By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

On farms large and small across the state of Kansas, the number of women involved in decision making on farms and ranches is growing. Against that backdrop and especially in view of the ups and downs of the farm economy, Kansas State University and the Cottonwood Extension District will host two sites for the series of workshops focused on helping women sharpen their risk management skills.

The K-State Research and Extension, Cottonwood District, program will run as a series, so each evening session builds on material from the previous sessions. Participants register at a cost of $50 for the entire series. The fee covers all meals and program materials. &nbsp;

The sessions, all on Wednesdays, are scheduled on January 12, January 19, January 26 and February 2, with an optional session on February 23, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm and will be held in Hays, at the Extension Office meeting room, 601 Main Street and in Great Bend at American Ag Credit, 5634 10th Street. The sessions will feature a combination of broadcasted keynote speakers as well as local speakers.&nbsp;

The registration deadline has been extended to Friday, January 7 on-line at <a href="http://www.agmanager.info">www.agmanager.info</a> under “events” or contact the Hays office 785-628-9430 or Great Bend 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

Topics will include Enterprise Budgets (determining cost of production), Crop Insurance, Stress and Resiliency, Crop Marketing, Family Communication, Farm Bill programs and Cow/Calf enterprise budget.&nbsp; &nbsp;

There are 36 locations around the state hosting this series, to find the one closest to you go to the Ag Manager web site listed above.&nbsp;

More than 25,500 women are decision makers on Kansas farms. They farm more than 14 million acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture. Overall, in 2017, 36% of all agricultural producers across the country were women, up from 31.5% in 2012. Fifty-six percent of farms had at least one female decision maker.

“Women in agriculture will be specifically targeted for these workshops,” said Stacy Campbell and Alicia Boor, Crop and Livestock Agents with the Cottonwood District and K-State Research and Extension. “They tend to be an underserved demographic, but many times are involved or solely making the risk management tasks for the operation. By teaching them the necessary skills for helping to complete enterprise budgets, making crop insurance decisions, helping to relieve farm family stress, along with understanding the farm bill programs.”

The program is supported by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through North-Central Extension Risk Management Education.

Don’t delay registration deadline has been extended to January 7th at <a href="http://www.agmanager.info">www.agmanager.info</a> under “events”.&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617107995572.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictOn farms large and small across the state of Kansas, the number of women involved in decision making on farms and ranches is growing. Against that backdrop and especially in view of the ups and downs of the farm economy, Kansas State University and the Cottonwood Extension District will host two sites for the series of workshops focused on helping women sharpen their risk management skills.The K-State Research and Extension, Cottonwood District, program will run as a series, so each evening session builds on material from the previous sessions. Participants register at a cost of $50 for the entire series. The fee covers all meals and program materials. &nbsp;The sessions, all on Wednesdays, are scheduled on January 12, January 19, January 26 and February 2, with an optional session on February 23, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm and will be held in Hays, at the Extension Office meeting room, 601 Main Street and in Great Bend at American Ag Credit, 5634 10th Street. The sessions will feature a combination of broadcasted keynote speakers as well as local speakers.&nbsp;The registration deadline has been extended to Friday, January 7 on-line at <a href="http://www.agmanager.info">www.agmanager.info</a> under “events” or contact the Hays office 785-628-9430 or Great Bend 620-793-1910.&nbsp;Topics will include Enterprise Budgets (determining cost of production), Crop Insurance, Stress and Resiliency, Crop Marketing, Family Communication, Farm Bill programs and Cow/Calf enterprise budget.&nbsp; &nbsp;There are 36 locations around the state hosting this series, to find the one closest to you go to the Ag Manager web site listed above.&nbsp;More than 25,500 women are decision makers on Kansas farms. They farm more than 14 million acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture. Overall, in 2017, 36% of all agricultural producers across the country were women, up from 31.5% in 2012. Fifty-six percent of farms had at least one female decision maker.“Women in agriculture will be specifically targeted for these workshops,” said Stacy Campbell and Alicia Boor, Crop and Livestock Agents with the Cottonwood District and K-State Research and Extension. “They tend to be an underserved demographic, but many times are involved or solely making the risk management tasks for the operation. By teaching them the necessary skills for helping to complete enterprise budgets, making crop insurance decisions, helping to relieve farm family stress, along with understanding the farm bill programs.”The program is supported by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through North-Central Extension Risk Management Education.Don’t delay registration deadline has been extended to January 7th at <a href="http://www.agmanager.info">www.agmanager.info</a> under “events”.&nbsp;Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or calling 785-628-9430.

KSU ‘Risk Management Skills for Women in Ag’ workshop series

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641502563483.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

With fertilizer prices continuing to be a significant input cost and the availability issues, it is increasingly important for agriculture producers to properly manage their inputs.

To address the topic of nutrient management, K-State Research and Extension, has scheduled four regional programs. &nbsp;

January 11 – Ellsworth – 9 a.m. to NOON – National Guard Armory

January 11 – Rush Center – 3 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Walnut Valley Senior Center, 220 Washington Street.&nbsp;

January 12 – Goodland – 9 a.m. to NOON – Sherman Co. 4-H Building

January 12 – Hoxie – 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. - 4-H Building at the Sheridan Co. Fairgrounds

Topics will include: Storage methods; Maximum rate of return for N; “Growing N with manure or cover crops; Application timing methods; KSU Research updates along with a question and answer session. So be sure and bring all your questions with you!&nbsp;

CCA credits have been approved for 4 CEU’s. &nbsp;

There is no cost for the meetings, however, pre-registration for the Rush Center location has been extended to Monday, January 10th by 12 noon. Register online at <a href="http://www.cottonwood.ksu.edu">www.cottonwood.ksu.edu</a>&nbsp; or call the Hays Extension office at 785-628-9430.

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictWith fertilizer prices continuing to be a significant input cost and the availability issues, it is increasingly important for agriculture producers to properly manage their inputs.To address the topic of nutrient management, K-State Research and Extension, has scheduled four regional programs. &nbsp;January 11 – Ellsworth – 9 a.m. to NOON – National Guard ArmoryJanuary 11 – Rush Center – 3 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – Walnut Valley Senior Center, 220 Washington Street.&nbsp;January 12 – Goodland – 9 a.m. to NOON – Sherman Co. 4-H BuildingJanuary 12 – Hoxie – 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. - 4-H Building at the Sheridan Co. FairgroundsTopics will include: Storage methods; Maximum rate of return for N; “Growing N with manure or cover crops; Application timing methods; KSU Research updates along with a question and answer session. So be sure and bring all your questions with you!&nbsp;CCA credits have been approved for 4 CEU’s. &nbsp;There is no cost for the meetings, however, pre-registration for the Rush Center location has been extended to Monday, January 10th by 12 noon. Register online at <a href="http://www.cottonwood.ksu.edu">www.cottonwood.ksu.edu</a>&nbsp; or call the Hays Extension office at 785-628-9430.

KSU crop nutrient management meetings scheduled

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University president Tisa Mason and athletic director Curtis Hammeke share information about university sports during the upcoming spring semester.

<div><iframe title="FHSU Athletics continue impressive year as the spring semester kicks off" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=4w3se-1171109-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University president Tisa Mason and athletic director Curtis Hammeke share information about university sports during the upcoming spring semester.

🎙Post Podcast: FHSU Athletics continue impressive year as semester begins

MANHATTAN, Kan. – It’s January, it’s cold and many landscapes are covered with snow, but in Kansas and surrounding areas, gardeners are heeding a similar set of commands: Ready, Set…Go?&nbsp;

“Planning for and starting vegetable and flower transplants,” said Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham, “can make this a much more interesting time of year.”&nbsp;

Steadfast gardeners know that the first of the year is an ideal time for purchasing quality seed. Specific to Kansas, Upham said K-State Research and Extension publishes a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/L41.pdf">guide of recommended vegetable varieties</a>&nbsp;to help gardeners get started.&nbsp;

“These plants have proven themselves across the state of Kansas and this is a good place to start when deciding what to plant,” Upham said. “However, also talk to your neighbors, friends and your local garden center about what has worked well for them.”&nbsp;

Upham said most garden centers and seed catalogs are reputable sources for quality seeds. If choosing seeds from a business that does not specialize in plants, “pay special attention to the package date to make sure the seed was packaged for the current year,” he said.&nbsp;

“Though most seed remains viable for about three years, germination decreases as seed ages. (Buying current seed) allows you to keep seed for a longer period of time with an expectation of good germination.”&nbsp;

Upham and his colleagues in K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes. The newsletter is&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html">available to view online</a>&nbsp;or can be delivered by email each week.&nbsp;

Interested persons can also send their garden- and yard-related questions to Upham at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wupham@ksu.edu">wupham@ksu.edu</a>,&nbsp;or contact your&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/stateandareamaps.html">local extension office</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VPW_pirdliw"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Cold? Snow? No matter to gardeners&nbsp;</h2>K-State Research &amp; ExtensionMANHATTAN, Kan. – It’s January, it’s cold and many landscapes are covered with snow, but in Kansas and surrounding areas, gardeners are heeding a similar set of commands: Ready, Set…Go?&nbsp;“Planning for and starting vegetable and flower transplants,” said Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham, “can make this a much more interesting time of year.”&nbsp;Steadfast gardeners know that the first of the year is an ideal time for purchasing quality seed. Specific to Kansas, Upham said K-State Research and Extension publishes a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/L41.pdf">guide of recommended vegetable varieties</a>&nbsp;to help gardeners get started.&nbsp;“These plants have proven themselves across the state of Kansas and this is a good place to start when deciding what to plant,” Upham said. “However, also talk to your neighbors, friends and your local garden center about what has worked well for them.”&nbsp;Upham said most garden centers and seed catalogs are reputable sources for quality seeds. If choosing seeds from a business that does not specialize in plants, “pay special attention to the package date to make sure the seed was packaged for the current year,” he said.&nbsp;“Though most seed remains viable for about three years, germination decreases as seed ages. (Buying current seed) allows you to keep seed for a longer period of time with an expectation of good germination.”&nbsp;Additional tips include:&nbsp;&nbsp; <ul>
 <li>Determine the ‘Date to Seed’ when purchasing seeds. Gardeners who start growing plants indoors should also know their target date for transplanting outside. For example, late March and early April is the target date for transplanting broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and onions; most annual flowers are not planted until May 10 or later. &nbsp;</li><li>Do not use garden soil to germinate seed indoors; Upham said garden soil is too heavy and may contain disease organisms. “Use a media made especially for seed germination,” he said. &nbsp;</li><li>Seed must be kept moist to germinate. Water often enough so that the media never dries. “Using a clear plastic wrap over the top of the container can reduce the amount of watering needed,” Upham said. “Remove the wrap after the seedlings emerge.” &nbsp;</li><li>Many plants will germinate in darkness or light, but some require darkness only. All plants require adequate amounts of light once emergence occurs. South-facing windows may not provide enough light, so fluorescent or LED lights may be needed. &nbsp;</li><li>The temperature best for germination is often higher than what we commonly keep inside homes. “Moving the container to the ceiling or top of a refrigerator can help, but a heating mat is best for consistent germination,” Upham said. &nbsp;</li><li>Plants react to movement. Brushing over the plants with your hand stimulates them to become more stocky and less ‘leggy,’ according to Upham. Try 20 brushing strokes per day, he said. &nbsp;</li><li>Harden plants by moving them outside and exposing them to sun and wind before transplanting occurs. Start gradually two weeks out and increase the number of hours and degrees of exposure over the two-week period.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Upham and his colleagues in K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes. The newsletter is&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html">available to view online</a>&nbsp;or can be delivered by email each week.&nbsp;Interested persons can also send their garden- and yard-related questions to Upham at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wupham@ksu.edu">wupham@ksu.edu</a>,&nbsp;or contact your&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/stateandareamaps.html">local extension office</a>.&nbsp;

🎥 K-State horticulture expert says now’s the time to select seeds, begin transplants 

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly directed the Kansas Department of Revenue and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to waive fees for birth certificates, marriage certificates, and vehicle registration. These directives will provide much needed relief for Kansans who experienced loss of crops, cattle, and their homes due to the wildfires from December 15, 2021 in Ellis, Gove, Graham, Lane, Logan, Ness, Osborne, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Trego, and Wichita counties.

<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/20220104135529026.pdf">Click here to see the</a> KDOR directive

“When I met with the farmers and ranchers who were impacted by the devastating wildfires, they shared with me the financial burden they’re up against to rebuild their livelihoods,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Waiving these fees is a commonsense and necessary action this administration can take to help these Kansans recover from the wildfires.”

The aid from the Division of Vehicles is available until February 28, 2022.

In addition, Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart has waived fees that are typically applied to requests for tax documents from previous years for Kansans affected by the storms. Those requests can be made to Sarah Fulton, Kansas Department of Revenue’s records custodian, by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Sarah.Fulton1@ks.gov" target="_blank">Sarah.Fulton1@ks.gov</a>.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Office of Vital Statistics will:

Affected Kansans should contact the Office of Vital Statistics at 785-296-1400.

The aid from the Office of Vital Statistics is available until February 28, 2022.

Please find the KDHE directive&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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._8Mf0bd7Pg7kemAk0YP_GsnhDRSM1l8IGtyITJSgadM/s/1303160919/br/124256982902-l" target="_blank">here</a>.

Additional information about recovery resources for farmers and ranchers, including mental health resources, can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMjEuNTA2NDMxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FncmljdWx0dXJlLmtzLmdvdi9uZXdzLWV2ZW50cy9rYW5zYXMtd2lsZGZpcmUtcmVjb3ZlcnktcmVzb3VyY2VzLWRlY2VtYmVyLTIwMjE_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.cGoV0mxiXOQYJ5kEWNnII3wlffJyIJu8ECsdV_yvgMo%2Fs%2F1305913645%2Fbr%2F123509803803-l&amp;data=04%7C01%7CLauren.Fitzgerald%40ks.gov%7Cd119fd917450468cecd508d9d0a56068%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637770230975735264%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=K0mhpCtdO3RTNO7l6fdSVth27xOV6o6lmRRvmbqRrnI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Kansas Department of Agriculture website</a>.

The Kansas Forest Service estimated that nearly 165,000 acres were impacted by wildfire on December 15.

On December 9, 2021, Governor Kelly declared a State of Disaster Emergency due to the elevated dangers of wildfires. On December 16, 2021, Governor Kelly directed the Kansas National Guard and Kansas Forest Service to deploy aerial assets to the affected areas to assist with fire suppression efforts in multiple counties with active wildfires.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640825399567.png" alt="On Dec. 29, Gov. Laura Kelly met with&nbsp;Kansans impacted by the wildfires to discuss how best we can support their recovery. " />
 <figcaption>On Dec. 29, Gov. Laura Kelly met with&nbsp;Kansans impacted by the wildfires to discuss how best we can support their recovery. </figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly directed the Kansas Department of Revenue and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to waive fees for birth certificates, marriage certificates, and vehicle registration. These directives will provide much needed relief for Kansans who experienced loss of crops, cattle, and their homes due to the wildfires from December 15, 2021 in Ellis, Gove, Graham, Lane, Logan, Ness, Osborne, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Trego, and Wichita counties.<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/20220104135529026.pdf">Click here to see the</a> KDOR directive“When I met with the farmers and ranchers who were impacted by the devastating wildfires, they shared with me the financial burden they’re up against to rebuild their livelihoods,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Waiving these fees is a commonsense and necessary action this administration can take to help these Kansans recover from the wildfires.”The Division of Vehicles will:<ul>
 <li>Waive penalties associated with late vehicle registrations;</li><li>Waive any fees associated with the reprint or replacement of vehicle registration documentation, printed vehicle certificate of titles, driver’s licenses, and/or identification cards;</li><li>Issue a temporary driver's license to an applicant who cannot provide valid documentary evidence so long as the applicant provides compelling evidence proving current lawful presence. Any temporary license issued pursuant to this declaration shall be valid for one year.</li>
 </ul>The aid from the Division of Vehicles is available until February 28, 2022.In addition, Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart has waived fees that are typically applied to requests for tax documents from previous years for Kansans affected by the storms. Those requests can be made to Sarah Fulton, Kansas Department of Revenue’s records custodian, by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Sarah.Fulton1@ks.gov" target="_blank">Sarah.Fulton1@ks.gov</a>.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Office of Vital Statistics will:<ul>
 <li>Waive fees for one-time replacement of Kansas birth certificates&nbsp;</li><li>Waive fees for one-time replacement of Kansas marriage certificates</li>
 </ul>Affected Kansans should contact the Office of Vital Statistics at 785-296-1400.The aid from the Office of Vital Statistics is available until February 28, 2022.Please find the KDHE directive&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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._8Mf0bd7Pg7kemAk0YP_GsnhDRSM1l8IGtyITJSgadM/s/1303160919/br/124256982902-l" target="_blank">here</a>.Additional information about recovery resources for farmers and ranchers, including mental health resources, can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMjEuNTA2NDMxMTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FncmljdWx0dXJlLmtzLmdvdi9uZXdzLWV2ZW50cy9rYW5zYXMtd2lsZGZpcmUtcmVjb3ZlcnktcmVzb3VyY2VzLWRlY2VtYmVyLTIwMjE_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.cGoV0mxiXOQYJ5kEWNnII3wlffJyIJu8ECsdV_yvgMo%2Fs%2F1305913645%2Fbr%2F123509803803-l&amp;data=04%7C01%7CLauren.Fitzgerald%40ks.gov%7Cd119fd917450468cecd508d9d0a56068%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637770230975735264%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=K0mhpCtdO3RTNO7l6fdSVth27xOV6o6lmRRvmbqRrnI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Kansas Department of Agriculture website</a>.The Kansas Forest Service estimated that nearly 165,000 acres were impacted by wildfire on December 15.On December 9, 2021, Governor Kelly declared a State of Disaster Emergency due to the elevated dangers of wildfires. On December 16, 2021, Governor Kelly directed the Kansas National Guard and Kansas Forest Service to deploy aerial assets to the affected areas to assist with fire suppression efforts in multiple counties with active wildfires.

Kan. agencies to waive fees for farmers, ranchers affected by wildfires

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 bond forum Wednesday night focused on the investment new school facilities would be for Hays.

Superintendent Ron Wilson said people think of bonds in two ways.

"They either think of it as a cost or an investment. A cost is how much am I going to have to pay," Wilson said. "An investment is what result am I going to get from the money I put into it.

"We want you to understand that everything we are presenting tonight, we want you to think of as an investment — an investment in our students, an investment in our staff, an investment in our community."

The district has no final plan of what it will bring to voters. However, officials have floated three options in public. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/63930500-9846-41ad-8bc8-85aee2b6e95f">Each option would include building a new school either a high school, middle school or elementary school.</a>

District officials have considered phased approaches, which would require passing a second bond issue.

The most expensive option would be to build a new high school. Cost estimate is $143.5 million over a 25-year bond. The cost per month on a $150,000 home would be $33.42. 

Doug Williams, director of Grow Hays, said schools are key infrastructure in the community, no different than roads or a sewer plant.

"We need to be competitive to recruit people to our community," Williams said. "Schools are critically important to bringing health care providers, teachers and businesses that are going to worry about hiring and keeping people in their business.

"We are not putting our best foot forward."

He urged the audience to trust district officials, members of the bond committee and professionals to do what is right for the community.

"My question is what is it going to cost this community if we don’t pass a bond. I guarantee the cost is higher if we don’t do it," Williams said.

"People are not going to come here. Businesses not going to come here. If we aren’t willing to make investments, why should they?"

Dustin Roths, local business owner, said a public school bond is a hard sell for him because of the tax increase and the fact that he and his wife plan to send their children to Catholic school.

However, he said his businesses need Hays to grow. The new high school option is the most expensive, but he said he thought that would be the most likely to be accepted by fellow&nbsp; business owners.

"We want something that will be beacon — that is impressive. We do not want the district to look the same after investing over $100 million," he said.

An audience member asked if the district had considered how the Catholic schools would factor into the bond.

Troy Ruda, director of advancement for Hays Catholic schools, said Catholic families are being asked for significant financial investments.

They are being asked to support improvements at Holy Family Elementary and Thomas More Prep-Marian and a renovation at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.&nbsp;

"What I brought to the Vision Committee meeting that we need to look at is there's only so much money in everyone's pocket," he said.

Ruda said he would likely vote for a USD 489 bond, because of the bond's importance to the community as a whole.

Catholic schools need Hays to grow too, he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641441860364.jpeg" alt="About 75 people attended the Hays USD 489 community bond forum on Wednesday. " />
 <figcaption>About 75 people attended the Hays USD 489 community bond forum on Wednesday. </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 bond forum Wednesday night focused on the investment new school facilities would be for Hays.Superintendent Ron Wilson said people think of bonds in two ways. "They either think of it as a cost or an investment. A cost is how much am I going to have to pay," Wilson said. "An investment is what result am I going to get from the money I put into it."We want you to understand that everything we are presenting tonight, we want you to think of as an investment — an investment in our students, an investment in our staff, an investment in our community."The district has no final plan of what it will bring to voters. However, officials have floated three options in public. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/63930500-9846-41ad-8bc8-85aee2b6e95f">Each option would include building a new school either a high school, middle school or elementary school.</a>District officials have considered phased approaches, which would require passing a second bond issue.The most expensive option would be to build a new high school. Cost estimate is $143.5 million over a 25-year bond. The cost per month on a $150,000 home would be $33.42. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641441961007.jpeg" alt="Hays Superintendent Ron Wilson speaks during a community bond forum on Wednesday. " />
 <figcaption>Hays Superintendent Ron Wilson speaks during a community bond forum on Wednesday. </figcaption>
 </figure>Doug Williams, director of Grow Hays, said schools are key infrastructure in the community, no different than roads or a sewer plant. "We need to be competitive to recruit people to our community," Williams said. "Schools are critically important to bringing health care providers, teachers and businesses that are going to worry about hiring and keeping people in their business."We are not putting our best foot forward."He urged the audience to trust district officials, members of the bond committee and professionals to do what is right for the community.He also weighed cost versus investment."My question is what is it going to cost this community if we don’t pass a bond. I guarantee the cost is higher if we don’t do it," Williams said. "People are not going to come here. Businesses not going to come here. If we aren’t willing to make investments, why should they?"Dustin Roths, local business owner, said a public school bond is a hard sell for him because of the tax increase and the fact that he and his wife plan to send their children to Catholic school.However, he said his businesses need Hays to grow. The new high school option is the most expensive, but he said he thought that would be the most likely to be accepted by fellow&nbsp; business owners."We want something that will be beacon — that is impressive. We do not want the district to look the same after investing over $100 million," he said.An audience member asked if the district had considered how the Catholic schools would factor into the bond.Troy Ruda, director of advancement for Hays Catholic schools, said Catholic families are being asked for significant financial investments.They are being asked to support improvements at Holy Family Elementary and Thomas More Prep-Marian and a renovation at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.&nbsp; "What I brought to the Vision Committee meeting that we need to look at is there's only so much money in everyone's pocket," he said.Ruda said he would likely vote for a USD 489 bond, because of the bond's importance to the community as a whole.Catholic schools need Hays to grow too, he said.

USD 489 bond touted as investment in Hays growth at forum

75 total COVID admissions for December 2021 at HaysMed 

• Average age 62 • 60% male; 40% female • 8 deaths - Average age 67 (All unvaccinated) • 29 out of 75 admissions were from Ellis County • 66 out of the 75 were not vaccinated. • 1 out of 75 were partially vaccinated

Via HaysMed75 total COVID admissions for December 2021 at HaysMed • Average age 62 • 60% male; 40% female • 8 deaths - Average age 67 (All unvaccinated) • 29 out of 75 admissions were from Ellis County • 66 out of the 75 were not vaccinated. • 1 out of 75 were partially vaccinated

HaysMed releases COVID stats for December

WICHITA – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. District Court of Kansas will welcome 100 people as new U.S. citizens, including Hays and&nbsp; Colby residents, Friday at Wichita State University. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Mitchell Herren will preside, and a clerk of the court will administer the Oath of Allegiance.

The citizenship candidates originate from 28 countries: Australia, Benin, China, Congo (Kinshasa), El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Guatemala, India, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Somalia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syria, Sudan, Thailand, United Kingdom, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

The citizenship candidates live in Andover, Bel Aire, Colby, Derby, Dodge City, Garden City, Great Bend, Hays, Haysville, Hoisington, Liberal, Lindsborg, McPherson, Modoc, Rose Hill, Salina, Valley Center and Wichita.

North High School color guard will open the ceremony. The League of Women Voters will be in the lobby if new citizens want to register to vote.

USCIS naturalized approximately 808,000 people in fiscal year 2021.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629927322321.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>USCISWICHITA – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. District Court of Kansas will welcome 100 people as new U.S. citizens, including Hays and&nbsp; Colby residents, Friday at Wichita State University. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Mitchell Herren will preside, and a clerk of the court will administer the Oath of Allegiance.The citizenship candidates originate from 28 countries: Australia, Benin, China, Congo (Kinshasa), El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Guatemala, India, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Somalia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syria, Sudan, Thailand, United Kingdom, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.The citizenship candidates live in Andover, Bel Aire, Colby, Derby, Dodge City, Garden City, Great Bend, Hays, Haysville, Hoisington, Liberal, Lindsborg, McPherson, Modoc, Rose Hill, Salina, Valley Center and Wichita.North High School color guard will open the ceremony. The League of Women Voters will be in the lobby if new citizens want to register to vote.USCIS naturalized approximately 808,000 people in fiscal year 2021.&nbsp;

Hays, Colby residents among to be sworn in as new U.S. citizens

TMP-M will host Monarch 4 a Day events

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641419335830.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather click here.</a>

Jaren Kanak is heading to Oklahoma. After initially committing to Clemson, the Hays High senior tweeted Monday evening that he's going to be a Sooner.

Several days before the early signing period in December, Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables left the Tiger program to become the head coach at OU. Kanak later decommitted to Clemson.

Kanak can't officially sign with Oklahoma until February, when the new signing period begins.

Jaren Kanak is heading to Oklahoma. After initially committing to Clemson, the Hays High senior tweeted Monday evening that he's going to be a Sooner.Several days before the early signing period in December, Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables left the Tiger program to become the head coach at OU. Kanak later decommitted to Clemson.Kanak can't officially sign with Oklahoma until February, when the new signing period begins.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641437717153.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

🏈 Hays High's Kanak commits to Oklahoma

School has been canceled for Hays USD 489, Holy Family Elementary School and Thomas More Prep-Marian Thursday.

There will be no COVID testing at Hays USD 489 Thursday.

School has been canceled for Hays USD 489, Holy Family Elementary School and Thomas More Prep-Marian Thursday.There will be no COVID testing at Hays USD 489 Thursday.

No school at Hays USD 489, HFE, TMP Thursday

🎥WATCH: Wednesday's Hays USD 489 bond forum

Health officials in Hays reported the state's first case of COVID and flu in a patient.

During Wednesday's online news conference, with more than a dozen chief medical officers from Kanas and Missouri, Dr. Heather Harris, chief medical officer at HaysMed, said that as of Tuesday night, the hospital had its first case of COVID and flu diagnosed in a patient.

The patient resides outside of Ellis County and had not been vaccinated for either the flu or COVID, Harris told Hays Post, noting Ellis County numbers are climbing and with at-home testing, officials are probably only seeing a portion of the positives.&nbsp;

"Vaccination is the best way to stay well," she said, also encouraging residents to stay home if they are sick.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9a3974fe-770d-4ba1-b84f-b3a2b3412494">RELATED: KDHE reports 80 new cases of COVID-19 in Ellis County since Monday</a>

Harris' comments begin just after the 27-minute mark in the video.

Flurona refers to a patient with influenza and COVID at the same time.&nbsp;This patient was one of five in the ICU at Hays Medical Center. Israel reported one of the world's first dual cases last week, according to <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/flurona-israel-records-its-first-case-of-patient-with-covid-and-flu-at-same-time/">the Times of Israel.&nbsp;</a>

Harris also said Hays Medical Center currently had 14 active COVID cases and nine recovering. Among the five in the ICU,&nbsp; three of were on ventilators.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641407370791.png" alt="Heather Harris, chief medical officer at HaysMed, during Wednesday's online news conference hosted by the University of Kansas Medical Center." />
 <figcaption>Heather Harris, chief medical officer at HaysMed, during Wednesday's online news conference hosted by the University of Kansas Medical Center.</figcaption>
 </figure>Health officials in Hays reported the state's first case of COVID and flu in a patient.During Wednesday's online news conference, with more than a dozen chief medical officers from Kanas and Missouri, Dr. Heather Harris, chief medical officer at HaysMed, said that as of Tuesday night, the hospital had its first case of COVID and flu diagnosed in a patient.The patient resides outside of Ellis County and had not been vaccinated for either the flu or COVID, Harris told Hays Post, noting Ellis County numbers are climbing and with at-home testing, officials are probably only seeing a portion of the positives.&nbsp;"Vaccination is the best way to stay well," she said, also encouraging residents to stay home if they are sick.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9a3974fe-770d-4ba1-b84f-b3a2b3412494">RELATED: KDHE reports 80 new cases of COVID-19 in Ellis County since Monday</a>Harris' comments begin just after the 27-minute mark in the video.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nz62gGguXhw?start=1585" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Flurona refers to a patient with influenza and COVID at the same time.&nbsp;This patient was one of five in the ICU at Hays Medical Center. Israel reported one of the world's first dual cases last week, according to <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/flurona-israel-records-its-first-case-of-patient-with-covid-and-flu-at-same-time/">the Times of Israel.&nbsp;</a>Harris also said Hays Medical Center currently had 14 active COVID cases and nine recovering. Among the five in the ICU,&nbsp; three of were on ventilators.&nbsp;

🎥 HaysMed reports Kansas' first case of 'flurona'

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 80 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Monday.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8e87b848-d187-43e9-9f0b-811944da4111?fbclid=IwAR20JdOZzHW7LRTXXGaOjP18WdfiA7KTJHxTrajadwxmDr1UjcTThScQL6g">Related:&nbsp;Doctors plead for COVID precautions to alleviate hospital crisis</a>

As of Wednesday morning, there were 23 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed. More than 150 new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the county in the past week, according to the KDHE.

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

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e63276ea-ca10-4e6a-84c8-73db703c9286">RELATED:&nbsp;Hays docs say battling teen, parental hesitancy to vaccine a challenge</a>

The KDHE reported on Dec. 17 that 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents are fully vaccinated, noting the vaccination rate for the eligible Kansas population (12 and older) is approximately 66 percent.

Since reporting began, there have been 5,367 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 78 coronavirus-related deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641405778069.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported 80 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Monday.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8e87b848-d187-43e9-9f0b-811944da4111?fbclid=IwAR20JdOZzHW7LRTXXGaOjP18WdfiA7KTJHxTrajadwxmDr1UjcTThScQL6g">Related:&nbsp;Doctors plead for COVID precautions to alleviate hospital crisis</a>As of Wednesday morning, there were 23 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed. More than 150 new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the county in the past week, according to the KDHE.<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e63276ea-ca10-4e6a-84c8-73db703c9286">RELATED:&nbsp;Hays docs say battling teen, parental hesitancy to vaccine a challenge</a>The KDHE reported on Dec. 17 that 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents are fully vaccinated, noting the vaccination rate for the eligible Kansas population (12 and older) is approximately 66 percent.Since reporting began, there have been 5,367 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 78 coronavirus-related deaths.

KDHE: 80 new COVID cases in Ellis Co. since Monday

ELLIS — The Ellis Music Department presents "A Night At The Movies" on Tuesday. See the attached flyer for more details.&nbsp; 

Tickets are available in the EJH/EHS office or through any choir member. Dinner and show tickets are $15. Show-only is $10 and must be purchased at the door the night of the performance.

The deadline for ticket sales (dinner and show) has been extended to noon Friday.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641408482153.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS — The Ellis Music Department presents "A Night At The Movies" on Tuesday. See the attached flyer for more details.&nbsp; Tickets are available in the EJH/EHS office or through any choir member. Dinner and show tickets are $15. Show-only is $10 and must be purchased at the door the night of the performance.The deadline for ticket sales (dinner and show) has been extended to noon Friday.&nbsp;

'A Night at the Movies' presented by Ellis Music Department

RUSH CENTER - The Walnut Creek K-State Extension District will be hosting a soil fertility management workshop on January 11&nbsp; at the Walnut Valley Senior Center in Rush Center from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

Registration is due January 6 for the meal count. 

This program is hosted at four sites in western Kansas and online registration is available.&nbsp;Topics include storage methods, maximum rate of return, application timing and methods.

Three CCA credits are available as well and there is no cost to attend. 

For additional information or help in registering call 785-222-2710 or email jaredp11@ksu.edu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617107995572.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedRUSH CENTER - The Walnut Creek K-State Extension District will be hosting a soil fertility management workshop on January 11&nbsp; at the Walnut Valley Senior Center in Rush Center from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Registration is due January 6 for the meal count. This program is hosted at four sites in western Kansas and online registration is available.&nbsp;Topics include storage methods, maximum rate of return, application timing and methods.Three CCA credits are available as well and there is no cost to attend. For additional information or help in registering call 785-222-2710 or email jaredp11@ksu.edu.

Registration due Thu. for soil fertility management workshop

Due to high sales, the Multi-State Lottery Association has increased the estimated jackpot amount for the Wednesday, January 5 Powerball drawing to $630 million or $448.4 million with the cash option selected.

The Powerball jackpot starts at $20 million and continues to grow each drawing until it is won. There have been 39 consecutive Powerball drawings since October 6 without a jackpot winner. This is the 7th largest jackpot in Powerball history.

Ten jackpots ranging from $2.5 million to $365 million have been won in Nebraska since the Nebraska Lottery began offering Powerball in July of 1994. The largest Powerball jackpot won in Nebraska occurred in February 2006 when a group of eight coworkers at the ConAgra Foods ham and corned beef plant in Lincoln split a $365 million jackpot.

Because of the high Powerball jackpot, the Nebraska Lottery encourages customers to play within their means. “It’s important for Nebraska Lottery players to remember that no matter how large the jackpot is, the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million,” said Lottery Director Brian Rockey. “Your odds of winning remain the same, regardless of how many tickets are purchased or how many people play.” If you or someone you know has a problem with compulsive gambling, free help is available at problemgambling.nebraska.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641402292805.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Nebraska LotteryDue to high sales, the Multi-State Lottery Association has increased the estimated jackpot amount for the Wednesday, January 5 Powerball drawing to $630 million or $448.4 million with the cash option selected.The Powerball jackpot starts at $20 million and continues to grow each drawing until it is won. There have been 39 consecutive Powerball drawings since October 6 without a jackpot winner. This is the 7th largest jackpot in Powerball history.Ten jackpots ranging from $2.5 million to $365 million have been won in Nebraska since the Nebraska Lottery began offering Powerball in July of 1994. The largest Powerball jackpot won in Nebraska occurred in February 2006 when a group of eight coworkers at the ConAgra Foods ham and corned beef plant in Lincoln split a $365 million jackpot.Play ResponsiblyBecause of the high Powerball jackpot, the Nebraska Lottery encourages customers to play within their means. “It’s important for Nebraska Lottery players to remember that no matter how large the jackpot is, the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million,” said Lottery Director Brian Rockey. “Your odds of winning remain the same, regardless of how many tickets are purchased or how many people play.” If you or someone you know has a problem with compulsive gambling, free help is available at problemgambling.nebraska.gov.

Powerball jackpot increased for Wednesday's drawing

A winter weather advisory and a wind chill advisory have been issued for Ellis County and much of northwest Kansas.

The National Weather Service in Dodge City said the wind chill advisory will go into effect at midnight and remain in effect until 11 a.m. Thursday. Winds are expected to gust up to 40 mph and wind chills as low as 20 below zero are predicted.

The chill is expected to bring snow&nbsp; to the area along the Interstate 70 corridor, as well. Up to 2 inches of snow are possible beginning late Wednesday and continuing to Thursday morning. The gusting winds could lead to drifting and lack of visibility for drivers.

A high temperature of just 12 degrees is predicted Thursday, with the low dropping to 3 degrees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641400047970.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A winter weather advisory and a wind chill advisory have been issued for Ellis County and much of northwest Kansas.The National Weather Service in Dodge City said the wind chill advisory will go into effect at midnight and remain in effect until 11 a.m. Thursday. Winds are expected to gust up to 40 mph and wind chills as low as 20 below zero are predicted.The chill is expected to bring snow&nbsp; to the area along the Interstate 70 corridor, as well. Up to 2 inches of snow are possible beginning late Wednesday and continuing to Thursday morning. The gusting winds could lead to drifting and lack of visibility for drivers.A high temperature of just 12 degrees is predicted Thursday, with the low dropping to 3 degrees.

NWS: Wind chill, winter weather advisories for NW Kan.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger introduces the new vice president of marketing and communications, Mariah Leglighter.

The Hays Chamber has a new Vice President of Marketing and Communications. President and CEO Sarah Wasinger joins us to introduce Mariah Legleiter on this episode of the posts podcast.

So this is Mariah Legleiter, she is our Vice President of Marketing and Communications. We are so thrilled to have her here today. We wanted to give her just a few months to get her feet wet before we kind of hear her into the fire right away. So

that seems fair. Mariah, thanks for joining us. Good to see you. Good to meet you.

So down at the Chamber, you're the new Vice President of Marketing and Communications. I know we talked about your your, what's the word swear word? The last guy in the job that press? Well, I wasn't gonna give his name because I figured he was dead all of us. But no, no, he's great. And he's a really cool role now. But yeah, he used to come on once in a while. So I'm glad that you got to come in as well. And we're gonna talk a little bit about what kind of what you're doing because with Scott, it was a different job than it is now from what we've talked about, right?

There's a little painful, but there's gonna be a few little tweaks here and there. And specifically, we shared Scott a little bit with the CVB. before. And with Mariah, we get to keep her full time. So we're very excited about that. Nice. Yes. So Brian, I would love for people at home to know a little bit about your background and expertise. Do you want to share a little bit about yourself?

Yeah, I would love to. So I moved to Hays in August of 2012 to continue my education after getting an associate's degree in accounting from Dodge City Community College. And I went to Fort Hays State University graduated there in 2016. I met my husband while I was going to school there, his name is Devin, like LIDAR. And we have a beautiful little girl named Olivia. She goes to school to Laughlin Elementary. And actually, I just realized that this year marks 10 years in haze. So I'm super excited about that. You hit the deck? I did.

I love that. Because you know, so many so many people I know came to haze for four days, just like you the same reason I'm here. And stock. Really, it's a testament to our community. Because I mean, if you if it wasn't a quality of life here, people would just leave. 

Glad to hear so. So you're at the Chamber now. We're gonna talk a little bit about your background, like, what your experiences are. Yeah. 

So I used to work at Herman physical therapy and wellness. And I did a lot of his marketing and a lot of his social media presence for him. So I just brought all of that experience over to the chamber. And I'm did a lot of his graphic design work, too. And so I'm so looking forward to being able to explore creatively, a little bit further for the chamber, and just be able to do that for them. I'm, I can't wait to do that.

Yeah, she brings a lot of different skill sets to the table, she's probably more humble than what she's sharing. But when we were replacing Scott, we were looking at, oh, my gosh, this is quite a diverse job. Who are we going to get he knows how to do video, who knows how to do marketing, who knows how to do writing, and all those things really well. And she's really hit the ground running and has I'm just very much impressed so far.

Awesome. Yeah. Cuz, you know, it is one of those things. And this is exactly what we talked about in the past, right? It's those skill sets, you know, you might have one like a Scott was an amazing graphic designer, and you know, he did all the logo work. But that's a very different skill set than social media, marketing. And you got to kind of find that right fit to get what you need out of it. And the extra is always good, right? Like, I can run a camera. Sure, but I can't shoot video, you know what I mean?

Right? So she's been doing such a good job, even if there have been a few things that she's like, Well, I haven't done that. But I'm a very fast learner. She's proved time and time again that yes, indeed, she is a very fast learner. So we couldn't be more happy to have her be a part of our team.

That's awesome. So you know what, down there at the chamber and your experience so far, what's uh, you know, what surprised you the most

anything, they, I would say the magnitude of what they have their hands in. I mean, the chamber is does a great job of advocating for the business community on every level. And just how fast paced everything is, like I saw my job before was fast paced, but nope. So but I love that kind of environment. And so I've kind of been thriving in that. And just like she said, hit the ground running like it's been it's been a fun adventure so far.

Her heads only spin in circles. She's keeping up.

You know, Sarah, I think a lot of people might struggle to keep up with you, just because you guys do so very much here. I mean, you literally sometimes you'll leave the show here and I'll pop on to Facebook and you're doing a live somewhere you already set up here. And then there's like two more going on that day. It's crazy. Crazy. We

have one of the best jobs in the world because we truly get to work with our businesses across the community and make sure that we are pulling resources and people together, giving folks the opportunity to collaborate and We think that it's going to be great to have where I come in and reading up a little bit of what we're doing it with social media and things of that nature. So

very cool. You know, I want to talk some of the specifics here. You know, we've got, we've talked a little bit, I think, oh, about a month ago or so The Community Guide. And that was something I think Scott was heavily invested in. Is that going to be? Yeah, you're picking that up as well?

I did. When I first that was kind of my first big, huge project. I did I send it to the printers Right, right before we left for Christmas. So nice. I'm very excited about that. I actually got it back as a proof and, and I was so happy. I was like, Oh, this is almost better than Christmas. So I was super excited about it in and it was a big project. But I really enjoyed it.

What's kind of special about that, though, is that she literally helped write it helped do the photographer pay for it designed work, but her husband is helping print it. So it's kind of a family affair. Yeah, really.

That's the I cuz he's the press operator at Northwestern printers. So I have an inside job or an inside guy that I can ask questions if I needed.

Okay. So what I'm hearing is if somebody finds a typo, we know where to go. Yes. Yes. That is true. That's very cool. And so one of those come out this Community Guides. 

So we will release that for the first time it debuts on our annual banquet every year. So we'll get those into the hands of those folks who attend the banquet, and from there on, distribute them across the community to our hotels, motels, all of our tourist attractions and a lot of our different restaurants in town.

Very cool. Hey, you mentioned that banquet, though. And we should probably talk a little bit about this today. Because those nominations we talked last time. And I know there was a story up on his post that I did for you guys on that. But it's coming up the deadline is this Friday, right for the nominations?

Absolutely. So we have eight awards that we're giving away this year, those nomination forms can be found on our website, it doesn't take very much time, you literally put the person's name on the forum, which award you want to nominate them for and then it's a fillable. PDF. So you can go in and type in why you feel that person or business or organization is deserving of that award, and then just submit those to ACC at Hays chamber.com. And our nomination committee will go through those and we will surprise all of our winners at the banquet on January 25.

That's awesome. Mariah, are you getting to pick the winners? No.

That is one thing that I did not take over, she does get to do a lot of work to plan for that.

I did I actually just finished well, I got the I just got back from the printers the ticket. So I know what the ticket looks like for the banquet. And that was a super fun, kind of first thing for me to do was design that ticket for the banquet and it was something to get my feet wet and kind of show them what I could do. And and I really enjoyed that as well.

That's awesome. Hey, and if you don't have one of those tickets, if you're listening, get your hands on it, because there's just a few left, right, right,

we actually have fewer than 100 tickets left. So they're $60 apiece. But it includes a night full of fun networking socialization. I'm just really getting a chance to be out there with some of the people who make such a big impact on our community every

year. Very cool. Yeah, it's always a fun time. And I'm going to make sure you got so few left. I gotta I'm gonna know right here. So I get my ticket. But anyway, there we go. Got it. Now. Also coming up is the Ag appreciation event. That's later on in January as well.

Right? Yes, actually, next week this Thursday.

Yeah, and Maria, did you get to work on that one as well?

I did. Um, I've made a lot of the signage around for that. I'm working right now on posting videos from all of our barn raisers sponsors, including many nine Ks. Yeah. Yeah. And actually, that one went out yesterday. So you can look at that on our Facebook page. Um, yeah, I've, I've done the videos, I'm working on those working on PowerPoint presentations that will have going at the event. And then all of us have a team as a team have kind of worked together to get things for the swag bags into just all the little fine details that go into it. You know, we have meetings about that and just kind of get it all going.

We have an ambassador committee that's been very instrumental and helping get a lot of those details planned and picked up too. So can we run through where people can go get tickets for that? So of course, 99 KC country Astro bank, you can also go to Kericho implement commerce, bank and equity bank, and then get terrorists Cosina AmEx, econ a trio Taphouse. And then the other three locations for our barberries responses are high plains Farm Credit, insurance planning, and next Tech, Hays Med and MITC are also sponsors but they are opting to not be ticket outlets, obviously, it doesn't have a huge location. So that would make it a little challenging case med. They're just trying to keep our community healthy right now. So probably fewer people going in there that don't need to be in there, the better off we are

probably for the best. Although you know I do always enjoy going in there and seeing that beautiful facility every time I'm in there, you know, it's usually not for a good cause. Yeah. but it is such such a neat, neat place. And then it's uh, yeah, we also

have a few cultivator ticket locations too, just in case any of those other Barney's response was run out of tickets. And those locations are ama course KSU Ag Research Center, Pepsi Cola, and then the TMP FFA chapter, and is also helping with the middle for that and doing some volunteer work. So definitely get your tickets for that event. And next week, Thursday, it'll be from five to 7pm at the shank building on Ellis County Fairgrounds.

Very cool. And get some tickets don't wait. Because there's, if you wait,

it's free to go. You don't have to pay for tickets. You just go get a ticket so we can make sure we have enough food for everybody.

Yeah, yeah. Very cool. Very cool. And such a neat, very new thing for you guys to do that. And we talked about that. And you could get that replay if you're interested. But yeah, you shifted up the time a little bit on this one cuz it used to be in the

in September. Yeah. Yeah. So that's obviously a very busy time for farmers and ranchers. So we thought, let's shift thinks a little bit. So it looks a little bit like we may have, you know, hit our heads and lost track of what we're doing. But I'm very intentional on why and how we are changing the date.

So yeah, makes perfect sense. Well, all right, guys, we've got just a couple minutes left. But from what I understand you've got some new Chamber members down there that we want to talk about before we go.

We do so we had a lot of businesses join us in q4 of 2021. And with all the other things we've had going on, haven't had a chance to welcome them officially. So here's our official welcome wagon to them on the radio, American shooters, Sherry Brown, casual graphics, Chris Glassman Hayes greenhouse, Braden meets the Kiwanis Club of Hays Chuck white, as Special Olympics of Kansas sprint Kaiser. And then the final two are the gamers guild with Brandon NIMS. And then the master Matrice hub with Joe urban. So welcome to all of these folks. Obviously, they can be found on our chamber website at Hays chamber.com. Please feel free to check them out for all your local shopping needs.

Yeah, very cool. Yeah. Interesting list of diverse Yeah, diverse. That's the word and Yeah. Very cool. All right, guys. Well, we've like we're down to just a minute you've got a couple events we want to talk about before we go right.

<div><iframe title="New VP hits the ground running at the Hays Chamber" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=pj6sx-116f74a-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger introduces the new vice president of marketing and communications, Mariah Leglighter.<h2>Transcript</h2>James Bell The Hays Chamber has a new Vice President of Marketing and Communications. President and CEO Sarah Wasinger joins us to introduce Mariah Legleiter on this episode of the posts podcast.Sarah Wasinger So this is Mariah Legleiter, she is our Vice President of Marketing and Communications. We are so thrilled to have her here today. We wanted to give her just a few months to get her feet wet before we kind of hear her into the fire right away. SoJames Bell that seems fair. Mariah, thanks for joining us. Good to see you. Good to meet you.Mariah Legleiter Yeah, it's nice to meet you, too.James Bell So down at the Chamber, you're the new Vice President of Marketing and Communications. I know we talked about your your, what's the word swear word? The last guy in the job that press? Well, I wasn't gonna give his name because I figured he was dead all of us. But no, no, he's great. And he's a really cool role now. But yeah, he used to come on once in a while. So I'm glad that you got to come in as well. And we're gonna talk a little bit about what kind of what you're doing because with Scott, it was a different job than it is now from what we've talked about, right?Sarah Wasinger There's a little painful, but there's gonna be a few little tweaks here and there. And specifically, we shared Scott a little bit with the CVB. before. And with Mariah, we get to keep her full time. So we're very excited about that. Nice. Yes. So Brian, I would love for people at home to know a little bit about your background and expertise. Do you want to share a little bit about yourself?Mariah Legleiter Yeah, I would love to. So I moved to Hays in August of 2012 to continue my education after getting an associate's degree in accounting from Dodge City Community College. And I went to Fort Hays State University graduated there in 2016. I met my husband while I was going to school there, his name is Devin, like LIDAR. And we have a beautiful little girl named Olivia. She goes to school to Laughlin Elementary. And actually, I just realized that this year marks 10 years in haze. So I'm super excited about that. You hit the deck? I did.James Bell I love that. Because you know, so many so many people I know came to haze for four days, just like you the same reason I'm here. And stock. Really, it's a testament to our community. Because I mean, if you if it wasn't a quality of life here, people would just leave. Sarah Wasinger We're catching like that. James Bell Absolutely.Mariah Legleiter I love it here.James Bell Glad to hear so. So you're at the Chamber now. We're gonna talk a little bit about your background, like, what your experiences are. Yeah. Mariah Legleiter So I used to work at Herman physical therapy and wellness. And I did a lot of his marketing and a lot of his social media presence for him. So I just brought all of that experience over to the chamber. And I'm did a lot of his graphic design work, too. And so I'm so looking forward to being able to explore creatively, a little bit further for the chamber, and just be able to do that for them. I'm, I can't wait to do that.Sarah Wasinger Yeah, she brings a lot of different skill sets to the table, she's probably more humble than what she's sharing. But when we were replacing Scott, we were looking at, oh, my gosh, this is quite a diverse job. Who are we going to get he knows how to do video, who knows how to do marketing, who knows how to do writing, and all those things really well. And she's really hit the ground running and has I'm just very much impressed so far.James Bell Awesome. Yeah. Cuz, you know, it is one of those things. And this is exactly what we talked about in the past, right? It's those skill sets, you know, you might have one like a Scott was an amazing graphic designer, and you know, he did all the logo work. But that's a very different skill set than social media, marketing. And you got to kind of find that right fit to get what you need out of it. And the extra is always good, right? Like, I can run a camera. Sure, but I can't shoot video, you know what I mean?Sarah Wasinger Right? So she's been doing such a good job, even if there have been a few things that she's like, Well, I haven't done that. But I'm a very fast learner. She's proved time and time again that yes, indeed, she is a very fast learner. So we couldn't be more happy to have her be a part of our team.James Bell That's awesome. So you know what, down there at the chamber and your experience so far, what's uh, you know, what surprised you the mostMariah Legleiter anything, they, I would say the magnitude of what they have their hands in. I mean, the chamber is does a great job of advocating for the business community on every level. And just how fast paced everything is, like I saw my job before was fast paced, but nope. So but I love that kind of environment. And so I've kind of been thriving in that. And just like she said, hit the ground running like it's been it's been a fun adventure so far.Sarah Wasinger Her heads only spin in circles. She's keeping up.James Bell You know, Sarah, I think a lot of people might struggle to keep up with you, just because you guys do so very much here. I mean, you literally sometimes you'll leave the show here and I'll pop on to Facebook and you're doing a live somewhere you already set up here. And then there's like two more going on that day. It's crazy. Crazy. WeSarah Wasinger have one of the best jobs in the world because we truly get to work with our businesses across the community and make sure that we are pulling resources and people together, giving folks the opportunity to collaborate and We think that it's going to be great to have where I come in and reading up a little bit of what we're doing it with social media and things of that nature. SoJames Bell very cool. You know, I want to talk some of the specifics here. You know, we've got, we've talked a little bit, I think, oh, about a month ago or so The Community Guide. And that was something I think Scott was heavily invested in. Is that going to be? Yeah, you're picking that up as well?Mariah Legleiter I did. When I first that was kind of my first big, huge project. I did I send it to the printers Right, right before we left for Christmas. So nice. I'm very excited about that. I actually got it back as a proof and, and I was so happy. I was like, Oh, this is almost better than Christmas. So I was super excited about it in and it was a big project. But I really enjoyed it.Sarah Wasinger What's kind of special about that, though, is that she literally helped write it helped do the photographer pay for it designed work, but her husband is helping print it. So it's kind of a family affair. Yeah, really.Mariah Legleiter That's the I cuz he's the press operator at Northwestern printers. So I have an inside job or an inside guy that I can ask questions if I needed.James Bell Okay. So what I'm hearing is if somebody finds a typo, we know where to go. Yes. Yes. That is true. That's very cool. And so one of those come out this Community Guides. Sarah Wasinger So we will release that for the first time it debuts on our annual banquet every year. So we'll get those into the hands of those folks who attend the banquet, and from there on, distribute them across the community to our hotels, motels, all of our tourist attractions and a lot of our different restaurants in town.James Bell Very cool. Hey, you mentioned that banquet, though. And we should probably talk a little bit about this today. Because those nominations we talked last time. And I know there was a story up on his post that I did for you guys on that. But it's coming up the deadline is this Friday, right for the nominations?Sarah Wasinger Absolutely. So we have eight awards that we're giving away this year, those nomination forms can be found on our website, it doesn't take very much time, you literally put the person's name on the forum, which award you want to nominate them for and then it's a fillable. PDF. So you can go in and type in why you feel that person or business or organization is deserving of that award, and then just submit those to ACC at Hays chamber.com. And our nomination committee will go through those and we will surprise all of our winners at the banquet on January 25.James Bell That's awesome. Mariah, are you getting to pick the winners? No.Sarah Wasinger That is one thing that I did not take over, she does get to do a lot of work to plan for that.Mariah Legleiter I did I actually just finished well, I got the I just got back from the printers the ticket. So I know what the ticket looks like for the banquet. And that was a super fun, kind of first thing for me to do was design that ticket for the banquet and it was something to get my feet wet and kind of show them what I could do. And and I really enjoyed that as well.James Bell That's awesome. Hey, and if you don't have one of those tickets, if you're listening, get your hands on it, because there's just a few left, right, right,Sarah Wasinger we actually have fewer than 100 tickets left. So they're $60 apiece. But it includes a night full of fun networking socialization. I'm just really getting a chance to be out there with some of the people who make such a big impact on our community everyJames Bell year. Very cool. Yeah, it's always a fun time. And I'm going to make sure you got so few left. I gotta I'm gonna know right here. So I get my ticket. But anyway, there we go. Got it. Now. Also coming up is the Ag appreciation event. That's later on in January as well.Sarah Wasinger Right? Yes, actually, next week this Thursday.James Bell Yeah, and Maria, did you get to work on that one as well?Mariah Legleiter I did. Um, I've made a lot of the signage around for that. I'm working right now on posting videos from all of our barn raisers sponsors, including many nine Ks. Yeah. Yeah. And actually, that one went out yesterday. So you can look at that on our Facebook page. Um, yeah, I've, I've done the videos, I'm working on those working on PowerPoint presentations that will have going at the event. And then all of us have a team as a team have kind of worked together to get things for the swag bags into just all the little fine details that go into it. You know, we have meetings about that and just kind of get it all going.Sarah Wasinger We have an ambassador committee that's been very instrumental and helping get a lot of those details planned and picked up too. So can we run through where people can go get tickets for that? So of course, 99 KC country Astro bank, you can also go to Kericho implement commerce, bank and equity bank, and then get terrorists Cosina AmEx, econ a trio Taphouse. And then the other three locations for our barberries responses are high plains Farm Credit, insurance planning, and next Tech, Hays Med and MITC are also sponsors but they are opting to not be ticket outlets, obviously, it doesn't have a huge location. So that would make it a little challenging case med. They're just trying to keep our community healthy right now. So probably fewer people going in there that don't need to be in there, the better off we areJames Bell probably for the best. Although you know I do always enjoy going in there and seeing that beautiful facility every time I'm in there, you know, it's usually not for a good cause. Yeah. but it is such such a neat, neat place. And then it's uh, yeah, we alsoSarah Wasinger have a few cultivator ticket locations too, just in case any of those other Barney's response was run out of tickets. And those locations are ama course KSU Ag Research Center, Pepsi Cola, and then the TMP FFA chapter, and is also helping with the middle for that and doing some volunteer work. So definitely get your tickets for that event. And next week, Thursday, it'll be from five to 7pm at the shank building on Ellis County Fairgrounds.James Bell Very cool. And get some tickets don't wait. Because there's, if you wait,Sarah Wasinger it's free to go. You don't have to pay for tickets. You just go get a ticket so we can make sure we have enough food for everybody.James Bell Yeah, yeah. Very cool. Very cool. And such a neat, very new thing for you guys to do that. And we talked about that. And you could get that replay if you're interested. But yeah, you shifted up the time a little bit on this one cuz it used to be in theSarah Wasinger in September. Yeah. Yeah. So that's obviously a very busy time for farmers and ranchers. So we thought, let's shift thinks a little bit. So it looks a little bit like we may have, you know, hit our heads and lost track of what we're doing. But I'm very intentional on why and how we are changing the date.James Bell So yeah, makes perfect sense. Well, all right, guys, we've got just a couple minutes left. But from what I understand you've got some new Chamber members down there that we want to talk about before we go.Sarah Wasinger We do so we had a lot of businesses join us in q4 of 2021. And with all the other things we've had going on, haven't had a chance to welcome them officially. So here's our official welcome wagon to them on the radio, American shooters, Sherry Brown, casual graphics, Chris Glassman Hayes greenhouse, Braden meets the Kiwanis Club of Hays Chuck white, as Special Olympics of Kansas sprint Kaiser. And then the final two are the gamers guild with Brandon NIMS. And then the master Matrice hub with Joe urban. So welcome to all of these folks. Obviously, they can be found on our chamber website at Hays chamber.com. Please feel free to check them out for all your local shopping needs.James Bell Yeah, very cool. Yeah. Interesting list of diverse Yeah, diverse. That's the word and Yeah. Very cool. All right, guys. Well, we've like we're down to just a minute you've got a couple events we want to talk about before we go right.Sarah Wasinger The HYP networking and engagement committee will meet to this week Thursday at the Welcome Center at 2700 Vine Street at 1205. We'll also have a ribbon cutting in brick presentation at the port Tavern and patio bar at 4pm at 109 West Seventh Street, and then the HYP Advisory Council will meet Thursday as well at the Welcome Center at 2700 Pine Street at 515. And then Friday, we finished the week off with the Chamber chat, our first one of 2022 with United Way of Ellis camp at the press practice kitchen and cocktails inside of their heritage room at 230 East Eighth Street at 9am. And then our Ambassadors will have their lunch and noon arrows are catering.

🎙Post Podcast: New VP hits the ground running at the Hays Chamber

Hays USD 489 bond forum scheduled for Wednesday

In the last year, a new product popped up in stores across
Ellis County.

Found on shelves in local convenience and liquor stores,
Delta-8 products were being sold in a variety of forms, from edible to vape-based.

Often found near CBD or nicotine-based products,
Delta-8 has been readily available for months across the state.

But while the product was being openly purchased and consumed,
recent guidance from the Ellis County Attorney and Kansas Attorney General Derek
Schmidt clarified Delta-8 is illegal to sell and possess in Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641305014931.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostIn the last year, a new product popped up in stores across
Ellis County.Found on shelves in local convenience and liquor stores,
Delta-8 products were being sold in a variety of forms, from edible to vape-based.Often found near CBD or nicotine-based products,
Delta-8 has been readily available for months across the state.But while the product was being openly purchased and consumed,
recent guidance from the Ellis County Attorney and Kansas Attorney General Derek
Schmidt clarified Delta-8 is illegal to sell and possess in Kansas.After informing area businesses of the new clarification, most shops in the county have removed the product from their shelves, but now
Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson, warned those that continue to sell or possess
the product are now in clear violation of the law.“Over the last 18 to 24 months across the state of Kansas, businesses have been begun selling hemp-derived Delta-8 THC products — vape
pens, gummies, candy, etc.” Anderson said. “These products are typically
anywhere between 60-99 percent concentrated Delta-8 THC. Arguably, these
products were legal prior to the April 29 amendment. After the law was amended,
there was a lot of confusion concerning whether or not these products in
particular were now legal or illegal.”He said his department has interpreted the change in law to
mean that these products are now illegal, but had not taken action against
those in violation.But that grace ends now.“On Dec. 2, the Kansas Attorney General issued an opinion
on this very topic and concluded that these products are illegal,” Anderson
said. “A recent criminal case in Ellis County took up this issue as well. A
district court judge in the 23rd Judicial District found, among other things,
that for a hemp product to be lawful, it must contain a total THC concentration
of less than 0.3 percent. Bottom line: Hemp-derived Delta-8 THC products are
illegal.”Delta-8 came to prominence as a THC product, often thought
of as a lighter version of traditional marijuana, processed from hemp, that
carried inherent benefits of use, without the psychotropic effects.While Delta-8 is found in small amounts marijuana, along
with other cannabinoids, the chemical in marijuana that is most closely
associated with getting “high” is another cannabinoid, Delta-9.While Delta-8 does not inherently carry the same potency as
Delta-9, it was the manufacturing process that created the original confusion
around the legality of the product.When Kansas approved the production of hemp products, the
process of extracting Delta-8 from hemp was also thought to be legal.But now the recent guidance clarifies, possessing, or
selling products with THC above the 0.3 percent legal limit, in any form, is not
legal in Kansas, no matter how it was manufactured.“This is no longer just my interpretation of the law,”
Anderson said in a letter to local business last week. “On Dec. 2, the
Kansas Attorney General, Derek Schmidt, issued an opinion on this very topic.
His opinion was nearly identical to mine and clearly stated that these products
are illegal. … That judge found that any hemp product containing THC levels
exceeding 0.3 percent are illegal. Additionally, that defendant was convicted
of unlawful possession of tetrahydrocannabinols, a severity level 5
drug felony.” Within days of the letter being issued, most sellers had
removed the product from their shelves in Hays, but for those that did not, Anderson warned the leniency due to the questionable legality surrounding the
product has ended.“For nearly a year now, law enforcement has been ready to
take legal action against those possessing, selling, and/or distributing
Delta-8 THC products — because they have a duty to enforce the law,” Anderson
said. “Until now, this office has given local businesses every opportunity to
comply with the law and has operated under the premise that I could very well
be interpreting the law incorrectly. Now that authorities higher than myself
have weighed in, this office cannot continue to request that law enforcement in
Ellis County not act.“Ellis County law enforcement officers now have clear
direction from higher authorities than this office who have determined that these
products are illegal. As such, law enforcement officers in Ellis County have a
legal obligation to seize these products as illegal contraband and have
authority to arrest those in possession, or those who are distributing and/or
selling these products.”Anderson said, while the recent guidance completely
clarifies the issue, he has warned businesses in the area for months that it
was his opinion that selling Delta-8 products was a violation of the law.“It's (their) duty to ensure that your products comply with
the law,” Anderson said. “And I kind of spelled it out for (them). I go, 'Look,
we're not going to do anything right now, but probably should be hesitant.' And
to my knowledge, only one place got rid of the stuff.”Now it is the duty of law enforcement to act to
stop the sale of Delta-8 or any THC product that is over the 0.3 percent limit,
he said.“Law enforcement has a duty and obligation to seize illegal
contraband, and they can't just see it and look the other way and ignore it and
decide not to do anything about it,” Anderson said. “So now that that now that
law enforcement has clear direction, from the attorney general, from the old
county attorney, and from a judge in the 23rd Judicial District, I feel like
they have an obligation to seize that stuff that they are aware that of its
present.”He said that could include search warrants and seizure of
illegal contraband in those businesses that continue to violate the law.“Any time you are in possession of illegal contraband with
the intent to distribute it, it elevates the stakes,” Anderson said. “Now,
those, those felonies on the drug grid, that involve distribution are dependent
upon quantity. But that's simply having possession of it with intent to
distribute, even if you have just a little bit elevates the stakes from just
simple possession.”Anderson said those that are currently in possession of
any Delta-8 products should get rid of them, as even what was thought to have
been a legal purchase can lead to a drug possession charge.“From my view, we've given everyone as much cushion on this
as we possibly can,” he said. And it's just at the point where ... now we
can be pretty certain that I've been correct all along. And now we have a duty
to act. We have a duty to enforce the laws.”Cover image courtesy Pixabay.

Local