Hays Community Theatre plans to take audience members on a hilarious journey through the heartland of family memories when it presents the comedy, “Leaving Iowa,” on Feb. 21-23.

Billed as a toast to the undying dedication to the classic family road trip, the comedy will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23 at Hays Community Theatre, 121 E. Eighth Street.

The critically acclaimed play by Tim Clue and Spike Manton focuses on Don Browning, a middle-aged writer who returns home and decides to finally take his father’s ashes to his childhood home. But when Don discovers Grandma’s house is now a grocery store, he begins traveling across Iowa searching for a proper resting place for his father. This father-and-son road trip shifts smoothly from the present day to Don’s memories of the annual vacations of his childhood.&nbsp;

"I think audience members will be able to relate to the frustrating and hilarious situations in which Don finds himself, as well as the crazy characters he meets along the way," said director Bill Gasper. "It also has several touching moments as Don reminisces about his father while expressing a few regrets about his past relationship with him."

The play features a cast of 10, five of whom play family members, while the other five members play multiple roles depicting the various people the family meets on their journey. Portraying family members are Jerrett Leiker, Javier Alonzo, Pamela Grizzell, Brooke Leiker and Carter Stephenson. Taking on the multiple character roles are Arron Hardin, Jessica Hamner, Linda Becker, Adam Conkey and Gene Stramel.

“We have a very talented cast who is doing a great job with this play,” Gasper said. “Principal characters are challenged playing old and young versions of themselves, while the multi-role actors have been asked to create multiple distinct characters.”

Gasper said the staging of the play is somewhat unique as it will take place down the center of the theater with audience members seated on both sides. In scenes in which the family is driving, the car is situated on an elevated area at one end, while all other scenes will take place on the floor.

“This is the first time I’ve directed anything like this,” Gasper said. “I saw this done in a production of the show and felt it would be perfect for this particular venue. I think the audience will really enjoy the close proximity of the actors.”

General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased at <a href="http://www.hctks.com">www.hctks.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739571563857.png" alt="“Leaving Iowa,” a comedy about family vacations will be presented on Feb. 21-23 at Hays Community Theatre, l121 W. Eighth. Cast members are: Front – Gene Stramel, Arron Hardin, Jerrett Leiker, Linda Becker, Jessica Hamner, Adam Conkey. Back – Brooke Leiker, Javier Alonzo, Pam Grizzell, Carter Stephenson." />
 <figcaption>“Leaving Iowa,” a comedy about family vacations will be presented on Feb. 21-23 at Hays Community Theatre, l121 W. Eighth. Cast members are: Front – Gene Stramel, Arron Hardin, Jerrett Leiker, Linda Becker, Jessica Hamner, Adam Conkey. Back – Brooke Leiker, Javier Alonzo, Pam Grizzell, Carter Stephenson.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Community TheatreHays Community Theatre plans to take audience members on a hilarious journey through the heartland of family memories when it presents the comedy, “Leaving Iowa,” on Feb. 21-23.Billed as a toast to the undying dedication to the classic family road trip, the comedy will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23 at Hays Community Theatre, 121 E. Eighth Street.The critically acclaimed play by Tim Clue and Spike Manton focuses on Don Browning, a middle-aged writer who returns home and decides to finally take his father’s ashes to his childhood home. But when Don discovers Grandma’s house is now a grocery store, he begins traveling across Iowa searching for a proper resting place for his father. This father-and-son road trip shifts smoothly from the present day to Don’s memories of the annual vacations of his childhood.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739571684756.png" alt="With his car in the shop, Don (Jerrett Leiker) stops off at the local hotel, where he is greeted by an inebriated patron (Jessica Hamner) and a hotel clerk (Gene Stramel) with a mysterious injury, the cause of which is revealed during the show." />
 <figcaption>With his car in the shop, Don (Jerrett Leiker) stops off at the local hotel, where he is greeted by an inebriated patron (Jessica Hamner) and a hotel clerk (Gene Stramel) with a mysterious injury, the cause of which is revealed during the show.</figcaption>
 </figure>"I think audience members will be able to relate to the frustrating and hilarious situations in which Don finds himself, as well as the crazy characters he meets along the way," said director Bill Gasper. "It also has several touching moments as Don reminisces about his father while expressing a few regrets about his past relationship with him."The play features a cast of 10, five of whom play family members, while the other five members play multiple roles depicting the various people the family meets on their journey. Portraying family members are Jerrett Leiker, Javier Alonzo, Pamela Grizzell, Brooke Leiker and Carter Stephenson. Taking on the multiple character roles are Arron Hardin, Jessica Hamner, Linda Becker, Adam Conkey and Gene Stramel.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739571710154.png" alt="While traveling, Don (Jerrett Leiker) meets up with friend and college professor Jack Singer (Adam Conkey), who describes his thoughts about today’s youth." />
 <figcaption>While traveling, Don (Jerrett Leiker) meets up with friend and college professor Jack Singer (Adam Conkey), who describes his thoughts about today’s youth.</figcaption>
 </figure>“We have a very talented cast who is doing a great job with this play,” Gasper said. “Principal characters are challenged playing old and young versions of themselves, while the multi-role actors have been asked to create multiple distinct characters.”Gasper said the staging of the play is somewhat unique as it will take place down the center of the theater with audience members seated on both sides. In scenes in which the family is driving, the car is situated on an elevated area at one end, while all other scenes will take place on the floor.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739571740677.png" alt="When the car’s starter finally gives out, Don (Jerrett Leiker) visits with mechanics Fred and Jamie (Arron Hardin and Linda Becker), the latter of which performs some interesting celebrity impressions." />
 <figcaption>When the car’s starter finally gives out, Don (Jerrett Leiker) visits with mechanics Fred and Jamie (Arron Hardin and Linda Becker), the latter of which performs some interesting celebrity impressions.</figcaption>
 </figure>“This is the first time I’ve directed anything like this,” Gasper said. “I saw this done in a production of the show and felt it would be perfect for this particular venue. I think the audience will really enjoy the close proximity of the actors.”General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased at <a href="http://www.hctks.com">www.hctks.com</a>.

Hays Community Theatre to present comedy, ‘Leaving Iowa,’ on Feb. 21-23

<a href="https://news.ku.edu/news/article/conquest-of-mexico-chronicles-complex-history-of-spanish-contact-with-new-world">KU News Service</a>

LAWRENCE — The “Conquest of Mexico” is both a misnomer and an oversimplified depiction of history, according to John Schwaller.

“People think there was a plucky group of Spanish swashbucklers who defeated an empire of millions of natives,” said Schwaller, a research adjunct in Latin American studies and history at the University of Kansas and a Hays native.

His new book titled&nbsp;<a href="https://upcolorado.com/inst-meso-studies/item/6653-beyond-cortes-and-montezuma">“Beyond Cortés and Montezuma: The Conquest of Mexico Revisited”</a>&nbsp;was written to set the record straight. The multiauthor effort gathers a diverse collection of scholars from the U.S., Mexico and Europe to examine both European and Nahuatl works, revealing the complex narrative of Spanish contact&nbsp;with the New World and the ensuing conflict, negotiation and cooperation. The book is published by the University Press of Colorado.

Co-edited by Schwaller and Vitus Huber of the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, the book revolves around Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of Montezuma’s Aztec Empire and brought portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century.

This account is part of what scholars now term the “new conquest history.”

“It’s where we stop, step back and look at the other aspects of this story. Let’s look at the guys in the trenches. Let’s look at the participation of the natives. Let’s look at these larger cultural issues. How does that inform our understanding of what went on?” Schwaller said.

Even the word “conquest” is a loaded term.

“My chapter, which is the summary in the book, explores the various monikers. My colleague, Vitus, was strongly in favor of calling it ‘Conquista’ — keep it in scare quotes and call it that because of what the Spaniards did,” he said. “I personally prefer calling it the Spanish Invasion of 1519. We have to put the date on it since there were other Spanish invasions, especially in the 19th century.”

Schwaller said he hopes the book “wakes people up to the fact the myths they learned back in fourth or fifth grade by and large aren’t true.”

For instance, he cites a celebrated (albeit apocryphal) moment in which Cortés rebels against Diego Velázquez,&nbsp;the governor of Cuba. To ensure there is no dissension among his own troops, Cortés burns their ships.

“Except it didn’t quite happen that way,” Schwaller said.

“These ships were probably built in Cuba. They’d been in the water for over two years, which means they had only about 6-8 months left before they would have to be keelhauled and essentially rebuilt. That’s because the tropical waters just destroy the timbers due to all the little beasties that live in it. So they grounded all the ships. They took everything important: the sails, the rope, the nails, the cannons — anything made of metal — and they saved it. The rest was just timber, so they burned it.”

“Beyond Cortés” is based on a series of symposia that Schwaller organized at four different conferences. One of these, the International Congress of Americanists slated to meet in Paris in 2020, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and moved to online. This same group of scholars in the U.S., Mexico and Europe became the book’s contributors.

How did these legendary events of 500 years ago shape the world of today?

“Well, obviously they speak Spanish in Mexico,” said Schwaller, a native of Hays.

“But we must understand that the colonial enterprise the Spaniards launched was built upon the labor of native peoples. There were just never enough Spaniards to get everything done that they wanted to get done. Also, Spaniards didn’t cross the Atlantic in order to go to Mexico to raise pigs. They wanted to become filthy, stinking rich. So they provided a ‘land of opportunity,’ if you will. And the colonial regime which Cortés and the others established was very much built upon the exploitation of native labor and local resources.”

Schwaller returned to Kansas to join KU’s faculty in 2021 after a lengthy career in academia that included serving as president of State University of New York at Potsdam. His past books include “Stations of the Cross in Colonial Mexico: The Via crucis en mexicano by Fray Agustin de Vetancurt and the Spread of a Devotion,” “The Fifteenth Month: Aztec History in the Rituals of Panquetzaliztli” and “The First Letter from New Spain: The Lost Petition of Cortés and His Company, June 20, 1519.”

“My work started with studies of the Catholic Church, and then I learned the Aztec language as a graduate student and started really focusing on language documents,” Schwaller said.

“When you put it all into a blender, what comes out is this nexus of religion, religious practice, language and culture that defines my research.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739548008023.jpeg" alt="John Schwaller is a Hays native and a research adjunct in Latin American studies and history at the University of Kansas. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>John Schwaller is a Hays native and a research adjunct in Latin American studies and history at the University of Kansas. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://news.ku.edu/news/article/conquest-of-mexico-chronicles-complex-history-of-spanish-contact-with-new-world">KU News Service</a> LAWRENCE — The “Conquest of Mexico” is both a misnomer and an oversimplified depiction of history, according to John Schwaller.“People think there was a plucky group of Spanish swashbucklers who defeated an empire of millions of natives,” said Schwaller, a research adjunct in Latin American studies and history at the University of Kansas and a Hays native.“That’s not exactly accurate.”His new book titled&nbsp;<a href="https://upcolorado.com/inst-meso-studies/item/6653-beyond-cortes-and-montezuma">“Beyond Cortés and Montezuma: The Conquest of Mexico Revisited”</a>&nbsp;was written to set the record straight. The multiauthor effort gathers a diverse collection of scholars from the U.S., Mexico and Europe to examine both European and Nahuatl works, revealing the complex narrative of Spanish contact&nbsp;with the New World and the ensuing conflict, negotiation and cooperation. The book is published by the University Press of Colorado.Co-edited by Schwaller and Vitus Huber of the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, the book revolves around Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of Montezuma’s Aztec Empire and brought portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century.This account is part of what scholars now term the “new conquest history.”“It’s where we stop, step back and look at the other aspects of this story. Let’s look at the guys in the trenches. Let’s look at the participation of the natives. Let’s look at these larger cultural issues. How does that inform our understanding of what went on?” Schwaller said.Even the word “conquest” is a loaded term.<figure>
 <img src="https://news-archive-assets.ku.edu/data/a0/76/01jm01nh63r2gqqzxchwp1xtqr.jpg" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>“My chapter, which is the summary in the book, explores the various monikers. My colleague, Vitus, was strongly in favor of calling it ‘Conquista’ — keep it in scare quotes and call it that because of what the Spaniards did,” he said. “I personally prefer calling it the Spanish Invasion of 1519. We have to put the date on it since there were other Spanish invasions, especially in the 19th century.”Schwaller said he hopes the book “wakes people up to the fact the myths they learned back in fourth or fifth grade by and large aren’t true.”For instance, he cites a celebrated (albeit apocryphal) moment in which Cortés rebels against Diego Velázquez,&nbsp;the governor of Cuba. To ensure there is no dissension among his own troops, Cortés burns their ships.“Except it didn’t quite happen that way,” Schwaller said.“These ships were probably built in Cuba. They’d been in the water for over two years, which means they had only about 6-8 months left before they would have to be keelhauled and essentially rebuilt. That’s because the tropical waters just destroy the timbers due to all the little beasties that live in it. So they grounded all the ships. They took everything important: the sails, the rope, the nails, the cannons — anything made of metal — and they saved it. The rest was just timber, so they burned it.”“Beyond Cortés” is based on a series of symposia that Schwaller organized at four different conferences. One of these, the International Congress of Americanists slated to meet in Paris in 2020, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and moved to online. This same group of scholars in the U.S., Mexico and Europe became the book’s contributors.How did these legendary events of 500 years ago shape the world of today?“Well, obviously they speak Spanish in Mexico,” said Schwaller, a native of Hays.“But we must understand that the colonial enterprise the Spaniards launched was built upon the labor of native peoples. There were just never enough Spaniards to get everything done that they wanted to get done. Also, Spaniards didn’t cross the Atlantic in order to go to Mexico to raise pigs. They wanted to become filthy, stinking rich. So they provided a ‘land of opportunity,’ if you will. And the colonial regime which Cortés and the others established was very much built upon the exploitation of native labor and local resources.”Schwaller returned to Kansas to join KU’s faculty in 2021 after a lengthy career in academia that included serving as president of State University of New York at Potsdam. His past books include “Stations of the Cross in Colonial Mexico: The Via crucis en mexicano by Fray Agustin de Vetancurt and the Spread of a Devotion,” “The Fifteenth Month: Aztec History in the Rituals of Panquetzaliztli” and “The First Letter from New Spain: The Lost Petition of Cortés and His Company, June 20, 1519.”“My work started with studies of the Catholic Church, and then I learned the Aztec language as a graduate student and started really focusing on language documents,” Schwaller said.“When you put it all into a blender, what comes out is this nexus of religion, religious practice, language and culture that defines my research.”

Book by Hays native, KU research adjunct addresses complex history of Spanish contact with New World

Two Hays Middle School students have been selected to help represent the Kansas soccer team for the <a href="https://odpinterregionalshowcase.com/">Olympic Development Program</a> (ODP) interregional in Memphis, Tennessee this weekend, Feb. 15-17.

Jack Schumacher and Mason Shadley are in the eighth grade at HMS.

Only 18 students are selected from Kansas for the ODP all-star team.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669832494371.jpg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Submitted Two Hays Middle School students have been selected to help represent the Kansas soccer team for the <a href="https://odpinterregionalshowcase.com/">Olympic Development Program</a> (ODP) interregional in Memphis, Tennessee this weekend, Feb. 15-17.Jack Schumacher and Mason Shadley are in the eighth grade at HMS.Only 18 students are selected from Kansas for the ODP all-star team.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739461731489.png" alt="Kansas Olympic Developmental Program roster,&nbsp;ODP Interregional Showcase" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Olympic Developmental Program roster,&nbsp;ODP Interregional Showcase</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;-

Two Hays 8th graders participating in Olympic Development Program for soccer

By MICHAEL SMITH Insight Kansas

As I write, the Kansas House Committee on Judiciary is about to hear <a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/hb2348_00_0000.pdf">HB 2348</a>, which would eliminate tenure at higher education institutions governed by the State of Kansas. The bill emerged from a legal dispute between certain faculty members and administrators at Emporia State, yet its consequences would reverberate far beyond that.

Ending academic tenure would lead to a brain drain, with high-achieving professors leaving for other states or private universities that still recognize tenure, potentially costing Kansas hundreds of millions of dollars in grants, gifts, and other external funding. 

No institution would be immune, but the University of Kansas (including KU Medical Center) and K-State would be particularly hard hit. This is exactly why attempts to abolish tenure have been <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/27/texas-university-faculty-tenure-ban-fails/">rejected by conservative Republicans in Texas.</a>

Many believe that tenured professors cannot be fired, but this is false. University policies make clear the expectations held toward faculty, who can be dismissed for breaking the law, violating university policy, or chronic low performance regardless of tenure. Tenured faculty cannot be dismissed without cause, but procedures can and do exist to remove them for cause, and these are indeed used when necessary.

Another common misconception is that tenured faculty cannot be laid off in the event of a university downsizing. This is also false. 

University policy manuals make clear the procedures for suspending or terminating programs. If necessary, faculty whose employment is connected to eliminated programs can be dismissed, even if they have tenure. Granted, these procedures typically call for tenured faculty to be reassigned to other courses or programs rather than being dismissed, if possible. But, if no option for reassignment is feasible, tenured faculty can and have been dismissed despite good work performance, when their programs are ended. 

An excellent case in point <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/05/14/missouri-western-cuts-quarter-faculty-along-programs-history-and-more">happened a few years ago at Missouri Western State University</a>. In 2020, Missouri Western’s administrators were forced to make painful, even devastating budget cuts in response to declines in both enrollments and state support. Throughout the process, administrators communicated with faculty, students, and the community about the criteria being used to make these tough decisions. They partnered with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in order to insure that the core values of academic freedom and shared governance were upheld throughout the process.

If tenure does not grant absolute job security, then why do we have it? <a href="https://www.aaup.org/report/1940-statement-principles-academic-freedom-and-tenure">The answer</a> is this: under no circumstances are tenured professors to be removed from their jobs due to the arbitrary decisions of administrators, or pressure from politicians.

As an example, consider <a href="https://www.thefire.org/news/amy-wax-academic-freedoms-canary-coal-mine">University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax</a>, who supports President Trump and has outspoken, conservative views on race and gender. Penn administrators have tried to fire Wax, but they have been blocked by tenure. Even the efforts they have made to sanction Wax without firing her have been opposed by nonpartisan free speech groups such as Freedom and Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), who have fought for Wax and her tenure just as they would for any professor being targeted due to their controversial, outspoken viewpoints, be they left, right, or center.

Tenure protects academic freedom. It does not confer a lifetime job. In today’s divided political climate, it is just as vital as ever to uphold tenure and the principles of academic freedom, shared governance, and free inquiry that it protects.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700168795368.png" alt="Michael Smith. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHAEL SMITH Insight KansasAs I write, the Kansas House Committee on Judiciary is about to hear <a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/hb2348_00_0000.pdf">HB 2348</a>, which would eliminate tenure at higher education institutions governed by the State of Kansas. The bill emerged from a legal dispute between certain faculty members and administrators at Emporia State, yet its consequences would reverberate far beyond that.Ending academic tenure would lead to a brain drain, with high-achieving professors leaving for other states or private universities that still recognize tenure, potentially costing Kansas hundreds of millions of dollars in grants, gifts, and other external funding. No institution would be immune, but the University of Kansas (including KU Medical Center) and K-State would be particularly hard hit. This is exactly why attempts to abolish tenure have been <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/27/texas-university-faculty-tenure-ban-fails/">rejected by conservative Republicans in Texas.</a>Many believe that tenured professors cannot be fired, but this is false. University policies make clear the expectations held toward faculty, who can be dismissed for breaking the law, violating university policy, or chronic low performance regardless of tenure. Tenured faculty cannot be dismissed without cause, but procedures can and do exist to remove them for cause, and these are indeed used when necessary.Another common misconception is that tenured faculty cannot be laid off in the event of a university downsizing. This is also false. University policy manuals make clear the procedures for suspending or terminating programs. If necessary, faculty whose employment is connected to eliminated programs can be dismissed, even if they have tenure. Granted, these procedures typically call for tenured faculty to be reassigned to other courses or programs rather than being dismissed, if possible. But, if no option for reassignment is feasible, tenured faculty can and have been dismissed despite good work performance, when their programs are ended. An excellent case in point <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/05/14/missouri-western-cuts-quarter-faculty-along-programs-history-and-more">happened a few years ago at Missouri Western State University</a>. In 2020, Missouri Western’s administrators were forced to make painful, even devastating budget cuts in response to declines in both enrollments and state support. Throughout the process, administrators communicated with faculty, students, and the community about the criteria being used to make these tough decisions. They partnered with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in order to insure that the core values of academic freedom and shared governance were upheld throughout the process.If tenure does not grant absolute job security, then why do we have it? <a href="https://www.aaup.org/report/1940-statement-principles-academic-freedom-and-tenure">The answer</a> is this: under no circumstances are tenured professors to be removed from their jobs due to the arbitrary decisions of administrators, or pressure from politicians. As an example, consider <a href="https://www.thefire.org/news/amy-wax-academic-freedoms-canary-coal-mine">University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax</a>, who supports President Trump and has outspoken, conservative views on race and gender. Penn administrators have tried to fire Wax, but they have been blocked by tenure. Even the efforts they have made to sanction Wax without firing her have been opposed by nonpartisan free speech groups such as Freedom and Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), who have fought for Wax and her tenure just as they would for any professor being targeted due to their controversial, outspoken viewpoints, be they left, right, or center.Tenure protects academic freedom. It does not confer a lifetime job. In today’s divided political climate, it is just as vital as ever to uphold tenure and the principles of academic freedom, shared governance, and free inquiry that it protects.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Tenure protects academic freedom

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739466044443.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

HOLY FAMILY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NOTES WEEK OF Feb 17 – 21, 2025

THE SUCCESSES OF TOMORROW BEGIN TODAY, CATHOLIC EDUCATION IS A LIFETIME ADVANTAGE!

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS…. SCHOOLS YOU CAN BELIEVE IN!

--Feb. 17 • NO SCHOOL – FACULTY RETREAT

--Feb. 18 • Communion Services w/ Deacon Dave today &amp; Thursday – the priests are on retreat this week. • Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-6:00 p.m. by appointment. • Students can bring change to put in your class Baby Bottle for the Diocese Baby Bottle Drive this week and next week.

--Feb. 19 • Spirit Day. • The Ellis County Historical Society will visit 1A today to show the students artifacts. • Sr. Rose Marie will visit 4th grade this afternoon. • Joyful Noise for 5th grade at 2:45 p.m. • Happy Birthday to Justin Brown, PK4, Cecilia Marintzer, 1A, &amp; Elliott Basgall, 5A.

--Feb. 20 • 4th grade will attend H.A.C. “Call of the Wild” at Beach Schmidt at 9:30 a.m. 5th grade will attend “Call of the Wild” as well at 12:45 p.m. • Sr. Rose Marie will visit 5th grade this afternoon. • Next Monday is Spring Picture Day and students have free dress. • Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-6:00 p.m. by appointment. • Happy Birthday to Wyatt Werth, PK4, Laker Kuntzsch, 2A, and Fr. Nick. • Greetings to Colby Schmidt, 2B, Brody Brady, KA, Mrs. Judy Flax, Library Para, Mrs. Toni Whitmer, Office Manager, and Mrs. Kat Hadley, Counselor, who will celebrate birthdays this weekend.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737555085782.png" alt="Holy Family Elementary School, Hays. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Holy Family Elementary School, Hays. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedHOLY FAMILY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NOTES WEEK OF Feb 17 – 21, 2025THE SUCCESSES OF TOMORROW BEGIN TODAY, CATHOLIC EDUCATION IS A LIFETIME ADVANTAGE!CATHOLIC SCHOOLS…. SCHOOLS YOU CAN BELIEVE IN!MONDAY--Feb. 17 • NO SCHOOL – FACULTY RETREATTUESDAY--Feb. 18 • Communion Services w/ Deacon Dave today &amp; Thursday – the priests are on retreat this week. • Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-6:00 p.m. by appointment. • Students can bring change to put in your class Baby Bottle for the Diocese Baby Bottle Drive this week and next week.WEDNESDAY--Feb. 19 • Spirit Day. • The Ellis County Historical Society will visit 1A today to show the students artifacts. • Sr. Rose Marie will visit 4th grade this afternoon. • Joyful Noise for 5th grade at 2:45 p.m. • Happy Birthday to Justin Brown, PK4, Cecilia Marintzer, 1A, &amp; Elliott Basgall, 5A.THURSDAY--Feb. 20 • 4th grade will attend H.A.C. “Call of the Wild” at Beach Schmidt at 9:30 a.m. 5th grade will attend “Call of the Wild” as well at 12:45 p.m. • Sr. Rose Marie will visit 5th grade this afternoon. • Next Monday is Spring Picture Day and students have free dress. • Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-6:00 p.m. by appointment. • Happy Birthday to Wyatt Werth, PK4, Laker Kuntzsch, 2A, and Fr. Nick. • Greetings to Colby Schmidt, 2B, Brody Brady, KA, Mrs. Judy Flax, Library Para, Mrs. Toni Whitmer, Office Manager, and Mrs. Kat Hadley, Counselor, who will celebrate birthdays this weekend.FRIDAY--Feb. 21 • NO SCHOOL

Holy Family Elementary School notes, Feb. 17-21

Hays commission updated on R9 Ranch work; water project awaiting transfer panel hearing

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739370398348.png" alt="KSRE Cottonwood District" />
 <figcaption>KSRE Cottonwood District</figcaption>
 </figure>Submitted

Free prenatal education program offered in February, March

The Hays Public Library is inviting all ages to participate in a reading challenge, Book Mania!

This reading challenge will be set up like a basketball tournament with each level having four brackets to complete. It’s designed to encourage kids to read a variety of books that match their reading level, and this year the tournament will be expanded to include adults.

Bracket play will begin on February 24th and end on March 31st. Participants will read books in their recommended reading level bracket and vote for their favorite. The four brackets do not have to be completed in order. Each bracket that is completed will be turned in as one raffle entry.

The reading level divisions are Toddler-Pre-K, Kindergarten-2nd Grade (picture or chapter books), 3rd-5th Grade, 6th-8th Grade, 9th-12th Grade, and Adult. The library collaborated with teachers to include books that students are encouraged to read.

After the March 31st deadline to turn in all brackets, participants will vote on the overall champion book for their reading level and receive another raffle entry. Voting will be done on April 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, at the Hays Public Library.

A Championship Celebration will be held on April 4th. The celebration will include games and snacks. A raffle winner will be drawn for each division. You do not have to be present to win the division prizes.

The books and brackets for adults will be on the main floor. Materials for the youth divisions will be displayed on the 2nd floor. The brackets also indicate which books can be accessed through the library’s digital resources. Information will be available at <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/bookmania/">hayslibrary.org/bookmania</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739377546689.png" alt="Hays Public Library" />
 <figcaption>Hays Public Library</figcaption>
 </figure>HPLThe Hays Public Library is inviting all ages to participate in a reading challenge, Book Mania!This reading challenge will be set up like a basketball tournament with each level having four brackets to complete. It’s designed to encourage kids to read a variety of books that match their reading level, and this year the tournament will be expanded to include adults.Bracket play will begin on February 24th and end on March 31st. Participants will read books in their recommended reading level bracket and vote for their favorite. The four brackets do not have to be completed in order. Each bracket that is completed will be turned in as one raffle entry.The reading level divisions are Toddler-Pre-K, Kindergarten-2nd Grade (picture or chapter books), 3rd-5th Grade, 6th-8th Grade, 9th-12th Grade, and Adult. The library collaborated with teachers to include books that students are encouraged to read.After the March 31st deadline to turn in all brackets, participants will vote on the overall champion book for their reading level and receive another raffle entry. Voting will be done on April 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, at the Hays Public Library.A Championship Celebration will be held on April 4th. The celebration will include games and snacks. A raffle winner will be drawn for each division. You do not have to be present to win the division prizes.The books and brackets for adults will be on the main floor. Materials for the youth divisions will be displayed on the 2nd floor. The brackets also indicate which books can be accessed through the library’s digital resources. Information will be available at <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/bookmania/">hayslibrary.org/bookmania</a>.

Hays Public Library Hosts Book Mania tourney for all ages

By PAT MELGARES K-State Research and Extension&nbsp;

A Kansas State University weed specialist says farmers should be on the lookout for early-emergence of a troublesome weed that competes with farm crops for nutrients, water and light.

Sarah Lancaster said kochia is among the first summer annual weeds to emerge in the spring. 

In 2024, kochia was found as early as Feb. 7, following a snowstorm in late January, and temperatures that hit the 50s and 60s in early February – conditions that were very similar to what much of Kansas experienced this year, as well.

“Early-emerging kochia seedlings use the limited spring soil moisture in dryland production fields,” said Lancaster, noting that good control of the first dense flush of kochia is essential for obtaining a good crop yield later in the season.

Lancaster said that kochia seedlings emerge in dense populations, which makes adequate herbicide coverage difficult. In addition, glyphosate-resistant kochia is prevalent across western Kansas.

“For these reasons, it is important to apply pre-emergence herbicides in late winter or early spring to control kochia before it emerges,” Lancaster said.

According to Lancaster, an herbicide program needs two components in order to successfully manage kochia:

· A very soluble and effective herbicide that can be incorporated with very little precipitation, such as dicamba.

· A herbicide that has longer residual activity, which will require perhaps ¾ inches or more precipitation for adequate incorporation, such as atrazine.

“Precipitation events during late winter are often too small to activate longer-lasting residual herbicides, but dicamba may control kochia for 4-6 weeks until atrazine is incorporated,” Lancaster said.

For those reasons, the best time to apply herbicides is generally January through the first week of March, according to Lancaster.

Other herbicides with good pre-emergence kochia activity include mesotrione, metribuzin, saflufenacil (Sharpen) and sulfentrazone. Lancaster urges farmers and herbicide applicators to check product labels for crop-specific planting intervals.

More information on controlling kochia and many other weeds is available in a recently released publication from the K-State Research and Extension bookstore, Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland and Noncropland. 

Farmers can also get information at local extension offices in Kansas.

Brand names appearing in this article are used for identification purposes only and are not intended to indicate endorsement of any particular product.

Submitted by Stacy Campbell

Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District, which includes Barton and Ellis counties, for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739287786436.png" alt="Kochia that&nbsp;exhibits red colored stems. Found on a disturbed site along a&nbsp;gravel road. Riley County, Kansas. Photo by P. Allen Casey, USDA-NRCS" />
 <figcaption>Kochia that&nbsp;exhibits red colored stems. Found on a disturbed site along a&nbsp;gravel road. Riley County, Kansas. Photo by P. Allen Casey, USDA-NRCS</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAT MELGARES K-State Research and Extension&nbsp; A Kansas State University weed specialist says farmers should be on the lookout for early-emergence of a troublesome weed that competes with farm crops for nutrients, water and light.Sarah Lancaster said kochia is among the first summer annual weeds to emerge in the spring. In 2024, kochia was found as early as Feb. 7, following a snowstorm in late January, and temperatures that hit the 50s and 60s in early February – conditions that were very similar to what much of Kansas experienced this year, as well.“Early-emerging kochia seedlings use the limited spring soil moisture in dryland production fields,” said Lancaster, noting that good control of the first dense flush of kochia is essential for obtaining a good crop yield later in the season.Lancaster said that kochia seedlings emerge in dense populations, which makes adequate herbicide coverage difficult. In addition, glyphosate-resistant kochia is prevalent across western Kansas.“For these reasons, it is important to apply pre-emergence herbicides in late winter or early spring to control kochia before it emerges,” Lancaster said.According to Lancaster, an herbicide program needs two components in order to successfully manage kochia:· A very soluble and effective herbicide that can be incorporated with very little precipitation, such as dicamba.· A herbicide that has longer residual activity, which will require perhaps ¾ inches or more precipitation for adequate incorporation, such as atrazine.“Precipitation events during late winter are often too small to activate longer-lasting residual herbicides, but dicamba may control kochia for 4-6 weeks until atrazine is incorporated,” Lancaster said.For those reasons, the best time to apply herbicides is generally January through the first week of March, according to Lancaster.Other herbicides with good pre-emergence kochia activity include mesotrione, metribuzin, saflufenacil (Sharpen) and sulfentrazone. Lancaster urges farmers and herbicide applicators to check product labels for crop-specific planting intervals.More information on controlling kochia and many other weeds is available in a recently released publication from the K-State Research and Extension bookstore, Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland and Noncropland. Farmers can also get information at local extension offices in Kansas.Brand names appearing in this article are used for identification purposes only and are not intended to indicate endorsement of any particular product.Submitted by Stacy CampbellStacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District, which includes Barton and Ellis counties, for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

K-State weed specialist shares tips on controlling early-emerging kochia

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739465962718.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

ELLSWORTH COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just before 11a.m. Friday in Ellsworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Ford Explorer driven by Michael L.&nbsp;Berkgren, 54, Oakley, was eastbound on Interstate 70 near the Sylvan Grove exit.

The SUV traveled over a slick spot while snow was blowing across the highway. The vehicle entered the median, struck a drain grate, went airborne, rolled and came to rest on its top in the median.

EMS transported&nbsp;Berkgren and a passenger Chelsey&nbsp; Schiltz, 39, Oakley, to Hays Medical Center.&nbsp; Berkgren was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just before 11a.m. Friday in Ellsworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Ford Explorer driven by Michael L.&nbsp;Berkgren, 54, Oakley, was eastbound on Interstate 70 near the Sylvan Grove exit.The SUV traveled over a slick spot while snow was blowing across the highway. The vehicle entered the median, struck a drain grate, went airborne, rolled and came to rest on its top in the median.EMS transported&nbsp;Berkgren and a passenger Chelsey&nbsp; Schiltz, 39, Oakley, to Hays Medical Center.&nbsp; Berkgren was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

2 hospitalized in Hays after violent SUV rollover accident

Hays High vs Liberal Friday, Feb. 14th – 6:00 p.m.&nbsp; Hays, Kan. - Hays High School

Radio: KFIX (96.9)&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KFIX">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video: Hays High Sports Network <a href="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/2174621">CLICK HERE TO WATCH $$</a>

Hays High returns to the hardwood Friday night for a key WAC showdown with the Liberal Redskins.

Tip-off for the girls game is 6:oo p.m. on the Hays High Sports Network with the boys game to follow.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694699014932.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays High vs Liberal Friday, Feb. 14th – 6:00 p.m.&nbsp; Hays, Kan. - Hays High SchoolRadio: KFIX (96.9)&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KFIX">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video: Hays High Sports Network <a href="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/2174621">CLICK HERE TO WATCH $$</a>Hays High returns to the hardwood Friday night for a key WAC showdown with the Liberal Redskins.Tip-off for the girls game is 6:oo p.m. on the Hays High Sports Network with the boys game to follow.&nbsp;

🏀🎥 Hays High hosts Liberal

TMP-Marian at Phillipsburg Friday, Feb. 14 – 6:00 p.m. Phillipsburg, Kan. - Phillipsburg High School

Radio: KHAZ (99.5)&nbsp;<a href="https://99kzcountry.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN </a>Video: TMP-Marian Sports Network&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/2174636">CLICK HERE TO WATCH
($)</a>

The TMP-Marian Monarchs are on the road one final time in the regular season as they travel to Phillipsburg for a match up with the Panthers.&nbsp;

The girls' game will tip off at 6:00 p.m. from Phillipsburg, and the boys will follow on the Monarchs Sports Network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575411582384.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TMP-Marian at Phillipsburg Friday, Feb. 14 – 6:00 p.m. Phillipsburg, Kan. - Phillipsburg High SchoolRadio: KHAZ (99.5)&nbsp;<a href="https://99kzcountry.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN </a>Video: TMP-Marian Sports Network&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/2174636">CLICK HERE TO WATCH
($)</a>The TMP-Marian Monarchs are on the road one final time in the regular season as they travel to Phillipsburg for a match up with the Panthers.&nbsp;The girls' game will tip off at 6:00 p.m. from Phillipsburg, and the boys will follow on the Monarchs Sports Network.

🏀🎥 TMP-Marian travels to Phillipsburg

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Amy France from Scott City Kansas. She is chairman of the National Sorghum Producers Association and testified before a U.S. Senate committee last week.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yjo5T4F0Z5Y?si=zvLRdXCigR7GItCb" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Amy France from Scott City Kansas. She is chairman of the National Sorghum Producers Association and testified before a U.S. Senate committee last week.

Forward Ever: Amy France, chairman of National Sorghum Producers Association

FHSU crime log: Feb. 4-7, 2025

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Jennifer Hecker and Anniston Weber of Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services about Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Options Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=kuyg7-17f5826-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Jennifer Hecker and Anniston Weber of Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services about Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

🎙 Post Podcast: Options on teen dating violence

Kansas is facing a crisis when it comes to defending accused criminals who cannot afford their own attorneys. A shrinking number of rural attorneys is making it harder. If the problem is not addressed there is a risk that courts will throw out criminal cases.

<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/">Kansas News Service</a>

Every day, Jessica Glendening expects to receive a list of new criminal cases that need public defenders in the Douglas County District Court.

That list includes all of the new criminal cases assigned to the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender's Office based in Lawrence. The office represents defendants in criminal cases who cannot afford to hire their own attorney — a key component to the U.S. justice system that is enshrined by the Sixth Amendment in the Constitution.

Glendening, chief public defender for the office, said they recently reached a full staff of seven attorneys. That has allowed the office to provide legal services to those defendants as soon as they are charged with a crime.

But that may not last for long. Eventually, the caseload may become too large, and the office will need to stop taking on new cases for a while. Glendening said that would happen when her office was not fully staffed last year.

“We've had to close the office several times,” Glendening said, “because the attorneys were at their maximum caseload.”

When that happens, the pile of cases that need public defenders are offered to private attorneys. Someone like Cheryl Stewart, an attorney based in Oakley on the far west side of Kansas.

She will drive for hundreds of miles from her home to courtrooms in places like Elkhart in the southwest and Topeka in the northeast. She said she could spend up to five hours on the road before she steps into a courthouse. She often needs to spend the night in towns all over the state to be ready.

“I drive to a hotel in that town the night before,” Stewart said. “Last year I had over 33 nights in hotels.”

Stewart loves her job and she doesn’t mind traveling for work. But she can only take on so many cases.

The Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services must provide public attorneys to people who cannot afford one. But the agency often does not have enough staff at its public defender offices across the state to cover all of its cases and hires private attorneys. If the agency fails to find an attorney, a judge could simply dismiss the case, no matter how serious the charges are.

That’s not yet a problem in Kansas, but it could be if state lawmakers don’t provide the necessary funds to hire the needed attorneys.

It’s already happened in Oregon. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-oregon-covid-portland-a13c2ecf6e4648272dfa12fb9244b7a6" target="_blank">Associated Press reported</a>&nbsp;that nearly 300 cases in the Portland area were dismissed in 2022 because of a shortage of public defenders. Mike Schmidt, the top prosecutor there, called the crisis “an urgent threat to public safety.”

Kansas could avoid throwing out criminal cases by prioritizing public defense and incentivizing new private attorneys in rural areas. But that will cost money.

The lack of public defense attorneys also coincides with a shrinking number of attorneys serving the state’s rural areas. That makes it even harder for the state to find private attorneys to help fill the holes.

The Kansas Judicial Center recently studied the issue and has begun ringing warning alarms.

Chief Justice Marla Luckert&nbsp;<a href="http://kscourts.gov/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/Publications/2025-State-of-the-Judiciary-Address.pdf" target="_blank">recently told lawmakers</a>&nbsp;that the lack of attorneys hurts everyday Kansans who must rely on attorneys when they end up in court. She said it will only get worse if the state does not take action.

“If we are to help these people and avoid an all-out crisis, complacency cannot be our approach,” Luckert said. “We must all put on our hero capes and work together to find solutions.”

A&nbsp;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/679a36bfc8a6db4d841746fa/t/679a941df335095c1160dd20/1738183709606/KS%2BPublic%2BDefense%2BWorkloads%2BDec%2B2023.pdf" target="_blank">2023 study</a>&nbsp;conducted by the Board of Indigents’ Defense Services showed that the state’s public defenders are overworked and underpaid.

National standards call for an attorney to work about 248 hours on a murder case. As things stand now, Kansas public defenders only have an average of 13 hours to spend on any given case.

Heather Cessna, the executive director for the Board of Indigents' Services, said that is woefully inadequate and raises ethical concerns about the agency’s ability to provide effective legal counsel.

“The bottom line is we either need fewer cases in our system,” Cessna said, “or we need a lot more attorneys to handle those cases.”

Cessna recently told lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/committees/ctte_s_jud_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_s_jud_1_20250114_01_testimony.html" target="_blank">she needs to hire 600 attorneys</a>&nbsp;— 400 public defender staff and 200 private attorneys taking on public cases where the state does not have a public defender office — to properly cover the state’s case load.

Meanwhile, it’s also hard to fill those positions because the agency cannot offer competitive pay.

Consider a prosecutor. They are Kansas employees who represent the state and its laws in criminal cases. They are often facing off in court with a public defender, another state employee tasked with providing criminal defendants with their right to legal counsel.

Cessna said prosecutors earn higher pay, up to 30% more. That makes prosecution a much more attractive job than public defense, despite the two attorneys effectively working the same cases from opposite ends.

Cessna has requested lawmakers provide more funding to help retain her current attorneys and attract new ones. Otherwise, public defenders are earning lower pay to provide a vital service in the U.S. justice system.

“Everybody who is doing this work is sacrificing something because they believe in the Constitution,” Cessna said of public defenders. “They believe in our clients' rights to have somebody there to defend their case.”

The lack of public defenders is compounded by a shrinking number of rural attorneys.

Private attorneys across the state have long been a release valve for the public defender offices that cannot take on any more cases. That’s very important in rural areas, where there are no dedicated public defender offices.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://kscourts.gov/About-the-Courts/Court-Administration/Committees/Kansas-Rural-Justice-Initiative-Committee" target="_blank">Kansas Judicial Branch committee studied</a>&nbsp;why the rural areas are struggling to employ attorneys. They found many young attorneys fear opening their own legal practice in rural parts of the state. That's because of their lack of experience and concerns about making enough money.

In the meantime, the crop of attorneys in the rural areas are aging quickly. The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/committees/ctte_s_jud_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_s_jud_1_20250121_02_testimony.html" target="_blank">study shows</a>&nbsp;the average age of the rural attorneys in Kansas is 55. That’s nearly 10 years older than the national average of 46.

Kansas Supreme Court Justice KJ Wall, who led the committee, said there are rural attorneys in their 70s who believe they can’t retire because no attorney will come fill the hole they will leave in their communities.

Wall said the problem isn’t just a lack of criminal defense attorneys, but a lack of attorneys serving every aspect of the legal spectrum. That could be family law, estate planning, civil litigation and more.

The Judicial Branch committee has offered solutions, like creating a professional organization to support rural attorneys and working with state universities to attract more students to its law schools.

However, Wall said young attorneys also have crushing student loan debt. He suggested lawmakers provide tuition reimbursements to promote working in rural areas for a certain amount of time.

Kansas already offers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/296/State-Loan-Repayment-Program" target="_blank">student loan reimbursement programs for health professionals</a>&nbsp;who choose to work in areas with health care shortages. The state in 2012 also launched its Rural Opportunity Zones program aimed at attracting residents to move to rural settings.

The state hopes those plans will also help&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-06-06/politicians-say-they-can-stop-rural-kansas-population-declines-but-the-dropoff-continues" target="_blank">reverse its shrinking rural population</a>. Wall said there’s evidence that a similar program for attorneys can help.

“What we found in other states,” Wall said, “is that those that are participating end up more often than not staying in that same community even after their service commitment ends.”

The rural areas also have an advocate in Stewart. She said she encourages young attorneys to consider working in the rural areas and that she is willing to help them get their footing.

Stewart previously worked in Kansas City, Kansas, but found a much better work experience in western Kansas. That’s partly because the demand for an attorney was much higher.

“My last year of income in Wyandotte County was like $25,000,” Stewart said. “I moved out to Western Kansas and that income doubled in six months.”

Both Cessna and Wall said that without solutions, the inevitable end result includes courts dismissing criminal cases. That means defendants credibly accused of crimes would not face consequences and victims of crimes may never find justice.

Cessna asked for $4 million to help fill 29 staff positions next year, only a fraction of the many positions her office needs.

So far this year, Kansas lawmakers have not approved funding for a reimbursement program or added money for the state’s public defense agency.

In fact, some Republican lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly are proposing budgets that will not fully cover a nearly $7 million shortfall for the agency this year. The agency will need to offset that loss with funds it saved for positions it wants to fill.

Lawmakers are also proposing no new funding next year. While Kelly offered a meager $1.7 million increase.

That puts the public defender agency in a tough position next year. Cessna said the state already expects her office to see increased expenditures because of the number of cases are expected to be resolved next year to the tune of nearly $5 million.

But Republican Rep. William Sutton of Gardner said lawmakers have to do something. The U.S. Constitution requiring public defense means the state’s hands are tied.

“They either need to have attorneys on staff,” Sutton said, “or they need to be able to contract for them if they're not on staff. Either way, that's an outlay of money.”

Lawmakers are still discussing the budget and could make changes before those bills come due.

Dylan Lysen reports on social services and criminal justice for the Kansas News Service. You can email him at dlysen@kcur.org.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

<h2>Kansas is facing a crisis when it comes to defending accused criminals who cannot afford their own attorneys. A shrinking number of rural attorneys is making it harder. If the problem is not addressed there is a risk that courts will throw out criminal cases.</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739461445266.png" alt="Jessica Glendening leads the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender Office in Lawrence. It is one of the 14 public defender offices in Kansas serving criminal defendants who cannot afford their own attorney.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dylan Lysen/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Jessica Glendening leads the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender Office in Lawrence. It is one of the 14 public defender offices in Kansas serving criminal defendants who cannot afford their own attorney.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dylan Lysen/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kmuw.org/">Kansas News Service</a>Every day, Jessica Glendening expects to receive a list of new criminal cases that need public defenders in the Douglas County District Court.That list includes all of the new criminal cases assigned to the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender's Office based in Lawrence. The office represents defendants in criminal cases who cannot afford to hire their own attorney — a key component to the U.S. justice system that is enshrined by the Sixth Amendment in the Constitution.Glendening, chief public defender for the office, said they recently reached a full staff of seven attorneys. That has allowed the office to provide legal services to those defendants as soon as they are charged with a crime.But that may not last for long. Eventually, the caseload may become too large, and the office will need to stop taking on new cases for a while. Glendening said that would happen when her office was not fully staffed last year.“We've had to close the office several times,” Glendening said, “because the attorneys were at their maximum caseload.”When that happens, the pile of cases that need public defenders are offered to private attorneys. Someone like Cheryl Stewart, an attorney based in Oakley on the far west side of Kansas.She will drive for hundreds of miles from her home to courtrooms in places like Elkhart in the southwest and Topeka in the northeast. She said she could spend up to five hours on the road before she steps into a courthouse. She often needs to spend the night in towns all over the state to be ready.“I drive to a hotel in that town the night before,” Stewart said. “Last year I had over 33 nights in hotels.”Stewart loves her job and she doesn’t mind traveling for work. But she can only take on so many cases.The Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services must provide public attorneys to people who cannot afford one. But the agency often does not have enough staff at its public defender offices across the state to cover all of its cases and hires private attorneys. If the agency fails to find an attorney, a judge could simply dismiss the case, no matter how serious the charges are.That’s not yet a problem in Kansas, but it could be if state lawmakers don’t provide the necessary funds to hire the needed attorneys.It’s already happened in Oregon. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-oregon-covid-portland-a13c2ecf6e4648272dfa12fb9244b7a6" target="_blank">Associated Press reported</a>&nbsp;that nearly 300 cases in the Portland area were dismissed in 2022 because of a shortage of public defenders. Mike Schmidt, the top prosecutor there, called the crisis “an urgent threat to public safety.”Kansas could avoid throwing out criminal cases by prioritizing public defense and incentivizing new private attorneys in rural areas. But that will cost money.The lack of public defense attorneys also coincides with a shrinking number of attorneys serving the state’s rural areas. That makes it even harder for the state to find private attorneys to help fill the holes.The Kansas Judicial Center recently studied the issue and has begun ringing warning alarms.Chief Justice Marla Luckert&nbsp;<a href="http://kscourts.gov/KSCourts/media/KsCourts/Publications/2025-State-of-the-Judiciary-Address.pdf" target="_blank">recently told lawmakers</a>&nbsp;that the lack of attorneys hurts everyday Kansans who must rely on attorneys when they end up in court. She said it will only get worse if the state does not take action.“If we are to help these people and avoid an all-out crisis, complacency cannot be our approach,” Luckert said. “We must all put on our hero capes and work together to find solutions.”<h2>Public Defense</h2>A&nbsp;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/679a36bfc8a6db4d841746fa/t/679a941df335095c1160dd20/1738183709606/KS%2BPublic%2BDefense%2BWorkloads%2BDec%2B2023.pdf" target="_blank">2023 study</a>&nbsp;conducted by the Board of Indigents’ Defense Services showed that the state’s public defenders are overworked and underpaid.National standards call for an attorney to work about 248 hours on a murder case. As things stand now, Kansas public defenders only have an average of 13 hours to spend on any given case.Heather Cessna, the executive director for the Board of Indigents' Services, said that is woefully inadequate and raises ethical concerns about the agency’s ability to provide effective legal counsel.“The bottom line is we either need fewer cases in our system,” Cessna said, “or we need a lot more attorneys to handle those cases.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739461662954.png" alt="Heather Cessna, the executive director for the Kansas State Board of Indigents' Services, recently asked lawmakers for $4 million of funding to help fill 29 staff positions in the state. That's well below the 600 attorney positions she needs to fill for the state to adequately cover all of its public defense cases.&nbsp;Screenshot of Legislative Hearing" />
 <figcaption>Heather Cessna, the executive director for the Kansas State Board of Indigents' Services, recently asked lawmakers for $4 million of funding to help fill 29 staff positions in the state. That's well below the 600 attorney positions she needs to fill for the state to adequately cover all of its public defense cases.&nbsp;Screenshot of Legislative Hearing</figcaption>
 </figure>Cessna recently told lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/committees/ctte_s_jud_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_s_jud_1_20250114_01_testimony.html" target="_blank">she needs to hire 600 attorneys</a>&nbsp;— 400 public defender staff and 200 private attorneys taking on public cases where the state does not have a public defender office — to properly cover the state’s case load.Meanwhile, it’s also hard to fill those positions because the agency cannot offer competitive pay.Consider a prosecutor. They are Kansas employees who represent the state and its laws in criminal cases. They are often facing off in court with a public defender, another state employee tasked with providing criminal defendants with their right to legal counsel.Cessna said prosecutors earn higher pay, up to 30% more. That makes prosecution a much more attractive job than public defense, despite the two attorneys effectively working the same cases from opposite ends.Cessna has requested lawmakers provide more funding to help retain her current attorneys and attract new ones. Otherwise, public defenders are earning lower pay to provide a vital service in the U.S. justice system.“Everybody who is doing this work is sacrificing something because they believe in the Constitution,” Cessna said of public defenders. “They believe in our clients' rights to have somebody there to defend their case.”<h2>Rural attorney shortage</h2>The lack of public defenders is compounded by a shrinking number of rural attorneys.Private attorneys across the state have long been a release valve for the public defender offices that cannot take on any more cases. That’s very important in rural areas, where there are no dedicated public defender offices.A&nbsp;<a href="https://kscourts.gov/About-the-Courts/Court-Administration/Committees/Kansas-Rural-Justice-Initiative-Committee" target="_blank">Kansas Judicial Branch committee studied</a>&nbsp;why the rural areas are struggling to employ attorneys. They found many young attorneys fear opening their own legal practice in rural parts of the state. That's because of their lack of experience and concerns about making enough money.In the meantime, the crop of attorneys in the rural areas are aging quickly. The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/committees/ctte_s_jud_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_s_jud_1_20250121_02_testimony.html" target="_blank">study shows</a>&nbsp;the average age of the rural attorneys in Kansas is 55. That’s nearly 10 years older than the national average of 46.Kansas Supreme Court Justice KJ Wall, who led the committee, said there are rural attorneys in their 70s who believe they can’t retire because no attorney will come fill the hole they will leave in their communities.Wall said the problem isn’t just a lack of criminal defense attorneys, but a lack of attorneys serving every aspect of the legal spectrum. That could be family law, estate planning, civil litigation and more.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739461727052.png" alt="The Kansas Judicial Branch's Rural Justice Initiative found the number of attorneys admitted in Kansas steadily declined for more than 20 years. That's contributed to a shrinking number of attorneys serving rural parts of the state.&nbsp;Kansas Judicial Branch" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Judicial Branch's Rural Justice Initiative found the number of attorneys admitted in Kansas steadily declined for more than 20 years. That's contributed to a shrinking number of attorneys serving rural parts of the state.&nbsp;Kansas Judicial Branch</figcaption>
 </figure>The Judicial Branch committee has offered solutions, like creating a professional organization to support rural attorneys and working with state universities to attract more students to its law schools.However, Wall said young attorneys also have crushing student loan debt. He suggested lawmakers provide tuition reimbursements to promote working in rural areas for a certain amount of time.Kansas already offers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/296/State-Loan-Repayment-Program" target="_blank">student loan reimbursement programs for health professionals</a>&nbsp;who choose to work in areas with health care shortages. The state in 2012 also launched its Rural Opportunity Zones program aimed at attracting residents to move to rural settings.The state hopes those plans will also help&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-06-06/politicians-say-they-can-stop-rural-kansas-population-declines-but-the-dropoff-continues" target="_blank">reverse its shrinking rural population</a>. Wall said there’s evidence that a similar program for attorneys can help.“What we found in other states,” Wall said, “is that those that are participating end up more often than not staying in that same community even after their service commitment ends.”The rural areas also have an advocate in Stewart. She said she encourages young attorneys to consider working in the rural areas and that she is willing to help them get their footing.Stewart previously worked in Kansas City, Kansas, but found a much better work experience in western Kansas. That’s partly because the demand for an attorney was much higher.“My last year of income in Wyandotte County was like $25,000,” Stewart said. “I moved out to Western Kansas and that income doubled in six months.”<h2>Cost of justice</h2>Both Cessna and Wall said that without solutions, the inevitable end result includes courts dismissing criminal cases. That means defendants credibly accused of crimes would not face consequences and victims of crimes may never find justice.Cessna asked for $4 million to help fill 29 staff positions next year, only a fraction of the many positions her office needs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739461801034.png" alt="Chief Justice Marla Luckert said during her State of the Judiciary address that the shortage of attorneys in Kansas threatens the state's legal system.&nbsp;File Photo/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Chief Justice Marla Luckert said during her State of the Judiciary address that the shortage of attorneys in Kansas threatens the state's legal system.&nbsp;File Photo/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>So far this year, Kansas lawmakers have not approved funding for a reimbursement program or added money for the state’s public defense agency.In fact, some Republican lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly are proposing budgets that will not fully cover a nearly $7 million shortfall for the agency this year. The agency will need to offset that loss with funds it saved for positions it wants to fill.Lawmakers are also proposing no new funding next year. While Kelly offered a meager $1.7 million increase.That puts the public defender agency in a tough position next year. Cessna said the state already expects her office to see increased expenditures because of the number of cases are expected to be resolved next year to the tune of nearly $5 million.But Republican Rep. William Sutton of Gardner said lawmakers have to do something. The U.S. Constitution requiring public defense means the state’s hands are tied.“They either need to have attorneys on staff,” Sutton said, “or they need to be able to contract for them if they're not on staff. Either way, that's an outlay of money.”Lawmakers are still discussing the budget and could make changes before those bills come due.Dylan Lysen reports on social services and criminal justice for the Kansas News Service. You can email him at dlysen@kcur.org.The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

Local