TOPEKA ‚— The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for the City of Ellis water supply system. The advisory was issued because of a loss of pressure in the distribution system and affected customers located on Washington Street, between Fourth&nbsp;Street and Seventh&nbsp;Street. 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 the City of Ellis 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;

For consumer questions, contact the water system or call KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information, visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA4MjEuNDQ4NzY4NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvcHdzL2VtZXJnZW5jeXJlc3BvbnNlL3dhdGVyX2Rpc3J1cHRpb24uaHRtP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.Ph-lNTdq7Ao5WrEg14uJnjfS_goC7SnWIwhsxYpfM0Y/s/1305913623/br/111255214718-l">http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm</a>

KDHETOPEKA ‚— The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for the City of Ellis water supply system. The advisory was issued because of a loss of pressure in the distribution system and affected customers located on Washington Street, between Fourth&nbsp;Street and Seventh&nbsp;Street. 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 the City of Ellis 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;For consumer questions, contact the water system or call KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information, visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA4MjEuNDQ4NzY4NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvcHdzL2VtZXJnZW5jeXJlc3BvbnNlL3dhdGVyX2Rpc3J1cHRpb24uaHRtP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.Ph-lNTdq7Ao5WrEg14uJnjfS_goC7SnWIwhsxYpfM0Y/s/1305913623/br/111255214718-l">http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm</a>

Boil order for city of Ellis is rescinded by KDHE

On this episode of the Post Podcast Fort Hays State University's Glen McNeil shares information about potatoes during our Nutrition, Health and Wellness segment.

<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="Potatoes can provide a variety of delicious and nutritious meal options" allowtransparency="true" height="150" 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=mj9xm-10bcb49-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&btn-skin=f6f6f6"></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Fort Hays State University's Glen McNeil shares information about potatoes during our Nutrition, Health and Wellness segment.<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: Potatoes can provide a variety of delicious and nutritious meal options

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Ellis County Historical Society has worked to reassemble and assess its collection with an eye on placing temporary displays in the community.

Ellis County Historical Society Liason Brad Ricke gave a report to the Ellis County Commission on Monday.

Volunteers have moved all of the artifacts that had been stored in the Hays Daily News building back to its campus at Main and Seventh streets in Hays. The Daily News building had developed leaks in the roof and was no longer suitable to store the items.&nbsp;

Ricke said it has been important for the historical society board and staff to see all the items the society owns.

About 400 volunteer hours were involved in the move.

Items that were rediscovered included clothing; typewriters; antique chairs; the Hays City Meat Wagon, which is now on display at Big Creek Crossing; a Hays diorama that was once on display at the historic Fort Hays; Native American artifacts, furniture from the Bissing house; and historical items that were formerly held by the Sternberg Museum.

The Big Creek Crossing exhibit is titled "From the Deep."

In addition to Big Creek Crossing, the society plans to mount temporary satellite exhibits at the Ellis Railroad Museum, Ellis Law Enforcement Center, Carrico Implement and Hays Water Resources Department.

Ricke asked the commissioners if the society could also place a historical display at the Ellis County Administration building. The commission approved. Ricke said the society would present several possible ideas to the county that the society thought might be relevant to the building and offices housed in it.

The society also hopes to place displays in the county's smaller communities, including Catharine, Victoria, Munjor and Pfeifer.

The society will be disposing of old court records, which have already been digitized, to make room for more items to be stored in the red-brick former church building on Seventh Street.

Commissioner Butch Schlyer asked the society presenters when they thought the society might be able to open the brick church to the public again.&nbsp;

Pricilla Hunt, society board president, said the brick church is not handicap accessible, and to bring it up to modern standards is going to be costly.

The fire station, harness shop and Volga German home&nbsp;at the Seventh and Main campus are still available for tours. The stone church could also be made available for tours. The fire station has a restroom.

"It would be nice if we had another permanent place downtown or in the vicinity to have all of our stuff together," Hunt said, "but it's going to take time, and it's going to take some money.

"All of us have been at this since March only."&nbsp;

Ricke added, "We are going to get that answer, but we want to get to the right answer."

Ricke detailed other behind-the-scenes work that has been ongoing at the society. 

The society replaced the roof on the stone church to prevent water damage. The security system was brought back online. Repairs were made to the main building's HVAC system, and the society had the ducts cleaned in its temporary storage building.

Both county and city officials have criticized the society in the past for its lack of fundraising.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d7962f54-bf8a-4a91-b474-d9e2acaa0ae2">RELATED STORY: Ellis County Historical Society faces challenges with new strategies</a>

The society has organized a committee to host a 50th anniversary celebration for the society. It will be Nov. 7 at the Seventh Street campus and include speakers, gunfighters, a barn dance and a raffle of commemorative firearms.

A committee has also been formed whose members will participate in the 2021 Hays Oktoberfest.

The society's membership forms have been revised, and a membership drive is underway.

The society is trying to secure more copies of "At Home in Ellis County — Volume 1," to sell to patrons.

The interim director, Amanda Rupp, as well as some board members, are enrolled in the Dane G. Hansen Foundation "How to Funraise" online courses offered this month.

Rupp is at the beginning stages of coordinating a project with local high school students on the impact of the 2020 pandemic on Ellis County youth.

She also hopes to further utilize interns from Fort Hays State University and volunteers in the society's work.

Ricke praised Rupp's work thus far, noting the society's Facebook engagements have jumped 200 percent. The society is also working on a new website.&nbsp;

The society also moved all of its bookkeeping to QuickBooks nonprofit software.

The commissioners said they were pleased with the society's progress. After initially requiring the society to make monthly updates to the commission after approving its 2022 funding, Commissioner Dean Haselhorst suggested those reports could be reduced to every other month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629322830928.jpeg" alt="A temporary Ellis County Historical Society exhibit at the former Christopher Banks location at Big Creek Crossing in Hays." />
 <figcaption>A temporary Ellis County Historical Society exhibit at the former Christopher Banks location at Big Creek Crossing in Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Ellis County Historical Society has worked to reassemble and assess its collection with an eye on placing temporary displays in the community.Ellis County Historical Society Liason Brad Ricke gave a report to the Ellis County Commission on Monday.Volunteers have moved all of the artifacts that had been stored in the Hays Daily News building back to its campus at Main and Seventh streets in Hays. The Daily News building had developed leaks in the roof and was no longer suitable to store the items.&nbsp;Ricke said it has been important for the historical society board and staff to see all the items the society owns.About 400 volunteer hours were involved in the move.Items that were rediscovered included clothing; typewriters; antique chairs; the Hays City Meat Wagon, which is now on display at Big Creek Crossing; a Hays diorama that was once on display at the historic Fort Hays; Native American artifacts, furniture from the Bissing house; and historical items that were formerly held by the Sternberg Museum.The Big Creek Crossing exhibit is titled "From the Deep."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629323041128.jpeg" alt="Funerary hair weaving from the Ellis County Historical Society "From the Deep" exhibit that is now on display at Big Creek Crossing. The items in the exhibit were retrieved from storage at the Hays Daily News building." />
 <figcaption>Funerary hair weaving from the Ellis County Historical Society "From the Deep" exhibit that is now on display at Big Creek Crossing. The items in the exhibit were retrieved from storage at the Hays Daily News building.</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to Big Creek Crossing, the society plans to mount temporary satellite exhibits at the Ellis Railroad Museum, Ellis Law Enforcement Center, Carrico Implement and Hays Water Resources Department.Ricke asked the commissioners if the society could also place a historical display at the Ellis County Administration building. The commission approved. Ricke said the society would present several possible ideas to the county that the society thought might be relevant to the building and offices housed in it.The society also hopes to place displays in the county's smaller communities, including Catharine, Victoria, Munjor and Pfeifer.The society will be disposing of old court records, which have already been digitized, to make room for more items to be stored in the red-brick former church building on Seventh Street.Commissioner Butch Schlyer asked the society presenters when they thought the society might be able to open the brick church to the public again.&nbsp;Pricilla Hunt, society board president, said the brick church is not handicap accessible, and to bring it up to modern standards is going to be costly.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629323295904.jpeg" alt="A Dictaphone was among the Ellis County Historical Society items recovered from storage at the Hays Daily News building. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>A Dictaphone was among the Ellis County Historical Society items recovered from storage at the Hays Daily News building. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The fire station, harness shop and Volga German home&nbsp;at the Seventh and Main campus are still available for tours. The stone church could also be made available for tours. The fire station has a restroom."It would be nice if we had another permanent place downtown or in the vicinity to have all of our stuff together," Hunt said, "but it's going to take time, and it's going to take some money."All of us have been at this since March only."&nbsp;Ricke added, "We are going to get that answer, but we want to get to the right answer."Ricke detailed other behind-the-scenes work that has been ongoing at the society. The society replaced the roof on the stone church to prevent water damage. The security system was brought back online. Repairs were made to the main building's HVAC system, and the society had the ducts cleaned in its temporary storage building.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629323541989.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;A drum promoting Franklin D. Roosevelt that belongs to the Ellis County Historical Society was recovered from storage at the Hays Daily News building. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;A drum promoting Franklin D. Roosevelt that belongs to the Ellis County Historical Society was recovered from storage at the Hays Daily News building. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>Both county and city officials have criticized the society in the past for its lack of fundraising.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d7962f54-bf8a-4a91-b474-d9e2acaa0ae2">RELATED STORY: Ellis County Historical Society faces challenges with new strategies</a>The society has organized a committee to host a 50th anniversary celebration for the society. It will be Nov. 7 at the Seventh Street campus and include speakers, gunfighters, a barn dance and a raffle of commemorative firearms.A committee has also been formed whose members will participate in the 2021 Hays Oktoberfest.The society's membership forms have been revised, and a membership drive is underway.The society is trying to secure more copies of "At Home in Ellis County — Volume 1," to sell to patrons.The interim director, Amanda Rupp, as well as some board members, are enrolled in the Dane G. Hansen Foundation "How to Funraise" online courses offered this month.Rupp is at the beginning stages of coordinating a project with local high school students on the impact of the 2020 pandemic on Ellis County youth.She also hopes to further utilize interns from Fort Hays State University and volunteers in the society's work.Ricke praised Rupp's work thus far, noting the society's Facebook engagements have jumped 200 percent. The society is also working on a new website.&nbsp;The society also moved all of its bookkeeping to QuickBooks nonprofit software.The commissioners said they were pleased with the society's progress. After initially requiring the society to make monthly updates to the commission after approving its 2022 funding, Commissioner Dean Haselhorst suggested those reports could be reduced to every other month.

Ellis County Historical Society sends collection into community

Summer camps, a staple of American families for generations, went international with the help of the Office of Global Partnerships at Fort Hays State University. Global Partnershipscoordinated with FHSU’s international partners and agents worldwide to organize international virtual summer camps. The program received significant interest with over 800 students registering from more than 20 countries.&nbsp;

According to Haley Williams, Program Specialist for OGP at FHSU, this summer’s virtual summer camps built upon the in-person experiences of international students during the past several years. “Due to the pandemic, we knew that international students would not be able to travel to Hays, so this necessitated a new virtual model. The outcome was that we attracted more students and generated more excitement about Fort Hays State.”&nbsp;

The goals of the Virtual summer Camp were to introduce Fort Hays State University and the community of Hays to prospective international students, building confidence in their ability to succeed in American higher education and in some cases to have their first experience with online or virtual learning. The ultimate goal was to attract prospective international students to apply and enroll in courses either on campus or online.&nbsp;

While 2020 summer camps were overall successful, Williams explained that OGP learned a great deal from the experience and worked hard to improve upon the model. The virtual camps permitted Fort Hays State to offer the experience which was both educational and fun at no cost to participants.&nbsp;

Williams explained how the camps were reorganized this year, making it possible to reach more people than in the previous summer. “First, we created two-day information sessions for each partner and then met with one or two groups each week.” With ten participating partners this year, the camps needed to be spread out through both June and July.&nbsp;

Williams continued explaining how “on Wednesdays each week throughout July we did an ‘Event’ where we had community and campus members giving presentations.” Events included a virtual walking tour of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History; the town of Hays; the residence halls at FHSU; and a presentation on American holidays and culture. These virtual events were one of the new changes for the virtual camp that allowed everyone who registered to participate while reducing the time required by presenters to duplicate their presentation.

The final addition to this year’s virtual camp, one of the components missing from the previous in person camps, and which Williams stressed as something OGP wanted to incorporate, was the ability for the camp participants to share about their own lives and cultures. She said, “on Thursday’s we did what we called ‘Meet-ups.’ This is where we achieved an interactive cultural exchange. We asked the students throughout the summer to prepare one slide per week highlighting an aspect of their own culture, their life, or their country. We split participants into breakout rooms making certain we had different cultures represented.”

With participants from so many different parts of the world, meet-ups were offered two times each week and quickly became one of the most popular parts of the camp, often with over 80 students participating in each session.&nbsp;

Luciana Mendoza, a Fort Hays State student from Paraguay working with the OGP, believes that the meet-ups are what many of the camp participants looked forward to most. She explained how “they engaged with each other, with people from other countries that had similar interests, gained improvement in learning more English and learning more about American Education as well.” Camp staff recorded as much as possible of the sessions and meet-ups. Students unable to attend a session could view the recordings at their convenience, allowing them to participate in the interactive cultural exchange experience.

Work is already underway to plan the 2022 virtual summer camps experience as OGP will continue to use new technologies to advance the successes of this year’s virtual camps and meet-ups. Plans will also include offering these international experiences during the academic year if a partner or agent expresses interest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629320202794.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsSummer camps, a staple of American families for generations, went international with the help of the Office of Global Partnerships at Fort Hays State University. Global Partnershipscoordinated with FHSU’s international partners and agents worldwide to organize international virtual summer camps. The program received significant interest with over 800 students registering from more than 20 countries.&nbsp;According to Haley Williams, Program Specialist for OGP at FHSU, this summer’s virtual summer camps built upon the in-person experiences of international students during the past several years. “Due to the pandemic, we knew that international students would not be able to travel to Hays, so this necessitated a new virtual model. The outcome was that we attracted more students and generated more excitement about Fort Hays State.”&nbsp;The goals of the Virtual summer Camp were to introduce Fort Hays State University and the community of Hays to prospective international students, building confidence in their ability to succeed in American higher education and in some cases to have their first experience with online or virtual learning. The ultimate goal was to attract prospective international students to apply and enroll in courses either on campus or online.&nbsp;While 2020 summer camps were overall successful, Williams explained that OGP learned a great deal from the experience and worked hard to improve upon the model. The virtual camps permitted Fort Hays State to offer the experience which was both educational and fun at no cost to participants.&nbsp;Williams explained how the camps were reorganized this year, making it possible to reach more people than in the previous summer. “First, we created two-day information sessions for each partner and then met with one or two groups each week.” With ten participating partners this year, the camps needed to be spread out through both June and July.&nbsp;Williams continued explaining how “on Wednesdays each week throughout July we did an ‘Event’ where we had community and campus members giving presentations.” Events included a virtual walking tour of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History; the town of Hays; the residence halls at FHSU; and a presentation on American holidays and culture. These virtual events were one of the new changes for the virtual camp that allowed everyone who registered to participate while reducing the time required by presenters to duplicate their presentation.The final addition to this year’s virtual camp, one of the components missing from the previous in person camps, and which Williams stressed as something OGP wanted to incorporate, was the ability for the camp participants to share about their own lives and cultures. She said, “on Thursday’s we did what we called ‘Meet-ups.’ This is where we achieved an interactive cultural exchange. We asked the students throughout the summer to prepare one slide per week highlighting an aspect of their own culture, their life, or their country. We split participants into breakout rooms making certain we had different cultures represented.”With participants from so many different parts of the world, meet-ups were offered two times each week and quickly became one of the most popular parts of the camp, often with over 80 students participating in each session.&nbsp;Luciana Mendoza, a Fort Hays State student from Paraguay working with the OGP, believes that the meet-ups are what many of the camp participants looked forward to most. She explained how “they engaged with each other, with people from other countries that had similar interests, gained improvement in learning more English and learning more about American Education as well.” Camp staff recorded as much as possible of the sessions and meet-ups. Students unable to attend a session could view the recordings at their convenience, allowing them to participate in the interactive cultural exchange experience.Work is already underway to plan the 2022 virtual summer camps experience as OGP will continue to use new technologies to advance the successes of this year’s virtual camps and meet-ups. Plans will also include offering these international experiences during the academic year if a partner or agent expresses interest.

Fort Hays State hosts international virtual camps

Let's look at the many types of bird feeders, and "squirrel proof" bird feeders, and also the seed we can put in them.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6g407Ru8rs8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Let's look at the many types of bird feeders, and "squirrel proof" bird feeders, and also the seed we can put in them.

🎥 Green & Growing 2021: For the Birds

Lack of child care options in rural Kan. threatens the future of small towns

By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-08-19/one-familys-stressful-search-for-child-care-exposes-a-reason-rural-kansas-is-losing-people">Kansas News Service</a>

It started with a phone call late last month.

The child care 
that Zach and Aubrey Woolf had lined up for their 10-month-old daughter 
was closing, just a couple of weeks before Aubrey started back at her 
job with the local school district.

They called over a dozen other child care providers in town and sent messages to 20 more. The Woolfs scoured a <a href="https://ks.childcareaware.org/child-care-search/" target="_blank">statewide database</a> for options in their county. But there were exactly zero openings.

“There
 just seems to be a swarm of people all trying to find open spots for 
infants, and they’re few and far between,” Zach Woolf said. “There's no 
hope.”

How dire is the situation in Hays? The Woolfs also posted their pleas to an active <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/320802471341317/" target="_blank">Facebook group</a>
 dedicated to local parents searching for child care options. In this 
northwest Kansas town of about 21,000 people, that Facebook group has 
1,400 members.

After several frantic days, the Woolfs found an 
opening for their daughter in a neighboring town 20 minutes away. It 
wasn’t ideal, but at least it was something.

Then, they got another phone call. That provider was injured in an accident and could no longer care for their daughter.

So, they crunched the numbers to see how it would affect their finances for Aubrey to quit her job.

“We
 were probably a week away from her talking to her advisor at the school
 and being like, ‘I can’t come because I have nowhere to send my 
child.’” Woolf said. “What are you supposed to do in that situation?”

It’s
 a dilemma families face across rural Kansas, where child care options 
are scarce and solutions to the chronic problem seem ever more elusive. 
For small towns desperate to attract new families and stop an exodus of 
young residents, solving the child care conundrum poses a matter of 
civic survival.

Child care scarcity squeezes communities statewide. In four-fifths of Kansas counties, <a href="https://online.flippingbook.com/view/292534183/10/" target="_blank">more than 10 children</a> compete for each open spot that can take a kid younger than three years old.

If
 finding child care is a stressful, competitive prospect in Kansas City 
and Wichita, that pales in comparison to family life in a county where 
you can count the number of day care options on one hand.

The Child Care Aware organization’s data shows 18 rural counties in Kansas have <a href="https://ks.childcareaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/CCC-FCC-By-County-January-2021-1.pdf" target="_blank">five or fewer</a> child care providers. Wichita County in western Kansas has only one.

And that’s before any of those precious few providers close down.

More than <a href="https://ks.childcareaware.org/point-in-time-data/" target="_blank">half</a> of Kansas counties have fewer child care options today than they had in <a href="https://online.flippingbook.com/view/876128309/" target="_blank">2019</a>. Hays, for example, lost <a href="https://stage.worklifesystems.com/Kansas?county=ellis" target="_blank">16 providers</a> over the past two years.

Bradford
 Wiles, associate professor and extension specialist in early childhood 
development at Kansas State University, said that small towns need to 
completely rethink the way they view child care.

“One of the 
things that rural areas really struggle the most with is recognizing 
child care as a utility,” he said, “as important to a rural community as
 electricity, as internet, as water.”

Wiles sees child care as an economic development issue.

If
 a town lacks options, families won’t move there or stay there. That 
means critical jobs go unfilled and the town’s tax base dwindles. And 
when families get distracted and stressed about their child’s care, that
 leads to less productivity on the job and taking more days off work to 
fill in the gaps.

It’s also an investment in the town’s next generation. When children get quality care, they’re more likely to have <a href="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/releases/031115-podcast-reynolds" target="_blank">higher incomes</a> and be <a href="https://heckmanequation.org/resource/research-summary-lifecycle-benefits-influential-early-childhood-program/" target="_blank">healthy, productive members</a>
 of the community as adults. Wiles said that for every dollar a town 
puts into early childhood development, it gets a return of $7 in the 
long run.

“It’s a no-brainer,” he said. “We have to see it as an investment in our population, in our families.”

But towns have to want to take action.

Wiles
 said effective solutions for this problem aren’t likely to come from 
the state level, but from communities coalescing around the issue — 
taking stock of their town’s specific needs, building a plan that fits 
those needs and dedicating public and private resources to implement the
 plan.

And for that to happen, he said community members need to 
realize that failing to invest in child care hurts them — even if they 
don’t have young kids.

“Everybody does have skin in the game,” Wiles said. “It’s just a question of how much you recognize it.”

When the Woolfs saw their second 
child care option fall through a couple of weeks ago, they briefly 
considered taking on a one-hour commute to secure a spot for their 
daughter in the next county over.

But then they got a tip about a 
new child care provider moving to Hays this fall and are now scheduled 
to send her there, pending the licensing approval process.

Until 
then, they’re relying on a patchwork of support from friends and family.
 Some days, an aunt will care for their daughter. The rest of the time, 
she’ll be watched by a former coworker who had to quit her job this year
 after being unable to find day care for her son.

But Zach Woolf 
said that compared to many others in northwest Kansas, his family is 
fortunate because it already had a network of community connections.

Any new families looking to move to towns like Hays might not be so lucky.

“If you were just dropped into Hays today to try to find a day care,” he said, “it would be incredibly stressful.”

He
 said it’s common for families in Hays to sit on child care waiting 
lists for one to two years or more, especially for an infant.

A 
number of his friends and coworkers have rushed to put their children’s 
names on waiting lists as soon as they find out they’re expecting. Woolf
 said that’s becoming the norm.

“If someone’s … just found out they're pregnant,” he said, “they should really be talking about day care now.”

David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629399424373.png" alt="Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Lack of child care options in rural Kan. threatens the future of small towns</h2>By DAVID CONDOS <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-08-19/one-familys-stressful-search-for-child-care-exposes-a-reason-rural-kansas-is-losing-people">Kansas News Service</a>It started with a phone call late last month.The child care 
that Zach and Aubrey Woolf had lined up for their 10-month-old daughter 
was closing, just a couple of weeks before Aubrey started back at her 
job with the local school district.The news sent them scrambling.They called over a dozen other child care providers in town and sent messages to 20 more. The Woolfs scoured a <a href="https://ks.childcareaware.org/child-care-search/" target="_blank">statewide database</a> for options in their county. But there were exactly zero openings.“There
 just seems to be a swarm of people all trying to find open spots for 
infants, and they’re few and far between,” Zach Woolf said. “There's no 
hope.”How dire is the situation in Hays? The Woolfs also posted their pleas to an active <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/320802471341317/" target="_blank">Facebook group</a>
 dedicated to local parents searching for child care options. In this 
northwest Kansas town of about 21,000 people, that Facebook group has 
1,400 members.After several frantic days, the Woolfs found an 
opening for their daughter in a neighboring town 20 minutes away. It 
wasn’t ideal, but at least it was something.Then, they got another phone call. That provider was injured in an accident and could no longer care for their daughter.So, they crunched the numbers to see how it would affect their finances for Aubrey to quit her job.“We
 were probably a week away from her talking to her advisor at the school
 and being like, ‘I can’t come because I have nowhere to send my 
child.’” Woolf said. “What are you supposed to do in that situation?”It’s
 a dilemma families face across rural Kansas, where child care options 
are scarce and solutions to the chronic problem seem ever more elusive. 
For small towns desperate to attract new families and stop an exodus of 
young residents, solving the child care conundrum poses a matter of 
civic survival.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629399592429.png" alt="This map of Kansas counties shows how many children are vying for each open child care spot that serves infants and toddlers. Courtesy of Child Care Aware Kansas" />
 <figcaption>This map of Kansas counties shows how many children are vying for each open child care spot that serves infants and toddlers. Courtesy of Child Care Aware Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>Wise investmentsChild care scarcity squeezes communities statewide. In four-fifths of Kansas counties, <a href="https://online.flippingbook.com/view/292534183/10/" target="_blank">more than 10 children</a> compete for each open spot that can take a kid younger than three years old.If
 finding child care is a stressful, competitive prospect in Kansas City 
and Wichita, that pales in comparison to family life in a county where 
you can count the number of day care options on one hand.The Child Care Aware organization’s data shows 18 rural counties in Kansas have <a href="https://ks.childcareaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/CCC-FCC-By-County-January-2021-1.pdf" target="_blank">five or fewer</a> child care providers. Wichita County in western Kansas has only one.And that’s before any of those precious few providers close down.More than <a href="https://ks.childcareaware.org/point-in-time-data/" target="_blank">half</a> of Kansas counties have fewer child care options today than they had in <a href="https://online.flippingbook.com/view/876128309/" target="_blank">2019</a>. Hays, for example, lost <a href="https://stage.worklifesystems.com/Kansas?county=ellis" target="_blank">16 providers</a> over the past two years.Bradford
 Wiles, associate professor and extension specialist in early childhood 
development at Kansas State University, said that small towns need to 
completely rethink the way they view child care.“One of the 
things that rural areas really struggle the most with is recognizing 
child care as a utility,” he said, “as important to a rural community as
 electricity, as internet, as water.”Wiles sees child care as an economic development issue.If
 a town lacks options, families won’t move there or stay there. That 
means critical jobs go unfilled and the town’s tax base dwindles. And 
when families get distracted and stressed about their child’s care, that
 leads to less productivity on the job and taking more days off work to 
fill in the gaps.It’s also an investment in the town’s next generation. When children get quality care, they’re more likely to have <a href="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/releases/031115-podcast-reynolds" target="_blank">higher incomes</a> and be <a href="https://heckmanequation.org/resource/research-summary-lifecycle-benefits-influential-early-childhood-program/" target="_blank">healthy, productive members</a>
 of the community as adults. Wiles said that for every dollar a town 
puts into early childhood development, it gets a return of $7 in the 
long run.“It’s a no-brainer,” he said. “We have to see it as an investment in our population, in our families.”But towns have to want to take action.Wiles
 said effective solutions for this problem aren’t likely to come from 
the state level, but from communities coalescing around the issue — 
taking stock of their town’s specific needs, building a plan that fits 
those needs and dedicating public and private resources to implement the
 plan.And for that to happen, he said community members need to 
realize that failing to invest in child care hurts them — even if they 
don’t have young kids.“Everybody does have skin in the game,” Wiles said. “It’s just a question of how much you recognize it.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629399638702.png" alt="This map shows a snapshot of the child care options available in Kansas counties as of January 2021. The red dots represent center-based care and the blue squares represent home-based care. Courtesy of Child Care Aware Kansas" />
 <figcaption>This map shows a snapshot of the child care options available in Kansas counties as of January 2021. The red dots represent center-based care and the blue squares represent home-based care. Courtesy of Child Care Aware Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>Search and searchingWhen the Woolfs saw their second 
child care option fall through a couple of weeks ago, they briefly 
considered taking on a one-hour commute to secure a spot for their 
daughter in the next county over.But then they got a tip about a 
new child care provider moving to Hays this fall and are now scheduled 
to send her there, pending the licensing approval process.Until 
then, they’re relying on a patchwork of support from friends and family.
 Some days, an aunt will care for their daughter. The rest of the time, 
she’ll be watched by a former coworker who had to quit her job this year
 after being unable to find day care for her son.But Zach Woolf 
said that compared to many others in northwest Kansas, his family is 
fortunate because it already had a network of community connections.Any new families looking to move to towns like Hays might not be so lucky.“If you were just dropped into Hays today to try to find a day care,” he said, “it would be incredibly stressful.”He
 said it’s common for families in Hays to sit on child care waiting 
lists for one to two years or more, especially for an infant.A 
number of his friends and coworkers have rushed to put their children’s 
names on waiting lists as soon as they find out they’re expecting. Woolf
 said that’s becoming the norm.“If someone’s … just found out they're pregnant,” he said, “they should really be talking about day care now.”David Condos covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/davidcondos" target="_blank">@davidcondos</a>.

Hays family's search for child care exposes a reason rural Kan. is losing people

Three-day weather outlook

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

Today let’s meet a rural doctor who practices medicine but doesn’t have patients. You may ask, “How can that be?”

The answer is that the people he sees are more than patients – he sees them as friends and neighbors. This type of relationship with those in his care has led to a lifelong career in practicing rural medicine.&nbsp;

Last week we learned about the Community HealthCare System in northeast Kansas where Dr. Tom Walsh practices. He will retire at the end of 2021 after 46 years of practicing medicine in the rural community of Onaga, population 751 people. Now, that’s rural.

Dr. Walsh’s father Eugene was a family doctor in Onaga as well. After medical school, Eugene came to Onaga for one year to help his friend Dr. Fleckenstein – but he liked Onaga so much he never left.&nbsp;

Tom and his brother accompanied their dad on house calls. Tom decided to follow his father into the medical field. “I knew what I was getting into,” Tom said.&nbsp;

“When my folks took me to college (at Notre Dame), it was the first time I had ever been east of Kansas City,” Tom said. After graduation, he went to medical school at KU. He also met and married Marcia.&nbsp;

In 1975, Dr. Tom Walsh and Marcia moved to Onaga to join his father’s practice. Dr. Walsh would later become affiliated with what is now the Community HealthCare System of northeast Kansas. Marcia would rise to become the system’s chief operating officer.&nbsp;

Dr. Tom, as he is affectionately known in the community, has seen lots of changes in his 46 years of practicing medicine. “There have been so many improvements in treatments,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;When he began, Onaga didn’t even have ambulance service.&nbsp;

“One time when we needed to transport a patient to Topeka, we used the undertaker’s station wagon,” Dr. Tom said. Fortunately the patient survived, so the undertaker’s other services were not needed.&nbsp;

Dr. Tom has delivered thousands of babies and cared for countless patients. He appreciates how people in the rural communities care for each other.&nbsp;

Dr. Tom remembered one winter night when a man’s wife was in labor and he was trying to drive her to Onaga in a snowstorm. “He came to a huge snowdrift on Highway 16 and couldn’t get through,” Dr. Tom said. While he was stopped, a car came from the other direction carrying four K-State students. When they stopped at the snowdrift, the students learned what was going on, carried the woman around the snowdrift to their car, and drove her to the hospital in Onaga.&nbsp;

“She delivered an hour-and-a-half later and all was well,” Dr. Tom said.&nbsp;

Among Dr. Tom’s friends was a local police officer. “When I’d get in from the hospital at 2 or 3 in the morning, he would pull in my driveway and flash his lights at me just for fun,” Dr. Tom said.&nbsp;

One day, that officer pulled over a driver, got out of his car, stepped on a beer bottle and turned his ankle so badly that he couldn’t walk. The guy he had stopped took the officer into the hospital where he saw Dr. Tom. “I got to call the police department and tell them there was a patrol car left out there,” Dr. Tom said.&nbsp;

The people factor is what has kept him in Onaga and has even drawn others.&nbsp;

“Somebody told me we’d never be able to recruit doctors to a small town,” Dr. Tom said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“But now, we have some of the finest young physicians anywhere.”&nbsp;

Dr. Tom and Marcia have three married children and nine grandchildren. “I have been very blessed,” he said.&nbsp;

For more information about the Community HealthCare System, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chcsks.org/">www.chcsks.org</a>.&nbsp;

A doctor without patients?&nbsp;&nbsp;Another friend wrote:&nbsp;Dr. Walsh loves getting to know patients as people rather than just as medical conditions. “I don’t have patients,” Dr. Tom said. “These are neighbors, friends, colleagues, and co-workers.”&nbsp;

We commend Dr. Tom and Marcia Walsh for many years of service to families in the region, and for seeing patients as people. Happy retirement, Doc.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629301074554.png" alt="Dr. Tom Walsh" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tom Walsh</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural DevelopmentToday let’s meet a rural doctor who practices medicine but doesn’t have patients. You may ask, “How can that be?” The answer is that the people he sees are more than patients – he sees them as friends and neighbors. This type of relationship with those in his care has led to a lifelong career in practicing rural medicine.&nbsp; Last week we learned about the Community HealthCare System in northeast Kansas where Dr. Tom Walsh practices. He will retire at the end of 2021 after 46 years of practicing medicine in the rural community of Onaga, population 751 people. Now, that’s rural. Dr. Walsh’s father Eugene was a family doctor in Onaga as well. After medical school, Eugene came to Onaga for one year to help his friend Dr. Fleckenstein – but he liked Onaga so much he never left.&nbsp; Tom and his brother accompanied their dad on house calls. Tom decided to follow his father into the medical field. “I knew what I was getting into,” Tom said.&nbsp; “When my folks took me to college (at Notre Dame), it was the first time I had ever been east of Kansas City,” Tom said. After graduation, he went to medical school at KU. He also met and married Marcia.&nbsp; In 1975, Dr. Tom Walsh and Marcia moved to Onaga to join his father’s practice. Dr. Walsh would later become affiliated with what is now the Community HealthCare System of northeast Kansas. Marcia would rise to become the system’s chief operating officer.&nbsp; Dr. Tom, as he is affectionately known in the community, has seen lots of changes in his 46 years of practicing medicine. “There have been so many improvements in treatments,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;When he began, Onaga didn’t even have ambulance service.&nbsp; “One time when we needed to transport a patient to Topeka, we used the undertaker’s station wagon,” Dr. Tom said. Fortunately the patient survived, so the undertaker’s other services were not needed.&nbsp; Dr. Tom has delivered thousands of babies and cared for countless patients. He appreciates how people in the rural communities care for each other.&nbsp; Dr. Tom remembered one winter night when a man’s wife was in labor and he was trying to drive her to Onaga in a snowstorm. “He came to a huge snowdrift on Highway 16 and couldn’t get through,” Dr. Tom said. While he was stopped, a car came from the other direction carrying four K-State students. When they stopped at the snowdrift, the students learned what was going on, carried the woman around the snowdrift to their car, and drove her to the hospital in Onaga.&nbsp; “She delivered an hour-and-a-half later and all was well,” Dr. Tom said.&nbsp; Among Dr. Tom’s friends was a local police officer. “When I’d get in from the hospital at 2 or 3 in the morning, he would pull in my driveway and flash his lights at me just for fun,” Dr. Tom said.&nbsp; One day, that officer pulled over a driver, got out of his car, stepped on a beer bottle and turned his ankle so badly that he couldn’t walk. The guy he had stopped took the officer into the hospital where he saw Dr. Tom. “I got to call the police department and tell them there was a patrol car left out there,” Dr. Tom said.&nbsp; The people factor is what has kept him in Onaga and has even drawn others.&nbsp;“Somebody told me we’d never be able to recruit doctors to a small town,” Dr. Tom said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“But now, we have some of the finest young physicians anywhere.”&nbsp; Dr. Tom and Marcia have three married children and nine grandchildren. “I have been very blessed,” he said.&nbsp; For more information about the Community HealthCare System, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chcsks.org/">www.chcsks.org</a>.&nbsp;A doctor without patients?&nbsp;&nbsp;Another friend wrote:&nbsp;Dr. Walsh loves getting to know patients as people rather than just as medical conditions. “I don’t have patients,” Dr. Tom said. “These are neighbors, friends, colleagues, and co-workers.”&nbsp; We commend Dr. Tom and Marcia Walsh for many years of service to families in the region, and for seeing patients as people. Happy retirement, Doc.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Dr. Tom Walsh 

Ellis County has experienced an exponential increase in cases over the last week. This increase in cases
is due to the delta variant. Locally, the vaccine has proven to be highly effective and safe. HMC reports
that almost every patient that has been hospitalized is unvaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, you are
personally accepting an increased risk of hospitalization and death. All three COVID vaccines are safe
and highly effective. The ECHD has an ample supply of vaccines. If you have not registered, please do so
at www.ellisco.net. If you are unable to access the website, you may call 785-628-9440 for assistance
with registration.


Vaccines remain the most effective way to reduce your risk of hospitalization and death if you contract
COVID. The vaccine will not remove all risks of contracting the virus. However, it significantly reduces
your risk of hospitalization and death. Everyone over the age of 12 is eligible and should be vaccinated.
The vaccine will not stamp out this virus. The vaccine will reduce your risk of severe complications from
COVID-19.


An additional dose (i.e. third dose) of mRNA vaccine may be indicated for moderate to severely
immunocompromised persons 12 years and older. Third-dose mRNA vaccines may be interchangeable
for those 18 years and older, with the original manufacturer being recommended. Sign up at
www.ellisco.net.


Due to the reliability and depth of information available on the KDHE dashboard beginning April 1, 2021,
the Ellis County Health Department no longer maintains a separate dashboard. A link to the KDHE
Dashboard is on our website. We encourage everyone to access this information on the KDHE
Dashboard at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas.


<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593005366466.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis County Health DepartmentEllis County has experienced an exponential increase in cases over the last week. This increase in cases
is due to the delta variant. Locally, the vaccine has proven to be highly effective and safe. HMC reports
that almost every patient that has been hospitalized is unvaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, you are
personally accepting an increased risk of hospitalization and death. All three COVID vaccines are safe
and highly effective. The ECHD has an ample supply of vaccines. If you have not registered, please do so
at www.ellisco.net. If you are unable to access the website, you may call 785-628-9440 for assistance
with registration.
<h2>What can I do to protect myself</h2>Vaccines remain the most effective way to reduce your risk of hospitalization and death if you contract
COVID. The vaccine will not remove all risks of contracting the virus. However, it significantly reduces
your risk of hospitalization and death. Everyone over the age of 12 is eligible and should be vaccinated.
The vaccine will not stamp out this virus. The vaccine will reduce your risk of severe complications from
COVID-19.
<h2>Third Dose</h2>An additional dose (i.e. third dose) of mRNA vaccine may be indicated for moderate to severely
immunocompromised persons 12 years and older. Third-dose mRNA vaccines may be interchangeable
for those 18 years and older, with the original manufacturer being recommended. Sign up at
www.ellisco.net.
<h2>Data Reporting</h2>Due to the reliability and depth of information available on the KDHE dashboard beginning April 1, 2021,
the Ellis County Health Department no longer maintains a separate dashboard. A link to the KDHE
Dashboard is on our website. We encourage everyone to access this information on the KDHE
Dashboard at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas.

Ellis Co. Health Dept. updates on current COVID uptick

Following a year of delays due to the pandemic, two phases of the Hays Accessible Recreation Complex, located at 33rd and Hillcrest, are nearing completion — just in time for the kids of all ages to enjoy the splash pad and new playground equipment during the waning days of summer.&nbsp;

"Way back in the beginning, they told me construction would only be six to nine weeks," said Sarah Meitner, Arc of the Central Plains board president. "Which now I just laugh at, because we have been building for months. ... But that's OK. Every good thing is worth the wait."

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HAYSARCPARK">Updates have been posted to the ARC Park Facebook page</a>, announcing the pending completion, with numerous messages of support from the community.

The project was broken into three parts — the playground, the splash pad and baseball fields.

When construction began, the playground was anticipated to be completed first, with the splash pad opening later, but with construction delays, the timeline changed.

"Both are two different construction teams," Meitner said. But as they worked on the different sections she said the splash pad is now just as likely to open first.

"So we will have to see who crosses the finish line first," Meitner said. "Because they are both very close."

With the splash pad, the above-ground equipment was being finished last week.

"They saved that for the very end because they have so much attention from people wanting to come over and get on."

While the equipment for the pad is in place, Meitner said the fencing is not yet ready.

"But we don't need fencing to open, so as soon as the equipment is all in and we fire it up and it's going it's going to open," she said. "We hope that we can get people on it for the warmest days to come of summer, and it does not need to close when the pool closes. That's the other really cool thing about a splash pad is that there is no lifeguards on duty, no staff needs to be there all the time, so it can stay open through Sept., possibly into Oct. if the weather holds out."

She said they will announce the opening on facebook, but no big celebration is planned at this time.

"We are just going to open when it opens and circle back later and do a ceremonial grand opening, ribbon cutting after the fact."

The last piece of the playground to be installed was the donated turf, with crews recently starting installation.

"That's the last bit there," Meitner said, with fencing slated to be installed immediately after.

"And then signage and that's about it," Meitner said.

"We will open as soon as it is safe," she said. "As soon as all of the components are in place and it's safe for the kids, everything is cleaned up. We have had a couple of things that have needed to be fixed because just different things have happened, but once it is all ready to go the gate will open for it as well."

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HAYSARCPARK">For the latest ARC Park updates, visit their Facebook page.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629241031416.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="ARC Park nears completion" 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=j5rm2-10b91e8-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>By JAMES BELL Hays PostFollowing a year of delays due to the pandemic, two phases of the Hays Accessible Recreation Complex, located at 33rd and Hillcrest, are nearing completion — just in time for the kids of all ages to enjoy the splash pad and new playground equipment during the waning days of summer.&nbsp;"Way back in the beginning, they told me construction would only be six to nine weeks," said Sarah Meitner, Arc of the Central Plains board president. "Which now I just laugh at, because we have been building for months. ... But that's OK. Every good thing is worth the wait."<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HAYSARCPARK">Updates have been posted to the ARC Park Facebook page</a>, announcing the pending completion, with numerous messages of support from the community."It's so darn close," Meitner said.The project was broken into three parts — the playground, the splash pad and baseball fields.When construction began, the playground was anticipated to be completed first, with the splash pad opening later, but with construction delays, the timeline changed."Both are two different construction teams," Meitner said. But as they worked on the different sections she said the splash pad is now just as likely to open first."So we will have to see who crosses the finish line first," Meitner said. "Because they are both very close."With the splash pad, the above-ground equipment was being finished last week."They saved that for the very end because they have so much attention from people wanting to come over and get on."While the equipment for the pad is in place, Meitner said the fencing is not yet ready."But we don't need fencing to open, so as soon as the equipment is all in and we fire it up and it's going it's going to open," she said. "We hope that we can get people on it for the warmest days to come of summer, and it does not need to close when the pool closes. That's the other really cool thing about a splash pad is that there is no lifeguards on duty, no staff needs to be there all the time, so it can stay open through Sept., possibly into Oct. if the weather holds out."She said they will announce the opening on facebook, but no big celebration is planned at this time."We are just going to open when it opens and circle back later and do a ceremonial grand opening, ribbon cutting after the fact."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629241212353.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The last piece of the playground to be installed was the donated turf, with crews recently starting installation."That's the last bit there," Meitner said, with fencing slated to be installed immediately after."And then signage and that's about it," Meitner said."We will open as soon as it is safe," she said. "As soon as all of the components are in place and it's safe for the kids, everything is cleaned up. We have had a couple of things that have needed to be fixed because just different things have happened, but once it is all ready to go the gate will open for it as well."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629241190896.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.facebook.com/HAYSARCPARK">For the latest ARC Park updates, visit their Facebook page.</a>

🎙ARC Park nears completion

Some time before 1 p.m. Friday a truck and trailer rolled off the embankment for the 183 bypass at the Bickle Schmidt Sports Complex in Hays.

No one was injured in the accident, according to the relative of an occupant in the vehicle.

No other details on the accident were available as of this post.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629485053919.jpeg" alt="A truck rolled off the 183 bypass at Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex Friday afternoon." />
 <figcaption>A truck rolled off the 183 bypass at Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex Friday afternoon.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostSome time before 1 p.m. Friday a truck and trailer rolled off the embankment for the 183 bypass at the Bickle Schmidt Sports Complex in Hays.No one was injured in the accident, according to the relative of an occupant in the vehicle.No other details on the accident were available as of this post.

Truck, trailer roll off bypass in Hays; no injuries reported

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday reported 24 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Wednesday.&nbsp;

It was the largest increase between reports since February for Ellis County. The KDHE updates case numbers each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

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

As of Friday, the University of Kansas Health System reported 17 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed.

Since reporting began, there have been 3,914 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 74 coronavirus-related deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629478701167.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Friday reported 24 new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Wednesday.&nbsp;It was the largest increase between reports since February for Ellis County. The KDHE updates case numbers each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.As of Friday, the University of Kansas Health System reported 17 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed.Since reporting began, there have been 3,914 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 74 coronavirus-related deaths.

KDHE: 24 new COVID cases in Ellis County since Wednesday

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Olympic gold medalist and former Kansas resident Michael Andrew.

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Kansas Olympian Michael Andrew" 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=fsmwj-10bc61e-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 Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Olympic gold medalist and former Kansas resident Michael Andrew.

🎤Forward Ever: Olympic gold medalist Michael Andrew

Preliminary estimates reported by the Labor Market Information Services division of the Kansas Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.8 percent in July. This was an increase from 3.7 percent in June and a decrease from 6.6 percent in July 2020.

“The unemployment rate edged up to 3.8 percent in July,” said Secretary Amber Shultz. “This was the result of an increase in both employment and unemployment, which indicates more Kansans are entering the labor market and actively looking for work."

Continuing a trend from June, northwest Kansas counties experienced higher unemployment in July. 

The jobless rate in Ellis County jumped from 2.7 percent in June to 3.1 percent in July. Sherman, Decatur, Graham and Barton counties all posted unemployment rates above 4 percent.

Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs increased by 6,000 from June. Private sector jobs, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, increased by 5,900 from the previous month, while government increased by 100.

“Kansas employers continued hiring in July, adding 6,000 jobs over-the-month,” said Labor Economist Todd Rilinger. “The majority of this increase can be seen in the manufacturing industry, which added 3,200 jobs."

Since July 2020, Kansas seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs have increased by 36,300. This change is due to an increase of 35,600 private sector jobs and 700 government jobs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629473791969.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary estimates reported by the Labor Market Information Services division of the Kansas Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.8 percent in July. This was an increase from 3.7 percent in June and a decrease from 6.6 percent in July 2020.“The unemployment rate edged up to 3.8 percent in July,” said Secretary Amber Shultz. “This was the result of an increase in both employment and unemployment, which indicates more Kansans are entering the labor market and actively looking for work."Continuing a trend from June, northwest Kansas counties experienced higher unemployment in July. The jobless rate in Ellis County jumped from 2.7 percent in June to 3.1 percent in July. Sherman, Decatur, Graham and Barton counties all posted unemployment rates above 4 percent.Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs increased by 6,000 from June. Private sector jobs, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, increased by 5,900 from the previous month, while government increased by 100.“Kansas employers continued hiring in July, adding 6,000 jobs over-the-month,” said Labor Economist Todd Rilinger. “The majority of this increase can be seen in the manufacturing industry, which added 3,200 jobs."Since July 2020, Kansas seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs have increased by 36,300. This change is due to an increase of 35,600 private sector jobs and 700 government jobs.

Jobless rates in Ellis Co. NW Kansas continue to rise

My husband and I have a rental property in South Carolina we want to sell. The current renters’ lease is up in December, but our property manager tells us the renters won’t let anyone in the home, not even just for photos to post online due to COVID-19. How do you think we should handle this situation?&nbsp; &nbsp;

I don’t know much about current COVID-19 restrictions in South Carolina, but this sounds suspicious to me. I’m also thinking your property manager is kind of a wuss, but I have the spiritual gift of cynicism.

I’m old school, and if I&nbsp;<a href="https://www.daveramsey.com/mortgage-payoff-calculator" target="_blank">own a house</a>, I’d like to go in it any time I want—within reason, of course—if renters are in there. They have the legal right of quiet enjoyment, meaning I don’t get to show up at all hours and harass them. But I’m not letting them stiff-arm me and use COVID-19 as an excuse. I mean, tenants thinking they have the right to give the landlord and owner zero access? Maybe places like the Socialist Republic of California allow this kind of crap, but most states have common sense, plus reasonable tenant&nbsp;and&nbsp;landlord protections. Yeah, the whole feel of this makes me think there’s something very wrong going on inside this house.

I can imagine your frustration, Tracy. It makes me angry just thinking about it. If they’ve got a sick child or adult in the home, or someone’s out of work but actively&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/career-advice/how-to-find-a-job" target="_blank">looking for a job</a>, then I’ll show a lot of compassion and back off a little. I’ll try to work with them to resolve things in a way that’s good for everyone. But if they’re just playing games or misbehaving and using COVID-19 as an excuse on top of that, I’d have no problem removing them.

I think you need to dig a little deeper on this one. Check the current laws in South Carolina, especially any laws concerning a possible eviction moratorium and get in touch with a good&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/real-estate-trends" target="_blank">real estate</a>&nbsp;attorney. There are times when we’re called upon to be understanding and generous. But I have very little tolerance for someone who tries to take advantage of me.

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of “The Ramsey Show,” heard by more than 20 million listeners each week. Hehas appeared on “Good Morning America,” “CBS This Morning,” “Today,” Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596845065840.jpeg" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,My husband and I have a rental property in South Carolina we want to sell. The current renters’ lease is up in December, but our property manager tells us the renters won’t let anyone in the home, not even just for photos to post online due to COVID-19. How do you think we should handle this situation?&nbsp; &nbsp;TracyDear Tracy,I don’t know much about current COVID-19 restrictions in South Carolina, but this sounds suspicious to me. I’m also thinking your property manager is kind of a wuss, but I have the spiritual gift of cynicism.I’m old school, and if I&nbsp;<a href="https://www.daveramsey.com/mortgage-payoff-calculator" target="_blank">own a house</a>, I’d like to go in it any time I want—within reason, of course—if renters are in there. They have the legal right of quiet enjoyment, meaning I don’t get to show up at all hours and harass them. But I’m not letting them stiff-arm me and use COVID-19 as an excuse. I mean, tenants thinking they have the right to give the landlord and owner zero access? Maybe places like the Socialist Republic of California allow this kind of crap, but most states have common sense, plus reasonable tenant&nbsp;and&nbsp;landlord protections. Yeah, the whole feel of this makes me think there’s something very wrong going on inside this house.I can imagine your frustration, Tracy. It makes me angry just thinking about it. If they’ve got a sick child or adult in the home, or someone’s out of work but actively&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/career-advice/how-to-find-a-job" target="_blank">looking for a job</a>, then I’ll show a lot of compassion and back off a little. I’ll try to work with them to resolve things in a way that’s good for everyone. But if they’re just playing games or misbehaving and using COVID-19 as an excuse on top of that, I’d have no problem removing them.I think you need to dig a little deeper on this one. Check the current laws in South Carolina, especially any laws concerning a possible eviction moratorium and get in touch with a good&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/real-estate-trends" target="_blank">real estate</a>&nbsp;attorney. There are times when we’re called upon to be understanding and generous. But I have very little tolerance for someone who tries to take advantage of me.Dave<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of “The Ramsey Show,” heard by more than 20 million listeners each week. Hehas appeared on “Good Morning America,” “CBS This Morning,” “Today,” Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

DAVE SAYS: Sounds suspicious to me

Safe Ride will not run again until at least January due to a ruling on masks by the&nbsp;Federal Transportation Administration.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/36ce25e7-b266-4111-83e0-1ba1fd894731">The Transportation Security Administration’s current order was scheduled to expire Sept. 13. An agency spokesman said Tuesday the mandate will be extended until Jan. 18.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c3c0fae6-8663-4cb3-adf1-65a7d9401a49">Officials in charge of the Hays public transportation program, which provides free rides&nbsp;between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. in the city limits, chose to close the service when the mask mandate was implemented last year.</a>

The service is often used by bar patrons, and officials were concerned conflict might arise between bus drivers and intoxicated riders over the mask requirement.

Ed Howell, Fort Hays State University director of police, who is part of the community coalition that sponsors Safe Ride, said although the service is used as a sober ride home for some, it is also used by others who need rides during the evening to Walmart or other locations.

In the last 16 years, Safe Ride has provided 240,000 rides.

Howell said in the absence of Safe Ride, he encourages FHSU students to use other safe means to get home if they have been drinking, including Uber, Lift and the local taxi services.

Hays daytime public transportation service, Access, continues to operate. Riders will continue to be required to wear masks.

Rides cost $2 one way in town and $4 one way for out of town. The service operates between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. You must schedule an appointment for pickup at 785-628-1052.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625263605210.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostSafe Ride will not run again until at least January due to a ruling on masks by the&nbsp;Federal Transportation Administration.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/36ce25e7-b266-4111-83e0-1ba1fd894731">The Transportation Security Administration’s current order was scheduled to expire Sept. 13. An agency spokesman said Tuesday the mandate will be extended until Jan. 18.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c3c0fae6-8663-4cb3-adf1-65a7d9401a49">Officials in charge of the Hays public transportation program, which provides free rides&nbsp;between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. in the city limits, chose to close the service when the mask mandate was implemented last year.</a>The service is often used by bar patrons, and officials were concerned conflict might arise between bus drivers and intoxicated riders over the mask requirement.Ed Howell, Fort Hays State University director of police, who is part of the community coalition that sponsors Safe Ride, said although the service is used as a sober ride home for some, it is also used by others who need rides during the evening to Walmart or other locations.In the last 16 years, Safe Ride has provided 240,000 rides.Howell said in the absence of Safe Ride, he encourages FHSU students to use other safe means to get home if they have been drinking, including Uber, Lift and the local taxi services.Hays daytime public transportation service, Access, continues to operate. Riders will continue to be required to wear masks.Rides cost $2 one way in town and $4 one way for out of town. The service operates between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. You must schedule an appointment for pickup at 785-628-1052.

Safe Ride shutdown will continue through January

Gov. Laura Kelly and Transportation Sec. Julie Lorenz announced 10 projects, totaling more than $5.2 million, were awarded as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Short Line Rail Improvement Fund Program.&nbsp;

Awards include Rush, Osborne, and Barton counties.&nbsp;

“These ten improvement projects will connect Kansas grain businesses with new regions and customers, supporting farmers and our agriculture industry,” Kelly said. “My administration will continue to invest in needed and commonsense infrastructure improvements like these to strengthen our growing economy.”

Six projects were awarded to shippers and four projects were awarded to short-line railroads in nine counties across Kansas. State funding for the individual projects ranges from $56,000 for the installation of new scales to nearly $2 million for siding expansion to increase railcar capacity and car-loading capabilities.

"Since the first rail line opened in Kansas in partnership between Kansas agriculture and rail, rail has been responsible for delivering much of the food found on our dinner tables across our country and around the world," Kelly said. "Many of these projects are shovel-ready."

The recipients include&nbsp;Bartlett Grain in Barton County (with funds totaling just shy of $2 million), Central Valley Ag Coop in Michell County, Gavilon in Sedgwick County,&nbsp;Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad in Sedgwick County, Kirk Grain in Scott County, KYLE Railroad in Mitchell County, Midland Marketing in Rush County, Scoular Grain Downs in Osborne County, and South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad in Crawford county.

Short line railroads run across Kansas, traveling from Scott City to Hutchinson and Dodge City to Elkhart.&nbsp;

"This Gavilon facility has the capacity of 36 million bushels of wheat, milo, corn, and soybeans," Kelly said. "That's the equivalent of 10,000 railcars."

Switch and crossing replacements will reduce crossing delays for vehicles. All projects will result in less wear and tear on Kansas roadways and bridges. State funding for the 10 projects will be enhanced by a 30% match from each recipient, meaning more than $7.4 million will be invested in the state’s agricultural infrastructure.

"Combining state and private funds illustrates the core principles of IKE - leveraging assets," Kelly said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629370043062.jpeg" alt="(Photo by Pixabay)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo by Pixabay)</figcaption>
 </figure>Office of GovernorGov. Laura Kelly and Transportation Sec. Julie Lorenz announced 10 projects, totaling more than $5.2 million, were awarded as part of the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Short Line Rail Improvement Fund Program.&nbsp;Awards include Rush, Osborne, and Barton counties.&nbsp;“These ten improvement projects will connect Kansas grain businesses with new regions and customers, supporting farmers and our agriculture industry,” Kelly said. “My administration will continue to invest in needed and commonsense infrastructure improvements like these to strengthen our growing economy.”Six projects were awarded to shippers and four projects were awarded to short-line railroads in nine counties across Kansas. State funding for the individual projects ranges from $56,000 for the installation of new scales to nearly $2 million for siding expansion to increase railcar capacity and car-loading capabilities."Since the first rail line opened in Kansas in partnership between Kansas agriculture and rail, rail has been responsible for delivering much of the food found on our dinner tables across our country and around the world," Kelly said. "Many of these projects are shovel-ready."The recipients include&nbsp;Bartlett Grain in Barton County (with funds totaling just shy of $2 million), Central Valley Ag Coop in Michell County, Gavilon in Sedgwick County,&nbsp;Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad in Sedgwick County, Kirk Grain in Scott County, KYLE Railroad in Mitchell County, Midland Marketing in Rush County, Scoular Grain Downs in Osborne County, and South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad in Crawford county.Short line railroads run across Kansas, traveling from Scott City to Hutchinson and Dodge City to Elkhart.&nbsp;"This Gavilon facility has the capacity of 36 million bushels of wheat, milo, corn, and soybeans," Kelly said. "That's the equivalent of 10,000 railcars."Switch and crossing replacements will reduce crossing delays for vehicles. All projects will result in less wear and tear on Kansas roadways and bridges. State funding for the 10 projects will be enhanced by a 30% match from each recipient, meaning more than $7.4 million will be invested in the state’s agricultural infrastructure."Combining state and private funds illustrates the core principles of IKE - leveraging assets," Kelly said.&nbsp;Lorenz said KDOT received 19 applications requesting more than $21 million in this second year of the three-year Short Line Rail Improvement Program.“In partnership with shippers and short line railroads, these modernization projects are improving commerce and opportunity for Kansas families and their communities,”&nbsp; Lorenz said.&nbsp;“Together, we’re working to better connect Kansas-grown grain to the broader network of Class 1 rail for delivery to regional, national and international markets.”The Short Line Rail Improvement Fund provides $5 million annually for three years. The program was created as part of the Kelly administration’s 10-year&nbsp;bipartisan Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program."Together, we'll work to make our roads safer, boost economic development and create jobs," Kelly said. "This will improve economic competitiveness and safety and&nbsp;cause less wear and tear on Kansas highways."