The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 31 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Monday.

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

As of Tuesday morning, HaysMed reported 21 COVID-19 inpatients. 

Corrected 12:50 p.m. Wednesday: The original reporting on HaysMed inpatients stated "as of Wednesday" and has been corrected.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3fbf9a1d-9473-48af-add6-ac3dfce7c3b6">RELATED: HaysMed releases November COVID stats</a>

The KDHE reported Wednesday 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents are fully vaccinated, noting the vaccination rate for the eligible Kansas population (12 and older) is approximately 65 percent.

Since reporting began, there have been 4,990 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 76 coronavirus-related deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638988601317.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 31 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Monday.<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.As of Tuesday morning, HaysMed reported 21 COVID-19 inpatients. Corrected 12:50 p.m. Wednesday: The original reporting on HaysMed inpatients stated "as of Wednesday" and has been corrected.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3fbf9a1d-9473-48af-add6-ac3dfce7c3b6">RELATED: HaysMed releases November COVID stats</a>The KDHE reported Wednesday 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents are fully vaccinated, noting the vaccination rate for the eligible Kansas population (12 and older) is approximately 65 percent.Since reporting began, there have been 4,990 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 76 coronavirus-related deaths.

KDHE: 31 new COVID cases in Ellis Co. since Monday

Senator Robert Joseph Dole, 98, of Washington D.C. and former Russell, Kansas, native, died on Sunday, December 5, 2021, in Washington D.C.

Loved as a man of the people and a leader of Americans of every stripe, Bob Dole lived the American dream. If the last century was the American Century, Bob Dole’s life personified it. He emerged from humble beginnings in Kansas to become a war hero, a giant of the U.S. Senate and the Republican nominee for President.

Robert Joseph Dole was born July 22, 1923, the second of four children born to Doran and Bina Dole of Russell, Kansas, a small town on the plains of western Kansas. Like so many Kansans of the time, the Doles lived precariously amid the Dust Bowl and Depression of the 1930’s. A $300 loan from a Russell banker enabled Bob to enroll at the University of Kansas in September 1941. Thereafter he scrambled to support himself while pursuing his studies and lettering in football, basketball and track.

Shortly after Pearl Harbor, Dole left the University of Kansas to join the Army’s Enlisted Reserve Corps. Called to active duty in June of 1943, he entered officer candidate school at Fort Benning, Georgia. Soon he was on board a troop ship headed for Italy. In February 1945, Second Lieutenant Dole was sent to fill a vacancy in Company I Third Battalion, Tenth Mountain Division. This famed Division was tasked with dislodging German troops from deeply entrenched positions in the Apennine Mountains north of Bologna.&nbsp;

On the morning of April 14,1945, Dole led his platoon up the heavily mined slopes of Hill #913. While retrieving the lifeless form of his platoon’s radio man, Dole was severely wounded by enemy fire. His right arm was shredded, and his collarbone crushed. Paralyzed from the neck down, Dole lay where he fell for ten hours, until he could be evacuated to a field hospital in Pistoia, Italy. Ahead of him stretched 39 months of hospitalization, progress and setback, characteristically borne with intense determination and self-deprecating humor. Dole drew inspiration from the Rodgers and Hammerstein hit, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” a song he played endlessly. It would become a personal anthem. He was hospitalized with two veterans who would become close friends and colleagues in the Senate, Daniel Inouye (HI-D) and Phil Hart (MI-D).&nbsp;

Unable to use his right arm and barely able to walk, Dole was treated by chief orthopedic surgeon and lieutenant colonel at the 297th General Hospital, Hampar Kelikian, an Armenian immigrant resettled in Chicago, Dr. Kelikian offered his services to badly wounded servicemen at no charge, his way of repaying his adopted country for the blessings of freedom. After a grueling series of innovative surgeries, Dole recovered the use of his left arm, though not his right. This life changing surgery left Dole with an unlimited admiration for “Dr. K.” To help defer related expenses, the people of Russell, Kansas established the Bob Dole Fund. Friends and neighbors placed whatever they could give in an old cigar box located at Dawson’s drugstore. The cigar box remained a treasured possession throughout his life.&nbsp;

Returning to Kansas to recuperate, Dole married his physical therapist, Phyllis Holden, in 1948. While still a student at Washburn Law School in Topeka, he was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1950. Rather than seek re-election, he returned to Russell, entered private law practice and was elected District Attorney. In 1954, the Doles welcomed the birth of their daughter, Robin. In 1972, he and Phyllis divorced.

Dole won his first congressional race in 1960. Over the next eight years, he established a reputation as a staunch fiscal conservative who also supported the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Years later he would count among his proudest achievements serving as floor manager in the Senate for legislation authorizing the birthdate of the Reverend Martin Luther King as a national holiday. Dole was instrumental in Representative Gerald Ford’s election as House Minority Leader early in 1965. At the same time, he established an enduring relationship with future president Richard Nixon.&nbsp;

In 1968, Dole was elected to the U.S. Senate, succeeding Frank Carlson (KS-R). His support of President Nixon earned him the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, during which time he traveled 500,000 miles on behalf of candidates, but his independence and sharp wit did little to endear him to Nixon’s senior staff. He was replaced, following the 1972 election, by George H.W. Bush. Ironically, fallout from the Watergate scandal and President Ford’s controversial pardon of his disgraced predecessor nearly cost Dole his Senate seat in 1974.

On December 6, 1975, Dole married Elizabeth Hanford, a member of the Federal Trade Commission and former deputy to President Nixon’s Special Assistant for Consumer Affairs, Virginia Knauer. Mrs. Dole would go on to enjoy a distinguished career as Assistant to the President for Public Liaison and Secretary of Transportation for President Reagan, Secretary of Labor under President George H.W. Bush, President of the American Red Cross, and U.S. Senator from her home state of North Carolina. She established and heads the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to raise awareness of the enormous contributions and challenges of the 5.5 million military and veteran caregivers – young spouses, mothers, dads, and other loved ones caring for America’s wounded warriors at home. The Foundation provides solutions and services for these hidden heroes by leading a powerful coalition spanning the public and private sectors, nonprofit organizations and the faith community. &nbsp;

In 1976, President Gerald Ford selected Bob Dole to be his Vice-Presidential running mate. Immediately after the GOP convention in Kansas City, the new ticket made its first joint appearance at an emotional homecoming in Dole’s beloved Russell. Although the Ford-Dole ticket closed a massive gap of over thirty points in public opinion polls, it narrowly lost in November to former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter and Minnesota Senator Walter Mondale (D-MN).

With Ronald Reagan’s landslide presidential victory in 1980, Dole, for the first time, was part of a Senate majority. As chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, he helped shape and enact the Reagan program of tax and spending cuts. His Senate colleague, Don Nickles (R-OK), later pointed out that when Dole became chairman, tax rates were as high as 70 percent. By the time he finished his work, they had been reduced to 28 percent. And the economy responded with record growth through the rest of the 1980s.&nbsp;

Senator Dole was an early and fervent opponent of deficit spending in the Congress, warning of the dangers of accumulating deficits on the floor of the U.S. Senate and in his Senate and presidential campaigns. In 1982, when America faced massive inflation producing deficits, Senator Dole, working with his friend, Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici (R-NM), developed and fought for enactment of historic deficit reduction and the passage of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act. Enactment of this legislation allowed Chairman Volker to reduce interest rates and again led to a period of economic prosperity. Dole won praise for his leadership on behalf of debt reduction and his mastery of tax reform, as well as foreign affairs and agricultural issues. Known as a champion of farmers and ranchers, he served 27 years on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. &nbsp;

The Patent and Trademark Act Amendments of 1980—commonly known as the Bayh-Dole Act—gave universities, nonprofits and small businesses the ability to retain ownership of patents on inventions resulting from their federally funded research. Heralded by The Economist magazine as “possibly the most inspired piece of legislation to be enacted in America over the past half century,” Bayh-Dole created a highly efficient route through which valuable research could be translated into actual use by patients and consumers. The field of medicine was truly revolutionized through Bayh-Dole.&nbsp;

After a national commission had failed to reach agreement, working in partnership with Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (NY-D), Dole crafted landmark legislation in 1983 to preserve the Social Security System from bankruptcy. This remains the last overhaul of the program, preserving it for decades. A master of legislative cooperation, Dole worked to fashion many landmark pieces of legislation. For example, long concerned about the plight of those experiencing hunger in America and worldwide, he partnered with his longtime friend and colleague on the Agriculture Committee, George McGovern (SD-D), to create the Food Stamp program and the International Food Aid Program. Continuing his lifelong efforts to combat hunger wherever it exists, Dole joined Senator McGovern to promote a global school lunch program and other hunger and nutrition initiatives. In 2008, Dole was co-recipient, along with McGovern, of the World Food Prize. Their efforts were recognized again in 2013 when Dole and McGovern were co-recipients of the newly named McGovern/Dole Leadership Award.

Senator Dole was a passionate advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities throughout his public service and his personal life. Caring for the disabled was the subject of his maiden speech in the Senate. He partnered with Senator Nancy Kassebaum (KS-R) and Tom Harkin (IA-D) to secure enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 providing millions of Americans with public access and employment opportunities that were previously foreclosed. He also worked to ensure that those disabled who sought to return to the workforce continued to qualify for Medicaid, so that they received the health care they needed to be productive members of society. Dole has fought long and hard for Senate ratification of the International Treaty for People with Disabilities. The purpose was clearly to apply America’s great leadership in ensuring that the values and enormous assistance provided through The Americans with Disabilities Act were expanded worldwide. &nbsp;

Senator Dole also sponsored numerous legislative initiatives benefiting America’s veterans, such as the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act and the Veterans Health Care Administrative Flexibility Act.&nbsp;

“Dole’s strong commitment to fairness and opportunities for women,” according to Senator Olympia Snowe, “was an integral part of who Bob Dole was—the Retirement Equity Act of 1983, his Sexual Assault Prevention Act, the Violence Against Women Act, and his authorship of the Glass Ceiling Commission. This first Federal commission created the most comprehensive report on how business could make full use of America’s human capital.” &nbsp;

In 1984, Dole succeeded his friend Howard Baker (TN-R), as Senate Majority Leader. Elected six times by his colleagues, Dole would serve as Republican leader (Majority and Minority Leader) for twelve years, under three Presidents: Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Clinton. He was the longest serving Republican Leader until June 12, 2018 when Senator Mitch McConnell took the title. According to Congressional Quarterly, Senator Dole “proved a point that badly needed proving at the time: the Senate could be led.” Ronald Reagan agreed. “His title of Leader is not just a job title, it’s a description of the man,” President Reagan said. He was renowned for his ability to produce results through bipartisan efforts, like the creation of Hospice. His fingerprints were on almost every major legislative initiative during his tenure as Republican leader.&nbsp;

During this period, Dole also made history by appointing Jo Ann Coe to serve as the first female Secretary of the Senate, while Sheila Burke broke the glass ceiling as his Chief of Staff. His respect for Senate employees led to his being named repeatedly as the nicest of the 100 Senators. Finally, in 2018, Dole was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal. This award was a result of legislation, cosponsored by all 100 members of the Senate and passed in the House of Representatives and then signed into law by President Donald Trump. It noted that “throughout his life-long service to the country, Bob Dole has embodied the American spirit of leadership and determination, and serves as one of the most prolific role models both in and outside of politics.”&nbsp;

Having conducted a brief, unsuccessful campaign for president in 1980, Dole geared up for a more serious run in 1988. As Vice President Bush’s principal opponent, Dole won the Iowa caucuses, but lost to Bush in a fiercely contested New Hampshire primary when he refused to sign the infamous “No-New-Taxes Pledge” because of his concern about deficit spending. In time, the two men developed a strong working relationship and friendship, with President Bush later calling Dole “a great Republican Leader, as great as any in the past.” &nbsp;

In 1996, it would be Dole’s turn. Nominated to run against a popular President, Bill Clinton, Dole presented himself as “the most optimistic man in America.” Having resigned his seat in the Senate and his position as Majority Leader in order to devote his full energies to the campaign, Dole gradually narrowed the incumbent’s large lead, but on November 5, 1996, he came up short. A few weeks later President Clinton awarded Dole the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his contributions to the nation.

Dole, who for years came to work with his miniature schnauzer, Leader, championed humane legislation, advocated for animals in crisis, and brought critical attention to important animal welfare issues. In 1984, he was presented with the ASPCA Award for Humane Excellence for his consistent commitment to protecting animals in research and other vulnerable animals. After leaving the Senate, he remained active in animal welfare causes, while doting on his beloved miniature schnauzers, Blazer, Leader III and Walter.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Dole was now more visible than ever—a much sought-after advisor, advocate, political commentator, Super Bowl pitchman, and best-selling author. Millions of television viewers were introduced to his legendary sense of humor through his post-election appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. &nbsp;

Senator Dole remained an outspoken champion on behalf of America’s veterans, people with disabilities, and millions living in hunger, both at home and abroad. For years, he quietly visited patients in veterans’ hospitals across America. As Special Counsel to two law firms in Washington, he provided advice on how Washington really works. For six years beginning in 1997, he was associated with Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand. He joined Alston &amp; Bird in 2003.

In 2009, Dole partnered with three other former Senate Majority Leaders—Tom Daschle (SD-D), George Mitchell (ME-D) and Howard Baker (TN-R) —to create the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington. Together they developed the Leader’s Health Care Project, a series of recommendations on reform of America’s health care system. &nbsp;

Shortly after the 1996 presidential election, University of Kansas (KU) Chancellor Robert Hemenway approached Senator Dole with a request that he entrust his papers, accrued over 35 years of Congressional service, to KU. Eager to build upon the research potential of this collection, the University envisioned a public policy institute that would actively engage the public, while enabling students of all ages to discover how they might best serve their neighbors and their nation. &nbsp;

Senator Dole agreed, after first making it clear that he wanted no personal monument. Rather, he favored creation of a non-partisan forum, dedicated to public service, training for leadership and the concept of politics as an honorable profession. Today, aligned with his wishes, the Dole Institute of Politics promotes political and civic involvement, especially among young people; encourages civil discussion on important issues; and provides opportunities for interaction with presidents, other political leaders and policy makers, campaign organizers and more. Senator Elizabeth Dole’s papers are also being housed at the Dole Institute of Politics.

Nothing he did in later life gave Dole more satisfaction than his leadership role in realizing the long-deferred dream of a National World War II Memorial on the Washington Mall. For the better part of a decade, he spearheaded with Fred Smith of FedEx and the help of many, a massive $185 million fund-raising effort to underwrite the Memorial’s design, construction, and maintenance. By the time of its dedication in June 2004, Senator Dole had become, for many Americans, the face, voice and personification of what Tom Brokaw called “The Greatest Generation.” This extraordinary effort was recognized by the U.S. Senate and resulted in a plaque, placed next to the Memorial, recognizing his leadership and enormous contributions. In subsequent years, Dole continued his involvement, as Honorary Advisor to Honor Flight Network, which flies World War II and other veterans to Washington who, for financial or medical reasons, would not otherwise be able to experience their Memorial. Over the years, Dole and his wife Elizabeth personally welcomed thousands of veterans as they arrived at the World War II Memorial. In June 2009, Bob and Elizabeth accepted President Obama’s invitation to accompany him to Normandy for ceremonies marking the 65th Anniversary of D-Day. &nbsp;

In 2015, Senator Dole accepted the position of finance chairman of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission to honor forever another humble son of Kansas, WWII’s Supreme Allied Commander and the 34th President of the United States. In recognition of Dole’s leading role in bringing much-needed momentum to the campaign, President Donald Trump appointed Dole to the commission in 2019. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial was officially dedicated along the National Mall the following year.

Throughout his career, Dole campaigned tirelessly for candidates at every level of government. Following the attacks of September 11th, Dole joined forces with former rival Bill Clinton to co-chair the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund. He also served as Honorary co-chair of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, part of President George W. Bush’s USA Freedom Corps.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

In 2007, Dole co-chaired with Secretary Donna Shalala, the President’s Commission on the Care of America’s Returning Wounded Warriors, established in the wake of revelations about inadequate care afforded to some Iraqi war veterans. The Commission offered groundbreaking recommendations on the management of care for our wounded and injured service members.&nbsp;

Dole’s best-selling World War II memoir, One Soldier’s Story, chronicles his harrowing experience on and off the battlefield. It was written to provide the lessons learned through his struggle to survive and to inspire today’s disabled veterans with the knowledge that they, too, can live productive and fulfilling lives. He also authored the books Great Political Wit: Laughing (Almost) All the Way to the White House, Great Presidential Wit: I Wish I Was In The Book, and Unlimited Partners, an autobiography co-written with his wife, Elizabeth.&nbsp;

At ages 90 and 91, Dole made eleven trips to Kansas. The purpose of these visits was to thank voters in all 105 counties for giving him the privilege of serving eight years in the House of Representatives and 28 years in the U.S. Senate.&nbsp;

In 2019, General Mark Milley, then Chief of Staff of the Army, launched an effort to promote Senator Dole from Captain to the honorary rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army. The Senate voted for the promotion unanimously. It was passed by the House of Representatives and signed into law by President Trump. General Milley, speaking at the promotion ceremony, highlighted the fact that only three individuals in American history had received such an honor—George Washington, Meriwether Lewis of Lewis and Clark fame, and Bob Dole.&nbsp;

Renowned as a man of complete integrity and trustworthiness, Bob Dole’s word was his bond. He privately established many charitable endeavors, including Washburn Law School Scholarships for People with Disabilities; Fort Hays State University Scholarships in memory of his sisters; and the Bina and Doran Dole Scholarship Fund for Russell, Kansas area students with disabilities. &nbsp;

Dole is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Hanford Dole, his daughter, Robin Carol Dole, nine nieces and nephews and their families.

A celebration of Senator Robert J. Dole's life will be open to the public and held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, December 11, 2021, at the St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Public viewing of the casket at the mortuary will be from 8 P.M. to 10 P.M., Friday, December 10, 2021 at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas. &nbsp;

Visitors may also view the casket from 9:00 A.M. to 10:30 A.M. Saturday morning at the church.&nbsp; &nbsp; In lieu of flowers, the Dole family requests that contributions/donations be made to the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary is in charge of the funeral arrangements in Russell, Kansas.

The Dole family requests that cards be mailed to:

Sen. Robert Joseph Dole, 1923-2021

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8eae6601-0104-4e6c-8fa3-e1835d8c506c">RELATED: Teacher of the Month embraces the 'silly' of kindergarten</a>

Submit your nomination for Teach of the Month <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5f1002b0-5a78-4bc4-8a1e-ec6ce00e4387">HERE</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638894410851.jpeg" alt="Mark Ottley, right, and Lynette Ottley, left, owners of Nations Auction Elite Realty, honor the November Hays Post Teacher of the Month Kayla North, center, kindergarten teacher at Holy Family Elementary School. " />
 <figcaption>Mark Ottley, right, and Lynette Ottley, left, owners of Nations Auction Elite Realty, honor the November Hays Post Teacher of the Month Kayla North, center, kindergarten teacher at Holy Family Elementary School. </figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8eae6601-0104-4e6c-8fa3-e1835d8c506c">RELATED: Teacher of the Month embraces the 'silly' of kindergarten</a>Submit your nomination for Teach of the Month <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5f1002b0-5a78-4bc4-8a1e-ec6ce00e4387">HERE</a>.<figure>
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Nations Auction Elite Realty honors Teacher of the Month Kayla North

By KEN CARPENTER <a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>

GREAT BEND — According to 
the Centers for Disease Control, the illegal use of fentanyl, a 
synthetic&nbsp;opioid, is on the rise in the United States. Fentanyl is 50 to
 100 times more potent than morphine.&nbsp;

Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said&nbsp;he and other sheriffs are seeing how dangerous the illegal drug can be.&nbsp;

“Now
 we’re seeing fentanyl that is mixed with methamphetamine,” 
Bellendir&nbsp;reported. “The people buying methamphetamine don’t know 
they’re also taking fentanyl, so this is going to be a real problem.”&nbsp;

According
 to Bellendir, the drug creates unique challenges for law enforcement 
officials who are trying to stop its distribution.&nbsp;

“If you’re 
hitting a residence, just what’s laying around in there that&nbsp;is 
contaminated from use could be enough to overdose a cop whereas these 
users&nbsp;have built up such a tolerance to it, it wouldn’t bother them at 
all, whereas it could overdose one of my guys.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bellendir says 
his officers now carry Narcan with them when they execute search 
warrants. Narcan helps reverse the effects of an&nbsp;opioid&nbsp;overdose.&nbsp;

The sheriff explains why he believes the illegal use of fentanyl has skyrocketed.&nbsp;

“Fentanyl
 is cheap,” Bellendir commented. “All these drugs are coming from the 
southern border. Until we get control of that border, we’re not going to
 get control of this drug&nbsp;problem. We probably never will get control of
 the drug problem as long as there is demand. We’re being flooded with 
fentanyl and methamphetamine&nbsp;coming out of Mexico. And it’s where it’s 
all coming from now.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bellendir notes that he hasn't seen a
 meth lab in Barton County for more than 15 years. He says drug dealers 
find it cheaper, less dangerous and easier to elude law enforcement if 
it is purchased from a source in Mexico.&nbsp;

By KEN CARPENTER <a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>GREAT BEND — According to 
the Centers for Disease Control, the illegal use of fentanyl, a 
synthetic&nbsp;opioid, is on the rise in the United States. Fentanyl is 50 to
 100 times more potent than morphine.&nbsp;Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said&nbsp;he and other sheriffs are seeing how dangerous the illegal drug can be.&nbsp;“Now
 we’re seeing fentanyl that is mixed with methamphetamine,” 
Bellendir&nbsp;reported. “The people buying methamphetamine don’t know 
they’re also taking fentanyl, so this is going to be a real problem.”&nbsp;According
 to Bellendir, the drug creates unique challenges for law enforcement 
officials who are trying to stop its distribution.&nbsp;“If you’re 
hitting a residence, just what’s laying around in there that&nbsp;is 
contaminated from use could be enough to overdose a cop whereas these 
users&nbsp;have built up such a tolerance to it, it wouldn’t bother them at 
all, whereas it could overdose one of my guys.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Bellendir says 
his officers now carry Narcan with them when they execute search 
warrants. Narcan helps reverse the effects of an&nbsp;opioid&nbsp;overdose.&nbsp;The sheriff explains why he believes the illegal use of fentanyl has skyrocketed.&nbsp;“Fentanyl
 is cheap,” Bellendir commented. “All these drugs are coming from the 
southern border. Until we get control of that border, we’re not going to
 get control of this drug&nbsp;problem. We probably never will get control of
 the drug problem as long as there is demand. We’re being flooded with 
fentanyl and methamphetamine&nbsp;coming out of Mexico. And it’s where it’s 
all coming from now.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bellendir notes that he hasn't seen a
 meth lab in Barton County for more than 15 years. He says drug dealers 
find it cheaper, less dangerous and easier to elude law enforcement if 
it is purchased from a source in Mexico.&nbsp;

Fentanyl a growing concern in Barton County 

Fully understanding today's technology can be a lifelong pursuit, especially when it comes to programming and machine/human interaction.

With a goal of helping create a high level of technical ability in today's youth, a group of middle school educators recently converged in Hays to take advantage of a program that breaks down complex engineering and computing problems into a diminutive — some might say cute — Lego robot coding program.

The two-day event was led by Hays Middle
School&nbsp;exploratory/industrial tech teacher Brad Moritz.

"I teach a class that incorporates robotics in it at the seventh-grade level called exploratory tech," Moritz said. "And in that class, we do rockets, we build bridges ... and robots. And so we spent about three weeks in my seventh-grade class learning how to do the robots."

That interest paired with his own history with robotics lessons at Fort Hays State University led to his leadership of the workshop.

"One of the first things that I did 15 years ago was got involved with some robotics stuff that Fort Hays did at a workshop when I was a new teacher here in Kansas," Moritz said. "And they gave me a robot and that kind of launched my interest in doing all that stuff, just like these teachers are doing today."

 And after building up a fleet of robots and incorporating them in class, he said he started doing robotics camps for upper-level elementary kids and middle school students in the summer for Fort Hays.

"I've done that about seven times," Moritz said. "Then they started getting these NASA grants."

With that grant program, participants not only get to learn about the Lego robots, but they can also take them back to their classrooms to use with their students.

"So, this teacher workshop that we do is supported by the Kansas NASA Space Grant," said organizer and FHSU College of Education Dean Paul Adams.

"The whole thing about the NASA (grants), they're trying to engage, inspire, enhance STEM education," Adams said. "So part of this is to empower the teachers to go home. More, we've talked some about NASA resources related to robotics, because robotics is a big part of careers you can do."

While some participants were getting their first experience with the program, for Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior High science teacher Jason Casper getting to learn on the latest interaction of the mini Lego robots provided an update to previous iterations.

"Well, for me learn how to program on these newer ones are way different than the old ones," Casper said. "The old ones were all about coding. From the standpoint of having to type or line coding, these are block codes. So it's a little bit different, a little easier, actually. But still, the same concept. It's just an easier way of doing it."

"This is the fourth generation robot that Lego has built," Mortiz said. "The third generation, I've had those robots in my classroom for about 12 years, they are retiring those this year. So this is their new product that has just come out, their software is updated for it. In the software, you can program it, and it's all graphical interface."

The graphical blocks of code, are put into sequential order to carry out instructions.

"Sensors, that instead of telling the motor to stay on for a certain number of rotations, we can just tell the motor to start," Mortiz said. "And then the sensors can tell the motors when to turn off based on if we told it to stop, because it saw a wallet 15 inches away, or stopped because the color sensor saw red, you know, it read the value of red on the ground or something. So you know, there are all kinds of different ways that you can get it to do things, but it's all graphical."&nbsp;

For more precise coding, he said, the robots can also be programmed using the Python coding language.

He said programming and learning how to make robots complete tasks can be valuable in a variety of jobs.

"If they can get some of those things figured out, and the basic concept of coding those true statements — If This Then That, if this happens, then do that — then that just opens up a whole lot of different possibilities for career choices," Mortiz said.

And even for those that will not use coding in their work, he said, understanding technology will be important for everyone as robots become more ubiquitous.

"From the kids' perspective, we live in a technological world right now that they will not go for the rest of their lives without having robots be a part of it, somehow, someway," Mortiz said. "Either a personal robot that vacuums their house, or the car that takes them to Taco Shop, when they jump in and say, 'Hey, take me to Taco Shop.' You may not be a robot per se, it won't be a robot that gets around the wheel, but the robot will be the car.

"We live in all kinds of automated systems and machinery that are controlled by a code of some sort. And that's exactly the program that we're learning to control our robots in this venue is that coding skill, where it's a step-by-step list of instructions to tell the robot what to do. Same exact code in your vehicle that tells you that, that says to apply the brakes, if it sees obstacle avoidance or something in front, or don't go into this lane, because there's a warning. ... Somebody wrote the code to that, that gives you that warning that something's behind you or to your right or left or even gets dark than the headlights turn on. It's all code."

But he said it all begins with basic educational efforts.

"This is kind of a starting point for kids to start," Mortiz said. It's relevant for kids just because it launches them into a lot of different robotics, careers and computing careers for coding. ... Even if they don't want to code robots they can sell them, they can pair them, they could use them, they could design them, they could paint them. Robots are going to be everywhere and they can be a part of that."

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638821664300.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostFully understanding today's technology can be a lifelong pursuit, especially when it comes to programming and machine/human interaction.With a goal of helping create a high level of technical ability in today's youth, a group of middle school educators recently converged in Hays to take advantage of a program that breaks down complex engineering and computing problems into a diminutive — some might say cute — Lego robot coding program.The two-day event was led by Hays Middle
School&nbsp;exploratory/industrial tech teacher Brad Moritz."I teach a class that incorporates robotics in it at the seventh-grade level called exploratory tech," Moritz said. "And in that class, we do rockets, we build bridges ... and robots. And so we spent about three weeks in my seventh-grade class learning how to do the robots."That interest paired with his own history with robotics lessons at Fort Hays State University led to his leadership of the workshop.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638821676083.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"One of the first things that I did 15 years ago was got involved with some robotics stuff that Fort Hays did at a workshop when I was a new teacher here in Kansas," Moritz said. "And they gave me a robot and that kind of launched my interest in doing all that stuff, just like these teachers are doing today." And after building up a fleet of robots and incorporating them in class, he said he started doing robotics camps for upper-level elementary kids and middle school students in the summer for Fort Hays."I've done that about seven times," Moritz said. "Then they started getting these NASA grants."With that grant program, participants not only get to learn about the Lego robots, but they can also take them back to their classrooms to use with their students."So, this teacher workshop that we do is supported by the Kansas NASA Space Grant," said organizer and FHSU College of Education Dean Paul Adams.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638821687526.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"The whole thing about the NASA (grants), they're trying to engage, inspire, enhance STEM education," Adams said. "So part of this is to empower the teachers to go home. More, we've talked some about NASA resources related to robotics, because robotics is a big part of careers you can do."While some participants were getting their first experience with the program, for Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior High science teacher Jason Casper getting to learn on the latest interaction of the mini Lego robots provided an update to previous iterations."Well, for me learn how to program on these newer ones are way different than the old ones," Casper said. "The old ones were all about coding. From the standpoint of having to type or line coding, these are block codes. So it's a little bit different, a little easier, actually. But still, the same concept. It's just an easier way of doing it.""This is the fourth generation robot that Lego has built," Mortiz said. "The third generation, I've had those robots in my classroom for about 12 years, they are retiring those this year. So this is their new product that has just come out, their software is updated for it. In the software, you can program it, and it's all graphical interface."The graphical blocks of code, are put into sequential order to carry out instructions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638821710251.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"Sensors, that instead of telling the motor to stay on for a certain number of rotations, we can just tell the motor to start," Mortiz said. "And then the sensors can tell the motors when to turn off based on if we told it to stop, because it saw a wallet 15 inches away, or stopped because the color sensor saw red, you know, it read the value of red on the ground or something. So you know, there are all kinds of different ways that you can get it to do things, but it's all graphical."&nbsp;For more precise coding, he said, the robots can also be programmed using the Python coding language.He said programming and learning how to make robots complete tasks can be valuable in a variety of jobs."If they can get some of those things figured out, and the basic concept of coding those true statements — If This Then That, if this happens, then do that — then that just opens up a whole lot of different possibilities for career choices," Mortiz said.And even for those that will not use coding in their work, he said, understanding technology will be important for everyone as robots become more ubiquitous."From the kids' perspective, we live in a technological world right now that they will not go for the rest of their lives without having robots be a part of it, somehow, someway," Mortiz said. "Either a personal robot that vacuums their house, or the car that takes them to Taco Shop, when they jump in and say, 'Hey, take me to Taco Shop.' You may not be a robot per se, it won't be a robot that gets around the wheel, but the robot will be the car.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638821725341.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"We live in all kinds of automated systems and machinery that are controlled by a code of some sort. And that's exactly the program that we're learning to control our robots in this venue is that coding skill, where it's a step-by-step list of instructions to tell the robot what to do. Same exact code in your vehicle that tells you that, that says to apply the brakes, if it sees obstacle avoidance or something in front, or don't go into this lane, because there's a warning. ... Somebody wrote the code to that, that gives you that warning that something's behind you or to your right or left or even gets dark than the headlights turn on. It's all code."But he said it all begins with basic educational efforts."This is kind of a starting point for kids to start," Mortiz said. It's relevant for kids just because it launches them into a lot of different robotics, careers and computing careers for coding. ... Even if they don't want to code robots they can sell them, they can pair them, they could use them, they could design them, they could paint them. Robots are going to be everywhere and they can be a part of that."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638821639845.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Step by step, area teachers learn coding with Lego robots

Remembering Russell, Kan., native and American statesman Bob Dole.

Video by Jordan Schaeffer. All photos public domain

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RyOUSTOodLY"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Remembering Russell, Kan., native and American statesman Bob Dole.Video by Jordan Schaeffer. All photos public domain

🎥 Remembering Russell native Bob Dole

By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher Do looks really matter? This topic is better suited to philosophers, but a series of observations from my trip to the Baltics earlier this year with Kansas Farm Bureau’s Casten Fellows Program has had me questioning my belief that if something works, it does not matter if it looks good. I have pondered the value of aesthetics in the spaces where we spend our time and the possessions with which we fill them. Maybe the most important part of this realization has been that the aesthetics of the environments we create and spend time in are not just a reflection of a person, they also reflect into the person. This realization came slowly, pieced together from some of the most obvious parts of our trip to this northern region of Europe. Everywhere we went we saw flowers. Not small or neutral toned flowers, but big, vibrant flowers. We knew people in this region had a particular connection to nature, but this was also much further north than where I grew up in Wisconsin. I know how hard it is to grow beautiful flowers there because it is a cold region. Why would people in a cold region have so many beautiful, colorful flowers? It was more than flowers and artfully designed landscaping. Everywhere I looked, there was beauty and happiness; greenhouses dotting most back yards; spaces that were well kept, cozy and lived-in. The pride and joy the Baltic people had in their homes, businesses and whole country was obvious everywhere we looked. The most surprising part of the realization came close to the end of the trip: There was a constant feeling of contentment, relaxation and joy. Even after almost two weeks of travel, experience overload and long days, I just felt happy and peaceful because everything was so nice. The Baltics are not a country filled with material possessions or dependent on a need for new fueled by vanity or greed. They appreciate old and historic because it is what they have. The realities of communism during Soviet occupation are a not so distant memory. They fought for the freedom to make things their own, they are grateful to be able to ability to maintain them and want to live in places that are functional, beautiful and bring them joy. I returned home with a burst of energy to show more pride of ownership and appreciation for my own home, but knew I needed to start small because I was on my own for the project during harvest. I decided to fix the very short section of fence that adorns the entrance to our driveway. It had been rep­­­­ainted so many times it was a decaying eyesore. I don’t have space to recount the whole humorous story, but you can imagine how it went by my new title of “Lumberjack Princess.” Tired, dirty and a little banged-up, I knew that my observations had been correct. My idea, my work, my perseverance, made the fence even more beautiful in the moment. Even after a few months, I smile every time I drive in the yard or think about the project because I made that. And I know now that rest of the world can somehow tell that, even if it is just from the way it looks. My momentum from the fence build has grown in this Christmas season. A visitor or passerby at my home will now see a site I never expected to create at a farmhouse so far off the beaten path: an amateur-built, festively decorated welcoming fence. The effort we make with the look of our world shows pride and brings joy far beyond the recognition that might come from the outside world. My efforts, small or large, are not to impress the world, but for my own fulfillment.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575406519723.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher Do looks really matter? This topic is better suited to philosophers, but a series of observations from my trip to the Baltics earlier this year with Kansas Farm Bureau’s Casten Fellows Program has had me questioning my belief that if something works, it does not matter if it looks good. I have pondered the value of aesthetics in the spaces where we spend our time and the possessions with which we fill them. Maybe the most important part of this realization has been that the aesthetics of the environments we create and spend time in are not just a reflection of a person, they also reflect into the person. This realization came slowly, pieced together from some of the most obvious parts of our trip to this northern region of Europe. Everywhere we went we saw flowers. Not small or neutral toned flowers, but big, vibrant flowers. We knew people in this region had a particular connection to nature, but this was also much further north than where I grew up in Wisconsin. I know how hard it is to grow beautiful flowers there because it is a cold region. Why would people in a cold region have so many beautiful, colorful flowers? It was more than flowers and artfully designed landscaping. Everywhere I looked, there was beauty and happiness; greenhouses dotting most back yards; spaces that were well kept, cozy and lived-in. The pride and joy the Baltic people had in their homes, businesses and whole country was obvious everywhere we looked. The most surprising part of the realization came close to the end of the trip: There was a constant feeling of contentment, relaxation and joy. Even after almost two weeks of travel, experience overload and long days, I just felt happy and peaceful because everything was so nice. The Baltics are not a country filled with material possessions or dependent on a need for new fueled by vanity or greed. They appreciate old and historic because it is what they have. The realities of communism during Soviet occupation are a not so distant memory. They fought for the freedom to make things their own, they are grateful to be able to ability to maintain them and want to live in places that are functional, beautiful and bring them joy. I returned home with a burst of energy to show more pride of ownership and appreciation for my own home, but knew I needed to start small because I was on my own for the project during harvest. I decided to fix the very short section of fence that adorns the entrance to our driveway. It had been rep­­­­ainted so many times it was a decaying eyesore. I don’t have space to recount the whole humorous story, but you can imagine how it went by my new title of “Lumberjack Princess.” Tired, dirty and a little banged-up, I knew that my observations had been correct. My idea, my work, my perseverance, made the fence even more beautiful in the moment. Even after a few months, I smile every time I drive in the yard or think about the project because I made that. And I know now that rest of the world can somehow tell that, even if it is just from the way it looks. My momentum from the fence build has grown in this Christmas season. A visitor or passerby at my home will now see a site I never expected to create at a farmhouse so far off the beaten path: an amateur-built, festively decorated welcoming fence. The effort we make with the look of our world shows pride and brings joy far beyond the recognition that might come from the outside world. My efforts, small or large, are not to impress the world, but for my own fulfillment."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Pride in ownership

Three-day weather outlook

David Clingan will join Grow Hays in the newly created position of Director of Recruitment and Retention.&nbsp; He will be responsible for establishing and conducting Grow Hays efforts for recruitment of new organizations to the community including commercial, industrial and retail entities. Duties will also include developing and maintaining relationships with existing businesses to understand needs, ensure retention and explore opportunities for expansion.

David has worked extensively in the retail sector as a store manager with Walmart, Target and Home Depot. Most recently David has served as the Major Gifts and Planned Giving Officer for Developmental Services of Western Kansas. David, his wife Jessica and two daughters, Elizabeth and Savannah, have made Hays their home for eight years.

“We had a number of very qualified applicants for this position” said Doug Williams, Executive Director of Grow Hays. “This made the decision a difficult one, but we are confident that David has the combination of real-world experience and commitment to the community that will allow him to do a great job. We are eager for him to get started and to engage with prospective organizations looking to locate in Ellis County as well as working with existing companies in our community."

Grow Hays Inc. is a nonprofit organization aimed at advancing the economic health and vitality of Ellis County and Western Kansas. Known for its efforts to promote a robust local economy through business creation, retention, expansion, and recruitment, Grow Hays has offered instrumental support toward numerous community successes, including the recently completed convention center, development of innovative job training initiatives, and BriefSpace, a coworking space and business incubator located in downtown Hays. Grow Hays also administers a housing redevelopment program and training programs designed to offer skilled-trade training to area workers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638918368680.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Grow HaysDavid Clingan will join Grow Hays in the newly created position of Director of Recruitment and Retention.&nbsp; He will be responsible for establishing and conducting Grow Hays efforts for recruitment of new organizations to the community including commercial, industrial and retail entities. Duties will also include developing and maintaining relationships with existing businesses to understand needs, ensure retention and explore opportunities for expansion.David has worked extensively in the retail sector as a store manager with Walmart, Target and Home Depot. Most recently David has served as the Major Gifts and Planned Giving Officer for Developmental Services of Western Kansas. David, his wife Jessica and two daughters, Elizabeth and Savannah, have made Hays their home for eight years.“We had a number of very qualified applicants for this position” said Doug Williams, Executive Director of Grow Hays. “This made the decision a difficult one, but we are confident that David has the combination of real-world experience and commitment to the community that will allow him to do a great job. We are eager for him to get started and to engage with prospective organizations looking to locate in Ellis County as well as working with existing companies in our community."Clingan will begin January 3rd, 2022.Grow Hays Inc. is a nonprofit organization aimed at advancing the economic health and vitality of Ellis County and Western Kansas. Known for its efforts to promote a robust local economy through business creation, retention, expansion, and recruitment, Grow Hays has offered instrumental support toward numerous community successes, including the recently completed convention center, development of innovative job training initiatives, and BriefSpace, a coworking space and business incubator located in downtown Hays. Grow Hays also administers a housing redevelopment program and training programs designed to offer skilled-trade training to area workers.

Grow Hays hires director of recruitment and retention

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Akin and Olubukola Ogunsakin moved to Hays from Nigeria six months ago so Olubukola could work at Hays Med as a nurse.

Their children, two boys and a girl, don't have coats, scarves, hats or gloves. They didn't need those clothing items living in Africa. 

They took advantage of a clothing and toy giveaway Tuesday at Lincoln Elementary School to find some of theses items for their children.

"It's in the spirit of Christmas," Olubukola said. "I think it is a very good thing. We have this gift, and we are happy to be here."

She said the family loves Hays. The community focuses on family and&nbsp; is not crowded or rough, she said.

Marla and Shelby Waterhouse also picked out gifts and clothing for their son and daughter. 

"It means a lot," Marla said. "The kids grow fast. It's hard to keep them in clothes. We bought a bunch at the first of school and now half of them don't fit any more."

More than 20 families with 34 children were assisted through the event. The staff at Lincoln reached out through CarePortal and local churches donated new toys and new or gently used clothing for the children. 

More than $2,000 in monetary donations were also given.

The families were able to chose a toy for each child in the family and up to seven clothing items.

Volunteers both worked before the event to sort items and during the event to help families find and box their items. An interpreter was on hand to help parents whose native language is Spanish.

Daphne Brown, Lincoln counselor, said the need for these items is great. Lincoln has the highest rate of low-income students among the elementary schools in the Hays district.

"I had a student come to school with only one shoe," she said. "I keep things in my office for those instances, but I can't handle it all. This helps."

Kerri Lacy, principal,&nbsp; said conducting this event is part of the school's larger school redesign, which focus on improving family and community partnerships with the school.

"One thing we have learned is in order to increase the success of our students is to recognize the importance of educating the 'whole student,' and this may not always mean core instruction is first," she said. "For instance, if a child is hungry or worried about where they will sleep at night, there is no way they will be successful in school that day.

"Families everywhere are struggling, and if we can help ease some of that stress and build relationships, our students will be more successful than ever before.  

"Building the partnerships with community businesses and resources makes this a more achievable goal for everyone.  The Hays community really pulled through with this project. The donations and support we received made this event possible" 

&nbsp;Lacy said the families have expressed their gratitude for the event. 

"The response we had was just awesome as far as the comments that we hear and [the families] thanking us," she said. "We're just happy to do it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638392028690.jpeg" alt="Akin and Olubukola Ogunsakin, parents of Lincoln students, pick out some socks for their children at a clothing and toy giveaway at the school Tuesday night. " />
 <figcaption>Akin and Olubukola Ogunsakin, parents of Lincoln students, pick out some socks for their children at a clothing and toy giveaway at the school Tuesday night. </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAkin and Olubukola Ogunsakin moved to Hays from Nigeria six months ago so Olubukola could work at Hays Med as a nurse.Their children, two boys and a girl, don't have coats, scarves, hats or gloves. They didn't need those clothing items living in Africa. They took advantage of a clothing and toy giveaway Tuesday at Lincoln Elementary School to find some of theses items for their children."It's in the spirit of Christmas," Olubukola said. "I think it is a very good thing. We have this gift, and we are happy to be here."She said the family loves Hays. The community focuses on family and&nbsp; is not crowded or rough, she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638392339945.jpeg" alt="Marla and Shelby Waterhouse pick out a jacket for one of their children at a toy and clothing give away Tuesday at Lincoln Elementary School. The event was supported by local churches. " />
 <figcaption>Marla and Shelby Waterhouse pick out a jacket for one of their children at a toy and clothing give away Tuesday at Lincoln Elementary School. The event was supported by local churches. </figcaption>
 </figure>Marla and Shelby Waterhouse also picked out gifts and clothing for their son and daughter. "It means a lot," Marla said. "The kids grow fast. It's hard to keep them in clothes. We bought a bunch at the first of school and now half of them don't fit any more." More than 20 families with 34 children were assisted through the event. The staff at Lincoln reached out through CarePortal and local churches donated new toys and new or gently used clothing for the children. More than $2,000 in monetary donations were also given. The families were able to chose a toy for each child in the family and up to seven clothing items.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638392497660.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Volunteers both worked before the event to sort items and during the event to help families find and box their items. An interpreter was on hand to help parents whose native language is Spanish. Daphne Brown, Lincoln counselor, said the need for these items is great. Lincoln has the highest rate of low-income students among the elementary schools in the Hays district."I had a student come to school with only one shoe," she said. "I keep things in my office for those instances, but I can't handle it all. This helps."Kerri Lacy, principal,&nbsp; said conducting this event is part of the school's larger school redesign, which focus on improving family and community partnerships with the school. "One thing we have learned is in order to increase the success of our students is to recognize the importance of educating the 'whole student,' and this may not always mean core instruction is first," she said. "For instance, if a child is hungry or worried about where they will sleep at night, there is no way they will be successful in school that day."Families everywhere are struggling, and if we can help ease some of that stress and build relationships, our students will be more successful than ever before. "Building the partnerships with community businesses and resources makes this a more achievable goal for everyone. The Hays community really pulled through with this project. The donations and support we received made this event possible" &nbsp;Lacy said the families have expressed their gratitude for the event. "The response we had was just awesome as far as the comments that we hear and [the families] thanking us," she said. "We're just happy to do it."

Christmas comes early for some Lincoln Elementary families

In his 17 years of teaching at Fort Hays State University, Terry Crull has taken choral groups all around the country – and beyond – to perform.

Each one is special, but Crull, director of choral activities, admits the trip his students are taking to Hawaii this week is one for the ages.

The FHSU Singers, a 26-member premier ensemble, will sing the Star-Spangled Banner at the 80th anniversary of the Japanese bombing of U.S. naval forces at Pearl Harbor. An entourage of nearly 100 people will be on hand to watch the singers perform at 8:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. Central time) at the Aviation Museum near the USS Arizona Memorial.

The FHSU group will sing several patriotic and gospel songs popular in the 1940s.&nbsp;

Music Celebrations International, a tour company that has booked several trips for FHSU in the past, contacted Crull and asked Fort Hays State to represent Kansas at the event.

A Hays floral shop, Flowers by Frances, designed and donated a Sunflower Memorial Wreath for a fundraiser for the trip.

Donors — no matter how large or how small the donation — could request a service member’s name from any branch of U.S. military service, living or deceased, to be written on one of the wreath’s petals. Crull said that more than 400 names adorn the wreath, which will hang on permanent display in the&nbsp;Kansas section of the Visitor’s Center at Pearl Harbor.

Crull scheduled three other performances for his students on the trip. They sang at a church worship service Sunday and were to perform at an outdoor concert in Honolulu Monday night and near the USS Bowfin, a submarine that fought in the Pacific war during World War II, on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638829772043.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsIn his 17 years of teaching at Fort Hays State University, Terry Crull has taken choral groups all around the country – and beyond – to perform.Each one is special, but Crull, director of choral activities, admits the trip his students are taking to Hawaii this week is one for the ages.The FHSU Singers, a 26-member premier ensemble, will sing the Star-Spangled Banner at the 80th anniversary of the Japanese bombing of U.S. naval forces at Pearl Harbor. An entourage of nearly 100 people will be on hand to watch the singers perform at 8:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. Central time) at the Aviation Museum near the USS Arizona Memorial.<div><iframe title="FHSU choirs helping commemorate Pearl Harbor attacks" 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=c5c8m-114c4ef-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>The FHSU group will sing several patriotic and gospel songs popular in the 1940s.&nbsp;Music Celebrations International, a tour company that has booked several trips for FHSU in the past, contacted Crull and asked Fort Hays State to represent Kansas at the event.A Hays floral shop, Flowers by Frances, designed and donated a Sunflower Memorial Wreath for a fundraiser for the trip.Donors — no matter how large or how small the donation — could request a service member’s name from any branch of U.S. military service, living or deceased, to be written on one of the wreath’s petals. Crull said that more than 400 names adorn the wreath, which will hang on permanent display in the&nbsp;Kansas section of the Visitor’s Center at Pearl Harbor.Crull scheduled three other performances for his students on the trip. They sang at a church worship service Sunday and were to perform at an outdoor concert in Honolulu Monday night and near the USS Bowfin, a submarine that fought in the Pacific war during World War II, on Wednesday.

🎙Fort Hays State choral group to perform at Pearl Harbor anniversary

U.S. crude prices posted their sixth consecutive loss on Friday, with the near-month contract for light sweet crude on the Nymex settling at $66.26 per barrel. That's down nearly two dollars from a week earlier and more than $17 lower than the settlement price on October 25, the last time weekly prices rose. Crude traders took an optimistic turn on Monday, with prices rising more than two percent in New York and London. The benchmark Nymex contract gained $1.61 to $67.87 per barrel in mid-morning trading Monday. London Brent was up $1.69 to $71.57. The OPEC-Plus group of crude-oil exporters opted to continue with their gradual output increases next month, and the Saudis have raised prices again. CEO Amin Nasser of Saudi Aramco said last week the market has overreacted to the new Omicron variant of the COVID virus. According to a Bloomberg report, Nasser said he was "very optimistic about demand." Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped a quarter per barrel on Friday (12/3), and will start the week at &nbsp;$56.50 per barrel. That's down two dollars a barrel from a week ago. Kansas Common started the month of December nearly twenty dollars lower than the month before. The average price for the month was just over $68.34 per barrel, about $37 a barrel higher than a year ago. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports drilling activity in Kansas is up more than 87% compared to last year at this time based on the number of new wells spudded. For the first 48 weeks of the year, there are 983 new wells, compared to just 524 during the same week in 2020. The number of active operators in the state is up more than 40% at 233. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 15 active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, which is up one for the week, and 27 west of Wichita, which is unchanged. Drilling is underway at one well in Barton County and one in Ellis County. Operators were about to spud new wells on one lease in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes shows 569 active drilling rigs, which is unchanged from last week in the aggregate. But the state count in New Mexico was up five while Texas and Louisiana were each down two.&nbsp; Kansas regulators last week approved 25 new drilling permits, 16 in eastern Kansas and nine west of Wichita, including two in Barton County. There are 1084 new drilling locations on the books so far this year in Kansas. Operators in Kansas completed 25 new wells last week, 865 so far this year. There were 15 new well-completions in eastern Kansas and ten in the western half of the state, including one in Stafford County. State regulators reports new intent-to-drill notices are down for the month but well above the total a year ago.&nbsp; The Kansas Corporation Commission says 133 new intents were filed in November, compared to 159 in October, and just 41 in November of 2021 bringing the total so far this year to 1,160. That's more than double the total of 509 filed through November of 2020. There are 10 new intents on file in Barton County, three in Ellis County, one in Russell County and two in Stafford County. Oil-by-rail traffic in the U.S. declined for the 12th consecutive week. The Association of American Railroads reports 8,934 carloads of petroleum and petroleum products rolling the rails during the week through November 27th. That's down nearly 15-hundred tankers from the week before, and a 1.5% decrease year-over year. Canadian totals increased by about 500 carloads from the week before, but are down more than three percent year-over year Total domestic rail traffic was down nearly five percent for the week. The trade group says total monthly freight traffic in November increased in 15 of the 20 categories they track. Senior Vice-President John Gray says coal is leading the way, with year-to-date carload totals up more than eleven percent. That's nearly 306,000 carloads more than last year at this time. Gray says the main driver for coal is natural gas prices, which have doubled in the last year.&nbsp; Critics are blasting regulators of the oil-and-gas industry in Texas for new rules aimed at preventing a repeat of last February's deadly freeze. The Railroad Commission of Texas adopted the new rules last week, but they won't be implemented in time for this winter, and the state is still at risk of blackouts. The February storm led to one of the biggest power outages in U.S. history, knocking out electricity to more than 4 million customers and leading to hundreds of deaths. Some homes were left without heat and water for days. CORRECTED, 12:40 p.m. Dec. 7:&nbsp;Our reporting was incorrect. A recent natural-gas rate increase approved by regulators in Oklahoma was not in fact related to the cold snap in February. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is considering a cost-recovery case related to the winter weather events of last February which is still pending. But that case is not about rates, and is unrelated to the rate increase referenced in the report. We regret the error.

CorrectedBy JOHN P. TRETBARU.S. crude prices posted their sixth consecutive loss on Friday, with the near-month contract for light sweet crude on the Nymex settling at $66.26 per barrel. That's down nearly two dollars from a week earlier and more than $17 lower than the settlement price on October 25, the last time weekly prices rose. Crude traders took an optimistic turn on Monday, with prices rising more than two percent in New York and London. The benchmark Nymex contract gained $1.61 to $67.87 per barrel in mid-morning trading Monday. London Brent was up $1.69 to $71.57. The OPEC-Plus group of crude-oil exporters opted to continue with their gradual output increases next month, and the Saudis have raised prices again. CEO Amin Nasser of Saudi Aramco said last week the market has overreacted to the new Omicron variant of the COVID virus. According to a Bloomberg report, Nasser said he was "very optimistic about demand." Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped a quarter per barrel on Friday (12/3), and will start the week at &nbsp;$56.50 per barrel. That's down two dollars a barrel from a week ago. Kansas Common started the month of December nearly twenty dollars lower than the month before. The average price for the month was just over $68.34 per barrel, about $37 a barrel higher than a year ago. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports drilling activity in Kansas is up more than 87% compared to last year at this time based on the number of new wells spudded. For the first 48 weeks of the year, there are 983 new wells, compared to just 524 during the same week in 2020. The number of active operators in the state is up more than 40% at 233. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 15 active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, which is up one for the week, and 27 west of Wichita, which is unchanged. Drilling is underway at one well in Barton County and one in Ellis County. Operators were about to spud new wells on one lease in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes shows 569 active drilling rigs, which is unchanged from last week in the aggregate. But the state count in New Mexico was up five while Texas and Louisiana were each down two.&nbsp; Kansas regulators last week approved 25 new drilling permits, 16 in eastern Kansas and nine west of Wichita, including two in Barton County. There are 1084 new drilling locations on the books so far this year in Kansas. Operators in Kansas completed 25 new wells last week, 865 so far this year. There were 15 new well-completions in eastern Kansas and ten in the western half of the state, including one in Stafford County. State regulators reports new intent-to-drill notices are down for the month but well above the total a year ago.&nbsp; The Kansas Corporation Commission says 133 new intents were filed in November, compared to 159 in October, and just 41 in November of 2021 bringing the total so far this year to 1,160. That's more than double the total of 509 filed through November of 2020. There are 10 new intents on file in Barton County, three in Ellis County, one in Russell County and two in Stafford County. Oil-by-rail traffic in the U.S. declined for the 12th consecutive week. The Association of American Railroads reports 8,934 carloads of petroleum and petroleum products rolling the rails during the week through November 27th. That's down nearly 15-hundred tankers from the week before, and a 1.5% decrease year-over year. Canadian totals increased by about 500 carloads from the week before, but are down more than three percent year-over year Total domestic rail traffic was down nearly five percent for the week. The trade group says total monthly freight traffic in November increased in 15 of the 20 categories they track. Senior Vice-President John Gray says coal is leading the way, with year-to-date carload totals up more than eleven percent. That's nearly 306,000 carloads more than last year at this time. Gray says the main driver for coal is natural gas prices, which have doubled in the last year.&nbsp; Critics are blasting regulators of the oil-and-gas industry in Texas for new rules aimed at preventing a repeat of last February's deadly freeze. The Railroad Commission of Texas adopted the new rules last week, but they won't be implemented in time for this winter, and the state is still at risk of blackouts. The February storm led to one of the biggest power outages in U.S. history, knocking out electricity to more than 4 million customers and leading to hundreds of deaths. Some homes were left without heat and water for days. CORRECTED, 12:40 p.m. Dec. 7:&nbsp;Our reporting was incorrect. A recent natural-gas rate increase approved by regulators in Oklahoma was not in fact related to the cold snap in February. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is considering a cost-recovery case related to the winter weather events of last February which is still pending. But that case is not about rates, and is unrelated to the rate increase referenced in the report. We regret the error.

News From the Oil Patch: OPEC+ continues output increases

COLBY — The Colby/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce shares that Tami Clymer, who has served as the president/CEO since 2016, has announced her resignation due to her husband’s illness. She plans to remain as active as she can during the transition, aiding the chamber board of directors with their search until they are able to find a permanent replacement.

During Clymer’s tenure, the chamber has seen growth with member enrollment, participation, and benefits, including the launch of a chamber-offered insurance program. Clymer has been an active part of many community conversations and endeavors, as well as with the chamber industry at a state and regional level.&nbsp;

“Under Tami Clymer’s leadership, the chamber has become a stronger entity impacting the local economy and the lives of so many,” said Board Chair Kaylin Wiens. “While we are sad she will be leaving this role, we understand it is in her best interest. We wish only the best to her and her family.”

In addition to Tami’s resignation, Wiens also noted a change with the interim leadership.&nbsp;

“In August, we hired Tammy Wellbrock to serve as interim president/CEO to help with office coverage during Tami Clymer’s absence for the remainder of the year. Tammy Wellbrock may continue to assist us on individual projects, but she will no longer serve in the interim capacity after December.

“The chamber board is appreciative of the leadership provided by both professionals, and they are leaving a strong organization founded on a successful past. Now our focus is to hire a new individual who can continue leading our chamber forward.”

The chamber board is accepting applications for the president/CEO until the position is filled. For a complete job description, contact Wiens at kpwiens@abtbank.com. Resumes, along with three references, can be sent to: 
Kaylin Wiens 
Chamber Board President 
650 N. Grant Ave. 
Colby, KS 67701

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638800777972.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseCOLBY — The Colby/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce shares that Tami Clymer, who has served as the president/CEO since 2016, has announced her resignation due to her husband’s illness. She plans to remain as active as she can during the transition, aiding the chamber board of directors with their search until they are able to find a permanent replacement.During Clymer’s tenure, the chamber has seen growth with member enrollment, participation, and benefits, including the launch of a chamber-offered insurance program. Clymer has been an active part of many community conversations and endeavors, as well as with the chamber industry at a state and regional level.&nbsp;“Under Tami Clymer’s leadership, the chamber has become a stronger entity impacting the local economy and the lives of so many,” said Board Chair Kaylin Wiens. “While we are sad she will be leaving this role, we understand it is in her best interest. We wish only the best to her and her family.”In addition to Tami’s resignation, Wiens also noted a change with the interim leadership.&nbsp;“In August, we hired Tammy Wellbrock to serve as interim president/CEO to help with office coverage during Tami Clymer’s absence for the remainder of the year. Tammy Wellbrock may continue to assist us on individual projects, but she will no longer serve in the interim capacity after December.“The chamber board is appreciative of the leadership provided by both professionals, and they are leaving a strong organization founded on a successful past. Now our focus is to hire a new individual who can continue leading our chamber forward.”The chamber board is accepting applications for the president/CEO until the position is filled. For a complete job description, contact Wiens at kpwiens@abtbank.com. Resumes, along with three references, can be sent to: 
Kaylin Wiens 
Chamber Board President 
650 N. Grant Ave. 
Colby, KS 67701

Colby/Thomas CO. chamber to begin president/CEO search

Optimist Club sponsors Wednesday blood drive at Sternberg Museum

United States Department of Agriculture Acting State Director for Rural Development Kansas Dan Fischer this week announced that the USDA is investing $833,664&nbsp;to improve the energy infrastructure&nbsp;in&nbsp;26&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;towns and counties.

Grants were awarded for projects in Tribune, Oakley and Hill City.

The specifics on these Kansas projects include:

USDAUnited States Department of Agriculture Acting State Director for Rural Development Kansas Dan Fischer this week announced that the USDA is investing $833,664&nbsp;to improve the energy infrastructure&nbsp;in&nbsp;26&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;towns and counties.Grants were awarded for projects in Tribune, Oakley and Hill City.The specifics on these Kansas projects include:<ul>
 <li>$177,464 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels at fueling stations owned by the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, Inc., of&nbsp;Horton. This project will increase the amount of ethanol sold by 109,923 gallons per year.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$15,000 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels for a Hoard Oil fueling station in&nbsp;Courtland. This project will increase the amount of ethanol sold by 14,301 gallons per year.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$84,002 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels at Skyland Grain, LLC, fueling stations in&nbsp;Preston,&nbsp;Cunningham, and&nbsp;Moscow. This project will increase the amount of ethanol sold by 668,205 gallons per year.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$4,990 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to install an 8 kW rooftop solar array on the main building of Red Rock Guest Ranch, an existing bed &amp; breakfast facility in&nbsp;Soldier. This project will realize $1,792.17 per year in savings and will replace 15,584 kWh, equating to 44 percent of annual energy use and enough energy to power one house.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$30,525 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install an air compressor, HVAC and LED lighting for Hix Corporation of&nbsp;Pittsburg. The project is estimated to save 134,702 kWh per year, equating to 24.67 percent of annual usage. This is enough energy to power 12 homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$29,077 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a&nbsp;ventilation and heating system and energy efficient lighting for Niece Products of&nbsp;Fort Scott. The project is estimated to save 118,883,847.9 BTUs per year. This equates to 12.61 percent of their annual energy usage, enough to power 4.5 homes for a year.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$32,287 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install solar equipment for The Wrays, LLC, a trucking dealership in&nbsp;Sawyer. The project is estimated to replace 65,580 kWh per year, equating to 149.88 percent of their annual energy usage, enough energy to power six homes.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$10,247 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of an 18 kW rooftop mounted solar array.&nbsp; The project is estimated to replace 24,185 kWh per year. This equates to 92.15 percent of its energy usage and is enough energy to power two homes. Arrowhead Animal Clinic P.A., of&nbsp;Wellington, currently has nine employees.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$45,234 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to make energy efficiency improvements with the purchase and installation of refrigeration equipment, walk-in freezer and LED lighting retrofit in existing freezer cases. Clasen, LLC, operates an existing grocery store in&nbsp;Anthony. This project will realize $12,564 per year in electricity savings and will replace 132,730 kWh, 79.93 percent of annual use, which is enough electricity to power twelve homes.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$5,044 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install solar equipment for Duane Seiler, an agricultural producer in&nbsp;Colwich. The project is estimated to replace 9,660 kWh per year, equating to 100 percent of his annual energy usage.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$6,200 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 15 kW rooftop solar array for Steven Walker, a beef cattle rancher and farmer in&nbsp;Moline. The project is estimated to replace 18,117 kWh per year, equating to 128.36 percent of his annual energy usage and is enough energy to power one home.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$24,800 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install solar equipment at Harvest Ag Fabricating, LLC, of&nbsp;Moundridge. The project will replace 73,926 kWh per year, equating to 98.06 percent of their annual energy usage and is enough energy to power six homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$45,979 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install solar equipment for K.C. Pumpkin Patch, LLC, a winery in&nbsp;Olathe. The project is estimated to replace 84,662 kWh per year, equating to 88.78 percent of their annual energy usage and is enough energy to power seven homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$20,000 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 15 kW Bergey wind turbine at 3M Farms, LLC, of&nbsp;Tribune. The system is estimated to produce 51,808 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough electricity to power four homes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$42,286 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install energy efficient freezers for Bob's Super Saver, Inc., a chain of grocery stores inEmporia. The project is estimated to save 260,587 kWh per year, equating to 8.07 percent of their annual energy usage. This is enough energy to power 24 homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$27,800 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install solar equipment for Bold, LLC, a freight company in&nbsp;Hutchinson. The project is estimated to replace 73,513 kWh per year, equating to 99.55 percent of their annual energy usage and is enough energy to power six homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$8,074 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install energy efficient lighting and HVAC at Seirer's Clothing, a retail clothing store in&nbsp;Lincoln Center. The project is estimated to save 9,869 kWh per year, equating to 49.84 percent of their annual energy usage and is enough energy to power almost one home.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$10,939 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Iron Clad, LLC, a shared workspace and event rental space in&nbsp;Wamego, to purchase and install a 23.2 kW rooftop mounted solar array. The project is estimated to replace 30,984 kWh per year. This equates to 86.94 percent of its energy usage and is enough energy to power two homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$36,218 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to make energy efficiency improvements with the purchase and installation of refrigeration equipment and LED lighting in existing freezers at Jamboree Foods of Atwood, Inc., a grocery store in&nbsp;Oakley.&nbsp;This project will realize $10,142 per year in savings and will replace 113,696 kWh of energy, equating to 69.56 percent of annual energy use. Enough electricity to power ten homes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$19,962 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Jamboree Foods of Norton, Inc. to make energy efficiency improvements with the purchase and installation of refrigeration equipment for an existing grocery store in&nbsp;Hill City. This project will realize $11,658 per year in savings and will replace 79,515 kWh, or 72.6 percent annual usage, which is enough electricity to power seven homes.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$17,943 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Janece Vathauer, the owner of a grain farming operation in&nbsp;Barnes, to purchase an electric conveyor belt that will replace a diesel auger. The project is estimated to save 6,088 kWh per year. This equates to 87.74 percent electrical savings.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$9,903 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 9 kW rooftop solar array for Jones Gillam Renz Architects, Inc., an architectural services firm in&nbsp;Salina. The project is estimated to replace 13,446 kWh per year, equating to 87.36 percent of their annual energy usage, enough electricity to power nearly two homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$14,875 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Kelman Enterprises Inc., an ag producer in&nbsp;Sublette, purchase and install a 15 kW Bergey Wind Turbine. This project will save $3,318 per year and will replace 60,328 kWh, or 85 percent of annual consumption, which is enough electricity to power five homes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$20,000 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 15 kW Bergey wind turbine. Mark Cavenee is an ag producer in&nbsp;Tribune. This project will realize $5,296 per year in electricity savings and will replace 54,255 kWh, 97.65 percent of annual usage, which is enough electricity to power five homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$36,889 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to make energy efficiency irrigation improvements for Mull Investments, LP, in&nbsp;Edwards and Kiowa Counties. This project will realize $4,702 per year in electricity savings and will replace 768,257 kWh, 75.9 percent of annual usage.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$6,831 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install HVAC, deli case and other energy efficiency items at Mity Mart, a convenience store in&nbsp;Lincoln Center. The project is estimated to save 7,513 kWh per year, equating to 26.49 percent of their annual energy usage and is enough energy to power almost one home.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$16,220 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Sandhills Development, LLC, a software company in&nbsp;Hutchinson, to purchase and install a 36 kW rooftop mounted solar array. The project is estimated to replace 46,959 kWh per year. This equates to 80.44 percent of its energy usage and is enough energy to power four homes.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$14,875 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Thomas L. Lahey, an ag producer in&nbsp;Moscow, to purchase and install a 15 kW Bergey wind turbine. This project will realize $5,224 per year in savings and will replace 59,328 kWh, 100 percent of annual usage, which is enough electricity to power five homes.</li>
 </ul>

NW Kan. communities receive grants for infrastructure improvements

On this special episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman remembers Bob Dole with an interview recorded during his trip to Russell in 2014.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmbMifH7PdA&amp;t=31s">The original interview can be seen by clicking here.</a>

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Bob Dole Tribute" allowtransparency="true" height="600" 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=dpzqn-114c46d-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this special episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman remembers Bob Dole with an interview recorded during his trip to Russell in 2014.Dole died Sunday at age 98.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmbMifH7PdA&amp;t=31s">The original interview can be seen by clicking here.</a>

🎤Forward Ever: Bob Dole Tribute

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Monday reported 31 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Friday.

KDHE also reported an additional coronavirus-related death of an Ellis County resident, bringing the total to 76.

As of Monday morning, HaysMed reported 25 COVID-19 inpatients, up from 15 Friday.

The KDHE reported Friday 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents are fully vaccinated, noting the vaccination rate for the eligible Kansas population (12 and older) is approximately 65 percent.

Since reporting began, there have been 4,959 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 76 coronavirus-related deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638813910269.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Monday reported 31 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Friday.<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.KDHE also reported an additional coronavirus-related death of an Ellis County resident, bringing the total to 76.As of Monday morning, HaysMed reported 25 COVID-19 inpatients, up from 15 Friday.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3fbf9a1d-9473-48af-add6-ac3dfce7c3b6">RELATED: HaysMed releases November COVID stats</a>The KDHE reported Friday 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents are fully vaccinated, noting the vaccination rate for the eligible Kansas population (12 and older) is approximately 65 percent.Since reporting began, there have been 4,959 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 76 coronavirus-related deaths.

KDHE: 31 new COVID cases, additional death in Ellis Co. since Friday

HaysMed on Monday released COVID-19 statistics for the month of November.

The numbers reflect all COVID-19 admissions, not just those patients residing in Ellis County.

There were 67 total COVID inpatient admissions, with an average age of 60. Just less than two-thirds of the admissions were male patients. Fourteen of the admissions were Ellis County residents.

There were four COVID-related deaths in the month of November.

Fifty-six of the 67 patients admitted were unvaccinated, while two were partially vaccinated.&nbsp;

As of Monday morning, there were 25 COVID inpatients at HaysMed.

HaysMed on Monday released COVID-19 statistics for the month of November.The numbers reflect all COVID-19 admissions, not just those patients residing in Ellis County.There were 67 total COVID inpatient admissions, with an average age of 60. Just less than two-thirds of the admissions were male patients. Fourteen of the admissions were Ellis County residents.There were four COVID-related deaths in the month of November.Fifty-six of the 67 patients admitted were unvaccinated, while two were partially vaccinated.&nbsp;As of Monday morning, there were 25 COVID inpatients at HaysMed.

HaysMed releases November COVID statistics

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger.

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Kan. Sen. Rick Billinger" 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=jcz9k-114b8a1-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 Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger.

🎤Forward Ever: Kansas Senator Rick Billinger

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger shares details about a recently awarded leadership grant.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

A recent
grant to the Hays Chamber will help strengthen leadership in the area president
and CEO Sarah Wasinger stops by to talk to us about that and more on this
episode of the Post Podcast.

I don't
know if you've heard but the chamber was awarded a leadership transformation
grant from the Kansas Leadership Center. 

Oh, very
cool. No, I hadn't heard about this. I don't know anything about this. What is
it again.

So it's
a leadership Transformation Grant, the Kansas Leadership Center is based out of
Wichita, Kansas. And part of their focus is working with community partnerships
to really expand leadership principles and concepts across the state of Kansas.
And last year, our chamber was successful in receiving 46 spots for from them.
And we're very close to utilizing all those spots up this year. And the grant
that we wrote for 2022, however, we wrote a grant for 50 spots, and we were
awarded those spots, which is very exciting. Nice. So leadership Haze is
actually something that many of our listeners might be familiar with. It's a
leadership program that was started by the Chamber, the Hays area, Chamber of
Commerce, then, um, to really just help businesses and organizations help their
folks that are maybe at the beginning of their careers in the middle or, you
know, even the seasoned pros, bringing folks together to talk about leadership
concepts, how we work together as a community to address issues, or needs, or
just in general to kind of strengthen ourselves and better ourselves. One of
the things that our leadership, hey, students go through is step one of the KLC
process. And that is your leadership edge. And that's a two day course. And
normally yours, we actually take the students to Wichita, Kansas for that, that
because of COVID. Last year, we did that virtually. But we're excited for this
year, because they're going to let us go back to Wichita and take them in
person, again, awesome, they'll have a blended approach. So there might be some
folks who still feel more comfortable doing things virtually. And that's okay.
But we're very excited to have that in person capacity. Again, I can very much
tell you that being an alumni of the leadership Hayes class, that the in person
experiences I felt to be pushed me outside of my comfort zone a little bit
more. And I was probably able to get a little bit more out of my experience
with it.

Well,
sure. I mean, because it's human nature, I think you get uncomfortable and
you've got the screen and all you got to do is close it or shut the camera off.
And but if you're in the room is hard to you can't scrunch down enough to not
get called on sometimes, right,

I'm not
going to hide underneath that chair. But the exciting thing about this is we
are actually in the window right now for folks to turn in applications. So I
was just actually talking to Joe in the lobby. And this is really significant,
because some of these trainings are actually worth $800. Wow. And so we're
actually offering them to folks who fill out the grant application form for
free, I'm really the only investment that they would actually have outside of
of course, their time. And there is a workbook and a guide book that are used
in conjunction with the course nicely enough, those workbooks and guide books
are the same for all three steps of the KLC path. And so you really had that
investment only one time. But December 15 is kind of the deadline that we're
hoping folks will fill out those applications. So we've got a little over two
weeks now. And it's a very simple application, we're just going to ask a little
bit of information from you, kind of what you would hope to gain from the
leadership course and why you're wanting to apply for it. And then as long as
we have enough spots, we'll grant everybody their application. But if we have a
certain amount of spots, we'll of course, look at different things like, you
know, maybe putting a cap on a number of people per employer, or things of that
nature. And we might also look at a few things to, you know, with this person,
I'm taking this leadership course, perhaps set our community up to be a little
bit stronger based on what they're doing. And you know, the different
organizations that they're a part of. So that will all be taken into
consideration. Our hope, then, is to actually have all those spots kind of
identified and communicated back out with folks by the end of this year. And
then I'm really we're gonna give everybody the opportunity to register for
their courses by June 30. Our hope is that if we have them registered by that
point in time, if anyone changes their mind and says, Hey, I applied for this,
but my schedule has changed. I don't think I'll be able to take a course
between now and then that gives us time as a chamber to make sure that we're
utilizing all this 50 spots.

Very
cool. thought of everything. Oh, I get so organized down there at the chamber.

Oh,
well, we try. Except for emails not coming through. We'll work on that. 

Well,
that's probably our system. That's yeah. But very cool. Very cool. Well, um,
so, you know, for now, is there a like a website? Or do you have more
information on your website for this, if people want check it a little bit more
detail?

We do so
they can go to Hayes chamber.com. And then our news and announcements page,
we've got our resources on the right hand side of that page. And there's a 2022
leadership transformation grant application. And for those folks who also kind
of pay attention to our emails and get our news blasts, we'll be sending that
out as well as another attachment in our December newsletter. So a couple of
different reminders Coming out folks this way, and I do believe will anticipate
doing a Facebook post to just to kind of give people another step to apply for
that. But yeah, so they arranged like I said, between 408 $100. So it's
significant value. And quite frankly, I feel like anytime you have a chance to
better yourself, you should do it. A few of the things I did want to talk about
is kind of the core concepts and leadership principles that KLC has. So they
define leadership as an activity and not a position. And they share that anyone
can lead anytime, anywhere, it starts with you and must engage others, and your
purpose must be clear. And last, and probably most important, it's risky. So
Leadership isn't always easy. And so we have to make sure that we are able to
exhibit great patience and understanding with others. So I think those are all
different concepts that I struggle with and try to improve on every day. And
I'd imagine if I had those considerations and things I need a benefit from, and
could improve on that others would, too. And so that's really kind of the why
behind why we applied for the grant. And our hope is to continue to apply for
the leadership Transformation Grant, year after year. So we can keep moving
forward that leadership needle in our community, and give as many businesses
and organizations exposure to those leadership concepts as possible.

Very
cool. Yeah. And you know, I don't know if you want to talk a little bit about
this. But I think for a lot of people, when you when you hear that term
leadership, you think about the old traditional style boss, you know, the
coming down the mountain, somebody's telling you what to do. And that's not
necessarily the entire experience and leadership. It's it can be at any level,
it can be a, you know, an on any size of project, right.

Yeah,
that's more management actually versus leadership. And there's going to be some
great debate and discussion through the courses on that as well. Yeah, well,
they're needed just at different times in different places.

Yeah,
exactly. Love it. All right. Well, Sarah, what else? Well, I think we got to
talk about this. The childcare survey is out now. Ready, ready for people to
take it? I've seen a couple different places that where you can get to that,
right.

Yes. So
thank you so much for bringing that up. Yes, we are working with the childcare
task force of Ellis County and have constructed a survey that takes no more
than 10 minutes, this survey essentially is going to help that task force to be
able to collect data that really gives us a good vantage point as to what needs
access for childcare in our community, how many spots we need, how many more
providers we need, and then that committee will really assess, you know, how do
we support the people who are currently providing childcare? And what things
must we do to possibly incentivize others to do childcare because we, of
course, have people looking for childcare every day. And we know that there's a
lot of waiting lists going on. So the survey is important for people to
understand, you don't just have to be a parent to take it, you could be a
grandparent, you could be an employer, you know, you're going to know the needs
of your staff. And if they're not coming to work, because they don't have
daycare lined up, obviously, you can express that, you know, you know that this
is needed in your community. So the more people we can get to fill that survey
out the better snapshot we get, and we'll be able to start then applying for
grant funds, which we can use to help incentivize and start identifying and
addressing this issue in our community. So it's also critical, I will have that
conversation window open through the end of December. So folks can actually go
to our Facebook page to find a QR code. If they have a cell phone, they can
scan that. Or there's our direct link on that, too.

So funny
story, I actually went and took your survey yesterday. Oh, thank you. And yeah,
you're welcome. I was trying to figure out how I was going to scan the QR code
with my phone because I'm on my phone. And I'm like, huh, and then I saw the
link. I took me a minute, but they're both both way ways are right there in
handy. It just yeah, you got to be smarter than me, I guess, to be able to get
there quickly.

Well,
you know, we wanted it to be as readily accessible as possible, which is why we
gave folks both options. But yes, thank you for bringing that up as well. And
again, our goal is to have about 1000 survey responses if we can, obviously we
have about 20,000 people in Ellis County. So we know that there's going to be a
need for us to collect data for the whole entire county, not just Hayes,
because there are folks coming over from LSE and Victoria getting daycare spots
served on here and Hayes and vice versa. We know we have some families that are
going out of town to for sure.

So
everybody if you're hearing this, take a few minutes go find that survey and do
it. It's really not a big deal. I think you say 10 minutes I think I did mine
in five it's it's quick and easy. It's nothing. No no long form kind of
questions. It's just put it that but the having that data is so vital for the
community.

<div><iframe title="Hays Chamber awarded leadership grant" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=mfkks-1149cd3-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger shares details about a recently awarded leadership grant.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a><h2>Transcript</h2>James Bell&nbsp;
A recent
grant to the Hays Chamber will help strengthen leadership in the area president
and CEO Sarah Wasinger stops by to talk to us about that and more on this
episode of the Post Podcast.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
I don't
know if you've heard but the chamber was awarded a leadership transformation
grant from the Kansas Leadership Center. James Bell&nbsp;
Oh, very
cool. No, I hadn't heard about this. I don't know anything about this. What is
it again.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
So it's
a leadership Transformation Grant, the Kansas Leadership Center is based out of
Wichita, Kansas. And part of their focus is working with community partnerships
to really expand leadership principles and concepts across the state of Kansas.
And last year, our chamber was successful in receiving 46 spots for from them.
And we're very close to utilizing all those spots up this year. And the grant
that we wrote for 2022, however, we wrote a grant for 50 spots, and we were
awarded those spots, which is very exciting. Nice. So leadership Haze is
actually something that many of our listeners might be familiar with. It's a
leadership program that was started by the Chamber, the Hays area, Chamber of
Commerce, then, um, to really just help businesses and organizations help their
folks that are maybe at the beginning of their careers in the middle or, you
know, even the seasoned pros, bringing folks together to talk about leadership
concepts, how we work together as a community to address issues, or needs, or
just in general to kind of strengthen ourselves and better ourselves. One of
the things that our leadership, hey, students go through is step one of the KLC
process. And that is your leadership edge. And that's a two day course. And
normally yours, we actually take the students to Wichita, Kansas for that, that
because of COVID. Last year, we did that virtually. But we're excited for this
year, because they're going to let us go back to Wichita and take them in
person, again, awesome, they'll have a blended approach. So there might be some
folks who still feel more comfortable doing things virtually. And that's okay.
But we're very excited to have that in person capacity. Again, I can very much
tell you that being an alumni of the leadership Hayes class, that the in person
experiences I felt to be pushed me outside of my comfort zone a little bit
more. And I was probably able to get a little bit more out of my experience
with it.James Bell&nbsp;
Well,
sure. I mean, because it's human nature, I think you get uncomfortable and
you've got the screen and all you got to do is close it or shut the camera off.
And but if you're in the room is hard to you can't scrunch down enough to not
get called on sometimes, right,Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
I'm not
going to hide underneath that chair. But the exciting thing about this is we
are actually in the window right now for folks to turn in applications. So I
was just actually talking to Joe in the lobby. And this is really significant,
because some of these trainings are actually worth $800. Wow. And so we're
actually offering them to folks who fill out the grant application form for
free, I'm really the only investment that they would actually have outside of
of course, their time. And there is a workbook and a guide book that are used
in conjunction with the course nicely enough, those workbooks and guide books
are the same for all three steps of the KLC path. And so you really had that
investment only one time. But December 15 is kind of the deadline that we're
hoping folks will fill out those applications. So we've got a little over two
weeks now. And it's a very simple application, we're just going to ask a little
bit of information from you, kind of what you would hope to gain from the
leadership course and why you're wanting to apply for it. And then as long as
we have enough spots, we'll grant everybody their application. But if we have a
certain amount of spots, we'll of course, look at different things like, you
know, maybe putting a cap on a number of people per employer, or things of that
nature. And we might also look at a few things to, you know, with this person,
I'm taking this leadership course, perhaps set our community up to be a little
bit stronger based on what they're doing. And you know, the different
organizations that they're a part of. So that will all be taken into
consideration. Our hope, then, is to actually have all those spots kind of
identified and communicated back out with folks by the end of this year. And
then I'm really we're gonna give everybody the opportunity to register for
their courses by June 30. Our hope is that if we have them registered by that
point in time, if anyone changes their mind and says, Hey, I applied for this,
but my schedule has changed. I don't think I'll be able to take a course
between now and then that gives us time as a chamber to make sure that we're
utilizing all this 50 spots.James Bell&nbsp;
Very
cool. thought of everything. Oh, I get so organized down there at the chamber.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
Oh,
well, we try. Except for emails not coming through. We'll work on that. James Bell&nbsp;
Well,
that's probably our system. That's yeah. But very cool. Very cool. Well, um,
so, you know, for now, is there a like a website? Or do you have more
information on your website for this, if people want check it a little bit more
detail?Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
We do so
they can go to Hayes chamber.com. And then our news and announcements page,
we've got our resources on the right hand side of that page. And there's a 2022
leadership transformation grant application. And for those folks who also kind
of pay attention to our emails and get our news blasts, we'll be sending that
out as well as another attachment in our December newsletter. So a couple of
different reminders Coming out folks this way, and I do believe will anticipate
doing a Facebook post to just to kind of give people another step to apply for
that. But yeah, so they arranged like I said, between 408 $100. So it's
significant value. And quite frankly, I feel like anytime you have a chance to
better yourself, you should do it. A few of the things I did want to talk about
is kind of the core concepts and leadership principles that KLC has. So they
define leadership as an activity and not a position. And they share that anyone
can lead anytime, anywhere, it starts with you and must engage others, and your
purpose must be clear. And last, and probably most important, it's risky. So
Leadership isn't always easy. And so we have to make sure that we are able to
exhibit great patience and understanding with others. So I think those are all
different concepts that I struggle with and try to improve on every day. And
I'd imagine if I had those considerations and things I need a benefit from, and
could improve on that others would, too. And so that's really kind of the why
behind why we applied for the grant. And our hope is to continue to apply for
the leadership Transformation Grant, year after year. So we can keep moving
forward that leadership needle in our community, and give as many businesses
and organizations exposure to those leadership concepts as possible.James Bell&nbsp;
Very
cool. Yeah. And you know, I don't know if you want to talk a little bit about
this. But I think for a lot of people, when you when you hear that term
leadership, you think about the old traditional style boss, you know, the
coming down the mountain, somebody's telling you what to do. And that's not
necessarily the entire experience and leadership. It's it can be at any level,
it can be a, you know, an on any size of project, right.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
Yeah,
that's more management actually versus leadership. And there's going to be some
great debate and discussion through the courses on that as well. Yeah, well,
they're needed just at different times in different places.James Bell&nbsp;
Yeah,
exactly. Love it. All right. Well, Sarah, what else? Well, I think we got to
talk about this. The childcare survey is out now. Ready, ready for people to
take it? I've seen a couple different places that where you can get to that,
right.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
Yes. So
thank you so much for bringing that up. Yes, we are working with the childcare
task force of Ellis County and have constructed a survey that takes no more
than 10 minutes, this survey essentially is going to help that task force to be
able to collect data that really gives us a good vantage point as to what needs
access for childcare in our community, how many spots we need, how many more
providers we need, and then that committee will really assess, you know, how do
we support the people who are currently providing childcare? And what things
must we do to possibly incentivize others to do childcare because we, of
course, have people looking for childcare every day. And we know that there's a
lot of waiting lists going on. So the survey is important for people to
understand, you don't just have to be a parent to take it, you could be a
grandparent, you could be an employer, you know, you're going to know the needs
of your staff. And if they're not coming to work, because they don't have
daycare lined up, obviously, you can express that, you know, you know that this
is needed in your community. So the more people we can get to fill that survey
out the better snapshot we get, and we'll be able to start then applying for
grant funds, which we can use to help incentivize and start identifying and
addressing this issue in our community. So it's also critical, I will have that
conversation window open through the end of December. So folks can actually go
to our Facebook page to find a QR code. If they have a cell phone, they can
scan that. Or there's our direct link on that, too.James Bell&nbsp;
So funny
story, I actually went and took your survey yesterday. Oh, thank you. And yeah,
you're welcome. I was trying to figure out how I was going to scan the QR code
with my phone because I'm on my phone. And I'm like, huh, and then I saw the
link. I took me a minute, but they're both both way ways are right there in
handy. It just yeah, you got to be smarter than me, I guess, to be able to get
there quickly.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
Well,
you know, we wanted it to be as readily accessible as possible, which is why we
gave folks both options. But yes, thank you for bringing that up as well. And
again, our goal is to have about 1000 survey responses if we can, obviously we
have about 20,000 people in Ellis County. So we know that there's going to be a
need for us to collect data for the whole entire county, not just Hayes,
because there are folks coming over from LSE and Victoria getting daycare spots
served on here and Hayes and vice versa. We know we have some families that are
going out of town to for sure.James Bell&nbsp;
So
everybody if you're hearing this, take a few minutes go find that survey and do
it. It's really not a big deal. I think you say 10 minutes I think I did mine
in five it's it's quick and easy. It's nothing. No no long form kind of
questions. It's just put it that but the having that data is so vital for the
community.

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