The Heartland Community Foundation has established three Disaster Relief Funds to meet the emergency needs in each Ellis, Rooks, and Trego Counties. The Ellis County Disaster Relief Fund, the Rooks County Disaster Relief Fund, and the Trego County Disaster Relief Fund will be able to grant immediate money to nonprofit organizations offering relief services in the impacted areas — following a major emergency, weather event, or other disaster, like the windstorm and wildfires our region experienced on Wednesday.

Nonprofit organizations, schools, churches, and other agencies that are providing direct relief help to people, property, or livestock in the impacted county may be eligible for grant money. Charitable organizations may apply by contacting Sarah Meitner, HCF Executive Director, at (785) 621-4090 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sarahmeitner@gscf.org">sarahmeitner@gscf.org</a>. Application deadline is Jan. 21.

Heartland is encouraging residents and businesses to make a tax-deductible donation to their county’s Disaster Relief Fund. The money donated in each county will only be used to make grants to agencies serving that county. The impact of a $100 or $1,000 donation is much larger when combined with the donations of others.

Donations to the Disaster Relief Funds will be accepted at any time, now and beyond. It is our hope that with continued donations and investment growth over time, money held in the fund will provide a permanent safety net to local residents in the aftermath of an emergency.

Donate online at&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.heartlandcommunityfoundation.org%252F&amp;data=04%257C01%257Cmackenziemorris%2540gscf.org%257Cf6b0a2d7c54548cd7fc908d9c16c3c99%257C3a7ddf381a2c4dba9fe1f36400be5e17%257C0%257C0%257C637753493305372767%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000&amp;sdata=STkkfsmEZnUEqYumNvnoh5x%252F9%252BthJkwz%252BOnd3PI9Ua8%253D&amp;reserved=0">www.heartlandcommunityfoundation.org</a>&nbsp;or mail your donation to: Heartland Community Foundation, PO Box 1673, Hays, KS 67601. Please note whether your gift is for the Ellis, Rooks or Trego Disaster Relief Fund.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639777373541.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseThe Heartland Community Foundation has established three Disaster Relief Funds to meet the emergency needs in each Ellis, Rooks, and Trego Counties. The Ellis County Disaster Relief Fund, the Rooks County Disaster Relief Fund, and the Trego County Disaster Relief Fund will be able to grant immediate money to nonprofit organizations offering relief services in the impacted areas — following a major emergency, weather event, or other disaster, like the windstorm and wildfires our region experienced on Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639777475340.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Nonprofit organizations, schools, churches, and other agencies that are providing direct relief help to people, property, or livestock in the impacted county may be eligible for grant money. Charitable organizations may apply by contacting Sarah Meitner, HCF Executive Director, at (785) 621-4090 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sarahmeitner@gscf.org">sarahmeitner@gscf.org</a>. Application deadline is Jan. 21.Heartland is encouraging residents and businesses to make a tax-deductible donation to their county’s Disaster Relief Fund. The money donated in each county will only be used to make grants to agencies serving that county. The impact of a $100 or $1,000 donation is much larger when combined with the donations of others.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639777496437.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Donations to the Disaster Relief Funds will be accepted at any time, now and beyond. It is our hope that with continued donations and investment growth over time, money held in the fund will provide a permanent safety net to local residents in the aftermath of an emergency.Donate online at&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.heartlandcommunityfoundation.org%252F&amp;data=04%257C01%257Cmackenziemorris%2540gscf.org%257Cf6b0a2d7c54548cd7fc908d9c16c3c99%257C3a7ddf381a2c4dba9fe1f36400be5e17%257C0%257C0%257C637753493305372767%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000&amp;sdata=STkkfsmEZnUEqYumNvnoh5x%252F9%252BthJkwz%252BOnd3PI9Ua8%253D&amp;reserved=0">www.heartlandcommunityfoundation.org</a>&nbsp;or mail your donation to: Heartland Community Foundation, PO Box 1673, Hays, KS 67601. Please note whether your gift is for the Ellis, Rooks or Trego Disaster Relief Fund.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639777519620.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Heartland establishes disaster relief funds for Ellis, Trego, Rooks counties

The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced the American Bus Association’s&nbsp;Destinations&nbsp;magazine recently awarded The Basilica of St. Fidelis “2021 Best of the Best” designation in the category of Culture.

Destinations&nbsp;magazine’s Best of the Best honors outstanding travel industry members who go above and beyond for the group tour industry. Categories include Adventure, Culture, Entertainment, Festivals &amp; Events, Food &amp; Beverage, Lodging, and Shopping.

“The Basilica is the crown jewel of our Historic Churches of Ellis County tour. It draws visitors from all over the world, 365 days a year,” said Janet Kuhn, Convention and Sales Manager for the Hays CVB. Kuhn made the nomination and secured what is the first ABA Best of the Best award for the state of Kansas.

Those designated Best of the Best have the support of their peers and customers and are known for excellent service. The Basilica of St. Fidelis was chosen out of nearly 60 entries nationwide and was one of only 23 chosen in the Culture category.

“It isn’t easy deciding where to take a group tour,” said Peter Pantuso, president &amp; CEO of the American Bus Association. “People can be hard to please, and even if you have some favorite places, it’s always helpful when you can find somewhere new to bring guests. Each of these destinations and attractions adapted to the ever-changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic and provided a respite for travelers who could not imagine a world without travel. That’s why we’re honoring the Best of the Best for 2021, featuring 59 top theaters, museums, festivals, experiences, hotels, and more. These are places that will leave your customers happy and impressed.”

Destinations&nbsp;magazine is a guide to North America's best group travel destinations, state-by-state itineraries, planning calendars, and essential marketing and strategic insight. Published bi-monthly,&nbsp;Destinations&nbsp;is available in print and online.&nbsp;To read the latest issue of&nbsp;Destinations, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.buses.org/news/publications/destinations">https://www.buses.org/news/publications/destinations</a>.

The American Bus Association (ABA) is the trade organization of the intercity bus industry, with more than 1,000 motorcoach and tour company members in the United States and Canada. Its members operate charter, tour, regular route, airport express, special operations, and contract services. Another 2,800 members are travel and tourism organizations and suppliers of bus products and services who&nbsp;work in partnership with the North American motorcoach industry. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.buses.org/">www.buses.org</a>.

Hays CVBThe Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced the American Bus Association’s&nbsp;Destinations&nbsp;magazine recently awarded The Basilica of St. Fidelis “2021 Best of the Best” designation in the category of Culture.Destinations&nbsp;magazine’s Best of the Best honors outstanding travel industry members who go above and beyond for the group tour industry. Categories include Adventure, Culture, Entertainment, Festivals &amp; Events, Food &amp; Beverage, Lodging, and Shopping.“The Basilica is the crown jewel of our Historic Churches of Ellis County tour. It draws visitors from all over the world, 365 days a year,” said Janet Kuhn, Convention and Sales Manager for the Hays CVB. Kuhn made the nomination and secured what is the first ABA Best of the Best award for the state of Kansas.Those designated Best of the Best have the support of their peers and customers and are known for excellent service. The Basilica of St. Fidelis was chosen out of nearly 60 entries nationwide and was one of only 23 chosen in the Culture category.“It isn’t easy deciding where to take a group tour,” said Peter Pantuso, president &amp; CEO of the American Bus Association. “People can be hard to please, and even if you have some favorite places, it’s always helpful when you can find somewhere new to bring guests. Each of these destinations and attractions adapted to the ever-changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic and provided a respite for travelers who could not imagine a world without travel. That’s why we’re honoring the Best of the Best for 2021, featuring 59 top theaters, museums, festivals, experiences, hotels, and more. These are places that will leave your customers happy and impressed.”Destinations&nbsp;magazine is a guide to North America's best group travel destinations, state-by-state itineraries, planning calendars, and essential marketing and strategic insight. Published bi-monthly,&nbsp;Destinations&nbsp;is available in print and online.&nbsp;To read the latest issue of&nbsp;Destinations, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.buses.org/news/publications/destinations">https://www.buses.org/news/publications/destinations</a>.The American Bus Association (ABA) is the trade organization of the intercity bus industry, with more than 1,000 motorcoach and tour company members in the United States and Canada. Its members operate charter, tour, regular route, airport express, special operations, and contract services. Another 2,800 members are travel and tourism organizations and suppliers of bus products and services who&nbsp;work in partnership with the North American motorcoach industry. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.buses.org/">www.buses.org</a>.

Travel association names Basilica of St. Fidelis 'Best of the Best'

Now is the time for tributes and reflections on the life of Senator Bob Dole, who died on Dec. 5 at age 98.&nbsp; Yet, it is important not to romanticize the former Senate Majority Leader from Kansas.&nbsp; Dole certainly did great things, like spearheading the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and co-sponsoring a landmark expansion of Food Stamps (now called SNAP) with Democratic Senator George McGovern, whom he considered a friend.&nbsp; He also loved humor and showed he could take a joke with his multiple Saturday Night Live appearances, alongside actors that satirized him.

That said, Dole was also a ruthless partisan.&nbsp; He defended the Nixon Administration during the Watergate hearings and for the rest of Nixon’s life.&nbsp; In the 1976 vice-presidential debate, Dole accused Democrats of starting every U.S.-involved war in the 20th century, including World Wars I and II—an absurd statement.&nbsp; In between, Dole introduced the nation to abortion as a wedge issue, using it to eke out a victory over Dr. Bill Roy in the 1974 midterm election. Dole was a tough politico who knew how to play the game and win, which he often did.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Politics back then were hardly kind, gentle, fair, bipartisan, or politically correct.&nbsp; Yet they were different.&nbsp; Dole could attack a rival on the Senate floor, then socialize with them afterward, as a friend.&nbsp; He could go the extra mile to kill legislation sponsored by another senator, then team up with that same senator to pass a different bill.&nbsp; Perhaps most importantly, Dole did not attack American democracy itself.&nbsp; He did not promote insurrections or conspiracy theories, nor did he tear away at the separation of powers in the U.S. Constitution.&nbsp; With the notable exception of Roy, Dole did not generally try to win by making personal attacks against his opponents.&nbsp; He kept the focus on their voting records and issue stances—and on that, he could be quite the attack dog.&nbsp; Still, certain aspects of his opponents’ personal lives remained off-limits.&nbsp; An excellent example was the 1996 Presidential campaign.&nbsp; Pressured by consultants to raise the “character issue” against President Clinton, Dole refused to gossip about his opponent’s tumultuous personal life.&nbsp; When Dole did raise the character issue, it was based upon Clinton’s issue stands and the Whitewater land deal.&nbsp;

In Dole’s time, American politics were hardly perfect.&nbsp; Still, there was at least one difference from today—most people seeking power wanted to use that power to do things, either for the country as a whole or for their constituents back home.&nbsp; Election and re-election were means to those ends.&nbsp; To get that done, they had to keep the U.S. system of checks and balances functioning at least reasonably well.&nbsp; The political climate of Dole’s day was complicated, partisan, frustrating, difficult, and sometimes disappointing—but in the end, things did get done.&nbsp; Politics were hardball, and Dole was a master of the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Politics today are toxic.&nbsp; Many people seeking office now promise to tear down the constitutional system that allowed them to get there in the first place.&nbsp; Some political speeches by elected officials are completely indistinguishable from the deranged conspiracy theories promoted by crackpots and foreign agents on social media.

By contrast, Bob Dole was a tough and controversial leader who made the difficult choices that kept an imperfect political system working.&nbsp; Even as current officeholders eulogize Dole himself, some of them appear intent on tearing down that system, and his legacy along with it.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

Now is the time for tributes and reflections on the life of Senator Bob Dole, who died on Dec. 5 at age 98.&nbsp; Yet, it is important not to romanticize the former Senate Majority Leader from Kansas.&nbsp; Dole certainly did great things, like spearheading the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and co-sponsoring a landmark expansion of Food Stamps (now called SNAP) with Democratic Senator George McGovern, whom he considered a friend.&nbsp; He also loved humor and showed he could take a joke with his multiple Saturday Night Live appearances, alongside actors that satirized him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639601062071.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>That said, Dole was also a ruthless partisan.&nbsp; He defended the Nixon Administration during the Watergate hearings and for the rest of Nixon’s life.&nbsp; In the 1976 vice-presidential debate, Dole accused Democrats of starting every U.S.-involved war in the 20th century, including World Wars I and II—an absurd statement.&nbsp; In between, Dole introduced the nation to abortion as a wedge issue, using it to eke out a victory over Dr. Bill Roy in the 1974 midterm election. Dole was a tough politico who knew how to play the game and win, which he often did.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Politics back then were hardly kind, gentle, fair, bipartisan, or politically correct.&nbsp; Yet they were different.&nbsp; Dole could attack a rival on the Senate floor, then socialize with them afterward, as a friend.&nbsp; He could go the extra mile to kill legislation sponsored by another senator, then team up with that same senator to pass a different bill.&nbsp; Perhaps most importantly, Dole did not attack American democracy itself.&nbsp; He did not promote insurrections or conspiracy theories, nor did he tear away at the separation of powers in the U.S. Constitution.&nbsp; With the notable exception of Roy, Dole did not generally try to win by making personal attacks against his opponents.&nbsp; He kept the focus on their voting records and issue stances—and on that, he could be quite the attack dog.&nbsp; Still, certain aspects of his opponents’ personal lives remained off-limits.&nbsp; An excellent example was the 1996 Presidential campaign.&nbsp; Pressured by consultants to raise the “character issue” against President Clinton, Dole refused to gossip about his opponent’s tumultuous personal life.&nbsp; When Dole did raise the character issue, it was based upon Clinton’s issue stands and the Whitewater land deal.&nbsp;In Dole’s time, American politics were hardly perfect.&nbsp; Still, there was at least one difference from today—most people seeking power wanted to use that power to do things, either for the country as a whole or for their constituents back home.&nbsp; Election and re-election were means to those ends.&nbsp; To get that done, they had to keep the U.S. system of checks and balances functioning at least reasonably well.&nbsp; The political climate of Dole’s day was complicated, partisan, frustrating, difficult, and sometimes disappointing—but in the end, things did get done.&nbsp; Politics were hardball, and Dole was a master of the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;Politics today are toxic.&nbsp; Many people seeking office now promise to tear down the constitutional system that allowed them to get there in the first place.&nbsp; Some political speeches by elected officials are completely indistinguishable from the deranged conspiracy theories promoted by crackpots and foreign agents on social media.By contrast, Bob Dole was a tough and controversial leader who made the difficult choices that kept an imperfect political system working.&nbsp; Even as current officeholders eulogize Dole himself, some of them appear intent on tearing down that system, and his legacy along with it.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Bob Dole’s politics were hardball, not toxic

Three-day weather outlook

Deines schedules Christmas Jam Session for Sunday

The TMP Lady Monarchs close out the pre-holiday portion of their schedule with a MCL matchup against the Stockton Tigers.

The game is scheduled to tipoff at 6:30 p.m. with the boys to follow from Al Billinger Fieldhouse.

Click the player below or click&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/337022">HERE&nbsp;</a>to view the game. You can also download the Team1Sports app for your phone or connected device, including smart TVs.

The TMP Lady Monarchs close out the pre-holiday portion of their schedule with a MCL matchup against the Stockton Tigers.The game is scheduled to tipoff at 6:30 p.m. with the boys to follow from Al Billinger Fieldhouse.Click the player below or click&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/337022">HERE&nbsp;</a>to view the game. You can also download the Team1Sports app for your phone or connected device, including smart TVs.<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/337022?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div>

🏀🎥 WATCH LIVE Thomas More Prep-Marian vs Stockton

The Hays High Indians are on the road Friday night as they open Western Athletic Conference play in Liberal.

The girls game will tipoff at approximately 6:30 with the boys to follow at about 8:15 from Liberal High School.

Click the player below or click&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/337021">HERE&nbsp;</a>to view the game. You can also download the Team1Sports app for your phone or connected device, including smart TVs.

The Hays High Indians are on the road Friday night as they open Western Athletic Conference play in Liberal.The girls game will tipoff at approximately 6:30 with the boys to follow at about 8:15 from Liberal High School.Click the player below or click&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/337021">HERE&nbsp;</a>to view the game. You can also download the Team1Sports app for your phone or connected device, including smart TVs.<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/337021?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div>

🏀🎥 WATCH LIVE Hays High at Liberal

On Friday, Fort Hays State University's Fall students, family and friends gathered at Gross Memorial Coliseum to celebrate their educational accomplishments during two in-person graduation ceremonies.

"Graduates you should be extremely proud of this graduation milestone," said Provost Jill Arensdorf during her opening remarks, "especially given the enormous challenges of the last two years."

The challenges encountered over the last two years would be a running theme through the event, as the university celebrated the degree completion of 442 graduate students and 829 undergraduates.

"I am impressed as a Regent with all of the graduates from our universities, but particularly right here because this is home, and I am an alum of Fort Hays State University — and I am very proud," said Allen Schmidt, Kansas Board of Regent member.

 "Under the best of circumstance, college requires dedication, tenacity and commitment. And you, as the class of 2021, certainly did not face the easiest path to travel through your studies," he said.

Schmidt asked graduates to look back at their experiences during a challenging college career and use those lessons in the future.

"What can you take away from the things you have faced and overcome that would allow you to flourish as you begin your careers or continue your studies?" he said. "The answer to those questions will enrich your life for years to come."

"You did it!" said FHSU President Tisa Mason. "You are graduates of Fort Hays State University, and I am so proud of each and every one of you."

While she recognized the achievement, she also asked the graduates to recognize the support from families, friends, instructors and staff who allowed the students to accomplish their educational goals.

She also told the graduates their ties to FHSU and their ability to adapt to a changing world will be beneficial to their future plans.

"Change is all around us and how you, as a Fort Hays State University graduate, handle our constant world of change is what will differentiate you from other graduates," Mason said. "Think of it as a carry-on suitcase for the trip of a lifetime.

"As Fort Hays alumni, you are equipped to be agents of change," she said. "As the saying goes, be the change you want to see in the world. Be engaged global citizen leaders, doing good for others and being a good person. Work hard. Be smart. Be humble. Be helpful. Be kind. Become engaged in the world around you."

She also asked the graduates to cherish the special privilege of education.

The in-person ceremonies were split Friday with&nbsp;undergraduate, master’s and Ed.S. candidates in the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship celebrated in the morning, followed by the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, and the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics.

The second ceremony featured the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and the College of Education for undergraduate, master’s, and Ed.S. candidates.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/forthaysstate">Replays from both of Friday's in-person events can be seen on the university's Facebook page.&nbsp;</a>

Saturday, a virtual ceremony is planned as well and will also be available on the same page.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639768586894.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostOn Friday, Fort Hays State University's Fall students, family and friends gathered at Gross Memorial Coliseum to celebrate their educational accomplishments during two in-person graduation ceremonies."Graduates you should be extremely proud of this graduation milestone," said Provost Jill Arensdorf during her opening remarks, "especially given the enormous challenges of the last two years."The challenges encountered over the last two years would be a running theme through the event, as the university celebrated the degree completion of 442 graduate students and 829 undergraduates."I am impressed as a Regent with all of the graduates from our universities, but particularly right here because this is home, and I am an alum of Fort Hays State University — and I am very proud," said Allen Schmidt, Kansas Board of Regent member.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639773516506.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> "Under the best of circumstance, college requires dedication, tenacity and commitment. And you, as the class of 2021, certainly did not face the easiest path to travel through your studies," he said.Schmidt asked graduates to look back at their experiences during a challenging college career and use those lessons in the future."What can you take away from the things you have faced and overcome that would allow you to flourish as you begin your careers or continue your studies?" he said. "The answer to those questions will enrich your life for years to come.""You did it!" said FHSU President Tisa Mason. "You are graduates of Fort Hays State University, and I am so proud of each and every one of you."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639774071562.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>While she recognized the achievement, she also asked the graduates to recognize the support from families, friends, instructors and staff who allowed the students to accomplish their educational goals.She also told the graduates their ties to FHSU and their ability to adapt to a changing world will be beneficial to their future plans."Change is all around us and how you, as a Fort Hays State University graduate, handle our constant world of change is what will differentiate you from other graduates," Mason said. "Think of it as a carry-on suitcase for the trip of a lifetime."As Fort Hays alumni, you are equipped to be agents of change," she said. "As the saying goes, be the change you want to see in the world. Be engaged global citizen leaders, doing good for others and being a good person. Work hard. Be smart. Be humble. Be helpful. Be kind. Become engaged in the world around you."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639774100453.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>She also asked the graduates to cherish the special privilege of education.The in-person ceremonies were split Friday with&nbsp;undergraduate, master’s and Ed.S. candidates in the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship celebrated in the morning, followed by the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, and the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics.The second ceremony featured the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and the College of Education for undergraduate, master’s, and Ed.S. candidates.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/forthaysstate">Replays from both of Friday's in-person events can be seen on the university's Facebook page.&nbsp;</a>Saturday, a virtual ceremony is planned as well and will also be available on the same page.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639774136591.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

FHSU celebrates fall graduates during in-person ceremonies

On Friday morning, the remains of Derrick Kelley were found east of Codell Avenue in rural Ellis County near a burned vehicle determined to be a Dodge Durango registered to Kelley. The coroner's office identified the remains as Kelley. 

"On behalf of Sheriff Braun, the Ellis County Sheriff's Office sends its deepest condolences to the family of Derrick Kelley during this tragic time," the sheriff's office said in a news release.&nbsp;

The Ellis County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's assistance in locating Derrick Scott&nbsp;Kelley who was reported missing by his fiance after being overdue from work.

Kelley was last seen around 11th and Ash Street ln Hays on Dec. 15, 2021, at approximately 3:30 p.m. and was reportedly heading to an address In Natoma. It's believed Kelley was traveling country roads. 

Kelley is described as a white male, age 38, 5'9" tall and 220 pounds, last seen wearing jeans and work shoes and driving a 2004 blue Dodge Durango with a Kansas license plate. His photo accompanies this release. 

Kelley is considered at risk due to the dangerous weather conditions accompanied by large grass fires and smoke that were occurring at the time he was traveling in northern Ellis County. 

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the sheriff's office at 785-625-1040.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639751162796.png" alt="Derrick Scott Kelley-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Derrick Scott Kelley-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis County Sheriff's DepartmentUPDATE FridayOn Friday morning, the remains of Derrick Kelley were found east of Codell Avenue in rural Ellis County near a burned vehicle determined to be a Dodge Durango registered to Kelley. The coroner's office identified the remains as Kelley. 
Next-of-kin has been notified. "On behalf of Sheriff Braun, the Ellis County Sheriff's Office sends its deepest condolences to the family of Derrick Kelley during this tragic time," the sheriff's office said in a news release.&nbsp;----------------The Ellis County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's assistance in locating Derrick Scott&nbsp;Kelley who was reported missing by his fiance after being overdue from work.Kelley was last seen around 11th and Ash Street ln Hays on Dec. 15, 2021, at approximately 3:30 p.m. and was reportedly heading to an address In Natoma. It's believed Kelley was traveling country roads. Kelley is described as a white male, age 38, 5'9" tall and 220 pounds, last seen wearing jeans and work shoes and driving a 2004 blue Dodge Durango with a Kansas license plate. His photo accompanies this release. Kelley is considered at risk due to the dangerous weather conditions accompanied by large grass fires and smoke that were occurring at the time he was traveling in northern Ellis County. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the sheriff's office at 785-625-1040.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639709825990.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

UPDATE: Remains of missing man found in rural Ellis Co. 

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday reported 17 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Wednesday.

<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 Wednesday 55 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.

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

Since reporting began, there have been 5,077 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 77 coronavirus-related deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639766298115.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday reported 17 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Wednesday.<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 Wednesday 55 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.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3fbf9a1d-9473-48af-add6-ac3dfce7c3b6">RELATED: HaysMed releases November COVID stats</a>Since reporting began, there have been 5,077 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 77 coronavirus-related deaths.

KDHE: 17 new COVID cases in Ellis Co. since Wednesday

By CRISTINA JANNEY and JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

A haze still hung heavy over the fire-scarred prairie of Ellis and Russell counties Thursday.

Miles and acres upon acres were blackened by wildfires Wednesday that were fanned by wind gust ranging from 80 to 100 mph.

Fire crews were still working hot spots as fires reiginited parched grass and stubble fields Thursday.

Ellis County Fire Chief Darin Myers said crews were back out Thursday morning addressing some of the more difficult fires to get to because of the terrain and the lack of visibility last night.

As of this morning, there were still between eight to 10 active fires burning.

Ellis County Fire Chief Darin Myers said Thursday morning emergency officials had identified at least eight homes destroyed by the fires north and east of Hays.

Crews at times were surrounding houses and just trying to protect them from the approaching fires, he said.

There have been no reports of serious injury, Myers said. Crews helped rescue some people from their homes and EMS crews were on standby.

An undetermined number of outbuildings and businesses sustained damage or were destroyed by the fires.

At the Sweetwater Ranch, 310th Avenue in northeast Ellis County, the family that runs the ranch was surveying the damage Thursday morning. 

By some miracle, the hills all around the homestead burned, but the house and its outbuildings, which are in a draw, were not damaged.

One of the representatives of the ranch, who did not want to be named, said he was lucky, many of his neighbors were not.

"They lost everything," he said, near tears.

The ranch hands were headed to Russell County later in the morning to see if cattle there had made it through the fires.

Myers said there was also a fire in the northern portion of Ellis County in the area of Severin Road. Several small fires came together as part of one large fire that burned a stretch from U.S. 183 east to U.S. 281 north of Russell.

A woman in&nbsp; rural Russell County, who also did not wanted to be named, was sifting through what was left of her home Thursday morning.

All that was left of the more than 100-year-old home was a limestone shell. She said many neighbors had offered to help her clean up, but she asked them to wait.

She said she was still processing the loss and wanted to see what little might be saved from the ashes.

In Paradise, north of Russell, at least one home in the city was burned to the ground, yet a child's swing set nearby had been untouched except for being blown over by the wind.

The Paradise Community Church was opened to feed first responders and others who were displaced by the fires.

One of the volunteers said her home was not damaged, but she had counted at least 10 families in the area that had lost theirs.

That could not be confirmed, as the Russell County sheriff and emergency manager were still in the field as of the time this story was published.

The volunteer said as the fires closed in the city and homes began to lose power, strangely, the Christmas lights in Paradise remained on.

In Ellis County, Darin Myers said dozens of fires were reported but there were three main fires:

1 – A fire started in the late afternoon northeast of Hays and burned about 100 hay bales. 2 – A fire started south of Riga and moved toward Ellis.

First responders began evacuating the western edge of the city.

As they were doing that, the conditions shifted. The fire came within about a mile of the west side of the city, but fire crews were able to get the fire stopped.

3 - A fire started in the area of Cedar Bluff feedlot in Trego County and moved west along the Smoky Hill river toward the Grants Villa area.

Ellis County Commission Chairman Butch Schlyer issued a local disaster declaration at 8 p.m. Wednesday. This will help local emergency departments and landowners with funding that could be available.

Myers called the disaster an unfortunate set of circumstances,&nbsp; but, “nice to see everybody come together.”

There were about 25 Ellis County vehicles and 70 firefighters who helped fight the blazes.

The crews also received assistance from Ness, Russell and Ellsworth counties. Agencies included the following:

City of Hays firefighters 	KHP 	Ellis County EMS 	Public works – four water tankers 	Numerous farmers and landowners helped with discs Numerous businesses 	The Red Cross helped to feed crews Wednesday night.

Myers also wished to thank to Midwest Energy for its efforts to restore power to the dispatch center in Hays.

	When the power went down in Hays, 911 calls were diverted to Pratt per local contingency plans. Pratt talked with Hays dispatch, who relayed calls to local personnel.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2564d19f-affb-4604-a680-ade6f5aca442">RELATED STORY: Hays Young Professionals gathering supplies for storm victims</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639687285369.jpeg" alt="A child's toy is all that is left after a house in Paradise was burned to the ground Wednesday as high winds ripped through Russell County. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>A child's toy is all that is left after a house in Paradise was burned to the ground Wednesday as high winds ripped through Russell County. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY and JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostA haze still hung heavy over the fire-scarred prairie of Ellis and Russell counties Thursday.Miles and acres upon acres were blackened by wildfires Wednesday that were fanned by wind gust ranging from 80 to 100 mph.Fire crews were still working hot spots as fires reiginited parched grass and stubble fields Thursday. Ellis County Fire Chief Darin Myers said crews were back out Thursday morning addressing some of the more difficult fires to get to because of the terrain and the lack of visibility last night.As of this morning, there were still between eight to 10 active fires burning.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639687385190.jpeg" alt="The burned out shells of vehicles at a home in Paradise. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The burned out shells of vehicles at a home in Paradise. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis County Fire Chief Darin Myers said Thursday morning emergency officials had identified at least eight homes destroyed by the fires north and east of Hays.Crews at times were surrounding houses and just trying to protect them from the approaching fires, he said. There have been no reports of serious injury, Myers said. Crews helped rescue some people from their homes and EMS crews were on standby.An undetermined number of outbuildings and businesses sustained damage or were destroyed by the fires.At the Sweetwater Ranch, 310th Avenue in northeast Ellis County, the family that runs the ranch was surveying the damage Thursday morning. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639687442128.jpeg" alt="The burned out shell of a home in Paradise. The metal lawn furniture was still sitting on the front porch. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The burned out shell of a home in Paradise. The metal lawn furniture was still sitting on the front porch. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By some miracle, the hills all around the homestead burned, but the house and its outbuildings, which are in a draw, were not damaged.One of the representatives of the ranch, who did not want to be named, said he was lucky, many of his neighbors were not."They lost everything," he said, near tears.The ranch hands were headed to Russell County later in the morning to see if cattle there had made it through the fires.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639687509045.jpeg" alt="A farmstead burned along Kansas Highway 18 outside of Paradise. It was unknown if anyone was living at this location at the time of the fire. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A farmstead burned along Kansas Highway 18 outside of Paradise. It was unknown if anyone was living at this location at the time of the fire. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Russell County fires</h2>Myers said there was also a fire in the northern portion of Ellis County in the area of Severin Road. Several small fires came together as part of one large fire that burned a stretch from U.S. 183 east to U.S. 281 north of Russell. A woman in&nbsp; rural Russell County, who also did not wanted to be named, was sifting through what was left of her home Thursday morning.All that was left of the more than 100-year-old home was a limestone shell. She said many neighbors had offered to help her clean up, but she asked them to wait.She said she was still processing the loss and wanted to see what little might be saved from the ashes.In Paradise, north of Russell, at least one home in the city was burned to the ground, yet a child's swing set nearby had been untouched except for being blown over by the wind.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639687575714.jpeg" alt="A semi-truck that was blown over off of Kansas Highway 18 near Paradise during Wednesday's wind storm was caught in a wild fire. Local law enforcement said no was injured. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A semi-truck that was blown over off of Kansas Highway 18 near Paradise during Wednesday's wind storm was caught in a wild fire. Local law enforcement said no was injured. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The Paradise Community Church was opened to feed first responders and others who were displaced by the fires.One of the volunteers said her home was not damaged, but she had counted at least 10 families in the area that had lost theirs.That could not be confirmed, as the Russell County sheriff and emergency manager were still in the field as of the time this story was published.The volunteer said as the fires closed in the city and homes began to lose power, strangely, the Christmas lights in Paradise remained on.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639687696118.jpeg" alt="A windmill stand salone against the burnt landscape off of Codell Road in northeast Ellis County. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A windmill stand salone against the burnt landscape off of Codell Road in northeast Ellis County. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Ellis County fires</h2>In Ellis County, Darin Myers said dozens of fires were reported but there were three main fires:1 – A fire started in the late afternoon northeast of Hays and burned about 100 hay bales. 2 – A fire started south of Riga and moved toward Ellis. First responders began evacuating the western edge of the city.As they were doing that, the conditions shifted. The fire came within about a mile of the west side of the city, but fire crews were able to get the fire stopped.3 - A fire started in the area of Cedar Bluff feedlot in Trego County and moved west along the Smoky Hill river toward the Grants Villa area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639687778392.jpeg" alt="Trees were still smoldering in northeast Ellis County Thursday. Fire crews continued to be called to hot spots throughout the day. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Trees were still smoldering in northeast Ellis County Thursday. Fire crews continued to be called to hot spots throughout the day. CRISTINA JANNEY/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis County Commission Chairman Butch Schlyer issued a local disaster declaration at 8 p.m. Wednesday. This will help local emergency departments and landowners with funding that could be available.<h2>Coming together</h2>Myers called the disaster an unfortunate set of circumstances,&nbsp; but, “nice to see everybody come together.”There were about 25 Ellis County vehicles and 70 firefighters who helped fight the blazes.The crews also received assistance from Ness, Russell and Ellsworth counties. Agencies included the following: 	City of Hays firefighters 	KHP 	Ellis County EMS 	Public works – four water tankers 	Numerous farmers and landowners helped with discs Numerous businesses 	The Red Cross helped to feed crews Wednesday night.Myers also wished to thank to Midwest Energy for its efforts to restore power to the dispatch center in Hays.	When the power went down in Hays, 911 calls were diverted to Pratt per local contingency plans. Pratt talked with Hays dispatch, who relayed calls to local personnel.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2564d19f-affb-4604-a680-ade6f5aca442">RELATED STORY: Hays Young Professionals gathering supplies for storm victims</a>

Cleanup begins from fires that ravaged swath of Kansas

We ask for your patience as we do our best to respond to the effects of Wednesday's windstorm. We continue to experience significant outages across our service territory. 

Currently, 2,000 members are still without electrical power throughout Western's service territory. Since  Wednesday, Power has been restored to about 6,000 members. While we feel we are making good progress, we will not be completely satisfied until everyone has their lights on. 

We hope to have most residents with power by the end of Friday. However, members fed from the Ellis and Susank substations could be without electricity for an additional 24 hours due to excessive damage sustained at those locations. 

We have four additional mutual-aid crews assisting with the restoration with the hopes of adding two or three more today. Wednesday's windstorm, which recorded wind gusts of&nbsp; more than80 mph, broke over 250 power poles with about 100 power poles left to replace. 

We understand that it is very frustrating when a neighbor has lights, and you don't, or that people across the road have lights and you don't. Often this may be because your home is on another circuit, or perhaps that your meter is damaged in a way that your neighbor's meter is not damaged. Please stay away from any downed power lines and call Western's office for your safety. 

Currently, our office is open, but we ask that members call in for emergencies only, such as broken poles or downed power lines at this time. All emergencies must be reported by phone. To report an outage or a downed power line, you can call 1-800-456-6720.

We would like to thank all of our mutual-aid crews and employees who are helping with the restoration efforts. We apologize for any inconvenience this event may have caused. Although we post service updates to social media, we do not monitor social media for reports of outages. We will post any updates to our website at <a href="http://www.westerncoop.com">www.westerncoop.com</a>.

Western Cooperative Electric We ask for your patience as we do our best to respond to the effects of Wednesday's windstorm. We continue to experience significant outages across our service territory. Currently, 2,000 members are still without electrical power throughout Western's service territory. Since Wednesday, Power has been restored to about 6,000 members. While we feel we are making good progress, we will not be completely satisfied until everyone has their lights on. We hope to have most residents with power by the end of Friday. However, members fed from the Ellis and Susank substations could be without electricity for an additional 24 hours due to excessive damage sustained at those locations. We have four additional mutual-aid crews assisting with the restoration with the hopes of adding two or three more today. Wednesday's windstorm, which recorded wind gusts of&nbsp; more than80 mph, broke over 250 power poles with about 100 power poles left to replace. We understand that it is very frustrating when a neighbor has lights, and you don't, or that people across the road have lights and you don't. Often this may be because your home is on another circuit, or perhaps that your meter is damaged in a way that your neighbor's meter is not damaged. Please stay away from any downed power lines and call Western's office for your safety. Currently, our office is open, but we ask that members call in for emergencies only, such as broken poles or downed power lines at this time. All emergencies must be reported by phone. To report an outage or a downed power line, you can call 1-800-456-6720.We would like to thank all of our mutual-aid crews and employees who are helping with the restoration efforts. We apologize for any inconvenience this event may have caused. Although we post service updates to social media, we do not monitor social media for reports of outages. We will post any updates to our website at <a href="http://www.westerncoop.com">www.westerncoop.com</a>.

Western Cooperative Electric power restoration efforts continue for third day

Preliminary estimates reported by the Labor Market Information Services division of the Kansas Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.6 percent in November. This was a decrease from 3.9 percent in October and a decrease from 4.7 percent in November 2020.

“In November, the Kansas labor market saw the unemployment rate decline to 3.6 percent.  Nonfarm job estimates increased by 2,700 jobs over the month,” said Secretary Amber Shultz. “The labor force participation rate did decrease in November, but is still at pre-pandemic levels.” 

Several counties in northwest Kansas fell below 2 percent unemployment, with Ellis County falling from 2 percent in October to just 1.4 percent in November. The jobless rate in Wallace County was just 0.8 percent.

No county west of Wichita had an unemployment rate higher than Grant County's 2.7 percent in November.

Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs increased by 2,700 from October. Private sector jobs, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, increased by 2,400 from the previous month, while government increased by 300.

“The largest over-the-month job gains in November were in trade, transportation, and utilities, as well as leisure and hospitality,” said Labor Economist Emilie Doerksen. “Both of these industries experienced significant declines early in the pandemic, but have seen a steady recovery since April 2020.  Trade, transportation, and utilities have seen relatively strong growth and is now 3.3 percent above pre-pandemic levels.”

Since November 2020, Kansas seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs have increased by 35,400. This change is due to an increase of 33,000 private sector jobs and 2,400 government jobs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639758482446.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary estimates reported by the Labor Market Information Services division of the Kansas Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.6 percent in November. This was a decrease from 3.9 percent in October and a decrease from 4.7 percent in November 2020.“In November, the Kansas labor market saw the unemployment rate decline to 3.6 percent. Nonfarm job estimates increased by 2,700 jobs over the month,” said Secretary Amber Shultz. “The labor force participation rate did decrease in November, but is still at pre-pandemic levels.” Several counties in northwest Kansas fell below 2 percent unemployment, with Ellis County falling from 2 percent in October to just 1.4 percent in November. The jobless rate in Wallace County was just 0.8 percent.No county west of Wichita had an unemployment rate higher than Grant County's 2.7 percent in November.Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs increased by 2,700 from October. Private sector jobs, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, increased by 2,400 from the previous month, while government increased by 300.“The largest over-the-month job gains in November were in trade, transportation, and utilities, as well as leisure and hospitality,” said Labor Economist Emilie Doerksen. “Both of these industries experienced significant declines early in the pandemic, but have seen a steady recovery since April 2020. Trade, transportation, and utilities have seen relatively strong growth and is now 3.3 percent above pre-pandemic levels.”Since November 2020, Kansas seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs have increased by 35,400. This change is due to an increase of 33,000 private sector jobs and 2,400 government jobs.

Most NW Kan. counties fall below 2% unemployment in November

LENORA – The Federal Communications Commission has appointed new members to serve on the Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States.&nbsp;Jimmy Todd, CEO/GM of Nex-Tech, has been appointed as a member of the Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force. The task force will continue its work to provide advice and recommendations to the FCC on accelerating the deployment of broadband internet access service on unserved agricultural land to promote precision agriculture.

Additionally,&nbsp;Teddy Bekele, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Land O’Lakes (MN), will serve as the chairman; and&nbsp;Michael Adelaine,&nbsp;Ph.D., CIO &amp; special advisor to the president at South Dakota State University (SD), will serve as the vice chairman. Other members appointed include&nbsp;The&nbsp;Honorable Dale Artho, commissioner for deaf Smith County (TX);&nbsp;The Honorable Loranne Ausley, Florida State Senator for District 3 (FL);&nbsp;Sreekala Baiwa,&nbsp;Ph.D,. Vice President, dean and director at Montana State University College of Agriculture &amp; Montana Agriculture Experiment Station (MT);&nbsp;Andy Bater, farmer at Fifth Estate Growers LLC (PA);&nbsp;Julie Bushell, president, Paige Wireless at Irrigation Association (NE);&nbsp;Anthony Dillard, tribal councilman of Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (OK);&nbsp;Michael Gomes, vice president, strategic business development at Topcon Agriculture (CA);&nbsp;Heather Hampton-Knodle, vice president and secretary at Knodle Ltd. Farms (IL);&nbsp;Robert Hance, president and CEO at Midwest Energy and Communications (MI);&nbsp;Ryan Krogh,&nbsp;Manager, production system program management at John Deere (IL);&nbsp;Jennifer Manner, executive vice president and general counsel at Hughes Network Systems, LLC (MD);&nbsp;Joy Sterling,&nbsp;CEO at Iron Horse Vineyards (CA); and&nbsp;Christopher McLean, acting administrator, Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture.

"It is an honor to be appointed to the Precision Ag Task Force. Being a service provider in rural Kansas agriculture is our life-blood and Nex-Tech has been focused on ensuring connectivity in rural areas despite the challenges of serving in high-cost areas of our country,” said Jimmy Todd. “I plan to help offer insights that allow us to make recommendations that truly benefit precision agriculture and connectivity across rural America."

More information about the Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force is available at

<a href="https://go.nex-tech.com/e3t/Btc/ZO+113/c2T0b04/VW8gnD2cw8-XN5mkH-nGPJv3W5NMkyh4C3xvlN31NNzS5nCTJV3Zsc37CgVq8W8MYj-688D6l4W6SMJG83wXFd4W93Nz852M6SJrN3WNnpzgTH8DW424xvb2hKd_WW3c6Jcq1pY0f8W1Q2wPn29FmJ_W4-trg23jg4sGVF51Xl4crPTmW3VKGrV8gmS9BW32wYJ18SvthfN1761sm9JbkYW3VhVJ79dfMB_W2r93vy2JG1NLW78MwXg5fPyGjW2j4hD-8g8-CtVPkdLW13KVV7W78LpqF2wkJQvN5jSRd_TFkscW7m11Px2vR244W2lY3575B5jvhN7Gm9zGMrX6nW2B-cGF2Vh66WN6f_gqvH24bMW1nCtP74hD7GCW6VQ__D2rjfz7N30lzCGXLpqmW6WM12-6j44WdW6tscH22QhZjxW8h9Vq34R7D_CW82d4s-1Kxy0-W8J-_L38sg9q13dnX1" target="_blank">https://www.fcc.gov/task-force-reviewing-connectivity-and-technology-needs-precision-agriculture-united-states.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601562391147.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LENORA – The Federal Communications Commission has appointed new members to serve on the Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States.&nbsp;Jimmy Todd, CEO/GM of Nex-Tech, has been appointed as a member of the Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force. The task force will continue its work to provide advice and recommendations to the FCC on accelerating the deployment of broadband internet access service on unserved agricultural land to promote precision agriculture.Additionally,&nbsp;Teddy Bekele, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Land O’Lakes (MN), will serve as the chairman; and&nbsp;Michael Adelaine,&nbsp;Ph.D., CIO &amp; special advisor to the president at South Dakota State University (SD), will serve as the vice chairman. Other members appointed include&nbsp;The&nbsp;Honorable Dale Artho, commissioner for deaf Smith County (TX);&nbsp;The Honorable Loranne Ausley, Florida State Senator for District 3 (FL);&nbsp;Sreekala Baiwa,&nbsp;Ph.D,. Vice President, dean and director at Montana State University College of Agriculture &amp; Montana Agriculture Experiment Station (MT);&nbsp;Andy Bater, farmer at Fifth Estate Growers LLC (PA);&nbsp;Julie Bushell, president, Paige Wireless at Irrigation Association (NE);&nbsp;Anthony Dillard, tribal councilman of Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (OK);&nbsp;Michael Gomes, vice president, strategic business development at Topcon Agriculture (CA);&nbsp;Heather Hampton-Knodle, vice president and secretary at Knodle Ltd. Farms (IL);&nbsp;Robert Hance, president and CEO at Midwest Energy and Communications (MI);&nbsp;Ryan Krogh,&nbsp;Manager, production system program management at John Deere (IL);&nbsp;Jennifer Manner, executive vice president and general counsel at Hughes Network Systems, LLC (MD);&nbsp;Joy Sterling,&nbsp;CEO at Iron Horse Vineyards (CA); and&nbsp;Christopher McLean, acting administrator, Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of Agriculture."It is an honor to be appointed to the Precision Ag Task Force. Being a service provider in rural Kansas agriculture is our life-blood and Nex-Tech has been focused on ensuring connectivity in rural areas despite the challenges of serving in high-cost areas of our country,” said Jimmy Todd. “I plan to help offer insights that allow us to make recommendations that truly benefit precision agriculture and connectivity across rural America."More information about the Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force is available at<a href="https://go.nex-tech.com/e3t/Btc/ZO+113/c2T0b04/VW8gnD2cw8-XN5mkH-nGPJv3W5NMkyh4C3xvlN31NNzS5nCTJV3Zsc37CgVq8W8MYj-688D6l4W6SMJG83wXFd4W93Nz852M6SJrN3WNnpzgTH8DW424xvb2hKd_WW3c6Jcq1pY0f8W1Q2wPn29FmJ_W4-trg23jg4sGVF51Xl4crPTmW3VKGrV8gmS9BW32wYJ18SvthfN1761sm9JbkYW3VhVJ79dfMB_W2r93vy2JG1NLW78MwXg5fPyGjW2j4hD-8g8-CtVPkdLW13KVV7W78LpqF2wkJQvN5jSRd_TFkscW7m11Px2vR244W2lY3575B5jvhN7Gm9zGMrX6nW2B-cGF2Vh66WN6f_gqvH24bMW1nCtP74hD7GCW6VQ__D2rjfz7N30lzCGXLpqmW6WM12-6j44WdW6tscH22QhZjxW8h9Vq34R7D_CW82d4s-1Kxy0-W8J-_L38sg9q13dnX1" target="_blank">https://www.fcc.gov/task-force-reviewing-connectivity-and-technology-needs-precision-agriculture-united-states.</a>

Nex-Tech CEO named to federal precision ag task force

Aneth Morales-Canales questions how she will ever repay Fort Hays State University for what she calls an “experience of a lifetime.” On second thought, she knows the answer.

She is excited for the opportunity to pay it forward.

Aneth will graduate summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in Spanish at Friday’s FHSU fall commencement ceremonies. Then she will begin work for the College Advising Corps (CAC), which partners with Kansas State University to place advisors in different regions across the state.

The CAC assists low-income, first-generation college and underrepresented high school students to learn about college preparation and career opportunities. Aneth will be stationed in Liberal, a town of 19,800 in the far southwest corner of Kansas whose population is nearly 70 percent Hispanic.

“I’m so grateful to have found this organization, because I get to fill a need that students may have in Liberal,” said Aneth, a first-generation college graduate for her family. “I am looking forward to letting them know that they can make it happen if they wish to seek higher education or enter the workforce.”

She moved from her native Mexico at age 9, knowing little, if anything, about the English language. Having been raised early on by her grandmother, Aneth and her brother joined their mom and their sister in Dodge City to embark on a new life.

Determined to succeed in her new home, Aneth took advantage of the English As A Second Language program. She survived some challenges in elementary school and went on to graduate in the top 10 percent of her class at Dodge City High School in 2017 and was chosen as a keynote speaker at commencement. She decided to stay close to home to attend college and spend her first two years at Dodge City Community College, from where she also graduated with highest honors.

Knowing that she wanted to pursue a bachelor’s degree, Aneth began researching four-year institutions early in her sophomore year at DCCC. Fort Hays State made the shortlist of her choices right away.

Like so many students, Aneth said she was impressed with FHSU’s campus – and the warm welcome she received from Tiger Nation.

“When I visited, I fell in love with everything about campus,” she said, “so it made it easy for me to transfer.”

Once on campus, Aneth got involved with several student organizations and continued to blossom. She didn’t even let a worldwide pandemic derail her goals. When FHSU pivoted to remote operations because of Covid-19 in March 2020 and continued to hold classes online, Aneth welcomed another new way of learning.

<a></a>“I really liked the approach the professors took, not trying to match exactly what we had with an in-person classroom but instead optimizing the new delivery with lecturing online,” she said. “They were really flexible with us students. I truly admire the leadership at FHSU and the faculty of my department. Their efforts ensured that the quality of our education remained unchanged, and I continue to be very inspired by that.”

Ken Windholz, one of Aneth’s instructors in her psychology classes, wasn’t in the least bit surprised that she was successful despite challenges with the transition.

“Aneth has such an eagerness to learn and help educate herself, and she has taken advantage of every opportunity that has come her way,” Windholz said. “She would always ask questions and probe deeper into the material. Even when we had hybrid classes over Zoom, she didn’t let that inhibit her learning at all.”

As she prepares for the next step of life’s journey, Aneth talks about special events in her life that she will cherish forever. One of those is becoming a U.S. citizen in 2019. Another will be crossing the stage in FHSU’s Gross Memorial Coliseum to accept her diploma. She is certain that list will continue to grow when she begins helping students through the College Advising Corps.

“Aneth wants to help people, and she has so much social and emotional intelligence,” Windholz said. “She is very sincere and genuine and just understands people so well. She is perfect for that job.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639681805914.jpeg" alt="Aneth Morales-Canales" />
 <figcaption>Aneth Morales-Canales</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsAneth Morales-Canales questions how she will ever repay Fort Hays State University for what she calls an “experience of a lifetime.” On second thought, she knows the answer.She is excited for the opportunity to pay it forward.Aneth will graduate summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in Spanish at Friday’s FHSU fall commencement ceremonies. Then she will begin work for the College Advising Corps (CAC), which partners with Kansas State University to place advisors in different regions across the state.The CAC assists low-income, first-generation college and underrepresented high school students to learn about college preparation and career opportunities. Aneth will be stationed in Liberal, a town of 19,800 in the far southwest corner of Kansas whose population is nearly 70 percent Hispanic.“I’m so grateful to have found this organization, because I get to fill a need that students may have in Liberal,” said Aneth, a first-generation college graduate for her family. “I am looking forward to letting them know that they can make it happen if they wish to seek higher education or enter the workforce.”And Aneth should know.She moved from her native Mexico at age 9, knowing little, if anything, about the English language. Having been raised early on by her grandmother, Aneth and her brother joined their mom and their sister in Dodge City to embark on a new life.Determined to succeed in her new home, Aneth took advantage of the English As A Second Language program. She survived some challenges in elementary school and went on to graduate in the top 10 percent of her class at Dodge City High School in 2017 and was chosen as a keynote speaker at commencement. She decided to stay close to home to attend college and spend her first two years at Dodge City Community College, from where she also graduated with highest honors.Knowing that she wanted to pursue a bachelor’s degree, Aneth began researching four-year institutions early in her sophomore year at DCCC. Fort Hays State made the shortlist of her choices right away.Like so many students, Aneth said she was impressed with FHSU’s campus – and the warm welcome she received from Tiger Nation.“When I visited, I fell in love with everything about campus,” she said, “so it made it easy for me to transfer.”Once on campus, Aneth got involved with several student organizations and continued to blossom. She didn’t even let a worldwide pandemic derail her goals. When FHSU pivoted to remote operations because of Covid-19 in March 2020 and continued to hold classes online, Aneth welcomed another new way of learning.<a></a>“I really liked the approach the professors took, not trying to match exactly what we had with an in-person classroom but instead optimizing the new delivery with lecturing online,” she said. “They were really flexible with us students. I truly admire the leadership at FHSU and the faculty of my department. Their efforts ensured that the quality of our education remained unchanged, and I continue to be very inspired by that.”Ken Windholz, one of Aneth’s instructors in her psychology classes, wasn’t in the least bit surprised that she was successful despite challenges with the transition.“Aneth has such an eagerness to learn and help educate herself, and she has taken advantage of every opportunity that has come her way,” Windholz said. “She would always ask questions and probe deeper into the material. Even when we had hybrid classes over Zoom, she didn’t let that inhibit her learning at all.”As she prepares for the next step of life’s journey, Aneth talks about special events in her life that she will cherish forever. One of those is becoming a U.S. citizen in 2019. Another will be crossing the stage in FHSU’s Gross Memorial Coliseum to accept her diploma. She is certain that list will continue to grow when she begins helping students through the College Advising Corps.“Aneth wants to help people, and she has so much social and emotional intelligence,” Windholz said. “She is very sincere and genuine and just understands people so well. She is perfect for that job.”

FHSU first-generation grad delighted to pay it forward

Precision Valley Golf was the sponsor of the Great Christmas Giveaway. 

Over 450 participants entered to win a Cleveland Putter and Cleveland Wedge along with Srixion Z Star XV Golf Balls and a gift card for a two-hour party rental with simulators. 

The winner is Ruth Ann Zimmer, a teacher at Victoria High School who was pleasantly surprised to find out she was the winner of this early Christmas gift valued at over $500! 

Precision Valley Golf and Bike has indoor simulators with over 100 golf courses to virtually play on and other games too such as soccer and doge ball. They also have a wide arrange of entertainment for the whole family, with a space for parties, dart boards, pool table, out door put put, and a driving range. They also have a full service bar and ready to make customizable pizzas. They also have a full service bike shop and golf shop.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639751895759.jpeg" alt="Ruth Ann Zimmer" />
 <figcaption>Ruth Ann Zimmer</figcaption>
 </figure>Precision Valley Golf was the sponsor of the Great Christmas Giveaway. Over 450 participants entered to win a Cleveland Putter and Cleveland Wedge along with Srixion Z Star XV Golf Balls and a gift card for a two-hour party rental with simulators. The winner is Ruth Ann Zimmer, a teacher at Victoria High School who was pleasantly surprised to find out she was the winner of this early Christmas gift valued at over $500! Precision Valley Golf and Bike has indoor simulators with over 100 golf courses to virtually play on and other games too such as soccer and doge ball. They also have a wide arrange of entertainment for the whole family, with a space for parties, dart boards, pool table, out door put put, and a driving range. They also have a full service bar and ready to make customizable pizzas. They also have a full service bike shop and golf shop.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584121520737.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Winner of Great Christmas Giveaway announced

The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects.

The letting took place Nov. 17, 2021, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.

Decatur ‑&nbsp;123‑20 KA‑5569‑01 ‑ K‑123, from the Decatur/Sheridan county line north to the K‑383/K‑123 junction, pavement reconstruction, 3.5 miles, McCormick Excavation &amp; Paving LLC, Stratton, Colorado, $2,776,536.44.

Ellis ‑&nbsp;70‑26 KA‑6133‑01 ‑ I‑70, bridge #013 over Yocemento &nbsp;&nbsp; Road located 7.41 miles east of the K‑247/I‑70 junction, and bridges #015 and #016 over Big Creek Drainage located 8.25 miles east of the K‑247/I‑70 junction, bridge repair, PCI Roads, LLC, Saint Michael, Minnesota, $654,706.48.

Gove ‑&nbsp;23‑32 KA‑6324‑01 ‑ K‑23, from the south city limits of Gove to the Sheridan/Gove county line, milling and overlay, 14.6 miles, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Kansas, $2,902,649.60.

Gove ‑&nbsp;23S‑32 KA‑6325‑01 ‑ K‑23S, from the I‑70/K‑23S junction to the K‑23/K‑23S junction, milling and overlay, 0.3 mile, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Kansas, $89,777.01.

Gove ‑&nbsp;23A‑32 KA‑6326‑01 ‑ K‑23A, from the K‑23/K‑23A junction east 1.8 miles to the K‑23/K‑23A junction, milling and overlay, 1.8 miles, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Kansas, $455,162.22.

Sheridan ‑&nbsp;123‑90 KA‑5568‑01 ‑ K‑123, from the beginning of the route at the K-23/K-123/ N. Road 00 intersection north to the Sheridan/Decatur county line, pavement reconstruction, 2.0 miles, McCormick Excavation &amp; Paving LLC, Stratton, Colorado, $1,644,050.44.

KDOT The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects.The letting took place Nov. 17, 2021, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.District Three — NorthwestDecatur ‑&nbsp;123‑20 KA‑5569‑01 ‑ K‑123, from the Decatur/Sheridan county line north to the K‑383/K‑123 junction, pavement reconstruction, 3.5 miles, McCormick Excavation &amp; Paving LLC, Stratton, Colorado, $2,776,536.44.Ellis ‑&nbsp;70‑26 KA‑6133‑01 ‑ I‑70, bridge #013 over Yocemento &nbsp;&nbsp; Road located 7.41 miles east of the K‑247/I‑70 junction, and bridges #015 and #016 over Big Creek Drainage located 8.25 miles east of the K‑247/I‑70 junction, bridge repair, PCI Roads, LLC, Saint Michael, Minnesota, $654,706.48.Gove ‑&nbsp;23‑32 KA‑6324‑01 ‑ K‑23, from the south city limits of Gove to the Sheridan/Gove county line, milling and overlay, 14.6 miles, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Kansas, $2,902,649.60.Gove ‑&nbsp;23S‑32 KA‑6325‑01 ‑ K‑23S, from the I‑70/K‑23S junction to the K‑23/K‑23S junction, milling and overlay, 0.3 mile, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Kansas, $89,777.01.Gove ‑&nbsp;23A‑32 KA‑6326‑01 ‑ K‑23A, from the K‑23/K‑23A junction east 1.8 miles to the K‑23/K‑23A junction, milling and overlay, 1.8 miles, APAC-Kansas Inc. Shears Division, Hutchinson, Kansas, $455,162.22.Sheridan ‑&nbsp;123‑90 KA‑5568‑01 ‑ K‑123, from the beginning of the route at the K-23/K-123/ N. Road 00 intersection north to the Sheridan/Decatur county line, pavement reconstruction, 2.0 miles, McCormick Excavation &amp; Paving LLC, Stratton, Colorado, $1,644,050.44.

KDOT November bids include Ellis County bridges

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639609128026.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Aneth Morales-Canales questions how she will ever repay Fort Hays State University for what she calls an “experience of a lifetime.” On second thought, she knows the answer.She is excited for the opportunity to pay it forward.Aneth will graduate summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in Spanish at Friday’s FHSU fall commencement ceremonies. Then she will begin work for the College Advising Corps (CAC), which partners with Kansas State University to place advisors in different regions across the state.The CAC assists low-income, first-generation college and underrepresented high school students to learn about college preparation and career opportunities. Aneth will be stationed in Liberal, a town of 19,800 in the far southwest corner of Kansas whose population is nearly 70 percent Hispanic.“I’m so grateful to have found this organization, because I get to fill a need that students may have in Liberal,” said Aneth, a first-generation college graduate for her family. “I am looking forward to letting them know that they can make it happen if they wish to seek higher education or enter the workforce.”And Aneth should know.She moved from her native Mexico at age 9, knowing little, if anything, about the English language. Having been raised early on by her grandmother, Aneth and her brother joined their mom and their sister in Dodge City to embark on a new life.Determined to succeed in her new home, Aneth took advantage of the English As A Second Language program. She survived some challenges in elementary school and went on to graduate in the top 10 percent of her class at Dodge City High School in 2017 and was chosen as a keynote speaker at commencement. She decided to stay close to home to attend college and spend her first two years at Dodge City Community College, from where she also graduated with highest honors.Knowing that she wanted to pursue a bachelor’s degree, Aneth began researching four-year institutions early in her sophomore year at DCCC. Fort Hays State made the shortlist of her choices right away.Like so many students, Aneth said she was impressed with FHSU’s campus – and the warm welcome she received from Tiger Nation.“When I visited, I fell in love with everything about campus,” she said, “so it made it easy for me to transfer.”Once on campus, Aneth got involved with several student organizations and continued to blossom. She didn’t even let a worldwide pandemic derail her goals. When FHSU pivoted to remote operations because of Covid-19 in March 2020 and continued to hold classes online, Aneth welcomed another new way of learning.<a></a>“I really liked the approach the professors took, not trying to match exactly what we had with an in-person classroom but instead optimizing the new delivery with lecturing online,” she said. “They were really flexible with us students. I truly admire the leadership at FHSU and the faculty of my department. Their efforts ensured that the quality of our education remained unchanged, and I continue to be very inspired by that.”Ken Windholz, one of Aneth’s instructors in her psychology classes, wasn’t in the least bit surprised that she was successful despite challenges with the transition.“Aneth has such an eagerness to learn and help educate herself, and she has taken advantage of every opportunity that has come her way,” Windholz said. “She would always ask questions and probe deeper into the material. Even when we had hybrid classes over Zoom, she didn’t let that inhibit her learning at all.”As she prepares for the next step of life’s journey, Aneth talks about special events in her life that she will cherish forever. One of those is becoming a U.S. citizen in 2019. Another will be crossing the stage in FHSU’s Gross Memorial Coliseum to accept her diploma. She is certain that list will continue to grow when she begins helping students through the College Advising Corps.“Aneth wants to help people, and she has so much social and emotional intelligence,” Windholz said. “She is very sincere and genuine and just understands people so well. She is perfect for that job.”

The morning was the coldest morning yet this fall and everything was “crunchy” with a light coating of frost. I parked behind a big cedar along the field edge, donned the orange vest, shouldered my rifle and bag containing knives, binoculars and other necessities, pointed the flashlight toward the ground and set out for our raised blind about 200 yards away. Halfway there I walked up and over a grassy waterway where every blade of grass glistened in the flashlight beam like a thousand shimmering diamonds had been strewn about. Once in the blind, I settled into to one of the swivel chairs and awaited sunrise.&nbsp;

Our blind has three windows facing north, south and east, that slide open vertically. The north window faces a grassy draw that lies between open crop land and a woodlot to the right, and CRP &amp; an overgrown pasture to the left. A drainage creek runs just in front of the blind, making the spot a natural travel way between beddings areas in the woodlot and the overgrown pasture. As the sun slowly crept above the horizon, I opened the north window and scanned the dark landscape in front of me for moving deer.&nbsp;

Once the morning light was bright enough to take a shot if deer were spotted, I stood up, slid open the east-facing window and sat back in the chair. To my left on the edge of the draw and the CRP, two does with nearly grown fawns suddenly appeared as if from nowhere, as only deer can do. They must have seen me open the window, so they were nervous, and trotted along the edge of the draw, turning at about 100 yards, to cross and continue across the wheat field to my right and out of sight. Just minutes later, again as if from nowhere, a nice buck appeared at the same spot. With obvious love on his mind, moving quickly, he followed the exact path of the does. I will not shoot at a moving deer, but they can usually be stopped for a couple seconds by making a grunting sound like that of another deer. I like to be positioned to put my scope on them and be prepared to shoot as soon as they stop, but this guy out-maneuvered me and was soon gone too.&nbsp;

The next few minutes were brutal for me, as only deer hunters will understand. I beat myself with every feeling available. Thoughts like “That could have been the last deer you’ll see this season.” Or, “Why didn’t you at least try something?” Around and around they swirled in my mind, ceasing only when deer suddenly appeared from the right, across the wheatfield where they had all fled. “Could it be, are they actually coming back?” I wondered. First were the does and fawns, then one buck, and then a second buck joined them. We have corn scatted at the edge of the draw that usually stops deer for at least a nibble, but these deer were having none of that, and thought they weren’t running, they were moving quickly with a purpose. Again, only deer hunters will understand the next few seconds as my brain practically short-circuited trying to process the scenario. “No time to pick the best of the two bucks, so which one to choose.” Where do I try to stop him?” “What if they won’t stop and I blow another opportunity?” “Too many deer, will I be able to see him if he runs a little way after I shoot?”

Just then one of the bucks stepped into the draw and stopped perfectly broadside to me at just over a hundred yards, offering the perfect shot, which put him on the ground where he stood, putting-to-rest all the above concerns, and saving me from another brutal mental beating. To this day, I have no clue how big the other buck was, but it doesn’t matter. I firmly believe in God’s guidance in everyday situations, including bringing those deer back before me so soon, and stopping that marvelous creature in front of me to harvest. God knew our freezer needed restocked and once again, He provided…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>The morning was the coldest morning yet this fall and everything was “crunchy” with a light coating of frost. I parked behind a big cedar along the field edge, donned the orange vest, shouldered my rifle and bag containing knives, binoculars and other necessities, pointed the flashlight toward the ground and set out for our raised blind about 200 yards away. Halfway there I walked up and over a grassy waterway where every blade of grass glistened in the flashlight beam like a thousand shimmering diamonds had been strewn about. Once in the blind, I settled into to one of the swivel chairs and awaited sunrise.&nbsp;Our blind has three windows facing north, south and east, that slide open vertically. The north window faces a grassy draw that lies between open crop land and a woodlot to the right, and CRP &amp; an overgrown pasture to the left. A drainage creek runs just in front of the blind, making the spot a natural travel way between beddings areas in the woodlot and the overgrown pasture. As the sun slowly crept above the horizon, I opened the north window and scanned the dark landscape in front of me for moving deer.&nbsp;Once the morning light was bright enough to take a shot if deer were spotted, I stood up, slid open the east-facing window and sat back in the chair. To my left on the edge of the draw and the CRP, two does with nearly grown fawns suddenly appeared as if from nowhere, as only deer can do. They must have seen me open the window, so they were nervous, and trotted along the edge of the draw, turning at about 100 yards, to cross and continue across the wheat field to my right and out of sight. Just minutes later, again as if from nowhere, a nice buck appeared at the same spot. With obvious love on his mind, moving quickly, he followed the exact path of the does. I will not shoot at a moving deer, but they can usually be stopped for a couple seconds by making a grunting sound like that of another deer. I like to be positioned to put my scope on them and be prepared to shoot as soon as they stop, but this guy out-maneuvered me and was soon gone too.&nbsp;The next few minutes were brutal for me, as only deer hunters will understand. I beat myself with every feeling available. Thoughts like “That could have been the last deer you’ll see this season.” Or, “Why didn’t you at least try something?” Around and around they swirled in my mind, ceasing only when deer suddenly appeared from the right, across the wheatfield where they had all fled. “Could it be, are they actually coming back?” I wondered. First were the does and fawns, then one buck, and then a second buck joined them. We have corn scatted at the edge of the draw that usually stops deer for at least a nibble, but these deer were having none of that, and thought they weren’t running, they were moving quickly with a purpose. Again, only deer hunters will understand the next few seconds as my brain practically short-circuited trying to process the scenario. “No time to pick the best of the two bucks, so which one to choose.” Where do I try to stop him?” “What if they won’t stop and I blow another opportunity?” “Too many deer, will I be able to see him if he runs a little way after I shoot?”Just then one of the bucks stepped into the draw and stopped perfectly broadside to me at just over a hundred yards, offering the perfect shot, which put him on the ground where he stood, putting-to-rest all the above concerns, and saving me from another brutal mental beating. To this day, I have no clue how big the other buck was, but it doesn’t matter. I firmly believe in God’s guidance in everyday situations, including bringing those deer back before me so soon, and stopping that marvelous creature in front of me to harvest. God knew our freezer needed restocked and once again, He provided…Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: God, the perfect hunting guide

At Western Cooperative Electric, we know our members expect the lights to come on every time they turn on the switch. However, severe wind in our area has caused the power to go out across a large section of our service area, resulting in an extended outage. Our goal is to safely restore electrical service to every home and business as quickly as possible. However, we know that some members may experience an extended delay in service. 

We ask for your patience as we do our best to respond to the effects of this storm. The weather conditions caused significant outages. As of Wednesday night, power outages affected about 7,600 meters. The power outage area included most of Western Co-op's service territory.

When an outage occurs, power is first restored to substations and major lines and to critical infrastructure in our areas, such as hospitals, police departments, and other emergency responders.

Crews were out working as of Wednesday night on the situation. There were more than 100 downed power poles. Regarding our substations, many of the lines that feed our substations were also affected.

Our service area has over 4,000 miles of lines. Please be aware that sometimes during complicated repairs, you may have your lights come back on, only to have them go off again because we discover another problem that must be fixed.

We understand that it is very frustrating when a neighbor has lights, and you don't, or that people across the street have lights and you don't. Often this may be because your home is on another circuit, or perhaps that your meter is damaged in a way that your neighbor's meter is not damaged.

For your safety, please stay away from any downed power lines.

For the safety of everyone, if you are using a portable electrical generator, do not tie it into your circuit panel. An improperly wired generator can energize downed lines causing severe injury or death to you, a family member, a neighbor, or one of our repair crews. A generator can only be tied into a circuit panel if a licensed electrician has installed a transfer switch.

We have requested assistance from other power companies who participate in our mutual aid program. Ultimately we are not satisfied until every meter is reconnected and the lights are on for everyone.

We would like to thank all of our employees who are working long hours as part of the restoration and response effort.

Although we post service updates to social media, we do not monitor social media for reports of outages. All emergencies must be reported by phone. To report an outage or a downed power line, you can call 1-800-456-6720. To view a real-time outage map or receive updates visit our website at <a href="http://www.westerncoop.com">www.westerncoop.com</a>.

Western Cooperative Electric Association is a member-owned cooperative headquartered in WaKeeney.

Established in 1945, Western now serves more than 12,000 meters and maintains over 4,000 miles of power lines across western and central Kansas.

Submitted At Western Cooperative Electric, we know our members expect the lights to come on every time they turn on the switch. However, severe wind in our area has caused the power to go out across a large section of our service area, resulting in an extended outage. Our goal is to safely restore electrical service to every home and business as quickly as possible. However, we know that some members may experience an extended delay in service. We ask for your patience as we do our best to respond to the effects of this storm. The weather conditions caused significant outages. As of Wednesday night, power outages affected about 7,600 meters. The power outage area included most of Western Co-op's service territory.When an outage occurs, power is first restored to substations and major lines and to critical infrastructure in our areas, such as hospitals, police departments, and other emergency responders.Crews were out working as of Wednesday night on the situation. There were more than 100 downed power poles. Regarding our substations, many of the lines that feed our substations were also affected.Our service area has over 4,000 miles of lines. Please be aware that sometimes during complicated repairs, you may have your lights come back on, only to have them go off again because we discover another problem that must be fixed.We understand that it is very frustrating when a neighbor has lights, and you don't, or that people across the street have lights and you don't. Often this may be because your home is on another circuit, or perhaps that your meter is damaged in a way that your neighbor's meter is not damaged.For your safety, please stay away from any downed power lines.For the safety of everyone, if you are using a portable electrical generator, do not tie it into your circuit panel. An improperly wired generator can energize downed lines causing severe injury or death to you, a family member, a neighbor, or one of our repair crews. A generator can only be tied into a circuit panel if a licensed electrician has installed a transfer switch.We have requested assistance from other power companies who participate in our mutual aid program. Ultimately we are not satisfied until every meter is reconnected and the lights are on for everyone.We would like to thank all of our employees who are working long hours as part of the restoration and response effort.Although we post service updates to social media, we do not monitor social media for reports of outages. All emergencies must be reported by phone. To report an outage or a downed power line, you can call 1-800-456-6720. To view a real-time outage map or receive updates visit our website at <a href="http://www.westerncoop.com">www.westerncoop.com</a>.Western Cooperative Electric Association is a member-owned cooperative headquartered in WaKeeney.Established in 1945, Western now serves more than 12,000 meters and maintains over 4,000 miles of power lines across western and central Kansas.

Western Cooperative Electric also experienced widespread power outages

The lights and decorations are up and Saturday the Frost Fest parade is set to bring Christmas cheer and more to area residents during the annual tradition in downtown Hays.

This year's parade theme is Starry Christmas Night.

"So it should be very, very lit up this year," said Allie Glidewell, Downtown Hays Development Corp. director of events and operations. "Very beautiful, very fun."

And while the lights from the parade will create a bright holiday scene, the downtown itself features its own illumination, adding to the festive display.

"Last year, our organization tripled the amount of lights on that tree in Union Pacific park next to the pavilion," Glidewell said. "So it's going to be huge and beautiful."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576530096154.jpeg" alt="Frost Fest Parade Hays 2019" />
 <figcaption>Frost Fest Parade Hays 2019</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThe lights and decorations are up and Saturday the Frost Fest parade is set to bring Christmas cheer and more to area residents during the annual tradition in downtown Hays.This year's parade theme is Starry Christmas Night."So it should be very, very lit up this year," said Allie Glidewell, Downtown Hays Development Corp. director of events and operations. "Very beautiful, very fun."And while the lights from the parade will create a bright holiday scene, the downtown itself features its own illumination, adding to the festive display."Last year, our organization tripled the amount of lights on that tree in Union Pacific park next to the pavilion," Glidewell said. "So it's going to be huge and beautiful."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576530459186.jpeg" alt="Frost Fest Parade Hays 2019" />
 <figcaption>Frost Fest Parade Hays 2019</figcaption>
 </figure>And after a year without the beloved celebration, this year will be an exciting event said DHDC executive director Sara Bloom."We're very excited to be back in person and to bring the Frost Fest parade back," she said.Along with the parade, events are planned throughout the day, including programming offered by the Hays Public Library."We're very excited," said Hays Public Library communications coordinator Callie Kolacny. "We always enjoy Frost Fest. It's a great time for downtown Hays. It's a lot of fun but lots of activities at the library that basically go from when we open at 9 a.m. until after the parade is over. We will be open. We will have activities."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576530142209.jpeg" alt="Frost Fest Parade Hays 2019" />
 <figcaption>Frost Fest Parade Hays 2019</figcaption>
 </figure>From 9 to 11 a.m. the library will offer a come-and-go breakfast with Santa to start off the day's festivities."This year, we're doing the come-and-go," Kolacny said. "With your food items, you can sit there and have your breakfast, but there's no tickets necessary. You don't have to do any pre-registration or anything, just come in anytime between nine and 11. And get your breakfast and enjoy your time there."At 10 a.m. Santa will also read a story with the children."And of course, you can get pictures with Santa, and it'll be a lot of fun. So that'll be our, our opening for Saturday for the Frost Fest," Callie said.From 1 to 4 p.m. the library will offer crafts and pictures with Chilly the Penguin.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576530080970.jpeg" alt="Frost Fest Parade Hays 2019" />
 <figcaption>Frost Fest Parade Hays 2019</figcaption>
 </figure>At the same time Frost Fest Flicks on the Bricks will have a showing of "The Grinch" at the Fox Theatre.After the showing, participants will have the chance to take pictures with the Grinch and&nbsp;Cindy Lou Who.At 5 p.m., also at the Fox Theatre, the Downtown Dollar Giveaway is planned, where shoppers that have collected tickets from downtown businesses up to the event can be entered to win."Depending on the store, you get a ticket," Glidewell said. "This ticket enters you to win in the downtown dollar giveaway, which is taking place on Dec. 18, where you could win $1,000 or $2,000 in downtown dollars.""And other great prizes at participating businesses," Bloom said."That started that first weekend in November (and goes) all the way through Dec. 18. So you have so much time to gather bunches of chances to win," Glidewell said.After closing at 5 p.m., the library is set to reopen at 5:30 p.m."(We will) have hot cocoa in the lobby area so that people can come in, get your hot cocoa and get ready for the parade, which will be at six o'clock," Kolacny said. "This year, we are staying open for the parade," she said. "We've got all those beautiful windows now. And so especially if you want to go up to the second floor and watch from above, then you can go up and watch the parade from inside, especially if it's really chilly."Following the parade, another movie showing is planned at The Fox.At 7:30 p.m., "The Polar Express" will be screened, and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available.For more information, visit the<a href="https://www.downtownhays.com/frostfest"> DHDC </a>or <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/">library websites.</a>