In his 17 years of teaching at Fort Hays State University, Terry Crull has taken choral groups all around the country – and beyond – to perform.

Each one is special, but Crull, director of choral activities, admits the trip his students are taking to Hawaii this week is one for the ages.

The FHSU Singers, a 26-member premier ensemble, will sing the Star-Spangled Banner at the 80th anniversary of the Japanese bombing of U.S. naval forces at Pearl Harbor. An entourage of nearly 100 people will be on hand to watch the singers perform at 8:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. Central time) at the Aviation Museum near the USS Arizona Memorial.

The FHSU group will sing several patriotic and gospel songs popular in the 1940s.&nbsp;

Music Celebrations International, a tour company that has booked several trips for FHSU in the past, contacted Crull and asked Fort Hays State to represent Kansas at the event.

A Hays floral shop, Flowers by Frances, designed and donated a Sunflower Memorial Wreath for a fundraiser for the trip.

Donors — no matter how large or how small the donation — could request a service member’s name from any branch of U.S. military service, living or deceased, to be written on one of the wreath’s petals. Crull said that more than 400 names adorn the wreath, which will hang on permanent display in the&nbsp;Kansas section of the Visitor’s Center at Pearl Harbor.

Crull scheduled three other performances for his students on the trip. They sang at a church worship service Sunday and were to perform at an outdoor concert in Honolulu Monday night and near the USS Bowfin, a submarine that fought in the Pacific war during World War II, on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638829772043.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsIn his 17 years of teaching at Fort Hays State University, Terry Crull has taken choral groups all around the country – and beyond – to perform.Each one is special, but Crull, director of choral activities, admits the trip his students are taking to Hawaii this week is one for the ages.The FHSU Singers, a 26-member premier ensemble, will sing the Star-Spangled Banner at the 80th anniversary of the Japanese bombing of U.S. naval forces at Pearl Harbor. An entourage of nearly 100 people will be on hand to watch the singers perform at 8:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. Central time) at the Aviation Museum near the USS Arizona Memorial.<div><iframe title="FHSU choirs helping commemorate Pearl Harbor attacks" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=c5c8m-114c4ef-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>The FHSU group will sing several patriotic and gospel songs popular in the 1940s.&nbsp;Music Celebrations International, a tour company that has booked several trips for FHSU in the past, contacted Crull and asked Fort Hays State to represent Kansas at the event.A Hays floral shop, Flowers by Frances, designed and donated a Sunflower Memorial Wreath for a fundraiser for the trip.Donors — no matter how large or how small the donation — could request a service member’s name from any branch of U.S. military service, living or deceased, to be written on one of the wreath’s petals. Crull said that more than 400 names adorn the wreath, which will hang on permanent display in the&nbsp;Kansas section of the Visitor’s Center at Pearl Harbor.Crull scheduled three other performances for his students on the trip. They sang at a church worship service Sunday and were to perform at an outdoor concert in Honolulu Monday night and near the USS Bowfin, a submarine that fought in the Pacific war during World War II, on Wednesday.

🎙Fort Hays State choral group to perform at Pearl Harbor anniversary

U.S. crude prices posted their sixth consecutive loss on Friday, with the near-month contract for light sweet crude on the Nymex settling at $66.26 per barrel. That's down nearly two dollars from a week earlier and more than $17 lower than the settlement price on October 25, the last time weekly prices rose. Crude traders took an optimistic turn on Monday, with prices rising more than two percent in New York and London. The benchmark Nymex contract gained $1.61 to $67.87 per barrel in mid-morning trading Monday. London Brent was up $1.69 to $71.57. The OPEC-Plus group of crude-oil exporters opted to continue with their gradual output increases next month, and the Saudis have raised prices again. CEO Amin Nasser of Saudi Aramco said last week the market has overreacted to the new Omicron variant of the COVID virus. According to a Bloomberg report, Nasser said he was "very optimistic about demand." Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped a quarter per barrel on Friday (12/3), and will start the week at &nbsp;$56.50 per barrel. That's down two dollars a barrel from a week ago. Kansas Common started the month of December nearly twenty dollars lower than the month before. The average price for the month was just over $68.34 per barrel, about $37 a barrel higher than a year ago. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports drilling activity in Kansas is up more than 87% compared to last year at this time based on the number of new wells spudded. For the first 48 weeks of the year, there are 983 new wells, compared to just 524 during the same week in 2020. The number of active operators in the state is up more than 40% at 233. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 15 active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, which is up one for the week, and 27 west of Wichita, which is unchanged. Drilling is underway at one well in Barton County and one in Ellis County. Operators were about to spud new wells on one lease in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes shows 569 active drilling rigs, which is unchanged from last week in the aggregate. But the state count in New Mexico was up five while Texas and Louisiana were each down two.&nbsp; Kansas regulators last week approved 25 new drilling permits, 16 in eastern Kansas and nine west of Wichita, including two in Barton County. There are 1084 new drilling locations on the books so far this year in Kansas. Operators in Kansas completed 25 new wells last week, 865 so far this year. There were 15 new well-completions in eastern Kansas and ten in the western half of the state, including one in Stafford County. State regulators reports new intent-to-drill notices are down for the month but well above the total a year ago.&nbsp; The Kansas Corporation Commission says 133 new intents were filed in November, compared to 159 in October, and just 41 in November of 2021 bringing the total so far this year to 1,160. That's more than double the total of 509 filed through November of 2020. There are 10 new intents on file in Barton County, three in Ellis County, one in Russell County and two in Stafford County. Oil-by-rail traffic in the U.S. declined for the 12th consecutive week. The Association of American Railroads reports 8,934 carloads of petroleum and petroleum products rolling the rails during the week through November 27th. That's down nearly 15-hundred tankers from the week before, and a 1.5% decrease year-over year. Canadian totals increased by about 500 carloads from the week before, but are down more than three percent year-over year Total domestic rail traffic was down nearly five percent for the week. The trade group says total monthly freight traffic in November increased in 15 of the 20 categories they track. Senior Vice-President John Gray says coal is leading the way, with year-to-date carload totals up more than eleven percent. That's nearly 306,000 carloads more than last year at this time. Gray says the main driver for coal is natural gas prices, which have doubled in the last year.&nbsp; Critics are blasting regulators of the oil-and-gas industry in Texas for new rules aimed at preventing a repeat of last February's deadly freeze. The Railroad Commission of Texas adopted the new rules last week, but they won't be implemented in time for this winter, and the state is still at risk of blackouts. The February storm led to one of the biggest power outages in U.S. history, knocking out electricity to more than 4 million customers and leading to hundreds of deaths. Some homes were left without heat and water for days. CORRECTED, 12:40 p.m. Dec. 7:&nbsp;Our reporting was incorrect. A recent natural-gas rate increase approved by regulators in Oklahoma was not in fact related to the cold snap in February. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is considering a cost-recovery case related to the winter weather events of last February which is still pending. But that case is not about rates, and is unrelated to the rate increase referenced in the report. We regret the error.

CorrectedBy JOHN P. TRETBARU.S. crude prices posted their sixth consecutive loss on Friday, with the near-month contract for light sweet crude on the Nymex settling at $66.26 per barrel. That's down nearly two dollars from a week earlier and more than $17 lower than the settlement price on October 25, the last time weekly prices rose. Crude traders took an optimistic turn on Monday, with prices rising more than two percent in New York and London. The benchmark Nymex contract gained $1.61 to $67.87 per barrel in mid-morning trading Monday. London Brent was up $1.69 to $71.57. The OPEC-Plus group of crude-oil exporters opted to continue with their gradual output increases next month, and the Saudis have raised prices again. CEO Amin Nasser of Saudi Aramco said last week the market has overreacted to the new Omicron variant of the COVID virus. According to a Bloomberg report, Nasser said he was "very optimistic about demand." Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped a quarter per barrel on Friday (12/3), and will start the week at &nbsp;$56.50 per barrel. That's down two dollars a barrel from a week ago. Kansas Common started the month of December nearly twenty dollars lower than the month before. The average price for the month was just over $68.34 per barrel, about $37 a barrel higher than a year ago. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports drilling activity in Kansas is up more than 87% compared to last year at this time based on the number of new wells spudded. For the first 48 weeks of the year, there are 983 new wells, compared to just 524 during the same week in 2020. The number of active operators in the state is up more than 40% at 233. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 15 active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, which is up one for the week, and 27 west of Wichita, which is unchanged. Drilling is underway at one well in Barton County and one in Ellis County. Operators were about to spud new wells on one lease in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. The weekly Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes shows 569 active drilling rigs, which is unchanged from last week in the aggregate. But the state count in New Mexico was up five while Texas and Louisiana were each down two.&nbsp; Kansas regulators last week approved 25 new drilling permits, 16 in eastern Kansas and nine west of Wichita, including two in Barton County. There are 1084 new drilling locations on the books so far this year in Kansas. Operators in Kansas completed 25 new wells last week, 865 so far this year. There were 15 new well-completions in eastern Kansas and ten in the western half of the state, including one in Stafford County. State regulators reports new intent-to-drill notices are down for the month but well above the total a year ago.&nbsp; The Kansas Corporation Commission says 133 new intents were filed in November, compared to 159 in October, and just 41 in November of 2021 bringing the total so far this year to 1,160. That's more than double the total of 509 filed through November of 2020. There are 10 new intents on file in Barton County, three in Ellis County, one in Russell County and two in Stafford County. Oil-by-rail traffic in the U.S. declined for the 12th consecutive week. The Association of American Railroads reports 8,934 carloads of petroleum and petroleum products rolling the rails during the week through November 27th. That's down nearly 15-hundred tankers from the week before, and a 1.5% decrease year-over year. Canadian totals increased by about 500 carloads from the week before, but are down more than three percent year-over year Total domestic rail traffic was down nearly five percent for the week. The trade group says total monthly freight traffic in November increased in 15 of the 20 categories they track. Senior Vice-President John Gray says coal is leading the way, with year-to-date carload totals up more than eleven percent. That's nearly 306,000 carloads more than last year at this time. Gray says the main driver for coal is natural gas prices, which have doubled in the last year.&nbsp; Critics are blasting regulators of the oil-and-gas industry in Texas for new rules aimed at preventing a repeat of last February's deadly freeze. The Railroad Commission of Texas adopted the new rules last week, but they won't be implemented in time for this winter, and the state is still at risk of blackouts. The February storm led to one of the biggest power outages in U.S. history, knocking out electricity to more than 4 million customers and leading to hundreds of deaths. Some homes were left without heat and water for days. CORRECTED, 12:40 p.m. Dec. 7:&nbsp;Our reporting was incorrect. A recent natural-gas rate increase approved by regulators in Oklahoma was not in fact related to the cold snap in February. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is considering a cost-recovery case related to the winter weather events of last February which is still pending. But that case is not about rates, and is unrelated to the rate increase referenced in the report. We regret the error.

News From the Oil Patch: OPEC+ continues output increases

COLBY — The Colby/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce shares that Tami Clymer, who has served as the president/CEO since 2016, has announced her resignation due to her husband’s illness. She plans to remain as active as she can during the transition, aiding the chamber board of directors with their search until they are able to find a permanent replacement.

During Clymer’s tenure, the chamber has seen growth with member enrollment, participation, and benefits, including the launch of a chamber-offered insurance program. Clymer has been an active part of many community conversations and endeavors, as well as with the chamber industry at a state and regional level.&nbsp;

“Under Tami Clymer’s leadership, the chamber has become a stronger entity impacting the local economy and the lives of so many,” said Board Chair Kaylin Wiens. “While we are sad she will be leaving this role, we understand it is in her best interest. We wish only the best to her and her family.”

In addition to Tami’s resignation, Wiens also noted a change with the interim leadership.&nbsp;

“In August, we hired Tammy Wellbrock to serve as interim president/CEO to help with office coverage during Tami Clymer’s absence for the remainder of the year. Tammy Wellbrock may continue to assist us on individual projects, but she will no longer serve in the interim capacity after December.

“The chamber board is appreciative of the leadership provided by both professionals, and they are leaving a strong organization founded on a successful past. Now our focus is to hire a new individual who can continue leading our chamber forward.”

The chamber board is accepting applications for the president/CEO until the position is filled. For a complete job description, contact Wiens at kpwiens@abtbank.com. Resumes, along with three references, can be sent to: 
Kaylin Wiens 
Chamber Board President 
650 N. Grant Ave. 
Colby, KS 67701

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638800777972.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseCOLBY — The Colby/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce shares that Tami Clymer, who has served as the president/CEO since 2016, has announced her resignation due to her husband’s illness. She plans to remain as active as she can during the transition, aiding the chamber board of directors with their search until they are able to find a permanent replacement.During Clymer’s tenure, the chamber has seen growth with member enrollment, participation, and benefits, including the launch of a chamber-offered insurance program. Clymer has been an active part of many community conversations and endeavors, as well as with the chamber industry at a state and regional level.&nbsp;“Under Tami Clymer’s leadership, the chamber has become a stronger entity impacting the local economy and the lives of so many,” said Board Chair Kaylin Wiens. “While we are sad she will be leaving this role, we understand it is in her best interest. We wish only the best to her and her family.”In addition to Tami’s resignation, Wiens also noted a change with the interim leadership.&nbsp;“In August, we hired Tammy Wellbrock to serve as interim president/CEO to help with office coverage during Tami Clymer’s absence for the remainder of the year. Tammy Wellbrock may continue to assist us on individual projects, but she will no longer serve in the interim capacity after December.“The chamber board is appreciative of the leadership provided by both professionals, and they are leaving a strong organization founded on a successful past. Now our focus is to hire a new individual who can continue leading our chamber forward.”The chamber board is accepting applications for the president/CEO until the position is filled. For a complete job description, contact Wiens at kpwiens@abtbank.com. Resumes, along with three references, can be sent to: 
Kaylin Wiens 
Chamber Board President 
650 N. Grant Ave. 
Colby, KS 67701

Colby/Thomas CO. chamber to begin president/CEO search

Optimist Club sponsors Wednesday blood drive at Sternberg Museum

United States Department of Agriculture Acting State Director for Rural Development Kansas Dan Fischer this week announced that the USDA is investing $833,664&nbsp;to improve the energy infrastructure&nbsp;in&nbsp;26&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;towns and counties.

Grants were awarded for projects in Tribune, Oakley and Hill City.

The specifics on these Kansas projects include:

USDAUnited States Department of Agriculture Acting State Director for Rural Development Kansas Dan Fischer this week announced that the USDA is investing $833,664&nbsp;to improve the energy infrastructure&nbsp;in&nbsp;26&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;towns and counties.Grants were awarded for projects in Tribune, Oakley and Hill City.The specifics on these Kansas projects include:<ul>
 <li>$177,464 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels at fueling stations owned by the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, Inc., of&nbsp;Horton. This project will increase the amount of ethanol sold by 109,923 gallons per year.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$15,000 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels for a Hoard Oil fueling station in&nbsp;Courtland. This project will increase the amount of ethanol sold by 14,301 gallons per year.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$84,002 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to create infrastructure to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels at Skyland Grain, LLC, fueling stations in&nbsp;Preston,&nbsp;Cunningham, and&nbsp;Moscow. This project will increase the amount of ethanol sold by 668,205 gallons per year.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$4,990 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to install an 8 kW rooftop solar array on the main building of Red Rock Guest Ranch, an existing bed &amp; breakfast facility in&nbsp;Soldier. This project will realize $1,792.17 per year in savings and will replace 15,584 kWh, equating to 44 percent of annual energy use and enough energy to power one house.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$30,525 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install an air compressor, HVAC and LED lighting for Hix Corporation of&nbsp;Pittsburg. The project is estimated to save 134,702 kWh per year, equating to 24.67 percent of annual usage. This is enough energy to power 12 homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$29,077 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a&nbsp;ventilation and heating system and energy efficient lighting for Niece Products of&nbsp;Fort Scott. The project is estimated to save 118,883,847.9 BTUs per year. This equates to 12.61 percent of their annual energy usage, enough to power 4.5 homes for a year.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$32,287 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install solar equipment for The Wrays, LLC, a trucking dealership in&nbsp;Sawyer. The project is estimated to replace 65,580 kWh per year, equating to 149.88 percent of their annual energy usage, enough energy to power six homes.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$10,247 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of an 18 kW rooftop mounted solar array.&nbsp; The project is estimated to replace 24,185 kWh per year. This equates to 92.15 percent of its energy usage and is enough energy to power two homes. Arrowhead Animal Clinic P.A., of&nbsp;Wellington, currently has nine employees.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$45,234 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to make energy efficiency improvements with the purchase and installation of refrigeration equipment, walk-in freezer and LED lighting retrofit in existing freezer cases. Clasen, LLC, operates an existing grocery store in&nbsp;Anthony. This project will realize $12,564 per year in electricity savings and will replace 132,730 kWh, 79.93 percent of annual use, which is enough electricity to power twelve homes.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$5,044 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install solar equipment for Duane Seiler, an agricultural producer in&nbsp;Colwich. The project is estimated to replace 9,660 kWh per year, equating to 100 percent of his annual energy usage.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$6,200 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 15 kW rooftop solar array for Steven Walker, a beef cattle rancher and farmer in&nbsp;Moline. The project is estimated to replace 18,117 kWh per year, equating to 128.36 percent of his annual energy usage and is enough energy to power one home.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$24,800 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install solar equipment at Harvest Ag Fabricating, LLC, of&nbsp;Moundridge. The project will replace 73,926 kWh per year, equating to 98.06 percent of their annual energy usage and is enough energy to power six homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$45,979 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install solar equipment for K.C. Pumpkin Patch, LLC, a winery in&nbsp;Olathe. The project is estimated to replace 84,662 kWh per year, equating to 88.78 percent of their annual energy usage and is enough energy to power seven homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$20,000 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 15 kW Bergey wind turbine at 3M Farms, LLC, of&nbsp;Tribune. The system is estimated to produce 51,808 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough electricity to power four homes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$42,286 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install energy efficient freezers for Bob's Super Saver, Inc., a chain of grocery stores inEmporia. The project is estimated to save 260,587 kWh per year, equating to 8.07 percent of their annual energy usage. This is enough energy to power 24 homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$27,800 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install solar equipment for Bold, LLC, a freight company in&nbsp;Hutchinson. The project is estimated to replace 73,513 kWh per year, equating to 99.55 percent of their annual energy usage and is enough energy to power six homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$8,074 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install energy efficient lighting and HVAC at Seirer's Clothing, a retail clothing store in&nbsp;Lincoln Center. The project is estimated to save 9,869 kWh per year, equating to 49.84 percent of their annual energy usage and is enough energy to power almost one home.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$10,939 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Iron Clad, LLC, a shared workspace and event rental space in&nbsp;Wamego, to purchase and install a 23.2 kW rooftop mounted solar array. The project is estimated to replace 30,984 kWh per year. This equates to 86.94 percent of its energy usage and is enough energy to power two homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$36,218 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to make energy efficiency improvements with the purchase and installation of refrigeration equipment and LED lighting in existing freezers at Jamboree Foods of Atwood, Inc., a grocery store in&nbsp;Oakley.&nbsp;This project will realize $10,142 per year in savings and will replace 113,696 kWh of energy, equating to 69.56 percent of annual energy use. Enough electricity to power ten homes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$19,962 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Jamboree Foods of Norton, Inc. to make energy efficiency improvements with the purchase and installation of refrigeration equipment for an existing grocery store in&nbsp;Hill City. This project will realize $11,658 per year in savings and will replace 79,515 kWh, or 72.6 percent annual usage, which is enough electricity to power seven homes.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$17,943 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Janece Vathauer, the owner of a grain farming operation in&nbsp;Barnes, to purchase an electric conveyor belt that will replace a diesel auger. The project is estimated to save 6,088 kWh per year. This equates to 87.74 percent electrical savings.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$9,903 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install a 9 kW rooftop solar array for Jones Gillam Renz Architects, Inc., an architectural services firm in&nbsp;Salina. The project is estimated to replace 13,446 kWh per year, equating to 87.36 percent of their annual energy usage, enough electricity to power nearly two homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$14,875 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Kelman Enterprises Inc., an ag producer in&nbsp;Sublette, purchase and install a 15 kW Bergey Wind Turbine. This project will save $3,318 per year and will replace 60,328 kWh, or 85 percent of annual consumption, which is enough electricity to power five homes.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$20,000 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used for the purchase and installation of a 15 kW Bergey wind turbine. Mark Cavenee is an ag producer in&nbsp;Tribune. This project will realize $5,296 per year in electricity savings and will replace 54,255 kWh, 97.65 percent of annual usage, which is enough electricity to power five homes.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$36,889 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to make energy efficiency irrigation improvements for Mull Investments, LP, in&nbsp;Edwards and Kiowa Counties. This project will realize $4,702 per year in electricity savings and will replace 768,257 kWh, 75.9 percent of annual usage.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$6,831 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase and install HVAC, deli case and other energy efficiency items at Mity Mart, a convenience store in&nbsp;Lincoln Center. The project is estimated to save 7,513 kWh per year, equating to 26.49 percent of their annual energy usage and is enough energy to power almost one home.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$16,220 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Sandhills Development, LLC, a software company in&nbsp;Hutchinson, to purchase and install a 36 kW rooftop mounted solar array. The project is estimated to replace 46,959 kWh per year. This equates to 80.44 percent of its energy usage and is enough energy to power four homes.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>$14,875 grant&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This Rural Development investment will be used to assist Thomas L. Lahey, an ag producer in&nbsp;Moscow, to purchase and install a 15 kW Bergey wind turbine. This project will realize $5,224 per year in savings and will replace 59,328 kWh, 100 percent of annual usage, which is enough electricity to power five homes.</li>
 </ul>

NW Kan. communities receive grants for infrastructure improvements

Three-day weather outlook

On this special episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman remembers Bob Dole with an interview recorded during his trip to Russell in 2014.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmbMifH7PdA&amp;t=31s">The original interview can be seen by clicking here.</a>

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Bob Dole Tribute" allowtransparency="true" height="600" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=dpzqn-114c46d-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=600" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this special episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman remembers Bob Dole with an interview recorded during his trip to Russell in 2014.Dole died Sunday at age 98.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmbMifH7PdA&amp;t=31s">The original interview can be seen by clicking here.</a>

🎤Forward Ever: Bob Dole Tribute

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Monday reported 31 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Friday.

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

KDHE also reported an additional coronavirus-related death of an Ellis County resident, bringing the total to 76.

As of Monday morning, HaysMed reported 25 COVID-19 inpatients, up from 15 Friday.

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

The KDHE reported Friday 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents are fully vaccinated, noting the vaccination rate for the eligible Kansas population (12 and older) is approximately 65 percent.

Since reporting began, there have been 4,959 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 76 coronavirus-related deaths.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638813910269.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Monday reported 31 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Friday.<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.KDHE also reported an additional coronavirus-related death of an Ellis County resident, bringing the total to 76.As of Monday morning, HaysMed reported 25 COVID-19 inpatients, up from 15 Friday.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3fbf9a1d-9473-48af-add6-ac3dfce7c3b6">RELATED: HaysMed releases November COVID stats</a>The KDHE reported Friday 54 percent of eligible Ellis County residents are fully vaccinated, noting the vaccination rate for the eligible Kansas population (12 and older) is approximately 65 percent.Since reporting began, there have been 4,959 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 76 coronavirus-related deaths.

KDHE: 31 new COVID cases, additional death in Ellis Co. since Friday

HaysMed on Monday released COVID-19 statistics for the month of November.

The numbers reflect all COVID-19 admissions, not just those patients residing in Ellis County.

There were 67 total COVID inpatient admissions, with an average age of 60. Just less than two-thirds of the admissions were male patients. Fourteen of the admissions were Ellis County residents.

There were four COVID-related deaths in the month of November.

Fifty-six of the 67 patients admitted were unvaccinated, while two were partially vaccinated.&nbsp;

As of Monday morning, there were 25 COVID inpatients at HaysMed.

HaysMed on Monday released COVID-19 statistics for the month of November.The numbers reflect all COVID-19 admissions, not just those patients residing in Ellis County.There were 67 total COVID inpatient admissions, with an average age of 60. Just less than two-thirds of the admissions were male patients. Fourteen of the admissions were Ellis County residents.There were four COVID-related deaths in the month of November.Fifty-six of the 67 patients admitted were unvaccinated, while two were partially vaccinated.&nbsp;As of Monday morning, there were 25 COVID inpatients at HaysMed.

HaysMed releases November COVID statistics

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger.

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Kan. Sen. Rick Billinger" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=jcz9k-114b8a1-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger.

🎤Forward Ever: Kansas Senator Rick Billinger

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger shares details about a recently awarded leadership grant.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

A recent
grant to the Hays Chamber will help strengthen leadership in the area president
and CEO Sarah Wasinger stops by to talk to us about that and more on this
episode of the Post Podcast.

I don't
know if you've heard but the chamber was awarded a leadership transformation
grant from the Kansas Leadership Center. 

Oh, very
cool. No, I hadn't heard about this. I don't know anything about this. What is
it again.

So it's
a leadership Transformation Grant, the Kansas Leadership Center is based out of
Wichita, Kansas. And part of their focus is working with community partnerships
to really expand leadership principles and concepts across the state of Kansas.
And last year, our chamber was successful in receiving 46 spots for from them.
And we're very close to utilizing all those spots up this year. And the grant
that we wrote for 2022, however, we wrote a grant for 50 spots, and we were
awarded those spots, which is very exciting. Nice. So leadership Haze is
actually something that many of our listeners might be familiar with. It's a
leadership program that was started by the Chamber, the Hays area, Chamber of
Commerce, then, um, to really just help businesses and organizations help their
folks that are maybe at the beginning of their careers in the middle or, you
know, even the seasoned pros, bringing folks together to talk about leadership
concepts, how we work together as a community to address issues, or needs, or
just in general to kind of strengthen ourselves and better ourselves. One of
the things that our leadership, hey, students go through is step one of the KLC
process. And that is your leadership edge. And that's a two day course. And
normally yours, we actually take the students to Wichita, Kansas for that, that
because of COVID. Last year, we did that virtually. But we're excited for this
year, because they're going to let us go back to Wichita and take them in
person, again, awesome, they'll have a blended approach. So there might be some
folks who still feel more comfortable doing things virtually. And that's okay.
But we're very excited to have that in person capacity. Again, I can very much
tell you that being an alumni of the leadership Hayes class, that the in person
experiences I felt to be pushed me outside of my comfort zone a little bit
more. And I was probably able to get a little bit more out of my experience
with it.

Well,
sure. I mean, because it's human nature, I think you get uncomfortable and
you've got the screen and all you got to do is close it or shut the camera off.
And but if you're in the room is hard to you can't scrunch down enough to not
get called on sometimes, right,

I'm not
going to hide underneath that chair. But the exciting thing about this is we
are actually in the window right now for folks to turn in applications. So I
was just actually talking to Joe in the lobby. And this is really significant,
because some of these trainings are actually worth $800. Wow. And so we're
actually offering them to folks who fill out the grant application form for
free, I'm really the only investment that they would actually have outside of
of course, their time. And there is a workbook and a guide book that are used
in conjunction with the course nicely enough, those workbooks and guide books
are the same for all three steps of the KLC path. And so you really had that
investment only one time. But December 15 is kind of the deadline that we're
hoping folks will fill out those applications. So we've got a little over two
weeks now. And it's a very simple application, we're just going to ask a little
bit of information from you, kind of what you would hope to gain from the
leadership course and why you're wanting to apply for it. And then as long as
we have enough spots, we'll grant everybody their application. But if we have a
certain amount of spots, we'll of course, look at different things like, you
know, maybe putting a cap on a number of people per employer, or things of that
nature. And we might also look at a few things to, you know, with this person,
I'm taking this leadership course, perhaps set our community up to be a little
bit stronger based on what they're doing. And you know, the different
organizations that they're a part of. So that will all be taken into
consideration. Our hope, then, is to actually have all those spots kind of
identified and communicated back out with folks by the end of this year. And
then I'm really we're gonna give everybody the opportunity to register for
their courses by June 30. Our hope is that if we have them registered by that
point in time, if anyone changes their mind and says, Hey, I applied for this,
but my schedule has changed. I don't think I'll be able to take a course
between now and then that gives us time as a chamber to make sure that we're
utilizing all this 50 spots.

Very
cool. thought of everything. Oh, I get so organized down there at the chamber.

Oh,
well, we try. Except for emails not coming through. We'll work on that. 

Well,
that's probably our system. That's yeah. But very cool. Very cool. Well, um,
so, you know, for now, is there a like a website? Or do you have more
information on your website for this, if people want check it a little bit more
detail?

We do so
they can go to Hayes chamber.com. And then our news and announcements page,
we've got our resources on the right hand side of that page. And there's a 2022
leadership transformation grant application. And for those folks who also kind
of pay attention to our emails and get our news blasts, we'll be sending that
out as well as another attachment in our December newsletter. So a couple of
different reminders Coming out folks this way, and I do believe will anticipate
doing a Facebook post to just to kind of give people another step to apply for
that. But yeah, so they arranged like I said, between 408 $100. So it's
significant value. And quite frankly, I feel like anytime you have a chance to
better yourself, you should do it. A few of the things I did want to talk about
is kind of the core concepts and leadership principles that KLC has. So they
define leadership as an activity and not a position. And they share that anyone
can lead anytime, anywhere, it starts with you and must engage others, and your
purpose must be clear. And last, and probably most important, it's risky. So
Leadership isn't always easy. And so we have to make sure that we are able to
exhibit great patience and understanding with others. So I think those are all
different concepts that I struggle with and try to improve on every day. And
I'd imagine if I had those considerations and things I need a benefit from, and
could improve on that others would, too. And so that's really kind of the why
behind why we applied for the grant. And our hope is to continue to apply for
the leadership Transformation Grant, year after year. So we can keep moving
forward that leadership needle in our community, and give as many businesses
and organizations exposure to those leadership concepts as possible.

Very
cool. Yeah. And you know, I don't know if you want to talk a little bit about
this. But I think for a lot of people, when you when you hear that term
leadership, you think about the old traditional style boss, you know, the
coming down the mountain, somebody's telling you what to do. And that's not
necessarily the entire experience and leadership. It's it can be at any level,
it can be a, you know, an on any size of project, right.

Yeah,
that's more management actually versus leadership. And there's going to be some
great debate and discussion through the courses on that as well. Yeah, well,
they're needed just at different times in different places.

Yeah,
exactly. Love it. All right. Well, Sarah, what else? Well, I think we got to
talk about this. The childcare survey is out now. Ready, ready for people to
take it? I've seen a couple different places that where you can get to that,
right.

Yes. So
thank you so much for bringing that up. Yes, we are working with the childcare
task force of Ellis County and have constructed a survey that takes no more
than 10 minutes, this survey essentially is going to help that task force to be
able to collect data that really gives us a good vantage point as to what needs
access for childcare in our community, how many spots we need, how many more
providers we need, and then that committee will really assess, you know, how do
we support the people who are currently providing childcare? And what things
must we do to possibly incentivize others to do childcare because we, of
course, have people looking for childcare every day. And we know that there's a
lot of waiting lists going on. So the survey is important for people to
understand, you don't just have to be a parent to take it, you could be a
grandparent, you could be an employer, you know, you're going to know the needs
of your staff. And if they're not coming to work, because they don't have
daycare lined up, obviously, you can express that, you know, you know that this
is needed in your community. So the more people we can get to fill that survey
out the better snapshot we get, and we'll be able to start then applying for
grant funds, which we can use to help incentivize and start identifying and
addressing this issue in our community. So it's also critical, I will have that
conversation window open through the end of December. So folks can actually go
to our Facebook page to find a QR code. If they have a cell phone, they can
scan that. Or there's our direct link on that, too.

So funny
story, I actually went and took your survey yesterday. Oh, thank you. And yeah,
you're welcome. I was trying to figure out how I was going to scan the QR code
with my phone because I'm on my phone. And I'm like, huh, and then I saw the
link. I took me a minute, but they're both both way ways are right there in
handy. It just yeah, you got to be smarter than me, I guess, to be able to get
there quickly.

Well,
you know, we wanted it to be as readily accessible as possible, which is why we
gave folks both options. But yes, thank you for bringing that up as well. And
again, our goal is to have about 1000 survey responses if we can, obviously we
have about 20,000 people in Ellis County. So we know that there's going to be a
need for us to collect data for the whole entire county, not just Hayes,
because there are folks coming over from LSE and Victoria getting daycare spots
served on here and Hayes and vice versa. We know we have some families that are
going out of town to for sure.

So
everybody if you're hearing this, take a few minutes go find that survey and do
it. It's really not a big deal. I think you say 10 minutes I think I did mine
in five it's it's quick and easy. It's nothing. No no long form kind of
questions. It's just put it that but the having that data is so vital for the
community.

<div><iframe title="Hays Chamber awarded leadership grant" allowtransparency="true" height="450" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=mfkks-1149cd3-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=ffffff&btn-skin=3267a3&size=450" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger shares details about a recently awarded leadership grant.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a><h2>Transcript</h2>James Bell&nbsp;
A recent
grant to the Hays Chamber will help strengthen leadership in the area president
and CEO Sarah Wasinger stops by to talk to us about that and more on this
episode of the Post Podcast.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
I don't
know if you've heard but the chamber was awarded a leadership transformation
grant from the Kansas Leadership Center. James Bell&nbsp;
Oh, very
cool. No, I hadn't heard about this. I don't know anything about this. What is
it again.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
So it's
a leadership Transformation Grant, the Kansas Leadership Center is based out of
Wichita, Kansas. And part of their focus is working with community partnerships
to really expand leadership principles and concepts across the state of Kansas.
And last year, our chamber was successful in receiving 46 spots for from them.
And we're very close to utilizing all those spots up this year. And the grant
that we wrote for 2022, however, we wrote a grant for 50 spots, and we were
awarded those spots, which is very exciting. Nice. So leadership Haze is
actually something that many of our listeners might be familiar with. It's a
leadership program that was started by the Chamber, the Hays area, Chamber of
Commerce, then, um, to really just help businesses and organizations help their
folks that are maybe at the beginning of their careers in the middle or, you
know, even the seasoned pros, bringing folks together to talk about leadership
concepts, how we work together as a community to address issues, or needs, or
just in general to kind of strengthen ourselves and better ourselves. One of
the things that our leadership, hey, students go through is step one of the KLC
process. And that is your leadership edge. And that's a two day course. And
normally yours, we actually take the students to Wichita, Kansas for that, that
because of COVID. Last year, we did that virtually. But we're excited for this
year, because they're going to let us go back to Wichita and take them in
person, again, awesome, they'll have a blended approach. So there might be some
folks who still feel more comfortable doing things virtually. And that's okay.
But we're very excited to have that in person capacity. Again, I can very much
tell you that being an alumni of the leadership Hayes class, that the in person
experiences I felt to be pushed me outside of my comfort zone a little bit
more. And I was probably able to get a little bit more out of my experience
with it.James Bell&nbsp;
Well,
sure. I mean, because it's human nature, I think you get uncomfortable and
you've got the screen and all you got to do is close it or shut the camera off.
And but if you're in the room is hard to you can't scrunch down enough to not
get called on sometimes, right,Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
I'm not
going to hide underneath that chair. But the exciting thing about this is we
are actually in the window right now for folks to turn in applications. So I
was just actually talking to Joe in the lobby. And this is really significant,
because some of these trainings are actually worth $800. Wow. And so we're
actually offering them to folks who fill out the grant application form for
free, I'm really the only investment that they would actually have outside of
of course, their time. And there is a workbook and a guide book that are used
in conjunction with the course nicely enough, those workbooks and guide books
are the same for all three steps of the KLC path. And so you really had that
investment only one time. But December 15 is kind of the deadline that we're
hoping folks will fill out those applications. So we've got a little over two
weeks now. And it's a very simple application, we're just going to ask a little
bit of information from you, kind of what you would hope to gain from the
leadership course and why you're wanting to apply for it. And then as long as
we have enough spots, we'll grant everybody their application. But if we have a
certain amount of spots, we'll of course, look at different things like, you
know, maybe putting a cap on a number of people per employer, or things of that
nature. And we might also look at a few things to, you know, with this person,
I'm taking this leadership course, perhaps set our community up to be a little
bit stronger based on what they're doing. And you know, the different
organizations that they're a part of. So that will all be taken into
consideration. Our hope, then, is to actually have all those spots kind of
identified and communicated back out with folks by the end of this year. And
then I'm really we're gonna give everybody the opportunity to register for
their courses by June 30. Our hope is that if we have them registered by that
point in time, if anyone changes their mind and says, Hey, I applied for this,
but my schedule has changed. I don't think I'll be able to take a course
between now and then that gives us time as a chamber to make sure that we're
utilizing all this 50 spots.James Bell&nbsp;
Very
cool. thought of everything. Oh, I get so organized down there at the chamber.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
Oh,
well, we try. Except for emails not coming through. We'll work on that. James Bell&nbsp;
Well,
that's probably our system. That's yeah. But very cool. Very cool. Well, um,
so, you know, for now, is there a like a website? Or do you have more
information on your website for this, if people want check it a little bit more
detail?Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
We do so
they can go to Hayes chamber.com. And then our news and announcements page,
we've got our resources on the right hand side of that page. And there's a 2022
leadership transformation grant application. And for those folks who also kind
of pay attention to our emails and get our news blasts, we'll be sending that
out as well as another attachment in our December newsletter. So a couple of
different reminders Coming out folks this way, and I do believe will anticipate
doing a Facebook post to just to kind of give people another step to apply for
that. But yeah, so they arranged like I said, between 408 $100. So it's
significant value. And quite frankly, I feel like anytime you have a chance to
better yourself, you should do it. A few of the things I did want to talk about
is kind of the core concepts and leadership principles that KLC has. So they
define leadership as an activity and not a position. And they share that anyone
can lead anytime, anywhere, it starts with you and must engage others, and your
purpose must be clear. And last, and probably most important, it's risky. So
Leadership isn't always easy. And so we have to make sure that we are able to
exhibit great patience and understanding with others. So I think those are all
different concepts that I struggle with and try to improve on every day. And
I'd imagine if I had those considerations and things I need a benefit from, and
could improve on that others would, too. And so that's really kind of the why
behind why we applied for the grant. And our hope is to continue to apply for
the leadership Transformation Grant, year after year. So we can keep moving
forward that leadership needle in our community, and give as many businesses
and organizations exposure to those leadership concepts as possible.James Bell&nbsp;
Very
cool. Yeah. And you know, I don't know if you want to talk a little bit about
this. But I think for a lot of people, when you when you hear that term
leadership, you think about the old traditional style boss, you know, the
coming down the mountain, somebody's telling you what to do. And that's not
necessarily the entire experience and leadership. It's it can be at any level,
it can be a, you know, an on any size of project, right.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
Yeah,
that's more management actually versus leadership. And there's going to be some
great debate and discussion through the courses on that as well. Yeah, well,
they're needed just at different times in different places.James Bell&nbsp;
Yeah,
exactly. Love it. All right. Well, Sarah, what else? Well, I think we got to
talk about this. The childcare survey is out now. Ready, ready for people to
take it? I've seen a couple different places that where you can get to that,
right.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
Yes. So
thank you so much for bringing that up. Yes, we are working with the childcare
task force of Ellis County and have constructed a survey that takes no more
than 10 minutes, this survey essentially is going to help that task force to be
able to collect data that really gives us a good vantage point as to what needs
access for childcare in our community, how many spots we need, how many more
providers we need, and then that committee will really assess, you know, how do
we support the people who are currently providing childcare? And what things
must we do to possibly incentivize others to do childcare because we, of
course, have people looking for childcare every day. And we know that there's a
lot of waiting lists going on. So the survey is important for people to
understand, you don't just have to be a parent to take it, you could be a
grandparent, you could be an employer, you know, you're going to know the needs
of your staff. And if they're not coming to work, because they don't have
daycare lined up, obviously, you can express that, you know, you know that this
is needed in your community. So the more people we can get to fill that survey
out the better snapshot we get, and we'll be able to start then applying for
grant funds, which we can use to help incentivize and start identifying and
addressing this issue in our community. So it's also critical, I will have that
conversation window open through the end of December. So folks can actually go
to our Facebook page to find a QR code. If they have a cell phone, they can
scan that. Or there's our direct link on that, too.James Bell&nbsp;
So funny
story, I actually went and took your survey yesterday. Oh, thank you. And yeah,
you're welcome. I was trying to figure out how I was going to scan the QR code
with my phone because I'm on my phone. And I'm like, huh, and then I saw the
link. I took me a minute, but they're both both way ways are right there in
handy. It just yeah, you got to be smarter than me, I guess, to be able to get
there quickly.Sarah Wasinger&nbsp;
Well,
you know, we wanted it to be as readily accessible as possible, which is why we
gave folks both options. But yes, thank you for bringing that up as well. And
again, our goal is to have about 1000 survey responses if we can, obviously we
have about 20,000 people in Ellis County. So we know that there's going to be a
need for us to collect data for the whole entire county, not just Hayes,
because there are folks coming over from LSE and Victoria getting daycare spots
served on here and Hayes and vice versa. We know we have some families that are
going out of town to for sure.James Bell&nbsp;
So
everybody if you're hearing this, take a few minutes go find that survey and do
it. It's really not a big deal. I think you say 10 minutes I think I did mine
in five it's it's quick and easy. It's nothing. No no long form kind of
questions. It's just put it that but the having that data is so vital for the
community.

🎙Post Podcast: Hays Chamber awarded leadership grant

Three graduate students in Fort Hays State University’s College of Education were recently recognized by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Region IV-W. NASPA is a 15,000-member-strong professional organization that works to promote the principles of integrity, innovation, inclusion, and inquiry in the field of student affairs.&nbsp;

Caden Frank from Omaha, Neb., and Will Fried, Bethesda, Md., received the Region IV-W “Rising Star Award,” the highest award offered in the graduate student category. Both are on-campus students working on Master of Science in Education (MSE) degrees in the Higher Education Student Affairs (HESA) program.

Cody Westerhold, Independence, Kan., is an online student in the MSE in HESA program, who serves as the Director of Student Life at Independence Community College. He received the NASPA Region IV-W&nbsp; Community College Professional Award for his exceptional service this last year.

NASPA&nbsp;is the world's largest professional organization of higher education administrators, and Region IV-W is the largest region, covering an area from Saskatchewan to New Mexico.

FHSU had two of the four Rising Stars for the region, which Assistant Professor Phillip Olt said is uncommon.

“NASPA generally limits one awardee per state unless they truly stand out – even from among those who are exceptional,” said Olt,&nbsp;who serves as the coordinator for the HESA program.

Olt pointed to the qualities that made Frank and Fried exceptional candidates for this award.

“Caden and Will stand out as leaders – dedicated rising professionals who put others first and bring a mission-focused and well-rounded approach to this important work,” Olt said. “Caden is active in the research and design of effective student engagement and leadership programming for students on our campus, and Will is already becoming a leading national voice on issues related to students with disabilities in higher education.”

“Cody is known among professionals in our field as an innovator and someone who tirelessly works to serve students,” Olt said.

The MSE in HESA is a 36 credit-hour program designed around the current theory and practice of higher education with practical, hands-on learning experiences.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638635552661.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsThree graduate students in Fort Hays State University’s College of Education were recently recognized by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Region IV-W. NASPA is a 15,000-member-strong professional organization that works to promote the principles of integrity, innovation, inclusion, and inquiry in the field of student affairs.&nbsp;Caden Frank from Omaha, Neb., and Will Fried, Bethesda, Md., received the Region IV-W “Rising Star Award,” the highest award offered in the graduate student category. Both are on-campus students working on Master of Science in Education (MSE) degrees in the Higher Education Student Affairs (HESA) program.Cody Westerhold, Independence, Kan., is an online student in the MSE in HESA program, who serves as the Director of Student Life at Independence Community College. He received the NASPA Region IV-W&nbsp; Community College Professional Award for his exceptional service this last year.NASPA&nbsp;is the world's largest professional organization of higher education administrators, and Region IV-W is the largest region, covering an area from Saskatchewan to New Mexico.FHSU had two of the four Rising Stars for the region, which Assistant Professor Phillip Olt said is uncommon.“NASPA generally limits one awardee per state unless they truly stand out – even from among those who are exceptional,” said Olt,&nbsp;who serves as the coordinator for the HESA program.Olt pointed to the qualities that made Frank and Fried exceptional candidates for this award.“Caden and Will stand out as leaders – dedicated rising professionals who put others first and bring a mission-focused and well-rounded approach to this important work,” Olt said. “Caden is active in the research and design of effective student engagement and leadership programming for students on our campus, and Will is already becoming a leading national voice on issues related to students with disabilities in higher education.”Olt had similar praise for Westerhold.“Cody is known among professionals in our field as an innovator and someone who tirelessly works to serve students,” Olt said.The MSE in HESA is a 36 credit-hour program designed around the current theory and practice of higher education with practical, hands-on learning experiences.&nbsp;

Fort Hays State grad students earn prestigious regional awards

The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 16 traffic stops Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Criminal
Damage to Property—400 block W 11th St, Hays; 11/21 12 AM; 11/22 12:45 AM 
Theft (general—3500 block Vine St, Hays; 11/20 6:15 AM; 6 PM 
Theft (general)—100 block E 11th St, Hays; 6:30 AM 
Juvenile Complaint--1600 block Allen St, Hays; 11:24 AM 
Sex Offense—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 11:42 AM 
Found/Lost Property—2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 3:01 PM 
Juvenile Complaint—300 block W 12th St, Hays; 3:23 PM 
Vagrancy—2800 block Plaza Ave, Hays; 3:47 PM 
Theft (general)—3300 block Hall St, Hays; 4:22 PM 
Traffic/Driving Complaint—2500 block Ash St, Hays; 5:07 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 22 traffic stops Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Found/Lost
Property—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 1:05 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—300 block W 19th St, Hays; 9:36 AM 
Stalking—200 block W 7th St, Hays; 11/6/2021; 11/20 
Civil Dispute –2700 block Hall St, Hays; 12:13 PM 
Welfare Check—500 block E 13th St, Hays; 12:59 PM 
Burglary/residence—2800 block Grant Ave, Hays; 11/19 9:30 PM; 11/21 10 PM 
Harassment (All Other)--1800 block Vine St, Hays; 8:14 PM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—200 block W 4th St, Hays; 8:08 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--1500 block Ash St, Hays; 8:25 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 16 traffic stops Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Lost Animals
ONLY—200 block W 6th St, Hays; 12:13 AM 
44 - Traffic Stop--400 block E 8th St, Hay; 1 AM 
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)—Hays; 6:03 AM 
Suspicious Activity—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 7 AM; 8 AM 
Mental Health Call—2800 block Augusta Ln, Hays; 9:49 AM 
Civil Dispute—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:29 AM 
Found/Lost Property—Hays; 10:57 AM 
Mental Health Call—1300 block W 27th St, Hays; 1:20 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—3700 block Hillcrest Dr, Hays; 2:58 PM 
Harassment, Telephone/FAX—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 9/17 1:07 AM; 10/4 7:22 PM
Theft (general)—1700 block Sunset Trl, Hays; 4:28 PM 
Credit Card Violations—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 6:36 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property--2700 block Englewood St, Hays; 7:05 PM 
Disturbance – Noise--300 block W 33rd St, Hays; 7:38 PM; 8:01 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley—1600 block E 22nd St, Hays; 8:50 AM; 8:54 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 5 traffic stops Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Driving
Under the Influence--500 block W 12th St, Hays; 2:13 AM 
Found/Lost Property--100 block E 10th St, Hays; 3:00:59 AM; 3:00:00 AM 
Found/Lost Property—3600 block Vine St, Hays; 8:58 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley—1900 block Longfellow Rd, Hay; 5:10 AM 
Suspicious Activity--200 block W 38th St, Hays; 7 PM; 7:45 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 14 traffic stops Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Driving
Under the Influence—500 block W 7th St N, Hays; 1:22 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1500 block Marjorie Dr, Hay; 12:53 PM 
Criminal Trespass—500 block E 7th St, Hays; 4:32 PM 
MV Accident-Private Property—2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 11:40 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 18 traffic stops Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Animal Bite
Investigation—1300 block Old 40 Hwy, Hays; 8:21 AM 
Animal Bite Investigation—1400 block Montgomery St, Hays; &nbsp;11/25; 11 PM; 11:30 PM Found/Lost Property—400
block W 11th St, Hays; 10:19 AM 
Found/Lost Property—400 block W 11th St, Hays; 10:51 AM 
Drug Offenses—1300 block E 41st St, Hays; 11:08 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1700 block Sunset Trl, Hays; 12:21 PM 
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 1:40 PM; 2:03 PM 
Theft (general)—1300 block Douglas St, Hays; 11/24 9 AM; 12:28 PM 
Civil Dispute—2300 block Donald Dr, Hay; 2:48 PM 
Rape—500 block E 6th St, Hays; 11/25 12 AM; 3 AM 
MV Accident-Hit and Run--3700 block Vine St, Hays; 6:33 PM 
Battery – simple—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 7:36 PM 
Underage Possession of CMB/LIQ--2600 block Vine St, Hays; 10:09 PM 
Underage Possession of CMB/LIQ--700 block Main St, Hays; 11:03 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 9 traffic stops Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Underage
Possession of CMB/LIQ--600 block Elm St, Hays; 1:39 AM 
Domestic Disturbance—2700 block Augusta Ln, Hays; 2:05 AM 
Suspicious Activity--700 block E 6th St, Hays; 6:59 AM 
Disturbance – Noise—1000 block E 41st St, Hays; 7:40 AM 
Suspicious Person--3200 block Vine St, Hays; 10:47 AM 
Shoplifting—3400 block Vine St, Hays; 1:01 PM 
Suspicious Activity—3500 block Lincoln Dr, Hays; 1:10 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--3300 block Vine St, Hays; 4:09 PM 
Civil Dispute—2000 block Patio Dr, Hays; 4:35 PM 
Suspicious Activity—1300 block W 45th St, Hays; 11/27 9 PM; 11/28 11 AM 
Mental Health Call—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 7:17 PM 
Aggravated Battery—500 block E 17th St, Hays; 7:41 PM 
Battery – Domestic—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:16 PM 
Drug Offenses—1500 block Milner St, Hays; 7:57 PM; 7:58 PM

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 16 traffic stops Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Criminal
Damage to Property—400 block W 11th St, Hays; 11/21 12 AM; 11/22 12:45 AM 
Theft (general—3500 block Vine St, Hays; 11/20 6:15 AM; 6 PM 
Theft (general)—100 block E 11th St, Hays; 6:30 AM 
Juvenile Complaint--1600 block Allen St, Hays; 11:24 AM 
Sex Offense—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 11:42 AM 
Found/Lost Property—2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 3:01 PM 
Juvenile Complaint—300 block W 12th St, Hays; 3:23 PM 
Vagrancy—2800 block Plaza Ave, Hays; 3:47 PM 
Theft (general)—3300 block Hall St, Hays; 4:22 PM 
Traffic/Driving Complaint—2500 block Ash St, Hays; 5:07 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 22 traffic stops Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Found/Lost
Property—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 1:05 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—300 block W 19th St, Hays; 9:36 AM 
Stalking—200 block W 7th St, Hays; 11/6/2021; 11/20 
Civil Dispute –2700 block Hall St, Hays; 12:13 PM 
Welfare Check—500 block E 13th St, Hays; 12:59 PM 
Burglary/residence—2800 block Grant Ave, Hays; 11/19 9:30 PM; 11/21 10 PM 
Harassment (All Other)--1800 block Vine St, Hays; 8:14 PM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—200 block W 4th St, Hays; 8:08 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--1500 block Ash St, Hays; 8:25 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 16 traffic stops Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Lost Animals
ONLY—200 block W 6th St, Hays; 12:13 AM 
44 - Traffic Stop--400 block E 8th St, Hay; 1 AM 
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)—Hays; 6:03 AM 
Suspicious Activity—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 7 AM; 8 AM 
Mental Health Call—2800 block Augusta Ln, Hays; 9:49 AM 
Civil Dispute—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:29 AM 
Found/Lost Property—Hays; 10:57 AM 
Mental Health Call—1300 block W 27th St, Hays; 1:20 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—3700 block Hillcrest Dr, Hays; 2:58 PM 
Harassment, Telephone/FAX—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 9/17 1:07 AM; 10/4 7:22 PM
Theft (general)—1700 block Sunset Trl, Hays; 4:28 PM 
Credit Card Violations—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 6:36 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property--2700 block Englewood St, Hays; 7:05 PM 
Disturbance – Noise--300 block W 33rd St, Hays; 7:38 PM; 8:01 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley—1600 block E 22nd St, Hays; 8:50 AM; 8:54 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 5 traffic stops Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Driving
Under the Influence--500 block W 12th St, Hays; 2:13 AM 
Found/Lost Property--100 block E 10th St, Hays; 3:00:59 AM; 3:00:00 AM 
Found/Lost Property—3600 block Vine St, Hays; 8:58 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley—1900 block Longfellow Rd, Hay; 5:10 AM 
Suspicious Activity--200 block W 38th St, Hays; 7 PM; 7:45 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 14 traffic stops Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Driving
Under the Influence—500 block W 7th St N, Hays; 1:22 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1500 block Marjorie Dr, Hay; 12:53 PM 
Criminal Trespass—500 block E 7th St, Hays; 4:32 PM 
MV Accident-Private Property—2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 11:40 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 18 traffic stops Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Animal Bite
Investigation—1300 block Old 40 Hwy, Hays; 8:21 AM 
Animal Bite Investigation—1400 block Montgomery St, Hays; &nbsp;11/25; 11 PM; 11:30 PM Found/Lost Property—400
block W 11th St, Hays; 10:19 AM 
Found/Lost Property—400 block W 11th St, Hays; 10:51 AM 
Drug Offenses—1300 block E 41st St, Hays; 11:08 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1700 block Sunset Trl, Hays; 12:21 PM 
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 1:40 PM; 2:03 PM 
Theft (general)—1300 block Douglas St, Hays; 11/24 9 AM; 12:28 PM 
Civil Dispute—2300 block Donald Dr, Hay; 2:48 PM 
Rape—500 block E 6th St, Hays; 11/25 12 AM; 3 AM 
MV Accident-Hit and Run--3700 block Vine St, Hays; 6:33 PM 
Battery – simple—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 7:36 PM 
Underage Possession of CMB/LIQ--2600 block Vine St, Hays; 10:09 PM 
Underage Possession of CMB/LIQ--700 block Main St, Hays; 11:03 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 9 traffic stops Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Underage
Possession of CMB/LIQ--600 block Elm St, Hays; 1:39 AM 
Domestic Disturbance—2700 block Augusta Ln, Hays; 2:05 AM 
Suspicious Activity--700 block E 6th St, Hays; 6:59 AM 
Disturbance – Noise—1000 block E 41st St, Hays; 7:40 AM 
Suspicious Person--3200 block Vine St, Hays; 10:47 AM 
Shoplifting—3400 block Vine St, Hays; 1:01 PM 
Suspicious Activity—3500 block Lincoln Dr, Hays; 1:10 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--3300 block Vine St, Hays; 4:09 PM 
Civil Dispute—2000 block Patio Dr, Hays; 4:35 PM 
Suspicious Activity—1300 block W 45th St, Hays; 11/27 9 PM; 11/28 11 AM 
Mental Health Call—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 7:17 PM 
Aggravated Battery—500 block E 17th St, Hays; 7:41 PM 
Battery – Domestic—500 block E 8th St, Hays; 10:16 PM 
Drug Offenses—1500 block Milner St, Hays; 7:57 PM; 7:58 PM<figure>
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Hays PD Activity Log, Nov. 22-28    

RUSSELL — Experience the true spirit of Christmas during the Live Drive-Thru Nativity presented by the middle and high school youth of St. John Lutheran Church, Russell. The nativity will bring Christ’s birth to life by using actors and animals. The drive-through aspect will make it convenient for people to experience.

“This is an easy way for people to come and see the nativity while they stay in the warmth of their car,” said Charlie Krug, St. John 425 Youth member. “The whole family can experience the Christmas story together.”

The Live Drive-Thru Nativity will be presented in the parking lot of Russell Livestock Commission, 720 S. Fossil, on Sunday, Dec. 19. Community members are invited to drive through the nativity scene between 6:30 and 8:00 pm. Once you enter the parking lot, be sure and open your windows to enjoy reflective Christmas music.

Kelvie Reeves, St. John 425 Youth member, is one of many volunteers organizing the event. 

“This live Nativity presentation is our gift to the community,” Reeves said. “We hope this small event will bring the spirit of hope, peace and joy to all.”

Although there is no admission fee, a freewill offering will be collected. The 425 Youth are fundraising for a upcoming trip to Manhattan to visit the KSU Campus Ministry and participate in a service project.

For more information, contact St. John Lutheran Church at 785-483-5358.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638468950336.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedRUSSELL — Experience the true spirit of Christmas during the Live Drive-Thru Nativity presented by the middle and high school youth of St. John Lutheran Church, Russell. The nativity will bring Christ’s birth to life by using actors and animals. The drive-through aspect will make it convenient for people to experience.“This is an easy way for people to come and see the nativity while they stay in the warmth of their car,” said Charlie Krug, St. John 425 Youth member. “The whole family can experience the Christmas story together.”The Live Drive-Thru Nativity will be presented in the parking lot of Russell Livestock Commission, 720 S. Fossil, on Sunday, Dec. 19. Community members are invited to drive through the nativity scene between 6:30 and 8:00 pm. Once you enter the parking lot, be sure and open your windows to enjoy reflective Christmas music.Kelvie Reeves, St. John 425 Youth member, is one of many volunteers organizing the event. “This live Nativity presentation is our gift to the community,” Reeves said. “We hope this small event will bring the spirit of hope, peace and joy to all.”Although there is no admission fee, a freewill offering will be collected. The 425 Youth are fundraising for a upcoming trip to Manhattan to visit the KSU Campus Ministry and participate in a service project.For more information, contact St. John Lutheran Church at 785-483-5358.

Live drive-through Nativity this month in Russell

Photos by James Bell and Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Christmas music is filling the air, lights are popping up across the city and the official Christmas trees in Hays have been lit.

Check out the pictures below from some of the first holiday season activities in Hays.&nbsp;

Photos by James Bell and Cristina Janney/Hays Post Christmas music is filling the air, lights are popping up across the city and the official Christmas trees in Hays have been lit.Check out the pictures below from some of the first holiday season activities in Hays.&nbsp;<figure>
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Christmas comes to Hays

Festive times for giving and sharing should not include sharing foodborne illness. Thanks to University of Minnesota for these 12 common unsafe food handling practices that occur when folk are not paying attention to food safety.&nbsp;

One undercooked leg of lamb - Got meat? Get a thermometer! No matter how you slice it, using a food or meat thermometer is the only way to tell if food has reached a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria. Using a thermometer will keep you from overcooking food too.&nbsp;

Two dirty cutting boards - It is good to have two cutting boards: one to prepare raw meat and poultry, the other to prepare ready-to-eat foods like fruits, salads, and vegetables. Wash cutting boards in hot soapy water between uses.

Three harried hosts - Mistakes happen when people are busy and distracted trying to meet the needs of their guests.&nbsp; Make a list of tasks that need to be done along with directions and assign tasks to guests as they arrive.

Four unsafe temperatures - Foods should not be at room temperature for more than 2&nbsp;hours. This includes preparation time. Keep hot foods hot (140 degrees F or warmer). Keep cold foods cold (40 degrees F&nbsp;or colder) by nesting dishes in bowls of ice.

Five wet dish towels - It’s best to air-dry dishes. Wet dish towels can harbor bacteria and spread it to clean dishes. Sometimes dish towels end up on your guest’s shoulder or ‘dirty’ countertops.

Six warm meat and cheese trays - Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can multiply at refrigeration temperatures. It’s been found in soft cheeses like Brie, feta, Camembert, blue-veined and Mexican-style cheese and in ready-to-eat cold cuts. Make small platters of meat and cheese trays. Replace with fresh refrigerated platters when empty.

Seven sick aunties - Don’t prepare food when you are sick. Viruses cause more and more foodborne illnesses. Wash hands before and after handling food for at least 20 seconds. Avoid handling food with bare hands. Use gloves, spoons, tongs or paper towels instead.

Eight unwashed hands - Wash hands with soap and water to the tune of “Jingle Bells” before feasting.&nbsp; Announce, “We will be eating in 5 minutes. Please wash your hands before eating.

Nine potentially hazardous foods – Bacteria loves to grow in food made with dairy products, shell eggs, meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, baked or boiled potatoes, cooked beans and lentils, rice or pasta. Keep these foods out of the temperature danger zone (40&nbsp;to 140 degrees F).

Ten dirty fingers - The 10 most common causes of spreading disease are your fingers! Put chips, mints, peanuts and other ‘finger food’ in pourable containers or provide a spoon or tongs so each person doesn’t touch the food.

Eleven finger lickers - Don’t use the cooking spoon or your finger to sample the food while it is being prepared or served. Use a clean spoon each time you taste test.

Twelve plates of leftovers - Immediately refrigerate and cool leftover food in long shallow pans. Leave uncovered for quick cooling. Cover when cool.

Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp; She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at <a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

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 <figcaption>Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>Festive times for giving and sharing should not include sharing foodborne illness. Thanks to University of Minnesota for these 12 common unsafe food handling practices that occur when folk are not paying attention to food safety.&nbsp;One undercooked leg of lamb - Got meat? Get a thermometer! No matter how you slice it, using a food or meat thermometer is the only way to tell if food has reached a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria. Using a thermometer will keep you from overcooking food too.&nbsp;Two dirty cutting boards - It is good to have two cutting boards: one to prepare raw meat and poultry, the other to prepare ready-to-eat foods like fruits, salads, and vegetables. Wash cutting boards in hot soapy water between uses.Three harried hosts - Mistakes happen when people are busy and distracted trying to meet the needs of their guests.&nbsp; Make a list of tasks that need to be done along with directions and assign tasks to guests as they arrive.Four unsafe temperatures - Foods should not be at room temperature for more than 2&nbsp;hours. This includes preparation time. Keep hot foods hot (140 degrees F or warmer). Keep cold foods cold (40 degrees F&nbsp;or colder) by nesting dishes in bowls of ice.Five wet dish towels - It’s best to air-dry dishes. Wet dish towels can harbor bacteria and spread it to clean dishes. Sometimes dish towels end up on your guest’s shoulder or ‘dirty’ countertops.Six warm meat and cheese trays - Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can multiply at refrigeration temperatures. It’s been found in soft cheeses like Brie, feta, Camembert, blue-veined and Mexican-style cheese and in ready-to-eat cold cuts. Make small platters of meat and cheese trays. Replace with fresh refrigerated platters when empty.Seven sick aunties - Don’t prepare food when you are sick. Viruses cause more and more foodborne illnesses. Wash hands before and after handling food for at least 20 seconds. Avoid handling food with bare hands. Use gloves, spoons, tongs or paper towels instead.Eight unwashed hands - Wash hands with soap and water to the tune of “Jingle Bells” before feasting.&nbsp; Announce, “We will be eating in 5 minutes. Please wash your hands before eating.Nine potentially hazardous foods – Bacteria loves to grow in food made with dairy products, shell eggs, meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, baked or boiled potatoes, cooked beans and lentils, rice or pasta. Keep these foods out of the temperature danger zone (40&nbsp;to 140 degrees F).Ten dirty fingers - The 10 most common causes of spreading disease are your fingers! Put chips, mints, peanuts and other ‘finger food’ in pourable containers or provide a spoon or tongs so each person doesn’t touch the food.Eleven finger lickers - Don’t use the cooking spoon or your finger to sample the food while it is being prepared or served. Use a clean spoon each time you taste test.Twelve plates of leftovers - Immediately refrigerate and cool leftover food in long shallow pans. Leave uncovered for quick cooling. Cover when cool.	Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp; She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at <a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

UNRUH: 12 food safety mistakes of the holiday season 

Lifelong Republican represented Kansas on a national stage

By NOMIN UJIYEDIIN and SCOTT CANON <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-12-05/bob-dole-is-dead-at-98-he-overcame-war-wounds-nearly-became-president-championed-disability-rights">Kansas News Service</a>

Bob Dole, who overcame war wounds to dominate Kansas politics for 
much of the 20th century and nearly capture his nation’s presidency, has
 died. He was 98.

The death of the former U.S. senator and 
Republican nominee for president was announced by the Elizabeth Dole 
Foundation. The announcement did not say where he died. He died Sunday.

He is survived by his wife, former U.S. Sen. and cabinet secretary Elizabeth Dole and his daughter, Robin Dole.

Dole
 grew up in the boom-and-bust oil town of Russell, watched his 
family scrape by during the Great Depression, suffered crippling wounds 
on an Italian battlefield during World War II and worked his way up from
 county politics to leadership in the U.S. Senate.

He left a 
legacy marked by both fierce partisanship and landmark lawmaking defined
 by his willingness to team with Democrats. He beat cancer in the 1990s,
 but Dole announced Feb. 18, 2021, that he had stage 4 cancer and would 
undergo treatment.

And though he became a creature of Washington —
 cashing in on decades of Capitol Hill connections by spending the last 
decades of his life as a lobbyist — he always saw himself as a Kansan.

His days in Russell, Dole once said, gave him a certain perspective.

“The first thing you learn on the prairie,” he said, “is the relative size of man compared to the lay of the land.”

<a href="http://doleinstitute.org/timeline/alternate-timeline/" target="_blank">Robert Joseph Dole</a>
 was born July 22, 1923. His father ran a small creamery and his mother 
sold Singer sewing machines door to door. They lived on Maple Street.

As a teenager, Dole washed cars and worked as a soda jerk at Dawson’s
 Drug Store. Classmates remembered Dole as a smart dresser, a 
good-looking guy who modeled in a high school fashion show and served as
 sports editor of the school paper.

The family was active in the 
Methodist Church, saw hard financial times and was battered by the 
blinding storms of the Dust Bowl years in Kansas and economic despair. 
He shared a single room, one bike and a pair of rollerskates with his 
siblings.

The farthest east he traveled in the first 20 years of his life was to Kansas City.

In
 1941, Dole entered the University of Kansas with the help of a $300 
loan from a Russell banker and became the first in his family to go 
beyond high school. He led an active life on campus, pledging a 
fraternity, working multiple jobs and playing basketball under legendary
 KU coach Phog Allen.

Three
 years into college, Dole left to join the U.S. Army Officer Candidate 
School. He was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division. That took him to 
Italy — and the battle wounds that would leave his right arm all but 
useless for the next seven-plus decades of a storied life.

On 
April 14, 1945, a German shell shattered Dole’s right shoulder, 
collarbone and arm. It crushed a piece of his spine, leaving him 
temporarily paralyzed and in a full-body cast. Dole was shipped home, 
first to Kansas, then to Percy Jones Army Hospital in Battle Creek, 
Michigan, for rehabilitation.

He struggled with tremors and physical coordination, and learned to 
do everything with his left hand. In the three years following his 
injury, he underwent seven surgeries, none of which improved his 
condition much.

The people of Russell chipped in to help pay 
Dole’s hospital bills, putting coins and bills into an old cigar box. 
Hometown supporters would later put $100,000 in a similar <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/campaign/dole/hand.htm" target="_blank">cigar box</a> during Dole’s presidential run in 1987. Dole kept the box in his Senate office for years.

Dole’s
 new disability had a profound impact. For the rest of his life, he 
often held a pen in his weakened right hand at public events to keep 
people from trying to shake it. In his 2005 memoir, “<a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780060763428/one-soldiers-story/" target="_blank">One Soldier’s Story</a>,”
 Dole wrote that seeing his wasted body in the mirror disturbed him so 
much that in the 60 years since his injury, he had scarcely looked at 
himself without a shirt on.

“I don’t need any more reminders,” Dole wrote.

During
 his recovery, he met his future first wife, occupational therapist 
Phyllis Holden. He also befriended Daniel Inouye, a fellow wounded 
soldier who would later become Hawaii’s first senator and the president 
of the U.S. Senate. And Dole grew close to an Armenian doctor, Hampar 
Kelikian, an immigrant who refused to take payment for treating American
 GIs.

“He inspired within me a new attitude,” wrote Dole about 
Kelikian in “One Soldier’s Story.” “He encouraged me to see 
possibilities where others only saw problems. It’s an attitude that has 
served me well over the years.”

The
 optimism and perseverance remained with Dole when he left the Army in 
1948. He returned to college at the University of Arizona and then 
Washburn University in Topeka, where he finished his undergraduate and 
law degrees. His wife, Phyllis, attended classes with him, taking notes 
and acting as his scribe during law exams. The Department of Veterans 
Affairs gave him a Sound Scriber, a huge, phonograph-like device that 
Dole used to record lectures and later copy them painstakingly by hand.

At
 Washburn, Dole met Beth Bowers, a law librarian who suggested he run 
for the Kansas Legislature in 1950, when he was 27 years old. In “One 
Soldier’s Story,” Dole wrote that he chose to run as a Republican on the
 advice of the county attorney in Russell — to appeal to the majority of
 the Kansas population.

“My entry into politics certainly wasn’t 
propelled by partisan fervor,” Dole wrote. “I became a Republican, 
pragmatically at first, and then philosophically later on.”

That 
pragmatism would develop into a dogged dedication to the party line when
 he reached Congress a decade later. Dole made $5 a day in the Kansas 
Statehouse — $7 a day during the legislative session — and made his 
living working as a private attorney in his hometown.

In 1952, he 
ran for Russell County attorney. He held the office until he won a seat 
in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1960. As part of that 
congressional campaign, his volunteers bought every can of Dole 
pineapple juice they could find and gave them to voters. Dole would 
reuse the gimmick in subsequent bids for office.

In
 his first years in Congress, Dole voted in favor of the Civil Rights 
Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965. He criticized the 
policies of Democratic Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson 
and befriended Republican former Vice President Richard Nixon.

“Dole
 mentioned once that Nixon was the only one in Washington who stuck out 
his left hand to shake with Dole,” wrote political journalist Richard 
Ben Cramer in <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/33217/what-it-takes-by-richard-ben-cramer/9780679746492/" target="_blank">“What It Takes,”</a> his chronicle of the 1988 presidential election.

That
 friendship continued through 1969, when Nixon began his presidency and 
Dole began his tenure in the U.S. Senate. Dole was a staunch supporter 
of Nixon, defending the president’s choices in the Vietnam War and 
through the Watergate scandal. In an attempt to protect the reputation 
of the president and the Republican Party, the senator introduced a 
resolution that would pull the Watergate committee hearings off TV.

“The
 purpose of the hearings is to serve legislative interests. It is not to
 try, convict and sentence Richard Nixon,” Dole said in a speech on the 
Senate floor. “Lives, reputations and careers can be hopelessly 
shattered by such exposure.” Dole’s resolution failed. And those 
televised hearings sped the end of the Nixon presidency.

The 1970s
 brought changes in Dole’s personal life. He started spending more time 
at the office and away from his wife and daughter, Robin, who was born 
in 1954. Dole and Phyllis divorced in 1972, shocking his constituents in
 Kansas. Soon after, Dole met then-White House staffer Elizabeth Hanford
 and the two married in 1975.

In the political world, Dole made a 
name for himself by chairing the Republican National Committee from 1970
 to 1972, occasionally crossing party lines to support issues such as 
food stamps.

Dole’s party loyalty and Midwestern sensibility led President Gerald Ford to <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?74133-1/ford-vice-presidential-nominee-announcement" target="_blank">choose him as his running mate</a> in his bid for reelection in 1976. After a heated race, they lost the contest to Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter by three points.

It was Dole’s first bid for national office. In 1979, he made 
another. After an aggressive campaign of speeches touting the Republican
 platform across the country, Dole decided to run for president. He 
returned to his hometown, Russell, to make the announcement. His wife, 
Elizabeth Dole, quit her job at the Federal Trade Commission to support 
him.

But his campaign was rocky. The candidate spent little time 
in Iowa and New Hampshire. Several campaign staffers were fired and had 
to be replaced multiple times. Dole performed abysmally in the New 
Hampshire primary, winning only 0.4 percent of the vote, and announced 
he was dropping out.

He returned to the Senate. As chairman of the
 Senate Committee on Finance, he wrote up a milder version of President 
Ronald Reagan’s proposed tax cuts. The Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981
 passed both chambers and became the biggest tax cut in U.S. history.

A year later, Dole authored a bill with the opposite result, convincing Reagan that tax hikes
 were needed to close a federal deficit of $230 billion. The Tax Equity 
and Fiscal Responsibility Act raised nearly $100 billion for the federal
 government, mostly through higher taxes and closed loopholes.

Dole
 took on the mantle of Senate majority leader in 1984. The next year, he
 again worked to reduce the federal deficit through the 
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act and helped pass a farm bill.

His next bid for president came in 1987. Dole stuck it out longer 
this time, in a primary crowded with seven Republicans. Dole had a 
reputation for working hard, but micromanaging to the detriment of his 
campaign. He lost several primaries and dropped out in March 1988.

Accepting
 that his shot at president had probably come and gone, Dole threw his 
support behind Reagan’s Republican successor, then-Vice President George
 H.W. Bush.

“It’s probably finished for me, but you never know,” Dole told biographer <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bob-Dole-Republicans-Man-Seasons/dp/1556114214" target="_blank">Jake H. Thompson</a>. “My role now is to make George Bush a good president. I’m certainly not trying to keep anything alive.”

During
 the first Bush presidency, Dole traveled on diplomatic missions to 
Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East, notably visiting Saddam
 Hussein in a failed attempt to stop Iraq from trying to build nuclear 
weapons. The senator played central roles in the <a href="https://www.ada.gov/" target="_blank">Americans with Disabilities Act</a> and the Clear Air Act, both passed in 1990.

In 1991, Elizabeth Dole was named the president of the American Red Cross and Bob Dole underwent surgery for prostate cancer.

Four
 years later, Dole announced he was running for president again. This 
time, he won the Republican nomination. He swept the primaries and chose
 former New York Rep. Jack Kemp — a politician whose supply-side 
economics clashed with Dole’s budget-hawk ways — as his running mate.

Dole left the Senate on June 11, 1996, to focus on the general election campaign. In his <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?72875-1/senator-dole-farewell-speech" target="_blank">farewell speech</a> on the Senate floor, he asked his colleagues to work together across party lines.

“I’m
 not here to make a partisan speech,” he said. “I would hope that we 
would keep in mind that there are still threats around the world. And 
also keep in mind that we’re the envy of the world.”

Dole ultimately lost to incumbent President Bill Clinton by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-1996" target="_blank">eight points in the popular vote</a> and received fewer than half of Clinton’s electoral votes.

In his <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?76579-1/bob-dole-concession-speech" target="_blank">concession speech</a>, Dole pledged his support to Clinton and joked about his own retirement.

“I
 was thinking on the way down the elevator, ‘Tomorrow will be the first 
time in my life I don't have anything to do.’ … I'm going to sit back 
for a few days, and then I'm going to start standing up for what I think
 is right for America.”

In
 his last two decades, Dole dedicated himself to advocacy. He chaired 
the WWII Memorial Commission, raising nearly $200 million for the 
memorial. At a 1997 ceremony revealing the design for the memorial, 
Clinton <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?78062-1/medal-freedom-presentation" target="_blank">awarded</a> the former senator the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The late 1990s also marked the beginning of a brief television career. Dole famously starred in an early <a href="https://youtu.be/nBdgpjnKInA?t=46" target="_blank">commercial for Viagra</a>, later parodied in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7oh1so-2M8" target="_blank">commercial for Pepsi</a>.
 He shilled for Visa and Dunkin Donuts and appeared on Comedy Central's 
“The Daily Show” as a commentator for the 2000 election.

In the 2000s, Dole continued to advocate for war veterans and the 
disabled, often appearing at events to give speeches and shake hands 
with fellow veterans.

He returned to the Senate floor in 2012, asking legislators to vote 
in favor of ratifying the United Nations-backed Convention on the Rights
 of Persons with Disabilities. Democratic senators <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/05/us/despite-doles-wish-gop-rejects-disabilities-treaty.html?_r=0" target="_blank">stayed seated</a>
 in solidarity with Dole, a wheelchair user, as they cast their votes in
 favor. But the controlling majority of Republicans opposed the treaty, 
citing concerns about states’ rights and U.S. sovereignty. Two years 
later, despite another visit from Dole, the Republican-led Senate again 
rejected the treaty, <a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/218040-senate-gop-block-un-treaty-on-disability-rights" target="_blank">refusing</a> to bring it to a full vote.

In the last years of his life, Dole worked for Alston and Bird, helping the firm lobby for a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/04/world/europe/oleg-deripaska-russia-oligarch-sanctions.html" target="_blank">Russian oligarch</a> and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-sen-bob-dole-s-influence-helped-lead-call-between-n692661" target="_blank">policies favorable to Taiwan</a>.

Ever the GOP loyalist, Dole endorsed candidate Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. 

“I like Donald Trump because he's a strong leader and he is someone who can work with Congress,” Dole <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wDh8J_3v4c&amp;ab_channel=PBSNewsHour" target="_blank">told NPR</a>
 at the Republican National Convention that year. “There are a lot of 
similarities between my days in the Senate and what Donald is 
proposing.”

In the 2018 midterms, Dole threw his support behind Republican congressional candidates <a href="http://www.yoderforcongress.com/senator_bob_dole_endorses_congressman_yoder_for_re_election" target="_blank">Kevin Yoder</a>, a Republican incumbent in eastern Kansas, and <a href="https://twitter.com/senatordole/status/1050027506814869505" target="_blank">Steve Watkins</a>, a newcomer who had few ties to Dole’s home state. The former senator endorsed incumbent <a href="https://twitter.com/senatordole/status/1026559962963734528" target="_blank">Gov. Jeff Colyer</a>
 in the GOP primaries, and later stayed silent when then-Secretary of 
State Kris Kobach won the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

In 2019, Congress unanimously passed a <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article228436774.html" target="_blank">bill</a> to promote Dole to the rank of colonel in the Army.

In 2020, Dole did not publicly endorse a candidate, but maintained his support of Trump, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bob-dole-donald-trump-presidential-debate-commission-elections-2020-10" target="_blank">accusing</a>
 the bipartisan Committee on Presidential Debates of being biased 
against the candidate ahead of the election. Dole endorsed Republican 
Roger Marshall, a candidate cast more in the mold of Trump than the 
politics of Dole's career.

Dole later said he <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/article247926270.html" target="_blank">believed</a> Joe Biden had won the election over Trump. He told The Kansas City Star that he considered Biden a friend.

“He
 did a good job,” Dole said. “Proud to be a liberal — hopefully not too 
liberal — but he knows how the government works and the Congress works 
and all this will be a benefit to Joe.”

Dole’s health began to decline in early 2021, when he announced he had been <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bob-dole-stage-4-lung-cancer-480b81fe3e01fa53263c2f817c4eb768" target="_blank">diagnosed</a> with stage four lung cancer and would soon begin treatment.

Dole saw his political career, like his personal battle with a physical disability, as one of perseverance.

“In
 the final analysis, that’s what great leaders do, not just in the 
Senate but also in daily life,” he wrote in his 2005 memoir. “They face 
life without flinching. They make the tough decisions. They live with 
the consequences whether good or bad. They make the most of what they 
have. That’s the kind of leader I have always tried to be.”

Throughout his career, Dole was a staunch supporter of disability rights and some social welfare programs.

Nomin
 Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and social welfare for the Kansas
 News Service. You can email her at nomin@kcur.org and follow
 her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/nominuj" target="_blank">@NominUJ</a>.&nbsp;Scott
 Canon is the managing editor of the Kansas News Service. You can reach 
him at scott@kcur.org, 816-235-8023 or on Twitter @ScottCanon.

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