Three-day weather outlook

Generally, it is recommended to plant hardy bulbs (especially daffodils) in October to give them enough time to root before winter. But it is certainly not too late to plant them in early November. If the soil temperatures are above 40 degrees F, the bulbs should continue root development. 

You can find the previous week’s soil temperature readings for areas across the state from our Weather Data Library at&nbsp;<a href="http://mesonet.k-state.edu/agriculture/soiltemp/">http://mesonet.k-state.edu/agriculture/soiltemp/</a>Although many of the best bulbs have probably already been purchased, garden centers may still have a good selection. Be sure to select large, firm bulbs that have not begun to sprout. While many bulbs can adapt to a wide range of soil types, none can tolerate poorly drained soil. &nbsp;Prepare the planting bed by adding organic matter such as peat moss, well-rotted manure, or compost and mix it into the soil.Adequate fertility is essential. It is best to rely on a soil test to determine what nutrients are needed. Garden soils that have been fertilized regularly in the past may have excess levels of phosphorus. Excess phosphorus can interfere with the uptake of other essential micronutrients though levels need to be extremely high to be of concern. &nbsp;In cases where levels of phosphorus are high, it would be better to use a fertilizer relatively high in nitrogen such as a 29-5-4, 27-3-3, or something similar. &nbsp;Although these are lawn fertilizers, they will work well for our purposes if they don’t contain and weed preventer or weed killer. &nbsp;Apply these fertilizers at the rate of 2/3 pounds (3 cups) per 100 square feet. &nbsp; Organic sources of fertilizers low in phosphorus include blood meal (12-0-0) applied at 2 pounds per 100 square feet (1 tsp per sq ft), cottonseed meal (6-0.4-1.5) applied at the rate of 3 pounds per 100 square feet (2 tsp /per sq ft) and soybean meal (7-2-1) applied at the rate of 3 pounds per 100 square feet (2 tsp /per sq ft). In the absence of a soil test, or if phosphorus is needed, add a low analysis, balanced fertilizer such as 5-10-5 or 6-10-4 at the rate of 3 pounds (6 cups) per 100 square feet of bed or 2 tsp/per sq ft. Mix all amendments thoroughly with the soil before planting the bulbs. The size and species of the bulb determine how deep to plant. In general, the depth to the bottom of the bulb should be about 2 to 3 times the size of the bulb but check the planting instructions specific to each flower. Lauren Walz is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580750915301.jpeg" alt="Lauren Walz is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Lauren Walz is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>Generally, it is recommended to plant hardy bulbs (especially daffodils) in October to give them enough time to root before winter. But it is certainly not too late to plant them in early November. If the soil temperatures are above 40 degrees F, the bulbs should continue root development. You can find the previous week’s soil temperature readings for areas across the state from our Weather Data Library at&nbsp;<a href="http://mesonet.k-state.edu/agriculture/soiltemp/">http://mesonet.k-state.edu/agriculture/soiltemp/</a>Although many of the best bulbs have probably already been purchased, garden centers may still have a good selection. Be sure to select large, firm bulbs that have not begun to sprout. While many bulbs can adapt to a wide range of soil types, none can tolerate poorly drained soil. &nbsp;Prepare the planting bed by adding organic matter such as peat moss, well-rotted manure, or compost and mix it into the soil.Adequate fertility is essential. It is best to rely on a soil test to determine what nutrients are needed. Garden soils that have been fertilized regularly in the past may have excess levels of phosphorus. Excess phosphorus can interfere with the uptake of other essential micronutrients though levels need to be extremely high to be of concern. &nbsp;In cases where levels of phosphorus are high, it would be better to use a fertilizer relatively high in nitrogen such as a 29-5-4, 27-3-3, or something similar. &nbsp;Although these are lawn fertilizers, they will work well for our purposes if they don’t contain and weed preventer or weed killer. &nbsp;Apply these fertilizers at the rate of 2/3 pounds (3 cups) per 100 square feet. &nbsp; Organic sources of fertilizers low in phosphorus include blood meal (12-0-0) applied at 2 pounds per 100 square feet (1 tsp per sq ft), cottonseed meal (6-0.4-1.5) applied at the rate of 3 pounds per 100 square feet (2 tsp /per sq ft) and soybean meal (7-2-1) applied at the rate of 3 pounds per 100 square feet (2 tsp /per sq ft). In the absence of a soil test, or if phosphorus is needed, add a low analysis, balanced fertilizer such as 5-10-5 or 6-10-4 at the rate of 3 pounds (6 cups) per 100 square feet of bed or 2 tsp/per sq ft. Mix all amendments thoroughly with the soil before planting the bulbs. The size and species of the bulb determine how deep to plant. In general, the depth to the bottom of the bulb should be about 2 to 3 times the size of the bulb but check the planting instructions specific to each flower. Lauren Walz is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

​WALZ: There is still time to plant spring-flowering bulbs 

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

GREAT BEND — A man was convicted of cruelty to animals and criminal trespass through
a Barton County jury Tuesday. 
In November, reports say Christopher Delauder went on his neighbor’s property and
killed their Dalmatian. A report stated the incident
occurred in Susank. At the time, Delauder had no explanation as to what
prompted him to kill the dog. The dog was in a kennel when Delauder entered the
kennel and stabbed it at least eight times, authorities said.&nbsp; 
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury deliberated for approximately
half an hour before returning the verdict. 
Animal cruelty is a felony that can carry a sentence of up to one year in
jail. Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor that can carry an additional six
months in jail. 
Sentencing is set for Jan. 14 at 11 a.m. 
The State of Kansas was represented by Assistant Barton County Attorney Colin
Reynolds. The defendant was represented by Bradley Steen.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635278776541.jpeg" alt="Christopher Delauder (Barton County Sheriff's Office photo from Nov. 2020)" />
 <figcaption>Christopher Delauder (Barton County Sheriff's Office photo from Nov. 2020)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://greatbendpost.com">Great Bend Post</a>GREAT BEND — A man was convicted of cruelty to animals and criminal trespass through
a Barton County jury Tuesday. 
In November, reports say Christopher Delauder went on his neighbor’s property and
killed their Dalmatian. A report stated the incident
occurred in Susank. At the time, Delauder had no explanation as to what
prompted him to kill the dog. The dog was in a kennel when Delauder entered the
kennel and stabbed it at least eight times, authorities said.&nbsp; 
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury deliberated for approximately
half an hour before returning the verdict. 
Animal cruelty is a felony that can carry a sentence of up to one year in
jail. Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor that can carry an additional six
months in jail. 
Sentencing is set for Jan. 14 at 11 a.m. 
The State of Kansas was represented by Assistant Barton County Attorney Colin
Reynolds. The defendant was represented by Bradley Steen.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Man convicted of stabbing Dalmatian to death in Barton Co.

On Tuesday at about 2:30 a.m., a Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on patrol in Pawnee Rock. The deputy observed a 2001 Buick Century commit an alleged traffic infraction and attempted to stop the vehicle, at which point the driver attempted to flee from the deputy, proceeding west on U.S. 56. 

Deputies pursued the vehicle into Larned, at which point the occupants stopped, abandoning the vehicle and attempting to flee on foot. Both suspects were taken into custody a short distance from the vehicle. 

After a registration check, it was discovered the vehicle was stolen from Colby. 

A firearm and illicit drugs reportedly were discovered inside the vehicle. The driver also had outstanding warrants from Barton County, Pawnee County and the city of Great Bend.

Arrested at the scene was Aaron Taylor, 33, Great Bend, who was arrested on suspicion of attempting to flee and elude, possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal use of a weapon, no drivers license and three outstanding warrants. Taylor is being held without bond.

The second subject arrested was Sabrina Foster, 24, Colby, who was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. Foster is being held in lieu of a $20,000 bond.

The sheriff’s office was assisted at the scene by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office and the Larned Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635275216893.jpeg" alt="Aaron Taylor" />
 <figcaption>Aaron Taylor</figcaption>
 </figure>On Tuesday at about 2:30 a.m., a Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on patrol in Pawnee Rock. The deputy observed a 2001 Buick Century commit an alleged traffic infraction and attempted to stop the vehicle, at which point the driver attempted to flee from the deputy, proceeding west on U.S. 56. Deputies pursued the vehicle into Larned, at which point the occupants stopped, abandoning the vehicle and attempting to flee on foot. Both suspects were taken into custody a short distance from the vehicle. After a registration check, it was discovered the vehicle was stolen from Colby. A firearm and illicit drugs reportedly were discovered inside the vehicle. The driver also had outstanding warrants from Barton County, Pawnee County and the city of Great Bend.Arrested at the scene was Aaron Taylor, 33, Great Bend, who was arrested on suspicion of attempting to flee and elude, possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal use of a weapon, no drivers license and three outstanding warrants. Taylor is being held without bond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635275241787.jpeg" alt="Sabrina Foster" />
 <figcaption>Sabrina Foster</figcaption>
 </figure>The second subject arrested was Sabrina Foster, 24, Colby, who was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. Foster is being held in lieu of a $20,000 bond.The sheriff’s office was assisted at the scene by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office and the Larned Police Department.

Colby woman arrested following car-foot chase into Larned

The Hays Symphony at Fort Hays State University will be presenting&nbsp;Creepy Classics: A Children’s Halloween Concert, featuring loud noises, creepy sounds and the scary stories music can tell, on Sunday, October 31, 2021, 2:30 p.m. in the FHSU Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center. The ensemble is under the direction of Dr. Brian Buckstead, assistant professor of violin and viola at FHSU.

The program features&nbsp;Danse Macabre&nbsp;by Camille Saint-Saens,&nbsp;Night on Bald Mountain, by Modest Mussorgsky,&nbsp;In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, by Edward Grieg,&nbsp;Suite from Psycho, by Bernard Herrmann,&nbsp;March to the Scaffold from Symphonie Fantastique, by Hector Berlioz, and&nbsp;Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Suite, by John Williams.

In addition, a host of music and Halloween themed pre-concert activities will be offered starting at 1:30 p.m.

 “We think it’s important for kids to get their hands on instruments and to make connections between the music they’re hearing and how it’s created,” said Buckstead.

Symphony musicians and members of the FHSU Chapter of the National Association for Music Education will assist with pre-concert activities which include:

· &nbsp;Spooky Music Tour—costumed statues come to life playing clips of the scariest sounds and music kids will hear in the concert

· &nbsp;Drumming Circle—bongos, tam-tams, and other rhythm devices for making lots of loud noise

· &nbsp;String Instrument Petting Zoo—hands-on guided experimenting with violins, violas and cellos

· &nbsp;In the Hall of the Mountain King—tiptoe past the troll….run for your life in this retelling of the Mountain King story full of music, story and action

· &nbsp;Meet the Family: Winds &amp; Brass—flutes, trumpets, tubas, clarinets and more. FHSU students demonstrate their instruments from the wind and brass families

· &nbsp;Creepy Arts and Crafts—create a variety of Halloween characters and props with a treasure box of arts supplies

· &nbsp;Halloween Costume Parade—follow the brass leaders as costumed children parade around Beach-Schmidt and into the auditorium for the start of the concert

· &nbsp;Free Trick-or-Treat Bags to the first 250 kids

The concert and treats are sponsored by a generous donation from Werth Wealth Management.

All Hays Symphony concerts are free and open to the public. 

Attendees are encouraged to reserve tickets in advance on the symphony’s web site. Tickets may also be picked up in advance at the Hays Convention Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Hays Development Corporation, or at the symphony table in the lobby 30 minutes before the performance

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633970958420.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe Hays Symphony at Fort Hays State University will be presenting&nbsp;Creepy Classics: A Children’s Halloween Concert, featuring loud noises, creepy sounds and the scary stories music can tell, on Sunday, October 31, 2021, 2:30 p.m. in the FHSU Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center. The ensemble is under the direction of Dr. Brian Buckstead, assistant professor of violin and viola at FHSU.The program features&nbsp;Danse Macabre&nbsp;by Camille Saint-Saens,&nbsp;Night on Bald Mountain, by Modest Mussorgsky,&nbsp;In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, by Edward Grieg,&nbsp;Suite from Psycho, by Bernard Herrmann,&nbsp;March to the Scaffold from Symphonie Fantastique, by Hector Berlioz, and&nbsp;Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Suite, by John Williams.In addition, a host of music and Halloween themed pre-concert activities will be offered starting at 1:30 p.m. “We think it’s important for kids to get their hands on instruments and to make connections between the music they’re hearing and how it’s created,” said Buckstead.Symphony musicians and members of the FHSU Chapter of the National Association for Music Education will assist with pre-concert activities which include:· &nbsp;Spooky Music Tour—costumed statues come to life playing clips of the scariest sounds and music kids will hear in the concert· &nbsp;Drumming Circle—bongos, tam-tams, and other rhythm devices for making lots of loud noise· &nbsp;String Instrument Petting Zoo—hands-on guided experimenting with violins, violas and cellos· &nbsp;In the Hall of the Mountain King—tiptoe past the troll….run for your life in this retelling of the Mountain King story full of music, story and action· &nbsp;Meet the Family: Winds &amp; Brass—flutes, trumpets, tubas, clarinets and more. FHSU students demonstrate their instruments from the wind and brass families· &nbsp;Creepy Arts and Crafts—create a variety of Halloween characters and props with a treasure box of arts supplies· &nbsp;Halloween Costume Parade—follow the brass leaders as costumed children parade around Beach-Schmidt and into the auditorium for the start of the concert· &nbsp;Free Trick-or-Treat Bags to the first 250 kidsThe concert and treats are sponsored by a generous donation from Werth Wealth Management.All Hays Symphony concerts are free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to reserve tickets in advance on the symphony’s web site. Tickets may also be picked up in advance at the Hays Convention Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Hays Development Corporation, or at the symphony table in the lobby 30 minutes before the performance

Creepy music and creepy fun for Hays Symphony children's Halloween concert

<div> <script src="https://embed-841195.secondstreetapp.com/Scripts/dist/embed.js" data-ss-embed="promotion" data-opguid="a8f9ad29-000d-40e0-8c0c-2b1841346d52" data-routing="hash">/**/</script></div><h2>Can We Guess Your Tailgate Personality?</h2>

Riedel's Garden Center Tailgate Trivia

The National Weather Service in Dodge City is predicting severe weather Tuesday evening that could bring high winds, large hail and isolated tornadoes.

Hays and Ellis County is on the western edge of the projected severe weather.

The NWS is forecasting the storms starting around the U.S. 283 corridor and moving east through midnight.

In Hays, there is a 70 percent change of precipitation, with the NWS calling for up to a half-inch of rain and winds 16 to 25 mph through the evening.

The chance of rain persists into Wednesday morning. On Wednesday, winds are expected to be 26 to 31 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. Skies are expected to clear Wednesday and through the weekend, with high temperatures in the high-50s to mid-60s and lows approaching the freezing point.

Check Hays Post or tune into your Eagle Radio of Hays stations for the latest on severe weather.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635259334183.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The National Weather Service in Dodge City is predicting severe weather Tuesday evening that could bring high winds, large hail and isolated tornadoes.Hays and Ellis County is on the western edge of the projected severe weather.The NWS is forecasting the storms starting around the U.S. 283 corridor and moving east through midnight.In Hays, there is a 70 percent change of precipitation, with the NWS calling for up to a half-inch of rain and winds 16 to 25 mph through the evening.The chance of rain persists into Wednesday morning. On Wednesday, winds are expected to be 26 to 31 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. Skies are expected to clear Wednesday and through the weekend, with high temperatures in the high-50s to mid-60s and lows approaching the freezing point.Check Hays Post or tune into your Eagle Radio of Hays stations for the latest on severe weather.

Severe weather possible in western Kan. on Tuesday

The Hays Police Department responded to 12 animal calls and conducted 13 traffic stops Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Disturbance –
General—500 block W 7th St, Hays; 12 AM; 1:22 AM 
MV Accident-Hit and Run—4100 block Vine St, Hays; 12: AM; 12:35 AM 
Criminal Damage to Property--400 block Pine St, Hays; 4:56 AM 
Criminal Trespass—3400 block Vine St, Hays; 6:51 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--20th St and Ash St, Hays; 7 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—300 block E 24th St, Hays; 8:02 AM 
Animal Cruelty/Neglect-500 block W 15th St, Hays; 8:04 AM 
Abandoned Vehicle—500 block W 24th St, Hays; 9:07 AM 
Animal At Large—700 block N Campus Dr, Hays; 9:51 AM 
Animal Injured—500 block W 24th St, Hays; 11:08 AM 
Search Warrant—200 block W 8th St, Hays; 11:08 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—400 block Walnut St, Hays; 12:07 PM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 12:23 PM 
Animal At Large—2100 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 12:30 PM 
ANIML - Animal At Large—100 block E 14th St, Hays; 12:50 PM 
Found/Lost Property--7th and Elm, Hays; 2:25 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—2000 block E 21st St, Hays; 2:35 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle--1700 block Donald Dr, Hays; 2:51 PM; 3 PM 
Suicidal Subject—1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 4:03 PM 
Suicidal Subject—1400 block US 183 Alt Hwy, Hays; 9:33 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 10 animal calls and conducted 22 traffic stops Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Lost Animals
ONLY—200 block E 13th St, Hays; 7:46 AM 
Search Warrant—1900 block Hwy 40, Ellis County; 8:25 AM 
MV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run—2900 block Vine St, Hays; 10/14 8 PM; 10:30
PM 
Animal At Large—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 10:36 AM 
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)—1300 block Schwaller Ave, Hays; 10:56 AM 
Animal At Large—100 block W 18th St, Hays; 11:05 AM 
Sex Offense—1700 block Golden Belt Dr, Hays; 12:43 PM 
Battery – Domestic—300 block W 20th St, Hays; 2 PM; 2:35 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1200 block Tamarac Cir, Hays; 2:58 PM 
Civil Dispute—2000 block Patio Dr, Hays; 4:37 PM 
Dangerous Animal—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 5:03 PM 
Driving Under the Influence—800 block Ash St, Hays; 9:34 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--400 block Ash St, Hays; 10:52 PM; 10:53 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 24 traffic stops Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Warrant
Service (Fail to Appear)—1900 block Vine St, Hays; 8 AM 
Underage Possession of CMB/LIQ--400 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:09 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—500 block E 15th St, Hays; 1:08 AM 
Rape--500 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:46 AM 
Criminal Trespass—3600 block Vine St, Hays; 2:47 AM 
Obstruction of Legal Process—1300 block Schwaller Ave, Hays; 7:03 AM 
Battery on LEO--1600 block Allen St, Hay; 10/15 3:26 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—400 block E 12th St, Hays; 8:55 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--27th St and Hall St, Hays; 10:38 AM 
Found/Lost Property--2200 block Willow St, Hays’; 1:29 PM 
Found/Lost Property—1500 block Marjorie Dr, Hays; 4:06 PM 
Found/Lost Property—2700 block Hall St, Hays; 5:07 PM 
Suspicious Activity—100 block W 36th St, Hays; 9:02 PM 
Suspicious Activity—1600 block E 29th St, Hays; 9:07 PM 
Littering—3300 block Willow St, Hays; 9:42 PM 
Found/Lost Property—300 block W 7th St, Hays; 9:23 PM 
Welfare Check—1900 block Marshall Rd, Hays; 10:02 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 17 traffic stops Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Driving
Under the Influence--1000 block W 27th St, Hays; 1:30 AM 
Mental Health Call—2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 1:57 AM 
Criminal Trespass—400 block W 12th St, Hays; 2:31 AM 
Animal At Large—1800 block Walnut St, Hay;’ 8:48 AM 
Criminal Damage to Property--400 block W 6th St, Hays; 10/16 6 PM; 10/17 9 AM 
Theft (general)--6th and Walnut St, Hay; 10/16 12:01 AM; 10/17 9:07 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—2500 block Donald Dr, Hays; 11:26 AM 
Theft (general)—300 block W 8th St, Hays; 12:47 PM 
Disturbance – General—3400 block Vine St, Hays; 3:36 PM 
Criminal Trespass—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 3:46 PM 
Suspicious Activity—1500 block US 183 Alt Hwy, Hays; 6:45 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—600 block Ash St, Hays; 7:11 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property—500 block Ash St, Hays; 7:18 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--200 block W 8th St, Hays; 9:56 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 18 traffic stops Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Mental
Health Call—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 7:55 AM 
Wildlife Incident--26th St and Donald Dr, Hays; 8:05 AM 
Theft (general)—Hays; 9:29 AM 
Pursuit/Chase--I 70 mm 157 Hwy, Hays; 10:10 AM 
Theft (general)—300 block Mopar Dr, Hays; &nbsp;10/14 12:01 AM; 10/15 11 AM 
Identity Theft—1600 block Main St, Hays; 6:12 AM; 11:12 AM 
Found/Lost Property—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 10/15 8 PM; 10/18 2:57 PM 
Theft (general)--500 block Commerce Pkwy, Hays; 10/12 8:30 PM; 2 PM 
Dead Animal Call--400 block E 13th St, Hays; 4:34 PM 
Civil Dispute—2100 block Lincoln Dr, Hays; 10/16 9:10 PM; 10/18 4:48 PM 
Burglary/residence--200 block W 6th St, Hays; 10/17 9 AM; 5 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—100 block W 37th St, Hays; 6:40 PM 
Disturbance – Noise--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:24 PM; 10:25 PM 
Found/Lost Property—2700 block Vine St, Hays; 11:07 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 3 animal calls and conducted 28 traffic stops&nbsp; Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Criminal
Damage to Property--1600 block Allen St, Hays; 3:08 AM 
Phone/Mail Scam—3000 block New Way, Hays; 8:59 AM 
Found/Lost Property--W 13th St, Hays; 9:03 AM 
Welfare Check—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 10:07 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--700 block E 8th St, Hays; 11:45 AM 
&nbsp;MV Accident-City Street/Alley—1000 block
Elm St, Hays; 12:05 PM; 1:20 PM 
Shoplifting--2900 block Broadway Ave, Hays; 11:03 AM 
Theft of Services—100 block E 5th St, Hays; 10/15 11:07 PM; 10/19 2:18 PM 
Suicidal Subject—1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 3 PM 
Shoplifting—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 4:20 PM; 4:38 PM 
Drug Offenses—3600 block Vine St, Hays; 4:10 PM; 4:45 PM 
Shoplifting—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 1 PM; 1:33 PM 
Criminal Trespass—1500 block Main St, Hays; 7:30 PM; 8:11 AM 
Burglary/vehicle—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 6:05 PM; 7:50 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 15 traffic stops&nbsp; Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Driving
Under the Influence--900 block Ash St, Hays; 2:34 AM 
Water Use Violation—1800 block E 27th St, Hays; 3:41 AM 
Theft (general)--6th and Walnut, Hays; 1:30 AM; 4:15 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--100 block W 43rd St, Hays; 9 AM 
Mental Health Call—1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 9:10 AM 
Abandoned Vehicle--600 block Riley St, Hays; 11:44 AM 
Found/Lost Property—Hays; 1:55 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—200 block W 16th St, Hays;2:14 PM 
Civil Dispute—200 block W 4th St, Hays; 3:08 PM 
Welfare Check-2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 3:58 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property--400 block Pine St; 4:49 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—300 block W 7th St, Hays; 5:46 PM 
Welfare Check—400 block W 17th St, Hays; 8:28 PM 
Animal Injured—1300 block MacArthur Rd, Hays; 9:01 PM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—2500 block Sherman Ave, Hays; 10:07 PM

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 12 animal calls and conducted 13 traffic stops Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Disturbance –
General—500 block W 7th St, Hays; 12 AM; 1:22 AM 
MV Accident-Hit and Run—4100 block Vine St, Hays; 12: AM; 12:35 AM 
Criminal Damage to Property--400 block Pine St, Hays; 4:56 AM 
Criminal Trespass—3400 block Vine St, Hays; 6:51 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--20th St and Ash St, Hays; 7 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—300 block E 24th St, Hays; 8:02 AM 
Animal Cruelty/Neglect-500 block W 15th St, Hays; 8:04 AM 
Abandoned Vehicle—500 block W 24th St, Hays; 9:07 AM 
Animal At Large—700 block N Campus Dr, Hays; 9:51 AM 
Animal Injured—500 block W 24th St, Hays; 11:08 AM 
Search Warrant—200 block W 8th St, Hays; 11:08 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—400 block Walnut St, Hays; 12:07 PM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 12:23 PM 
Animal At Large—2100 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 12:30 PM 
ANIML - Animal At Large—100 block E 14th St, Hays; 12:50 PM 
Found/Lost Property--7th and Elm, Hays; 2:25 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—2000 block E 21st St, Hays; 2:35 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle--1700 block Donald Dr, Hays; 2:51 PM; 3 PM 
Suicidal Subject—1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 4:03 PM 
Suicidal Subject—1400 block US 183 Alt Hwy, Hays; 9:33 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 10 animal calls and conducted 22 traffic stops Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Lost Animals
ONLY—200 block E 13th St, Hays; 7:46 AM 
Search Warrant—1900 block Hwy 40, Ellis County; 8:25 AM 
MV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run—2900 block Vine St, Hays; 10/14 8 PM; 10:30
PM 
Animal At Large—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 10:36 AM 
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)—1300 block Schwaller Ave, Hays; 10:56 AM 
Animal At Large—100 block W 18th St, Hays; 11:05 AM 
Sex Offense—1700 block Golden Belt Dr, Hays; 12:43 PM 
Battery – Domestic—300 block W 20th St, Hays; 2 PM; 2:35 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1200 block Tamarac Cir, Hays; 2:58 PM 
Civil Dispute—2000 block Patio Dr, Hays; 4:37 PM 
Dangerous Animal—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 5:03 PM 
Driving Under the Influence—800 block Ash St, Hays; 9:34 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--400 block Ash St, Hays; 10:52 PM; 10:53 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 24 traffic stops Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Warrant
Service (Fail to Appear)—1900 block Vine St, Hays; 8 AM 
Underage Possession of CMB/LIQ--400 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:09 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—500 block E 15th St, Hays; 1:08 AM 
Rape--500 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:46 AM 
Criminal Trespass—3600 block Vine St, Hays; 2:47 AM 
Obstruction of Legal Process—1300 block Schwaller Ave, Hays; 7:03 AM 
Battery on LEO--1600 block Allen St, Hay; 10/15 3:26 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—400 block E 12th St, Hays; 8:55 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--27th St and Hall St, Hays; 10:38 AM 
Found/Lost Property--2200 block Willow St, Hays’; 1:29 PM 
Found/Lost Property—1500 block Marjorie Dr, Hays; 4:06 PM 
Found/Lost Property—2700 block Hall St, Hays; 5:07 PM 
Suspicious Activity—100 block W 36th St, Hays; 9:02 PM 
Suspicious Activity—1600 block E 29th St, Hays; 9:07 PM 
Littering—3300 block Willow St, Hays; 9:42 PM 
Found/Lost Property—300 block W 7th St, Hays; 9:23 PM 
Welfare Check—1900 block Marshall Rd, Hays; 10:02 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 17 traffic stops Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Driving
Under the Influence--1000 block W 27th St, Hays; 1:30 AM 
Mental Health Call—2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 1:57 AM 
Criminal Trespass—400 block W 12th St, Hays; 2:31 AM 
Animal At Large—1800 block Walnut St, Hay;’ 8:48 AM 
Criminal Damage to Property--400 block W 6th St, Hays; 10/16 6 PM; 10/17 9 AM 
Theft (general)--6th and Walnut St, Hay; 10/16 12:01 AM; 10/17 9:07 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—2500 block Donald Dr, Hays; 11:26 AM 
Theft (general)—300 block W 8th St, Hays; 12:47 PM 
Disturbance – General—3400 block Vine St, Hays; 3:36 PM 
Criminal Trespass—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 3:46 PM 
Suspicious Activity—1500 block US 183 Alt Hwy, Hays; 6:45 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—600 block Ash St, Hays; 7:11 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property—500 block Ash St, Hays; 7:18 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--200 block W 8th St, Hays; 9:56 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 18 traffic stops Monday, Oct. 18, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Mental
Health Call—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 7:55 AM 
Wildlife Incident--26th St and Donald Dr, Hays; 8:05 AM 
Theft (general)—Hays; 9:29 AM 
Pursuit/Chase--I 70 mm 157 Hwy, Hays; 10:10 AM 
Theft (general)—300 block Mopar Dr, Hays; &nbsp;10/14 12:01 AM; 10/15 11 AM 
Identity Theft—1600 block Main St, Hays; 6:12 AM; 11:12 AM 
Found/Lost Property—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 10/15 8 PM; 10/18 2:57 PM 
Theft (general)--500 block Commerce Pkwy, Hays; 10/12 8:30 PM; 2 PM 
Dead Animal Call--400 block E 13th St, Hays; 4:34 PM 
Civil Dispute—2100 block Lincoln Dr, Hays; 10/16 9:10 PM; 10/18 4:48 PM 
Burglary/residence--200 block W 6th St, Hays; 10/17 9 AM; 5 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—100 block W 37th St, Hays; 6:40 PM 
Disturbance – Noise--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:24 PM; 10:25 PM 
Found/Lost Property—2700 block Vine St, Hays; 11:07 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 3 animal calls and conducted 28 traffic stops&nbsp; Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Criminal
Damage to Property--1600 block Allen St, Hays; 3:08 AM 
Phone/Mail Scam—3000 block New Way, Hays; 8:59 AM 
Found/Lost Property--W 13th St, Hays; 9:03 AM 
Welfare Check—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 10:07 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--700 block E 8th St, Hays; 11:45 AM 
&nbsp;MV Accident-City Street/Alley—1000 block
Elm St, Hays; 12:05 PM; 1:20 PM 
Shoplifting--2900 block Broadway Ave, Hays; 11:03 AM 
Theft of Services—100 block E 5th St, Hays; 10/15 11:07 PM; 10/19 2:18 PM 
Suicidal Subject—1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 3 PM 
Shoplifting—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 4:20 PM; 4:38 PM 
Drug Offenses—3600 block Vine St, Hays; 4:10 PM; 4:45 PM 
Shoplifting—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 1 PM; 1:33 PM 
Criminal Trespass—1500 block Main St, Hays; 7:30 PM; 8:11 AM 
Burglary/vehicle—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 6:05 PM; 7:50 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 15 traffic stops&nbsp; Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Driving
Under the Influence--900 block Ash St, Hays; 2:34 AM 
Water Use Violation—1800 block E 27th St, Hays; 3:41 AM 
Theft (general)--6th and Walnut, Hays; 1:30 AM; 4:15 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--100 block W 43rd St, Hays; 9 AM 
Mental Health Call—1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 9:10 AM 
Abandoned Vehicle--600 block Riley St, Hays; 11:44 AM 
Found/Lost Property—Hays; 1:55 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—200 block W 16th St, Hays;2:14 PM 
Civil Dispute—200 block W 4th St, Hays; 3:08 PM 
Welfare Check-2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 3:58 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property--400 block Pine St; 4:49 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—300 block W 7th St, Hays; 5:46 PM 
Welfare Check—400 block W 17th St, Hays; 8:28 PM 
Animal Injured—1300 block MacArthur Rd, Hays; 9:01 PM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—2500 block Sherman Ave, Hays; 10:07 PM<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Hays PD Activity Log, Oct. 14-20

The Ellis County Historical Society will host Historic
Hauntings: Ghost Tale Tellings on Saturday at the ECHS campus.

The event will be held on the west end of the campus, around
the campfire at the southeast corner of Seventh and Fort streets in Hays.

Historic figures will tell tales of hauntings set in historic Ellis County and other places of that time.

The stone church will also be open to offer a view of a small
history display of cemeteries in Ellis County.

The event is set to run from 8 to 10 p.m. and is free
and open to the public. Freewill donations are appreciated.

SubmittedThe Ellis County Historical Society will host Historic
Hauntings: Ghost Tale Tellings on Saturday at the ECHS campus.The event will be held on the west end of the campus, around
the campfire at the southeast corner of Seventh and Fort streets in Hays.Historic figures will tell tales of hauntings set in historic Ellis County and other places of that time."Picky Aunt Pratt""The Bony Bachelor""Ol' Clip Clop-Jim Curry""The Velvet Ribbon""The Legend of The Blue Light Lady"The stone church will also be open to offer a view of a small
history display of cemeteries in Ellis County.The event is set to run from 8 to 10 p.m. and is free
and open to the public. Freewill donations are appreciated.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Historical Society set to host Historic Hauntings

🎥🏈 Watch This Week's Tiger Talk

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Kansas continues to struggle to hire employees, not because of a lack of supply of workers, but a change in demand, a Wichita State University economist told a group in Hays on Thursday.

The Kansas economy has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, and the federal stimulus helped that happen more quickly, said Jeremy Hill, director of WSU's Center for Economic Development and Business Research at the Hays Economic Outlook Conference.

However, with that surge in the economy has come problems in the labor market.

"I have probably been to 10 communities in the last two weeks, and that's the conversation," Hill said. "I've got all this growth if I could just find another person."

Thirty-three percent of Kansas businesses report they are struggling to find workers, while 17 percent have decreased hours.

Kansas' seasonally&nbsp; adjusted unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in September. In Ellis County, it was 2.1 percent. Every county in northwest Kansas posted an unemployment rate at 3 percent or below, with some counties in the region below 2 percent.

Nationally for every job opening, there are 0.8 people available, and in Kansas it's likely closer to 0.5 people, Hill said.

This takes power from the employer and puts it back in the hands of the worker, Hill said. Workers are upwardly mobile, leaving lower paying, entry-level jobs or part-time jobs for full-time jobs that offer better pay and benefits.

National trends show the number of workers holding multiple jobs is down 16 percent. The number of part-time workers is down 10 percent, and the number of self-employed workers is down 7 percent.

"This is hard for companies, but great for households and wealth and upward mobility," Hill said. "This is a huge improvement for the economy, but that's a really big pill to swallow for businesses."

Middle class households that were lost over the last two decades are coming back, which will be an economic driver for more consumption moving forward, Hill said. 

Retail sales are expected to be up 5.3 percent next year based on increased employment and wage growth, Hill said.

"All of this is good news," he said of American households. "Cash is in their pocket. They got rid of a lot of debt."

Businesses are offering incentives for new hires or shortening hours to try to deal with labor shortages.

"People are saying, 'Where is everyone? We have all these people out there who are lazy and not working,' " Hill said. "Labor reports and employment are above 100 percent. The whole time we're cooking. The labor market has been very active and very engaged."

In Kansas, participation in the workforce compared to population is higher than before the pandemic. The employment to population ratio counts everyone from 16 years old to death even if they are no longer seeking employment.

Hill said those figures show the Kansas labor market is extremely tight. 

Labor supply issues, especially seem to be exacerbated in manufacturing, and hospitality and leisure, as people leave those jobs for other jobs, or in the case of manufacturing, choose not to enter that sector to begin with.

Some women who left the labor market to care for children during the pandemic may start re-entering the workforce as the pandemic eases and they no longer have to worry about school closings.

Some industries in Kansas have a big problem with an aging workforce. Baby boomers are retiring.

Businesses will need to look at the workers they have and decide how they can use those workers most efficiently. They may invest in technology to decrease the number of workers needed.

Some businesses may cut back on certain lines or aspects of their operations to further focus on aspects that are most profitable, Hill said.

&nbsp;Companies are also reaching out to other labor markets and hiring employees to telecommute. Some Kansas workers are continuing to telecommute even as COVID restrictions ease. About 30 percent of the Kansas workforce was telecommuting in 2020, with a about 20 percent telecommuting now, Hill said.

Offering training may be one solution for businesses. When the labor market was less tight, employers were expecting to hire workers with experience. Now they may need to hire workers with little or no experience and train them to a point where they are more productive, Hill said.

A long-term solution to the Kansas labor shortage could be a change in federal immigration policy, Hill said.&nbsp; 

"You see I'm not saying lots of heads, because we're out. The U.S is out. Heads are not going to happen. How are you going to look at it differently?" Hill said.

Hill said Kansas is not facing a labor problem — it's facing a wage problem.

Kansas has continued to fall behind the national averages for wages, which is influencing population loss, Hill said. The national annualized wage average is $64,021, while the Kansas annualized wage average is $51,490. People are moving to areas where wages are higher, Hill said.

"Kids that were graduating high school and college looked around and saw opportunities where wages were up somewhere else, so they moved," Hill said. "We're telling them that we didn't value them as much as other industries were."

Kansas wages went up this year, but the state was still slightly below the U.S. average. 

"If we really want labor, wages have to come up," Hill said, "and they have to come up after a year you did massive increases."

Forty-seven percent of Kansas businesses said they expect labor struggles to take more than six months to resolve.

Hill said the outlook for the labor market is going to be tough for businesses through the end of next year. He said it will take that long for businesses to see full employment based on pre-pandemic numbers.

A bright spot may be a new generation of workers moving up in the ranks. While millennials seemed reluctant to work during high school and college, young people now are more readily entering the workforce, Hill said.

This may not only ease some of the workforce shortage for food service and hospitality, it also means those workers will have valuable basic job skills moving forward.

It likely will not solve all of the labor shortages for eateries, which may cause price increases in the industry and a decrease in demand, Hill said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634929865152.jpg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostKansas continues to struggle to hire employees, not because of a lack of supply of workers, but a change in demand, a Wichita State University economist told a group in Hays on Thursday. The Kansas economy has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, and the federal stimulus helped that happen more quickly, said Jeremy Hill, director of WSU's Center for Economic Development and Business Research at the Hays Economic Outlook Conference. However, with that surge in the economy has come problems in the labor market."I have probably been to 10 communities in the last two weeks, and that's the conversation," Hill said. "I've got all this growth if I could just find another person."Thirty-three percent of Kansas businesses report they are struggling to find workers, while 17 percent have decreased hours. Kansas' seasonally&nbsp; adjusted unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in September. In Ellis County, it was 2.1 percent. Every county in northwest Kansas posted an unemployment rate at 3 percent or below, with some counties in the region below 2 percent. Nationally for every job opening, there are 0.8 people available, and in Kansas it's likely closer to 0.5 people, Hill said.This takes power from the employer and puts it back in the hands of the worker, Hill said. Workers are upwardly mobile, leaving lower paying, entry-level jobs or part-time jobs for full-time jobs that offer better pay and benefits.National trends show the number of workers holding multiple jobs is down 16 percent. The number of part-time workers is down 10 percent, and the number of self-employed workers is down 7 percent."This is hard for companies, but great for households and wealth and upward mobility," Hill said. "This is a huge improvement for the economy, but that's a really big pill to swallow for businesses."Middle class households that were lost over the last two decades are coming back, which will be an economic driver for more consumption moving forward, Hill said. Retail sales are expected to be up 5.3 percent next year based on increased employment and wage growth, Hill said. "All of this is good news," he said of American households. "Cash is in their pocket. They got rid of a lot of debt." Businesses are offering incentives for new hires or shortening hours to try to deal with labor shortages."People are saying, 'Where is everyone? We have all these people out there who are lazy and not working,' " Hill said. "Labor reports and employment are above 100 percent. The whole time we're cooking. The labor market has been very active and very engaged." In Kansas, participation in the workforce compared to population is higher than before the pandemic. The employment to population ratio counts everyone from 16 years old to death even if they are no longer seeking employment.Hill said those figures show the Kansas labor market is extremely tight. Labor supply issues, especially seem to be exacerbated in manufacturing, and hospitality and leisure, as people leave those jobs for other jobs, or in the case of manufacturing, choose not to enter that sector to begin with.Some women who left the labor market to care for children during the pandemic may start re-entering the workforce as the pandemic eases and they no longer have to worry about school closings.Some industries in Kansas have a big problem with an aging workforce. Baby boomers are retiring.Businesses will need to look at the workers they have and decide how they can use those workers most efficiently. They may invest in technology to decrease the number of workers needed. Some businesses may cut back on certain lines or aspects of their operations to further focus on aspects that are most profitable, Hill said.&nbsp;Companies are also reaching out to other labor markets and hiring employees to telecommute. Some Kansas workers are continuing to telecommute even as COVID restrictions ease. About 30 percent of the Kansas workforce was telecommuting in 2020, with a about 20 percent telecommuting now, Hill said.Offering training may be one solution for businesses. When the labor market was less tight, employers were expecting to hire workers with experience. Now they may need to hire workers with little or no experience and train them to a point where they are more productive, Hill said.A long-term solution to the Kansas labor shortage could be a change in federal immigration policy, Hill said.&nbsp; "You see I'm not saying lots of heads, because we're out. The U.S is out. Heads are not going to happen. How are you going to look at it differently?" Hill said. Hill said Kansas is not facing a labor problem — it's facing a wage problem. Kansas has continued to fall behind the national averages for wages, which is influencing population loss, Hill said. The national annualized wage average is $64,021, while the Kansas annualized wage average is $51,490. People are moving to areas where wages are higher, Hill said. "Kids that were graduating high school and college looked around and saw opportunities where wages were up somewhere else, so they moved," Hill said. "We're telling them that we didn't value them as much as other industries were."Kansas wages went up this year, but the state was still slightly below the U.S. average. "If we really want labor, wages have to come up," Hill said, "and they have to come up after a year you did massive increases."Forty-seven percent of Kansas businesses said they expect labor struggles to take more than six months to resolve.Hill said the outlook for the labor market is going to be tough for businesses through the end of next year. He said it will take that long for businesses to see full employment based on pre-pandemic numbers. A bright spot may be a new generation of workers moving up in the ranks. While millennials seemed reluctant to work during high school and college, young people now are more readily entering the workforce, Hill said.This may not only ease some of the workforce shortage for food service and hospitality, it also means those workers will have valuable basic job skills moving forward.It likely will not solve all of the labor shortages for eateries, which may cause price increases in the industry and a decrease in demand, Hill said.

Economist: Low wages, high demand result in Kan. labor shortage

It’s always interesting to see how the Fort Hays State University shotgun team will top what it accomplished the year before.&nbsp;

FHSU finished in the top three at two different national tournaments in a span of 10 days last spring when events from the fall and spring semesters were combined into one semester because of the pandemic.

How could the fall 2021 season top that, one might ask? Consider it done.

Fort Hays State brought home its eighth national championship earlier this month by winning the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) in Columbus, Ohio, and finished with an incredible, FHSU program-record 2,953 targets out of 3,000 (.984 percentage).

It was the fourth consecutive SCTP national title for FHSU, which not only defeated all the Division II teams (with 10 to 20 shooters) at this year’s event but also outscored all the Division I squads (20-plus shooters).

One of the highlights of the meet for Fort Hays State was the perfect 200-for-200 performance of Jared Greenwood, a sophomore from Augusta. That not only earned him first-place individual honors in men’s sporting clays, it also helped FHSU win that team competition in Division II. FHSU also took first in D-II in trap singles and recorded the top score in all divisions in American skeet.&nbsp;

Dr. Duane Shepherd, an assistant professor of health and human performance and one of the team’s coaches, was pleased not only with the team’s performance but with its work ethic as well.

“These kids worked extremely hard to get where they’re at,” said Shepherd, who founded the program at FHSU in 2004. “They are very focused, and they deserved it. It’s one of the hardest working teams we’ve ever had.”

FHSU added a junior varsity program this year and also added two coaches – Jerrod Lies, an admission counselor at FHSU, and Cody Escritt, who volunteers his time. Both are former All-Americans for the FHSU shotgun team. Shepherd is in charge of skeet, Lies the trap shooting, and Escritt – sporting clays.

“This way, the kids are shooting a lot of targets every day and getting more individualized attention,” Shepherd said.

The varsity team practices every Tuesday and Thursday, with Wednesdays reserved solely for the JV squad. The coaches then select some of the JV shooters to work with the varsity on its practice days. Incorporating JV members in with the varsity benefits the entire program, as the JV team gets valuable varsity experience while being mentored by varsity members.

“This way, they know what to expect to be successful, and they are getting seasoned as they get ready for the next year,” Shepherd said. “We’re organizing them to be shooting at a level they need for the varsity experience, and we believe it will work in their favor.”

Other highlights for FHSU included six shooters finishing in the top 10 individually – Greenwood, Riley Ross, Lane Sorensen, and Brock Barton in the men’s division and Katie Petersen and Hailey Zulkoski in the women’s division. FHSU featured seven shooters who shot one or more perfect rounds of 100-of-100.

Ross, a senior from St. Paul, Neb., who has been part of several national championships during his FHSU career, was a member of all three first-place team events for FHSU en route to finishing third in high overall (HOA) for the men (590-of-600).

Petersen, a graduate student from Fremont, Neb., won the women’s skeet competition with 198-of-200 targets, which helped her claim HOA honors for the women (583-of-600). Other individual top-three efforts besides Greenwood’s perfect performance in sporting clays and Ross’ third HOA finish, were Jade Chapman, first place, women’s trap, and Sorensen, second place, men’s skeet.

National competitors for FHSU (listed in alphabetical order), and their hometowns, were:

Brock Barton, Fairbury, Neb. Zach Beers, Syracuse, Neb. Jade Chapman, Papillion, Neb. Will Dulohery, St. George Jared Greenwood, Benton Alex Hunter, Hickman, Neb. Hank McVeigh, Lincoln, Neb. Katie Petersen, Fremont, Neb. Riley Ross, St. Paul, Neb. Ryan St. Peters, Godfrey, Ill. Logan Smith, Burwell, Neb. Lane Sorensen, Hampton, Neb. Mason Weller, Palmer, Neb. Xander Winchell, Spring Hill Hailey Zulkoski, Ord, Neb.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635181402925.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsIt’s always interesting to see how the Fort Hays State University shotgun team will top what it accomplished the year before.&nbsp;FHSU finished in the top three at two different national tournaments in a span of 10 days last spring when events from the fall and spring semesters were combined into one semester because of the pandemic.How could the fall 2021 season top that, one might ask? Consider it done.Fort Hays State brought home its eighth national championship earlier this month by winning the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) in Columbus, Ohio, and finished with an incredible, FHSU program-record 2,953 targets out of 3,000 (.984 percentage).It was the fourth consecutive SCTP national title for FHSU, which not only defeated all the Division II teams (with 10 to 20 shooters) at this year’s event but also outscored all the Division I squads (20-plus shooters).One of the highlights of the meet for Fort Hays State was the perfect 200-for-200 performance of Jared Greenwood, a sophomore from Augusta. That not only earned him first-place individual honors in men’s sporting clays, it also helped FHSU win that team competition in Division II. FHSU also took first in D-II in trap singles and recorded the top score in all divisions in American skeet.&nbsp;Dr. Duane Shepherd, an assistant professor of health and human performance and one of the team’s coaches, was pleased not only with the team’s performance but with its work ethic as well.“These kids worked extremely hard to get where they’re at,” said Shepherd, who founded the program at FHSU in 2004. “They are very focused, and they deserved it. It’s one of the hardest working teams we’ve ever had.”FHSU added a junior varsity program this year and also added two coaches – Jerrod Lies, an admission counselor at FHSU, and Cody Escritt, who volunteers his time. Both are former All-Americans for the FHSU shotgun team. Shepherd is in charge of skeet, Lies the trap shooting, and Escritt – sporting clays.“This way, the kids are shooting a lot of targets every day and getting more individualized attention,” Shepherd said.The varsity team practices every Tuesday and Thursday, with Wednesdays reserved solely for the JV squad. The coaches then select some of the JV shooters to work with the varsity on its practice days. Incorporating JV members in with the varsity benefits the entire program, as the JV team gets valuable varsity experience while being mentored by varsity members.“This way, they know what to expect to be successful, and they are getting seasoned as they get ready for the next year,” Shepherd said. “We’re organizing them to be shooting at a level they need for the varsity experience, and we believe it will work in their favor.”Other highlights for FHSU included six shooters finishing in the top 10 individually – Greenwood, Riley Ross, Lane Sorensen, and Brock Barton in the men’s division and Katie Petersen and Hailey Zulkoski in the women’s division. FHSU featured seven shooters who shot one or more perfect rounds of 100-of-100.Ross, a senior from St. Paul, Neb., who has been part of several national championships during his FHSU career, was a member of all three first-place team events for FHSU en route to finishing third in high overall (HOA) for the men (590-of-600).Petersen, a graduate student from Fremont, Neb., won the women’s skeet competition with 198-of-200 targets, which helped her claim HOA honors for the women (583-of-600). Other individual top-three efforts besides Greenwood’s perfect performance in sporting clays and Ross’ third HOA finish, were Jade Chapman, first place, women’s trap, and Sorensen, second place, men’s skeet.National competitors for FHSU (listed in alphabetical order), and their hometowns, were:Brock Barton, Fairbury, Neb. Zach Beers, Syracuse, Neb. Jade Chapman, Papillion, Neb. Will Dulohery, St. George Jared Greenwood, Benton Alex Hunter, Hickman, Neb. Hank McVeigh, Lincoln, Neb. Katie Petersen, Fremont, Neb. Riley Ross, St. Paul, Neb. Ryan St. Peters, Godfrey, Ill. Logan Smith, Burwell, Neb. Lane Sorensen, Hampton, Neb. Mason Weller, Palmer, Neb. Xander Winchell, Spring Hill Hailey Zulkoski, Ord, Neb.

FHSU shotgun team claims eighth national crown

By JOHN P. TRETBAR The near-month light sweet crude contract in New York settled at $83.76 Friday, above $83 per barrel for only the second time in seven years. In London, Brent crude was also on the rise, approaching $86. Kansas Common crude at CHS was priced at $74 per barrel on Monday, the best price in McPherson since October 9, 2014. The weekly Rig Count in Kansas from Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service shows a ten percent increase in drilling activity. There are 19 active rigs in eastern Kansas, up four from a week earlier. The count in Western Kansas was unchanged at 23 active rigs. Drilling continued on leases in Russell and Stafford counties, and operators were about to spud a new well in Barton County. Based solely on the number of wells spudded, Independent reports drilling activity in Kansas increasing more than 142% from a year ago. The number of operators searching for oil and gas is up 36% year over year. Baker Hughes reported 542 active U.S. drilling rigs Friday, marking a decline of two oil rigs but a gain of one exploring for natural gas. The count in Wyoming was down three rigs, New Mexico was up two, and Texas was down one. Kansas regulators authorized 24 new drilling locations last week, ten of them east of Wichita and 14 in the western half of the state including one new permit each in Barton and Stafford counties. That's 869 new drilling permits so far this year, compared to 358 at this time last year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 17 new well completions for the week. That's 697 newly-completed wells statewide so far this year, just three wells ahead of that total a year ago. Operators in Ellis and Stafford counties completed wells among the 14 in Western Kansas. The sole trade group representing producers, operators and owners of marginally-producing wells announced five new board members including four from Kansas. Nicole Koelsch of Adams/Brown in Great Bend joins the board of directors of the National Stripper Well Association. In a news release, Koelsch said the association has proven to be a valuable resource for their industry. Other new board members include Nick Powell of Mission, Kansas, Dave Murfin and Will Darrah of Wichita, and Sam Bradley of Loveland, Colorado. U.S. operators produced over eleven million barrels of crude oil per day for the fourth week in a row. For the week through October 15th, The Energy Information Administration reports output of just over 11.3 million barrels per day, a slight decrease from the week before. Domestic crude-oil inventories dropped slightly last week. The government reports stockpiles of 426.5 million barrels of crude oil as of October 15th, down 400,000 barrels from a week earlier, and about six percent below the five year average for this time of year. Crude imports dropped by 169,000 barrels per day last week to about 5.8 million. Imports over the last four weeks averaged nearly 20% more than during the same period a year ago. A Canadian company is planning to build North Dakota's first factory designed to turn natural gas into liquid fuels. Supporters say the new plant will produce low-sulfur diesel fuel and military-grade jet fuel. It will also help curb the venting or flaring of natural gas at oil wells. State officials say the $2.8 billion project in Trenton, North Dakota will convert natural gas into about 1 million gallons of liquid fuels per day. Compared to a year ago, Americans are paying about $17 more to fill up our vehicles with gasoline. Analysts at Triple-A say it doesn't look like we'll find relief at the gas pump any time soon. The national average price for a gallon of regular is now just over $3.38. That's up a six cents from a week ago and more than $1.20 higher than a year ago. The average here in Kansas is up nearly eight cents from a week ago.&nbsp; Oil-by-rail traffic is on the increase across the U.S. and Canada. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports 9,901 American petroleum carloads for the week ending October 16th. That's up 506 tankers from the week before but down 3.6% from a year ago. Oil-by-rail shipments in Canada are up more than 18% year over year according to weekly AAR data. The newly-remade board of directors at Exxon Mobil is debating whether to continue with several major oil and gas projects. People familiar with the matter say the energy giant is reconsidering its investment strategy amid the quickly-changing energy landscape. The Wall Street Journal reports Exxon board members, many installed last year by an activist investor, are weighing the fate of many future projects. The company is facing pressure from investors to restrain fossil-fuel investment to limit carbon emissions and return more cash to shareholders. With crude prices surging, oil output in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico is getting closer to levels seen before the pandemic-driven market crash. While total production in the U.S. is still lagging, The government reports the Permian is increasing output to an average of over 4.8 million barrels a day in October. That’s close to the record set in March of 2020. Bloomberg reports a global supply deficit and high prices are prompting rising production. Private drillers in the basin have been seeking to capitalize on the surge in oil prices, ramping up volumes steadily, while public companies are under shareholder pressure to keep spending in check. In other shale plays, the recovery has been slow. In the Bakken of North Dakota, where the shale boom began, and in the Eagle Ford of southern Texas, the number of wells drilled but uncompleted are at their lowest on record.

By JOHN P. TRETBAR The near-month light sweet crude contract in New York settled at $83.76 Friday, above $83 per barrel for only the second time in seven years. In London, Brent crude was also on the rise, approaching $86. Kansas Common crude at CHS was priced at $74 per barrel on Monday, the best price in McPherson since October 9, 2014. The weekly Rig Count in Kansas from Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service shows a ten percent increase in drilling activity. There are 19 active rigs in eastern Kansas, up four from a week earlier. The count in Western Kansas was unchanged at 23 active rigs. Drilling continued on leases in Russell and Stafford counties, and operators were about to spud a new well in Barton County. Based solely on the number of wells spudded, Independent reports drilling activity in Kansas increasing more than 142% from a year ago. The number of operators searching for oil and gas is up 36% year over year. Baker Hughes reported 542 active U.S. drilling rigs Friday, marking a decline of two oil rigs but a gain of one exploring for natural gas. The count in Wyoming was down three rigs, New Mexico was up two, and Texas was down one. Kansas regulators authorized 24 new drilling locations last week, ten of them east of Wichita and 14 in the western half of the state including one new permit each in Barton and Stafford counties. That's 869 new drilling permits so far this year, compared to 358 at this time last year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 17 new well completions for the week. That's 697 newly-completed wells statewide so far this year, just three wells ahead of that total a year ago. Operators in Ellis and Stafford counties completed wells among the 14 in Western Kansas. The sole trade group representing producers, operators and owners of marginally-producing wells announced five new board members including four from Kansas. Nicole Koelsch of Adams/Brown in Great Bend joins the board of directors of the National Stripper Well Association. In a news release, Koelsch said the association has proven to be a valuable resource for their industry. Other new board members include Nick Powell of Mission, Kansas, Dave Murfin and Will Darrah of Wichita, and Sam Bradley of Loveland, Colorado. U.S. operators produced over eleven million barrels of crude oil per day for the fourth week in a row. For the week through October 15th, The Energy Information Administration reports output of just over 11.3 million barrels per day, a slight decrease from the week before. Domestic crude-oil inventories dropped slightly last week. The government reports stockpiles of 426.5 million barrels of crude oil as of October 15th, down 400,000 barrels from a week earlier, and about six percent below the five year average for this time of year. Crude imports dropped by 169,000 barrels per day last week to about 5.8 million. Imports over the last four weeks averaged nearly 20% more than during the same period a year ago. A Canadian company is planning to build North Dakota's first factory designed to turn natural gas into liquid fuels. Supporters say the new plant will produce low-sulfur diesel fuel and military-grade jet fuel. It will also help curb the venting or flaring of natural gas at oil wells. State officials say the $2.8 billion project in Trenton, North Dakota will convert natural gas into about 1 million gallons of liquid fuels per day. Compared to a year ago, Americans are paying about $17 more to fill up our vehicles with gasoline. Analysts at Triple-A say it doesn't look like we'll find relief at the gas pump any time soon. The national average price for a gallon of regular is now just over $3.38. That's up a six cents from a week ago and more than $1.20 higher than a year ago. The average here in Kansas is up nearly eight cents from a week ago.&nbsp; Oil-by-rail traffic is on the increase across the U.S. and Canada. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports 9,901 American petroleum carloads for the week ending October 16th. That's up 506 tankers from the week before but down 3.6% from a year ago. Oil-by-rail shipments in Canada are up more than 18% year over year according to weekly AAR data. The newly-remade board of directors at Exxon Mobil is debating whether to continue with several major oil and gas projects. People familiar with the matter say the energy giant is reconsidering its investment strategy amid the quickly-changing energy landscape. The Wall Street Journal reports Exxon board members, many installed last year by an activist investor, are weighing the fate of many future projects. The company is facing pressure from investors to restrain fossil-fuel investment to limit carbon emissions and return more cash to shareholders. With crude prices surging, oil output in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico is getting closer to levels seen before the pandemic-driven market crash. While total production in the U.S. is still lagging, The government reports the Permian is increasing output to an average of over 4.8 million barrels a day in October. That’s close to the record set in March of 2020. Bloomberg reports a global supply deficit and high prices are prompting rising production. Private drillers in the basin have been seeking to capitalize on the surge in oil prices, ramping up volumes steadily, while public companies are under shareholder pressure to keep spending in check. In other shale plays, the recovery has been slow. In the Bakken of North Dakota, where the shale boom began, and in the Eagle Ford of southern Texas, the number of wells drilled but uncompleted are at their lowest on record.

News From the Oil Patch: Prices from London to McPherson at 7-year highs

Do you like to read history? Are you curious about how things were done or how people lived? Do you ever wonder what people in the future will ask about our times? By participating in the Ellis County Historical Society Essays for Archives,  you have a chance to speak to future generations about what it is like for you and your family to live during this first global COVID pandemic. You can be the voice of your generation by telling your experiences of life during this time. The essays will held at the ECHS archives as primary resources.

Ellis County Historical Society would like to extend an invitation to all Ellis County high schools and their students to participate in submitting essays to be used as a primary resource in our archives.

The society is looking for documentation for future generations to utilize in understanding the level the 2020 pandemic affected the citizens of Ellis County.

The society been collaborating with Lisa Renz at HHS this past month and they have chosen to host a contest in conjunction with the completely voluntary essays. Hays High School students have a deadline of the end of October  for their entry to the school’s contest. After the judging,  all essays will be released to ECHS archives. It is our hope that the other high schools in the area will participate to some extent and be a meaningful part of our efforts to Save Our Pasts Future. 

We ask that participants have a released signed by a guardian to submit the essay to our archives with the students name and school.

For more information, call 785-628-2624 or email <a href="mailto:director@echshays.org">director@echshays.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614296143487.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedDo you like to read history? Are you curious about how things were done or how people lived? Do you ever wonder what people in the future will ask about our times? By participating in the Ellis County Historical Society Essays for Archives, you have a chance to speak to future generations about what it is like for you and your family to live during this first global COVID pandemic. You can be the voice of your generation by telling your experiences of life during this time. The essays will held at the ECHS archives as primary resources.Ellis County Historical Society would like to extend an invitation to all Ellis County high schools and their students to participate in submitting essays to be used as a primary resource in our archives.The society is looking for documentation for future generations to utilize in understanding the level the 2020 pandemic affected the citizens of Ellis County.The society been collaborating with Lisa Renz at HHS this past month and they have chosen to host a contest in conjunction with the completely voluntary essays. Hays High School students have a deadline of the end of October for their entry to the school’s contest. After the judging, all essays will be released to ECHS archives. It is our hope that the other high schools in the area will participate to some extent and be a meaningful part of our efforts to Save Our Pasts Future. We ask that participants have a released signed by a guardian to submit the essay to our archives with the students name and school.For more information, call 785-628-2624 or email <a href="mailto:director@echshays.org">director@echshays.org</a>.

Ellis Co. high schools invited to share their pandemic stories

Twenty-four new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas 
Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on October 22nd at a ceremony 
held in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium.&nbsp;

Officer Justin Atchison of the Wellsville Police Department was the 
graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was Jeff 
Hooper, Chief of Police for the Hutchinson Police Department. James 
Buettgenbach, KLETC Senior Instructor of Police, was the Class 
Coordinator for the 284th Basic Training Class.

Deputy Francisco Guerrero of the Meade County Sheriff’s Office was 
honored with KLETC’s Fitness Award. Officer Justin Dutcher of the Sac 
&amp; Fox Tribal Police Department was also recognized during the 
ceremony for his firearms proficiency as the class’ “Top Shot”.

Graduates receive certificates of course completion from KLETC and 
Kansas law enforcement certification from the Kansas Commission on Peace
 Officers’ Standards and Training, the state’s law enforcement licensing
 authority. The training course fulfills the state requirement for law 
enforcement training. Classroom lectures and hands-on applications help 
train officers to solve the increasingly complex problems they face in 
the line of duty. 
 
Established by the Kansas Legislature in 1968, KLETC trains the majority
 of municipal, county, and state law enforcement officers in Kansas and 
oversees the training of the remaining officers at seven authorized and 
certified academy programs operated by local law enforcement agencies 
and the Kansas Highway Patrol. 
 
About 300 officers enroll annually in KLETC 14-week basic training 
programs. KLETC offers continuing education and specialized training to 
over 10,000 Kansas officers each year. KLETC is located one mile west 
and one mile south of Yoder, near Hutchinson, and is a division of the 
University of Kansas Lifelong &amp; Professional Education.

The graduates, who began their training in July 2021, represented 19 
municipal, county, and state law enforcement agencies from across 
Kansas. Graduates are listed below by county and agency:

Brown 
Justin Dutcher - Sac &amp; Fox Tribal Police Department

Butler 
Neil Kline - Andover Police Department 
James Nelson - Andover Police Department 
Barbara Altier-Riera - El Dorado Police Department

Cherokee 
Saul Farfan-Ulloa - Columbus Police Department

Coffey 
Alliccia Breeze - Coffey County Sheriff's Office

Crawford 
Seirra Roberts - Arma Police Department

Douglas 
John Matthews - Eudora Police Department

Ellis 
Erin Lokke - Hays Police Department

Finney 
Crystal Lopez - Finney County Sheriff’s Office 
Edwardo Valdez - Garden City Police Department 
Randy Cole - Garden City Police Department 
Jacob Erickson - Garden City Police Department

Franklin 
Justin Atchison - Wellsville Police Department

Jackson 
Maverick Ohlde - Prairie Band Pottawatomi Tribal Police

Lyon 
Collin Brozek - Lyon County Sheriff’s Office

Meade 
Francisco Guerrero - Meade County Sheriff’s Office

Pratt 
Dennis Zoglmann - Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

Reno 
Dalton Leonard - Hutchinson Police Department 
Stephen Jackson - Hutchinson Police Department

Riley 
Jennifer Pepe - Riley County Police Department 
Gage Whitmore - Riley County Police Department

Trego 
Liam Kieft- WaKeeney Police Department

Wilson 
Louis Cottrell-D’Esposito - Wilson County Sheriff’s Office

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625261126965.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KLETCTwenty-four new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas 
Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on October 22nd at a ceremony 
held in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium.&nbsp;Officer Justin Atchison of the Wellsville Police Department was the 
graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was Jeff 
Hooper, Chief of Police for the Hutchinson Police Department. James 
Buettgenbach, KLETC Senior Instructor of Police, was the Class 
Coordinator for the 284th Basic Training Class.Deputy Francisco Guerrero of the Meade County Sheriff’s Office was 
honored with KLETC’s Fitness Award. Officer Justin Dutcher of the Sac 
&amp; Fox Tribal Police Department was also recognized during the 
ceremony for his firearms proficiency as the class’ “Top Shot”.Graduates receive certificates of course completion from KLETC and 
Kansas law enforcement certification from the Kansas Commission on Peace
 Officers’ Standards and Training, the state’s law enforcement licensing
 authority. The training course fulfills the state requirement for law 
enforcement training. Classroom lectures and hands-on applications help 
train officers to solve the increasingly complex problems they face in 
the line of duty. 
 
Established by the Kansas Legislature in 1968, KLETC trains the majority
 of municipal, county, and state law enforcement officers in Kansas and 
oversees the training of the remaining officers at seven authorized and 
certified academy programs operated by local law enforcement agencies 
and the Kansas Highway Patrol. 
 
About 300 officers enroll annually in KLETC 14-week basic training 
programs. KLETC offers continuing education and specialized training to 
over 10,000 Kansas officers each year. KLETC is located one mile west 
and one mile south of Yoder, near Hutchinson, and is a division of the 
University of Kansas Lifelong &amp; Professional Education.The graduates, who began their training in July 2021, represented 19 
municipal, county, and state law enforcement agencies from across 
Kansas. Graduates are listed below by county and agency:Brown 
Justin Dutcher - Sac &amp; Fox Tribal Police DepartmentButler 
Neil Kline - Andover Police Department 
James Nelson - Andover Police Department 
Barbara Altier-Riera - El Dorado Police DepartmentCherokee 
Saul Farfan-Ulloa - Columbus Police DepartmentCoffey 
Alliccia Breeze - Coffey County Sheriff's OfficeCrawford 
Seirra Roberts - Arma Police DepartmentDouglas 
John Matthews - Eudora Police DepartmentEllis 
Erin Lokke - Hays Police DepartmentFinney 
Crystal Lopez - Finney County Sheriff’s Office 
Edwardo Valdez - Garden City Police Department 
Randy Cole - Garden City Police Department 
Jacob Erickson - Garden City Police DepartmentFranklin 
Justin Atchison - Wellsville Police DepartmentJackson 
Maverick Ohlde - Prairie Band Pottawatomi Tribal PoliceLyon 
Collin Brozek - Lyon County Sheriff’s OfficeMeade 
Francisco Guerrero - Meade County Sheriff’s OfficePratt 
Dennis Zoglmann - Kansas Department of Wildlife and ParksReno 
Dalton Leonard - Hutchinson Police Department 
Stephen Jackson - Hutchinson Police DepartmentRiley 
Jennifer Pepe - Riley County Police Department 
Gage Whitmore - Riley County Police DepartmentTrego 
Liam Kieft- WaKeeney Police DepartmentWilson 
Louis Cottrell-D’Esposito - Wilson County Sheriff’s Office

NW Kan. officers among newest police academy graduates

&nbsp;One particular landowner who allowed me to trap for several years always asked me where on his land I would be trapping, and my answer was always “Wherever your crops and cattle will allow it; I will always work around you.” A couple years ago, however, he asked his son that was taking over the farming, who told me he wanted no traps on the place, period. I was a bit stunned as he had never faltered in giving me permission before, and I would probably have been justified in trying to pin him down about his decision. But I chatted with the father awhile, thanked him and drove away.&nbsp;

Very few farmers deny trapping on their land unless they do hunt or trap themselves, or unless they’ve had a bad experience with another trapper, but it is their land and they do have the right to control access to it. The point I want this column to drive home is how important it is to us hunters and trappers and to the future of our sports to create and to maintain a good relationship with the farmers and ranchers on whose land we hunt and trap. Hunting and trapping should be seen by us as a privilege, and with privileges come certain responsibilities. Here are a few suggestions that will help create and maintain good relationships with the farmers and ranchers who own the land where you hunt and trap.

&nbsp;Landowners should be contacted each year no matter how long you have been granted access to their land. Stop and see them in person when possible. There are landowners that are just fine with a phone call and you will learn who they are with time, but if in doubt, see them in person. I traded pickups a couple years ago, so I have tried to stop and see all landowners just to show them what truck I would now be driving.

Pay special attention to any specific requests by the landowner. I accidentally left an electric fence hotwire unhooked one time and a few of the owners cows got out. He was none-too-happy, but we are friends and I apologized profusely and all was well. Make certain to close all gates, stay off the property if it’s wet enough to make ruts where you drive, and always leave the property as you found it.&nbsp;

Offering to help a landowner with a project like building fence or clearing trees goes a long way toward assuring permission to hunt or trap his land. You can also give them a pheasant or some fresh venison now and then. Some hunters even send thank you cards to landowners each year. I recently read how one professional trapper out west once stopped to help a farmer get freshly baled hay into the barn just before a rain and because of his kindness was eventually granted sole permission to trap on over 15,000 acres of New Mexico land owned by the farmer’s cousin.

God is not making any more land these days, and good recreational land is often leased or purchased by wealthy groups or individuals for their own use. That leaves most of us outdoorsmen dependant on gaining permission to hunt and trap on privately owned land. So, obey the game laws, obey the landowner’s rules and by-all-means close the gates unless you’d rather chase cattle than hunt. 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>&nbsp;One particular landowner who allowed me to trap for several years always asked me where on his land I would be trapping, and my answer was always “Wherever your crops and cattle will allow it; I will always work around you.” A couple years ago, however, he asked his son that was taking over the farming, who told me he wanted no traps on the place, period. I was a bit stunned as he had never faltered in giving me permission before, and I would probably have been justified in trying to pin him down about his decision. But I chatted with the father awhile, thanked him and drove away.&nbsp;Very few farmers deny trapping on their land unless they do hunt or trap themselves, or unless they’ve had a bad experience with another trapper, but it is their land and they do have the right to control access to it. The point I want this column to drive home is how important it is to us hunters and trappers and to the future of our sports to create and to maintain a good relationship with the farmers and ranchers on whose land we hunt and trap. Hunting and trapping should be seen by us as a privilege, and with privileges come certain responsibilities. Here are a few suggestions that will help create and maintain good relationships with the farmers and ranchers who own the land where you hunt and trap.&nbsp;Landowners should be contacted each year no matter how long you have been granted access to their land. Stop and see them in person when possible. There are landowners that are just fine with a phone call and you will learn who they are with time, but if in doubt, see them in person. I traded pickups a couple years ago, so I have tried to stop and see all landowners just to show them what truck I would now be driving.Pay special attention to any specific requests by the landowner. I accidentally left an electric fence hotwire unhooked one time and a few of the owners cows got out. He was none-too-happy, but we are friends and I apologized profusely and all was well. Make certain to close all gates, stay off the property if it’s wet enough to make ruts where you drive, and always leave the property as you found it.&nbsp;Offering to help a landowner with a project like building fence or clearing trees goes a long way toward assuring permission to hunt or trap his land. You can also give them a pheasant or some fresh venison now and then. Some hunters even send thank you cards to landowners each year. I recently read how one professional trapper out west once stopped to help a farmer get freshly baled hay into the barn just before a rain and because of his kindness was eventually granted sole permission to trap on over 15,000 acres of New Mexico land owned by the farmer’s cousin.God is not making any more land these days, and good recreational land is often leased or purchased by wealthy groups or individuals for their own use. That leaves most of us outdoorsmen dependant on gaining permission to hunt and trap on privately owned land. So, obey the game laws, obey the landowner’s rules and by-all-means close the gates unless you’d rather chase cattle than hunt. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Getting permission should be your mission

RUSSELL — At 8:43 p.m. Sunday, the Russell Fire Department was paged for a structure fire involving a garage and a residence at 1709 N. Maple in Russell.

First-arriving fire personnel observed a garage that was fully engulfed and the back southeast corner of the residence on fire. The residence next door was also taking damage due to the extreme heat.

Crews were able to extinguish the fire on the side of the house before it entered the residence. Crews were also able to extinguish the garage fire and kept minimal damage to the neighbor's house. The garage was a total loss, the residence had minor damage to the roof and siding, and the neighbor's house had melted siding along with cracked windows from the heat. The fire was ruled under control at 9:44 p.m., and crews remained on scene until 10:26 p.m. looking for extension and hot spots.

The City of Russell Fire Department would like to thank the Russell Police Department, Russell County EMS, Russell County Sheriff's Office, Russell Electric Department, Russell County Emergency Management and Russell County 911.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635188784214.jpeg" alt="Russell emergency responders were called to a fully engulfed garage fire Sunday night at&nbsp; 1709 North Maple Street, which also burned a portion of the adjacent house. (Photos courtesy Russell Fire Department)" />
 <figcaption>Russell emergency responders were called to a fully engulfed garage fire Sunday night at&nbsp; 1709 North Maple Street, which also burned a portion of the adjacent house. (Photos courtesy Russell Fire Department)</figcaption>
 </figure>Russell Fire DepartmentRUSSELL — At 8:43 p.m. Sunday, the Russell Fire Department was paged for a structure fire involving a garage and a residence at 1709 N. Maple in Russell.First-arriving fire personnel observed a garage that was fully engulfed and the back southeast corner of the residence on fire. The residence next door was also taking damage due to the extreme heat.Crews were able to extinguish the fire on the side of the house before it entered the residence. Crews were also able to extinguish the garage fire and kept minimal damage to the neighbor's house. The garage was a total loss, the residence had minor damage to the roof and siding, and the neighbor's house had melted siding along with cracked windows from the heat. The fire was ruled under control at 9:44 p.m., and crews remained on scene until 10:26 p.m. looking for extension and hot spots.The City of Russell Fire Department would like to thank the Russell Police Department, Russell County EMS, Russell County Sheriff's Office, Russell Electric Department, Russell County Emergency Management and Russell County 911.The cause of the fire remains under investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635188982409.jpeg" alt="The cause of a garage fire in Russell Oct. 24 is under investigation. (Photo courtesy Russell Fire Department)" />
 <figcaption>The cause of a garage fire in Russell Oct. 24 is under investigation. (Photo courtesy Russell Fire Department)</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635189061963.jpeg" alt="A corner of the house near the garage was also burned in the blaze. (Photo courtesy Russell Fire Department)" />
 <figcaption>A corner of the house near the garage was also burned in the blaze. (Photo courtesy Russell Fire Department)</figcaption>
 </figure>

Russell FD responds to garage and house fire Sunday

Correction: The board self-evaluation scores listed in the board packet were examples. The self-evaluation has not yet been completed.

The Hays USD 489 school board during its meeting Monday will consider a proposal to conduct community strategic planning.

The board will meet at 6:30 Monday at the Rockwell Administration Center.

These sessions typically include up to 25 to 40&nbsp;participants, consisting mostly of community members along with the school board and some&nbsp;district representation. The work is generally accomplished over the course of two separate meeting times&nbsp;each lasting 2.5 to three hours.

The objectives of strategic planning process are as follows: • Strategic objective&nbsp;planning for&nbsp;the next three to five years in Hays USD 489 • Focusing on&nbsp;district&nbsp;efforts to maintain a&nbsp;focused mission, vision and core values objectives when making decisions • Full&nbsp;community engagement&nbsp;in the strategic process

The Kansas Association of School Boards would help coordinate the process. The cost would be $5,715.

The board will also discuss its self-evaluation.

The board scores will&nbsp; be based on an average of the six board members plus the superintendent. The individual scores are kept anonymous. 

The board will also hear reports on district custodial supply purchasing, the WEKAN Center and an update on the special education co-op.

Correction: The board self-evaluation scores listed in the board packet were examples. The self-evaluation has not yet been completed. By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 school board during its meeting Monday will consider a proposal to conduct community strategic planning.The board will meet at 6:30 Monday at the Rockwell Administration Center.These sessions typically include up to 25 to 40&nbsp;participants, consisting mostly of community members along with the school board and some&nbsp;district representation. The work is generally accomplished over the course of two separate meeting times&nbsp;each lasting 2.5 to three hours.The objectives of strategic planning process are as follows: • Strategic objective&nbsp;planning for&nbsp;the next three to five years in Hays USD 489 • Focusing on&nbsp;district&nbsp;efforts to maintain a&nbsp;focused mission, vision and core values objectives when making decisions • Full&nbsp;community engagement&nbsp;in the strategic processThe Kansas Association of School Boards would help coordinate the process. The cost would be $5,715.<h2>Board evaluation</h2>The board will also discuss its self-evaluation.The board scores will&nbsp; be based on an average of the six board members plus the superintendent. The individual scores are kept anonymous. The board will also hear reports on district custodial supply purchasing, the WEKAN Center and an update on the special education co-op.

Update: Hays USD 489 school board to discuss strategic planning

An early morning fire in south Hays destroyed a storage building Monday.

According to a news release from Assistant Fire Chief Shane Preston, the Hays Fire Department was dispatched at 12:36 a.m. to a structure fire at 1011 Reservation Road.

The blaze could be seen as firefighters deployed two handlines.&nbsp;

Preston said it took fire crews "several hours to fully extinguish the fire due to the amount of storage inside the building."

"Fire investigators were unable to determine the cause and origin of the fire due to the extensive damage and amount of materials stored in the building," Preston said.

Also responding to the scene were the Ellis County Fire Department, EMS and sheriff's department, along with the Hays Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634928306670.jpeg" alt="(Photo by Pixabay)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo by Pixabay)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostAn early morning fire in south Hays destroyed a storage building Monday.According to a news release from Assistant Fire Chief Shane Preston, the Hays Fire Department was dispatched at 12:36 a.m. to a structure fire at 1011 Reservation Road.The blaze could be seen as firefighters deployed two handlines.&nbsp;Preston said it took fire crews "several hours to fully extinguish the fire due to the amount of storage inside the building.""Fire investigators were unable to determine the cause and origin of the fire due to the extensive damage and amount of materials stored in the building," Preston said.Also responding to the scene were the Ellis County Fire Department, EMS and sheriff's department, along with the Hays Police Department.

Storage unit in south Hays destroyed by early morning fire

The National Weather Service in Dodge City is warning of a slight risk of severe weather in Ellis County on Tuesday evening.

Hays is on the projected western line of the front. As of Monday afternoon, there was a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m. Tuesday, increasing to 50 percent into Tuesday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635186016256.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>The National Weather Service in Dodge City is warning of a slight risk of severe weather in Ellis County on Tuesday evening.Hays is on the projected western line of the front. As of Monday afternoon, there was a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m. Tuesday, increasing to 50 percent into Tuesday night.The skies are expected to clear after 1 p.m. Wednesday, according to the NWS, although a north-northwest wind of 22 to 25 mph is projected, with gusts as high as 36 mph.After a high of 80 on Tuesday, the rest of the week will see highs in the low-60s.Check Hays Post and tune into your Eagle Radio of Hays stations for the latest on severe weather.

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