By BECKY KISER Hays Post

With no discussion, Hays city commissioners Thursday night unanimously approved an ordinance requesting a delay in implementing the Community Improvement District for the new travel plaza and truck wash under construction at Interstate 70 Exit 157.&nbsp;

Construction of the new business, which was scheduled to open April 1, has been slowed by nearly a year in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The project also includes a stand-alone restaurant, hotel and retail outlets.&nbsp;

Doug Hutchinson, Topeka, of&nbsp;D &amp; J Land and Development, gave a <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/479de418-c43f-4e11-93dd-52e3e170452d">progress update</a> to the commission last week.

The 2 percent CID sales tax, now set to begin Oct. 1,&nbsp; will be imposed on only the travel plaza and truck wash portions of the project to fund certain developer expenditures on a pay-as-you-go basis. The CID sales tax will generate approximately $2.2 million over the maximum 22-year term.

"This doesn't present another other legal or financial considerations to the city," explained Kim Rupp, finance director. "Pretty simple. Very straightforward."

A similar CID delay request was previously approved by the city commission for the&nbsp;Hilton Garden Inn.

Commissioners also approved a resolution reviewed by Rupp to offer the sale of general obligation bonds for the city's share of the $14 million North Vine Street Improvement Project.

The 25-year issue will be for $6.8 million. The city's annual payment is estimated at&nbsp;$338,553 with a 1.77 percent interest rate.&nbsp;

"I'd like to emphasize there's not going to be any general fund money paying this debt off," said Commissioner Ron Mellick. "It will be strictly transient guest tax. Taxes within the city of Hays will not be going up for that."

Rupp pointed out that because it is a general obligation bond, "it's a general obligation of the city. Should that (transient guest tax) fall short, we would potentially need to use general funds."

Rupp has been working with the city's financial advisor&nbsp;Stifel, Nicolaus &amp; Company (formerly George K.&nbsp;Baum), and the city's bond counsel&nbsp;Gilmore Bell to prepare documentation for the March 25 sale. David Arteberry with Stifel, Nicolaus &amp; Company will be at the March 25 commission meeting to report on the sale of the bonds, including the final issuance amount and interest rate.

"We've been conservative with the plan, another reason why we're staying with the 25 years, to keep that payment level and keep it lower," Rupp said.

"We're letting the Transient Guest Tax recover from the COVID issues we've had and get a year and a half in. We feel then we'll be on a good track and the Transient Guest Tax should be able to handle those payments from here on."

An additional 2 percent TGT went into effect&nbsp;Oct. 1, 2018, to pay for the North Vine Street Improvement Project. With fewer travelers staying in Hays motels due to COVID, the pillow tax was down 30 percent last year.&nbsp;The total transient guest tax is now 7 percent.

* Approved the low bid of $451,280 from QSI for eight shade structures at the Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex. Monies from the city's share of the Ellis County one-quarter cent sales tax will be used.

* Approved a 2.0 percent pay increase of the base salary of 2021 for City Manager Toby Dougherty as a merit
increase.

* Heard a review of water conservation programs in 2020 from Holly Dickman, water conservation specialist

* Heard a monthly progress report of city departments by Collin Bielser, asst. city manager

* Conducted a 10-minute executive session including Dougherty, Bielser, City Attorney John Bird and Hays Regional Airport Director Jaime Salter regarding the acquisition of real property. No action was taken following the executive session.&nbsp;&nbsp;

* Mayor Sandy Jacobs was absent from the meeting. It was chaired by Mason Ruder, vice-mayor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614378881325.jpeg" alt="Vice-Mayor Mason Ruder and commissioners Michael Berges, Ron Mellick and Shaun Musil at the Feb. 25 Hays City Commission meeting. Mayor Sandy Jacobs was absent." />
 <figcaption>Vice-Mayor Mason Ruder and commissioners Michael Berges, Ron Mellick and Shaun Musil at the Feb. 25 Hays City Commission meeting. Mayor Sandy Jacobs was absent.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostWith no discussion, Hays city commissioners Thursday night unanimously approved an ordinance requesting a delay in implementing the Community Improvement District for the new travel plaza and truck wash under construction at Interstate 70 Exit 157.&nbsp;Construction of the new business, which was scheduled to open April 1, has been slowed by nearly a year in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The project also includes a stand-alone restaurant, hotel and retail outlets.&nbsp;Doug Hutchinson, Topeka, of&nbsp;D &amp; J Land and Development, gave a <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/479de418-c43f-4e11-93dd-52e3e170452d">progress update</a> to the commission last week.The 2 percent CID sales tax, now set to begin Oct. 1,&nbsp; will be imposed on only the travel plaza and truck wash portions of the project to fund certain developer expenditures on a pay-as-you-go basis. The CID sales tax will generate approximately $2.2 million over the maximum 22-year term."This doesn't present another other legal or financial considerations to the city," explained Kim Rupp, finance director. "Pretty simple. Very straightforward."A similar CID delay request was previously approved by the city commission for the&nbsp;Hilton Garden Inn.Commissioners also approved a resolution reviewed by Rupp to offer the sale of general obligation bonds for the city's share of the $14 million North Vine Street Improvement Project.The 25-year issue will be for $6.8 million. The city's annual payment is estimated at&nbsp;$338,553 with a 1.77 percent interest rate.&nbsp;<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b3egQf85WFQ"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"I'd like to emphasize there's not going to be any general fund money paying this debt off," said Commissioner Ron Mellick. "It will be strictly transient guest tax. Taxes within the city of Hays will not be going up for that."Rupp pointed out that because it is a general obligation bond, "it's a general obligation of the city. Should that (transient guest tax) fall short, we would potentially need to use general funds."But, he doesn't expect that to happen.Rupp has been working with the city's financial advisor&nbsp;Stifel, Nicolaus &amp; Company (formerly George K.&nbsp;Baum), and the city's bond counsel&nbsp;Gilmore Bell to prepare documentation for the March 25 sale. David Arteberry with Stifel, Nicolaus &amp; Company will be at the March 25 commission meeting to report on the sale of the bonds, including the final issuance amount and interest rate."We've been conservative with the plan, another reason why we're staying with the 25 years, to keep that payment level and keep it lower," Rupp said."We're letting the Transient Guest Tax recover from the COVID issues we've had and get a year and a half in. We feel then we'll be on a good track and the Transient Guest Tax should be able to handle those payments from here on."An additional 2 percent TGT went into effect&nbsp;Oct. 1, 2018, to pay for the North Vine Street Improvement Project. With fewer travelers staying in Hays motels due to COVID, the pillow tax was down 30 percent last year.&nbsp;The total transient guest tax is now 7 percent.In other business, commissioners:* Approved the low bid of $451,280 from QSI for eight shade structures at the Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex. Monies from the city's share of the Ellis County one-quarter cent sales tax will be used.* Approved a 2.0 percent pay increase of the base salary of 2021 for City Manager Toby Dougherty as a merit
increase.* Heard a review of water conservation programs in 2020 from Holly Dickman, water conservation specialist* Heard a monthly progress report of city departments by Collin Bielser, asst. city manager* Conducted a 10-minute executive session including Dougherty, Bielser, City Attorney John Bird and Hays Regional Airport Director Jaime Salter regarding the acquisition of real property. No action was taken following the executive session.&nbsp;&nbsp;* Mayor Sandy Jacobs was absent from the meeting. It was chaired by Mason Ruder, vice-mayor.

🎥 City approves delay in truck stop CID, upcoming bond issue for Vine improvements

Hays set two new record overnight lows <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2117d703-56f0-4cb9-aefb-75e8afc39118">Feb. 14</a> and <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ac19acc8-f9d9-49c7-b407-3b5b97973098">15</a> as&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/113797b0-374e-4805-b8d5-88cb2c91c1b8">Midwest Energy asked all its customers </a>—&nbsp;residential and businesses — to turn their thermostats down a bit and not use appliances with heavy electricity consumption to help conserve electricity and natural gas for a few days.&nbsp;

The Southwest Power Pool, which is the regional transmission operator for a 14-state region, including Kansas, had issued a region-wide Energy Emergency Alert, the first of several.

"We turned the thermostat down and turned off some of the lights in all the (city) buildings," Toby Dougherty, city manager, told city commissioners Thursday night.&nbsp;

Dougherty commended Jeff Crispin, director of water resources, for going&nbsp; a bit further to help conserve energy.

"(Jeff Crispin) took the water reclamation facility and the water treatment facility off-line and ran them on generator in order to decrease the load. It was able to help out a little bit."

"Kudos to city staff," said Commissioner Shaun Musil, "because that's something I never would have thought of."

The generators at both water plants are tested regularly, Dougherty noted, but "it gave us a good test of running the full systems at length on (full) load. We learned we should probably take them off-line more and run them off generators for longer periods of time."

The cold temps caused several water line breaks, including two on West 13th Street late in the evening of Feb. 16. Department of Water Resources crews were on the scene overnight and into the next day.

Commissioner Ron Mellick also thanked the city employees.

"I'd like to thank all city staff that has to work outside. .... All those people, when the rest of us were huddled down inside talking about how cold it was, they were out there taking care of city business.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 "That's what keeps our city going," Mellick said. "They're out there for all of us all year long, whether it be hot or cold."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yzLbTC164co"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostHays set two new record overnight lows <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2117d703-56f0-4cb9-aefb-75e8afc39118">Feb. 14</a> and <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ac19acc8-f9d9-49c7-b407-3b5b97973098">15</a> as&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/113797b0-374e-4805-b8d5-88cb2c91c1b8">Midwest Energy asked all its customers </a>—&nbsp;residential and businesses — to turn their thermostats down a bit and not use appliances with heavy electricity consumption to help conserve electricity and natural gas for a few days.&nbsp;The Southwest Power Pool, which is the regional transmission operator for a 14-state region, including Kansas, had issued a region-wide Energy Emergency Alert, the first of several."We turned the thermostat down and turned off some of the lights in all the (city) buildings," Toby Dougherty, city manager, told city commissioners Thursday night.&nbsp;Dougherty commended Jeff Crispin, director of water resources, for going&nbsp; a bit further to help conserve energy."(Jeff Crispin) took the water reclamation facility and the water treatment facility off-line and ran them on generator in order to decrease the load. It was able to help out a little bit.""Kudos to city staff," said Commissioner Shaun Musil, "because that's something I never would have thought of."The generators at both water plants are tested regularly, Dougherty noted, but "it gave us a good test of running the full systems at length on (full) load. We learned we should probably take them off-line more and run them off generators for longer periods of time."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614306062971.jpeg" alt="Crews were still on the scene the next morning as record cold weather caused two water line breaks late night on Feb. 16 at 13th and Elm in Hays. (Picture courtesy city of Hays)&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Crews were still on the scene the next morning as record cold weather caused two water line breaks late night on Feb. 16 at 13th and Elm in Hays. (Picture courtesy city of Hays)&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The cold temps caused several water line breaks, including two on West 13th Street late in the evening of Feb. 16. Department of Water Resources crews were on the scene overnight and into the next day.Commissioner Ron Mellick also thanked the city employees."I'd like to thank all city staff that has to work outside. .... All those people, when the rest of us were huddled down inside talking about how cold it was, they were out there taking care of city business.&nbsp;&nbsp; "That's what keeps our city going," Mellick said. "They're out there for all of us all year long, whether it be hot or cold."&nbsp;

🎥  Dougherty: City helped to conserve energy during recent record cold

SMITH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8a.m. Friday in Smith County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; Ardath Nix, 64, Phillipsburg, was southbound on Kansas 8 five miles north of Athol.

The pickup left the roadway, entered the west ditch and struck a large tree.&nbsp;

Nix was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Olliff-Boevie Memorial Chapel. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the. KHP.

SMITH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8a.m. Friday in Smith County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; Ardath Nix, 64, Phillipsburg, was southbound on Kansas 8 five miles north of Athol.The pickup left the roadway, entered the west ditch and struck a large tree.&nbsp;Nix was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Olliff-Boevie Memorial Chapel. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the. KHP.

Phillipsburg man dies after pickup strikes a tree

Karrie Simpson Voth was thrilled, but not surprised when she learned that the College Factual search service had named Fort Hays State University No.1 in Best Fine and Studio Arts Colleges in Kansas for non-traditional students.&nbsp;The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great fine and studio art programs and a strong support system for non-traditional students.

FHSU is one of five universities in the state to offer this program. In addition to the top ranking in the state, Fort Hays State also was ranked 31st – among the top 15 percent – of all colleges and universities in the country.

The art and design department is housed in the new Schmidt Foundation Center for Art and Design, which was completed in 2019. The center features&nbsp;multi-purpose labs, classrooms, a woodshop, graduate studios, a ceramics kiln yard and gallery spaces – all that&nbsp;facilitate engagement and creativity. Students&nbsp;receive a well-rounded fine arts education while studying painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, drawing, photography, graphic design, art education, and interior design.

“Of course, our facilities are phenomenal, and we feel that our program is one of the best anywhere,” said Karrie Simpson Voth, chair of the Department of Art and Design. “But our top-notch faculty also draws students to our program. Besides being outstanding educators, they are caring and really get to know our students.”

Another draw is FHSU’s low residency program, where students can take classes online and come to campus a few times a semester or during the summer to complete their work.

At FHSU, students&nbsp;have access to the locked building with a keycard and can work on projects at their convenience. That is particularly beneficial to&nbsp;non-traditional students, who often have additional responsibilities, such as a family or a job.

“Creativity has no age limit. We are always learning,” Simpson Voth said. “No matter what a person’s age or situation, everyone fits in. We love integration of all the different ages. It enriches everyone’s experience.”

College Factual’s Kansas rankings can be found here:&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=-2BFJoAhsjp8losQfY8t-2BZtBNCS0kPdYffWmFX7dHH76QeBQYmKMTljyPxdiYozIZjtdFNBgrZiGxMeh8-2BTiDxtxb8kr2yxBoAq3GuFwE2W6GVBvbMEI-2FE2-2B0uhKYfnHpbmyqTxS4Hugk3xDHFGXYgM9DffyYkuolhXRZDSeAMPRdX6kPJXFRlM8lnOQ2hVYfyTO0T1KbwuFlgjIH4FfTztQ-3D-3D581F_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fAh1KPMZMELOQP7nofz6yYQ-2Bqf093MhwFAtRepL8jHlz54IAfPLuFjTL9o8QdaXZuZ89uG8p7HAdjtWBhgDXVbY4udQmRsULUHfKLFvp-2BY4ho0WwejnVXv03c1WziSy749k1jetmWuACfP3-2Fs5-2BUU-2F12wOrnN-2B8NWQMyz3VmCWJrWUfjatVtQK8bxLHk-2Fjq-2FhDwY1R6m3cBHREz9TgFQpvJUf3DwIbT8fhQ34x0Pw2DUsy5DQUw0yUSbhrOSR4UJM7stAMkL7yGM8x-2Fb4y8ZUFWkRXxJBUtQ78m0-2BPjigto5ra8Xqu0f-2B-2FJuCoDkXTYDcnQunRR7cjjBCEXK2eWSj1CkD5RzBh6Aj1X7es8YiviA-3D-3D" target="_blank">full ranking of Best Fine &amp; Studio Arts Colleges for Non-Traditional Students in Kansas</a>.

For a complete list of College Factual’s national rankings, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=-2BFJoAhsjp8losQfY8t-2BZtBNCS0kPdYffWmFX7dHH76QeBQYmKMTljyPxdiYozIZjtdFNBgrZiGxMeh8-2BTiDxtxb8kr2yxBoAq3GuFwE2W6GVBvbMEI-2FE2-2B0uhKYfnHpbmyqTxS4Hugk3xDHFGXYgM9DffyYkuolhXRZDSeAMPRfRJUwI8ry4wsKti64eR8XRdObo_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fAh1KPMZMELOQP7nofz6yYQ-2Bqf093MhwFAtRepL8jHlz54IAfPLuFjTL9o8QdaXZuZ89uG8p7HAdjtWBhgDXVbY4udQmRsULUHfKLFvp-2BY4ho0WwejnVXv03c1WziSy749k1jetmWuACfP3-2Fs5-2BUU-2F12wOrnN-2B8NWQMyz3VmCWJsHPo6sKvZ4SQ-2Bm7qOYXqK5f0kogfpW3BCiwlimhH7rY9ag-2FshbSyR46j3DBhIFV-2BaegtdzA16smq3VtUEbQEF2p60nxmqqXRLKqLGJYym8CpwfrY-2FQuLMbIqkmMIx09vnp-2FzzWQMX9Y-2Brv3qBK-2Fg9cBpI8tc0yHF0H1J1RzQ7BUS7OrCaOeeguGbHcrivGqKg-3D-3D" target="_blank">https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/rankings/top-ranked-non-traditional/.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614110198873.jpeg" alt="FHSU’s art and design program is ranked No. 1 in Kansas for non-traditional students by College Factual search service." />
 <figcaption>FHSU’s art and design program is ranked No. 1 in Kansas for non-traditional students by College Factual search service.</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsKarrie Simpson Voth was thrilled, but not surprised when she learned that the College Factual search service had named Fort Hays State University No.1 in Best Fine and Studio Arts Colleges in Kansas for non-traditional students.&nbsp;The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great fine and studio art programs and a strong support system for non-traditional students.FHSU is one of five universities in the state to offer this program. In addition to the top ranking in the state, Fort Hays State also was ranked 31st – among the top 15 percent – of all colleges and universities in the country.The art and design department is housed in the new Schmidt Foundation Center for Art and Design, which was completed in 2019. The center features&nbsp;multi-purpose labs, classrooms, a woodshop, graduate studios, a ceramics kiln yard and gallery spaces – all that&nbsp;facilitate engagement and creativity. Students&nbsp;receive a well-rounded fine arts education while studying painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, drawing, photography, graphic design, art education, and interior design.“Of course, our facilities are phenomenal, and we feel that our program is one of the best anywhere,” said Karrie Simpson Voth, chair of the Department of Art and Design. “But our top-notch faculty also draws students to our program. Besides being outstanding educators, they are caring and really get to know our students.”Another draw is FHSU’s low residency program, where students can take classes online and come to campus a few times a semester or during the summer to complete their work.At FHSU, students&nbsp;have access to the locked building with a keycard and can work on projects at their convenience. That is particularly beneficial to&nbsp;non-traditional students, who often have additional responsibilities, such as a family or a job.“Creativity has no age limit. We are always learning,” Simpson Voth said. “No matter what a person’s age or situation, everyone fits in. We love integration of all the different ages. It enriches everyone’s experience.”College Factual’s Kansas rankings can be found here:&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=-2BFJoAhsjp8losQfY8t-2BZtBNCS0kPdYffWmFX7dHH76QeBQYmKMTljyPxdiYozIZjtdFNBgrZiGxMeh8-2BTiDxtxb8kr2yxBoAq3GuFwE2W6GVBvbMEI-2FE2-2B0uhKYfnHpbmyqTxS4Hugk3xDHFGXYgM9DffyYkuolhXRZDSeAMPRdX6kPJXFRlM8lnOQ2hVYfyTO0T1KbwuFlgjIH4FfTztQ-3D-3D581F_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fAh1KPMZMELOQP7nofz6yYQ-2Bqf093MhwFAtRepL8jHlz54IAfPLuFjTL9o8QdaXZuZ89uG8p7HAdjtWBhgDXVbY4udQmRsULUHfKLFvp-2BY4ho0WwejnVXv03c1WziSy749k1jetmWuACfP3-2Fs5-2BUU-2F12wOrnN-2B8NWQMyz3VmCWJrWUfjatVtQK8bxLHk-2Fjq-2FhDwY1R6m3cBHREz9TgFQpvJUf3DwIbT8fhQ34x0Pw2DUsy5DQUw0yUSbhrOSR4UJM7stAMkL7yGM8x-2Fb4y8ZUFWkRXxJBUtQ78m0-2BPjigto5ra8Xqu0f-2B-2FJuCoDkXTYDcnQunRR7cjjBCEXK2eWSj1CkD5RzBh6Aj1X7es8YiviA-3D-3D" target="_blank">full ranking of Best Fine &amp; Studio Arts Colleges for Non-Traditional Students in Kansas</a>.For a complete list of College Factual’s national rankings, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=-2BFJoAhsjp8losQfY8t-2BZtBNCS0kPdYffWmFX7dHH76QeBQYmKMTljyPxdiYozIZjtdFNBgrZiGxMeh8-2BTiDxtxb8kr2yxBoAq3GuFwE2W6GVBvbMEI-2FE2-2B0uhKYfnHpbmyqTxS4Hugk3xDHFGXYgM9DffyYkuolhXRZDSeAMPRfRJUwI8ry4wsKti64eR8XRdObo_scuE6QATIAo5tLVPwSgAru2c-2BhK2yoyXg2bmw7NiE0fAh1KPMZMELOQP7nofz6yYQ-2Bqf093MhwFAtRepL8jHlz54IAfPLuFjTL9o8QdaXZuZ89uG8p7HAdjtWBhgDXVbY4udQmRsULUHfKLFvp-2BY4ho0WwejnVXv03c1WziSy749k1jetmWuACfP3-2Fs5-2BUU-2F12wOrnN-2B8NWQMyz3VmCWJsHPo6sKvZ4SQ-2Bm7qOYXqK5f0kogfpW3BCiwlimhH7rY9ag-2FshbSyR46j3DBhIFV-2BaegtdzA16smq3VtUEbQEF2p60nxmqqXRLKqLGJYym8CpwfrY-2FQuLMbIqkmMIx09vnp-2FzzWQMX9Y-2Brv3qBK-2Fg9cBpI8tc0yHF0H1J1RzQ7BUS7OrCaOeeguGbHcrivGqKg-3D-3D" target="_blank">https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/rankings/top-ranked-non-traditional/.</a>

FHSU’s art and design program ranked No. 1 in Kan. for non-traditional students

I recently wrote a column discussing how baseless claims of widespread and systematic voter fraud hurt democracy in Kansas.&nbsp;

Readers statewide sent me thoughtful feedback. Some was positive, like the Republican county clerk who thanked me for defending local election officials. I want to engage here, though, with common themes from the negative feedback.&nbsp;

One theme: Kansans don’t trust our elections.&nbsp;

Any mistrust of our elections is worrisome. However, the mistrustful are still the minority. The 2020&nbsp;FOX News&nbsp;Voter Analysis Survey showed that 68 percent of Kansans were very or somewhat confident that votes in “the presidential election in the U.S” would be “counted accurately.” Only 6 percent had no confidence. Sixty-three percent of Kansans were very or somewhat confident that ineligible persons “will not be allowed to vote.” Only 13 percent had no confidence.&nbsp;

Another theme: Voter fraud is common in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Readers differed on their “proof” for this fraud. Some suggested that the fraud is so well hidden in Kansas—without explaining how—that it is unprovable. Others broadly claimed that the fraud is obvious but intentionally ignored by the media.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Some readers commented that Democratic victories in Johnson County prove that fraud occurred. Political outcomes that we dislike do not prove fraud. Both parties lose elections. That doesn’t prove that either is a victim of electoral “cancel culture” or that elections are fraudulent.&nbsp;

One reader cited the growing Latino vote in Southwest Kansas as evidence of fraud. Diversity among voters in diverse communities doesn’t prove fraud either.&nbsp;

Usually, credible evidence is essential for proving claims, and lack of evidence doesn’t mean conspiracy or ignorance. Plaintiffs bear the burden of proof, not defendants—at least in court, if not politics.&nbsp;

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab told&nbsp;KSNT News&nbsp;in November that “Kansas is not experiencing any issues with voter fraud.” If you don’t believe him, contact his office at 785-296-4575 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sos@ks.gov">sos@ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Voter fraud accusations and their proposed solutions have always been political, no matter how real fraud has been historically. These claims have always involved political winners and losers.&nbsp;

Circa 1800, the rich routinely accused middle class white men of lying about their wealth to gain suffrage in states with economic restrictions on voting. The solution: task local tax assessors with creating the first voter registration systems, and allow them often unsupervised power to disenfranchise eligible middle class citizens.&nbsp;

Fraud claims later became a weapon for anti-city politics. Many states only required voter registration in cities, ignoring potential fraud in rural communities. In the 1920’s, Kansas only applied voter registration to cities of over 2,000 people.&nbsp;

One reader commented that “we can’t ignore people who think that Kansas elections are a sham.” True. Mistrust is alarming.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But how much should we cater to that mistrust?&nbsp;&nbsp;

How strictly will we limit voting in Kansas to secure an already secure system?&nbsp;

Was defending Kris Kobach’s unconstitutional voter registration law worth the potential $4 million bill put on Kansas taxpayers?&nbsp;&nbsp;

If Senator Jerry Moran gets a more conservative primary challenger in 2022, is losing his congressional seniority worth punishing him for voting to accept the Electoral College results?&nbsp;

The bigger problem here is not that a vocal minority mistrusts our elections. It’s that the politics industry feeds that mistrust intentionally and strategically, with no regard for its bigger consequences.&nbsp;

Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575644168170.png" alt="Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>I recently wrote a column discussing how baseless claims of widespread and systematic voter fraud hurt democracy in Kansas.&nbsp;Readers statewide sent me thoughtful feedback. Some was positive, like the Republican county clerk who thanked me for defending local election officials. I want to engage here, though, with common themes from the negative feedback.&nbsp;One theme: Kansans don’t trust our elections.&nbsp;Any mistrust of our elections is worrisome. However, the mistrustful are still the minority. The 2020&nbsp;FOX News&nbsp;Voter Analysis Survey showed that 68 percent of Kansans were very or somewhat confident that votes in “the presidential election in the U.S” would be “counted accurately.” Only 6 percent had no confidence. Sixty-three percent of Kansans were very or somewhat confident that ineligible persons “will not be allowed to vote.” Only 13 percent had no confidence.&nbsp;Another theme: Voter fraud is common in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Readers differed on their “proof” for this fraud. Some suggested that the fraud is so well hidden in Kansas—without explaining how—that it is unprovable. Others broadly claimed that the fraud is obvious but intentionally ignored by the media.&nbsp;&nbsp;Some readers commented that Democratic victories in Johnson County prove that fraud occurred. Political outcomes that we dislike do not prove fraud. Both parties lose elections. That doesn’t prove that either is a victim of electoral “cancel culture” or that elections are fraudulent.&nbsp;One reader cited the growing Latino vote in Southwest Kansas as evidence of fraud. Diversity among voters in diverse communities doesn’t prove fraud either.&nbsp;Usually, credible evidence is essential for proving claims, and lack of evidence doesn’t mean conspiracy or ignorance. Plaintiffs bear the burden of proof, not defendants—at least in court, if not politics.&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab told&nbsp;KSNT News&nbsp;in November that “Kansas is not experiencing any issues with voter fraud.” If you don’t believe him, contact his office at 785-296-4575 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sos@ks.gov">sos@ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another theme: Denying politics.&nbsp;Voter fraud accusations and their proposed solutions have always been political, no matter how real fraud has been historically. These claims have always involved political winners and losers.&nbsp;Circa 1800, the rich routinely accused middle class white men of lying about their wealth to gain suffrage in states with economic restrictions on voting. The solution: task local tax assessors with creating the first voter registration systems, and allow them often unsupervised power to disenfranchise eligible middle class citizens.&nbsp;Fraud claims later became a weapon for anti-city politics. Many states only required voter registration in cities, ignoring potential fraud in rural communities. In the 1920’s, Kansas only applied voter registration to cities of over 2,000 people.&nbsp;One reader commented that “we can’t ignore people who think that Kansas elections are a sham.” True. Mistrust is alarming.&nbsp;&nbsp;But how much should we cater to that mistrust?&nbsp;&nbsp;How strictly will we limit voting in Kansas to secure an already secure system?&nbsp;Was defending Kris Kobach’s unconstitutional voter registration law worth the potential $4 million bill put on Kansas taxpayers?&nbsp;&nbsp;If Senator Jerry Moran gets a more conservative primary challenger in 2022, is losing his congressional seniority worth punishing him for voting to accept the Electoral College results?&nbsp;The bigger problem here is not that a vocal minority mistrusts our elections. It’s that the politics industry feeds that mistrust intentionally and strategically, with no regard for its bigger consequences.&nbsp;Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.

INIGHT KANSAS: Where's the beef in voter fraud claims in Kan.? 

The Ellis County Sheriff's Office has reported a Hays man is dead as the result of an accidental shooting Friday afternoon.

At 3:21 p.m. Friday, dispatchers received a 911 call regarding a vehicle parked in the 2000 block of 200th Avenue. The caller reported an individual laying next to the vehicle, not believed to be breathing.&nbsp;

Emergency responders reported finding Raymond Nieman, 72, Hays, deceased next to his vehicle with a single gunshot wound to the chest.

"The Ellis County Sheriff's Office along with
23rd Judicial District Coroner Lyle Noordhoek determined the death as accidental as all evidence
indicates Nieman was securing his shotgun in the back of the vehicle when it accidentally discharged," the sheriff's office said in a news release Friday evening.

The Ellis County Sheriff's Office has reported a Hays man is dead as the result of an accidental shooting Friday afternoon.At 3:21 p.m. Friday, dispatchers received a 911 call regarding a vehicle parked in the 2000 block of 200th Avenue. The caller reported an individual laying next to the vehicle, not believed to be breathing.&nbsp;Emergency responders reported finding Raymond Nieman, 72, Hays, deceased next to his vehicle with a single gunshot wound to the chest."The Ellis County Sheriff's Office along with
23rd Judicial District Coroner Lyle Noordhoek determined the death as accidental as all evidence
indicates Nieman was securing his shotgun in the back of the vehicle when it accidentally discharged," the sheriff's office said in a news release Friday evening.The complete release is below.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614390316382.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Sheriff's office: Hays man dead after accidental shooting Friday

The chair of the Ellis County Democratic Party, Trina Powell, recently gave details of a business and planning meeting of the party and its supporters.

Twenty-four people joined the Ellis County Democrats’ business and planning Zoom meeting on Feb. 23. The next Zoom meeting will be on March 23 at 6:30 p.m. Dr. Jay Steinmetz will be the guest speaker. 

Additional information on the upcoming meeting, other events and news is on the Ellis County Democrats Facebook Page, <a href="http://https/www.facebook.com/elliscountydems">http://https://www.facebook.com/elliscountydems</a>. For more information, email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:EllisCountyDemocrats@gmail.com">EllisCountyDemocrats@gmail.com</a>. &nbsp;This is an ongoing activity of the Democratic Party of Ellis County and will occur monthly on the fourth Tuesday, according to Powell.

The chair of the Ellis County Democratic Party, Trina Powell, recently gave details of a business and planning meeting of the party and its supporters.Twenty-four people joined the Ellis County Democrats’ business and planning Zoom meeting on Feb. 23. The next Zoom meeting will be on March 23 at 6:30 p.m. Dr. Jay Steinmetz will be the guest speaker. Additional information on the upcoming meeting, other events and news is on the Ellis County Democrats Facebook Page, <a href="http://https/www.facebook.com/elliscountydems">http://https://www.facebook.com/elliscountydems</a>. For more information, email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:EllisCountyDemocrats@gmail.com">EllisCountyDemocrats@gmail.com</a>. &nbsp;This is an ongoing activity of the Democratic Party of Ellis County and will occur monthly on the fourth Tuesday, according to Powell.

Ellis County Democrats meet to plan for the future

During the 1960s, there was an oil boom in Morrow County, Ohio, where we lived, and either there were no regulations on anything or no one followed them, because oil rigs appeared on tiny podunk patches of ground barely big enough to contain the equipment, and the drilling rigs were so thick that at night the countryside looked like the Emerald City. 

A company drilled a well on our place and told dad they hit oil, but one morning we awoke to find everything gone, oil tank and oil included, without him every seeing a cent. The area was left a mess, with lengths of oil well pipe, huge wooden timbers and chunks of steel cable laying everywhere in the weeds. Dad decided he was going to get something from them for our trouble, so, thinking surely they would come back and clean up their mess, he hooked the tractor onto several long oil well pipes and drug them to the other end of the farm and deposited them along a fencerow out of sight.&nbsp;

One of our favorite winter pastimes was rabbit hunting. We didn’t have a dog so we’d just wonder through the woods and along fencerows looking for tracks and rootin’ through weed and briar patches to kick out rabbits hiding therein. One snowy Saturday afternoon my buddy Ralph and I departed on a rabbit hunting excursion that followed our usual route, starting behind the barn and turning right at the end of a short pasture, then following a drainage ditch that was overgrown on both sides with all manner of briers, blackberries and other stellar rabbit hiding places. Ralph carried his old scratched and beat-up 12-gauge single-shot that broke into 2 pieces instead of hinging open like it was supposed to. Several inches of soft snow made for slow going, but the snow made rabbit tracks show-up like chocolate chips in pancakes. 

The drainage ditch ran for a couple hundred yards and where it ended against the next fencerow was where the high-jacked oil well pipes resided. Rabbit tracks littered the ground all around the pipes; one pipe in particular had a highway of tracks going into one end but none going out the other.&nbsp; A quick glance inside showed complete darkness, telling us Brer rabbit was certainly holed up inside. Eureka! But it seemed like a terrible waste of good rabbit meat to shoot him in the pipe and not be able to get him out. Surely pounding on the outside of the pipe would get him moving. With Ralph standing near one end, his old 12-gauge canon at the ready, I proceeded to jump around on the pipe. I tap-danced, kicked, beat and pounded all up-and-down one end of the pipe, but nothing. Since we couldn’t actually see him in there, maybe he was facing the other direction, we thought, so we traded ends and tried again, still nothing. Somewhere we found a long stick of some sort that reached part way through the pipe. While Ralph stood on guard, I poked and prodded from both ends, but still nothing! Curses, we were getting’ nowhere! Then suddenly I had a two-word epiphany that would solve our problem; John Deere!

We hiked back to the barn, started the old JD 3010 with a loader on front and headed through the snow back to the pipe. As we chugged along, we could almost taste the freshly fried rabbit, as surely no cottontail alive could keep its footing inside an oil well pipe with one end hoisted toward the sky. I swung the tractor around in front of the offending pipe, slid the loader bucket beneath it and lifted it a few feet in the air, all the while awaiting the thunder of Ralph’s old 12 gauge as Brer came sliding out the other end. Nothing. So, I hoisted the pipe even higher, and still nothing. What, had we found a bionic bunny with 4-wheel drive? I dropped the pipe back into the snow, pulled it away from the fence and slid the bucket under the other end. 

This would surely do it, we figured. Once again, I raised the pipe, awaiting the roar of the 12 gauge, and once again, nothing. I tried it all; jerking the pipe up and down, dropping it onto the ground with a thud, even sticking one loader tine into the end and whipping it up-and-down like a symphony conductor’s baton, all with the same results…nothing! If ole’ Brer was in there, I suppose by then he was either dead or passed out from fright. It was about then the realization hit us that whatever was blocking the pipe might not be a rabbit at all, but a clod of dirt dad scooped up when he drug the pipe to its new home, a nest of some sort or maybe a dead possum. Lucky for us it was not a skunk!&nbsp; Anyway, whatever was in there was either inanimate or dead and was not going to taste real good fried, so we accepted defeat and moved on.&nbsp;

Guys stake down old barrels in lakes as lairs for catfish, often noodling big flatheads out of them during the summer. Maybe we should have looked into renting out our oil well pipes to neighbors as “cottontail condos,” accepting a bunny nor two each year as payment.&nbsp; With all the forgotten, left-behind oil well pipes there must have been scattered throughout that county, we could have had dozens, perhaps hundreds of cottontail condo rentals. We could have become real estate moguls while&nbsp; still in high school! Yup, I can see it all now; R&amp;S (Ralph and Steve) Cottontail Condos, the full taste of the wild for only half the work! Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>During the 1960s, there was an oil boom in Morrow County, Ohio, where we lived, and either there were no regulations on anything or no one followed them, because oil rigs appeared on tiny podunk patches of ground barely big enough to contain the equipment, and the drilling rigs were so thick that at night the countryside looked like the Emerald City. A company drilled a well on our place and told dad they hit oil, but one morning we awoke to find everything gone, oil tank and oil included, without him every seeing a cent. The area was left a mess, with lengths of oil well pipe, huge wooden timbers and chunks of steel cable laying everywhere in the weeds. Dad decided he was going to get something from them for our trouble, so, thinking surely they would come back and clean up their mess, he hooked the tractor onto several long oil well pipes and drug them to the other end of the farm and deposited them along a fencerow out of sight.&nbsp;One of our favorite winter pastimes was rabbit hunting. We didn’t have a dog so we’d just wonder through the woods and along fencerows looking for tracks and rootin’ through weed and briar patches to kick out rabbits hiding therein. One snowy Saturday afternoon my buddy Ralph and I departed on a rabbit hunting excursion that followed our usual route, starting behind the barn and turning right at the end of a short pasture, then following a drainage ditch that was overgrown on both sides with all manner of briers, blackberries and other stellar rabbit hiding places. Ralph carried his old scratched and beat-up 12-gauge single-shot that broke into 2 pieces instead of hinging open like it was supposed to. Several inches of soft snow made for slow going, but the snow made rabbit tracks show-up like chocolate chips in pancakes. The drainage ditch ran for a couple hundred yards and where it ended against the next fencerow was where the high-jacked oil well pipes resided. Rabbit tracks littered the ground all around the pipes; one pipe in particular had a highway of tracks going into one end but none going out the other.&nbsp; A quick glance inside showed complete darkness, telling us Brer rabbit was certainly holed up inside. Eureka! But it seemed like a terrible waste of good rabbit meat to shoot him in the pipe and not be able to get him out. Surely pounding on the outside of the pipe would get him moving. With Ralph standing near one end, his old 12-gauge canon at the ready, I proceeded to jump around on the pipe. I tap-danced, kicked, beat and pounded all up-and-down one end of the pipe, but nothing. Since we couldn’t actually see him in there, maybe he was facing the other direction, we thought, so we traded ends and tried again, still nothing. Somewhere we found a long stick of some sort that reached part way through the pipe. While Ralph stood on guard, I poked and prodded from both ends, but still nothing! Curses, we were getting’ nowhere! Then suddenly I had a two-word epiphany that would solve our problem; John Deere!We hiked back to the barn, started the old JD 3010 with a loader on front and headed through the snow back to the pipe. As we chugged along, we could almost taste the freshly fried rabbit, as surely no cottontail alive could keep its footing inside an oil well pipe with one end hoisted toward the sky. I swung the tractor around in front of the offending pipe, slid the loader bucket beneath it and lifted it a few feet in the air, all the while awaiting the thunder of Ralph’s old 12 gauge as Brer came sliding out the other end. Nothing. So, I hoisted the pipe even higher, and still nothing. What, had we found a bionic bunny with 4-wheel drive? I dropped the pipe back into the snow, pulled it away from the fence and slid the bucket under the other end. This would surely do it, we figured. Once again, I raised the pipe, awaiting the roar of the 12 gauge, and once again, nothing. I tried it all; jerking the pipe up and down, dropping it onto the ground with a thud, even sticking one loader tine into the end and whipping it up-and-down like a symphony conductor’s baton, all with the same results…nothing! If ole’ Brer was in there, I suppose by then he was either dead or passed out from fright. It was about then the realization hit us that whatever was blocking the pipe might not be a rabbit at all, but a clod of dirt dad scooped up when he drug the pipe to its new home, a nest of some sort or maybe a dead possum. Lucky for us it was not a skunk!&nbsp; Anyway, whatever was in there was either inanimate or dead and was not going to taste real good fried, so we accepted defeat and moved on.&nbsp;Guys stake down old barrels in lakes as lairs for catfish, often noodling big flatheads out of them during the summer. Maybe we should have looked into renting out our oil well pipes to neighbors as “cottontail condos,” accepting a bunny nor two each year as payment.&nbsp; With all the forgotten, left-behind oil well pipes there must have been scattered throughout that county, we could have had dozens, perhaps hundreds of cottontail condo rentals. We could have become real estate moguls while&nbsp; still in high school! Yup, I can see it all now; R&amp;S (Ralph and Steve) Cottontail Condos, the full taste of the wild for only half the work! Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Farm kid rabbit huntin’

Updated Friday, Feb. 26 at 8:17 p.m. with information on the condition of the victim from the Victoria house fire.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Ellis County firefighters responded to 13 fire calls this week, including a house fire near Victoria that resulted in a resident receiving serious injuries.

Ellis County Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management Darin Myers said he could not release the name of the person who was injured near Victoria on Friday, Feb. 19.

The family also said they would prefer to not release the name of the victim. However, a family member said one of the residents of the home was able to exit the home uninjured.

The second resident received first- and second degree burns on their face, neck and lower arms. The victim also as received injuries to their lungs from inhalation of flash fire.

The injured person was in the ICU as of Friday and doing as well as can be expected, the family member said.

The home, which was at&nbsp;2584 Grants Villa Road, was a total loss.

An investigation by the state fire marshal could not determine a cause. However, inspectors suspect the blaze may have been sparked by a portable heater being used to warm pets.

No firefighters were injured in fighting that blaze.

Ellis County fire crews battled two significant grass fires Tuesday, while a third broke out across the county line in Russell County.

A grass fire west of U.S. 183 between Homestead Road and the Saline River burned about 270 acres. One hundred hay bales were caught in the blaze. Oil wells in the area were not affected, and cattle grazing in the area were able to be moved out of the path of the fire.

A home was threatened, but firefighters were able to protect the structure. An abandoned shed in the area was lost, Myers said.

Firefighters responded to another grass fire near Air Flyte Drive. A local resident was treated for smoke inhalation by EMS, but was not seriously injured, Myers said.

No firefighters were injured on calls this week.

Myers said this week has been exhausting for himself and the mostly volunteer county fire crews.

"Most of [these calls] have come in late in the day or evening," he said. "Most of these county firefighters work normal jobs and then some of them have been out on fires until midnight. That is 16 to 18 hours of hard labor."

Myers said the risk for grass fires will remain high until the area receives significant rain. That is not in the forecast any time soon. The National Weather Service is predicting no moisture for Hays at least through Thursday.

"Today and tomorrow, we will be at higher risk," Myers said. "When the wind speeds are 30 plus miles per hour, and humidity drops to 10 to 20 percent or less, there is a critical fire danger."

Anything that can create a spark can cause a fire in these dry conditions— a lit cigarette, sparks from a trailer chain dragging on the ground, power lines slapping in the wind, or the malfunction of a vehicle or piece of machinery, Myers said.

"Use common sense," Myers said, "When you are cutting or welding anything that drops hot sparks or embers, wet the area down. To prevent more significant damage, keep property maintained and mowed and create a good barrier between grass and your home."

If you have or see a fire, call 911 immediately, Myers said.

"The county is a pay-per-call department," he said. "We don't have people at the station. They have to leave home or work. We have 900 square miles in the county. It can take 20 to 30 minutes to reach the far reaches of the county. The quicker you call, the quicker we can respond."

Myers said he wanted to express his appreciate to the county's firefighters for their dedication to protect life and property.

Anyone who is interested in applying to be a county volunteer firefighter can receive an application by contacting the Ellis County Fire and Emergency Management office at 785-625-1061.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614376550118.png" alt="US Highway 183 fire on Tuesday" />
 <figcaption>US Highway 183 fire on Tuesday</figcaption>
 </figure>Updated Friday, Feb. 26 at 8:17 p.m. with information on the condition of the victim from the Victoria house fire.By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostEllis County firefighters responded to 13 fire calls this week, including a house fire near Victoria that resulted in a resident receiving serious injuries.Ellis County Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management Darin Myers said he could not release the name of the person who was injured near Victoria on Friday, Feb. 19.The family also said they would prefer to not release the name of the victim. However, a family member said one of the residents of the home was able to exit the home uninjured.The second resident received first- and second degree burns on their face, neck and lower arms. The victim also as received injuries to their lungs from inhalation of flash fire.The injured person was in the ICU as of Friday and doing as well as can be expected, the family member said.The home, which was at&nbsp;2584 Grants Villa Road, was a total loss.An investigation by the state fire marshal could not determine a cause. However, inspectors suspect the blaze may have been sparked by a portable heater being used to warm pets.No firefighters were injured in fighting that blaze.Ellis County fire crews battled two significant grass fires Tuesday, while a third broke out across the county line in Russell County.A grass fire west of U.S. 183 between Homestead Road and the Saline River burned about 270 acres. One hundred hay bales were caught in the blaze. Oil wells in the area were not affected, and cattle grazing in the area were able to be moved out of the path of the fire.A home was threatened, but firefighters were able to protect the structure. An abandoned shed in the area was lost, Myers said.Firefighters responded to another grass fire near Air Flyte Drive. A local resident was treated for smoke inhalation by EMS, but was not seriously injured, Myers said.No firefighters were injured on calls this week.Myers said this week has been exhausting for himself and the mostly volunteer county fire crews."Most of [these calls] have come in late in the day or evening," he said. "Most of these county firefighters work normal jobs and then some of them have been out on fires until midnight. That is 16 to 18 hours of hard labor."Myers said the risk for grass fires will remain high until the area receives significant rain. That is not in the forecast any time soon. The National Weather Service is predicting no moisture for Hays at least through Thursday."Today and tomorrow, we will be at higher risk," Myers said. "When the wind speeds are 30 plus miles per hour, and humidity drops to 10 to 20 percent or less, there is a critical fire danger."Anything that can create a spark can cause a fire in these dry conditions— a lit cigarette, sparks from a trailer chain dragging on the ground, power lines slapping in the wind, or the malfunction of a vehicle or piece of machinery, Myers said."Use common sense," Myers said, "When you are cutting or welding anything that drops hot sparks or embers, wet the area down. To prevent more significant damage, keep property maintained and mowed and create a good barrier between grass and your home."If you have or see a fire, call 911 immediately, Myers said."The county is a pay-per-call department," he said. "We don't have people at the station. They have to leave home or work. We have 900 square miles in the county. It can take 20 to 30 minutes to reach the far reaches of the county. The quicker you call, the quicker we can respond."Myers said he wanted to express his appreciate to the county's firefighters for their dedication to protect life and property.Anyone who is interested in applying to be a county volunteer firefighter can receive an application by contacting the Ellis County Fire and Emergency Management office at 785-625-1061.

UPDATE: Rural Victoria resident seriously injured in fire; firefighters respond to 13 fires this week

The Special Olympics Kansas announced Feb. 19 it will be canceling its summer games due to the pandemic, leaving many local athletes disappointed for a second summer.

The games were set for June&nbsp;4 to 6.&nbsp;The Summer Games, the organization’s largest annual statewide competition, typically brings more than 1,500 athletes, 300 coaches, and 1,400 volunteers from across the state to Maize South High School in Wichita for three days of competition in four sports. 

“Naturally, we’re disappointed that the lingering coronavirus outbreak has altered plans for the 2021 Summer Games,” John Lair, Special Olympics Kansas president/CEO, said in a news release. “The decision was made to ensure the safety and health of all attendees. Our athletes, volunteers and sponsors look forward to this annual event, and it was an incredibly tough decision.”&nbsp;

Brent Kaiser, director of activities for the Arc of the Central Plains, said he and the athletes in the local program were also disappointed to hear the news of the cancelation.

The summer 2020 Kansas Special Olympics was also canceled, as a result of the pandemic. For more than a year, most of the Special Olympics events have been canceled, Kaiser said.

"I think at the beginning, it was something that was really heartbreaking for them," Kaiser said. "It's still really heartbreaking for them.&nbsp;

"We are at the point now we are expecting the cancelation, but expecting the games to happen. I think our athletes have grown in understanding and understand the situation and why Special Olympics Kansas is canceling these events right now."

Athletes who have developmental or intellectual disabilities often have other underlying health concerns, which make them more vulnerable to complications if they would contract COVID-19, Kaiser said.

Even to gather 30 to 50 athletes together to travel to events on a bus has become impractical during the pandemic, he said.

The local Arc chapter is continuing to have gym nights and events as organizers think it is safe to do so. The local basketball team has not been able to travel and compete with other teams, but the local athletes will compete in an upcoming basketball skills night.

The local Arc is committed to having a local track and field event some time this year if Special Olympics Kansas does not host regional events, Kaiser said.

"Is it ideal? No. But we are going to continue to push for our local athletes to be able to participate," he said.

Kaiser said the gym times are important for socialization for athletes, and being able to socialize with their friends is why most of the athletes participate in Special Olympics.

In addition to Summer Games being canceled, the following sports announcements have been made for competitions through the end of the summer.&nbsp;

The Special Olympics Kansas Return to Play committee that was formed in the fall will be tasked with deciding on the exact precautions that will be in place for team training and each sport.

Special Olympics Kansas will continue to fundraise and plan for future events.

The Kansas Law Enforcement Torch Run has big plans to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

"What began as a spark of hope in Wichita has become a roaring flame of stability for Special Olympics worldwide," said Chief Richard LaMunyon, founder of the Law Enforcement Torch Run.

The latest news on this celebratory year will be up to date on the <a href="https://ksso.org/">Special Olympics Kansas website</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/specialolympicskansas">social media</a> accounts and newsletters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614267729100.jpeg" alt="Special Olympics athletes with the Arc of the Central Plains play softball in October in Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Special Olympics athletes with the Arc of the Central Plains play softball in October in Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Special Olympics Kansas announced Feb. 19 it will be canceling its summer games due to the pandemic, leaving many local athletes disappointed for a second summer.The games were set for June&nbsp;4 to 6.&nbsp;The Summer Games, the organization’s largest annual statewide competition, typically brings more than 1,500 athletes, 300 coaches, and 1,400 volunteers from across the state to Maize South High School in Wichita for three days of competition in four sports. “Naturally, we’re disappointed that the lingering coronavirus outbreak has altered plans for the 2021 Summer Games,” John Lair, Special Olympics Kansas president/CEO, said in a news release. “The decision was made to ensure the safety and health of all attendees. Our athletes, volunteers and sponsors look forward to this annual event, and it was an incredibly tough decision.”&nbsp;Brent Kaiser, director of activities for the Arc of the Central Plains, said he and the athletes in the local program were also disappointed to hear the news of the cancelation.The summer 2020 Kansas Special Olympics was also canceled, as a result of the pandemic. For more than a year, most of the Special Olympics events have been canceled, Kaiser said."I think at the beginning, it was something that was really heartbreaking for them," Kaiser said. "It's still really heartbreaking for them.&nbsp;"We are at the point now we are expecting the cancelation, but expecting the games to happen. I think our athletes have grown in understanding and understand the situation and why Special Olympics Kansas is canceling these events right now."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614267928301.jpeg" alt="Arc of the Central Plains athletes play kickball during a gym night this winter in the Hays High School gym. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Arc of the Central Plains athletes play kickball during a gym night this winter in the Hays High School gym. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Athletes who have developmental or intellectual disabilities often have other underlying health concerns, which make them more vulnerable to complications if they would contract COVID-19, Kaiser said.Even to gather 30 to 50 athletes together to travel to events on a bus has become impractical during the pandemic, he said.The local Arc chapter is continuing to have gym nights and events as organizers think it is safe to do so. The local basketball team has not been able to travel and compete with other teams, but the local athletes will compete in an upcoming basketball skills night.The local Arc is committed to having a local track and field event some time this year if Special Olympics Kansas does not host regional events, Kaiser said."Is it ideal? No. But we are going to continue to push for our local athletes to be able to participate," he said.Kaiser said the gym times are important for socialization for athletes, and being able to socialize with their friends is why most of the athletes participate in Special Olympics.In addition to Summer Games being canceled, the following sports announcements have been made for competitions through the end of the summer.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>The powerlifting and soccer seasons are canceled.</li><li>Bocce and corn hole will be offered regionally in April/May.</li><li>Cycling and tennis will be offered regionally in May.</li><li>Smaller, modified track and field competitions will be offered at the regional level in late May or early June</li><li>Bowling will be offered regionally only in late July or early August.</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614268058520.jpeg" alt="Although local Special Olympics athletes will not be able to compete on the state level this year, the Arc of the Central Plains will still be offering a training season and will have a local track and field event if a regional event can't be held." />
 <figcaption>Although local Special Olympics athletes will not be able to compete on the state level this year, the Arc of the Central Plains will still be offering a training season and will have a local track and field event if a regional event can't be held.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Special Olympics Kansas Return to Play committee that was formed in the fall will be tasked with deciding on the exact precautions that will be in place for team training and each sport. Special Olympics Kansas will continue to fundraise and plan for future events.The Kansas Law Enforcement Torch Run has big plans to celebrate its 40th anniversary."What began as a spark of hope in Wichita has become a roaring flame of stability for Special Olympics worldwide," said Chief Richard LaMunyon, founder of the Law Enforcement Torch Run.The latest news on this celebratory year will be up to date on the <a href="https://ksso.org/">Special Olympics Kansas website</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/specialolympicskansas">social media</a> accounts and newsletters.

Kansas Summer Special Olympics for 2021 canceled

When Governor Laura Kelly introduced her budget to the Legislature in early January, the cornerstone of her budget is the reamortization of the unfunded liability for the Kansas Public Employees Retirement system (KPERS).&nbsp; She had introduced this notion twice before and it was rejected by the legislature.&nbsp; Since Governor Kelly’s budget is contingent on refinancing the unfunded liability, we in the House Appropriations Committee have been dissecting all parts of the Governor’s budget in order to balance without this particular provision. I have consistently maintained a platform of being fiscally conservative, especially in my role as House Appropriations Chairman.&nbsp; However, the refinance of the unfunded liability does nothing but increase our debt load and it fails to fund our pension system and only dismisses the promises that we have made.&nbsp; The plan to

refinance does nothing but perpetuate an ongoing problem.&nbsp; We have made great strides in recent years in addressing the needs for KPERS and this proposal does nothing but add an additional $7.4 billion onto the taxpayers of Kansas by refinancing for an additional fifteen years.

Even the board of directors, who has the authority to refinance if they choose to do so, has publicly spoke against the Governor’s proposal to refinance KPERS.

Late last week, House Bill 2405 was introduced for the reamortization of KPERS in the House Appropriations Committee and this bill has been referred to the House Insurance and Pensions Committee.&nbsp; I am certain that even if this bill would be passed out of committee, it will suffer the same fate as before and fail on the House floor.

This week the House Appropriations Committee continued with numerous budget recommendations from the budget committees.&nbsp; We are nearing the end of this process and should be constructing our budget around the middle of March after we return from the midway point of the session, referenced as “Turnaround.”&nbsp;

One of the more notable budget committee recommendations came from the budget of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.&nbsp; The recommendation from the committee is that if no bill passes regarding Medicaid Expansion then the $19 million that the Governor had proposed in her budget for Medicaid Expansion and directs that money to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).&nbsp; One of the bills we passed out of committee was House Bill 2214, which transfers land from the Department of Corrections to the city of Beloit, Kansas.

<a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a>On Tuesday, February 23, the Kansas House of Representatives debated and voted on five bills, all of these bills passed Wednesday and are on their way to the Kansas State Senate.</a>

One of those bills that we debated and voted on is House Bill 2237, which would extend the sunset on the Rural Opportunity Zones (ROZ).&nbsp; When ROZ was first enacted the program was to sunset after the tax year of 2021.&nbsp; This bill extends the sunset to 2023.&nbsp; The bill also extends the annual reporting requirements to the House and Senate Taxation Committees which would include how many are participating in the program.&nbsp; In the current fiscal year, the budget for ROZ is $950,000, all from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund which is funded by the Kansas Lottery money.&nbsp; This money is used to fund the obligations of the student loan forgiveness component of the ROZ program and the bill continues these obligations through fiscal year 2026. This bill passed the House, 107-16.

On Thursday, we debated House Bill 2093, which increases the criminal penalty for fleeing or eluding a police officer when operating a stolen vehicle.&nbsp; This bill passed the House, 124-0.

Anytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>.

As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov" target="_blank">troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp; Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.

It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions.&nbsp; I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.

Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020/s/pdf/district_maps/district_map_h_109.pdf">109th Kansas House District</a>&nbsp;state representative and chairman of the Appropriations Committee.&nbsp;

The 109th District includes&nbsp;Osborne, Russell, and Smith counties, and portions of Barton, Jewell, Lincoln and Rush counties.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577788173848.jpeg" alt="Troy L. Waymaster, State Representative, 109th Kansas House, R-Bunker Hill" />
 <figcaption>Troy L. Waymaster, State Representative, 109th Kansas House, R-Bunker Hill</figcaption>
 </figure>February 26, 2021Reamortization of KPERSWhen Governor Laura Kelly introduced her budget to the Legislature in early January, the cornerstone of her budget is the reamortization of the unfunded liability for the Kansas Public Employees Retirement system (KPERS).&nbsp; She had introduced this notion twice before and it was rejected by the legislature.&nbsp; Since Governor Kelly’s budget is contingent on refinancing the unfunded liability, we in the House Appropriations Committee have been dissecting all parts of the Governor’s budget in order to balance without this particular provision. I have consistently maintained a platform of being fiscally conservative, especially in my role as House Appropriations Chairman.&nbsp; However, the refinance of the unfunded liability does nothing but increase our debt load and it fails to fund our pension system and only dismisses the promises that we have made.&nbsp; The plan torefinance does nothing but perpetuate an ongoing problem.&nbsp; We have made great strides in recent years in addressing the needs for KPERS and this proposal does nothing but add an additional $7.4 billion onto the taxpayers of Kansas by refinancing for an additional fifteen years.Even the board of directors, who has the authority to refinance if they choose to do so, has publicly spoke against the Governor’s proposal to refinance KPERS.Late last week, House Bill 2405 was introduced for the reamortization of KPERS in the House Appropriations Committee and this bill has been referred to the House Insurance and Pensions Committee.&nbsp; I am certain that even if this bill would be passed out of committee, it will suffer the same fate as before and fail on the House floor.Appropriations CommitteeThis week the House Appropriations Committee continued with numerous budget recommendations from the budget committees.&nbsp; We are nearing the end of this process and should be constructing our budget around the middle of March after we return from the midway point of the session, referenced as “Turnaround.”&nbsp;One of the more notable budget committee recommendations came from the budget of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.&nbsp; The recommendation from the committee is that if no bill passes regarding Medicaid Expansion then the $19 million that the Governor had proposed in her budget for Medicaid Expansion and directs that money to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).&nbsp; One of the bills we passed out of committee was House Bill 2214, which transfers land from the Department of Corrections to the city of Beloit, Kansas.Bills Passed the House<a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a>On Tuesday, February 23, the Kansas House of Representatives debated and voted on five bills, all of these bills passed Wednesday and are on their way to the Kansas State Senate.</a>One of those bills that we debated and voted on is House Bill 2237, which would extend the sunset on the Rural Opportunity Zones (ROZ).&nbsp; When ROZ was first enacted the program was to sunset after the tax year of 2021.&nbsp; This bill extends the sunset to 2023.&nbsp; The bill also extends the annual reporting requirements to the House and Senate Taxation Committees which would include how many are participating in the program.&nbsp; In the current fiscal year, the budget for ROZ is $950,000, all from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund which is funded by the Kansas Lottery money.&nbsp; This money is used to fund the obligations of the student loan forgiveness component of the ROZ program and the bill continues these obligations through fiscal year 2026. This bill passed the House, 107-16.On Thursday, we debated House Bill 2093, which increases the criminal penalty for fleeing or eluding a police officer when operating a stolen vehicle.&nbsp; This bill passed the House, 124-0.I voted “yes” on both bills.Contact InformationAnytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov" target="_blank">troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp; Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions.&nbsp; I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020/s/pdf/district_maps/district_map_h_109.pdf">109th Kansas House District</a>&nbsp;state representative and chairman of the Appropriations Committee.&nbsp;The 109th District includes&nbsp;Osborne, Russell, and Smith counties, and portions of Barton, Jewell, Lincoln and Rush counties.&nbsp;

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home Feb. 26

The Ellis County Health Department on Friday reported the average number of new coronavirus cases per day in the last seven days dipped to four — the lowest figure since that metric has been reported.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment also reported two additional coronavirus-related deaths, raising the total to 72.

<a href="https://form.jotform.com/210066258239051">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

There were 13 new cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County since Wednesday. There are currently 48 active cases, including five active hospitalizations of Ellis County residents, and 3,629 recovered cases.

As of Friday, there were 13 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed, down from 14 on Thursday, with eight of those active patients and five in the recovery phase.

The seven-day average of percent of positive tests fell from more than 8 percent Wednesday to 5.6 percent on Friday.

Since reported began, there have been 3,677 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County. Of the total 23,945 tests administered, 14.2 percent have returned positive for coronavirus.

NOTE:&nbsp;"New cases" reflects cases reported by the Ellis County Health Department between regular reporting periods of Monday, Wednesday and Friday. "Total cases" reflects all cases reported by the department. Because of delayed test results, total cases might include cases prior to the previous reporting period, so KDHE figures might not necessarily correspond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614365311392.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Health Department on Friday reported the average number of new coronavirus cases per day in the last seven days dipped to four — the lowest figure since that metric has been reported.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment also reported two additional coronavirus-related deaths, raising the total to 72.<a href="https://form.jotform.com/210066258239051">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.There were 13 new cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County since Wednesday. There are currently 48 active cases, including five active hospitalizations of Ellis County residents, and 3,629 recovered cases.As of Friday, there were 13 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed, down from 14 on Thursday, with eight of those active patients and five in the recovery phase.The seven-day average of percent of positive tests fell from more than 8 percent Wednesday to 5.6 percent on Friday.Since reported began, there have been 3,677 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County. Of the total 23,945 tests administered, 14.2 percent have returned positive for coronavirus.NOTE:&nbsp;"New cases" reflects cases reported by the Ellis County Health Department between regular reporting periods of Monday, Wednesday and Friday. "Total cases" reflects all cases reported by the department. Because of delayed test results, total cases might include cases prior to the previous reporting period, so KDHE figures might not necessarily correspond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614380921602.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Per-day virus rate falls to 4 in Ellis Co.; two additional deaths reported

The Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc. Board of Trustees voted on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, to spread any additional costs from the recent unprecedented winter weather event evenly over a 12-month time period.

Wheatland would like to ensure our members that we will continue to do everything possible to mitigate the impact that this March bill has on our members. Unfortunately, at this time, we do not yet know the full impact and will not know until we receive our power bill from Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, our generation and transmission provider.

“Just like our members, we are anxiously awaiting our power bill. Once we receive our wholesale power bill, members will be able to see the impact on their bill that generates on March 12th,” said Bruce W. Mueller, Wheatland’s CEO/General Manger.

Members who are enrolled in automatic bank draft or recurring credit and debit card payments should not be concerned that a large amount will be withdrawn from their account. Wheatland will not have this entire lump sum amount withdrawn from any members’ account at one time. Any additional costs from this winter weather event will be spread out evenly over a twelve-month time period starting with your March bill.

Additionally, Wheatland’s rates are not changing as they are set by our tariffs. This tariff includes a stated cost of electricity per kilowatt hour and are determined by a cost-of-service study. The most recent cost of service study was completed in 2019 and the current rates reflect that cost-of-service study recommendations. Members can expect to see an increase in the Power Cost Adjustment on their upcoming bill, due to the increased cost of natural gas.

Additionally, members most likely used more power than usual during the month of February due to the extreme cold weather. Both factors will contribute to a higher than average monthly bill.

This is a continually evolving situation and we will learn more in the coming days and weeks. Wheatland Electric will continue to keep you updated. Please follow us on social media and continue to check our website for updates, www.weci.net. A video message from our CEO/general manager can also be viewed at https://youtu.be/Nywr8-Lc-z8.

About Us Our Mission: Delivering Energy for Life–Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc., a member owned distribution cooperative headquartered in Scott City, KS, was established in 1948 as a distribution and power cooperative in the state of Kansas. Today, Wheatland Electric serves more than 33,000 electric meters in 14 Kansas counties and three Colorado counties and maintains over 4,000 miles of distribution power lines across western, southcentral Kansas and eastern Colorado. Together, with the help of our members, we are committed to building a better and stronger rural America. Visit www.weci.net for more information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614352775965.jpeg" alt="Sheena McKinley, consumer services representative, visits with members on the phone at the Wheatland Electric Cooperative Inc., office in Garden City." />
 <figcaption>Sheena McKinley, consumer services representative, visits with members on the phone at the Wheatland Electric Cooperative Inc., office in Garden City.</figcaption>
 </figure>From Wheatland Electric...The Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc. Board of Trustees voted on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, to spread any additional costs from the recent unprecedented winter weather event evenly over a 12-month time period.Wheatland would like to ensure our members that we will continue to do everything possible to mitigate the impact that this March bill has on our members. Unfortunately, at this time, we do not yet know the full impact and will not know until we receive our power bill from Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, our generation and transmission provider.“Just like our members, we are anxiously awaiting our power bill. Once we receive our wholesale power bill, members will be able to see the impact on their bill that generates on March 12th,” said Bruce W. Mueller, Wheatland’s CEO/General Manger.Members who are enrolled in automatic bank draft or recurring credit and debit card payments should not be concerned that a large amount will be withdrawn from their account. Wheatland will not have this entire lump sum amount withdrawn from any members’ account at one time. Any additional costs from this winter weather event will be spread out evenly over a twelve-month time period starting with your March bill.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611958165537.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Additionally, Wheatland’s rates are not changing as they are set by our tariffs. This tariff includes a stated cost of electricity per kilowatt hour and are determined by a cost-of-service study. The most recent cost of service study was completed in 2019 and the current rates reflect that cost-of-service study recommendations. Members can expect to see an increase in the Power Cost Adjustment on their upcoming bill, due to the increased cost of natural gas.Additionally, members most likely used more power than usual during the month of February due to the extreme cold weather. Both factors will contribute to a higher than average monthly bill.This is a continually evolving situation and we will learn more in the coming days and weeks. Wheatland Electric will continue to keep you updated. Please follow us on social media and continue to check our website for updates, www.weci.net. A video message from our CEO/general manager can also be viewed at https://youtu.be/Nywr8-Lc-z8.About Us Our Mission: Delivering Energy for Life–Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc., a member owned distribution cooperative headquartered in Scott City, KS, was established in 1948 as a distribution and power cooperative in the state of Kansas. Today, Wheatland Electric serves more than 33,000 electric meters in 14 Kansas counties and three Colorado counties and maintains over 4,000 miles of distribution power lines across western, southcentral Kansas and eastern Colorado. Together, with the help of our members, we are committed to building a better and stronger rural America. Visit www.weci.net for more information.

Wheatland Electric to spread costs from winter weather over 12 months

The Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 8 traffic stops Thu., Feb. 18, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Gunshots/Non-Injury
Shooting—1300 block W 27th St, Hays; 12:36 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--2500 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 7:50 AM 
MV Accident-Hit and Run--300 block E 17th St, Hays; 2/16 8:30 AM; 8:35 AM 
Criminal Damage to Property—2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 2/17 10 PM; 2/18 11:38
AM 
Dead Animal Call—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 2:59 PM 
Violation of Restraining Order/PFA—1000 block E 17th St, Hays; 2/17 8AM; 11:30
PM 
Disturbance – General—500 block W 37th St, Hays; 5:49 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--400 block Walnut St, Hays; 5:57 PM 
Disturbance – Fight--1300 block Ash St, Hays; 10:30 PM; 10:43 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 20 traffic stops Fri., Feb. 19, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Criminal
Damage to Property--600 block E 11th St, Hays; 2/1; 2/18 8 AM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—1700 block Volga Dr, Hays; 2/16 
Shoplifting--2900 block Broadway Ave, Hays; 2/13 3:51 PM; 4:15 PM 
Parking Complaint--500 block E 20th St, Hays; 11:36 AM 
44 - Traffic Stop--22nd and Vine, Hays; 12:14 PM 
Animal Bite Investigation—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 1:40 PM 
MV Accident-Private Property-Injury—1900 block Vine St, Hays; 1:52 PM 
Traffic/Driving Complaint--2000 block MacArthur Rd, Hays; 3:17 PM 
CMB Viol-sell, furnish, transp--2500 block Vine St, Hays; 4:55 PM 
Animal Injured--3500 block Hillcrest Dr, Hays; 4:55 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—500 block Fort St, Hays; 7:38 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--1400 block Oak St, Hays; 8:40 PM 
Driving Under the Influence—3500 block Vine St, Hays; 9:22 PM 
Found/Lost Property—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 9:33 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle--2700 block Augusta Ln, Hays; 10:07 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--200 block W 8th St, Hays; 10:58 PM 
Underage Possession of CMB/LIQ--600 block Park St, Hays; 11:49 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 21 traffic stops Sat., Feb. 20, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Civil
Dispute—500 block W 7th St, Hays; 12:15 AM 
Driving Under the Influence--100 block W 13th St, Hays; 1:04 AM 
Drug Offenses—300 block E 6th St, Hays; 2:05 AM 
Criminal Damage to Property—400 block E 14th St, Hays; 2/19 10 PM; 2/20 6 AM Mental
Health Call—200 block E 5th St, Hays; 7:58 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 8:42 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—700 block E 12th St, Hays; 12:37 PM 
Sex Offense—300 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:20 PM 
Drug Offenses--2600 block Vine St, Hays; 12 PM 
Theft (general)—500 block E 20th St, Hays; 2:44 PM 
Burglary/vehicle—400 block E 13th St, Hays; 2/19 10 PM; 2/20 1:55 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property--300 block W 7th St, Hays; 2/19 7 PM; 2/20 3 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 3 animal calls and conducted 25 traffic stops Sun., Feb. 21, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Battery –
simple—100 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:09 AM 
Driving Under the Influence--1000 block Ash St, Hays; 1:48 AM 
Driving Under the Influence--300 block W 7th St, Hays; 2:10 AM; 2:17 AM 
Intoxicated Subject—400 block W 5th St, Hays; 2:43 AM 
Burglary/business—200 block W 48th St, Hays; 3:28 AM; 3:35 AM 
Stolen/Recovered Property—3400 block Vine St, Hays; 9:58 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—2500 block Henry Dr, Hays; 10:11 AM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—2700 block Vine St, Hays; 2:04 PM 
Found/Lost Property--Elm and 5th St, Hays; 5 PM 
Welfare Check—400 block Linda Ln, Hays; 6:36 PM 
Suspicious Activity—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 7:34 PM 
Theft (general)—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 8:52 PM 
Theft (general)—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 2:49 PM 
Drug Offenses—3200 block Vine St, Hays; 10:01 PM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—3900 block E 8th St, Hays; 11:22 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 8 traffic stops Mon., Feb. 22, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Mental
Health Call—200 block E 5th St, Hays; 2/18 12:01 AM; 2/22 7:39 AM 
MV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 2/20 &nbsp;3:30 PM; 4 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--2900 block Vine St, Hays; 9:05 AM 
Counterfeit currency/documents—100 block W 43rd St, Hays; 10:18 AM 
Burglary/vehicle—2500 block Henry Dr, Hays; 11:38 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—400 block E 5th St, Hays; 12:06 PM 
Unwanted Person—3200 block Vine St, Hays; 12:30 PM 
Suspicious Activity—Hays; 12:37 PM 
Animal Call—1100 block E 15th St, Hays; 1:11 PM 
MV Accident /DUI—3200 block Vine St, Hays; 1:29 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle—100 block W 17th St, Hays; 1:36 PM 
Found/Lost Property--8th and Elm, Hays; 2:24 PM 
Found/Lost Property—200 block W 10th St, Hays; 2:54 PM 
Drug Offenses—4200 block Vine St, Hays; 5:49 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 12 animal calls and conducted 13 traffic stops Tue., Feb. 23, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Drug
Offenses—1000 block E 41st St, Hays; 12:55 AM; 12:56 AM 
Violation of Restraining Order/PFA—2500 block Felten Dr, Hays; 3:42 AM; 3:43 AM 
Harassment (All Other)—300 block W 11th St, Hays; 7:23 AM 
Miscellaneous Investigation—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 10:06 AM 
Animal At Large—1200 block Vine St, Hays; 10:34 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1300 block E 15th St, Hays; 1:37 PM 
Animal At Large—400 block W 13th St, Hays; 2:02 PM 
Dead Animal Call—2100 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 3:23 PM 
Identity Theft—Hays; 12/20/20; 1/12/21 
Animal At Large--13th St and Steven Dr, Hays; 4:54 PM 
Animal Call--2000 block MacArthur Rd, Hays; 6:41 PM 
Drug Offenses—1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 7:22 PM 
Found/Lost Property—1200 block Walnut St, Hays; 7:23 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--1300 block Montgomery St, Hays; 11:08 PM

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592410704431.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 1 animal call and conducted 8 traffic stops Thu., Feb. 18, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Gunshots/Non-Injury
Shooting—1300 block W 27th St, Hays; 12:36 AM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--2500 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 7:50 AM 
MV Accident-Hit and Run--300 block E 17th St, Hays; 2/16 8:30 AM; 8:35 AM 
Criminal Damage to Property—2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 2/17 10 PM; 2/18 11:38
AM 
Dead Animal Call—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 2:59 PM 
Violation of Restraining Order/PFA—1000 block E 17th St, Hays; 2/17 8AM; 11:30
PM 
Disturbance – General—500 block W 37th St, Hays; 5:49 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--400 block Walnut St, Hays; 5:57 PM 
Disturbance – Fight--1300 block Ash St, Hays; 10:30 PM; 10:43 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 20 traffic stops Fri., Feb. 19, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Criminal
Damage to Property--600 block E 11th St, Hays; 2/1; 2/18 8 AM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—1700 block Volga Dr, Hays; 2/16 
Shoplifting--2900 block Broadway Ave, Hays; 2/13 3:51 PM; 4:15 PM 
Parking Complaint--500 block E 20th St, Hays; 11:36 AM 
44 - Traffic Stop--22nd and Vine, Hays; 12:14 PM 
Animal Bite Investigation—1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 1:40 PM 
MV Accident-Private Property-Injury—1900 block Vine St, Hays; 1:52 PM 
Traffic/Driving Complaint--2000 block MacArthur Rd, Hays; 3:17 PM 
CMB Viol-sell, furnish, transp--2500 block Vine St, Hays; 4:55 PM 
Animal Injured--3500 block Hillcrest Dr, Hays; 4:55 PM 
Lost Animals ONLY—500 block Fort St, Hays; 7:38 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--1400 block Oak St, Hays; 8:40 PM 
Driving Under the Influence—3500 block Vine St, Hays; 9:22 PM 
Found/Lost Property—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 9:33 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle--2700 block Augusta Ln, Hays; 10:07 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--200 block W 8th St, Hays; 10:58 PM 
Underage Possession of CMB/LIQ--600 block Park St, Hays; 11:49 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 21 traffic stops Sat., Feb. 20, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Civil
Dispute—500 block W 7th St, Hays; 12:15 AM 
Driving Under the Influence--100 block W 13th St, Hays; 1:04 AM 
Drug Offenses—300 block E 6th St, Hays; 2:05 AM 
Criminal Damage to Property—400 block E 14th St, Hays; 2/19 10 PM; 2/20 6 AM Mental
Health Call—200 block E 5th St, Hays; 7:58 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 8:42 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—700 block E 12th St, Hays; 12:37 PM 
Sex Offense—300 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:20 PM 
Drug Offenses--2600 block Vine St, Hays; 12 PM 
Theft (general)—500 block E 20th St, Hays; 2:44 PM 
Burglary/vehicle—400 block E 13th St, Hays; 2/19 10 PM; 2/20 1:55 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property--300 block W 7th St, Hays; 2/19 7 PM; 2/20 3 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 3 animal calls and conducted 25 traffic stops Sun., Feb. 21, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Battery –
simple—100 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:09 AM 
Driving Under the Influence--1000 block Ash St, Hays; 1:48 AM 
Driving Under the Influence--300 block W 7th St, Hays; 2:10 AM; 2:17 AM 
Intoxicated Subject—400 block W 5th St, Hays; 2:43 AM 
Burglary/business—200 block W 48th St, Hays; 3:28 AM; 3:35 AM 
Stolen/Recovered Property—3400 block Vine St, Hays; 9:58 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—2500 block Henry Dr, Hays; 10:11 AM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—2700 block Vine St, Hays; 2:04 PM 
Found/Lost Property--Elm and 5th St, Hays; 5 PM 
Welfare Check—400 block Linda Ln, Hays; 6:36 PM 
Suspicious Activity—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 7:34 PM 
Theft (general)—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 8:52 PM 
Theft (general)—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 2:49 PM 
Drug Offenses—3200 block Vine St, Hays; 10:01 PM 
Assist - Other (not MV)—3900 block E 8th St, Hays; 11:22 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 8 traffic stops Mon., Feb. 22, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Mental
Health Call—200 block E 5th St, Hays; 2/18 12:01 AM; 2/22 7:39 AM 
MV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run—4300 block Vine St, Hays; 2/20 &nbsp;3:30 PM; 4 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley--2900 block Vine St, Hays; 9:05 AM 
Counterfeit currency/documents—100 block W 43rd St, Hays; 10:18 AM 
Burglary/vehicle—2500 block Henry Dr, Hays; 11:38 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—400 block E 5th St, Hays; 12:06 PM 
Unwanted Person—3200 block Vine St, Hays; 12:30 PM 
Suspicious Activity—Hays; 12:37 PM 
Animal Call—1100 block E 15th St, Hays; 1:11 PM 
MV Accident /DUI—3200 block Vine St, Hays; 1:29 PM 
Abandoned Vehicle—100 block W 17th St, Hays; 1:36 PM 
Found/Lost Property--8th and Elm, Hays; 2:24 PM 
Found/Lost Property—200 block W 10th St, Hays; 2:54 PM 
Drug Offenses—4200 block Vine St, Hays; 5:49 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 12 animal calls and conducted 13 traffic stops Tue., Feb. 23, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.Drug
Offenses—1000 block E 41st St, Hays; 12:55 AM; 12:56 AM 
Violation of Restraining Order/PFA—2500 block Felten Dr, Hays; 3:42 AM; 3:43 AM 
Harassment (All Other)—300 block W 11th St, Hays; 7:23 AM 
Miscellaneous Investigation—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 10:06 AM 
Animal At Large—1200 block Vine St, Hays; 10:34 AM 
Lost Animals ONLY—1300 block E 15th St, Hays; 1:37 PM 
Animal At Large—400 block W 13th St, Hays; 2:02 PM 
Dead Animal Call—2100 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 3:23 PM 
Identity Theft—Hays; 12/20/20; 1/12/21 
Animal At Large--13th St and Steven Dr, Hays; 4:54 PM 
Animal Call--2000 block MacArthur Rd, Hays; 6:41 PM 
Drug Offenses—1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 7:22 PM 
Found/Lost Property—1200 block Walnut St, Hays; 7:23 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--1300 block Montgomery St, Hays; 11:08 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 4 traffic stops Wed., Feb. 24, 2021, according to the HPD Activity Log.<figure>
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HPD Activity Log, Feb. 18-24

Last weekend in Hays, the police department reported a sudden spike in DUI cases, with five DUI arrests made on Feb. 19 and two more the next day.

"I want to remind people not to drink and drive," said Police Chief Don Scheibler. "I know they have been locked up during COVID and the cold weather, but we have to be responsible."

While he said he is appreciative of the work to identify impaired drivers by officers and remove them from the roads, he would rather see people make the right choice and not drive while intoxicated.

"We appreciate the hard work of the officers, being out there and being proactive, but we really need people to call for and Uber, get a designated driver or limit their drinking," Scheibler said.

He said typically Hays will average one or two arrests on a weekend and with COVID restrictions in place along with the recent cold snap, there have been even fewer DUI arrests.

"It was surprising for us to see that many DUIs in a weekend, but again the officers are out there being proactive," Scheibler said. "People just have to understand if you are going to drink and drive there is a good chance you are going to get arrested. It's not worth it."

By JAMES BELL Hays PostLast weekend in Hays, the police department reported a sudden spike in DUI cases, with five DUI arrests made on Feb. 19 and two more the next day."I want to remind people not to drink and drive," said Police Chief Don Scheibler. "I know they have been locked up during COVID and the cold weather, but we have to be responsible."While he said he is appreciative of the work to identify impaired drivers by officers and remove them from the roads, he would rather see people make the right choice and not drive while intoxicated."We appreciate the hard work of the officers, being out there and being proactive, but we really need people to call for and Uber, get a designated driver or limit their drinking," Scheibler said.He said typically Hays will average one or two arrests on a weekend and with COVID restrictions in place along with the recent cold snap, there have been even fewer DUI arrests."It was surprising for us to see that many DUIs in a weekend, but again the officers are out there being proactive," Scheibler said. "People just have to understand if you are going to drink and drive there is a good chance you are going to get arrested. It's not worth it."A recent example of the dangers of drinking and driving in Hays occurred just after the weekend spike.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614147280267.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>"We had an injury accident (Monday) in the parking lot of Whiskey Creek," Scheibler said. "The vehicle drove across the parking lot on the backside of the business at a high rate of speed and end up striking a telephone pole, destroying the front end of the vehicle and requiring him to be transported to the hospital."Following an investigation into the incident, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.&nbsp;

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