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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644003181873.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

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly has announced the winners in the "Happy Birthday, Kansas!" Student Photo Contest.&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMjguNTI1MzI3MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS9wbGF5bGlzdD9saXN0PVBMRVFzSUxjN184dHRmQ3Jrd0ZxbkFoSndGMU4taFJRcFEifQ.L72aMlKlbDXKvo2yjmNem8UY_l2QJoEw21l_A3uus0o/s/1303161001/br/125814521283-l" target="_blank">Video messages and congratulations</a>&nbsp;were released as part of the virtual announcement from Lieutenant Governor David Toland; Jennie Chinn, executive director of the Kansas Historical Society; and April Barker, representing the legislative spouses.

“These students captured what we all love about Kansas - and I am incredibly impressed by their remarkable skills," Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;

The statewide contest, now in its eighth year, invited students first through 12th grades to shoot photographs based on the theme, Favorite Place in Kansas in 2021. The contest received 506 entries from 38 Kansas counties.

The winners in the 2021 photo contest are as follows, and you can find their artwork&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMjguNTI1MzI3MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS93YXRjaD92PXpBTnh5WllseXJFIn0.dBX1ytud7kF3qlXT1lhoqHsESZTvoAYqQuxjMVqnetk/s/1303161001/br/125814521283-l" target="_blank">here:</a>

First grade: First place: Estrella Segovia, “Enjoying the Weather,” Walnut Elementary, Emporia Second place: Ella Strunk, “Ready for Christmas,” St. Andrew’s Elementary, Abilene

Second grade: First place: Alisa Rud, “Yes, We Are Open!,” Andover eCademy, Andover Second place: Naomi Martin, “4th of July Sunset,” Grand Star Elementary, Gardner

Third grade: First place: Jarett Riley, “Washed Out Creekbed,” Canton-Galva Elementary, Galva Second place: Amelia Higgins, “My Kansas Wishing Tree,” St. Mary’s Grade School, Salina

Fourth grade: First place: Rebecca Barnhardt, “Beautiful Kansas Sky,” Lebo Elementary, Lebo Second place: Jorja Beeman, “Cowboy Silhouette,” Madison Elementary, Hamilton

Fifth grade: First place: Ashlynn Buchmann, “Countryside,” Riley County Grade School, Manhattan Second place: Tanner Riley, “Bison at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge,” Canton-Galva Elementary, Galva

Sixth grade: First place: Grayson Maxwell, “Sunflower in Kansas Wheat Field,” Larned Middle School, Larned Second place: Kaden SinghDhillon, “Kansas is Sweet,” St. Marys Grade School, St. Marys

Seventh grade: First place: Rachael Barnhardt, “Family Time Checking Cows” Lebo Junior High School, Lebo Second place: Hazell Horsch, “There’s No Place Like Home,” Our Lady’s Haven, Haven

Eighth grade: First place: Emerson Hoppes, “Carnival,” Canton-Galva Junior/Senior High School, Galva Second place: Allie Kneisler, “Do You Hear Me?” Lyndon Middle School, Lyndon

Ninth grade: First place: Harlee Tilley, “A Dandy Sunset,” Bucklin High School, Bucklin Second place: Cora Schamp, “On a Walk with Walter,” Canton-Galva Junior/Senior High, Galva

10th grade: First place: Kaci Dirks, “Wheat Field Beauty,” Rawlins County High School, Ludell Second place: Regan Hedstrom, “Feeding Time,” Cheney High School, Cheney

11th grade: First place: Johanna Walker, “Game,” Girard High School, Franklin Second place: Kaitlin Schmidt, “Sundrops” Arkansas City High School, Arkansas City

12th grade: First place: Eric Shapland, “Monument Rocks Chalk Pyramids,” Scott Community High School, Scott City Second place: Gwen Van Leeuwen, “Keeper of the Plains,” Seaman High School, Topeka

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643757108568.png" alt=""Wheat Field Beauty"&nbsp; by Kaci Dirks, Rawlins County High School, Ludell, won first place in the 10th grade division of this year's "Happy Birthday, Kansas" student photo contest. (Photo by Kaci Dirks)" />
 <figcaption>"Wheat Field Beauty"&nbsp; by Kaci Dirks, Rawlins County High School, Ludell, won first place in the 10th grade division of this year's "Happy Birthday, Kansas" student photo contest. (Photo by Kaci Dirks)</figcaption>
 </figure>Office of the GovernorTOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly has announced the winners in the "Happy Birthday, Kansas!" Student Photo Contest.&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMjguNTI1MzI3MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS9wbGF5bGlzdD9saXN0PVBMRVFzSUxjN184dHRmQ3Jrd0ZxbkFoSndGMU4taFJRcFEifQ.L72aMlKlbDXKvo2yjmNem8UY_l2QJoEw21l_A3uus0o/s/1303161001/br/125814521283-l" target="_blank">Video messages and congratulations</a>&nbsp;were released as part of the virtual announcement from Lieutenant Governor David Toland; Jennie Chinn, executive director of the Kansas Historical Society; and April Barker, representing the legislative spouses.“These students captured what we all love about Kansas - and I am incredibly impressed by their remarkable skills," Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;The statewide contest, now in its eighth year, invited students first through 12th grades to shoot photographs based on the theme, Favorite Place in Kansas in 2021. The contest received 506 entries from 38 Kansas counties.The winners in the 2021 photo contest are as follows, and you can find their artwork&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAxMjguNTI1MzI3MDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS93YXRjaD92PXpBTnh5WllseXJFIn0.dBX1ytud7kF3qlXT1lhoqHsESZTvoAYqQuxjMVqnetk/s/1303161001/br/125814521283-l" target="_blank">here:</a>First grade: First place: Estrella Segovia, “Enjoying the Weather,” Walnut Elementary, Emporia Second place: Ella Strunk, “Ready for Christmas,” St. Andrew’s Elementary, AbileneSecond grade: First place: Alisa Rud, “Yes, We Are Open!,” Andover eCademy, Andover Second place: Naomi Martin, “4th of July Sunset,” Grand Star Elementary, GardnerThird grade: First place: Jarett Riley, “Washed Out Creekbed,” Canton-Galva Elementary, Galva Second place: Amelia Higgins, “My Kansas Wishing Tree,” St. Mary’s Grade School, SalinaFourth grade: First place: Rebecca Barnhardt, “Beautiful Kansas Sky,” Lebo Elementary, Lebo Second place: Jorja Beeman, “Cowboy Silhouette,” Madison Elementary, HamiltonFifth grade: First place: Ashlynn Buchmann, “Countryside,” Riley County Grade School, Manhattan Second place: Tanner Riley, “Bison at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge,” Canton-Galva Elementary, GalvaSixth grade: First place: Grayson Maxwell, “Sunflower in Kansas Wheat Field,” Larned Middle School, Larned Second place: Kaden SinghDhillon, “Kansas is Sweet,” St. Marys Grade School, St. MarysSeventh grade: First place: Rachael Barnhardt, “Family Time Checking Cows” Lebo Junior High School, Lebo Second place: Hazell Horsch, “There’s No Place Like Home,” Our Lady’s Haven, HavenEighth grade: First place: Emerson Hoppes, “Carnival,” Canton-Galva Junior/Senior High School, Galva Second place: Allie Kneisler, “Do You Hear Me?” Lyndon Middle School, LyndonNinth grade: First place: Harlee Tilley, “A Dandy Sunset,” Bucklin High School, Bucklin Second place: Cora Schamp, “On a Walk with Walter,” Canton-Galva Junior/Senior High, Galva10th grade: First place: Kaci Dirks, “Wheat Field Beauty,” Rawlins County High School, Ludell Second place: Regan Hedstrom, “Feeding Time,” Cheney High School, Cheney11th grade: First place: Johanna Walker, “Game,” Girard High School, Franklin Second place: Kaitlin Schmidt, “Sundrops” Arkansas City High School, Arkansas City12th grade: First place: Eric Shapland, “Monument Rocks Chalk Pyramids,” Scott Community High School, Scott City Second place: Gwen Van Leeuwen, “Keeper of the Plains,” Seaman High School, Topeka

Rawlins Co. student a winner in Kansas Day photo contest 

SHERMAN COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Saturday in Sherman County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Honda Odyssey driven by Scott B. Fulton, 61, Merriam, was westbound on Interstate 70 at the&nbsp;Sherman County Road 11 junction passing a semi.

The Honda traveled left of center, entered the median, began to spin, vaulted between the bridges and landed on Sherman Co Road 11.

EMS transported Fulton and a passenger Peggy Fulton, 60, Merriam, to the hospital in Goodland. Peggy Fulton was not wearing a set belt, according to the KHP.

SHERMAN COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Saturday in Sherman County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Honda Odyssey driven by Scott B. Fulton, 61, Merriam, was westbound on Interstate 70 at the&nbsp;Sherman County Road 11 junction passing a semi.The Honda traveled left of center, entered the median, began to spin, vaulted between the bridges and landed on Sherman Co Road 11.EMS transported Fulton and a passenger Peggy Fulton, 60, Merriam, to the hospital in Goodland. Peggy Fulton was not wearing a set belt, according to the KHP.

Kan. couple hospitalized after minivan crash on I-70

From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, <a href="https://imagineelliscounty.org/">Imagine Ellis County </a>will host a town hall and facilitate small and large group discussions to learn more from our community members. The town hall will be at Hilton Garden Inn in Hays, and dinner will be provided for those who attend. &nbsp;

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5c0ed267-1242-448b-acac-1961d9674e8f">RELATED: Imagine Ellis County seeks feedback on future of county</a>

Imagine Ellis County recently hosted representatives of various organizations from Ellis County to identify, from their perspective, community needs that needed to be met for long-term growth and success of our county and region. Now it is your turn. The group needs your help to help identify community needs from the perspective of the residents of Ellis County.

While walk-ins are welcome, if you plan to attend, sign up on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ImagineEllisCounty/events/?ref=page_internal">Imagine Ellis County Facebook event page</a> or click <a href="https://forms.gle/F1bgNywhV37N7rqw6">HERE</a>.&nbsp;

For more information, contact Joe Leroux at 785-650-3600, or joe.leroux@hess-services.com.

Imagine Ellis County is a collaborative strategic vision for our community and region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642178166769.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseFrom 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, <a href="https://imagineelliscounty.org/">Imagine Ellis County </a>will host a town hall and facilitate small and large group discussions to learn more from our community members. The town hall will be at Hilton Garden Inn in Hays, and dinner will be provided for those who attend. &nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5c0ed267-1242-448b-acac-1961d9674e8f">RELATED: Imagine Ellis County seeks feedback on future of county</a>Imagine Ellis County recently hosted representatives of various organizations from Ellis County to identify, from their perspective, community needs that needed to be met for long-term growth and success of our county and region. Now it is your turn. The group needs your help to help identify community needs from the perspective of the residents of Ellis County.While walk-ins are welcome, if you plan to attend, sign up on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ImagineEllisCounty/events/?ref=page_internal">Imagine Ellis County Facebook event page</a> or click <a href="https://forms.gle/F1bgNywhV37N7rqw6">HERE</a>.&nbsp;For more information, contact Joe Leroux at 785-650-3600, or joe.leroux@hess-services.com.Imagine Ellis County is a collaborative strategic vision for our community and region.

REMINDER: Imagine Ellis County town hall is Monday

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/adpfhsu/">The Fort Hays State University chapter of the American Democracy Project</a> has announced its spring 2022 schedule of events. This spring's events highlight the
program's commitment to strengthening democracy. Dr. Larry Gould, ADP Faculty Advisor and
Political Science Department Chair, said the upcoming Times Talks will "equip students with the
knowledge, skills, and experiences to be informed and engaged, ready to tackle current and future
issues to ensure a thriving and equitable democracy."

This spring, Times
Talks will cover topics such as “Bipartisanship and Young Legislators” or “Colorado Springs and the
Libertarian Party.” 

“Times Talks are a powerful university-community tool
for preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens," Gould said.

But, if a Times Talk isn’t your speed, stay involved with us by responding to our questions on the
Tiger Talkback board both in FHSU’s Memorial Union and on Twitter @TigerTalkback. 
ADP would like to all of our partners, both on and off-campus, but especially the FHSU
Department of Political Science, Forsyth Library, and the New York Times, for their support of
this goal and of ADP as a whole. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us
via phone at (785) 625-4425, or by email at ekburrows@mail.fhsu.edu.

February 8, 12 PM Forsyth Library South Study Area 
Times Talk: Dr. Greg Atkins, Colorado Springs and the Rise of the Libertarian Party
February 22, 12 PM Forsyth Library South Study Area 
Times Talk: Dr. Amber Nickell, Crisis in Ukraine 
March 1, 7 PM Forsyth Library South Study Area 
Times Talk: Noah Erichsen, Bipartisanship and Young Legislators 
March 8, 12 PM Forsyth Library South Study Area 
Times Talk: Dr. Wendy Rohleder-Sook, Women in the Law 
April 28, 12 PM Forsyth Library South Study Area 
Times Talk: Dr. Angela Pool-Funai, Voter Registration and Civic Duty

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643916866619.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News release<a href="https://www.facebook.com/adpfhsu/">The Fort Hays State University chapter of the American Democracy Project</a> has announced its spring 2022 schedule of events. This spring's events highlight the
program's commitment to strengthening democracy. Dr. Larry Gould, ADP Faculty Advisor and
Political Science Department Chair, said the upcoming Times Talks will "equip students with the
knowledge, skills, and experiences to be informed and engaged, ready to tackle current and future
issues to ensure a thriving and equitable democracy."
This spring, Times
Talks will cover topics such as “Bipartisanship and Young Legislators” or “Colorado Springs and the
Libertarian Party.” “Times Talks are a powerful university-community tool
for preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens," Gould said.But, if a Times Talk isn’t your speed, stay involved with us by responding to our questions on the
Tiger Talkback board both in FHSU’s Memorial Union and on Twitter @TigerTalkback. 
ADP would like to all of our partners, both on and off-campus, but especially the FHSU
Department of Political Science, Forsyth Library, and the New York Times, for their support of
this goal and of ADP as a whole. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us
via phone at (785) 625-4425, or by email at ekburrows@mail.fhsu.edu.
<h2>Events</h2>February 8, 12 PM Forsyth Library South Study Area 
Times Talk: Dr. Greg Atkins, Colorado Springs and the Rise of the Libertarian Party
February 22, 12 PM Forsyth Library South Study Area 
Times Talk: Dr. Amber Nickell, Crisis in Ukraine 
March 1, 7 PM Forsyth Library South Study Area 
Times Talk: Noah Erichsen, Bipartisanship and Young Legislators 
March 8, 12 PM Forsyth Library South Study Area 
Times Talk: Dr. Wendy Rohleder-Sook, Women in the Law 
April 28, 12 PM Forsyth Library South Study Area 
Times Talk: Dr. Angela Pool-Funai, Voter Registration and Civic Duty

FHSU American Democracy Project announces spring schedule

GREAT BEND — February is national Career Technical Education month, and Barton will be hosting a Virtual Career Technical Education fair all month to showcase Barton’s career programs.

All middle and high school students are invited to participate. Students can explore career programs by viewing videos, doing activities, escaping virtual escape rooms and completing a survey to win a Barton swag pack.

The fair can be accessed at&nbsp;<a href="https://careerfair.bartonccc.edu/">careerfair.bartonccc.edu</a>.&nbsp;

Program instructors across the institution have worked to provide content for the virtual fair, which features 28 career and academic programs. Coordinator of Community Education Karly Little said the fair is a great way for students to get exposure to a lot of different possible career paths at once.&nbsp; “The Virtual Career Fair is about giving students a glimpse into career options they’re excited about and options they don’t yet know exist,” she said.&nbsp; “If we can get a student excited about a career program that’s a good fit for them, we’re achieving our mission.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643750763813.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Barton Community CollegeGREAT BEND — February is national Career Technical Education month, and Barton will be hosting a Virtual Career Technical Education fair all month to showcase Barton’s career programs.All middle and high school students are invited to participate. Students can explore career programs by viewing videos, doing activities, escaping virtual escape rooms and completing a survey to win a Barton swag pack.The fair can be accessed at&nbsp;<a href="https://careerfair.bartonccc.edu/">careerfair.bartonccc.edu</a>.&nbsp;Program instructors across the institution have worked to provide content for the virtual fair, which features 28 career and academic programs. Coordinator of Community Education Karly Little said the fair is a great way for students to get exposure to a lot of different possible career paths at once.&nbsp; “The Virtual Career Fair is about giving students a glimpse into career options they’re excited about and options they don’t yet know exist,” she said.&nbsp; “If we can get a student excited about a career program that’s a good fit for them, we’re achieving our mission.”

Barton CC hosts Virtual Career Technical Education Fair

COLWICH — Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association members elected board members, heard legislative updates, reviewed and approved 2022 resolutions, and held board elections for three district tiers at the groups recent annual meeting.

Bob Atkisson, Stockton, was re-elected to represent the northern tier. Brian Younker, Spearville, was elected to represent the central tier, replacing retiring board member Lance Russell, Hays. Jim Harden, Ashland, was elected to represent the southern tier, replacing retiring board member Jeff Zortman, Fowler.

The KGSPA board held a reorganizational meeting following the annual meeting and elected officers. Kent Winter, Andale, was was reelected president; Shane Ohlde, Palmer, was reelected vice president; Andy Hineman, Dighton, was elected secretary and Kelsey Baker, Scott City, was reelected treasurer.

KGSPA represents members in legislative and regulatory issues and promotes Kansas sorghum and the farmers who grow it. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="http://ksgrainsorghum.org/" target="_blank">ksgrainsorghum.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643728765778.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KGSPACOLWICH — Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association members elected board members, heard legislative updates, reviewed and approved 2022 resolutions, and held board elections for three district tiers at the groups recent annual meeting.Bob Atkisson, Stockton, was re-elected to represent the northern tier. Brian Younker, Spearville, was elected to represent the central tier, replacing retiring board member Lance Russell, Hays. Jim Harden, Ashland, was elected to represent the southern tier, replacing retiring board member Jeff Zortman, Fowler.The KGSPA board held a reorganizational meeting following the annual meeting and elected officers. Kent Winter, Andale, was was reelected president; Shane Ohlde, Palmer, was reelected vice president; Andy Hineman, Dighton, was elected secretary and Kelsey Baker, Scott City, was reelected treasurer.KGSPA represents members in legislative and regulatory issues and promotes Kansas sorghum and the farmers who grow it. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="http://ksgrainsorghum.org/" target="_blank">ksgrainsorghum.org</a>.

Stockton farmer re-elected to Kan. sorghum producers board 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644003152345.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>

Click <a href="http://bit.ly/HYPheadshots">HERE</a> to register.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643912688562.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Click <a href="http://bit.ly/HYPheadshots">HERE</a> to register.

Hays Young Professionals headshot session is next week

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The audience in the Hays City Commission chambers overflowed into the hallway Thursday night during a presentation by&nbsp;Ron Wilson, USD 489 superintendent, requesting a one-half cent city sales tax election to help pay off a potential $143.5 million school bond issue.

"This bond issue is about space," Wilson told commissioners. "Yes, we have aging facilities that have been well taken care of exceptionally well for a lot of years, but really what this bond issue is about is&nbsp; creating space at all grade levels for our enrollments."

Wilson shared statistics showing all the USD 489 schools since 2006, except for Lincoln Elementary, have more students than the capacity for which they were built and enrollments are predicted to continue growing.&nbsp;

He also noted the Hays school district receives no state aid for new building construction because it's considered a "property wealthy" district.&nbsp;

A survey of school district patrons showed 52 percent of the 1,100 respondents said a one-half cent sales tax would make them more likely to support the bond issue. The 10-year sales tax would be used to reduce the property tax requirement of the 30-year bond. Wilson said the intent would be to ask for a renewal of the sales tax after 10 years "until our bonds are paid off in full."&nbsp;

"We just feel really confident that this is an investment in our community and for the betterment of a great future for Hays."

The district's last school bond issue - which Wilson described as a non-glitzy "fix it" bond issue - was approved by local voters in 1992, when Mayor Mason Ruder was one year old.&nbsp;

"Doug Williams (Grow Hays executive director) is always saying the hierarchy of a community's needs is housing, jobs and schools. If you don't have the schools for the people's children who we need the jobs for, and we don't have the housing to support them, the whole thing collapses," Ruder said.

"If we can be a part of that by allowing the citizens to decide how they want to fund it, I don't think we should be in the way of that."

Commissioners Sandy Jacobs, Reese Barrick and Shaun Musil also expressed their support of the sales tax question and bond project.

"Yeah, our sales tax would potentially be higher," Musil said, "but we haven't seen the negative effects so far (of the recent passage of a county sales tax.) It's actually grown."

The mill levy for USD 489 is presently one of the lowest in Kansas.&nbsp;

If both the bond issue and sales tax were to pass, "it puts us in the middle of the 5A school districts," Wilson told commissioners. "There are 32 5A districts. We're at the very bottom currently."

RELATED STORY: <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3b975941-e3da-4d3e-a9f1-3c5345769e8d">Bond committee makes case to Hays USD 489 board for new high school option</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643942311673.jpeg" alt="A standing room only crowd at Thursday's Hays city commission work session listens to a presentation by Ron Wilson, USD 489 superintendent, (at right) requesting a one-half cent sales tax election to help pay off a potential $143.5 million school bond issue. Commissioners will vote on the ballot request at their Feb. 10 meeting.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>A standing room only crowd at Thursday's Hays city commission work session listens to a presentation by Ron Wilson, USD 489 superintendent, (at right) requesting a one-half cent sales tax election to help pay off a potential $143.5 million school bond issue. Commissioners will vote on the ballot request at their Feb. 10 meeting.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe audience in the Hays City Commission chambers overflowed into the hallway Thursday night during a presentation by&nbsp;Ron Wilson, USD 489 superintendent, requesting a one-half cent city sales tax election to help pay off a potential $143.5 million school bond issue."This bond issue is about space," Wilson told commissioners. "Yes, we have aging facilities that have been well taken care of exceptionally well for a lot of years, but really what this bond issue is about is&nbsp; creating space at all grade levels for our enrollments."<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vsvDlNpJc7I"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Wilson shared statistics showing all the USD 489 schools since 2006, except for Lincoln Elementary, have more students than the capacity for which they were built and enrollments are predicted to continue growing.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643953733811.jpeg" alt="USD 489 student enrollment is over capacity at five of the district's six school buildings and projected to continue growing." />
 <figcaption>USD 489 student enrollment is over capacity at five of the district's six school buildings and projected to continue growing.</figcaption>
 </figure>He also noted the Hays school district receives no state aid for new building construction because it's considered a "property wealthy" district.&nbsp;A survey of school district patrons showed 52 percent of the 1,100 respondents said a one-half cent sales tax would make them more likely to support the bond issue. The 10-year sales tax would be used to reduce the property tax requirement of the 30-year bond. Wilson said the intent would be to ask for a renewal of the sales tax after 10 years "until our bonds are paid off in full."&nbsp;"We just feel really confident that this is an investment in our community and for the betterment of a great future for Hays."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643951349026.jpeg" alt="If approved by voters, the city sales tax would be used to reduce the property tax requirement of the proposed 30-year bond issue." />
 <figcaption>If approved by voters, the city sales tax would be used to reduce the property tax requirement of the proposed 30-year bond issue.</figcaption>
 </figure>The district's last school bond issue - which Wilson described as a non-glitzy "fix it" bond issue - was approved by local voters in 1992, when Mayor Mason Ruder was one year old.&nbsp;"Doug Williams (Grow Hays executive director) is always saying the hierarchy of a community's needs is housing, jobs and schools. If you don't have the schools for the people's children who we need the jobs for, and we don't have the housing to support them, the whole thing collapses," Ruder said."If we can be a part of that by allowing the citizens to decide how they want to fund it, I don't think we should be in the way of that."Commissioners Sandy Jacobs, Reese Barrick and Shaun Musil also expressed their support of the sales tax question and bond project."Yeah, our sales tax would potentially be higher," Musil said, "but we haven't seen the negative effects so far (of the recent passage of a county sales tax.) It's actually grown."The mill levy for USD 489 is presently one of the lowest in Kansas.&nbsp;If both the bond issue and sales tax were to pass, "it puts us in the middle of the 5A school districts," Wilson told commissioners. "There are 32 5A districts. We're at the very bottom currently."RELATED STORY: <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3b975941-e3da-4d3e-a9f1-3c5345769e8d">Bond committee makes case to Hays USD 489 board for new high school option</a>

🎥 City hears request from USD 489 for special purpose sales tax

ELLIS — USD 388 will hold a special board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Ellis High School FACS 
Room.&nbsp; The board will be discussing a potential USD 388 bond election.

A representative of Alloy Architecture will be in attendance to update the board and answer questions about the work of the bond committee.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The board agenda can be viewed by clicking <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/ks/usd388/Board.nsf/Public">HERE</a>. Once in BoardDocs, 
you will see the Wednesday, February 9, 2022, special board meeting 
listed under meetings.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644000994697.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS — USD 388 will hold a special board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Ellis High School FACS 
Room.&nbsp; The board will be discussing a potential USD 388 bond election.A representative of Alloy Architecture will be in attendance to update the board and answer questions about the work of the bond committee.&nbsp; &nbsp;The board agenda can be viewed by clicking <a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/ks/usd388/Board.nsf/Public">HERE</a>. Once in BoardDocs, 
you will see the Wednesday, February 9, 2022, special board meeting 
listed under meetings.&nbsp;

Bond issue the topic of special school board meeting in Ellis

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday reported 52 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Wednesday.

As of Friday morning, there were 31 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed, including 10 active cases and 21 recovering cases.&nbsp;

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

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

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/105f1213-d48a-4548-9e16-aaa16189301a">RELATED: Norton prison COVID cluster remains largest in Kansas</a>

The Kansas Hospital Organization reported that 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents (5 and older) are fully vaccinated. The county-by-county vaccination rate report will no longer be published by KDHE.

Since reporting began, there have been 6,918 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 79 coronavirus-related deaths.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643999522147.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday reported 52 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Wednesday.As of Friday morning, there were 31 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed, including 10 active cases and 21 recovering cases.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/75f061b1-d7f1-4dba-ad9d-36bcbccc8ee8">RELATED: Drive-through testing site returns to Big Creek Crossing</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/105f1213-d48a-4548-9e16-aaa16189301a">RELATED: Norton prison COVID cluster remains largest in Kansas</a>The Kansas Hospital Organization reported that 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents (5 and older) are fully vaccinated. The county-by-county vaccination rate report will no longer be published by KDHE.Since reporting began, there have been 6,918 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 79 coronavirus-related deaths.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643999543832.png" alt="KHA" />
 <figcaption>KHA</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643999567493.png" alt="State COVID-19 curve" />
 <figcaption>State COVID-19 curve</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: 52 new COVID cases in Ellis Co. since Wednesday

OSBORNE COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Osborne County Sheriff’s Office again ask for the public’s assistance as they investigate the murder of 48-year-old Calvin Beams of Downs.

It is believed Beams was shot and killed on Nov. 3. He was reported missing on Nov. 4, and his body was then discovered by a farmer in a field south of Downs on Nov. 8.&nbsp;

Anyone with information about this homicide case is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips can also be submitted anonymously online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.&nbsp;

The investigation is ongoing. Nothing further will be released at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644004577740.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KBIOSBORNE COUNTY–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Osborne County Sheriff’s Office again ask for the public’s assistance as they investigate the murder of 48-year-old Calvin Beams of Downs.It is believed Beams was shot and killed on Nov. 3. He was reported missing on Nov. 4, and his body was then discovered by a farmer in a field south of Downs on Nov. 8.&nbsp;Anyone with information about this homicide case is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Tips can also be submitted anonymously online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar">https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar</a>.&nbsp;The investigation is ongoing. Nothing further will be released at this time.

UPDATE: KBI seeks public's assistance in Osborne Co. homicide

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The United Way of Ellis County announced it has exceeded its goal for the 2021 campaign. 

The organization set a goal of $350,000 and received $355,198 as of the end of January.

This exceeded the $328,000 that the agency raised in 2020.

Allocations for the United Way's partner agencies should remain the same this year, said Erica Berges, executive director. The group's Care Council met this week, and funding amounts should be announced by the end of the month.

United Way dipped into its reserves last year so it could sustain funding to its partner agencies at the same amount as previous years, and the organization will do that again this year to a lesser degree, Berges said.

"There are still those people in need, and I think we are going to see that again this coming year with people still struggling with the rise of prices and getting back into jobs," she said.

Berges said she knew United Way would be close to reaching its goal this year and then some individuals and businesses stepped up and gave more than expected.

Berges said she and her staff have tried to stay more connected with businesses, as well made attempts to reach younger donors by offering a donation option through Venmo.

"Hopefully, we can take this momentum with us into next year and raise the same amount or even more," Berges said.

She said she hopes to work with the United Way's partner agencies to further exhibit how the money raised affects people in the community.

"People loved the success stories," Berges said. "It's not about United Way. It's these partner agencies and the services they provide."

Berges also wanted to offer a big thank you to the community for stepping up and helping United Way reach its goal. 

United Way funded 16 partner agencies in 2021. They included:

• American Red Cross • Big Brothers Big Sisters • Cancer Council of Ellis County • Catholic Charities • Center for Life Experience • Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation • CASA of the High Plains • Development Services of Northwest Kansas • Early Childhood Connections • First Call for Help • Hays Area Children's Center • Hays Senior Center • Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services • Parents and Children Together • Western Kansas Association on the Concerns for the Disabled • Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643921031542.jpeg" alt="Erica Berges, United Way of Ellis County executive director. " />
 <figcaption>Erica Berges, United Way of Ellis County executive director. </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe United Way of Ellis County announced it has exceeded its goal for the 2021 campaign. The organization set a goal of $350,000 and received $355,198 as of the end of January.This exceeded the $328,000 that the agency raised in 2020.Allocations for the United Way's partner agencies should remain the same this year, said Erica Berges, executive director. The group's Care Council met this week, and funding amounts should be announced by the end of the month.United Way dipped into its reserves last year so it could sustain funding to its partner agencies at the same amount as previous years, and the organization will do that again this year to a lesser degree, Berges said."There are still those people in need, and I think we are going to see that again this coming year with people still struggling with the rise of prices and getting back into jobs," she said. Berges said she knew United Way would be close to reaching its goal this year and then some individuals and businesses stepped up and gave more than expected.Berges said she and her staff have tried to stay more connected with businesses, as well made attempts to reach younger donors by offering a donation option through Venmo."Hopefully, we can take this momentum with us into next year and raise the same amount or even more," Berges said. She said she hopes to work with the United Way's partner agencies to further exhibit how the money raised affects people in the community. "People loved the success stories," Berges said. "It's not about United Way. It's these partner agencies and the services they provide." Berges also wanted to offer a big thank you to the community for stepping up and helping United Way reach its goal. United Way funded 16 partner agencies in 2021. They included:• American Red Cross • Big Brothers Big Sisters • Cancer Council of Ellis County • Catholic Charities • Center for Life Experience • Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation • CASA of the High Plains • Development Services of Northwest Kansas • Early Childhood Connections • First Call for Help • Hays Area Children's Center • Hays Senior Center • Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services • Parents and Children Together • Western Kansas Association on the Concerns for the Disabled • Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center

United Way of Ellis County exceeds 2021 fundraising goal

Thomas More Prep-Marian Jr./Sr. High School has announced the following 2022 Sweetheart Candidates.

The 2022 Sweetheart Candidates, pictured from left to right, are:

Handrick Chen and Maggie Baalmann – Handrick is the son of Charles &amp; Catherine Chen (host son of Troy &amp; Tina Herrman) and Maggie is the daughter of Justin &amp; Michelle Baalmann.

Kenton Ginther &amp; Megan Hamel – Kenton is the son of Doug &amp; Melissa Ginther and Megan is the daughter of David &amp; Anjanette Hamel.

Gavin Unrein &amp; Sophia Balthazor – Gavin is the son of Travis (Class of 1994) &amp; Leslie (Class of 1997) (Robben) Unrein and Sophia is the daughter of Steve &amp; Sarah Balthazor.

Andrew Schwartz &amp; Ella Brummer – Andrew is the son of Greg &amp; Christy (Class of 1990) (Wasinger) Schwartz and Ella is the daughter of Stephen &amp; Judy Brummer.

Matthew Vahling &amp; Avery Werth – Matthew is the son of Jeff &amp; Kathleen (Class of 1990) (Emmot) Vahling and Avery is the daughter of Greg (Class of 1988) &amp; Shannon Werth.

The 2022 Sweetheart King and Queen will be crowned at halftime of the Boys Varsity Basketball game on Friday, Feb. 11, in Al Billinger Fieldhouse when the TMP-M Monarchs take on the Phillipsburg Panthers at 7 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643917042850.jpeg" alt="Sweetheart Candidates 2022" />
 <figcaption>Sweetheart Candidates 2022</figcaption>
 </figure>TMP-MThomas More Prep-Marian Jr./Sr. High School has announced the following 2022 Sweetheart Candidates.The 2022 Sweetheart Candidates, pictured from left to right, are:Handrick Chen and Maggie Baalmann – Handrick is the son of Charles &amp; Catherine Chen (host son of Troy &amp; Tina Herrman) and Maggie is the daughter of Justin &amp; Michelle Baalmann.Kenton Ginther &amp; Megan Hamel – Kenton is the son of Doug &amp; Melissa Ginther and Megan is the daughter of David &amp; Anjanette Hamel.Gavin Unrein &amp; Sophia Balthazor – Gavin is the son of Travis (Class of 1994) &amp; Leslie (Class of 1997) (Robben) Unrein and Sophia is the daughter of Steve &amp; Sarah Balthazor.Andrew Schwartz &amp; Ella Brummer – Andrew is the son of Greg &amp; Christy (Class of 1990) (Wasinger) Schwartz and Ella is the daughter of Stephen &amp; Judy Brummer.Matthew Vahling &amp; Avery Werth – Matthew is the son of Jeff &amp; Kathleen (Class of 1990) (Emmot) Vahling and Avery is the daughter of Greg (Class of 1988) &amp; Shannon Werth.The 2022 Sweetheart King and Queen will be crowned at halftime of the Boys Varsity Basketball game on Friday, Feb. 11, in Al Billinger Fieldhouse when the TMP-M Monarchs take on the Phillipsburg Panthers at 7 p.m.

TMP-Marian announces 2022 Sweetheart Candidates

BUNKER HILL — "The Kansas Legislature," a local production of Smoky Hills PBS, will feature state Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland; state Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill; and state Rep. Steven Howe, R- Salina, at 7 p.m. Friday.

"The Kansas Legislature" is a program that takes place during the legislative session and gives the legislators and viewers the opportunity to discuss up-to-date issues.  During the program, viewers can call 1-800-337-4788 with their legislative questions. "The Kansas Legislature" is hosted by Becky Kiser, news reporter for Hays Post and Eagle Radio of Hays. 

Streaming is available for each episode on the <a href="http://bit.ly/StreamSmokyHillsPBS">Smoky Hills PBS YouTube channel.</a> A schedule of programs and past episodes are available at www.SmokyHillsPBS.org.

"The Kansas Legislature" is made possible in part by ITC Great Plains.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578663876107.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SHPTVBUNKER HILL — "The Kansas Legislature," a local production of Smoky Hills PBS, will feature state Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland; state Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill; and state Rep. Steven Howe, R- Salina, at 7 p.m. Friday."The Kansas Legislature" is a program that takes place during the legislative session and gives the legislators and viewers the opportunity to discuss up-to-date issues. During the program, viewers can call 1-800-337-4788 with their legislative questions. "The Kansas Legislature" is hosted by Becky Kiser, news reporter for Hays Post and Eagle Radio of Hays. Streaming is available for each episode on the <a href="http://bit.ly/StreamSmokyHillsPBS">Smoky Hills PBS YouTube channel.</a> A schedule of programs and past episodes are available at www.SmokyHillsPBS.org. "The Kansas Legislature" is made possible in part by ITC Great Plains.

'The Kansas Legislature' kicks off Friday on Smoky Hills PBS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643919025701.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>

This week, I heard the distinctive “pretty, pretty, pretty” spring song of a male cardinal, and Joyce saw her first robin. Usually when you begin to hear those boys singing, and start to see robins braving the cold winds, winter is at least showing us it’s backside as it&nbsp;prepares to&nbsp;take&nbsp;its first steps&nbsp;away from us. I also&nbsp;watched an interesting scenario from our kitchen window.

We have a roof over the deck that&nbsp;is just outside our kitchen. When we added the roof, which consists of metal roofing on 2x6 lumber, we also installed an outdoor ceiling fan beneath the roof by partially “boxing-in” a small area&nbsp;between the 2x6’s&nbsp;to hang the fan. As I looked out the window, a small bird was collecting bits-and-pieces of this-and-that from the yard and flying into the small&nbsp;boxed-in area&nbsp;above the ceiling fan as if preparing a nest.&nbsp;Even stranger was the fact that the little bird&nbsp;with its long, curved beak and upturned tail&nbsp;appeared, for all the world to be a wren. “Surely this can’t be already,” I questioned.&nbsp;I&nbsp;posed my query to Chuck Otte, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent for Geary, County Kansas, and walking encyclopedia for all things backyard-bird related.

Of the half-dozen or so&nbsp;species of&nbsp;wrens in Kansas, Carolina Wrens and House Wrens are the two most likely visitors to our backyards. Carolina Wrens are year-round residents while House Wrens are migratory, leaving in the fall and arriving again mid to late April.&nbsp;Chuck said that from my description, what I saw was likely a Carolina Wren. He went on to say that once the hours of daylight start to noticeably increase in late winter, many of our Kansas resident backyard birds get into “nesting mood,” and&nbsp;you can also hear an increase in&nbsp;birds’&nbsp;songs, even on cold and cloudy mornings like we’ve had.&nbsp;

The males of both Carolina and House Wrens anticipate nesting season by scouting-out several proposed nest sites, then put small amounts of nesting materials in each, readying them for the females viewing, sort of how a realtor stages furniture in a home in preparation for viewing by prospective buyers. Then,&nbsp;they&nbsp;take&nbsp;the females to each proposed site,&nbsp;and if any of the sites are acceptable to her,&nbsp;she chooses the one she likes and they mate. Female Carolina Wrens&nbsp;are known to&nbsp;toss-out most of the&nbsp;nesting material contributed by the male and start from scratch. Female House Wrens usually use at least some of the male’s contribution.&nbsp;

Carolina Wrens often have two broods a year, and egg-laying for the first brood starts mid-March to early April. They are known to choose really odd, out-of-the-way nesting spots like above our ceiling fan, and don’t often use nesting boxes we provide.&nbsp;Male House Wrens typically arrive in late April to begin preparing their nest&nbsp;options to show the females, which arrive a week or two later. House Wrens also often hatch two broods a year, and eggs are laid for the first brood&nbsp;around&nbsp;mid-May.&nbsp;

Chuck says wrens are everywhere and are easily attracted to our yards and gardens for food and&nbsp;for&nbsp;potential nesting sites. They feed primarily on insects, so one good way to keep them around is to use pesticides&nbsp;very&nbsp;sparingly&nbsp;so as&nbsp;to&nbsp;leave&nbsp;them plenty of high protein&nbsp;insects for&nbsp;snacks. Nest boxes are&nbsp;another way to attract them, especially house wrens.&nbsp;Chuck sent me&nbsp;plans of the wren nest box he prefers.&nbsp;It’s a very simply house with one side that opens to clean the&nbsp;box, and can be built with minimum cutting and just a general knowledge of tools and construction. There are numerous different nest box designs that will work, but Chuck emphasized two things; make the entrance hole only 1 inch in diameter, and DO NOT put a perch on the box, which will&nbsp;deter sparrows from trying to use it.

So,&nbsp;to complete the&nbsp;initial&nbsp;story, what I&nbsp;likely&nbsp;saw the other morning was a male Carolina Wren beginning&nbsp;to prepare nesting site possibilities to offer the ladies when they get here. Not sure I’d put-up with my chosen lady tossing all my&nbsp;stuff out in the snow when she finally chose a spot. Although, I did come home from Junior High one afternoon to find mom had tossed all the stuff out of my bedroom onto the lawn because I hadn’t cleaned my room as “requested” … but that’s a story for another time. Let me know if you want Chuck Otte’s wren house plans and I’ll email them to you. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>This week, I heard the distinctive “pretty, pretty, pretty” spring song of a male cardinal, and Joyce saw her first robin. Usually when you begin to hear those boys singing, and start to see robins braving the cold winds, winter is at least showing us it’s backside as it&nbsp;prepares to&nbsp;take&nbsp;its first steps&nbsp;away from us. I also&nbsp;watched an interesting scenario from our kitchen window.We have a roof over the deck that&nbsp;is just outside our kitchen. When we added the roof, which consists of metal roofing on 2x6 lumber, we also installed an outdoor ceiling fan beneath the roof by partially “boxing-in” a small area&nbsp;between the 2x6’s&nbsp;to hang the fan. As I looked out the window, a small bird was collecting bits-and-pieces of this-and-that from the yard and flying into the small&nbsp;boxed-in area&nbsp;above the ceiling fan as if preparing a nest.&nbsp;Even stranger was the fact that the little bird&nbsp;with its long, curved beak and upturned tail&nbsp;appeared, for all the world to be a wren. “Surely this can’t be already,” I questioned.&nbsp;I&nbsp;posed my query to Chuck Otte, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent for Geary, County Kansas, and walking encyclopedia for all things backyard-bird related.Of the half-dozen or so&nbsp;species of&nbsp;wrens in Kansas, Carolina Wrens and House Wrens are the two most likely visitors to our backyards. Carolina Wrens are year-round residents while House Wrens are migratory, leaving in the fall and arriving again mid to late April.&nbsp;Chuck said that from my description, what I saw was likely a Carolina Wren. He went on to say that once the hours of daylight start to noticeably increase in late winter, many of our Kansas resident backyard birds get into “nesting mood,” and&nbsp;you can also hear an increase in&nbsp;birds’&nbsp;songs, even on cold and cloudy mornings like we’ve had.&nbsp;The males of both Carolina and House Wrens anticipate nesting season by scouting-out several proposed nest sites, then put small amounts of nesting materials in each, readying them for the females viewing, sort of how a realtor stages furniture in a home in preparation for viewing by prospective buyers. Then,&nbsp;they&nbsp;take&nbsp;the females to each proposed site,&nbsp;and if any of the sites are acceptable to her,&nbsp;she chooses the one she likes and they mate. Female Carolina Wrens&nbsp;are known to&nbsp;toss-out most of the&nbsp;nesting material contributed by the male and start from scratch. Female House Wrens usually use at least some of the male’s contribution.&nbsp;Carolina Wrens often have two broods a year, and egg-laying for the first brood starts mid-March to early April. They are known to choose really odd, out-of-the-way nesting spots like above our ceiling fan, and don’t often use nesting boxes we provide.&nbsp;Male House Wrens typically arrive in late April to begin preparing their nest&nbsp;options to show the females, which arrive a week or two later. House Wrens also often hatch two broods a year, and eggs are laid for the first brood&nbsp;around&nbsp;mid-May.&nbsp;Chuck says wrens are everywhere and are easily attracted to our yards and gardens for food and&nbsp;for&nbsp;potential nesting sites. They feed primarily on insects, so one good way to keep them around is to use pesticides&nbsp;very&nbsp;sparingly&nbsp;so as&nbsp;to&nbsp;leave&nbsp;them plenty of high protein&nbsp;insects for&nbsp;snacks. Nest boxes are&nbsp;another way to attract them, especially house wrens.&nbsp;Chuck sent me&nbsp;plans of the wren nest box he prefers.&nbsp;It’s a very simply house with one side that opens to clean the&nbsp;box, and can be built with minimum cutting and just a general knowledge of tools and construction. There are numerous different nest box designs that will work, but Chuck emphasized two things; make the entrance hole only 1 inch in diameter, and DO NOT put a perch on the box, which will&nbsp;deter sparrows from trying to use it.So,&nbsp;to complete the&nbsp;initial&nbsp;story, what I&nbsp;likely&nbsp;saw the other morning was a male Carolina Wren beginning&nbsp;to prepare nesting site possibilities to offer the ladies when they get here. Not sure I’d put-up with my chosen lady tossing all my&nbsp;stuff out in the snow when she finally chose a spot. Although, I did come home from Junior High one afternoon to find mom had tossed all the stuff out of my bedroom onto the lawn because I hadn’t cleaned my room as “requested” … but that’s a story for another time. Let me know if you want Chuck Otte’s wren house plans and I’ll email them to you. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Spring wrens in Kansas

Ah, the exuberance of youth! A couple years back, I trapped coyotes for a couple weeks before deer firearms season in early December, with the poorest results since I was a beginning trapper. Meanwhile a young lad I mentored the year before continued to send me picture after picture of coyotes and bobcats he was catching. In the 2 ½ weeks I trapped, I caught only 5 coyotes and had to leave 4 properties because the landowners fenced them for grazing or knifed-in nitrogen while I had traps there. I also seemed to enjoy trapping coyotes less that year than I can ever remember because the ground was so terribly hard and dry, making it miserable to get traps anchored in the cement-like soil and making it nearly necessary to extract them from the ground without a crane.&nbsp;

My young friend was evidently doing things correctly while I was not, so I deduced maybe it was time for the teacher to become the student again, so I rode along with him one morning to observe. For starters he was trapping on the outskirts of a major town on properties that have not been trapped for years, if ever, so the predator population was high, plus his exuberance for trapping was almost overwhelming. He didn’t care less that the ground was hard or frozen or about any other roadblocks nature had thrown his way, he just loved to trap!

This all got me thinking about the process of mentoring someone and teaching them what we know about a sport we love, so allow me to offer some observations I’ve collected. Most important by far is to make sure the persons introduction to the sport is a good experience. If a person’s first time fishing is in a pond where they catch no fish, and they get snagged on tree limbs and rocks with every cast, they have good reason not to go again. I remember one morning when I was to go goose hunting with a couple guys. They texted me before I left and asked my opinion about postponing the hunt since it was 11 degrees below zero. I said that was OK with me, but I would still go if they wanted. Then they told me that a young son wanted to go along and they felt it was just too cold for him.&nbsp; Sometimes concessions must be made to help someone enjoy your sport. 

Joyce and I built a nice elevated deer blind a few years back, but I don’t know if I would have built it had she not wanted to hunt too. She sometimes reminds me of the first time I took her deer hunting. It was in southwest KS and she’d decided to sit with me one evening. She had no intention of EVER hunting deer, but decided she would tag along just to be there. We sat in a patch of weeds on a couple small camp chairs overlooking a draw in a pasture. Just before dusk, I told her to watch the top of a certain hill in the distance, and right on cue, mule deer began popping over the top of that hill and heading into the draw below us. She tells me she was dumbfounded that I knew that would happen, and she’s been a deer hunter ever since, harvesting several nice Kansas whitetails. So, making the necessary concessions or arrangements to make a person’s first hunt, fishing trip or campout a good experience for them will go a long way toward ensuring that person will stick with their chosen sport for life.

An important detail to learn about a person you might mentor is how they learn the best. Some of us learn best by doing, some of us learn best by being shown, and some of us learn best by a combination of the two. Making use of the best learning process for the person will make it easiest for them to learn basic skills they’ll need to be successful at the sport you’re teaching them. I learn best by being shown, something a few times before I try it on my own.&nbsp; When teaching my young trapping friend what I knew about trapping, he told me right up front he learned best by doing, so I showed him very little, but talked him through most everything while he actually did it himself. It’s OK to help your protégé prevent mistakes, but missing a shot at a strutting tom turkey because they shot before you recommended, or losing a big fish because they failed to use the net like you suggested is all part of the learning process for them, and they’ll never make that mistake again.

I also feel it’s of utmost importance to talk to people about God’s Creation while you teach them to hunt, fish, and trap or in any way enjoy the outdoors. Tell them about things you see around you, explain how nature works and why the animals they harvest are made like they are or why they do what they do. My wife shakes her head and laughs at me in total disagreement when I tell her I’m not competitive, but if the sport you’re teaching someone involves harvesting game, try to instill in them the enjoyment and appreciation of having the opportunity and freedom to do so, even when they fail to harvest their quarry.&nbsp;

So there, for what it’s worth you have my two cents about mentoring. The only way our outdoor sports will continue to be enjoyed is by passing our love of them down to the next generation. Oh, and one more thing, try to be happy when your protégé out-hunts or out-traps you. It’s easy for me because I’m not competitive, remember? Take someone outdoors with you and help them learn to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>Ah, the exuberance of youth! A couple years back, I trapped coyotes for a couple weeks before deer firearms season in early December, with the poorest results since I was a beginning trapper. Meanwhile a young lad I mentored the year before continued to send me picture after picture of coyotes and bobcats he was catching. In the 2 ½ weeks I trapped, I caught only 5 coyotes and had to leave 4 properties because the landowners fenced them for grazing or knifed-in nitrogen while I had traps there. I also seemed to enjoy trapping coyotes less that year than I can ever remember because the ground was so terribly hard and dry, making it miserable to get traps anchored in the cement-like soil and making it nearly necessary to extract them from the ground without a crane.&nbsp;My young friend was evidently doing things correctly while I was not, so I deduced maybe it was time for the teacher to become the student again, so I rode along with him one morning to observe. For starters he was trapping on the outskirts of a major town on properties that have not been trapped for years, if ever, so the predator population was high, plus his exuberance for trapping was almost overwhelming. He didn’t care less that the ground was hard or frozen or about any other roadblocks nature had thrown his way, he just loved to trap!This all got me thinking about the process of mentoring someone and teaching them what we know about a sport we love, so allow me to offer some observations I’ve collected. Most important by far is to make sure the persons introduction to the sport is a good experience. If a person’s first time fishing is in a pond where they catch no fish, and they get snagged on tree limbs and rocks with every cast, they have good reason not to go again. I remember one morning when I was to go goose hunting with a couple guys. They texted me before I left and asked my opinion about postponing the hunt since it was 11 degrees below zero. I said that was OK with me, but I would still go if they wanted. Then they told me that a young son wanted to go along and they felt it was just too cold for him.&nbsp; Sometimes concessions must be made to help someone enjoy your sport. Joyce and I built a nice elevated deer blind a few years back, but I don’t know if I would have built it had she not wanted to hunt too. She sometimes reminds me of the first time I took her deer hunting. It was in southwest KS and she’d decided to sit with me one evening. She had no intention of EVER hunting deer, but decided she would tag along just to be there. We sat in a patch of weeds on a couple small camp chairs overlooking a draw in a pasture. Just before dusk, I told her to watch the top of a certain hill in the distance, and right on cue, mule deer began popping over the top of that hill and heading into the draw below us. She tells me she was dumbfounded that I knew that would happen, and she’s been a deer hunter ever since, harvesting several nice Kansas whitetails. So, making the necessary concessions or arrangements to make a person’s first hunt, fishing trip or campout a good experience for them will go a long way toward ensuring that person will stick with their chosen sport for life.An important detail to learn about a person you might mentor is how they learn the best. Some of us learn best by doing, some of us learn best by being shown, and some of us learn best by a combination of the two. Making use of the best learning process for the person will make it easiest for them to learn basic skills they’ll need to be successful at the sport you’re teaching them. I learn best by being shown, something a few times before I try it on my own.&nbsp; When teaching my young trapping friend what I knew about trapping, he told me right up front he learned best by doing, so I showed him very little, but talked him through most everything while he actually did it himself. It’s OK to help your protégé prevent mistakes, but missing a shot at a strutting tom turkey because they shot before you recommended, or losing a big fish because they failed to use the net like you suggested is all part of the learning process for them, and they’ll never make that mistake again.I also feel it’s of utmost importance to talk to people about God’s Creation while you teach them to hunt, fish, and trap or in any way enjoy the outdoors. Tell them about things you see around you, explain how nature works and why the animals they harvest are made like they are or why they do what they do. My wife shakes her head and laughs at me in total disagreement when I tell her I’m not competitive, but if the sport you’re teaching someone involves harvesting game, try to instill in them the enjoyment and appreciation of having the opportunity and freedom to do so, even when they fail to harvest their quarry.&nbsp;So there, for what it’s worth you have my two cents about mentoring. The only way our outdoor sports will continue to be enjoyed is by passing our love of them down to the next generation. Oh, and one more thing, try to be happy when your protégé out-hunts or out-traps you. It’s easy for me because I’m not competitive, remember? Take someone outdoors with you and help them learn to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: The art of mentoring

&nbsp;By JAMES BELL Hays Post

Surrounded by the past, the future was on display at the Ellis County Historical
Society's annual meeting of members Monday, as the organization elected a new
slate of trustees and officers for the year.

“It's really exciting to have this room filled again,” said Interim Director Amanda Rupp, who opened the meeting in the Stone Church on the society’s
campus. About 45 people attended the meeting.

“It's been a very good year,” said board President Priscilla
Hunt. “We've taken two museums and put them into one. We've had to take the
Sternberg Museum collection that we inherited and put it into here and on our
premises.”

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d7962f54-bf8a-4a91-b474-d9e2acaa0ae2">She said the board and staff had faced significant challenges
after a staff shakeup in March, with the departure of the previous director and
the work to bring the entirety of the society’s collection back to their campus
at the corner of Main and Seventh.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/36713cde-0b98-41e4-b09f-e7091c8c0460">Related Story: Ellis Co. Historical Society
business offices move to Eagle Plaza.</a>

“They have done a tremendous job and doing what we've had to
do in this short period of time because we all took over in March, not in
January,” Hunt said. “So, congratulations to everyone.”

Following routine business, the group moved to elect
leaders for the year.

“This is the exciting part,” Rupp said. “Before we were
scrambling for candidates. We couldn’t find enough people to come on in.”

This year, elections were needed as more people expressed an interest in serving as a trustee or officer.

Priscilla Hunt was again selected as president. Also selected were Alex Herman, vice president; Matt Odom, secretary; and Cheryl Stramel, treasurer.

Mary Kay Schippers, Cynthia Stone, Jerry Braun, Braden
Splichal and Greg Atkins were selected as trustees.

While much of the meeting was routine, the organization’s
current focus was made clear — organizing, sorting and curating a collection
that will allow the group to showcase the history of Ellis County in meaningful way
in the future.

While that effort is underway, Rupp said other activities will be limited.

“We hope to put in more small exhibits in (the Stone Church)
rotating through the exhibits that have been in the museum prior,” she said. “There
won't be new exhibits. We're not taking our valuable time that we need to
organize and do our main back-of-house work to present a new idea. We're
not inventing the wheel. We're going to bring out some of the stuff in the
collections that haven't been seen that already have their title cards and
their information with them and present them so that people can look at them.”

She also said &nbsp;the
traveling exhibits in various public locations will continue.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/05f4a1d9-98e3-4993-ac70-2abc91946dcf">Related Story:&nbsp; Ellis County Historical
Society sends collection into community</a>

“They can’t come in our museum right now,” Rupp said, (but) “we
can come to them a little bit.”

Groups have also been able to tour the collections.

“We're still available to show some things,” Rupp said. “And
those outbuildings are still prime destinations for people to use.”

For now, she said the No. 1 priority for the staff is
sorting the society’s collection and removing items that are of little historical
significance to Ellis County — even if they are pieces of history.

“We've collected a lot of things over the years — a lot of
these are wonderful. Just as an example we have six or seven pull-behind plows,”
Rupp said. "(They) take up a lot of room. We don't need six plows, but
they could go to a specialized museum.

“When we look at our selections we have to decide ... does
it belong to Ellis County? Is it pertinent to us? And can we store it safely
and display it properly?”

Items that are selected to be removed from the collection
are subject to strict rules and could be returned to the family that donated the
item or given to other museums.

“Over the next couple of years, we're going to have to be
making some decisions as we go through this collection of what needs to stay
and what does not,” Rupp said. 

She said the hopes members can help educate the community
as to the difficulties surrounding the size and scope of the current
collection and share that, while it might seem the society is not active in the community, working through the collection is the first step in creating a society and museum that can bring Ellis County pride.

“We can't keep everything. We don't have the money to keep
everything,” Rupp said. “There are 27 typewriters. That's great. If we had a huge
complex, we'd love to keep them, but we just can’t.”

The society hopes, even as events and access are currently limited, county residents will support its long-term goal through becoming
involved or through financial donations.

One of the key pieces of their mission outlined during the meeting is procuring new computers and
software that can catalogue society collections. 

Rupp told the group that, in only six weeks, $5,830 of the
needed $10,000 had already been raised for those systems.

A sustained effort, however, to secure more sponsorships
into the future will be necessary as the society works toward its long-term goals
and Rupp called on the members to help share with the community what is needed — and what is going on at the society — in order to create a plan for the future.

“Our priority is assessing our collection, and what we have, so that we know what we need in terms of space, what we're going to do with the
building, whether renovating or getting a new building or moving somewhere," Rupp said. "The
possibilities are endless.”

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ECHSHays">For more information about the Ellis County Historical Society, visit its Facebook page, ECHSHays.&nbsp;</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643828522223.jpeg" alt="Ellis County Historical Society interim director Amanda Rupp opens the 2022 annual meeting of members." />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Historical Society interim director Amanda Rupp opens the 2022 annual meeting of members.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By JAMES BELL Hays PostSurrounded by the past, the future was on display at the Ellis County Historical
Society's annual meeting of members Monday, as the organization elected a new
slate of trustees and officers for the year.“It's really exciting to have this room filled again,” said Interim Director Amanda Rupp, who opened the meeting in the Stone Church on the society’s
campus. About 45 people attended the meeting.“It's been a very good year,” said board President Priscilla
Hunt. “We've taken two museums and put them into one. We've had to take the
Sternberg Museum collection that we inherited and put it into here and on our
premises.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643828508983.jpeg" alt="Ellis County Historical Society&nbsp;board president Priscilla Hunt speaks to the assembled members of the society during their annual meeting of members." />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Historical Society&nbsp;board president Priscilla Hunt speaks to the assembled members of the society during their annual meeting of members.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d7962f54-bf8a-4a91-b474-d9e2acaa0ae2">She said the board and staff had faced significant challenges
after a staff shakeup in March, with the departure of the previous director and
the work to bring the entirety of the society’s collection back to their campus
at the corner of Main and Seventh.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/36713cde-0b98-41e4-b09f-e7091c8c0460">Related Story: Ellis Co. Historical Society
business offices move to Eagle Plaza.</a>“They have done a tremendous job and doing what we've had to
do in this short period of time because we all took over in March, not in
January,” Hunt said. “So, congratulations to everyone.”Following routine business, the group moved to elect
leaders for the year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643828281701.jpeg" alt="Ellis County Historical Society curator, Adam Conkey collects ballots during the election of new trustees." />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Historical Society curator, Adam Conkey collects ballots during the election of new trustees.</figcaption>
 </figure>“This is the exciting part,” Rupp said. “Before we were
scrambling for candidates. We couldn’t find enough people to come on in.”This year, elections were needed as more people expressed an interest in serving as a trustee or officer.Priscilla Hunt was again selected as president. Also selected were Alex Herman, vice president; Matt Odom, secretary; and Cheryl Stramel, treasurer.Mary Kay Schippers, Cynthia Stone, Jerry Braun, Braden
Splichal and Greg Atkins were selected as trustees.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643828498233.jpeg" alt="Cynthia Stone" />
 <figcaption>Cynthia Stone</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643828487988.jpeg" alt="Greg Atkins&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Greg Atkins&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>While much of the meeting was routine, the organization’s
current focus was made clear — organizing, sorting and curating a collection
that will allow the group to showcase the history of Ellis County in meaningful way
in the future.While that effort is underway, Rupp said other activities will be limited.“We hope to put in more small exhibits in (the Stone Church)
rotating through the exhibits that have been in the museum prior,” she said. “There
won't be new exhibits. We're not taking our valuable time that we need to
organize and do our main back-of-house work to present a new idea. We're
not inventing the wheel. We're going to bring out some of the stuff in the
collections that haven't been seen that already have their title cards and
their information with them and present them so that people can look at them.”She also said &nbsp;the
traveling exhibits in various public locations will continue.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/05f4a1d9-98e3-4993-ac70-2abc91946dcf">Related Story:&nbsp; Ellis County Historical
Society sends collection into community</a>“They can’t come in our museum right now,” Rupp said, (but) “we
can come to them a little bit.”Groups have also been able to tour the collections.“We're still available to show some things,” Rupp said. “And
those outbuildings are still prime destinations for people to use.”For now, she said the No. 1 priority for the staff is
sorting the society’s collection and removing items that are of little historical
significance to Ellis County — even if they are pieces of history.“We've collected a lot of things over the years — a lot of
these are wonderful. Just as an example we have six or seven pull-behind plows,”
Rupp said. "(They) take up a lot of room. We don't need six plows, but
they could go to a specialized museum.“When we look at our selections we have to decide ... does
it belong to Ellis County? Is it pertinent to us? And can we store it safely
and display it properly?”Items that are selected to be removed from the collection
are subject to strict rules and could be returned to the family that donated the
item or given to other museums.“Over the next couple of years, we're going to have to be
making some decisions as we go through this collection of what needs to stay
and what does not,” Rupp said. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643828240105.jpeg" alt="New Ellis County Historical Society trustees pose for a picture at the end of the annual meeting of members." />
 <figcaption>New Ellis County Historical Society trustees pose for a picture at the end of the annual meeting of members.</figcaption>
 </figure>She said the hopes members can help educate the community
as to the difficulties surrounding the size and scope of the current
collection and share that, while it might seem the society is not active in the community, working through the collection is the first step in creating a society and museum that can bring Ellis County pride.“We can't keep everything. We don't have the money to keep
everything,” Rupp said. “There are 27 typewriters. That's great. If we had a huge
complex, we'd love to keep them, but we just can’t.”The society hopes, even as events and access are currently limited, county residents will support its long-term goal through becoming
involved or through financial donations.One of the key pieces of their mission outlined during the meeting is procuring new computers and
software that can catalogue society collections. Rupp told the group that, in only six weeks, $5,830 of the
needed $10,000 had already been raised for those systems.A sustained effort, however, to secure more sponsorships
into the future will be necessary as the society works toward its long-term goals
and Rupp called on the members to help share with the community what is needed — and what is going on at the society — in order to create a plan for the future.“Our priority is assessing our collection, and what we have, so that we know what we need in terms of space, what we're going to do with the
building, whether renovating or getting a new building or moving somewhere," Rupp said. "The
possibilities are endless.”<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ECHSHays">For more information about the Ellis County Historical Society, visit its Facebook page, ECHSHays.&nbsp;</a>

New year, new board, new focus for Ellis County Historical Society

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

Grow Hays, the Ellis County economic development organization, will soon release its annual housing report detailing the good and bad of the
housing market in the county.

Once again, the report is expected to show a challenging home market.

“As of this morning, in the MLS, there are 20 homes in Ellis
County for sale, there's 12 in Hays, and five of those 12 are priced at over
$499,000,” Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams said on Friday. “So it
doesn't take very long to figure out that we have some issues with housing.”

While the available housing inventory will likely be the
most notable information to be released in the report, it will also share other
key indicators of the area market.

“We report on the number of building permits that were
issued, the number of new homes, new multifamily projects, and that type of
thing and, and that'll provide some additional information for people,” Williams
said.

He said the report paints a grim picture for
the county as potential residents struggle to find a home.

“Just imagine yourself as somebody who's moving to town — a
new college professor or a new health care provider at Hays Medical Center — and you go out looking for homes, and you have virtually nothing to choose from,”
Williams said. “That’s a problem.

“And so that's why we're always talking about that from an
economic development standpoint, because economic development, a huge part of
that is workforce. And if there's no housing for a workforce, you've got some
real challenges to deal with.”

Efforts are underway to increase the housing inventory, but
Williams said no solution will be able to resolve the situation quickly.

“This is kind of a perfect storm of events, we dug ourselves
a hole over the last 10 years by not bringing enough new inventory onto the
market, not building enough new homes, not enough new apartments and that type
of thing,” he said.

Continued growth in the county has also depleted the number
of available homes, even as new homes were being built.

“I can tell you when you go from two years ago, over 100
homes for sale in the Hays MLS, to today with 12. … We have had some growth, and
we're not keeping up with it.”

Moving into the future, Williams said, “this is a serious
issue that we have to address.”

Along with the overall shortage, he said having inventory
available can also ensure area residents are in the right home for their needs.

“We don't have appropriate housing for various lifestyles or
stages of life,” Williams said. “Like seniors, they want all on one level and
some things like that, if we don't have that they're gonna stay put in maybe
that three, four or five-bedroom home that could be on the market and appeal to
a family moving into town.”

Homes that would be prime “fixer-uppers” are also not being
remodeled, as the inventory is so tight, they remain in their current states,
he said.

“The problem is that the market is so tight, that people will
rent anything,” Williams said. “So those homes that would traditionally go into
(the Grow Hays housing rehabilitation program) are being rented out in most
cases because they can and so the ability to find a rehab home has never been
more challenging than it is right now.”

<div><iframe title="Upcoming report to highlight ongoing housing shortage in Ellis Co." 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=p2dd6-1193f02-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostGrow Hays, the Ellis County economic development organization, will soon release its annual housing report detailing the good and bad of the
housing market in the county.Once again, the report is expected to show a challenging home market.“As of this morning, in the MLS, there are 20 homes in Ellis
County for sale, there's 12 in Hays, and five of those 12 are priced at over
$499,000,” Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams said on Friday. “So it
doesn't take very long to figure out that we have some issues with housing.”While the available housing inventory will likely be the
most notable information to be released in the report, it will also share other
key indicators of the area market.“We report on the number of building permits that were
issued, the number of new homes, new multifamily projects, and that type of
thing and, and that'll provide some additional information for people,” Williams
said.He said the report paints a grim picture for
the county as potential residents struggle to find a home.“Just imagine yourself as somebody who's moving to town — a
new college professor or a new health care provider at Hays Medical Center — and you go out looking for homes, and you have virtually nothing to choose from,”
Williams said. “That’s a problem.“And so that's why we're always talking about that from an
economic development standpoint, because economic development, a huge part of
that is workforce. And if there's no housing for a workforce, you've got some
real challenges to deal with.”Efforts are underway to increase the housing inventory, but
Williams said no solution will be able to resolve the situation quickly.“This is kind of a perfect storm of events, we dug ourselves
a hole over the last 10 years by not bringing enough new inventory onto the
market, not building enough new homes, not enough new apartments and that type
of thing,” he said.Continued growth in the county has also depleted the number
of available homes, even as new homes were being built.“I can tell you when you go from two years ago, over 100
homes for sale in the Hays MLS, to today with 12. … We have had some growth, and
we're not keeping up with it.”Moving into the future, Williams said, “this is a serious
issue that we have to address.”Along with the overall shortage, he said having inventory
available can also ensure area residents are in the right home for their needs.“We don't have appropriate housing for various lifestyles or
stages of life,” Williams said. “Like seniors, they want all on one level and
some things like that, if we don't have that they're gonna stay put in maybe
that three, four or five-bedroom home that could be on the market and appeal to
a family moving into town.”Homes that would be prime “fixer-uppers” are also not being
remodeled, as the inventory is so tight, they remain in their current states,
he said.“The problem is that the market is so tight, that people will
rent anything,” Williams said. “So those homes that would traditionally go into
(the Grow Hays housing rehabilitation program) are being rented out in most
cases because they can and so the ability to find a rehab home has never been
more challenging than it is right now.”<h2>Lost Opportunities</h2>As a growing number of people living in urban areas are
looking to shift to more rural environments, Williams said Hays could be in a
prime position to grow Ellis County with residents from the Kansas City and
Denver metropolitan areas. But, without homes, Ellis County is losing a prime opportunity
to secure the economic future of the area.“We need to be better positioned to capture more of that because many of these are remote workers,” he said. “And remote workers have
good jobs, they just choose not to live in the metro area. And so if we can
capture a bigger share that then we're getting right now that's good for our
community. We bring in people with good jobs.“And it's almost like exporting products where we become an
exporter of those services that they provide for those companies they work for,
but they spend their money in Hays. They buy homes, they buy cars, they buy
groceries and all of those types of things. And we need as many of those
people as we can get.”<h2>The turn</h2>Despite the anticipated housing report showing the
difficulties in the market in the last year, moving into 2022, Williams said
there are a number of positive initiatives underway.“(The) number of building permits
that were issued for single-family homes in 2021 (was) not a record but
higher than it has been in a long time," he said.&nbsp;He also touted the ongoing Heart of America housing development
near 22nd and Wheatland in Hays.“We've got 36 lots in phase one. We have 10 homes under
construction as we speak, another eight will be started sometime in the next 30
to 60 days,” Williams said. “And I'm very confident there'll be 20 to 25 homes
completed in that development by year-end. There's huge interest in the homes
that are being constructed.”Ellis Estates is expanding, he said, which will add 30 to 40 senior
housing homes to the market.“Still a ways away, but that's happening,” Williams
said.Home construction is also ongoing in the Tallgrass II and
the Kingsgate second addition, he said.“So, we are adding some things and there's some activity
going on, just not at the pace we really need to be,” Williams said.The 2021 housing report from Grow Hays is expected to be
available by Feb. 15 and will be available to the public on the <a href="https://www.growhays.com/">Grow Hays website</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GrowHays/">facebook page.</a>Cover image courtesy Pixabay

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