By&nbsp;Fr. GNANASEKAR KULANDAI <a href="https://salinadiocese.org">Salina Diocese</a>

I grew up in a village in India. We lived about ten kilometers from 
the big city. I was the youngest of five children. It was nice being the
 baby of the family! My dad was a farmer. We grew rice, vegetables and 
flowers. We would have to get up early in the mornings and collect 
everything to take to market.&nbsp;

My family are all devout Catholics. I do not know for how many 
generations we are Catholic, but we are Catholic for as far back as I 
can remember. Most of India&nbsp;(80%)&nbsp;is Hindu, only about 2.3% of the 
country is Christian,&nbsp;in which 1.5% is&nbsp;Catholic. My Catholic faith made 
me distinct, but it didn’t harm my friendships or relationships with 
people. My best&nbsp;childhood&nbsp;friend was&nbsp;a&nbsp;Hindu. In our simple home, we 
didn’t worry about differences in faith. There was unity in the 
diversity.&nbsp;

My greatest role models were my parents. They cultivated my faith and
 conscience, but so did the priests and religious sisters at the 
Catholic school I attended. There was one teacher who made a tremendous 
impact on me. He was very quiet and never used corporal punishment. 
Corporal punishment was allowed back in those days. Just his stern look 
would calm us. It inspired me and taught me that we should do our jobs 
with love.&nbsp;

When I was in grade school, and people asked me what I wanted to be 
when I grew up, I said a priest! But then when I was older, sometime 
after the 5th&nbsp;grade, my answer would vary from police officer
 to engineer to doctor to farmer. I had many different desires. There 
were other parts of the world I wanted to explore. I was always 
comfortable with those dreams, but I wasn’t fully satisfied. I was 
aiming for everything, but I felt like I was neglecting the most 
important call.&nbsp;One of my sisters is a religious sister for 
the&nbsp;Sisters&nbsp;of Good News. When I was in 10th&nbsp;grade, she came 
home for a visit. We talked for about 30 minutes and she expressed to me
 her vocation and the way God calls. We talked about the mission of 
priests.&nbsp;I knew then that I was hiding from the priesthood. So, when I 
was 16, I decided to enter the seminary. It was kind of funny, but my 
cousin, who I am very close with, entered seminary at the same time that
 I did. We went through everything together. It was very comforting.&nbsp;

When I told my family about my decision, my mom and siblings&nbsp;were 
extremely happy. My dad was sad. He wanted me to be close to him. He 
knew that I would not be home very often, and that was hard for him. He 
died before I was ordained a priest, but I know that he was proud of 
me.&nbsp;The first four years of seminary were not easy. I was not yet sure 
that the priesthood is where I was being called. I could foresee the 
challenges, like being far from home. I also knew that I would have to 
give up my desires for a family.&nbsp;

At one point, I was upset with one of my formators. I was so 
frustrated and wanted to leave. I remember talking to a friend and she 
said, “Sekar, did you enter the seminary for that priest? Or did you 
enter the seminary for Jesus?” It was a simple thing that motivated me 
to return.&nbsp;

There were always questions, but less with each year. Around year 
five, I knew without any doubt that God wanted me to be a priest. I came
 to realize that God’s will for me is better than my desires. God wants 
what is best for me. Something I like to reflect on that one of my 
formators shared with me is, “The&nbsp;Will&nbsp;of God will not lead you where 
the grace of God cannot keep you.”&nbsp;

I was ordained as a priest for the Heralds of Good News (HGN) on 
February 3, 2009. The HGNs are a clerical missionary society that seek 
to train saintly, hardworking, dedicated missionaries and supply them 
wherever there is a need. I chose them mainly because my sister’s order 
was founded by the same priest. I did not know very much about the 
mission congregation when I joined, but I knew I would be sent out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After I was ordained, my first assignment was to teach philosophy at 
the seminary. I did that for four years. Near the end of my term, Bishop
 Weisenburger contacted my superiors in need of two priests. My 
superiors came to me and all I could say is, “Yes, I will go.”&nbsp;

I strongly believe that God speaks through the superiors. God sends 
us to the right place. So, he sent me and Father&nbsp;Soosai&nbsp;Rathinam, HGN to
 Salina. We did not know where Kansas was.&nbsp;

I remember flying into Kansas City, and Father Leo Blasi picked us up
 at the airport. He was a seminarian at the time. He drove us to Salina.
 I looked out the car window the whole time and couldn’t believe it. 
There were no people and no honking! India is the second most densely 
populated country in the world, so the space out here was hard to 
believe. We stopped for lunch, and I had no idea what to order! The food
 is very different here.&nbsp;

My first assignment was in Hays. Father Kevin Weber was my mentor. He
 was great and did not grow tired of me. While I had already been a 
priest for four years, I had never served at a parish. Serving at 
Immaculate Heart of Mary in Hays was my first time ministering to the 
people.&nbsp;

One of the hardest things for me when I got here was cooking! In 
India, the women do most of the cooking. It’s the way of the culture. 
So, the only thing I knew how to do was boil water.&nbsp;On my first day in 
Hays,&nbsp;Father Kevin gave me some cash and&nbsp;went to his farm for his day 
off.&nbsp; I went&nbsp;to buy groceries&nbsp;at Dillons. I did not know what to buy! I
 walked up and down the aisles for a long time. Thankfully, a very nice 
woman from the parish saw me and helped me out.&nbsp;

I have loved being in the Salina Diocese. And I love being a priest –
 it is a special call. The best part of being a priest is bringing God’s
 love to people and watching them come alive. Recently, I visited a man 
who had strayed from the faith for most of his life. After hearing his 
Confession, seeing the joy in him was priceless. What else is there?&nbsp;

I am happy here, but I do miss my home and my family. It’s strange, 
but I’ve never&nbsp;been assigned to a place where I could speak and 
celebrate Mass in my mother tongue, Tamil.&nbsp;

I know that God wanted me to be a priest. I remember one time when I 
was young, I was walking&nbsp;in the&nbsp;field, and I heard my name being called.
 I looked all around and ran home, wondering who had called me. No one 
had. Sometimes I wonder if it was God – similar to the&nbsp;way he called 
Samuel. I think everything circles back to how God calls. Once I knew I 
was being called to the priesthood, I never regretted it. God continues 
to keep me safe, happy and joyful.&nbsp;

I am greatly indebted to the&nbsp;Bishop, priests and people 
of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Salina&nbsp;Diocese for&nbsp;the love, friendship&nbsp;and support&nbsp;I receive, 
and&nbsp;to&nbsp;Heralds of Good News&nbsp;for&nbsp;the formation and mission I cherish.&nbsp;

From the <a href="https://salinadiocese.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WEB-Register-032221.pdf">March 26, 2021</a> issue of The Register

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631559499802.png" alt="Fr. Gnanasekar Kulandai" />
 <figcaption>Fr. Gnanasekar Kulandai</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;Fr. GNANASEKAR KULANDAI <a href="https://salinadiocese.org">Salina Diocese</a>I grew up in a village in India. We lived about ten kilometers from 
the big city. I was the youngest of five children. It was nice being the
 baby of the family! My dad was a farmer. We grew rice, vegetables and 
flowers. We would have to get up early in the mornings and collect 
everything to take to market.&nbsp;My family are all devout Catholics. I do not know for how many 
generations we are Catholic, but we are Catholic for as far back as I 
can remember. Most of India&nbsp;(80%)&nbsp;is Hindu, only about 2.3% of the 
country is Christian,&nbsp;in which 1.5% is&nbsp;Catholic. My Catholic faith made 
me distinct, but it didn’t harm my friendships or relationships with 
people. My best&nbsp;childhood&nbsp;friend was&nbsp;a&nbsp;Hindu. In our simple home, we 
didn’t worry about differences in faith. There was unity in the 
diversity.&nbsp;My greatest role models were my parents. They cultivated my faith and
 conscience, but so did the priests and religious sisters at the 
Catholic school I attended. There was one teacher who made a tremendous 
impact on me. He was very quiet and never used corporal punishment. 
Corporal punishment was allowed back in those days. Just his stern look 
would calm us. It inspired me and taught me that we should do our jobs 
with love.&nbsp;When I was in grade school, and people asked me what I wanted to be 
when I grew up, I said a priest! But then when I was older, sometime 
after the 5th&nbsp;grade, my answer would vary from police officer
 to engineer to doctor to farmer. I had many different desires. There 
were other parts of the world I wanted to explore. I was always 
comfortable with those dreams, but I wasn’t fully satisfied. I was 
aiming for everything, but I felt like I was neglecting the most 
important call.&nbsp;One of my sisters is a religious sister for 
the&nbsp;Sisters&nbsp;of Good News. When I was in 10th&nbsp;grade, she came 
home for a visit. We talked for about 30 minutes and she expressed to me
 her vocation and the way God calls. We talked about the mission of 
priests.&nbsp;I knew then that I was hiding from the priesthood. So, when I 
was 16, I decided to enter the seminary. It was kind of funny, but my 
cousin, who I am very close with, entered seminary at the same time that
 I did. We went through everything together. It was very comforting.&nbsp;When I told my family about my decision, my mom and siblings&nbsp;were 
extremely happy. My dad was sad. He wanted me to be close to him. He 
knew that I would not be home very often, and that was hard for him. He 
died before I was ordained a priest, but I know that he was proud of 
me.&nbsp;The first four years of seminary were not easy. I was not yet sure 
that the priesthood is where I was being called. I could foresee the 
challenges, like being far from home. I also knew that I would have to 
give up my desires for a family.&nbsp;At one point, I was upset with one of my formators. I was so 
frustrated and wanted to leave. I remember talking to a friend and she 
said, “Sekar, did you enter the seminary for that priest? Or did you 
enter the seminary for Jesus?” It was a simple thing that motivated me 
to return.&nbsp;There were always questions, but less with each year. Around year 
five, I knew without any doubt that God wanted me to be a priest. I came
 to realize that God’s will for me is better than my desires. God wants 
what is best for me. Something I like to reflect on that one of my 
formators shared with me is, “The&nbsp;Will&nbsp;of God will not lead you where 
the grace of God cannot keep you.”&nbsp;I was ordained as a priest for the Heralds of Good News (HGN) on 
February 3, 2009. The HGNs are a clerical missionary society that seek 
to train saintly, hardworking, dedicated missionaries and supply them 
wherever there is a need. I chose them mainly because my sister’s order 
was founded by the same priest. I did not know very much about the 
mission congregation when I joined, but I knew I would be sent out.&nbsp;&nbsp;After I was ordained, my first assignment was to teach philosophy at 
the seminary. I did that for four years. Near the end of my term, Bishop
 Weisenburger contacted my superiors in need of two priests. My 
superiors came to me and all I could say is, “Yes, I will go.”&nbsp;I strongly believe that God speaks through the superiors. God sends 
us to the right place. So, he sent me and Father&nbsp;Soosai&nbsp;Rathinam, HGN to
 Salina. We did not know where Kansas was.&nbsp;I remember flying into Kansas City, and Father Leo Blasi picked us up
 at the airport. He was a seminarian at the time. He drove us to Salina.
 I looked out the car window the whole time and couldn’t believe it. 
There were no people and no honking! India is the second most densely 
populated country in the world, so the space out here was hard to 
believe. We stopped for lunch, and I had no idea what to order! The food
 is very different here.&nbsp;My first assignment was in Hays. Father Kevin Weber was my mentor. He
 was great and did not grow tired of me. While I had already been a 
priest for four years, I had never served at a parish. Serving at 
Immaculate Heart of Mary in Hays was my first time ministering to the 
people.&nbsp;One of the hardest things for me when I got here was cooking! In 
India, the women do most of the cooking. It’s the way of the culture. 
So, the only thing I knew how to do was boil water.&nbsp;On my first day in 
Hays,&nbsp;Father Kevin gave me some cash and&nbsp;went to his farm for his day 
off.&nbsp; I went&nbsp;to buy groceries&nbsp;at Dillons. I did not know what to buy! I
 walked up and down the aisles for a long time. Thankfully, a very nice 
woman from the parish saw me and helped me out.&nbsp;I have loved being in the Salina Diocese. And I love being a priest –
 it is a special call. The best part of being a priest is bringing God’s
 love to people and watching them come alive. Recently, I visited a man 
who had strayed from the faith for most of his life. After hearing his 
Confession, seeing the joy in him was priceless. What else is there?&nbsp;I am happy here, but I do miss my home and my family. It’s strange, 
but I’ve never&nbsp;been assigned to a place where I could speak and 
celebrate Mass in my mother tongue, Tamil.&nbsp;I know that God wanted me to be a priest. I remember one time when I 
was young, I was walking&nbsp;in the&nbsp;field, and I heard my name being called.
 I looked all around and ran home, wondering who had called me. No one 
had. Sometimes I wonder if it was God – similar to the&nbsp;way he called 
Samuel. I think everything circles back to how God calls. Once I knew I 
was being called to the priesthood, I never regretted it. God continues 
to keep me safe, happy and joyful.&nbsp;I am greatly indebted to the&nbsp;Bishop, priests and people 
of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Salina&nbsp;Diocese for&nbsp;the love, friendship&nbsp;and support&nbsp;I receive, 
and&nbsp;to&nbsp;Heralds of Good News&nbsp;for&nbsp;the formation and mission I cherish.&nbsp;From the <a href="https://salinadiocese.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WEB-Register-032221.pdf">March 26, 2021</a> issue of The Register

Fr. Kulandai: A change in country, but not in my religion

By
NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch
Post</a>


HUTCHINSON — Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran used a word Saturday he rarely 
uses on the record when talking about President Biden's choices in the 
pullout from Afghanistan.

"I'm angry about what's transpired," 
Moran said. "The decision was made to leave and I don't think that's the
 topic of conversation. That's not necessarily the debate today, but how
 we leave Afghanistan is hugely important and we did it in a way that 
angers me and creates lots of challenges for us."

Moran doesn't see the logic behind the administration's actions.

"I
 don't know why any administration, why you would ever set a deadline 
for a departure of a war. If you set a deadline that was your goal, you 
wouldn't make it public. If you had a goal of a certain date, you 
wouldn't have to live up to it, if there were still things that needed 
to be done, like the evacuation of Americans and our allies from 
Afghanistan."

That's not the only issue left behind, though, according to Moran.

"Our
 pastor's daughter and her husband in Hays were Afghan missionaries," 
Moran said. "Their request is, can you help us get Christians out of 
Afghanistan? I cannot understand the failure to have a plan to evacuate 
those people whose lives are in danger before we started the process of 
leaving and why the visas weren't more readily available and why we 
didn't have an airport and a secure place in which to take care of those
 people during the process of our departure."

Moran is back in Washington on Monday, weeks after he asked leader Schumer to bring them back to get answers to these questions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604336319153.png" alt="Moran" />
 <figcaption>Moran</figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch
Post</a> 
HUTCHINSON — Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran used a word Saturday he rarely 
uses on the record when talking about President Biden's choices in the 
pullout from Afghanistan."I'm angry about what's transpired," 
Moran said. "The decision was made to leave and I don't think that's the
 topic of conversation. That's not necessarily the debate today, but how
 we leave Afghanistan is hugely important and we did it in a way that 
angers me and creates lots of challenges for us."Moran doesn't see the logic behind the administration's actions."I
 don't know why any administration, why you would ever set a deadline 
for a departure of a war. If you set a deadline that was your goal, you 
wouldn't make it public. If you had a goal of a certain date, you 
wouldn't have to live up to it, if there were still things that needed 
to be done, like the evacuation of Americans and our allies from 
Afghanistan."That's not the only issue left behind, though, according to Moran."Our
 pastor's daughter and her husband in Hays were Afghan missionaries," 
Moran said. "Their request is, can you help us get Christians out of 
Afghanistan? I cannot understand the failure to have a plan to evacuate 
those people whose lives are in danger before we started the process of 
leaving and why the visas weren't more readily available and why we 
didn't have an airport and a secure place in which to take care of those
 people during the process of our departure."Moran is back in Washington on Monday, weeks after he asked leader Schumer to bring them back to get answers to these questions.

Moran still has questions about Afghanistan pullout

SCOTT COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 3:30a.m. Monday in Scott County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Kia 4-door passenger vehicle driven by Phillip Brandon Kemp, 34, Garden City, was eastbound on Kansas 96.

As the vehicle arrived in Scott City, it traveled off the road to the right at Jackson and 5th Street, struck a light pole and rolled onto its top side.

EMS transported Kemp and a passenger&nbsp;Kemp, and a passenger Latraiz Spencer Kemp, 27, Overland Park, to the Scott County Hospital. Both were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

SCOTT COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 3:30a.m. Monday in Scott County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Kia 4-door passenger vehicle driven by Phillip Brandon Kemp, 34, Garden City, was eastbound on Kansas 96.As the vehicle arrived in Scott City, it traveled off the road to the right at Jackson and 5th Street, struck a light pole and rolled onto its top side.EMS transported Kemp and a passenger&nbsp;Kemp, and a passenger Latraiz Spencer Kemp, 27, Overland Park, to the Scott County Hospital. Both were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

2 hospitalized after vehicle strikes a light pole, rolls

There’s no question
 lives have changed over the past several months. Work has evolved as well, which is why Rural &amp; Remote will be focusing on the future of work at its summit later this month. 

The Summit, which will take place Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Hilton Garden Inn
 in Hays, provides an opportunity to learn how remote work is impacting rural communities and the resources for free training available to Northwest Kansas residents. The free event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Gretchin Staples,
 Rural &amp; Remote NWKS program coordinator, said 100 participants attended a similar event in 2019. This year, organizers hope to double that amount.&nbsp;

“At that time, the
 program was brand new,” Staples noted. “Now, the program has been working in Northwest Kansas and we can discuss the opportunities available, but also the successes that we’ve seen and the impact it is having on our region’s economy.”&nbsp;

Rural &amp; Remote is
 an initiative launched in northwest Kansas in 2019 that offers training for residents of the region to secure professional opportunities in any geographic location while living in the rural area they call home. So far, there have been more than 100 graduates
 from the program, with 21 professionals placed in remote careers. Currently, there are 15 active job seekers.&nbsp;

Paul Hill, of the
 Rural Online Initiative in Utah, will be the keynote speaker at the event. Utah’s program is statewide, versus regional-based in Kansas. Staples said Rural &amp; Remote has worked with Hill and the ROI through the program’s educational component.

“The information
 Paul will share that day will not just be talking about the concept of remote work,” Staples said. “It will be real-world examples and practical, applicable information based upon the results they are seeing.”

Professionals interested
 in pursuing a remote career are not the only ones encouraged to attend. Economic development professionals and business professionals will also benefit from the day.&nbsp;

“It really is about
 the future of work,” said Kade Wilcox, Rural &amp; Remote Program Director. “Work as we know it is changing, and Northwest Kansas is not getting left behind. The summit is a great opportunity to walk away with a lot of insight on how to keep up with what’s coming
 next and how the pandemic is changing the landscape of work."

Breakout sessions
 will feature additional information about the training available as well as how community members can support and businesses can benefit as well.&nbsp;

Scott Sproul, President/CEO
 of the Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Inc. said it’s been exciting to see the multifaceted approach of Rural &amp; Remote help professionals achieve their goals in life, while also providing a trained workforce for companies that are remote from
 Kansas or in-state companies with remote capabilities.&nbsp;

“Rural &amp; Remote
 creates economic vitality for our 26-county area because you see it bringing those quality jobs to the area,” said Sproul, noting NWKEICI was the catalyst that brought the Rural &amp; Remote program to northwest Kansas and remains committed to the success of showing
 rural life and remote work.&nbsp;“It’s really opened
 up the opportunity for people to do what they are skilled and trained in if those jobs aren’t physically available in our area … it allows them a pathway home,” Sproul said. “Rural &amp; Remote has met its initial goals, and we are now at a point where we see
 enough success that we can continue to innovate and get better and better.”&nbsp;

For more information
 visit <a href="http://ruralandremote.org/">ruralandremote.org</a>. To register for the free event click here:
<a href="https://bit.ly/3z0LGfb">https://bit.ly/3z0LGfb</a>

The Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Inc.&nbsp; provides
 economic and entrepreneurial assistance to businesses in rural Northwest Kansas. The private operating foundation serves 26 counties in the region with a variety of programs. By working with existing businesses or entrepreneurs throughout the coverage area
 with targeted programs, NWKEICI strives to reverse the outflow of people and businesses from Northwest Kansas. Through its current and future initiatives that extend resources to these businesses and entrepreneurs, NWKEICI hopes to increase population and
 to foster economic innovation in Northwest Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631281355883.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseThere’s no question
 lives have changed over the past several months. Work has evolved as well, which is why Rural &amp; Remote will be focusing on the future of work at its summit later this month. The Summit, which will take place Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Hilton Garden Inn
 in Hays, provides an opportunity to learn how remote work is impacting rural communities and the resources for free training available to Northwest Kansas residents. The free event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Gretchin Staples,
 Rural &amp; Remote NWKS program coordinator, said 100 participants attended a similar event in 2019. This year, organizers hope to double that amount.&nbsp;“At that time, the
 program was brand new,” Staples noted. “Now, the program has been working in Northwest Kansas and we can discuss the opportunities available, but also the successes that we’ve seen and the impact it is having on our region’s economy.”&nbsp;Rural &amp; Remote is
 an initiative launched in northwest Kansas in 2019 that offers training for residents of the region to secure professional opportunities in any geographic location while living in the rural area they call home. So far, there have been more than 100 graduates
 from the program, with 21 professionals placed in remote careers. Currently, there are 15 active job seekers.&nbsp;Paul Hill, of the
 Rural Online Initiative in Utah, will be the keynote speaker at the event. Utah’s program is statewide, versus regional-based in Kansas. Staples said Rural &amp; Remote has worked with Hill and the ROI through the program’s educational component.“The information
 Paul will share that day will not just be talking about the concept of remote work,” Staples said. “It will be real-world examples and practical, applicable information based upon the results they are seeing.”Professionals interested
 in pursuing a remote career are not the only ones encouraged to attend. Economic development professionals and business professionals will also benefit from the day.&nbsp;“It really is about
 the future of work,” said Kade Wilcox, Rural &amp; Remote Program Director. “Work as we know it is changing, and Northwest Kansas is not getting left behind. The summit is a great opportunity to walk away with a lot of insight on how to keep up with what’s coming
 next and how the pandemic is changing the landscape of work."Breakout sessions
 will feature additional information about the training available as well as how community members can support and businesses can benefit as well.&nbsp;Scott Sproul, President/CEO
 of the Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Inc. said it’s been exciting to see the multifaceted approach of Rural &amp; Remote help professionals achieve their goals in life, while also providing a trained workforce for companies that are remote from
 Kansas or in-state companies with remote capabilities.&nbsp;“Rural &amp; Remote
 creates economic vitality for our 26-county area because you see it bringing those quality jobs to the area,” said Sproul, noting NWKEICI was the catalyst that brought the Rural &amp; Remote program to northwest Kansas and remains committed to the success of showing
 rural life and remote work.&nbsp;“It’s really opened
 up the opportunity for people to do what they are skilled and trained in if those jobs aren’t physically available in our area … it allows them a pathway home,” Sproul said. “Rural &amp; Remote has met its initial goals, and we are now at a point where we see
 enough success that we can continue to innovate and get better and better.”&nbsp;For more information
 visit <a href="http://ruralandremote.org/">ruralandremote.org</a>. To register for the free event click here:
<a href="https://bit.ly/3z0LGfb">https://bit.ly/3z0LGfb</a>The Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Inc.&nbsp; provides
 economic and entrepreneurial assistance to businesses in rural Northwest Kansas. The private operating foundation serves 26 counties in the region with a variety of programs. By working with existing businesses or entrepreneurs throughout the coverage area
 with targeted programs, NWKEICI strives to reverse the outflow of people and businesses from Northwest Kansas. Through its current and future initiatives that extend resources to these businesses and entrepreneurs, NWKEICI hopes to increase population and
 to foster economic innovation in Northwest Kansas.

Remote Work Summit scheduled this month in Hays

Disc golf players from across the region descended on Hays this weekend for the 37th annual Frontier Open in Frontier Park.

Since 1984, players have made their way to the course, now the last remaining grassroots course in the state.

&nbsp;It was the fourth built in Kansas,&nbsp; according to the Kansas Disc Golf Association, with the first three courses having been redesigned or removed.

"It's a fun course," Trevor McMurray, Salina, who participated in the juniors event. "With some monster shots, for us anyway, junior wise."

He was especially impressed with the first hole, with a tee-off crossing Big Creek.

Hays resident Bryton Unsworth, played in McMurray's group and also said he enjoys the course.

"Honestly the layouts they have right now are really fun, I enjoyed them a lot," Unsworth said. "There are some hard shots, some getable birdies that you should walk out for because they can easily boogie them."

"The terrain of the Frontier Disc Golf Course, which is built in 75 acres of parkland, presents natural difficulties including water hazards from Big Creek and heavily wooded areas with creative elevation shots," the KDGA said. "The biggest potential hazard of tournament play during the Frontier Open is not so much the course as it is Mother Nature's wind. Tournaments are played in all weather conditions, excluding life-threatening ones, and test a player's skills."

The course was the 113th in the U.S., originally built as disc golf gained recognition and increasing popularity.

"The concept of the game was to create a recreational sport that would be free of charge to local citizens," the KDGA said. "The city provides the course and the players provide their equipment."

While the course dates back to the '80s, the game itself was being played in Hays long before, by Fort Hays State University students.

"Players included Ron Rice, Karen Elder, Les Dreiling, and Deb Ewy; most were students at the university," the KDGA said. "Fort Hays' security officers opposed the activity because they felt the student disc golfers were damaging the grass. Although names and faces have changed, disc golfers now have a course less than a mile away next to the bison in Frontier Park."

Along with the Hays Parks Department, those players would design and construct the Flying Bison Course.

"Rice left the university in 1976," The KDGA said "In 1982 he became an employee for the City of Hays Parks Department. He is still currently employed with the City as the Parks Technician, completing his 36th year."

Now across the U.S. there are now more than 8,000 courses and a growing number abroad, with more than 2,500 tournaments each year, they said. And the sport continues to grow.

Take a look at some of the tournament action below.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631477739510.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostDisc golf players from across the region descended on Hays this weekend for the 37th annual Frontier Open in Frontier Park.Since 1984, players have made their way to the course, now the last remaining grassroots course in the state.&nbsp;It was the fourth built in Kansas,&nbsp; according to the Kansas Disc Golf Association, with the first three courses having been redesigned or removed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631477857794.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"It's a fun course," Trevor McMurray, Salina, who participated in the juniors event. "With some monster shots, for us anyway, junior wise."He was especially impressed with the first hole, with a tee-off crossing Big Creek.Hays resident Bryton Unsworth, played in McMurray's group and also said he enjoys the course.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631477661485.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>"Honestly the layouts they have right now are really fun, I enjoyed them a lot," Unsworth said. "There are some hard shots, some getable birdies that you should walk out for because they can easily boogie them.""The terrain of the Frontier Disc Golf Course, which is built in 75 acres of parkland, presents natural difficulties including water hazards from Big Creek and heavily wooded areas with creative elevation shots," the KDGA said. "The biggest potential hazard of tournament play during the Frontier Open is not so much the course as it is Mother Nature's wind. Tournaments are played in all weather conditions, excluding life-threatening ones, and test a player's skills."The course was the 113th in the U.S., originally built as disc golf gained recognition and increasing popularity.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631477672407.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>"The concept of the game was to create a recreational sport that would be free of charge to local citizens," the KDGA said. "The city provides the course and the players provide their equipment."While the course dates back to the '80s, the game itself was being played in Hays long before, by Fort Hays State University students."Players included Ron Rice, Karen Elder, Les Dreiling, and Deb Ewy; most were students at the university," the KDGA said. "Fort Hays' security officers opposed the activity because they felt the student disc golfers were damaging the grass. Although names and faces have changed, disc golfers now have a course less than a mile away next to the bison in Frontier Park."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631477684968.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>Along with the Hays Parks Department, those players would design and construct the Flying Bison Course."Rice left the university in 1976," The KDGA said "In 1982 he became an employee for the City of Hays Parks Department. He is still currently employed with the City as the Parks Technician, completing his 36th year."Now across the U.S. there are now more than 8,000 courses and a growing number abroad, with more than 2,500 tournaments each year, they said. And the sport continues to grow.Take a look at some of the tournament action below.<figure>
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📷Area disc golfers fill Frontier Park for 37th annual Frontier Open

COLBY — About 450 contestants from 26 Kansas and Oklahoma colleges will compete in the annual Colby Community College National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Rodeo Sept. 17, 18 and 19 in the E.L. Garrett Arena at the Thomas County Fairgrounds.&nbsp;

Performances on Friday and Saturday begin at 7 p.m. The finals on Sunday featuring the top 10 in each event will start at 1 p.m.

Men’s events include bareback bronc riding, tie-down roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping&nbsp;and&nbsp;bull riding.

The women will compete in breakaway roping, goat tying, team roping and barrel racing.

Tickets at the gate are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Fans under five years old will&nbsp;be admitted&nbsp;free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631221295135.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>Colby Community CollegeCOLBY — About 450 contestants from 26 Kansas and Oklahoma colleges will compete in the annual Colby Community College National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Rodeo Sept. 17, 18 and 19 in the E.L. Garrett Arena at the Thomas County Fairgrounds.&nbsp;Performances on Friday and Saturday begin at 7 p.m. The finals on Sunday featuring the top 10 in each event will start at 1 p.m.Men’s events include bareback bronc riding, tie-down roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping&nbsp;and&nbsp;bull riding.The women will compete in breakaway roping, goat tying, team roping and barrel racing.Tickets at the gate are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Fans under five years old will&nbsp;be admitted&nbsp;free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

NIRA rodeo action coming to Colby this month

A year ago, I was excited to share information from the KSRE Fact sheet I wrote titled, “Taking a New Look at Fermented Foods.”&nbsp; The practice of fermenting foods has been around for thousands of years. There are many claims to how fermentation was discovered, but now, every culture with access to salt, makes some kind of fermented food. The simplicity of this food preservation method coupled with its unique flavors and reported health benefits has made fermenting food popular worldwide. Today there seems to be a renewed interest in preparing fermented foods at home.

I am hosting a fermentation workshop next week and have a couple of spots open if you would like to participate in this hands-on class. For the $25 registration fee you will receive the ingredients to make a 1-quart jar of Kimchi (a popular Korean condiment) and equipment to continue making fermented vegetables in a wide mouth canning jar. The workshop is set for Thursday, September 16th, from 6-9 PM.

There are two main methods of fermenting vegetables: dry salting and the brine method. Sauerkraut and Kimchi are prepared using the dry salting method. Either method you choose requires that you use non-iodized salt. The fact sheet I wrote focused on the fermentation of vegetables, known as lactic acid fermentation. Fermentation is a process where the natural bacteria found in fresh vegetables utilize the carbohydrates to reproduce and excrete lactic acid, which preserves the vegetables and creates a characteristic tangy flavor.

When fresh beets, radishes and carrots started showing up at the Farmer’s Market, we found a recipe for brining small chunks of these vegetables. Two weeks in our cool, dark basement, was all it took before we could enjoy this tasty ferment.&nbsp;

I continue to read about the health benefits of including a small amount of fermented food in your healthy daily meal plan. Articles in the Tufts University newsletter reinforce that consuming fermented foods help to create good bacteria in your gut which aids in digestion and bolsters the immune system. A book, titled, “Fiber Fueled” by gastroenterologist, Will Bulsiewicz, delivers a powerful message about optimizing your microbiome by including fermented foods.&nbsp;

The Fact sheet can be found on the K-State Research &amp; Extension web site by searching by the publication title or # MF3491. Feel free to give me a call if you have any questions or would like to sign up for next weeks’ workshop.&nbsp;

Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141404420.png" alt="Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>A year ago, I was excited to share information from the KSRE Fact sheet I wrote titled, “Taking a New Look at Fermented Foods.”&nbsp; The practice of fermenting foods has been around for thousands of years. There are many claims to how fermentation was discovered, but now, every culture with access to salt, makes some kind of fermented food. The simplicity of this food preservation method coupled with its unique flavors and reported health benefits has made fermenting food popular worldwide. Today there seems to be a renewed interest in preparing fermented foods at home.I am hosting a fermentation workshop next week and have a couple of spots open if you would like to participate in this hands-on class. For the $25 registration fee you will receive the ingredients to make a 1-quart jar of Kimchi (a popular Korean condiment) and equipment to continue making fermented vegetables in a wide mouth canning jar. The workshop is set for Thursday, September 16th, from 6-9 PM.There are two main methods of fermenting vegetables: dry salting and the brine method. Sauerkraut and Kimchi are prepared using the dry salting method. Either method you choose requires that you use non-iodized salt. The fact sheet I wrote focused on the fermentation of vegetables, known as lactic acid fermentation. Fermentation is a process where the natural bacteria found in fresh vegetables utilize the carbohydrates to reproduce and excrete lactic acid, which preserves the vegetables and creates a characteristic tangy flavor.When fresh beets, radishes and carrots started showing up at the Farmer’s Market, we found a recipe for brining small chunks of these vegetables. Two weeks in our cool, dark basement, was all it took before we could enjoy this tasty ferment.&nbsp;I continue to read about the health benefits of including a small amount of fermented food in your healthy daily meal plan. Articles in the Tufts University newsletter reinforce that consuming fermented foods help to create good bacteria in your gut which aids in digestion and bolsters the immune system. A book, titled, “Fiber Fueled” by gastroenterologist, Will Bulsiewicz, delivers a powerful message about optimizing your microbiome by including fermented foods.&nbsp;The Fact sheet can be found on the K-State Research &amp; Extension web site by searching by the publication title or # MF3491. Feel free to give me a call if you have any questions or would like to sign up for next weeks’ workshop.&nbsp;Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

KRUG: Fermenting vegetables is easy and fun

Three-day weather outlook

On this episode of the Post Podcast Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams shares information about ongoing housing projects in Hays.

<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>

<div><iframe title="Construction begins at Hays housing project" 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=6iysj-10da17d-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Grow Hays executive director Doug Williams shares information about ongoing housing projects in Hays.<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>

🎙Post Podcast: Construction begins at Hays housing project

Cool- and warm-season grasses need year-round care&nbsp;

By EMILY HALSTEAD K-State Research and Extension news writer

MANHATTAN — Keeping a healthy home lawn can be difficult for those who are not well versed in horticulture and lawn care. Kansas State University horticulture specialist Ward Upham shared his tips for maintaining a healthy lawn in Kansas.&nbsp;

“We live in a transition zone where we are too warm to grow cool-season grasses well, while also being too cold to grow warm season grasses well,” Upham said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Some examples are fescue and Kentucky bluegrass which are cool-season grasses; and bermudagrass, zoysia and buffalo grass, which are warm-season grasses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While buffalograss may not always grow well in Kansas, it is one of the most popular turfgrass species in the state, along with tall fescue Upham said.&nbsp;

“Buffalograss has become more popular in recent years due to its reputation as a low maintenance grass,” Upham said.&nbsp;

Upham gave some tips and things to look out for in home lawns in fall, winter, spring and next summer.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Summertime is very difficult for cool-season grasses because they do not have the heat or moisture stress tolerance that warm season grasses have,” Upham said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He added that lawn care in Kansas can be tricky, but K-State Research and Extension has many&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/publications/lawns-and-turf.html">helpful publications</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wupham@ksu.edu">experts</a>&nbsp;to answer questions.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VNDNTaP49_o"></iframe>
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 </figure><h2>Cool- and warm-season grasses need year-round care&nbsp;</h2>By EMILY HALSTEAD K-State Research and Extension news writerMANHATTAN — Keeping a healthy home lawn can be difficult for those who are not well versed in horticulture and lawn care. Kansas State University horticulture specialist Ward Upham shared his tips for maintaining a healthy lawn in Kansas.&nbsp;“We live in a transition zone where we are too warm to grow cool-season grasses well, while also being too cold to grow warm season grasses well,” Upham said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Some examples are fescue and Kentucky bluegrass which are cool-season grasses; and bermudagrass, zoysia and buffalo grass, which are warm-season grasses.&nbsp;&nbsp;While buffalograss may not always grow well in Kansas, it is one of the most popular turfgrass species in the state, along with tall fescue Upham said.&nbsp;“Buffalograss has become more popular in recent years due to its reputation as a low maintenance grass,” Upham said.&nbsp;Upham gave some tips and things to look out for in home lawns in fall, winter, spring and next summer.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fall&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Get ready to fertilize in September and early November for cool-season grasses.&nbsp;</li><li>If broadleaf weeds are an issue, spray for them in late October. Treat on a day that is at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit and do not irrigate within 24 hours.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Winter&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Winter is the time for dormant overseeding, if there is a need to fill in bare spots that were not overseeded in the fall.&nbsp;</li><li>Dormant overseeding can be effective for cool-season grasses when done in small areas of a lawn from December through February.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Spring&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Crabgrass preventer can be applied between April 1 and April 15. If using a product that contains prodiamine, the preventer should be applied two weeks earlier.&nbsp;</li><li>For crabgrass preventers to work, they must be watered in, meaning the product must be washed into the soil either by rain or watering.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>If broadleaf weeds are still an issue in the spring, spot treatment can be helpful.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Summer&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>June is a good time to aerate warm-season lawns.&nbsp;</li><li>Late July through August is the best time to apply a grub killer if experiencing grub damage.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>“Summertime is very difficult for cool-season grasses because they do not have the heat or moisture stress tolerance that warm season grasses have,” Upham said.&nbsp;&nbsp;He added that lawn care in Kansas can be tricky, but K-State Research and Extension has many&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/publications/lawns-and-turf.html">helpful publications</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wupham@ksu.edu">experts</a>&nbsp;to answer questions.&nbsp;

🎥 Lawn Calendar: K-State expert shares tips for healthy home lawns 

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;

Most large businesses have a CEO – chief executive officer. Some have a COO – chief operating officer – or a CFO – chief financial officer.&nbsp;

Today we’ll meet a person who describes herself as a CRO. That stands for Chief Remover of Obstacles. Her work has successfully removed obstacles for businesses in her rural county of Kansas.&nbsp;

Lea Ann Seiler is Hodgeman County economic development director. She describes herself as CRO – Chief Remover of Obstacles.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lea Ann grew up near Manhattan, attended Riley County High School and then K-State where she met and married her husband Gary. Gary became the ag teacher in Hodgeman County and she became economic development director in 2008.&nbsp;

Why does she use the term Chief Remover of Obstacles? “At a meeting, someone complained that they ran into a fresh obstacle for every business idea they had suggested in their community,” she said. “First it was zoning and then it was permitting and then it was financing.”&nbsp;

Lea Ann realized that a key part of her role as economic development director was removing obstacles so that her businesses and ruralpreneurs could move forward.&nbsp;

Some obstacles were simple. One person was looking for a building to rent for their business and had been asking around for a year. “We just walked upstairs to the appraiser’s office and requested public records,” Lea Ann said.&nbsp;

In another case, someone wanted to be a vendor at farmer’s market but didn’t know how to get a sales tax id. “We opened up my computer, completed the application, and printed their number out right then,” Lea Ann said.&nbsp;

Other things take longer to address, such as developing a business plan, pricing a product correctly, or mastering technology. “I remember when two of our restaurants didn’t accept credit cards and were losing business because of it,” Lea Ann said. “We held meetings with card machine vendors and helped them connect. Now I provide free square card readers to small businesses and farmers market vendors.”&nbsp;

Hodgeman County has strategically targeted particular development opportunities.&nbsp;These include natural resource tourism, agricultural diversification, area spending capture, retiring boomers, outbound commuters or those working from home, growth-oriented entrepreneurs, and economic diversification through new resident attraction.&nbsp;

“Lots of good things are happening in Hodgeman County,” Lea Ann said. “A new rural communications company has opened in Jetmore.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hanston now has fiber to the premise. The city of Jetmore is passing a Main Street RHID for upper-level housing development. We’re embarking on an infill housing project. The Hanston library just received a wonderful grant for outside amenities and the Jetmore downtown farmers market is a new KDHE farmers market senior voucher location. A new truck stop at (highways) 156 and 283 is under construction and highway 156 will be getting much-needed shoulders.”&nbsp;

Local furniture artisan Zach Schaffer is building a new shop, and another business will be opening in his former building. “We’re partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield and NXSTG in a super cool new technology for health and vitality project,” Lea Ann said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

There are two towns in Hodgeman County, Jetmore and Hanston. Lea Ann’s office is at the county seat in Jetmore. “I live in the smaller one which is Hanston, but spend most of my waking hours at the larger one, which is Jetmore,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jetmore has a population of 867. Hanston is a rural community of 206 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

Sixteen new kids have moved to Hanston since May. “We are seeing a renewed interest in rural, and additional people moving, or wanting to move, to our community,” Lea Ann said. “There is a renewed sense of urgency in making sure we act on this opportunity,” she said.&nbsp;

For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hodgemancountyks.com/">www.hodgemancountyks.com</a>.&nbsp;

Some organizations have a CEO, CFO, or COO. Hodgeman County is fortunate to have a CRO who serves as a chief remover of obstacles for businesses. We commend Lea Ann Seiler for making a difference with her work, which helps local entrepreneurs move their enterprises forward through the obstacle course of operating a business.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631106343664.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;Most large businesses have a CEO – chief executive officer. Some have a COO – chief operating officer – or a CFO – chief financial officer.&nbsp;Today we’ll meet a person who describes herself as a CRO. That stands for Chief Remover of Obstacles. Her work has successfully removed obstacles for businesses in her rural county of Kansas.&nbsp;Lea Ann Seiler is Hodgeman County economic development director. She describes herself as CRO – Chief Remover of Obstacles.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lea Ann grew up near Manhattan, attended Riley County High School and then K-State where she met and married her husband Gary. Gary became the ag teacher in Hodgeman County and she became economic development director in 2008.&nbsp;Why does she use the term Chief Remover of Obstacles? “At a meeting, someone complained that they ran into a fresh obstacle for every business idea they had suggested in their community,” she said. “First it was zoning and then it was permitting and then it was financing.”&nbsp;Lea Ann realized that a key part of her role as economic development director was removing obstacles so that her businesses and ruralpreneurs could move forward.&nbsp;Some obstacles were simple. One person was looking for a building to rent for their business and had been asking around for a year. “We just walked upstairs to the appraiser’s office and requested public records,” Lea Ann said.&nbsp;In another case, someone wanted to be a vendor at farmer’s market but didn’t know how to get a sales tax id. “We opened up my computer, completed the application, and printed their number out right then,” Lea Ann said.&nbsp;Other things take longer to address, such as developing a business plan, pricing a product correctly, or mastering technology. “I remember when two of our restaurants didn’t accept credit cards and were losing business because of it,” Lea Ann said. “We held meetings with card machine vendors and helped them connect. Now I provide free square card readers to small businesses and farmers market vendors.”&nbsp;Hodgeman County has strategically targeted particular development opportunities.&nbsp;These include natural resource tourism, agricultural diversification, area spending capture, retiring boomers, outbound commuters or those working from home, growth-oriented entrepreneurs, and economic diversification through new resident attraction.&nbsp;“Lots of good things are happening in Hodgeman County,” Lea Ann said. “A new rural communications company has opened in Jetmore.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hanston now has fiber to the premise. The city of Jetmore is passing a Main Street RHID for upper-level housing development. We’re embarking on an infill housing project. The Hanston library just received a wonderful grant for outside amenities and the Jetmore downtown farmers market is a new KDHE farmers market senior voucher location. A new truck stop at (highways) 156 and 283 is under construction and highway 156 will be getting much-needed shoulders.”&nbsp;Local furniture artisan Zach Schaffer is building a new shop, and another business will be opening in his former building. “We’re partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield and NXSTG in a super cool new technology for health and vitality project,” Lea Ann said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There are two towns in Hodgeman County, Jetmore and Hanston. Lea Ann’s office is at the county seat in Jetmore. “I live in the smaller one which is Hanston, but spend most of my waking hours at the larger one, which is Jetmore,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jetmore has a population of 867. Hanston is a rural community of 206 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;Sixteen new kids have moved to Hanston since May. “We are seeing a renewed interest in rural, and additional people moving, or wanting to move, to our community,” Lea Ann said. “There is a renewed sense of urgency in making sure we act on this opportunity,” she said.&nbsp;For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hodgemancountyks.com/">www.hodgemancountyks.com</a>.&nbsp;Some organizations have a CEO, CFO, or COO. Hodgeman County is fortunate to have a CRO who serves as a chief remover of obstacles for businesses. We commend Lea Ann Seiler for making a difference with her work, which helps local entrepreneurs move their enterprises forward through the obstacle course of operating a business.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Lea Ann Seiler, Hodgeman County 

The new owner of the Victoria St. John’s Rest Home will hold an open house and public meeting to gain community input on use of the building and grounds. 

Jeff Pfeifer will open the rest home to the public at 5:30 pm Tuesday for anyone interested in walking through the facility.&nbsp; The community meeting will start at 6:30 pm at the rest home. Pfeifer is seeking input on potential uses for the property, concerns regarding needed changes to the property, and unique features of the property that should be preserved.

Participants will have the opportunity to provide input on prioritization of the suggestions received during the meeting.&nbsp; Comments and input can also be provided by messaging or posting on Facebook @savetheresthome or by emailing to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:006pfeifer@gmail.com" target="_blank">006pfeifer@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;or sending them to: Save the Rest Home LLC., P.O. Box 94, Victoria, KS 67671.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631218297385.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe new owner of the Victoria St. John’s Rest Home will hold an open house and public meeting to gain community input on use of the building and grounds. Jeff Pfeifer will open the rest home to the public at 5:30 pm Tuesday for anyone interested in walking through the facility.&nbsp; The community meeting will start at 6:30 pm at the rest home. Pfeifer is seeking input on potential uses for the property, concerns regarding needed changes to the property, and unique features of the property that should be preserved.Participants will have the opportunity to provide input on prioritization of the suggestions received during the meeting.&nbsp; Comments and input can also be provided by messaging or posting on Facebook @savetheresthome or by emailing to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:006pfeifer@gmail.com" target="_blank">006pfeifer@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;or sending them to: Save the Rest Home LLC., P.O. Box 94, Victoria, KS 67671.

New owner of Victoria rest home seeks input on future of facility

Contractors will be performing repairs to the Lincoln Draw Tunnel, which runs through the core of the city from 19th and Lincoln to 10th and Montgomery. 

 Work will begin Monday and continue for six to eight weeks.  This work should not have a significant impact on traffic or or any private property. 

 For more information, call 785 628-7350.

Contractors will be performing repairs to the Lincoln Draw Tunnel, which runs through the core of the city from 19th and Lincoln to 10th and Montgomery. Work will begin Monday and continue for six to eight weeks. This work should not have a significant impact on traffic or or any private property. For more information, call 785 628-7350.— City of Hays

Contractors begin work on Lincoln Draw tunnel this week

Returning to northwest Kansas the following Sunday, Sept. 19, are a popular progressive western swing trio from Texas. With over 15 years of touring, The Quebe Sisters have delivered their authentic triple fiddle and three-part harmony sound to the concert halls and festivals of North America and Europe. The sisters will take stage at the Oakley High School Auditorium at 3 p.m. CDT, Sunday, Sept. 19.

In addition to businesses and individual donors from throughout the region, this program is made possible through a special season gift from the Dane G. Hansen Memorial Foundation, Logan. Admission by WPAA season ticket or adults $20, students $10 at the door.

Grace, Sophia, and Hulda Quebe front an innovative Progressive Western Swing band of archtop guitar, upright bass, fiddles and sibling harmony. The Dallas-based five-piece presents a unique Americana blend of Western Swing, Jazz-influenced Swing, Country, Texas-Style Fiddling, and Western music.&nbsp;

“We differentiate our music as ‘Progressive Western Swing’ from simply ‘Western Swing’ because we aren’t trying to sound just like Bob Wills,” Grace Quebe explains. “Instead, we continue his vision, playing the style he pioneered in an authentic way by incorporating new genres and songs, interpreting them using our own unique voice through Country instrumentation.”

The band’s stripped-down acoustic instrumentation breathes new life into seasoned sounds once found in Texas dance halls and honky-tonks. Grace continues, “To us, preserving the tradition of Western Swing isn’t about keeping something alive like a relic. Western Swing has always been about innovation.”&nbsp;

Innovation has led the sisters to channel the musical connection between danceability and emotiveness, combining old sounds with new feelings and old feelings with new sounds. It’s not nostalgia that drives the band as purveyors of Western Swing, but the aspiration to take the music back to its roots and sustain the spirit of Swing. Combine the musical stylings of The Mills Brothers, Ray Price, Count Basie, Willie Nelson, and you have none other than The Quebe Sisters.

Here is what three of the America’s greatest musical legends say about The Quebe Sisters.&nbsp;

"The Quebe Sisters simply stopped me in my tracks when I heard them the first time. Their blend of swing with a dash of contemporary color is unique in today's music world. They project a cannonball of stage presence and man can they play." —&nbsp;Jimmy Buffett

"It's an honor to live on the same planet as the Quebe Sisters. They represent everything that I love about pure American music and I'm probably their biggest fan." —&nbsp;Marty Stuart

"The Quebe Sisters are some of the most talented people I've ever met. They do Texas proud. They live in Texas, sound like Texas and they're prettier than Texas Bluebonnets, and sweeter than sugar cane. I love the Quebe Sisters"—&nbsp;Ricky Skaggs

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581542018976.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WPAAReturning to northwest Kansas the following Sunday, Sept. 19, are a popular progressive western swing trio from Texas. With over 15 years of touring, The Quebe Sisters have delivered their authentic triple fiddle and three-part harmony sound to the concert halls and festivals of North America and Europe. The sisters will take stage at the Oakley High School Auditorium at 3 p.m. CDT, Sunday, Sept. 19.In addition to businesses and individual donors from throughout the region, this program is made possible through a special season gift from the Dane G. Hansen Memorial Foundation, Logan. Admission by WPAA season ticket or adults $20, students $10 at the door.Grace, Sophia, and Hulda Quebe front an innovative Progressive Western Swing band of archtop guitar, upright bass, fiddles and sibling harmony. The Dallas-based five-piece presents a unique Americana blend of Western Swing, Jazz-influenced Swing, Country, Texas-Style Fiddling, and Western music.&nbsp;“We differentiate our music as ‘Progressive Western Swing’ from simply ‘Western Swing’ because we aren’t trying to sound just like Bob Wills,” Grace Quebe explains. “Instead, we continue his vision, playing the style he pioneered in an authentic way by incorporating new genres and songs, interpreting them using our own unique voice through Country instrumentation.”The band’s stripped-down acoustic instrumentation breathes new life into seasoned sounds once found in Texas dance halls and honky-tonks. Grace continues, “To us, preserving the tradition of Western Swing isn’t about keeping something alive like a relic. Western Swing has always been about innovation.”&nbsp;Innovation has led the sisters to channel the musical connection between danceability and emotiveness, combining old sounds with new feelings and old feelings with new sounds. It’s not nostalgia that drives the band as purveyors of Western Swing, but the aspiration to take the music back to its roots and sustain the spirit of Swing. Combine the musical stylings of The Mills Brothers, Ray Price, Count Basie, Willie Nelson, and you have none other than The Quebe Sisters.Here is what three of the America’s greatest musical legends say about The Quebe Sisters.&nbsp;"The Quebe Sisters simply stopped me in my tracks when I heard them the first time. Their blend of swing with a dash of contemporary color is unique in today's music world. They project a cannonball of stage presence and man can they play." —&nbsp;Jimmy Buffett"It's an honor to live on the same planet as the Quebe Sisters. They represent everything that I love about pure American music and I'm probably their biggest fan." —&nbsp;Marty Stuart"The Quebe Sisters are some of the most talented people I've ever met. They do Texas proud. They live in Texas, sound like Texas and they're prettier than Texas Bluebonnets, and sweeter than sugar cane. I love the Quebe Sisters"—&nbsp;Ricky Skaggs

'Progressive western swing' group set to perform in NW Kansas

Blood drive at HaysMed set for this week

By
NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch
Post</a>


HUTCHINSON — On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Kansas State Fair Assistant
 General Manager Denny Stoecklein had a problem on the fairgrounds he 
was working to fix.

"I think it was on the opening night of the 
fair, it might have been on the Saturday, I got a call, I got an 
anonymous phone call," Stoecklein said. "Somebody said, you've got some 
people working at one of your gates, actually two of your gates that are
 stealing from you. The fair hires 500 to 600 seasonal folks and a lot 
of them had been there for many, many years. The people they were saying
 were doing this were veteran employees."

After auditing tickets for a couple of days, it was time to see if they could catch anyone.

"Lt.
 Randy Moon with the Highway Patrol, Randy was officed on the 
Fairgrounds at that time," Stoecklein said. "The lieutenant in that 
office is typically the one who is kind of over the Fair for the Highway
 Patrol on site and we're talking about this and making the plan that 
we're going to park a horse trailer right next to this gate and put some
 troopers in the back with cameras and film the goings on and see if we 
can pick up on anything."

"His
 pager goes off and he looks down at it and he says, a plane just hit 
the World Trade Center," Stoecklein said. "We kind of commented that, 
you know, tragic accident, you know, and we get back to our meeting and 
we're planning and doing some things. The pager goes off again. Randy 
looks at it. He goes, another plane just hit the World Trade Center and 
then you knew. This is not an accident."

Given that everyone 
wanted information more than anything at the time and smartphones 
weren't in every pocket, the next question for the fair was easy to 
figure out, but hard to answer.

"What do we do now, do we keep 
having a fair, what's going on?" Stoecklein said. "I would say, within 
60 to 90 minutes, we were gathered on the Fairgrounds with Highway 
Patrol, city police, emergency management, you name it. Every emergency 
management, certainly at the local level and they were in touch with 
people at the state and federal level, trying to get a better 
understanding of, what are we dealing with? From that, we kind of just 
started to make plans as to what we wanted to do and tried to figure 
out, how do we continue, if we continue?"

Any decision involving the fair involves the Governor's office.

"Bill
 Graves was the governor at that time," Stoecklein said. "It just so 
happened that the governor, on that day, was in Wichita. Wichita was 
hosting what was called a midwest U.S.-Japan association conference. 
There were people from a number of states as well as Japan in Wichita. 
We were able to get in touch with the governor, because, as you would 
imagine, that conference was canceled. Now you've got people with a lot 
of anxiety at this conference that just want to get home, some of them 
to Japan, but there's no air travel."

Since getting from Wichita to Hutchinson on the ground wasn't an issue, Graves was able to visit.

"The
 governor came over to Hutch, met with the board and management of the 
fair and talked to law enforcement and the decision was made that we're 
going to continue," Stoecklein said. "We're going to have the fair. I 
don't remember all of the pros and cons and things we talked about, but,
 you know, one of the things that was commonly mentioned by all of us 
was, you know, if we shut the doors then, whoever is doing this, they 
win."

The crowd that day was understandably somber.

"One of 
the probably most visited booths at the fair, right in the heart of the 
fairgrounds is the KWCH booth," Stoecklein said. "They have all those 
windows open and they had TVs in there and you can imagine what the TVs 
were tuned to. People were just gathered around that en masse, trying to
 understand what was going on and learning everything we could. 
Obviously, we increased the security at the gates significantly, but 
decided we were going to continue through the rest of the fair."

"Blessid
 Union of Souls was scheduled to perform that night," Stoecklein said. 
"They likely were on the Fairgrounds and had arrived. I don't know that 
they were flying in that day, but, even if they were there, probably 
having a concert that night wasn't the appropriate thing to do. They did
 not perform."

There was another change to the lineup at the last minute.

"Lee
 Ann Womack was supposed to perform, I think with Keith Urban," 
Stoecklein said. "She couldn't get there. The group Lonestar, I think, 
was traveling back to Nashville. I want to say they'd been out west. 
Maybe they'd been in Utah. The Utah State Fair runs the same time as the
 Kansas State Fair, which would make sense. Our agency got in touch with
 them and said, hey, do you want to make a pit stop in Hutch and do a 
show, which they did."

Stoecklein's favorite memory surrounds another grandstand act that year.

"The
 group Styx was scheduled to perform on September 15th," Stoecklein 
said. "I don't recall where they were. For some reason, I think that 
they were maybe on a little break and they were all going to meet up 
again in Hutch. They weren't on tour buses or anything. I think they 
were going to fly into Wichita for the show. Obviously, airfare being 
shut down put a stop to that, but they were determined not to miss the 
show. They felt it was important to get there. 

"It would have 
been their first performance since the events of 9-11. They got rental 
cars, any way, any how that they could get to Hutchinson, Kansas. They 
found a way to do it and put on just an incredible show. We had a 
gentleman that worked for the agency that the fair used to book talent, 
Romeo Entertainment Group. His name was Steve Bogdanovich. We called him
 Bogie. Bogie was our guy backstage and his favorite saying, no matter 
what the situation, he would just look at you and his glasses always 
rode low on his nose and he'd look over the top of them and say, it's 
all good. It's all good. 

"Bogie called me early that day and he 
said, boss, I need a flag on a pole. An American flag on a pole. I said 
okay, what do you need that for, Bogie? He said, Styx wants it. I said 
okay. We rounded up a long wooden pole and a flag. I got with our 
carpenter and he put the screws through the grommets and got it affixed 
to the pole and I took it down to the grandstand and gave it to Bogie. I
 didn't think much of it until that night. I go down to check on the 
show. Bogie and I are near the back of the stage and I see this flag 
rolled up and it's back behind the drum kit, while the show is going on.

"Styx
 does their set. They walk off and we're waiting for the encore. People 
are getting worked up and getting excited and ready for them to come 
back. Twenty years ago, and I'm not as young as I once was, but I'm 
pretty sure I remember this pretty closely to how it happened. One of 
the members of Styx walks back to that flag and grabs it and then they 
all just walked to the front of the stage and lifted it up as high as 
they could. I have never been in a place so loud as it was when they did
 that. It just about blew the roof off the grandstand."

Stoecklein
 got the band to sign a photo of them with the flag when they returned 
later in their careers and he has that photo at home.

"There's 
never been a moment when I looked back and thought, did we make the 
right call?" Stoecklein said. "I never doubted that continuing with it 
was the right thing to do and the appropriate and safe thing to do. When
 you look at the history of the fair, it was there through the Great 
Depression, through two world wars, how many other conflicts and then 
9-11."

Stoecklein currently serves as Director of Marketing and 
Public Relations. He was with the fair until 2015 before going to the 
college.

Below is the full podcast with Stoecklein on his memories...

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631381103707.png" alt="STYX 2001 Kansas State Fair / Courtesy Denny Stoecklein" />
 <figcaption>STYX 2001 Kansas State Fair / Courtesy Denny Stoecklein</figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL <a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch
Post</a>
HUTCHINSON — On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Kansas State Fair Assistant
 General Manager Denny Stoecklein had a problem on the fairgrounds he 
was working to fix."I think it was on the opening night of the 
fair, it might have been on the Saturday, I got a call, I got an 
anonymous phone call," Stoecklein said. "Somebody said, you've got some 
people working at one of your gates, actually two of your gates that are
 stealing from you. The fair hires 500 to 600 seasonal folks and a lot 
of them had been there for many, many years. The people they were saying
 were doing this were veteran employees."After auditing tickets for a couple of days, it was time to see if they could catch anyone."Lt.
 Randy Moon with the Highway Patrol, Randy was officed on the 
Fairgrounds at that time," Stoecklein said. "The lieutenant in that 
office is typically the one who is kind of over the Fair for the Highway
 Patrol on site and we're talking about this and making the plan that 
we're going to park a horse trailer right next to this gate and put some
 troopers in the back with cameras and film the goings on and see if we 
can pick up on anything."Lieutenant Moon had a pager on his hip."His
 pager goes off and he looks down at it and he says, a plane just hit 
the World Trade Center," Stoecklein said. "We kind of commented that, 
you know, tragic accident, you know, and we get back to our meeting and 
we're planning and doing some things. The pager goes off again. Randy 
looks at it. He goes, another plane just hit the World Trade Center and 
then you knew. This is not an accident."Given that everyone 
wanted information more than anything at the time and smartphones 
weren't in every pocket, the next question for the fair was easy to 
figure out, but hard to answer."What do we do now, do we keep 
having a fair, what's going on?" Stoecklein said. "I would say, within 
60 to 90 minutes, we were gathered on the Fairgrounds with Highway 
Patrol, city police, emergency management, you name it. Every emergency 
management, certainly at the local level and they were in touch with 
people at the state and federal level, trying to get a better 
understanding of, what are we dealing with? From that, we kind of just 
started to make plans as to what we wanted to do and tried to figure 
out, how do we continue, if we continue?"Any decision involving the fair involves the Governor's office."Bill
 Graves was the governor at that time," Stoecklein said. "It just so 
happened that the governor, on that day, was in Wichita. Wichita was 
hosting what was called a midwest U.S.-Japan association conference. 
There were people from a number of states as well as Japan in Wichita. 
We were able to get in touch with the governor, because, as you would 
imagine, that conference was canceled. Now you've got people with a lot 
of anxiety at this conference that just want to get home, some of them 
to Japan, but there's no air travel."Since getting from Wichita to Hutchinson on the ground wasn't an issue, Graves was able to visit."The
 governor came over to Hutch, met with the board and management of the 
fair and talked to law enforcement and the decision was made that we're 
going to continue," Stoecklein said. "We're going to have the fair. I 
don't remember all of the pros and cons and things we talked about, but,
 you know, one of the things that was commonly mentioned by all of us 
was, you know, if we shut the doors then, whoever is doing this, they 
win."The crowd that day was understandably somber."One of 
the probably most visited booths at the fair, right in the heart of the 
fairgrounds is the KWCH booth," Stoecklein said. "They have all those 
windows open and they had TVs in there and you can imagine what the TVs 
were tuned to. People were just gathered around that en masse, trying to
 understand what was going on and learning everything we could. 
Obviously, we increased the security at the gates significantly, but 
decided we were going to continue through the rest of the fair."One fair grandstand act did not perform."Blessid
 Union of Souls was scheduled to perform that night," Stoecklein said. 
"They likely were on the Fairgrounds and had arrived. I don't know that 
they were flying in that day, but, even if they were there, probably 
having a concert that night wasn't the appropriate thing to do. They did
 not perform."There was another change to the lineup at the last minute."Lee
 Ann Womack was supposed to perform, I think with Keith Urban," 
Stoecklein said. "She couldn't get there. The group Lonestar, I think, 
was traveling back to Nashville. I want to say they'd been out west. 
Maybe they'd been in Utah. The Utah State Fair runs the same time as the
 Kansas State Fair, which would make sense. Our agency got in touch with
 them and said, hey, do you want to make a pit stop in Hutch and do a 
show, which they did."Stoecklein's favorite memory surrounds another grandstand act that year."The
 group Styx was scheduled to perform on September 15th," Stoecklein 
said. "I don't recall where they were. For some reason, I think that 
they were maybe on a little break and they were all going to meet up 
again in Hutch. They weren't on tour buses or anything. I think they 
were going to fly into Wichita for the show. Obviously, airfare being 
shut down put a stop to that, but they were determined not to miss the 
show. They felt it was important to get there. "It would have 
been their first performance since the events of 9-11. They got rental 
cars, any way, any how that they could get to Hutchinson, Kansas. They 
found a way to do it and put on just an incredible show. We had a 
gentleman that worked for the agency that the fair used to book talent, 
Romeo Entertainment Group. His name was Steve Bogdanovich. We called him
 Bogie. Bogie was our guy backstage and his favorite saying, no matter 
what the situation, he would just look at you and his glasses always 
rode low on his nose and he'd look over the top of them and say, it's 
all good. It's all good. "Bogie called me early that day and he 
said, boss, I need a flag on a pole. An American flag on a pole. I said 
okay, what do you need that for, Bogie? He said, Styx wants it. I said 
okay. We rounded up a long wooden pole and a flag. I got with our 
carpenter and he put the screws through the grommets and got it affixed 
to the pole and I took it down to the grandstand and gave it to Bogie. I
 didn't think much of it until that night. I go down to check on the 
show. Bogie and I are near the back of the stage and I see this flag 
rolled up and it's back behind the drum kit, while the show is going on."Styx
 does their set. They walk off and we're waiting for the encore. People 
are getting worked up and getting excited and ready for them to come 
back. Twenty years ago, and I'm not as young as I once was, but I'm 
pretty sure I remember this pretty closely to how it happened. One of 
the members of Styx walks back to that flag and grabs it and then they 
all just walked to the front of the stage and lifted it up as high as 
they could. I have never been in a place so loud as it was when they did
 that. It just about blew the roof off the grandstand."Stoecklein
 got the band to sign a photo of them with the flag when they returned 
later in their careers and he has that photo at home."There's 
never been a moment when I looked back and thought, did we make the 
right call?" Stoecklein said. "I never doubted that continuing with it 
was the right thing to do and the appropriate and safe thing to do. When
 you look at the history of the fair, it was there through the Great 
Depression, through two world wars, how many other conflicts and then 
9-11."Stoecklein currently serves as Director of Marketing and 
Public Relations. He was with the fair until 2015 before going to the 
college.Below is the full podcast with Stoecklein on his memories...<div><iframe title="Denny Stoecklein on 20 years since 9-11" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ehexr-10d9003-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&btn-skin=7" allowfullscreen="" width="100%" height="150"></iframe></div>

🎙 9/11 memories still linger from 2001 Kansas State Fair

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays High principal Shawn Henderson talks about the beginning of the 2021 school year at Hays High.

<div><iframe title="Hays High kicks off new year" 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=x3h7w-10d8da6-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays High principal Shawn Henderson talks about the beginning of the 2021 school year at Hays High. <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>

🎙Post Podcast: Hays High kicks off new year

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Hays High School juniors in American history have been learning about 9/11.

They weren't born when the 9/11 attacks happened 20 years, but they were assigned to interview their parents or loved ones about their memories of an event that changed the course of American history.

This week, Hays Post visited with Luke Lundmark's class about what they have learned about the attacks.

The events of 9/11, although now a generation ago, are still too fresh to be recorded in textbooks. Although most of the students said they learned about 9/11 at school, they said they had watched videos or heard accounts from their teachers.

During their unit on 9/11 this week, the students in Lundmark's class also watched a video on the attacks produced by "60 Minutes" Australia.

Aspen Melvin talked with her dad about the attacks. He was a young teacher at the time. He told her he was in shock when he was told about the attacks. Televisions were wheeled into classrooms, and the teachers and students watched the news coverage of the attacks during the rest of the school day.

Blake Buckles' mother is a doctor and was in the operating room when a nurse told her about the attacks. She told her son she too was in shock when she was told.

&nbsp;"She said she never thought that type of thing would happen to the United States or anyone else," he said. ... "The whole hospital was in a state of shock, and they didn't know what might happen next or where it was going to happen. Everyone was in a state of question."

He said in the last week he learned more about how many people were touched by the 9/11 attacks.

"It wasn't just Americans," he said. "It was people all over the world."

Meg Taggart's mother told her the United States came together after 9/11 in a way she hasn't seen since. However, that nationalism had a dark side. People of Middle Eastern descent living in the United States were treated badly in the wake of the attacks.

Lundmark said he was working in a school in California with many Iraqi Christians who had relocated to the region after the invasion of Iraq.

"Even though they faced a lot of backlash in California from people who didn't understand who they were or why they were there," he said ...

"Not once did they lose their patriotism for the United States. Even when they had Americans screaming at them 'Go away, terrorists. Go back where you came from.' They said they woke up every day and said they loved America because America gave them freedom."

Lundmark also shared his own experiences with 9/11. He was a college student at the time. His adviser was supposed to be on the flight that hit the north tower, but he had taken an earlier flight home so he could make an early class.&nbsp;

Lundmark said his adviser was wracked with survivor's guilt for years after the attacks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631299373623.jpeg" alt="Luke Lundmark's junior America History class has been studying the 9/11 attacks." />
 <figcaption>Luke Lundmark's junior America History class has been studying the 9/11 attacks.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHays High School juniors in American history have been learning about 9/11.They weren't born when the 9/11 attacks happened 20 years, but they were assigned to interview their parents or loved ones about their memories of an event that changed the course of American history.This week, Hays Post visited with Luke Lundmark's class about what they have learned about the attacks.The events of 9/11, although now a generation ago, are still too fresh to be recorded in textbooks. Although most of the students said they learned about 9/11 at school, they said they had watched videos or heard accounts from their teachers.During their unit on 9/11 this week, the students in Lundmark's class also watched a video on the attacks produced by "60 Minutes" Australia.Aspen Melvin talked with her dad about the attacks. He was a young teacher at the time. He told her he was in shock when he was told about the attacks. Televisions were wheeled into classrooms, and the teachers and students watched the news coverage of the attacks during the rest of the school day.Blake Buckles' mother is a doctor and was in the operating room when a nurse told her about the attacks. She told her son she too was in shock when she was told.&nbsp;"She said she never thought that type of thing would happen to the United States or anyone else," he said. ... "The whole hospital was in a state of shock, and they didn't know what might happen next or where it was going to happen. Everyone was in a state of question."He said in the last week he learned more about how many people were touched by the 9/11 attacks."It wasn't just Americans," he said. "It was people all over the world."Meg Taggart's mother told her the United States came together after 9/11 in a way she hasn't seen since. However, that nationalism had a dark side. People of Middle Eastern descent living in the United States were treated badly in the wake of the attacks.Lundmark said he was working in a school in California with many Iraqi Christians who had relocated to the region after the invasion of Iraq."Even though they faced a lot of backlash in California from people who didn't understand who they were or why they were there," he said ..."Not once did they lose their patriotism for the United States. Even when they had Americans screaming at them 'Go away, terrorists. Go back where you came from.' They said they woke up every day and said they loved America because America gave them freedom."Lundmark also shared his own experiences with 9/11. He was a college student at the time. His adviser was supposed to be on the flight that hit the north tower, but he had taken an earlier flight home so he could make an early class.&nbsp;Lundmark said his adviser was wracked with survivor's guilt for years after the attacks.Cyrus Vajnar said he first learned about the attacks when he was in elementary school. His school had a day of remembrance.&nbsp;He said he was told "bad people" flew planes into two towers in New York and a lot of people were killed.He learned later about the attack on the Pentagon and about the heroes aboard the fourth plane that crashed in Pennsylvania later.Jordin Myers said of the terrorist, "They wanted to scare us."Terror is not something these students consider in the past tense.Vajnar said he associates terror with the Middle East. He said he also has connected it with Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan.Taggart&nbsp;said she feels safe from terrorism, but her cousin who is in the Navy told her she's concerned about the possibility of terrorists entering the United States during the chaotic evacuation of Afghanistan.Bradyn Dreher said he thought the United States leaving Afghanistan near the 20th anniversary of 9/11 is a disgrace to the people who died there.Vajnar said, "I think it was 20 years and billions of dollars wasted."Taggart said she thinks it's important to continue to commemorate 9/11."I think it is important because a lot of people lost their lives because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. "Others lost [their lives] because they volunteered to go in and save people."