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

Have you had your shot? That question was on the minds of millions as vaccinations for COVID-19 were rolled out across the country. Today we’ll learn about a rural Kansas pharmacy which responded to the pandemic in remarkable ways.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Last week we learned about Heather Johnson, chief executive of S&amp;S Drug, a family-owned pharmacy in Beloit. Heather and her husband Jim Johnson have three children in college and high school. Jim, an attorney in Beloit, had grown up at the nearby rural community of Randall, population 65 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

“We hosted Jim’s high school class reunion at our house. They had 100% attendance,” Heather said. “Of course, it was only seven people,” she said with a smile.&nbsp;

But serious times hit rural America when the pandemic spread in spring 2020 and stay-at-home orders were issued across the nation. “Like any small business, the pandemic had a big impact on us,” Heather said. S&amp;S closed its doors for four months and reopened in June 2020. Even though the retail operation closed, the pharmacy still had to meet essential needs and provide prescriptions through drive-up and delivery.&nbsp;

The business model had to pivot quickly. “It was like building the airplane while trying to fly it,” Heather said.&nbsp;

Rural areas avoided most of the worst impact of the disease in the early stages, but by fall and winter, COVID-19 had reached the smaller communities as well. Many businesses closed again. The disease even reached the Johnson household in Beloit.&nbsp;

“I had it really bad. I was in the hospital for 10 days,” Heather said. Slowly and painfully, Heather worked her way back into recovery.&nbsp;

“I’m a COVID long-hauler,” Heather said. “Recovery is a long, slow process. I had the extreme fatigue and the muscle weakness – even hair loss,” she said. Eventually, she pulled through.&nbsp;

“I came out of this with a true desire to help as many people as possible avoid what I went through,” Heather said. Then prospects for vaccines began to appear on the horizon.&nbsp;

“Our head pharmacist, Chris Mondero, was very proactive,” Heather said. She credits Chris for learning early on about a program which allocated vaccines to community pharmacies across the nation and signing up as one of the early participants in the program.&nbsp;

“Thanks to Chris, we were able to benefit from early access to the vaccines,” Heather said. “When the local health department was getting 100 doses per week, we got 1,000 doses,” she said. S&amp;S Drug moved quickly to work with the local health department to get those doses administered in the community, and then reached out to the region.&nbsp;

“We realized we needed to take it beyond Beloit,” Heather said. Through word-of-mouth and social media, they informed the public about vaccine availability. As additional categories were added to eligibility, S&amp;S Drug adjusted.&nbsp;

Manhattan became a site for outreach. Trase McQueen, a friend at St. Isidore’s church in Manhattan, arranged for vaccinations there. Four hundred kids signed up in 60 minutes. S&amp;S Drug reached out to sorority houses and fraternities. Heather’s brother took vaccines to Kansas City.&nbsp;

“It kept spiraling, it was such a fast pace,” Heather said. “The S&amp;S team was fantastic.” Pharmacy staff had to maintain day-to-day operations back in Beloit while conducting outreach to other communities. “It took every single person to do it,” she said.&nbsp;

Within eight weeks, S&amp;S Drug administered more than 7,000 vaccinations across Kansas. Not only was this a huge contribution to public health, it helped Heather Johnson recover from COVID-19 itself. “My mind was hazy, and I think the vaccination push helped me refocus,” she said.&nbsp;

“We were blessed,” Heather said. “God gave us a mission to share the vaccines, and every member of our team stepped up to help.”&nbsp;

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

Have you had your shot? We salute Heather Johnson, Chris Mondero, and the entire team at S&amp;S Drug plus all health care providers everywhere who have made a difference by responding to the pandemic with such remarkable effort. It was definitely a good shot.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625664983378.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;&nbsp;Have you had your shot? That question was on the minds of millions as vaccinations for COVID-19 were rolled out across the country. Today we’ll learn about a rural Kansas pharmacy which responded to the pandemic in remarkable ways.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Last week we learned about Heather Johnson, chief executive of S&amp;S Drug, a family-owned pharmacy in Beloit. Heather and her husband Jim Johnson have three children in college and high school. Jim, an attorney in Beloit, had grown up at the nearby rural community of Randall, population 65 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;“We hosted Jim’s high school class reunion at our house. They had 100% attendance,” Heather said. “Of course, it was only seven people,” she said with a smile.&nbsp;But serious times hit rural America when the pandemic spread in spring 2020 and stay-at-home orders were issued across the nation. “Like any small business, the pandemic had a big impact on us,” Heather said. S&amp;S closed its doors for four months and reopened in June 2020. Even though the retail operation closed, the pharmacy still had to meet essential needs and provide prescriptions through drive-up and delivery.&nbsp;The business model had to pivot quickly. “It was like building the airplane while trying to fly it,” Heather said.&nbsp;Rural areas avoided most of the worst impact of the disease in the early stages, but by fall and winter, COVID-19 had reached the smaller communities as well. Many businesses closed again. The disease even reached the Johnson household in Beloit.&nbsp;“I had it really bad. I was in the hospital for 10 days,” Heather said. Slowly and painfully, Heather worked her way back into recovery.&nbsp;“I’m a COVID long-hauler,” Heather said. “Recovery is a long, slow process. I had the extreme fatigue and the muscle weakness – even hair loss,” she said. Eventually, she pulled through.&nbsp;“I came out of this with a true desire to help as many people as possible avoid what I went through,” Heather said. Then prospects for vaccines began to appear on the horizon.&nbsp;“Our head pharmacist, Chris Mondero, was very proactive,” Heather said. She credits Chris for learning early on about a program which allocated vaccines to community pharmacies across the nation and signing up as one of the early participants in the program.&nbsp;“Thanks to Chris, we were able to benefit from early access to the vaccines,” Heather said. “When the local health department was getting 100 doses per week, we got 1,000 doses,” she said. S&amp;S Drug moved quickly to work with the local health department to get those doses administered in the community, and then reached out to the region.&nbsp;“We realized we needed to take it beyond Beloit,” Heather said. Through word-of-mouth and social media, they informed the public about vaccine availability. As additional categories were added to eligibility, S&amp;S Drug adjusted.&nbsp;Manhattan became a site for outreach. Trase McQueen, a friend at St. Isidore’s church in Manhattan, arranged for vaccinations there. Four hundred kids signed up in 60 minutes. S&amp;S Drug reached out to sorority houses and fraternities. Heather’s brother took vaccines to Kansas City.&nbsp;“It kept spiraling, it was such a fast pace,” Heather said. “The S&amp;S team was fantastic.” Pharmacy staff had to maintain day-to-day operations back in Beloit while conducting outreach to other communities. “It took every single person to do it,” she said.&nbsp;Within eight weeks, S&amp;S Drug administered more than 7,000 vaccinations across Kansas. Not only was this a huge contribution to public health, it helped Heather Johnson recover from COVID-19 itself. “My mind was hazy, and I think the vaccination push helped me refocus,” she said.&nbsp;“We were blessed,” Heather said. “God gave us a mission to share the vaccines, and every member of our team stepped up to help.”&nbsp;For more information about the pharmacy, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sandsdrug.com/">www.sandsdrug.com</a>.&nbsp;Have you had your shot? We salute Heather Johnson, Chris Mondero, and the entire team at S&amp;S Drug plus all health care providers everywhere who have made a difference by responding to the pandemic with such remarkable effort. It was definitely a good shot.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Heather Johnson, S&S Drug, Part 2 

By QUINCY SNOWDEN <a href="https://sentinelcolorado.com">Sentinel Colorado</a>

AURORA, Colo. — A 26-year-old Kansas man has been sentenced
 to life in Colorado state prison for a 2019 crime spree that included 
the rape of a Mexican au pair in a Cherry Hills Village home and the 
carjacking of a woman outside an Aurora gym.

Arapahoe County District Court Judge Ben Leutwyler on 
Friday sentenced Tre Carrasco to a total of 136 years behind bars for 
the gaggle of convictions returned against him earlier this year, 
including felony sexual assault, aggravated robbery, car theft, false 
reporting, trespassing and attempting to influence a public servant.

An Arapahoe County jury convicted Carrasco of 11 charges following a five-day trial in May. He was acquitted of two charges.

Jurors agreed Carrasco&nbsp;<a href="https://sentinelcolorado.com/0trending/kansas-man-accused-of-trying-to-assault-multiple-women-1-in-aurora-days-after-getting-out-of-prison/">attempted to kidnap a woman in Aurora</a>&nbsp;while
 stealing her car outside of a 24-hour Fitness on South Abilene Street 
on Feb. 7, 2019. They also concluded that he used the same car to drive 
to a Cherry Hills Village home in the middle of the day, where he raped 
another woman less than a week later.

Aurora police arrested Carrasco, a native of Hays,
 on Feb. 12 after pulling him over near the intersection of East Colfax 
Avenue and Galena Street.

Carrasco has also been accused of raping another woman at 
gunpoint in the passenger seat of her car Kansas days prior to the 
Colorado crimes. He has yet to face charges filed against him in that 
case.

At the sentencing hearing Friday, prosecutors outlined 
Carrasco’s extensive history of lecherous behavior, dating back to his 
first offenses committed when he was 13 years old in Kansas.

Deputy District Attorney Casey Brown pointed to more than 
half a dozen instances of Carrasco peeping into windows and violently 
sexually assaulting women around Hays starting in 2008. The pattern 
culminated in July 2011, when Carrasco was tried and convicted as an 
adult for pinning a woman down and forcing her to perform oral sex on 
him. Carrasco, who was 16 when the offense occurred, reportedly told the
 woman that he would “be back” as he fled the scene.

In April 2013, Carrasco was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hayspost.com/2013/04/08/hays-teen-will-be-sentenced-today/">sentenced to slightly more than eight years in prison</a>&nbsp;for the July 2011 assault. He was released form prison in Kansas days before his crime spree in Colorado, records show.

Carrasco incurred a litany of disciplinary infractions 
while in Kansas prisons between 2014 and 2018, including using 
stimulants, disobeying orders and disrespecting corrections officers, 
according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.

Carrasco’s public defense attorney argued that the Kansas 
man has not had the chance to engage with meaningful rehabilitation 
because he was entered in the Kansas foster care system at age 11, and 
spent the latter half of his teens and early 20s in prison.

Brown, who argued for Leutwyler to impose the maximum sentence of 168 years in prison, disagreed.

“The defendant has made no effort to engage himself in 
rehabilitation,” he said. “He’s shown the court that he is not only 
unwilling but also incapable of being rehabilitated at this point.

Carrasco’s attorney said that his client has met with a 
counselor while detained at the Arapahoe County jail and gotten a job as
 a barber while detained in prison.

In July 2020, Carrasco pleaded guilty to a felony 
contraband charge while in custody in Arapahoe County, and he was 
sentenced to two years in Colorado state prison. He’s been detained at 
the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Buena Vista since then, but
 he was transferred back to the local county jail to await his 
sentencing.

Carrasco has been detained since being arrested in early 2019, earning 878 days of time served.

Leutwyler said the sentence was intended to prevent Carrasco from ultimately offending again.

“I am fully convinced — 100% convinced — that there is no woman safe in America if you are out of prison,” he said. “You
 will continue to rape people. You will steal from them, you will break 
into their homes, break into their cars; you will do whatever you feel 
you want to do.”

Neither Carrasco nor the women he victimized addressed the court at the hearing Friday.

Carrasco’s attorney suggested his client plans to appeal the convictions returned against him.

<a href="https://sentinelcolorado.com">Republished with permission.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625857242457.jpeg" alt="Tre Carrasco / Aurora Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Tre Carrasco / Aurora Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>By QUINCY SNOWDEN <a href="https://sentinelcolorado.com">Sentinel Colorado</a> AURORA, Colo. — A 26-year-old Kansas man has been sentenced
 to life in Colorado state prison for a 2019 crime spree that included 
the rape of a Mexican au pair in a Cherry Hills Village home and the 
carjacking of a woman outside an Aurora gym.Arapahoe County District Court Judge Ben Leutwyler on 
Friday sentenced Tre Carrasco to a total of 136 years behind bars for 
the gaggle of convictions returned against him earlier this year, 
including felony sexual assault, aggravated robbery, car theft, false 
reporting, trespassing and attempting to influence a public servant.An Arapahoe County jury convicted Carrasco of 11 charges following a five-day trial in May. He was acquitted of two charges.Jurors agreed Carrasco&nbsp;<a href="https://sentinelcolorado.com/0trending/kansas-man-accused-of-trying-to-assault-multiple-women-1-in-aurora-days-after-getting-out-of-prison/">attempted to kidnap a woman in Aurora</a>&nbsp;while
 stealing her car outside of a 24-hour Fitness on South Abilene Street 
on Feb. 7, 2019. They also concluded that he used the same car to drive 
to a Cherry Hills Village home in the middle of the day, where he raped 
another woman less than a week later.Aurora police arrested Carrasco, a native of Hays,
 on Feb. 12 after pulling him over near the intersection of East Colfax 
Avenue and Galena Street.Carrasco has also been accused of raping another woman at 
gunpoint in the passenger seat of her car Kansas days prior to the 
Colorado crimes. He has yet to face charges filed against him in that 
case.At the sentencing hearing Friday, prosecutors outlined 
Carrasco’s extensive history of lecherous behavior, dating back to his 
first offenses committed when he was 13 years old in Kansas.Deputy District Attorney Casey Brown pointed to more than 
half a dozen instances of Carrasco peeping into windows and violently 
sexually assaulting women around Hays starting in 2008. The pattern 
culminated in July 2011, when Carrasco was tried and convicted as an 
adult for pinning a woman down and forcing her to perform oral sex on 
him. Carrasco, who was 16 when the offense occurred, reportedly told the
 woman that he would “be back” as he fled the scene.In April 2013, Carrasco was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hayspost.com/2013/04/08/hays-teen-will-be-sentenced-today/">sentenced to slightly more than eight years in prison</a>&nbsp;for the July 2011 assault. He was released form prison in Kansas days before his crime spree in Colorado, records show.Carrasco incurred a litany of disciplinary infractions 
while in Kansas prisons between 2014 and 2018, including using 
stimulants, disobeying orders and disrespecting corrections officers, 
according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.Carrasco’s public defense attorney argued that the Kansas 
man has not had the chance to engage with meaningful rehabilitation 
because he was entered in the Kansas foster care system at age 11, and 
spent the latter half of his teens and early 20s in prison.Brown, who argued for Leutwyler to impose the maximum sentence of 168 years in prison, disagreed.“The defendant has made no effort to engage himself in 
rehabilitation,” he said. “He’s shown the court that he is not only 
unwilling but also incapable of being rehabilitated at this point.Carrasco’s attorney said that his client has met with a 
counselor while detained at the Arapahoe County jail and gotten a job as
 a barber while detained in prison.In July 2020, Carrasco pleaded guilty to a felony 
contraband charge while in custody in Arapahoe County, and he was 
sentenced to two years in Colorado state prison. He’s been detained at 
the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Buena Vista since then, but
 he was transferred back to the local county jail to await his 
sentencing.Carrasco has been detained since being arrested in early 2019, earning 878 days of time served.Leutwyler said the sentence was intended to prevent Carrasco from ultimately offending again.“I am fully convinced — 100% convinced — that there is no woman safe in America if you are out of prison,” he said. “You
 will continue to rape people. You will steal from them, you will break 
into their homes, break into their cars; you will do whatever you feel 
you want to do.”Neither Carrasco nor the women he victimized addressed the court at the hearing Friday.Carrasco’s attorney suggested his client plans to appeal the convictions returned against him.<a href="https://sentinelcolorado.com">Republished with permission.</a>

Hays native sentenced to 136 years for 2019 rape, carjacking in Colo.

Jackie Creamer’s Vision Dance Company attended Legacy Dance Championships National Competition in Grapevine, TX. Below are their results.

Mini Advanced Solos: 7th - Landry Callahan 9th - Cailynn Luck

Mini Novice Solos: 2nd - Sabrie VanKooten 4th - Peyton Neuburger

Mini Advanced Duo/Trio: 1st - Hound Dog 8th - Love Shack

Mini Novice Duo/Trio: 1st - Sweet Stuff 4th - Route 66

Teen Advanced Solos: 7th - Adelyn Wagner 11th - Nevaeh Weigel

Teen Advanced Duo/Trio: 2nd - Talk Is Cheap 5th - Shake It Up and Make It Fizz

Teen Intermediate Duo/Trio: 10th - Who I’m Meant To Be

Senior Advanced Duo/Trio: 5th - Better Half of Me

Mini Small Groups: 2nd - Big Bad Handsome Man 3rd - Brave

Advanced Petite Small Groups: 2nd - Via Dolorosa 6th - So Good

Advanced Junior Small Groups: 2nd - Do It Like This 7th - Do What I Do

Advanced Teen Small Groups: 4th - North 8th - I Feel Like I’m Drowning 10th - Look at Me

Advanced Senior Small Groups: 5th - Tension

Mini Large Groups: 1st - Great Big Kiss

Advanced Teen Large Groups: 6th - Lay Down

Advanced Senior Large Groups: 2nd - In This Time

Advanced Teen Productions: 1st - In The Spotlight

Championship - Showdown of the Legends 2nd - Great Big Kiss 2nd - Do It Like This 3rd - North 3rd - In The Spotlight 3rd - In This Time

Vision Dance Company qualified in finals in every category that they participated in.&nbsp;

Jackie Creamer’s Vision Dance Company won the ADCC (Association of Dance Competitions and Conventions) “Studio of Excellence” award. The team showed all the characteristics of what the ADCC honors such as: dedication, sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork, great performing skills, and hard work in the studio.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625863478647.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedJackie Creamer’s Vision Dance Company attended Legacy Dance Championships National Competition in Grapevine, TX. Below are their results.Mini Advanced Solos: 7th - Landry Callahan 9th - Cailynn LuckMini Novice Solos: 2nd - Sabrie VanKooten 4th - Peyton NeuburgerMini Advanced Duo/Trio: 1st - Hound Dog 8th - Love ShackMini Novice Duo/Trio: 1st - Sweet Stuff 4th - Route 66Petite Advanced Duo/Trio: 2nd - HowlTeen Advanced Solos: 7th - Adelyn Wagner 11th - Nevaeh Weigel<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625863627984.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Teen Advanced Duo/Trio: 2nd - Talk Is Cheap 5th - Shake It Up and Make It FizzTeen Intermediate Duo/Trio: 10th - Who I’m Meant To BeSenior Advanced Duo/Trio: 5th - Better Half of MeMini Small Groups: 2nd - Big Bad Handsome Man 3rd - BraveAdvanced Petite Small Groups: 2nd - Via Dolorosa 6th - So GoodAdvanced Junior Small Groups: 2nd - Do It Like This 7th - Do What I DoAdvanced Teen Small Groups: 4th - North 8th - I Feel Like I’m Drowning 10th - Look at MeAdvanced Senior Small Groups: 5th - TensionMini Large Groups: 1st - Great Big KissAdvanced Teen Large Groups: 6th - Lay DownAdvanced Senior Large Groups: 2nd - In This TimeAdvanced Teen Productions: 1st - In The SpotlightChampionship - Showdown of the Legends 2nd - Great Big Kiss 2nd - Do It Like This 3rd - North 3rd - In The Spotlight 3rd - In This TimeVision Dance Company qualified in finals in every category that they participated in.&nbsp;Jackie Creamer’s Vision Dance Company won the ADCC (Association of Dance Competitions and Conventions) “Studio of Excellence” award. The team showed all the characteristics of what the ADCC honors such as: dedication, sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork, great performing skills, and hard work in the studio.

Vision Dance Company brings home honors from Dallas nationals

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for Smith County Rural Water District No. 1 water supply system. The advisory was issued because of a loss of pressure in the distribution system and affected customers South of Road 140 and East of M Road, the advisory did not include the City of Smith Center. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination

Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

Laboratory testing samples collected from Smith County Rural Water District No. 1 indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved. &nbsp;

KDHETOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for Smith County Rural Water District No. 1 water supply system. The advisory was issued because of a loss of pressure in the distribution system and affected customers South of Road 140 and East of M Road, the advisory did not include the City of Smith Center. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contaminationPublic water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.Laboratory testing samples collected from Smith County Rural Water District No. 1 indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved. &nbsp;

Boil order for Smith Co. water system rescinded

UPDATED AT 3:20 P.M. with a news release from Hays Fire Chief Ryan Hagans.

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Former Hays resident Seth Toepfer and his wife Caysha, now living in Austin, Texas, were back in town visiting her mom and woke up to smoke in the house late Friday morning.

"We were all sleeping in and woke up to the smell of smoke," Seth Toepfer said, as the family stood across the street&nbsp;watching Hays firefighters at Dianne Johnson's home, 212 W. 17th.

"I thought my&nbsp; mom was fixing breakfast," Caysha Toepfer said.

As his mother-in-law called 911 shortly at 11:17 a.m., Seth Toepfer found smoke in the attic.

According to a news release from Ryan Hagans, fire chief, crews arrived on scene at 11:20 a.m. and reported smoke coming out of the roof. All occupants were outside.  The fire was located in the attic on the front side of the house.

The fire was extinguished by cutting a hole in the roof above the fire using a 1 ¾” handline.&nbsp; Fire crews covered most of the occupants' belongings with salvage covers before removing the ceiling and insulation to check for fire spread.

A large ceiling fan was removed and brought out the front door.

The fire department stayed on scene until 1:50 p.m. and will return several times throughout the afternoon checking on the structure and occupants.&nbsp; 

The cause of the fire was malfunctioning electrical equipment.

The Hays Fire Department was assisted by the Hays Police Department, Ellis County Fire Department and Ellis County EMS.

At the scene, Hagans said no one had been injured.

Another family member, 11-year-old Daltyn Schleder had also been sleeping in the house.

"He's at a neighbor's house now," said his mom Diane Johnson. "He was pretty upset."

Johnson said she had "just made a claim with my insurance agent about hail damage from the recent storm, but fortunately, the roof hasn't been replaced yet."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625853565613.jpeg" alt="Hays firefighters cut a hole in the roof of a house Friday morning to help evacuate smoke after responding to a structure fire at 212 W. 17th." />
 <figcaption>Hays firefighters cut a hole in the roof of a house Friday morning to help evacuate smoke after responding to a structure fire at 212 W. 17th.</figcaption>
 </figure>UPDATED AT 3:20 P.M. with a news release from Hays Fire Chief Ryan Hagans.By BECKY KISER Hays PostFormer Hays resident Seth Toepfer and his wife Caysha, now living in Austin, Texas, were back in town visiting her mom and woke up to smoke in the house late Friday morning."We were all sleeping in and woke up to the smell of smoke," Seth Toepfer said, as the family stood across the street&nbsp;watching Hays firefighters at Dianne Johnson's home, 212 W. 17th."I thought my&nbsp; mom was fixing breakfast," Caysha Toepfer said.As his mother-in-law called 911 shortly at 11:17 a.m., Seth Toepfer found smoke in the attic.According to a news release from Ryan Hagans, fire chief, crews arrived on scene at 11:20 a.m. and reported smoke coming out of the roof. All occupants were outside. The fire was located in the attic on the front side of the house.The fire was extinguished by cutting a hole in the roof above the fire using a 1 ¾” handline.&nbsp; Fire crews covered most of the occupants' belongings with salvage covers before removing the ceiling and insulation to check for fire spread.A large ceiling fan was removed and brought out the front door.The fire department stayed on scene until 1:50 p.m. and will return several times throughout the afternoon checking on the structure and occupants.&nbsp; The cause of the fire was malfunctioning electrical equipment.The Hays Fire Department was assisted by the Hays Police Department, Ellis County Fire Department and Ellis County EMS.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625854043162.jpeg" alt="Firefighters begin sawing a hole in the roof." />
 <figcaption>Firefighters begin sawing a hole in the roof.</figcaption>
 </figure>At the scene, Hagans said no one had been injured.Another family member, 11-year-old Daltyn Schleder had also been sleeping in the house."He's at a neighbor's house now," said his mom Diane Johnson. "He was pretty upset."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625854269013.jpeg" alt="An Ellis County EMS paramedic watches Hays firefighters at the scene of house fire Friday morning. No one in the home was injured.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>An Ellis County EMS paramedic watches Hays firefighters at the scene of house fire Friday morning. No one in the home was injured.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Johnson said she had "just made a claim with my insurance agent about hail damage from the recent storm, but fortunately, the roof hasn't been replaced yet."&nbsp;

UPDATE: Family escapes injury in late morning house fire in Hays

DODGE CITY - The National Weather Service (NWS) in Dodge City has issued a heat advisory for Ellis, Trego, Rush, Ness, Lane, Phillips, Smith, Jewel, Rooks, Osborne, and Mitchell counties from 1 p.m. this afternoon until 8 p.m. tonight.&nbsp;

Heat index values up to 105 degrees are expected.&nbsp;

Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat&nbsp;illnesses to occur.

Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out&nbsp;of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young&nbsp;children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles.

Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. 

When&nbsp;possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or&nbsp;evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat&nbsp;stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when&nbsp;possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational&nbsp;Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent&nbsp;rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments.

 Anyone&nbsp;overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.&nbsp;Heat stroke is an emergency.&nbsp; Call 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625847089624.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NWSDODGE CITY - The National Weather Service (NWS) in Dodge City has issued a heat advisory for Ellis, Trego, Rush, Ness, Lane, Phillips, Smith, Jewel, Rooks, Osborne, and Mitchell counties from 1 p.m. this afternoon until 8 p.m. tonight.&nbsp;Heat index values up to 105 degrees are expected.&nbsp;Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat&nbsp;illnesses to occur.Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out&nbsp;of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young&nbsp;children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles.Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When&nbsp;possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or&nbsp;evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat&nbsp;stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when&nbsp;possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational&nbsp;Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent&nbsp;rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone&nbsp;overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.&nbsp;Heat stroke is an emergency.&nbsp; Call 911.

Ellis County, area in heat advisory today

Around 9:30 a.m. Friday emergency responders were dispatched to the Days Inn,&nbsp;3205 Vine, after a vehicle struck a pillar on the outside of the building.

While the hotel suffered minor structural damage from the accident, there have been no injuries reported and an evacuation of the hotel was deemed unnecessary.

This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625846563701.jpeg" alt="A car struck a pillar at the Days Inn in Hays Friday morning. No one was injured." />
 <figcaption>A car struck a pillar at the Days Inn in Hays Friday morning. No one was injured.</figcaption>
 </figure>Around 9:30 a.m. Friday emergency responders were dispatched to the Days Inn,&nbsp;3205 Vine, after a vehicle struck a pillar on the outside of the building.While the hotel suffered minor structural damage from the accident, there have been no injuries reported and an evacuation of the hotel was deemed unnecessary.This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHaysPD%2Fposts%2F4695289083831877&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="683" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

BREAKING: Damage reported at Hays hotel after vehicle strike

EMPORIA - Kendra Robben Karlin of Hays, Kansas, graduated from Emporia State University in May 2021.

Karlin earned a master of science degree in school counseling .

Emporia State University offers over 200 academic programs in the School of Business, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Library and Information Management and The Teachers College.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617728682748.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseEMPORIA - Kendra Robben Karlin of Hays, Kansas, graduated from Emporia State University in May 2021.Karlin earned a master of science degree in school counseling .About Emporia State UniversityEmporia State University offers over 200 academic programs in the School of Business, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Library and Information Management and The Teachers College.&nbsp;

Hays student graduates from Emporia State

A Hays resident is facing two counts of aggravated assault after reportedly threatening a Hays police officer and a bystander with a knife.

At around 8:52 p.m. June 28, the Ellis County dispatch center put out a report of a suspicious person at 13th and Main, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler.&nbsp;

The initial report received by dispatch indicated an individual had a beer in one hand and meat cleaver in the other, he said.

At the same time that report was being called in, an off-duty police officer was leaving the Law Enforcement Center and encountered the individual.

That officer said the person was noted to be mumbling to himself and was heard to reference suicide by cop, according to Scheibler.

Officer John Zimmer and Sgt. David Vilaysing&nbsp;made contact, but the suspect was uncooperative and attempted to leave the scene.

They initially noted the suspect appeared unarmed but when he began talking he pulled a large knife from his waistband and threatened to kill the officers and a nearby civilian, Scheibler said, but the officers were able to successfully deescalate the situation.

"We truly had the best guy available for the call," he said, noting Vilaysing is the deescalation trainer for the department.

Thanks to the officers' efforts, the suspect discarded the weapon and was taken into custody without further incident.

Brian Leslie Winters, 49, Hays, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of aggravated assault.&nbsp;

"I'm grateful for the professionalism of the officers that responded," Scheibler said. "They were able to verbally deesclate the situation, make it safe and take Mr. Winters into custody without anybody getting hurt."

Winters has a prior conviction for theft, from an incident on Jan. 10, 2020, and was discharged on Feb. 22.

By JAMES BELL Hays PostA Hays resident is facing two counts of aggravated assault after reportedly threatening a Hays police officer and a bystander with a knife.At around 8:52 p.m. June 28, the Ellis County dispatch center put out a report of a suspicious person at 13th and Main, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler.&nbsp;The initial report received by dispatch indicated an individual had a beer in one hand and meat cleaver in the other, he said.At the same time that report was being called in, an off-duty police officer was leaving the Law Enforcement Center and encountered the individual.That officer said the person was noted to be mumbling to himself and was heard to reference suicide by cop, according to Scheibler.Officer John Zimmer and Sgt. David Vilaysing&nbsp;made contact, but the suspect was uncooperative and attempted to leave the scene.They initially noted the suspect appeared unarmed but when he began talking he pulled a large knife from his waistband and threatened to kill the officers and a nearby civilian, Scheibler said, but the officers were able to successfully deescalate the situation."We truly had the best guy available for the call," he said, noting Vilaysing is the deescalation trainer for the department.Thanks to the officers' efforts, the suspect discarded the weapon and was taken into custody without further incident.Brian Leslie Winters, 49, Hays, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of aggravated assault.&nbsp;"I'm grateful for the professionalism of the officers that responded," Scheibler said. "They were able to verbally deesclate the situation, make it safe and take Mr. Winters into custody without anybody getting hurt."Winters has a prior conviction for theft, from an incident on Jan. 10, 2020, and was discharged on Feb. 22.

Hays resident arrested after allegedly threatening police, bystander

My wife and I are in our late 20s, and we’re on Baby Step 6. Recently, my mom reached out to me for help. She has a car lease that ends next month, and she asked to borrow $2,000 so she can pay it off. It’s a weird situation, because my parents keep separate accounts and don’t combine their finances. My mom also asked me not to tell my wife about all this. What’s your advice?

I don’t do anything I&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/marriage-money-and-secrets" target="_blank">can’t tell my wife about</a>—ever. If I’m in a meeting, and someone tells me what’s said in that room has to stay in that room, that I can’t talk to anyone else about it under any circumstances, I’ll get up and leave. In my mind, keeping things from my wife is against the law.

Your mom is out of control to even think about asking you to do this, and you need to have a serious talk with her. Let her know you love her, but she has no right to ask this of you,&nbsp;and&nbsp;it’s not something you’d do. Let her know, too, that she’s never to ask for anything like this again.

If she needs $2,000, she should be talking to her husband about the idea. They should be living with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/married-couples-how-to-combine-bank-accounts" target="_blank">combined finances</a>&nbsp;anyway. So, it sounds like they’ve got issues to straighten out between themselves.

It’s time folks started laying their cards on the table and stopped sneaking around. That’s no way for a husband and wife to live, and your mom has no business trying to drag you into all of it behind everyone’s back!

I’m on Baby Step 2. I’ve paid off almost all my debt, and I’m living on a monthly budget. Recently, I got a call from a debt collection company about an old medical bill. They threatened to garnish my wages, and from the way they talked I’m afraid they may actually do it. How should I handle this situation?

First of all, they won’t garnish your wages. They can’t. For that to happen, they would have to go through all the formal, legal steps of suing you, and&nbsp;then&nbsp;they’d have to win the case.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-calculator" target="_blank">Debt</a>&nbsp;collectors like to play with people’s emotions because, many times, folks will give in and do whatever they want—whether they can afford it or not.

The worst thing you can do in these situations is react with panic or fear. Talk to them calmly and rationally, and explain your financial situation. You may be able to reach a compromise that works for both of you. If they get nasty, or continue to lie to you, let them know you’ll file a complaint with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). Pushy debt collectors have a habit of getting polite and reasonable in a hurry when faced with the possibility of the federal government stepping in.

Do everything you reasonably can to pay your debts, Gwen. You owe the money, and that means you have a legal&nbsp;and&nbsp;moral obligation to pay them. But you don’t have to put up with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/how-to-deal-with-debt-collectors" target="_blank">collector’s lies and harassment</a>!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596845065840.jpeg" alt="Dave Ramsey&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Honesty matters</h2>Dear Dave,My wife and I are in our late 20s, and we’re on Baby Step 6. Recently, my mom reached out to me for help. She has a car lease that ends next month, and she asked to borrow $2,000 so she can pay it off. It’s a weird situation, because my parents keep separate accounts and don’t combine their finances. My mom also asked me not to tell my wife about all this. What’s your advice?DanielDear Daniel,I don’t do anything I&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/marriage-money-and-secrets" target="_blank">can’t tell my wife about</a>—ever. If I’m in a meeting, and someone tells me what’s said in that room has to stay in that room, that I can’t talk to anyone else about it under any circumstances, I’ll get up and leave. In my mind, keeping things from my wife is against the law.Your mom is out of control to even think about asking you to do this, and you need to have a serious talk with her. Let her know you love her, but she has no right to ask this of you,&nbsp;and&nbsp;it’s not something you’d do. Let her know, too, that she’s never to ask for anything like this again.If she needs $2,000, she should be talking to her husband about the idea. They should be living with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/relationships/married-couples-how-to-combine-bank-accounts" target="_blank">combined finances</a>&nbsp;anyway. So, it sounds like they’ve got issues to straighten out between themselves.It’s time folks started laying their cards on the table and stopped sneaking around. That’s no way for a husband and wife to live, and your mom has no business trying to drag you into all of it behind everyone’s back!Dave<h2>They’ll play on your emotions</h2>Dear Dave,I’m on Baby Step 2. I’ve paid off almost all my debt, and I’m living on a monthly budget. Recently, I got a call from a debt collection company about an old medical bill. They threatened to garnish my wages, and from the way they talked I’m afraid they may actually do it. How should I handle this situation?GwenDear Gwen,First of all, they won’t garnish your wages. They can’t. For that to happen, they would have to go through all the formal, legal steps of suing you, and&nbsp;then&nbsp;they’d have to win the case.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-calculator" target="_blank">Debt</a>&nbsp;collectors like to play with people’s emotions because, many times, folks will give in and do whatever they want—whether they can afford it or not.The worst thing you can do in these situations is react with panic or fear. Talk to them calmly and rationally, and explain your financial situation. You may be able to reach a compromise that works for both of you. If they get nasty, or continue to lie to you, let them know you’ll file a complaint with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). Pushy debt collectors have a habit of getting polite and reasonable in a hurry when faced with the possibility of the federal government stepping in.Do everything you reasonably can to pay your debts, Gwen. You owe the money, and that means you have a legal&nbsp;and&nbsp;moral obligation to pay them. But you don’t have to put up with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/how-to-deal-with-debt-collectors" target="_blank">collector’s lies and harassment</a>!Dave

DAVE SAYS: Honesty matters; they’ll play on your emotions

A portion of the century-old stormwater tunnel running through the center of Hays will be relined beginning this fall.

 "For a 100-year-old structure, it's still in pretty decent shape," John Braun, project manager, said at Thursday evening's city commission meeting.&nbsp;

 The tunnel is inspected annually by city staff. "However, due to its location and the nature of its function,&nbsp;the city cannot risk allowing it to deteriorate."

Starting at 19th and Lincoln and going south to Montgomery Ditch at the Union Pacific railroad, the tunnel winds its way under the downtown area. It follows the old creek bed that was filled in during the 1920s when the tunnel was constructed, and the town subsequently built over the top of it, according to Braun.

Lincoln Draw Tunnel is constructed of
glazed red clay tile mortared together into a circular tunnel approximately 72
inches in diameter and one mile in length.

In many&nbsp;places along the way, homes and businesses are constructed over the tunnel. Several smaller storm&nbsp;sewer collection systems connect to the tunnel and a few inlet structures dump directly&nbsp;into it.

In 2009, the city spent $600,000 on repairs to the tunnel, including lining about 1,500 linear feet with an epoxy solution, which Braun said has held up well.

The 2021 Capital Improvement Plan includes $750,000 to line an additional 2,000 feet of the tunnel and remove two obstructions caused by city water mains that penetrate the tunnel.

Braun said the water mains will be moved under the tunnel instead of going through it. 

"Removing them should improve the hydraulic-carrying capacity of the tunnel," Braun said, "plus, I keep bumping my head on them every time I go in to inspect," he laughed.&nbsp;

The low bid from of&nbsp;$869,365 from&nbsp;Utility Maintenance Contractors, Wichita, is more than budgeted.

Braun attributed the higher than budgeted bid to increased labor and materials costs because of the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

"Since there is adequate funding in the Stormwater Reserve Fund for the bid, staff recommends awarding the full amount of the bid," Braun said.

Commissioners agreed and unanimously approved the bid.

In other business, the commission approved a cereal malt beverage license for the Downtown Hays Development Corp. for Brews on the Bricks on Aug. 27.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625791730235.jpeg" alt="The 100-year-old Lincoln Draw Tunnel starts at 19th and Lincoln in Hays and runs one mile south to Montgomery Ditch at Union Pacific railroad.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The 100-year-old Lincoln Draw Tunnel starts at 19th and Lincoln in Hays and runs one mile south to Montgomery Ditch at Union Pacific railroad.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostA portion of the century-old stormwater tunnel running through the center of Hays will be relined beginning this fall. "For a 100-year-old structure, it's still in pretty decent shape," John Braun, project manager, said at Thursday evening's city commission meeting.&nbsp; The tunnel is inspected annually by city staff. "However, due to its location and the nature of its function,&nbsp;the city cannot risk allowing it to deteriorate."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625792701347.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Starting at 19th and Lincoln and going south to Montgomery Ditch at the Union Pacific railroad, the tunnel winds its way under the downtown area. It follows the old creek bed that was filled in during the 1920s when the tunnel was constructed, and the town subsequently built over the top of it, according to Braun.Lincoln Draw Tunnel is constructed of
glazed red clay tile mortared together into a circular tunnel approximately 72
inches in diameter and one mile in length.In many&nbsp;places along the way, homes and businesses are constructed over the tunnel. Several smaller storm&nbsp;sewer collection systems connect to the tunnel and a few inlet structures dump directly&nbsp;into it.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625793739388.jpeg" alt="Application of epoxy liner to a portion of Lincoln Tunnel in 2009. (City of Hays)" />
 <figcaption>Application of epoxy liner to a portion of Lincoln Tunnel in 2009. (City of Hays)</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2009, the city spent $600,000 on repairs to the tunnel, including lining about 1,500 linear feet with an epoxy solution, which Braun said has held up well.The 2021 Capital Improvement Plan includes $750,000 to line an additional 2,000 feet of the tunnel and remove two obstructions caused by city water mains that penetrate the tunnel.Braun said the water mains will be moved under the tunnel instead of going through it. "Removing them should improve the hydraulic-carrying capacity of the tunnel," Braun said, "plus, I keep bumping my head on them every time I go in to inspect," he laughed.&nbsp;The low bid from of&nbsp;$869,365 from&nbsp;Utility Maintenance Contractors, Wichita, is more than budgeted.Braun attributed the higher than budgeted bid to increased labor and materials costs because of the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;"Since there is adequate funding in the Stormwater Reserve Fund for the bid, staff recommends awarding the full amount of the bid," Braun said.Commissioners agreed and unanimously approved the bid.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625791684671.jpeg" alt="Entrance to the Lincoln Draw Tunnel at 10th and Lincoln in Hays" />
 <figcaption>Entrance to the Lincoln Draw Tunnel at 10th and Lincoln in Hays</figcaption>
 </figure>In other business, the commission approved a cereal malt beverage license for the Downtown Hays Development Corp. for Brews on the Bricks on Aug. 27.

BRAUN: '100-year-old stormwater tunnel in pretty good shape'; partial relining upcoming

By CRISTINA JANNEY and JAMES BELL Hays Post

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/kepxq-5000?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">A GoFundMe account</a> has been created for a young Hays man who was injured in a fireworks accident on the Fourth of July.

Erik&nbsp;Kreutzer, 20, of Hays was injured when a mortar exploded in his right hand. He was flown to Wichita via LifeFlight for emergency surgery.

Doctors were forced to amputate the two middle fingers from Erik's right hand. He also had minor shrapnel injuries to his arms and legs.

Erik's father, Doug&nbsp;Kreutzer, said Erik was back home Wednesday recovering from his injury. Doctors said he should make a recovery with his hand healing within about six months, Doug said.

Erik is right handed, but doctors hope he will be able to write again with physical therapy.

"It was just an unfortunate accident," Doug&nbsp;Kreutzer said. "Fireworks, they're fun, but they do have their dangers."

Doug added he hopes everyone will be careful when handling fireworks.

Erik is a student at Fort Hays State University, majoring in computer science.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the GoFundMe account had raised $7,095 toward a $10,000 goal. The money raised on this page will help cover the Kreutzer family's medical expenses and other critical costs during Erik's recovery.

The Hays Police Department received 38 fireworks complaints during the holiday, most of which were reported on the Fourth of July.&nbsp;Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said the number of complaints have followed the same trend for the last five years.

"Most of the complaints came in after 11 o'clock," Scheibler said. "The community has a great deal of patience. The commission has set the time period on the second, third and fourth from 10 in the morning to 11 at night. 

"Most people are pretty good about that, but we always struggle on the Fourth," he said.

He said that is in part to people attempting to shoot fireworks after the community display. 

"We always know that is going to be a problem," Scheibler said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625674542649.jpeg" alt="Eric Kreutzer Courtesy Photo" />
 <figcaption>Eric Kreutzer Courtesy Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY and JAMES BELL Hays Post<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/kepxq-5000?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">A GoFundMe account</a> has been created for a young Hays man who was injured in a fireworks accident on the Fourth of July.Erik&nbsp;Kreutzer, 20, of Hays was injured when a mortar exploded in his right hand. He was flown to Wichita via LifeFlight for emergency surgery.Doctors were forced to amputate the two middle fingers from Erik's right hand. He also had minor shrapnel injuries to his arms and legs.Erik's father, Doug&nbsp;Kreutzer, said Erik was back home Wednesday recovering from his injury. Doctors said he should make a recovery with his hand healing within about six months, Doug said.Erik is right handed, but doctors hope he will be able to write again with physical therapy."It was just an unfortunate accident," Doug&nbsp;Kreutzer said. "Fireworks, they're fun, but they do have their dangers."Doug added he hopes everyone will be careful when handling fireworks.Erik is a student at Fort Hays State University, majoring in computer science.As of Wednesday afternoon, the GoFundMe account had raised $7,095 toward a $10,000 goal. The money raised on this page will help cover the Kreutzer family's medical expenses and other critical costs during Erik's recovery.The Hays Police Department received 38 fireworks complaints during the holiday, most of which were reported on the Fourth of July.&nbsp;Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said the number of complaints have followed the same trend for the last five years."Most of the complaints came in after 11 o'clock," Scheibler said. "The community has a great deal of patience. The commission has set the time period on the second, third and fourth from 10 in the morning to 11 at night. "Most people are pretty good about that, but we always struggle on the Fourth," he said.He said that is in part to people attempting to shoot fireworks after the community display. "We always know that is going to be a problem," Scheibler said.

GoFundMe created for Hays man injured by firework

PLAINVILLE — Rooks County Health Center is encouraging local residents to take a
step toward better health with Walk with a Doc, a health program that brings doctors and patients
together to walk every second Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m. on the track at the Plainville
football field.


Walk with a Doc is an international non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire
communities through movement and conversation. Walk with a Doc promotes physical activity
and stepping up awareness about healthy eating to help improve the heart health of the nation.


“This program has demonstrated good success in hundreds of places across the United States.”
said Dr. Jen Brull of Post Rock Family Medicine. “I’m very pleased to bring this exciting
program to Rooks County and help our county reap the benefits.”


The Walk is open to the community. Participation is free and pre-registration is not required. Walkers will enjoy a refreshing and rejuvenating walk with Dr.Brull and other
healthcare professionals, who will provide support to participants and answer questions about
exercise and nutrition during the Walk.


“Walk with a Doc is honored to team up with Rooks County Health Center. By incorporating this
program into the practice, RCH is demonstrating an exceptional level of care and commitment to
their community,” said Dr. David Sabgir, founder of Walk with a Doc. “Adding ten minutes of
walking to your daily routine and swapping out bad fats with good fats at mealtime are examples
of small, easy changes that can make a big difference in the health of your heart"


“Increasing exercise, even moderately, may help reduce the risks of many diseases, including
coronary artery disease and diabetes,” said Dr. Brull. “Adding physical activity like walking to
your day is a small change that can make a big difference. We are excited to join Walk with a
Doc and help our community more easily find opportunities for physical activity.”


The CDC estimates about 80 percent of premature cases of heart disease and stroke are
preventable and encourages changes like stepping up physical activity or eating a heart healthy
diet. Further, the American Heart Association estimates that if Americans ate the recommended
amounts of fruits and vegetables every day, nearly 40,000 deaths would be prevented from
cardiovascular diseases, stroke and diabetes each year.


Plainville joins a growing list of communities worldwide that have started local Walk with a Doc
(WWAD) programs. WWAD was started by Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist in Columbus, OH.
He has walked with patients and community members every weekend since 2005.


Learn more about Walk with a Doc at www.walkwithadoc.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587050349548.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PLAINVILLE — Rooks County Health Center is encouraging local residents to take a
step toward better health with Walk with a Doc, a health program that brings doctors and patients
together to walk every second Saturday of the month at 9:00 a.m. on the track at the Plainville
football field.
Walk with a Doc is an international non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire
communities through movement and conversation. Walk with a Doc promotes physical activity
and stepping up awareness about healthy eating to help improve the heart health of the nation.
“This program has demonstrated good success in hundreds of places across the United States.”
said Dr. Jen Brull of Post Rock Family Medicine. “I’m very pleased to bring this exciting
program to Rooks County and help our county reap the benefits.”
The Walk is open to the community. Participation is free and pre-registration is not required. Walkers will enjoy a refreshing and rejuvenating walk with Dr.Brull and other
healthcare professionals, who will provide support to participants and answer questions about
exercise and nutrition during the Walk.
“Walk with a Doc is honored to team up with Rooks County Health Center. By incorporating this
program into the practice, RCH is demonstrating an exceptional level of care and commitment to
their community,” said Dr. David Sabgir, founder of Walk with a Doc. “Adding ten minutes of
walking to your daily routine and swapping out bad fats with good fats at mealtime are examples
of small, easy changes that can make a big difference in the health of your heart"
“Increasing exercise, even moderately, may help reduce the risks of many diseases, including
coronary artery disease and diabetes,” said Dr. Brull. “Adding physical activity like walking to
your day is a small change that can make a big difference. We are excited to join Walk with a
Doc and help our community more easily find opportunities for physical activity.”
The CDC estimates about 80 percent of premature cases of heart disease and stroke are
preventable and encourages changes like stepping up physical activity or eating a heart healthy
diet. Further, the American Heart Association estimates that if Americans ate the recommended
amounts of fruits and vegetables every day, nearly 40,000 deaths would be prevented from
cardiovascular diseases, stroke and diabetes each year.
Plainville joins a growing list of communities worldwide that have started local Walk with a Doc
(WWAD) programs. WWAD was started by Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist in Columbus, OH.
He has walked with patients and community members every weekend since 2005.
Learn more about Walk with a Doc at www.walkwithadoc.org.— Submitted

Plainville hospital launches Walk with a Doc program

Diego Esparza said he learned a lot while helping plan the Hispanic College Institute in 2019, when he worked for Fort Hays State University’s Enrollment Management as a graduate student.

He is putting that knowledge to good use this year as co-chair of the HCI Steering Committee, which is comprised of a diverse group of individuals from across the Student Affairs division. HCI is a residential program that prepares high school students to enter and succeed in higher education.

Like other summer event planners at FHSU, the HCI staff is excited about students returning to campus this summer after all youth activities were canceled a year ago because of the pandemic.

“We are just so glad to be able to host the HCI again,” said Esparza, assistant director of Student Engagement. “We are looking forward to having students back on campus this year.”

The free event – traditionally held in June for three nights and four days – this year was moved to a weekend later in the summer. It is scheduled for Friday through Sunday, July 23-25.

Counselors, or HCI leads, will report for training on Thursday, with HCI participants scheduled for arrival Friday afternoon. To apply or to learn more about HCI, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=-2BFJoAhsjp8losQfY8t-2BZtFziwTxqZbCYJ3dulTS8aQA-3D3tle_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BYf7UvTTDJn-2BE32sVLkbVQ-2FoqV-2FBZm1drlATIFtiDtGJsIANZqjIGNcUa19J66ODeWKTua2CRRZeOTWd6dYDzRqfCBBYRkcDjw-2FbxRD7omJXKg2X3fBjMzoiy74c1IL9naGYlRufNmhnwznhWO-2BJ8ZN6CYCq6Ef-2FkxnYdEJJFRMtGO-2Fp-2Byap0jsXSgKUCXB83-2Bvc5-2FwuY1eu4qDeQlEm16-2F-2FDEE6JPxLBujUOGePzf2nW1t1vOhM23QPw3P7Ft5VL">https://fhsu.edu/hci</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Students will learn about foundations for success in college, beginning with how to fill out applications for college in general as well as for financial aid. They will hear from FHSU alumni, telling about the impact that the Fort Hays State education experience has had on their lives. And they will make new friends.

The HCI gives students a taste of college life while introducing them to the beautiful Fort Hays State campus.

Who better to promote FHSU than Esparza, who has either attended school or worked at three regional universities. Esparza gained a wealth of knowledge from his different experiences, which he was eager to bring back to the Fort.&nbsp;

“It was great to come back to Fort Hays State,” Esparza said. “I love the environment here. We genuinely care about the students and have so much support for them to be successful.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625682415955.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsDiego Esparza said he learned a lot while helping plan the Hispanic College Institute in 2019, when he worked for Fort Hays State University’s Enrollment Management as a graduate student.He is putting that knowledge to good use this year as co-chair of the HCI Steering Committee, which is comprised of a diverse group of individuals from across the Student Affairs division. HCI is a residential program that prepares high school students to enter and succeed in higher education.Like other summer event planners at FHSU, the HCI staff is excited about students returning to campus this summer after all youth activities were canceled a year ago because of the pandemic.“We are just so glad to be able to host the HCI again,” said Esparza, assistant director of Student Engagement. “We are looking forward to having students back on campus this year.”The free event – traditionally held in June for three nights and four days – this year was moved to a weekend later in the summer. It is scheduled for Friday through Sunday, July 23-25.Counselors, or HCI leads, will report for training on Thursday, with HCI participants scheduled for arrival Friday afternoon. To apply or to learn more about HCI, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=-2BFJoAhsjp8losQfY8t-2BZtFziwTxqZbCYJ3dulTS8aQA-3D3tle_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BYf7UvTTDJn-2BE32sVLkbVQ-2FoqV-2FBZm1drlATIFtiDtGJsIANZqjIGNcUa19J66ODeWKTua2CRRZeOTWd6dYDzRqfCBBYRkcDjw-2FbxRD7omJXKg2X3fBjMzoiy74c1IL9naGYlRufNmhnwznhWO-2BJ8ZN6CYCq6Ef-2FkxnYdEJJFRMtGO-2Fp-2Byap0jsXSgKUCXB83-2Bvc5-2FwuY1eu4qDeQlEm16-2F-2FDEE6JPxLBujUOGePzf2nW1t1vOhM23QPw3P7Ft5VL">https://fhsu.edu/hci</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Students will learn about foundations for success in college, beginning with how to fill out applications for college in general as well as for financial aid. They will hear from FHSU alumni, telling about the impact that the Fort Hays State education experience has had on their lives. And they will make new friends.The HCI gives students a taste of college life while introducing them to the beautiful Fort Hays State campus.Who better to promote FHSU than Esparza, who has either attended school or worked at three regional universities. Esparza gained a wealth of knowledge from his different experiences, which he was eager to bring back to the Fort.&nbsp;“It was great to come back to Fort Hays State,” Esparza said. “I love the environment here. We genuinely care about the students and have so much support for them to be successful.”

Hispanic College Institute returns to Fort Hays State

Join Fort Hays State University Student Engagement on July 13 for Summer Splash. The group will be hosting water and yard games in the Quad from 4 to 6 p.m.&nbsp; 

There will be snow cones and other types of food available near Picken Hall. This community event will not only have games, activities and food for all those who attend, but there will also be a browsing fair for the public to walk through.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625666138552.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Join Fort Hays State University Student Engagement on July 13 for Summer Splash. The group will be hosting water and yard games in the Quad from 4 to 6 p.m.&nbsp; There will be snow cones and other types of food available near Picken Hall. This community event will not only have games, activities and food for all those who attend, but there will also be a browsing fair for the public to walk through.&nbsp;

FHSU Student Engagement will host Summer Splash event

Three-day weather outlook

LAWRENCE — A new paper from a lead author based at the University of Kansas finds wetlands constructed along waterways are the most cost-effective way to reduce nitrate and sediment loads in large streams and rivers. Rather than focusing on individual farms, the research suggests conservation efforts using wetlands should be implemented at the watershed scale.

The paper, just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, relied on computer modeling to examine the Le Sueur River Basin in southern Minnesota, a watershed subject to runoff from intense agricultural production of corn and soybeans — crops characteristic of the entire Upper Midwest region.

“Excessive nitrate or sediment affect local fish populations, the amount of money we have to spend to treat drinking water, and there’s a downstream effect also,” said lead author Amy Hansen, assistant professor of civil, environmental &amp; architectural engineering at KU.

 “Our rivers integrate what’s happening across the landscape, so that location that you love to go and fish or swim — whether that continues to be a great place to fish or swim has a lot to do with the choices that people are making further upstream. Excess pollution goes to a water body downstream like a reservoir or the ocean and causes algal blooms or hypoxic or ‘dead zones.’ The dead zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico is directly correlated with nitrate that comes from the Mississippi River Basin.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625650958894.jpeg" alt="View through cattails in wetland in the Le Sueur River Basin. (Photo by Amy Hansen)" />
 <figcaption>View through cattails in wetland in the Le Sueur River Basin. (Photo by Amy Hansen)</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE — A new paper from a lead author based at the University of Kansas finds wetlands constructed along waterways are the most cost-effective way to reduce nitrate and sediment loads in large streams and rivers. Rather than focusing on individual farms, the research suggests conservation efforts using wetlands should be implemented at the watershed scale.The paper, just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, relied on computer modeling to examine the Le Sueur River Basin in southern Minnesota, a watershed subject to runoff from intense agricultural production of corn and soybeans — crops characteristic of the entire Upper Midwest region.<figure>
 <img src="https://news.ku.edu/sites/news.ku.edu/files/images/general/2021_news/july/Amy%20Hansen%20180.jpg" alt="Amy Hansen" />
 <figcaption>Amy Hansen</figcaption>
 </figure>“Excessive nitrate or sediment affect local fish populations, the amount of money we have to spend to treat drinking water, and there’s a downstream effect also,” said lead author Amy Hansen, assistant professor of civil, environmental &amp; architectural engineering at KU. “Our rivers integrate what’s happening across the landscape, so that location that you love to go and fish or swim — whether that continues to be a great place to fish or swim has a lot to do with the choices that people are making further upstream. Excess pollution goes to a water body downstream like a reservoir or the ocean and causes algal blooms or hypoxic or ‘dead zones.’ The dead zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico is directly correlated with nitrate that comes from the Mississippi River Basin.”<figure>
 <img src="https://news.ku.edu/sites/news.ku.edu/files/images/general/2021_news/june/Hansen_news2_bl.jpg" alt="Constructed wetland in the Le Sueur River Basin, named Maple Wetland. It was constructed about 15 years ago and is a fluvial wetland on a tributary to the Maple River. (Photo by Amy Hansen)" />
 <figcaption>Constructed wetland in the Le Sueur River Basin, named Maple Wetland. It was constructed about 15 years ago and is a fluvial wetland on a tributary to the Maple River. (Photo by Amy Hansen)</figcaption>
 </figure>The research team compared potential watershed approaches to improving water quality, such as cutting runoff from farms and adding wetlands, then gauged the economic costs of each. Because most methods rely on voluntary participation by individual farms and are implemented by a patchwork of different agencies, the researchers found they’re less effective.“Currently, there’s individual management or conservation practices, and those include cover crop, high-precision fertilizer application, reduced tillage, constructed wetlands and ravine tip management. Those are some of the different practices we considered,” Hansen said. “But management of non-point sources is voluntary in the U.S. through incentive programs, and the scale these conservation practices are often considered at is the individual farmer when a coordinated approach is much more effective. In a way, it’s like a recycling program where you’re saying, ‘Anyone recycling one thing is better than no one recycling.’ This is true, some recycling is better than no recycling, but a coordinated approach will save money and be more effective.”Hansen and her co-authors found constructed wetlands are the most effective of these practices, especially if the size and location are evaluated at the scale of a watershed — an entire region that drains into a common waterway. The KU researcher said wetlands do two things well: They slow down water as it heads toward streams and rivers and contain vegetation and microbes that can process nutrients used as fertilizer on crops.“Microbes and plants within wetlands are actually removing the nitrate from the water,” Hansen said. “With sediment, on the other hand, what the fluvial wetlands are doing is holding water back during these high flows — and by holding that water back you’re getting lower peak stream flows, which is reducing the amount of near channel sediment that’s being transported downstream.”While Hansen’s research expertise is in water quality, her co-authors from the University of Minnesota, the University of California-Irvine and other institutions across the United States brought multidisciplinary perspectives to the challenge of improving agricultural water quality. The collaboration was supported by an award from the National Science Foundation.“This work would not have been possible without the diverse expertise and perspective of the team composed of hydrologists, ecologists, geomorphologists, biogeochemists, social scientists and environmental economists,” said Efi Foufoula-Georgiou, the lead principal investigator on the project from the University of California-Irvine. “The sustained NSF support allowed us to take a fresh view of the problem and take the time needed to collect extensive field data, build new models and engage with stakeholders. We hope that our results will affect policy and management as the clock ticks to meet the water quality targets of the state.”Indeed, a key aspect of the new study focuses on the economics of implementing small, shallow fluvial wetlands and stabilizing ravines. According to the investigators, such measures “were clearly more cost-effective than field management.” But the researchers found the performance of wetlands required optimal placement, and often cost-effective wetlands can be too expensive for a single farm or one agency to put in place.The PNAS paper concludes a comprehensive strategy must address an entire watershed as a system, combining funds from different programs and agencies and pinpointing locations for fluvial wetlands that will lead to the greatest reduction in nitrates and sediments reaching waterways."This work shows that we can't make real progress toward our goals for improving water quality in agricultural areas with more of a business-as-usual approach," said study co-author Jacques Finlay, a professor in the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota. "Instead, conservation actions, and the investments that support them, can be more effective if they consider the interactions that underlie the source of water pollution and how different management options influence them."The researchers used the Le Sueur River Basin as a proof-of-concept watershed but say their findings could be applied to agricultural regions throughout the Midwest.

Local