dynamic Downums – Paola High School (USD 368) – Paola</li><li>Potato Guys – Paola High School (USD 368) – Paola</li>
 </ul>KidWind is an Energy Education Event from the Kansas Corporation Commission and K-State Engineering Extension made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

NW Kan. students will compete in Kansas KidWind state finals 

Between 10 and 15 years ago, political science professors discovered renewed our interest in civic engagement.&nbsp;&nbsp;Retired U.S. Senator Bob Graham and his collaborator Chris Hand published the first edition of their book&nbsp;America: The Owner’s Manual&nbsp;in 2009, arguing that the best hope for the renewal of American democracy lies in teaching a new cadre of involved, interested citizens who begin their journeys of civic activism by making change at the local level, usually on nonpartisan issues.&nbsp;&nbsp;The authors give numerous examples and tips.&nbsp;&nbsp;The American Political Science Association (APSA) hosted their first annual Teaching and Learning Conference in 2005, while the&nbsp;Journal of Political Science Education&nbsp;had debuted the previous year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

I met Graham at the annual MPSA conference, after I had already begun teaching the book in an introductory political science course.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2012, I took a sabbatical—my only one to date—working with Graham to develop a high-school curriculum.&nbsp;&nbsp;We tried to convince high school teachers to adopt it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unfortunately, they told us that although they were excited about our ideas, they feared opposition from school administrators, deeply wary of any potential controversy or lawsuits.&nbsp;&nbsp;

I also read John Hibbing and Elizabeth Theiss-Morse’s 2003 book&nbsp;Stealth Democracy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;These professors from the University of Nebraska found that many Americans have little interest in civic engagement.&nbsp;&nbsp;After all, it often means attending long meetings which, at best, lead to brokered compromises.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a more-recent article, they also point out that many forms of civic engagement involve people grouping together with like-minded individuals, and voluntary associations often make decisions by consensus.&nbsp;&nbsp;These lessons are inapplicable to policymaking in a diverse democracy, where deep divisions are inevitable and important decisions are rarely made by consensus.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hibbing and Theiss-Morse argue that students must be taught the “barbarics” of politics, that is, rough-and-tumble negotiations on issues involving deep disagreement.

I later moved the civic engagement projects into State and Local Government class, where they are a better fit.&nbsp;&nbsp;This change has produced many successful projects, such as pressing one city government to reclaim the site of an abandoned construction project.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another group of students produced an information portal for students seeking off-campus housing to learn their rights and options.&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, in the introductory course, I set a new goal:&nbsp;&nbsp;teaching students to be informed, frequent voters.&nbsp;&nbsp;I use videos to let speakers themselves (not me) describe the beliefs of liberals, conservatives, libertarians, and communitarians.&nbsp;&nbsp;I chose Barack Obama for liberal, Ronald Reagan for conservative, author Ayn Rand for libertarian, and Pope Francis for communitarian.&nbsp;&nbsp;I also embedded flash-polls in the class which students took with their phones.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This semester, I have introduced a teaching civic engagement course to teach these and other lessons to future teachers, with assignments to create lesson plans for the high school level.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Today, our democracy is on life support.&nbsp;&nbsp;Social media, along with and market-niched real and fake news outlets allow Americans to group together only with the like-minded, to a greater extent than any other time in the past 100 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, the K-12 schools are under increasing pressure to marginalize the teaching of civics, not only due to potential controversy but also pressure to reallocate more time to the “STEM” (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, perceived as being the tickets to good jobs in adulthood.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet if our children and grandchildren are going to live in a democracy, it is critical that they also make time to teach civic education, and teach it well.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639601062071.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>Between 10 and 15 years ago, political science professors discovered renewed our interest in civic engagement.&nbsp;&nbsp;Retired U.S. Senator Bob Graham and his collaborator Chris Hand published the first edition of their book&nbsp;America: The Owner’s Manual&nbsp;in 2009, arguing that the best hope for the renewal of American democracy lies in teaching a new cadre of involved, interested citizens who begin their journeys of civic activism by making change at the local level, usually on nonpartisan issues.&nbsp;&nbsp;The authors give numerous examples and tips.&nbsp;&nbsp;The American Political Science Association (APSA) hosted their first annual Teaching and Learning Conference in 2005, while the&nbsp;Journal of Political Science Education&nbsp;had debuted the previous year.&nbsp;&nbsp;I met Graham at the annual MPSA conference, after I had already begun teaching the book in an introductory political science course.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2012, I took a sabbatical—my only one to date—working with Graham to develop a high-school curriculum.&nbsp;&nbsp;We tried to convince high school teachers to adopt it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Unfortunately, they told us that although they were excited about our ideas, they feared opposition from school administrators, deeply wary of any potential controversy or lawsuits.&nbsp;&nbsp;I also read John Hibbing and Elizabeth Theiss-Morse’s 2003 book&nbsp;Stealth Democracy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;These professors from the University of Nebraska found that many Americans have little interest in civic engagement.&nbsp;&nbsp;After all, it often means attending long meetings which, at best, lead to brokered compromises.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a more-recent article, they also point out that many forms of civic engagement involve people grouping together with like-minded individuals, and voluntary associations often make decisions by consensus.&nbsp;&nbsp;These lessons are inapplicable to policymaking in a diverse democracy, where deep divisions are inevitable and important decisions are rarely made by consensus.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hibbing and Theiss-Morse argue that students must be taught the “barbarics” of politics, that is, rough-and-tumble negotiations on issues involving deep disagreement.I later moved the civic engagement projects into State and Local Government class, where they are a better fit.&nbsp;&nbsp;This change has produced many successful projects, such as pressing one city government to reclaim the site of an abandoned construction project.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another group of students produced an information portal for students seeking off-campus housing to learn their rights and options.&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, in the introductory course, I set a new goal:&nbsp;&nbsp;teaching students to be informed, frequent voters.&nbsp;&nbsp;I use videos to let speakers themselves (not me) describe the beliefs of liberals, conservatives, libertarians, and communitarians.&nbsp;&nbsp;I chose Barack Obama for liberal, Ronald Reagan for conservative, author Ayn Rand for libertarian, and Pope Francis for communitarian.&nbsp;&nbsp;I also embedded flash-polls in the class which students took with their phones.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This semester, I have introduced a teaching civic engagement course to teach these and other lessons to future teachers, with assignments to create lesson plans for the high school level.&nbsp;&nbsp;Today, our democracy is on life support.&nbsp;&nbsp;Social media, along with and market-niched real and fake news outlets allow Americans to group together only with the like-minded, to a greater extent than any other time in the past 100 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, the K-12 schools are under increasing pressure to marginalize the teaching of civics, not only due to potential controversy but also pressure to reallocate more time to the “STEM” (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, perceived as being the tickets to good jobs in adulthood.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet if our children and grandchildren are going to live in a democracy, it is critical that they also make time to teach civic education, and teach it well.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Civic engagement — 10 years later

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648836979202.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>For a full look at the weather forecast click here.

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;

Today, let’s visit a community college in western Nebraska. As we approach the headquarters building, we encounter a state-of-the-art electronic entry system. The provider of that high-tech alert system is located in rural Kansas.&nbsp;

Nick Strecker is a co-founder of INA Alert, the national company that created this technology. Nick is a native of Great Bend.&nbsp;

“There have been five generations of our family in the Barton, Russell, Ellis county area,” Nick said. After earning a fine arts degree at the University of Kansas and marrying his wife Laura, they moved back to Ellinwood.&nbsp;

“My father Monty is an entrepreneur and my mentor, and I spent a couple of years learning business principles from him. My mother is in education,” Nick said. “One day my dad asked if I could build technology for one of his businesses.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nick did so. It worked so well that Nick and other family members launched a technology projects and service company in 2010. Since it used an Instant Notification Application, they used those initials for the company name: INA Alert.&nbsp;

“My father taught me that you have to seek out and find your customers,” Nick said. “My mom, Catherine Strecker, did her dissertation on brain-based learning. She taught me that we need to teach technology in whatever way is best for the learner.”&nbsp;

Nick’s first major project was creating software that was used by the Kansas Board of Nursing to communicate with nurses. Then, companies with oil drilling rigs in central Kansas also needed communication systems, but they wanted video as well. This led INA Alert to connect surveillance cameras so as to remotely monitor performance and assure safety and security of the workers. The business grew from there.&nbsp;

Today, INA Alert products have been used from coast to coast. Nick’s wife Laura is president of the company, Nick is chief operating officer and his brother Jacob leads the sales effort.&nbsp;

“The company has grown from me building something in my garage to 46 employees, 35 of whom live in Ellinwood,” Nick said. “We’re very much a family business, with siblings, cousins, even a mother and son working here.”&nbsp;

The company’s product lines now include texting software, surveillance camera systems, access or ‘smart door’ controls, nurse calling, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone systems, computer hardware and private LTE networks.&nbsp;

Many of these products were developed based on the needs of their customers, according to Nick: “If you listen to the customer, they will tell you what you need.”&nbsp;

“Think locally, deliver globally” is a slogan for INA Alert.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our business has grown by servicing rural communities with a need for technology,” Nick said.&nbsp;

Major markets include agriculture; state, local, and municipal governments; health care; and education. For example, INA Alert surveillance and security systems have been used in schools, city buildings, implement dealerships, feedyards, sale barns, grain elevators, co-ops and more.&nbsp;

The surveillance camera systems are amazing, Nick said, making it possible to use facial recognition, perimeter monitoring with automatic alerts, and Artificial Intelligence analytics with action-based alarms and notifications.&nbsp;

The appearance search system is a deep learning AI search engine to recognize and detect people and vehicles. The system makes it possible to search through hours of footage in seconds.&nbsp;

How does all this happen in a small community like Ellinwood? “Technology,” Nick said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We’ll have seven or eight trucks go out of here every day, and we connect and service them remotely.”&nbsp;

“The technology is fun, but the highlight of the business is our culture,” Nick said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our mission is to positively impact our community and our region. We live in a great small town with people who enjoy working with each other, and we value our relationships with our customers.”&nbsp;

It’s exciting to find this high-tech business in the rural community of Ellinwood, population 2,131 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.inaalert.com/">www.inaalert.com</a>.&nbsp;

It’s time to leave this state-of-the-art system in Nebraska. We give thanks to Nick and Laura Strecker of INA Alert for making a difference with technology and entrepreneurship. I’m glad they were alert for new opportunities.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648647055566.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;Today, let’s visit a community college in western Nebraska. As we approach the headquarters building, we encounter a state-of-the-art electronic entry system. The provider of that high-tech alert system is located in rural Kansas.&nbsp;Nick Strecker is a co-founder of INA Alert, the national company that created this technology. Nick is a native of Great Bend.&nbsp;“There have been five generations of our family in the Barton, Russell, Ellis county area,” Nick said. After earning a fine arts degree at the University of Kansas and marrying his wife Laura, they moved back to Ellinwood.&nbsp;“My father Monty is an entrepreneur and my mentor, and I spent a couple of years learning business principles from him. My mother is in education,” Nick said. “One day my dad asked if I could build technology for one of his businesses.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nick did so. It worked so well that Nick and other family members launched a technology projects and service company in 2010. Since it used an Instant Notification Application, they used those initials for the company name: INA Alert.&nbsp;“My father taught me that you have to seek out and find your customers,” Nick said. “My mom, Catherine Strecker, did her dissertation on brain-based learning. She taught me that we need to teach technology in whatever way is best for the learner.”&nbsp;Nick’s first major project was creating software that was used by the Kansas Board of Nursing to communicate with nurses. Then, companies with oil drilling rigs in central Kansas also needed communication systems, but they wanted video as well. This led INA Alert to connect surveillance cameras so as to remotely monitor performance and assure safety and security of the workers. The business grew from there.&nbsp;Today, INA Alert products have been used from coast to coast. Nick’s wife Laura is president of the company, Nick is chief operating officer and his brother Jacob leads the sales effort.&nbsp;“The company has grown from me building something in my garage to 46 employees, 35 of whom live in Ellinwood,” Nick said. “We’re very much a family business, with siblings, cousins, even a mother and son working here.”&nbsp;The company’s product lines now include texting software, surveillance camera systems, access or ‘smart door’ controls, nurse calling, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone systems, computer hardware and private LTE networks.&nbsp;Many of these products were developed based on the needs of their customers, according to Nick: “If you listen to the customer, they will tell you what you need.”&nbsp;“Think locally, deliver globally” is a slogan for INA Alert.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our business has grown by servicing rural communities with a need for technology,” Nick said.&nbsp;Major markets include agriculture; state, local, and municipal governments; health care; and education. For example, INA Alert surveillance and security systems have been used in schools, city buildings, implement dealerships, feedyards, sale barns, grain elevators, co-ops and more.&nbsp;The surveillance camera systems are amazing, Nick said, making it possible to use facial recognition, perimeter monitoring with automatic alerts, and Artificial Intelligence analytics with action-based alarms and notifications.&nbsp;The appearance search system is a deep learning AI search engine to recognize and detect people and vehicles. The system makes it possible to search through hours of footage in seconds.&nbsp;How does all this happen in a small community like Ellinwood? “Technology,” Nick said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We’ll have seven or eight trucks go out of here every day, and we connect and service them remotely.”&nbsp;“The technology is fun, but the highlight of the business is our culture,” Nick said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our mission is to positively impact our community and our region. We live in a great small town with people who enjoy working with each other, and we value our relationships with our customers.”&nbsp;It’s exciting to find this high-tech business in the rural community of Ellinwood, population 2,131 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.inaalert.com/">www.inaalert.com</a>.&nbsp;It’s time to leave this state-of-the-art system in Nebraska. We give thanks to Nick and Laura Strecker of INA Alert for making a difference with technology and entrepreneurship. I’m glad they were alert for new opportunities.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Nick Strecker, INA Alert 

Due to the low forcasted tempratures the Rolling Plains Motor Speedway has cancelled events scheduled for April 2.

"We have been monitoring the weather for this Saturday's opening night, and with the evening temps dipping to a possible 25 degree windchill, it just doesn't make financial sense to start the season off like that," according to the announcement made via facebook. "We will take the next 2 weeks and be 110% ready, and make the 2022 Mike "Huey" Hughes Classic one you will not want to miss."

Due to the low forcasted tempratures the Rolling Plains Motor Speedway has cancelled events scheduled for April 2."We have been monitoring the weather for this Saturday's opening night, and with the evening temps dipping to a possible 25 degree windchill, it just doesn't make financial sense to start the season off like that," according to the announcement made via facebook. "We will take the next 2 weeks and be 110% ready, and make the 2022 Mike "Huey" Hughes Classic one you will not want to miss."<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frollingplainsmotor.speedway%2Fposts%2F4888232317962604&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="265" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div><figure>
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 </figure>

RPM Speedway cancels weekend races due to weather

The Russell Police Department offered the following correction following publication of the story:

"After further investigation it was determined that the passenger of the vehicle has been identified as 33 year old James Dean Miller of Salina, KS not Glenn Miller as previously stated.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."

The story has been updated to reflect the correction.

On April 1 around 4:26 a.m. Russell County 911 Dispatch received a report of a theft at the Sunmart Convenience Store (Bearhouse) at the Bunker Hill exit on Interstate 70. 

The caller advised of two suspects, both male, driving a blue, two-door coupe that had left westbound. A Russell County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to Bunker Hill for the report.

Around 4:38 a.m. a Russell Police Officer located a vehicle matching the given description entering Russell on Highway 40. 

The vehicle quickly turned onto Cindy Drive and pulled into a residential driveway. The officer pulled behind the vehicle. 

As the officer was talking with the driver of the vehicle, he fled the area on foot. 

The officer stayed with the passenger and requested backup. Russell County Dispatch was able to determine the vehicle, a blue 2020 Toyota Camry with Texas license plates, was stolen out of Salina.

Read:&nbsp;Car stolen<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/5abf78da-6ac9-4818-95f3-675cd332daaa"> from hotel in Salina</a>

When the passenger heard the information about the vehicle being stolen, he attempted to flee on foot, but was quickly apprehended. 

He was later transported to the Russell County Jail. 

The vehicle was towed from the scene to a secure storage facility. The stolen item from Sunmart (Bearhouse) was located in the vehicle.

A request was made to the Kansas Highway Patrol for their airplane and a K9 unit.

Another request for a K9 unit was made to the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office.

K9 units were able to track the suspect for some time through the golf course and Memorial Park area but were not successful in locating him.

Around 8:40 a.m. an anonymous tip was received stating the suspect who fled was in the lobby at Fossil Creek Hotel. Officers located the suspect attempting to enter the Fossil Station Convenience Store and apprehended him. 

He was transported to the Russell County Jail.

The driver was identified as 25-year-old Braydon Prochaska of Glasco. 

He is being held on the recommended charges of felony possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, felony interference with law enforcement and driving while suspended.

The passenger was identified as 33-year-old James Dean Miller of Salina. 

He is being held on the recommended charges of felony possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, and felony interference with law enforcement.

Both suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.


<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648844895795.png" alt="Prochaska-photo from an earlier arrest in Mitchell Co." />
 <figcaption>Prochaska-photo from an earlier arrest in Mitchell Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CORRECTION: The Russell Police Department offered the following correction following publication of the story:"After further investigation it was determined that the passenger of the vehicle has been identified as 33 year old James Dean Miller of Salina, KS not Glenn Miller as previously stated. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."The story has been updated to reflect the correction.City of Russell Police DepartmentOn April 1 around 4:26 a.m. Russell County 911 Dispatch received a report of a theft at the Sunmart Convenience Store (Bearhouse) at the Bunker Hill exit on Interstate 70. The caller advised of two suspects, both male, driving a blue, two-door coupe that had left westbound. A Russell County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to Bunker Hill for the report.Around 4:38 a.m. a Russell Police Officer located a vehicle matching the given description entering Russell on Highway 40. The vehicle quickly turned onto Cindy Drive and pulled into a residential driveway. The officer pulled behind the vehicle. As the officer was talking with the driver of the vehicle, he fled the area on foot. The officer stayed with the passenger and requested backup. Russell County Dispatch was able to determine the vehicle, a blue 2020 Toyota Camry with Texas license plates, was stolen out of Salina.Read:&nbsp;Car stolen<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/5abf78da-6ac9-4818-95f3-675cd332daaa"> from hotel in Salina</a>When the passenger heard the information about the vehicle being stolen, he attempted to flee on foot, but was quickly apprehended. He was later transported to the Russell County Jail. The vehicle was towed from the scene to a secure storage facility. The stolen item from Sunmart (Bearhouse) was located in the vehicle.A request was made to the Kansas Highway Patrol for their airplane and a K9 unit.Another request for a K9 unit was made to the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office.K9 units were able to track the suspect for some time through the golf course and Memorial Park area but were not successful in locating him.Around 8:40 a.m. an anonymous tip was received stating the suspect who fled was in the lobby at Fossil Creek Hotel. Officers located the suspect attempting to enter the Fossil Station Convenience Store and apprehended him. He was transported to the Russell County Jail.The driver was identified as 25-year-old Braydon Prochaska of Glasco. He is being held on the recommended charges of felony possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, felony interference with law enforcement and driving while suspended.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648864314152.png" alt="James Miller" />
 <figcaption>James Miller</figcaption>
 </figure>The passenger was identified as 33-year-old James Dean Miller of Salina. He is being held on the recommended charges of felony possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, and felony interference with law enforcement.Both suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.

Two suspects apprehended following search in Russell

Hays Medical Center today announced the end to visitor restrictions due to COVID.

Hays Medical Center today announced the end to visitor restrictions due to COVID.However, face coverings will still be required for visitors and staff."Exactly 2 years to the day since we admitted our first COVID patient we are pleased to announce that our visitor policies will return to pre-COVID guidelines," the hospital announced via facebook. "Masks are still required while you are in any of our facilities and we encourage social distancing."They also announced COVID patient count updates would end."We will no longer provide a daily or monthly update on COVID patients as the numbers have reduced to near zero," the hospital said.&nbsp; "We will continue to monitor COVID developments and should the situation change we will resume regular reporting.Thank you for all your past and continued support of HaysMed."<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHaysMedical%2Fposts%2F5431146943562358&show_text=false&width=500" width="500" height="496" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>