If you are considering purchasing fruit trees this spring, there are certain factors that should be considered for some of our fruit tree species. &nbsp;Spring in Kansas is often unsettled with apricot and peach tree flowers being very vulnerable to late frosts that can kill fruit buds. Of course, the tree itself will be fine but there will be little to no fruit for that year. 

Other species of trees can also be affected but apricots and peaches are by far the most sensitive. &nbsp;Also, the closer a tree is to full bloom, the more sensitive it becomes to frost.

Apricots are more likely to have frost kill flowers than peaches because they bloom a bit earlier. Though there are late-blooming apricot varieties, the differences between full bloom on early and late-blooming varieties appear to be slight. Research at Virginia Tech in the '90s showed a maximum of a 4-day difference between early and late varieties. However, in some years that may be all that is needed. The trees in the study that were considered late blooming included Hungarian Rose, Tilton, and Harlayne. Harglow was not included in the study but is also considered late-blooming. 

See&nbsp;<a href="https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/422/422-761/422-761.html">https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/422/422-761/422-761.html</a>for more info.​Peaches are next on the list for being likely to be caught by a late frost. With peaches, two characteristics become important when considering whether they will be damaged. Like apricots, bloom time is very important but fruit bud hardiness should also be considered. In this case, fruit bud hardiness refers to hardiness to late frosts rather than the ability to survive extremely low temperatures during the winter. Late bloomers included ‘China Pearl’, ‘Encore’, ‘Intrepid’, and ‘Risingstar.’ See&nbsp;<a href="http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/research/horticulture/RR782.pdf">http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/research/horticulture/RR782.pdf</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;. The ‘Intrepid’ cultivar also has shown excellent cold hardiness when in flower. See&nbsp;<a href="http://www.google.com/patents/USPP12357">http://www.google.com/patents/USPP12357</a>

<a href="http://www.google.com/patents/USPP12357"></a> So, are there other considerations when looking at frost damage? Location can be very important. Planting on a hill that allows cold air to drain to lower elevations can help. &nbsp;Also, a location in town will be more likely to have a warmer micro-climate than an exposed location. Some gardeners will add a heat source under a tree during cold nights if they are close to a building. Heat lamps and charcoal briquettes are sometimes used but safety should be the first consideration. Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580750915301.jpeg" alt="Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>If you are considering purchasing fruit trees this spring, there are certain factors that should be considered for some of our fruit tree species. &nbsp;Spring in Kansas is often unsettled with apricot and peach tree flowers being very vulnerable to late frosts that can kill fruit buds. Of course, the tree itself will be fine but there will be little to no fruit for that year. Other species of trees can also be affected but apricots and peaches are by far the most sensitive. &nbsp;Also, the closer a tree is to full bloom, the more sensitive it becomes to frost.Apricots are more likely to have frost kill flowers than peaches because they bloom a bit earlier. Though there are late-blooming apricot varieties, the differences between full bloom on early and late-blooming varieties appear to be slight. Research at Virginia Tech in the '90s showed a maximum of a 4-day difference between early and late varieties. However, in some years that may be all that is needed. The trees in the study that were considered late blooming included Hungarian Rose, Tilton, and Harlayne. Harglow was not included in the study but is also considered late-blooming. See&nbsp;<a href="https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/422/422-761/422-761.html">https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/422/422-761/422-761.html</a>for more info.​Peaches are next on the list for being likely to be caught by a late frost. With peaches, two characteristics become important when considering whether they will be damaged. Like apricots, bloom time is very important but fruit bud hardiness should also be considered. In this case, fruit bud hardiness refers to hardiness to late frosts rather than the ability to survive extremely low temperatures during the winter. Late bloomers included ‘China Pearl’, ‘Encore’, ‘Intrepid’, and ‘Risingstar.’ See&nbsp;<a href="http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/research/horticulture/RR782.pdf">http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/research/horticulture/RR782.pdf</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;. The ‘Intrepid’ cultivar also has shown excellent cold hardiness when in flower. See&nbsp;<a href="http://www.google.com/patents/USPP12357">http://www.google.com/patents/USPP12357</a><a href="http://www.google.com/patents/USPP12357"></a> So, are there other considerations when looking at frost damage? Location can be very important. Planting on a hill that allows cold air to drain to lower elevations can help. &nbsp;Also, a location in town will be more likely to have a warmer micro-climate than an exposed location. Some gardeners will add a heat source under a tree during cold nights if they are close to a building. Heat lamps and charcoal briquettes are sometimes used but safety should be the first consideration. Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

FICK: Fruit trees and frost

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🎙 Post Podcast: Hays Public Library reopens as construction continues

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Monday announced that 30 new cases of COVID-19 were identified in Ellis County since Wednesday.

Due to the holiday, there was no report from the Ellis County Health Department on Friday. The next report is expected Wednesday, as the department is currently aggregating 2020 case numbers.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/68168042-00c8-4c1b-8817-4b26e7c7f51d">RELATED:&nbsp;Who gets vaccinated in Kansas and when</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609784186505.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Monday announced that 30 new cases of COVID-19 were identified in Ellis County since Wednesday.Due to the holiday, there was no report from the Ellis County Health Department on Friday. The next report is expected Wednesday, as the department is currently aggregating 2020 case numbers.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/68168042-00c8-4c1b-8817-4b26e7c7f51d">RELATED:&nbsp;Who gets vaccinated in Kansas and when</a><figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rnw0R-SGsnA"></iframe>
 <figcaption>Sponsored</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: 30 new cases of COVID-19 in Ellis Co. since Wednesday

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced that to help keep Kansans warm this winter, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) will begin accepting applications for its Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) on Monday, Jan. 4.&nbsp;

“During the cold winter months, it is important that all Kansans have access to the resources they need to heat their homes and ensure their families can stay safe and healthy,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“I encourage all those who qualify to apply for this program. My administration is committed to protecting Kansas families now, throughout the pandemic, and into the future.”

LIEAP provides an annual benefit to help qualifying households pay winter heating bills. Persons with disabilities, older adults and families with children are the primary groups assisted. In 2020, about 34,000 households received an average benefit of $960.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Winters in Kansas have the likelihood of bringing frigid temperatures, add in the financial pressures of the pandemic, it’s especially important this year that families have access to this important service to avoid financial concerns,”&nbsp;DCF Secretary Laura Howard said.&nbsp;“Our staff is prepared to begin processing LIEAP applications, so families have warm homes this winter season.”

To qualify, applicants must be responsible for direct payment of their heating bills. Income eligibility requirements are set at 130 percent of the federal poverty level. The level of benefit varies according to household income, number of people living in the home, type of residence, type of heating fuel and utility rates.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Applicants need to have made payments on their heating bill two out of the last three months. Those payments must be equal to or exceed $80 or the total balance due on their energy bills, whichever is less.&nbsp;

Applications for the program have been mailed to households that received energy assistance last year. LIEAP applications are also available at local DCF offices and through partnering agencies starting Jan. 4. They can be requested by calling 1-800-432-0043.

To apply online, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.fYrobyydoTxFMH1DLIoCQgruTcca10nD1LsXflV15VA/s/1303135927/br/92500422825-l" target="_blank">https://cssp.kees.ks.gov/apspssp/sspNonMed.portal</a>. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.8kbVZWTQfFh66uJUThtUtBgGdFep7_lweBHdWB9o3Go/s/1303135927/br/92500422825-l" target="_blank">http://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/EnergyAssistance.aspx</a>.

Applications will be accepted from Jan. 4 to March 31.&nbsp;

Income eligibility determination:&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588195629664.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Gov.TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced that to help keep Kansans warm this winter, the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) will begin accepting applications for its Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) on Monday, Jan. 4.&nbsp;“During the cold winter months, it is important that all Kansans have access to the resources they need to heat their homes and ensure their families can stay safe and healthy,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“I encourage all those who qualify to apply for this program. My administration is committed to protecting Kansas families now, throughout the pandemic, and into the future.”LIEAP provides an annual benefit to help qualifying households pay winter heating bills. Persons with disabilities, older adults and families with children are the primary groups assisted. In 2020, about 34,000 households received an average benefit of $960.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Winters in Kansas have the likelihood of bringing frigid temperatures, add in the financial pressures of the pandemic, it’s especially important this year that families have access to this important service to avoid financial concerns,”&nbsp;DCF Secretary Laura Howard said.&nbsp;“Our staff is prepared to begin processing LIEAP applications, so families have warm homes this winter season.”To qualify, applicants must be responsible for direct payment of their heating bills. Income eligibility requirements are set at 130 percent of the federal poverty level. The level of benefit varies according to household income, number of people living in the home, type of residence, type of heating fuel and utility rates.&nbsp;&nbsp;Applicants need to have made payments on their heating bill two out of the last three months. Those payments must be equal to or exceed $80 or the total balance due on their energy bills, whichever is less.&nbsp;Applications for the program have been mailed to households that received energy assistance last year. LIEAP applications are also available at local DCF offices and through partnering agencies starting Jan. 4. They can be requested by calling 1-800-432-0043. To apply online, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.fYrobyydoTxFMH1DLIoCQgruTcca10nD1LsXflV15VA/s/1303135927/br/92500422825-l" target="_blank">https://cssp.kees.ks.gov/apspssp/sspNonMed.portal</a>. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.8kbVZWTQfFh66uJUThtUtBgGdFep7_lweBHdWB9o3Go/s/1303135927/br/92500422825-l" target="_blank">http://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/EnergyAssistance.aspx</a>.Applications will be accepted from Jan. 4 to March 31.&nbsp;Income eligibility determination:&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609366921238.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Low-income energy assistance program applications start Jan. 4

Joyce and I don’t normally hunt for trophy deer; we’re happy with a nice buck or a plump doe that puts good meat in the freezer. Last year we each shot deer and still have plenty of meat in our freezer, so this year I decided to wait for a big buck. The first morning of rifle season, I watched a bruiser buck walk past our blind in the early morning shadows before legal shooting time. Then another big buck came along with a group of does and fawns and was so entertaining I decided to let him go too, thinking “Certainly I’ll see them both again before season is done. I never saw either of them again; … that’s what I get for thinkin’!&nbsp;

The last Saturday morning of deer rifle season, I watched the usual group of does begin their trek toward our blind, followed by a dandy buck. “He’ll certainly follow his harem,” I surmised. He disappeared like a ghost never to be seen again; … that’s what I get for thinkin’.

I should have known better. It seems my record for being correct on important decisions is subpar lately; it all seems to have begun with my choices to win the TV show “The Voice.” We followed The Voice off-and-on this season, then tuned-in to see who won. Five contestants were in the finale; I chose the three I knew absolutely, unequivocally, would rank first, second and third. My choices ranked third, fourth and dead last...that’s what I get for thinkin’.

When I’m setting coyote traps, I watch the weather very closely for precipitation. Rain is bad because it makes a muddy mess of things, rendering the traps which are covered with a half inch or so of dirt, ineffective. Then if it freezes after the rain, the dirt over the traps becomes a frozen muddy mess, making the traps completely inoperable. On top of it all, it becomes impossible to drive over crop fields to get to the traps. Snow on the other hand is OK in small amounts as long as the weather stays cold enough so as not to melt the snow, which again would make for a muddy mess. When I set traps last week, the weather prediction was for a small amount of snow 2 days later, about a 60% chance. Now, all summer long, a 60% chance of precipitation had usually gotten us no precipitation at all, so “I’m good-to-go,” I thought. We got about an inch of snow, which promptly melted the next day, freezing all the traps in place and causing me a boat-load of extra work… that’s what I get for thinkin.’&nbsp;

I have a love-hate relationship with the local squirrels; they’re fun to watch as they chase each other around-and-around the two oak trees in our front lawn, but when they riddle my lawn with holes, dug to bury their “prizes,” I take it personally. This fall, I built one of those squirrel feeders that employs a one-gallon glass jar to hold the corn, peanuts etc. “This will be fun to watch the little beggars crawl around and sit in the jar like in all the pictures,” I thought. Our squirrels lean in about half-way, pull entire ears of corn out of the jar, and about anything else they can do to keep from crawling into the jar like “in all the pictures” …once again, that’s what I get for thinkin.’&nbsp;

It seems the phrase “that’s what I get for thinkin’” completely sums up the year 2020. I don’t think I could have done much personally to make 2020 any better, and I’m not sure what I can do to make 2021 any better either, but I just know I’m not gonna’ stop thinkin’.” 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>Joyce and I don’t normally hunt for trophy deer; we’re happy with a nice buck or a plump doe that puts good meat in the freezer. Last year we each shot deer and still have plenty of meat in our freezer, so this year I decided to wait for a big buck. The first morning of rifle season, I watched a bruiser buck walk past our blind in the early morning shadows before legal shooting time. Then another big buck came along with a group of does and fawns and was so entertaining I decided to let him go too, thinking “Certainly I’ll see them both again before season is done. I never saw either of them again; … that’s what I get for thinkin’!&nbsp;The last Saturday morning of deer rifle season, I watched the usual group of does begin their trek toward our blind, followed by a dandy buck. “He’ll certainly follow his harem,” I surmised. He disappeared like a ghost never to be seen again; … that’s what I get for thinkin’.I should have known better. It seems my record for being correct on important decisions is subpar lately; it all seems to have begun with my choices to win the TV show “The Voice.” We followed The Voice off-and-on this season, then tuned-in to see who won. Five contestants were in the finale; I chose the three I knew absolutely, unequivocally, would rank first, second and third. My choices ranked third, fourth and dead last...that’s what I get for thinkin’.When I’m setting coyote traps, I watch the weather very closely for precipitation. Rain is bad because it makes a muddy mess of things, rendering the traps which are covered with a half inch or so of dirt, ineffective. Then if it freezes after the rain, the dirt over the traps becomes a frozen muddy mess, making the traps completely inoperable. On top of it all, it becomes impossible to drive over crop fields to get to the traps. Snow on the other hand is OK in small amounts as long as the weather stays cold enough so as not to melt the snow, which again would make for a muddy mess. When I set traps last week, the weather prediction was for a small amount of snow 2 days later, about a 60% chance. Now, all summer long, a 60% chance of precipitation had usually gotten us no precipitation at all, so “I’m good-to-go,” I thought. We got about an inch of snow, which promptly melted the next day, freezing all the traps in place and causing me a boat-load of extra work… that’s what I get for thinkin.’&nbsp;I have a love-hate relationship with the local squirrels; they’re fun to watch as they chase each other around-and-around the two oak trees in our front lawn, but when they riddle my lawn with holes, dug to bury their “prizes,” I take it personally. This fall, I built one of those squirrel feeders that employs a one-gallon glass jar to hold the corn, peanuts etc. “This will be fun to watch the little beggars crawl around and sit in the jar like in all the pictures,” I thought. Our squirrels lean in about half-way, pull entire ears of corn out of the jar, and about anything else they can do to keep from crawling into the jar like “in all the pictures” …once again, that’s what I get for thinkin.’&nbsp;It seems the phrase “that’s what I get for thinkin’” completely sums up the year 2020. I don’t think I could have done much personally to make 2020 any better, and I’m not sure what I can do to make 2021 any better either, but I just know I’m not gonna’ stop thinkin’.” Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Well, that’s what I get for thinkin’

Despite being native to the Great Plains, eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) escapes from shelterbelt and ornamental plantings have resulted in widespread infestation of range and pasture that often require management. It is thought that the tree was originally confined to ridges and bluffs, but is now found in diverse sites, ranging from rocky uplands to swampy bottomlands. Eastern redcedars do provide food and shelter for many wild animals, but consuming leaves may be harmful to pregnant cows.&nbsp;

Eastern redcedar can be recognized by its opposite, evergreen leaves. Each leaf is actually a small (0.05-inch-long) triangle that pressed tightly over the margins of neighboring leaves. Younger leaves are not pressed together and are actually longer than more mature leaves. The canopy is pyramid-shaped, comprised of slender gray branches. It is a relatively slow-growing species with mature trees reaching heights of up to 65 feet. Bark is reddish brown and shreds into long, narrow strips.&nbsp;

Eastern redcedar is a dioecious species, meaning some plants only produce male reproductive structures while others only female structures. Eastern redcedar ‘berries’ are actually female cones. Cones are small (1/10 to 1/3-inch diameter), blue to purple colored spheres covered with a white wax. Each cone contains one to three small, egg-shaped seeds. Pollen cones are found at the end of branches.&nbsp;

Eastern redcedar can be managed with prescribed fire, especially trees that are less than 3 feet tall. For larger trees, cutting below the lowest branches is effective because eastern redcedar does not resprout. Grazon P+D, Surmount, and Tordon 22K are among the more effective herbicides; however, control by broadcast applications decreases rapidly as trees height increases. Soil-applied herbicides that can control eastern redcedar include Velpar L and Prononone Power Pellets.&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition, grazing management that promotes a health grass sward is important to preventing the spread of eastern redcedar.&nbsp;

Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aboor@ksu.edu">aboor@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or calling 620-793-1910&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141354634.png" alt="Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite being native to the Great Plains, eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) escapes from shelterbelt and ornamental plantings have resulted in widespread infestation of range and pasture that often require management. It is thought that the tree was originally confined to ridges and bluffs, but is now found in diverse sites, ranging from rocky uplands to swampy bottomlands. Eastern redcedars do provide food and shelter for many wild animals, but consuming leaves may be harmful to pregnant cows.&nbsp;Identification&nbsp;Eastern redcedar can be recognized by its opposite, evergreen leaves. Each leaf is actually a small (0.05-inch-long) triangle that pressed tightly over the margins of neighboring leaves. Younger leaves are not pressed together and are actually longer than more mature leaves. The canopy is pyramid-shaped, comprised of slender gray branches. It is a relatively slow-growing species with mature trees reaching heights of up to 65 feet. Bark is reddish brown and shreds into long, narrow strips.&nbsp;Eastern redcedar is a dioecious species, meaning some plants only produce male reproductive structures while others only female structures. Eastern redcedar ‘berries’ are actually female cones. Cones are small (1/10 to 1/3-inch diameter), blue to purple colored spheres covered with a white wax. Each cone contains one to three small, egg-shaped seeds. Pollen cones are found at the end of branches.&nbsp;Management&nbsp;Eastern redcedar can be managed with prescribed fire, especially trees that are less than 3 feet tall. For larger trees, cutting below the lowest branches is effective because eastern redcedar does not resprout. Grazon P+D, Surmount, and Tordon 22K are among the more effective herbicides; however, control by broadcast applications decreases rapidly as trees height increases. Soil-applied herbicides that can control eastern redcedar include Velpar L and Prononone Power Pellets.&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition, grazing management that promotes a health grass sward is important to preventing the spread of eastern redcedar.&nbsp;Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aboor@ksu.edu">aboor@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or calling 620-793-1910&nbsp;

BOOR: Ecology of eastern redcedar 

Three-day weather outlook

Bear with me readers as I make my case that we are not the "United States of America," but the "divided states" of America."&nbsp; We are a divided country in many ways, but there's an issue within this division that is very troublesome to me and has been for some time.&nbsp;&nbsp; In the past month or so, I have written that we have become a lawless third world country.&nbsp; In a second letter to the editor, I make the point we have a political party that is allowed to do most anything without accountability.&nbsp; &nbsp;In this letter to the editor, I claim we have basically become a country of "unequal justice."&nbsp;&nbsp; There appears to be one set of rules for Democrats and a different set for Republicans.&nbsp; I'm referring to our laws especially, but not exclusively.&nbsp; Call it "inequality of justice" that appears completely out of whack as if we have two different Americas. Since when does one political party have the right to be lawless while the other party is required to hold the line?&nbsp; The word that comes to mind is "hypocrisy."&nbsp; Are we headed for a socialistic one party rule of this country?&nbsp; Unless something dramatic happens between now and January 20 that could happen as I see it.&nbsp; Socialist government is one party rule no different than in Russia or China. Democrat Hillary broke some twelve laws with her email server when Secretary of State.&nbsp; Her emails were scattered all over the world endangering our national security.&nbsp; So what?&nbsp; Did she pay a price?&nbsp; Nope!&nbsp; No accountability whatsoever.&nbsp; The Clinton Foundation, raking in millions upon millions from foreign adversaries for charitable purposes, was a farce.&nbsp; Pay to play by Hillary was the name of the game as was the case with Joe Biden when he was Vice President.&nbsp; The Biden family, including Joe, were getting millions from Russia and China. How can an American official, without breaking the law, say to a foreign country, if you fill my pockets I will return the favor with taxpayer monies?&nbsp; &nbsp; Even Trump's Attorney General Barr wouldn't touch the Biden scandal and ran for the hills as he sheepishly resigned.&nbsp; The humongous scandal could have made a difference in the election, but the "deep state" of Democrat forces intervened as usual.&nbsp; Barr couldn't take the heat and it appears our Supreme Court is being cowardly as well.&nbsp; &nbsp;God help us if they are!&nbsp; The most telling issue that we are a third world country, where people can do anything, and not worry about justice is the coup to destroy a Trump presidency by former president Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary, which I mention in all of my writings.&nbsp; Why wouldn't I when it is one of the worst possible scandals in all of American history.&nbsp; To date nobody is held accountable and, of course, that's why Trump must be destroyed.&nbsp; Reverse these scenarios with Republicans involved in such corruption and you can bet the farm all hell would break loose.&nbsp; Many ending up in orange jump suits.&nbsp; During the infamous Mueller investigation and coup to destroy Trump the FBI in bed with Dems engaged in the worst prosecutorial misconduct in recent American history.&nbsp; When they couldn't get Trump associates Michael Flynn, George Papadopolous, Roger Stone and many others to nail Trump on Russia collusion they prosecuted everybody on superfluous stuff and threw the book at them anyway ruining their lives in the process.&nbsp;&nbsp; On a different note, not in our wildest dreams, looking at more inequality,&nbsp; could conservative Republicans get away with supporting groups that engage in violent protests, maiming police, burning buildings after stealing TV sets, etc.&nbsp; The Democrat controlled states and cities look the other way and threaten law enforcement if they don't stand down.&nbsp; Defund the police is obvious lawlessness and insanity, and will only get worse.&nbsp; Democrat governors and mayors in states and cities are trampling the constitutional rights (right and left) of its people and business owners with lockdowns.&nbsp; So what? Interesting!&nbsp; Voter fraud by Republicans is unheard of, but off the charts by Democrats.&nbsp; Hundreds, maybe thousands, of Biden voters committed voter fraud which is a felony.&nbsp; I haven't seen one case of anybody getting prosecuted so what's to prevent the same countless irregularities the next time?&nbsp; At this rate, there will never be another Republican occupying the White House. America's media took sides with one political party.&nbsp; Media protected a terribly poor candidate to be president who hung out in his basement and didn't even campaign for the job.&nbsp; If Joe Biden is inaugurated January 20 he owes it all to media which no longer reports news instead perpetuates Democrat's ideology, even censoring reports they don't like.&nbsp; That's no different than the media in socialist countries like Russia and China.&nbsp;&nbsp; If Democrats have already put in place no rules for themselves, but only for Republicans, one can only imagine what's to come should there be a Biden presidency.&nbsp; Let's hope there's a miracle on its way.&nbsp;&nbsp; If Democrats pretty much have their own way now without control of our Senate, what makes one think that Democrats won't be able to do just about anything anyway even if Republicans retain control of the Senate following the Georgia runoff?&nbsp; In as much as we do not have equality of justice, Dems will continue to operate under the radar of any kind of meaningful justice.&nbsp; We conservatives better be prepared to fight (figuratively speaking) by speaking out this is not the kind of America we want.&nbsp; I for one will never accept that the election wasn't stolen, nor give up hope that God fearing conservative Americans can still make a difference by supporting a man called Donald J. Trump whether president or not.&nbsp;

Les Knoll lives in Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By LES KNOLLBear with me readers as I make my case that we are not the "United States of America," but the "divided states" of America."&nbsp; We are a divided country in many ways, but there's an issue within this division that is very troublesome to me and has been for some time.&nbsp;&nbsp; In the past month or so, I have written that we have become a lawless third world country.&nbsp; In a second letter to the editor, I make the point we have a political party that is allowed to do most anything without accountability.&nbsp; &nbsp;In this letter to the editor, I claim we have basically become a country of "unequal justice."&nbsp;&nbsp; There appears to be one set of rules for Democrats and a different set for Republicans.&nbsp; I'm referring to our laws especially, but not exclusively.&nbsp; Call it "inequality of justice" that appears completely out of whack as if we have two different Americas. Since when does one political party have the right to be lawless while the other party is required to hold the line?&nbsp; The word that comes to mind is "hypocrisy."&nbsp; Are we headed for a socialistic one party rule of this country?&nbsp; Unless something dramatic happens between now and January 20 that could happen as I see it.&nbsp; Socialist government is one party rule no different than in Russia or China. Democrat Hillary broke some twelve laws with her email server when Secretary of State.&nbsp; Her emails were scattered all over the world endangering our national security.&nbsp; So what?&nbsp; Did she pay a price?&nbsp; Nope!&nbsp; No accountability whatsoever.&nbsp; The Clinton Foundation, raking in millions upon millions from foreign adversaries for charitable purposes, was a farce.&nbsp; Pay to play by Hillary was the name of the game as was the case with Joe Biden when he was Vice President.&nbsp; The Biden family, including Joe, were getting millions from Russia and China. How can an American official, without breaking the law, say to a foreign country, if you fill my pockets I will return the favor with taxpayer monies?&nbsp; &nbsp; Even Trump's Attorney General Barr wouldn't touch the Biden scandal and ran for the hills as he sheepishly resigned.&nbsp; The humongous scandal could have made a difference in the election, but the "deep state" of Democrat forces intervened as usual.&nbsp; Barr couldn't take the heat and it appears our Supreme Court is being cowardly as well.&nbsp; &nbsp;God help us if they are!&nbsp; The most telling issue that we are a third world country, where people can do anything, and not worry about justice is the coup to destroy a Trump presidency by former president Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary, which I mention in all of my writings.&nbsp; Why wouldn't I when it is one of the worst possible scandals in all of American history.&nbsp; To date nobody is held accountable and, of course, that's why Trump must be destroyed.&nbsp; Reverse these scenarios with Republicans involved in such corruption and you can bet the farm all hell would break loose.&nbsp; Many ending up in orange jump suits.&nbsp; During the infamous Mueller investigation and coup to destroy Trump the FBI in bed with Dems engaged in the worst prosecutorial misconduct in recent American history.&nbsp; When they couldn't get Trump associates Michael Flynn, George Papadopolous, Roger Stone and many others to nail Trump on Russia collusion they prosecuted everybody on superfluous stuff and threw the book at them anyway ruining their lives in the process.&nbsp;&nbsp; On a different note, not in our wildest dreams, looking at more inequality,&nbsp; could conservative Republicans get away with supporting groups that engage in violent protests, maiming police, burning buildings after stealing TV sets, etc.&nbsp; The Democrat controlled states and cities look the other way and threaten law enforcement if they don't stand down.&nbsp; Defund the police is obvious lawlessness and insanity, and will only get worse.&nbsp; Democrat governors and mayors in states and cities are trampling the constitutional rights (right and left) of its people and business owners with lockdowns.&nbsp; So what? Interesting!&nbsp; Voter fraud by Republicans is unheard of, but off the charts by Democrats.&nbsp; Hundreds, maybe thousands, of Biden voters committed voter fraud which is a felony.&nbsp; I haven't seen one case of anybody getting prosecuted so what's to prevent the same countless irregularities the next time?&nbsp; At this rate, there will never be another Republican occupying the White House. America's media took sides with one political party.&nbsp; Media protected a terribly poor candidate to be president who hung out in his basement and didn't even campaign for the job.&nbsp; If Joe Biden is inaugurated January 20 he owes it all to media which no longer reports news instead perpetuates Democrat's ideology, even censoring reports they don't like.&nbsp; That's no different than the media in socialist countries like Russia and China.&nbsp;&nbsp; If Democrats have already put in place no rules for themselves, but only for Republicans, one can only imagine what's to come should there be a Biden presidency.&nbsp; Let's hope there's a miracle on its way.&nbsp;&nbsp; If Democrats pretty much have their own way now without control of our Senate, what makes one think that Democrats won't be able to do just about anything anyway even if Republicans retain control of the Senate following the Georgia runoff?&nbsp; In as much as we do not have equality of justice, Dems will continue to operate under the radar of any kind of meaningful justice.&nbsp; We conservatives better be prepared to fight (figuratively speaking) by speaking out this is not the kind of America we want.&nbsp; I for one will never accept that the election wasn't stolen, nor give up hope that God fearing conservative Americans can still make a difference by supporting a man called Donald J. Trump whether president or not.&nbsp;Les Knoll lives in Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.

LETTER: America's justice or injustice?

WASHINGTON — Congress convened Sunday for a new session with lawmakers sworn in in separate groups including new First District Representative Tracey Mann.

Elbow bumps replaced handshakes under strict COVID-19 protocols at the Capitol.

Mann wrote on social media, "I’m deeply humbled by the faith you have put in me to represent the First District of Kansas."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609718014523.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi swore in the freshman members of the 117th Congress late Sunday afternoon including First District Rep. Tracey Mann(front row, left center with the red tie)-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi swore in the freshman members of the 117th Congress late Sunday afternoon including First District Rep. Tracey Mann(front row, left center with the red tie)-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Congress convened Sunday for a new session with lawmakers sworn in in separate groups including new First District Representative Tracey Mann.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609707619091.png" alt="Early Sunday afternoon, Mann stood when his name was called in the U.S. House of Representatives.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Early Sunday afternoon, Mann stood when his name was called in the U.S. House of Representatives.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Elbow bumps replaced handshakes under strict COVID-19 protocols at the Capitol.Mann wrote on social media, "I’m deeply humbled by the faith you have put in me to represent the First District of Kansas."

First District Rep. Mann sworn in as member of Congress

*This episode originally aired on Oct. 15, 2020.

<div><iframe title="Celebrate food diversity with this delicious and nutritious ingredient" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/tcatu-ef7393?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&auto=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=3&pfauth="></iframe></div>*This episode originally aired on Oct. 15, 2020.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: Celebrate food diversity with this delicious and nutritious ingredient

Kirsten Ellard of Hay was among the 2,050 prospective candidates for degree attending University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee virtual commencement exercises Sunday, Dec. 20 in Milwaukee.

Ellard graduated from the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare with a Master of Social Work

UWM is the second largest university in the State of Wisconsin, with over 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

Kirsten Ellard of Hay was among the 2,050 prospective candidates for degree attending University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee virtual commencement exercises Sunday, Dec. 20 in Milwaukee.Ellard graduated from the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare with a Master of Social WorkUWM is the second largest university in the State of Wisconsin, with over 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

Hays student graduates from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

State and local governments were told they had to spend the money quickly, and couldn't necessarily spend it on things they already had on their wish lists.

<a href="http://ksnewsservice.org">Kansas News Service</a>

LAWRENCE —&nbsp;In north Lawrence, the city set up 20 white-and-gray tents in a park to house people who are homeless.

It’s not health care, or COVID-19 tests, but federal coronavirus tax dollars are paying for the camp.

“If we put our homeless population into the shelter, there’s a higher chance that they’ll get the virus and then they’ll spread it across the community,” Douglas County Commissioner Patrick Kelly said.

The camp marks but one example of the creative ways communities are using the federal money. They scrambled to spend the cash before a deadline at the end of December, but Congress is now giving them more time. Restrictions also mean that money can’t go to some of the top priorities in local budgets.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2020/12/20/congress-reaches-an-agreement-on-a-relief-package-including-new-stimulus-checks/?sh=67acee7dc5e6" target="_blank">a deal just days before the deadline</a>, congressional leaders decided to give&nbsp;state and local governments&nbsp;an extra year to spend the money as part of a larger&nbsp;economic&nbsp;stimulus plan.

The state allocated the $1 billion in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/committees/ctte_spc_2020_economic_recovery_1/documents/testimony/20201208_01.pdf" target="_blank">three rounds</a>, with plans to have the rest spent by the deadline later this month. Of that, $400 million was&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.ks.gov/covid-data/" target="_blank">sent to local governments</a>&nbsp;to spend on the particular needs in those communities.

The camp in Lawrence might seem unconventional, but much of the $25 million allocated to Douglas County is going to things more obviously tied to the pandemic. Testing, protective equipment and financial help for local businesses, including music clubs.

“We have a lot of live music here in Lawrence, Kansas,” Kelly said, “and they came to us very early and said they were the first to shut down and there’ll be the last to open up.”

Douglas County isn’t the only place getting creative with spending the $1 billion. A group of counties used money to upgrade their emergency response radio system.

Bourbon County in southeast Kansas is helping pay for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.koamnewsnow.com/new-grocery-store-coming-to-downtown-fort-scott/" target="_blank">a grocery store.</a>

Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz heads the governor’s office that works with counties on spending the federal money. She said the grocery store plan needed some tweaking to have a solid connection to the pandemic.

“They’ve seen a spike in their unemployment because of COVID, which then made their food desert situation even worse,” Lorenz said in an interview.

The state and local governments worked fast because the money had to be used by the end of this month, and there were contingency plans so it could be spent in time.

Earlier this month, Lorenz said she hoped Congress would give them some relief.

“My holiday wish from Congress would be a big three-part,” she said, “more money, more time and more flexibility.”

In the last-minute deal, Lorenz will get the extra time she wished for.

Congress forced the unconventional thinking with the original deadline and spending rules. It wanted states and counties to have money to cover pandemic costs, not replace tax revenue that dried up during the pandemic.

“You can’t just say, ‘We’ve got a budget hole somewhere, we want to patch it with this,’” said Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects with the right-leaning Tax Foundation.

Some states might risk getting a little too&nbsp;creative. In West Virginia, there was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2020/08/questions-raised-over-west-virginia-using-cares-act-funds-for-road-repairs/" target="_blank">pushback</a>&nbsp;over spending the money on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2020/08/07/critics-question-cares-act-spending-in-some-states" target="_blank">road projects</a>.

Walczak warns states to be careful because federal auditors could demand the money go back to Washington if the spending’s not connected to the pandemic.

“(The Department of the) Treasury will probably give them some latitude, but it’s not unlimited,” he said. “You start going out there and doing bold economic development projects that have nothing to do with COVID-19 and you’re going to get some scrutiny.”

The unorthodox thinking has also spread to implementing programs paid for with federal money, to make them most effective.

On a sunny Sunday this month, workers from Lawrence Memorial Hospital handed out COVID-19 tests in the city’s downtown. The day before, this group had distributed almost 2,000 tests.

Lesli Smith came out to get tests for herself and her kids.

“I work in the service industry and they go hybrid learning,” she said, “so it’s just nice to know.”

Douglas County had started with drive-through events managed by the hospital. Those continue, but the strategy has shifted to simply handing out the tests in busy places.

Sarah Hartsig, community health planner with Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, said the goal is testing the widest cross section of people possible.

“To identify asymptomatic, positive people,” she said, “we have to try a lot of different strategies and reach people in a lot of different ways.”

Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank">@kprkoranda</a>.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.&nbsp;<a href="https://ksnewsservice.org/" target="_blank">ksnewsservice.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609357262692.png" alt="Federal money helped pay for free COVID-19 testing in downtown Lawrence. Stephen Koranda/Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption>Federal money helped pay for free COVID-19 testing in downtown Lawrence. Stephen Koranda/Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>State and local governments were told they had to spend the money quickly, and couldn't necessarily spend it on things they already had on their wish lists.</h2><a href="http://ksnewsservice.org">Kansas News Service</a>LAWRENCE —&nbsp;In north Lawrence, the city set up 20 white-and-gray tents in a park to house people who are homeless.It’s not health care, or COVID-19 tests, but federal coronavirus tax dollars are paying for the camp.“If we put our homeless population into the shelter, there’s a higher chance that they’ll get the virus and then they’ll spread it across the community,” Douglas County Commissioner Patrick Kelly said.The camp marks but one example of the creative ways communities are using the federal money. They scrambled to spend the cash before a deadline at the end of December, but Congress is now giving them more time. Restrictions also mean that money can’t go to some of the top priorities in local budgets.In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2020/12/20/congress-reaches-an-agreement-on-a-relief-package-including-new-stimulus-checks/?sh=67acee7dc5e6" target="_blank">a deal just days before the deadline</a>, congressional leaders decided to give&nbsp;state and local governments&nbsp;an extra year to spend the money as part of a larger&nbsp;economic&nbsp;stimulus plan.<figure>
 <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6fb370a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2686x1519+0+0/resize/880x498!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4a%2F74%2F1a2553e740a5a940afe8a98e1875%2Ftents-in-lawrence-2-1.jpg" alt="Federal COVID-19 aid helped pay for tents for the homeless in Lawrence.&nbsp;Stephen Koranda" />
 <figcaption>Federal COVID-19 aid helped pay for tents for the homeless in Lawrence.&nbsp;Stephen Koranda</figcaption>
 </figure>The state allocated the $1 billion in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/committees/ctte_spc_2020_economic_recovery_1/documents/testimony/20201208_01.pdf" target="_blank">three rounds</a>, with plans to have the rest spent by the deadline later this month. Of that, $400 million was&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.ks.gov/covid-data/" target="_blank">sent to local governments</a>&nbsp;to spend on the particular needs in those communities.The camp in Lawrence might seem unconventional, but much of the $25 million allocated to Douglas County is going to things more obviously tied to the pandemic. Testing, protective equipment and financial help for local businesses, including music clubs.“We have a lot of live music here in Lawrence, Kansas,” Kelly said, “and they came to us very early and said they were the first to shut down and there’ll be the last to open up.”Douglas County isn’t the only place getting creative with spending the $1 billion. A group of counties used money to upgrade their emergency response radio system.<figure>
 <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3ae20da/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3202x1801+0+0/resize/880x495!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F98%2F06%2F67e2c8f749a3bd5071afc04fd9b5%2Fkelly-1.jpg" alt="Douglas County Commissioner Patrick Kelly. Stephen Koranda" />
 <figcaption>Douglas County Commissioner Patrick Kelly. Stephen Koranda</figcaption>
 </figure>Bourbon County in southeast Kansas is helping pay for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.koamnewsnow.com/new-grocery-store-coming-to-downtown-fort-scott/" target="_blank">a grocery store.</a>Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz heads the governor’s office that works with counties on spending the federal money. She said the grocery store plan needed some tweaking to have a solid connection to the pandemic.“They’ve seen a spike in their unemployment because of COVID, which then made their food desert situation even worse,” Lorenz said in an interview.The state and local governments worked fast because the money had to be used by the end of this month, and there were contingency plans so it could be spent in time.Earlier this month, Lorenz said she hoped Congress would give them some relief.“My holiday wish from Congress would be a big three-part,” she said, “more money, more time and more flexibility.”In the last-minute deal, Lorenz will get the extra time she wished for.Congress forced the unconventional thinking with the original deadline and spending rules. It wanted states and counties to have money to cover pandemic costs, not replace tax revenue that dried up during the pandemic.“You can’t just say, ‘We’ve got a budget hole somewhere, we want to patch it with this,’” said Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects with the right-leaning Tax Foundation.Some states might risk getting a little too&nbsp;creative. In West Virginia, there was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2020/08/questions-raised-over-west-virginia-using-cares-act-funds-for-road-repairs/" target="_blank">pushback</a>&nbsp;over spending the money on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2020/08/07/critics-question-cares-act-spending-in-some-states" target="_blank">road projects</a>.Walczak warns states to be careful because federal auditors could demand the money go back to Washington if the spending’s not connected to the pandemic.“(The Department of the) Treasury will probably give them some latitude, but it’s not unlimited,” he said. “You start going out there and doing bold economic development projects that have nothing to do with COVID-19 and you’re going to get some scrutiny.”The unorthodox thinking has also spread to implementing programs paid for with federal money, to make them most effective.On a sunny Sunday this month, workers from Lawrence Memorial Hospital handed out COVID-19 tests in the city’s downtown. The day before, this group had distributed almost 2,000 tests.Lesli Smith came out to get tests for herself and her kids.“I work in the service industry and they go hybrid learning,” she said, “so it’s just nice to know.”Douglas County had started with drive-through events managed by the hospital. Those continue, but the strategy has shifted to simply handing out the tests in busy places.Sarah Hartsig, community health planner with Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, said the goal is testing the widest cross section of people possible.“To identify asymptomatic, positive people,” she said, “we have to try a lot of different strategies and reach people in a lot of different ways.”Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank">@kprkoranda</a>.The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.&nbsp;<a href="https://ksnewsservice.org/" target="_blank">ksnewsservice.org</a>.

Tents, police radios, grocery: Some ways Kansas Is using $1B In COVID-19 aid

TOPEKA - Kansans are being afforded an active role in the development of the state's first Active Transportation Plan (ATP) in 25 years.&nbsp;

Active transportation refers to human-powered modes of transportation such as walking or cycling. The Kansas ATP will serve as a guide for the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) on how to include active transportation infrastructure when planning roads, bridges and various improvement projects. Funding for active transportation projects is included in the 10-year Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program, or IKE.

“Providing access to safe, direct, continuous and pleasant routes whether driving, walking or cycling is essential for a healthy multi-modal transportation system,” said Matt Messina, KDOT Comprehensive Planning Unit manager. “Our intent is for Kansas residents to have a direct voice in development of the ATP.”

The Kansas ATP will focus on how active transportation can be improved through better policies, planning, design and partnerships with other state agencies and local communities. Whether Kansans use active transportation regularly, rarely or somewhere in between, public input and ideas are critical to developing the plan. All Kansans are encouraged to get involved by participating in the online opinion survey and providing stories about how and why they are incorporating active transportation into their lives.

KDOT is conducting an ongoing opinion survey through Jan. 31, 2021, at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surveymonkey.com%2Fr%2FKansasATP&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C360482c8a3a14e01890008d8a124f61b%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637436527472374828%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=Blhr4uE57LkJSyi%2Bx7XkJmAc0eI6N8QQdWFO7FWeWE0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.surveymonkey.com/r/KansasATP</a>. Persons with active transportation stories can share at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surveymonkey.com%2Fr%2FKansasATPStories&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C360482c8a3a14e01890008d8a124f61b%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637436527472374828%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=h5iG%2B9l%2BT26GMtXvd2tMzv22%2BBIP%2FZciHy%2BTuJ8gHLw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.surveymonkey.com/r/KansasATPStories</a>.

Additional information and video are available at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ksdot.org%2FKansasATP.asp&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C360482c8a3a14e01890008d8a124f61b%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637436527472374828%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=LsKJb8C1EaOna4GXRpLwo9XNCAyRWg%2FKrBqwF2zMpkw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.ksdot.org/KansasATP.asp</a>.

“We know that over the last several months many people have discovered walking, cycling, rolling and other forms of active transportation are fun and healthy ways to get around.” said Secretary Julie Lorenz. “For others, active transportation has long provided an essential need, an affordable way to get to work, school, transit, the store and other destinations. At KDOT, we are committed to providing transportation options that help people travel safely and conveniently – and to do that well, we need to hear from Kansans.”

The planning process for the Kansas ATP will continue through 2021 and will involve national and local experts in planning, design and safety.&nbsp;The final plan will be a key tool for KDOT staff and local officials to use and include KDOT's vision, recommendations and decision-making criteria related to active transportation.

Follow ATP activity on Facebook at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKansasATP&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C360482c8a3a14e01890008d8a124f61b%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637436527472384787%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=aKFvk9LWZg7HZuip%2BpuANihKmx0Aks8WE1ONT89H%2BO4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/KansasATP</a>&nbsp;and use the #KansasATP hashtag.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609239249457.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KDOTTOPEKA - Kansans are being afforded an active role in the development of the state's first Active Transportation Plan (ATP) in 25 years.&nbsp;Active transportation refers to human-powered modes of transportation such as walking or cycling. The Kansas ATP will serve as a guide for the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) on how to include active transportation infrastructure when planning roads, bridges and various improvement projects. Funding for active transportation projects is included in the 10-year Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program, or IKE.“Providing access to safe, direct, continuous and pleasant routes whether driving, walking or cycling is essential for a healthy multi-modal transportation system,” said Matt Messina, KDOT Comprehensive Planning Unit manager. “Our intent is for Kansas residents to have a direct voice in development of the ATP.”The Kansas ATP will focus on how active transportation can be improved through better policies, planning, design and partnerships with other state agencies and local communities. Whether Kansans use active transportation regularly, rarely or somewhere in between, public input and ideas are critical to developing the plan. All Kansans are encouraged to get involved by participating in the online opinion survey and providing stories about how and why they are incorporating active transportation into their lives.KDOT is conducting an ongoing opinion survey through Jan. 31, 2021, at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surveymonkey.com%2Fr%2FKansasATP&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C360482c8a3a14e01890008d8a124f61b%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637436527472374828%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=Blhr4uE57LkJSyi%2Bx7XkJmAc0eI6N8QQdWFO7FWeWE0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.surveymonkey.com/r/KansasATP</a>. Persons with active transportation stories can share at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surveymonkey.com%2Fr%2FKansasATPStories&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C360482c8a3a14e01890008d8a124f61b%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637436527472374828%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=h5iG%2B9l%2BT26GMtXvd2tMzv22%2BBIP%2FZciHy%2BTuJ8gHLw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.surveymonkey.com/r/KansasATPStories</a>. Additional information and video are available at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ksdot.org%2FKansasATP.asp&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C360482c8a3a14e01890008d8a124f61b%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637436527472374828%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=LsKJb8C1EaOna4GXRpLwo9XNCAyRWg%2FKrBqwF2zMpkw%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.ksdot.org/KansasATP.asp</a>.“We know that over the last several months many people have discovered walking, cycling, rolling and other forms of active transportation are fun and healthy ways to get around.” said Secretary Julie Lorenz. “For others, active transportation has long provided an essential need, an affordable way to get to work, school, transit, the store and other destinations. At KDOT, we are committed to providing transportation options that help people travel safely and conveniently – and to do that well, we need to hear from Kansans.”The planning process for the Kansas ATP will continue through 2021 and will involve national and local experts in planning, design and safety.&nbsp;The final plan will be a key tool for KDOT staff and local officials to use and include KDOT's vision, recommendations and decision-making criteria related to active transportation.Plan implementation will be ongoing.Follow ATP activity on Facebook at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKansasATP&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C360482c8a3a14e01890008d8a124f61b%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637436527472384787%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=aKFvk9LWZg7HZuip%2BpuANihKmx0Aks8WE1ONT89H%2BO4%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/KansasATP</a>&nbsp;and use the #KansasATP hashtag.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Opinions sought for state Active Transportation Plan

*This episode originally aired on Nov. 12, 2020.

<a href="https://www.goforthaysstate.com/s/947/bp20/interior.aspx?sid=947&amp;gid=1&amp;pgid=5236">To read more about the topics discussed visit the Fort Hays State University Alumni Association newsletter at goforthaysstate.com.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599352443619.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="FHSU Alumni Association works to keep people connected during COVID-19" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/u8k9x-f21299?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&auto=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=3&pfauth="></iframe></div>*This episode originally aired on Nov. 12, 2020.<a href="https://www.goforthaysstate.com/s/947/bp20/interior.aspx?sid=947&amp;gid=1&amp;pgid=5236">To read more about the topics discussed visit the Fort Hays State University Alumni Association newsletter at goforthaysstate.com.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: FHSU Alumni Association works to keep people connected during COVID-19

A website that shares popular tourist attractions and locations recently compiled their list of "Amazing Airbnbs in Western Kansas" including three Hays locations.

The list also includes a Victoria location.

<a href="https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/kansas/airbnbs-in-western-ks/">To see the full list visit onlyinyourstate.com.</a>

A website that shares popular tourist attractions and locations recently compiled their list of "Amazing Airbnbs in Western Kansas" including three Hays locations.The list also includes a Victoria location.<a href="https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/kansas/airbnbs-in-western-ks/">To see the full list visit onlyinyourstate.com.</a>

Area Airbnbs featured on travel website

BUNKER HILL –&nbsp;Back for its 16th&nbsp;Season, Doctors on Call will begin airing on Smoky Hills PBS on Tuesday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m.

“We are excited to once again bring Doctors on Call back for a new season,” said Les Kinderknecht, senior producer/director of Smoky Hills PBS.&nbsp; “It’s been a favorite for our viewers, and a great way to promote all the skilled medical professionals that we have in central and western Kansas.”

Doctors on Call is a local production by Smoky Hills PBS that provides medical information on a variety of different topics. Smoky Hills PBS brings in medical professionals from throughout the state to provide information on their field of expertise.&nbsp; Viewers also have the opportunity to call in with questions live during the show.&nbsp; The doctors selected each week have expertise in the topic chosen for that program.&nbsp; A schedule of programs and past episodes are available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.smokyhillspbs.org/">www.SmokyHillsPBS.org</a>.&nbsp;

Coming up in January: • January 5 – COVID - Dr. Somers - Russell Regional Hospital • January 12 – TBA • January 19 – Chiropractic Care – Shelbe Darnell DC - Restoration Health &amp; Chiropractic, Plainville • January 26 – Pain Management – Dr. Bell Razafindrabe - Pain, Spine, Rehab, Great Bend

To submit questions electronically on a specific topic, viewers can send an email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:doctors@shptv.org">doctors@shptv.org</a>.&nbsp;Questions submitted through email must be received by noon on the day of the show.&nbsp; During the program, viewers can call in questions at I-800-337-4788.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578663876107.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BUNKER HILL –&nbsp;Back for its 16th&nbsp;Season, Doctors on Call will begin airing on Smoky Hills PBS on Tuesday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m.“We are excited to once again bring Doctors on Call back for a new season,” said Les Kinderknecht, senior producer/director of Smoky Hills PBS.&nbsp; “It’s been a favorite for our viewers, and a great way to promote all the skilled medical professionals that we have in central and western Kansas.”Doctors on Call is a local production by Smoky Hills PBS that provides medical information on a variety of different topics. Smoky Hills PBS brings in medical professionals from throughout the state to provide information on their field of expertise.&nbsp; Viewers also have the opportunity to call in with questions live during the show.&nbsp; The doctors selected each week have expertise in the topic chosen for that program.&nbsp; A schedule of programs and past episodes are available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.smokyhillspbs.org/">www.SmokyHillsPBS.org</a>.&nbsp;Coming up in January: • January 5 – COVID - Dr. Somers - Russell Regional Hospital • January 12 – TBA • January 19 – Chiropractic Care – Shelbe Darnell DC - Restoration Health &amp; Chiropractic, Plainville • January 26 – Pain Management – Dr. Bell Razafindrabe - Pain, Spine, Rehab, Great BendTo submit questions electronically on a specific topic, viewers can send an email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:doctors@shptv.org">doctors@shptv.org</a>.&nbsp;Questions submitted through email must be received by noon on the day of the show.&nbsp; During the program, viewers can call in questions at I-800-337-4788.— SHPTV

New season of Doctors on Call starts this month

*This podcast originally aired on Dec. 13, 2020.

Following years of new construction on the Fort Hays State University campus, the newest building constructed to enhance the student experience at FHSU is quickly taking shape.

The&nbsp;Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success will be located just south of the Memorial Union and will bring together many key components of student life outside of the classroom.

“This was a dream of ours at
the university for quite some time,” said Joey Linn, vice president of student affairs. “We had a dream, we had an
idea and thanks to the foundation and all the great work they do trying to find
donors it became a reality."

&nbsp;Once completed, the building will serve as a jumping-off point for new students, and help guide more senior students through their time at FHSU and beyond.

“Some may ask, ‘Why this
building?’ ” Linn said. “There are more first-generation college students now
than ever before in the history of Fort Hays.”

With this center, the
university can better ensure students who come to FHSU succeed, he said.

“We have to make sure if a
student comes here that we do everything we can to make sure they walk across
that stage as graduates of Fort Hays State University," Linn said. "And the beautiful thing
about this building as well is, it is not only going to be available for on-campus
students, but we are going to make sure we do things online to reach out to all
of our online students across the county to make sure they understand what
services are available to them as well.”

The three-story building is currently being constructed just to the north of Memorial Union and will connect to that facility with a second-story walkway.

“So you don’t have to go
outside. You can go straight from the main Union right in the second floor over
and into the success center,” Linn said. 

The building was designed with a sandstone and metal exterior aesthetic, matching the nearby union.

“It’s going to match in perfectly
with the university,” Linn said. 

A key feature of the new
building, Linn said, is the first-floor welcome center.

“It’s going to be the first
impression, when we bring in students that are prospects or parents of students
looking to visit Fort Hays on their official campus visit. They will come into
this brand-new welcome center on the first floor and it is going to be 100
percent totally ‘Tigerized,' ” Linn said. 

The space will also feature
a “monstrous” big screen that will be used for those visits to showcase Tiger life.

Much of the tour activity
will now run out of this welcome center, Linn said, giving an exciting entry to the campus.

“We all know that impact
that a first impression makes to families coming to visit,” he said. 

Another key feature of the
facility will be a tutoring center, on the first floor.

“We have tutoring built
right in there, where students can walk in,” Linn said.

The academic advising and
career exploration center will also be located on the first floor.

The second floor
will house space for the FHSU Student Government and space for other student
organizations.

“That’s the student
life/student engagement floor,” Linn said. “Anything that students do
outside of the classroom that student engagement/student life part, is going to
be on that second floor. There is going to be ample space for them
to do really unique and creative activities.”

But what is on the third
floor is what will make the center stand out among similar centers at other
colleges, he said.

“The third floor is all
about physical and mental wellness,” Linn said. “It’s going to house our
student health center and our Kelly Center. They are going to be intermingled, and they are going to work together on the entire third floor because we all
know that in order for a student to be successful, they have to be healthy — both physically and mentally.”

With the additional room on campus, many departments and services not directly moving to the building will also benefit.

“The university across the
entire campus has gotten really tight on space,” Linn said. “It’s been hard to
find an office, a faculty office when we hire somebody, so this new center is
going to have a variety of impacts at the university.”

“The building itself is
going to be great for our students, but us vacating some of the offices like
career services moving out of Sheridan Hall, that’s prime real estate for an
office to come in that might be cramped somewhere else. It will give us a
little breathing room on this campus,” he said.

Construction on campus is thanks is large part to donor support through the FHSU Foundation — and the&nbsp;Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success is no different.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/97cd8970-e058-45c3-83a7-abadfb060142">The center is named after&nbsp;Richard Fischli and Dolores Wills-Fischli, who attended FHSU in the 1950s.</a>

“Beyond the classroom, the Fischlis were known
for giving what they could and truly understood the impact that every dollar
had on student success,” said Hayley Bieker, director of communications and marketing at the Fort Hays State University Foundation.

"(Donations are) life
changing,” she said. “Dolores and Richard will impact more lives throughout
this building and the students that walk inside this facility then they will probably
ever know and that’s truly the case with every donor that we have at Fort Hays
State.”

All gifts to the university strengthen to college, Bieker said.

“They are making an impact. Yhey are changing students’ lives. They allow faculty to better do their jobs
in the classroom,” she said.

While construction is underway, opportunities to support the center, and other projects across the campus remain.

“I think what we want people
to know is this stunning new Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success is coming
to life on our campus and that people can be a part of it,” Bieker said. 

Various naming opportunities
are available in the building at a wide range of donation levels.

“That’s forever, that’s
going to be there forever and ever after we are all gone. It’s amazing the impact that all of our friends at the university and alums of the university
make," Bieker said.

But at the heart of it all is taking care of the young, impressionable minds who grace FHSU.

“The bottom line is … what it is going to do for our
students?” Linn said. “We can talk about how beautiful the building is and how
it fits into the campus and how excited we are. But the bottom line, the
Fischlis’ wanted to know how their money can make a difference for all future
students, and I can’t imagine anything better than this.” 

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/97cd8970-e058-45c3-83a7-abadfb060142">To read more about the FHSU Foundation and opportunities for sponsorships click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607717842805.jpeg" alt="The Fort Hays State University Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success is currently under construction just north of the Memorial Union." />
 <figcaption>The Fort Hays State University Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success is currently under construction just north of the Memorial Union.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Newest FHSU building taking shape" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/ws8z7-f4c84a?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=3&pfauth=&btn-skin=101"></iframe></div>*This podcast originally aired on Dec. 13, 2020.By JAMES BELL Hays PostFollowing years of new construction on the Fort Hays State University campus, the newest building constructed to enhance the student experience at FHSU is quickly taking shape.The&nbsp;Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success will be located just south of the Memorial Union and will bring together many key components of student life outside of the classroom.“This was a dream of ours at
the university for quite some time,” said Joey Linn, vice president of student affairs. “We had a dream, we had an
idea and thanks to the foundation and all the great work they do trying to find
donors it became a reality."&nbsp;Once completed, the building will serve as a jumping-off point for new students, and help guide more senior students through their time at FHSU and beyond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607725871314.jpeg" alt="A rendering shows what a completed Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success will look like." />
 <figcaption>A rendering shows what a completed Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success will look like.</figcaption>
 </figure>“Some may ask, ‘Why this
building?’ ” Linn said. “There are more first-generation college students now
than ever before in the history of Fort Hays.”With this center, the
university can better ensure students who come to FHSU succeed, he said.“We have to make sure if a
student comes here that we do everything we can to make sure they walk across
that stage as graduates of Fort Hays State University," Linn said. "And the beautiful thing
about this building as well is, it is not only going to be available for on-campus
students, but we are going to make sure we do things online to reach out to all
of our online students across the county to make sure they understand what
services are available to them as well.”The three-story building is currently being constructed just to the north of Memorial Union and will connect to that facility with a second-story walkway.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607717979681.jpeg" alt="The second story walkway between the Memorial Union and the Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success is seen taking shape during construction in December." />
 <figcaption>The second story walkway between the Memorial Union and the Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success is seen taking shape during construction in December.</figcaption>
 </figure>“So you don’t have to go
outside. You can go straight from the main Union right in the second floor over
and into the success center,” Linn said. The building was designed with a sandstone and metal exterior aesthetic, matching the nearby union.“It’s going to match in perfectly
with the university,” Linn said. A key feature of the new
building, Linn said, is the first-floor welcome center.“It’s going to be the first
impression, when we bring in students that are prospects or parents of students
looking to visit Fort Hays on their official campus visit. They will come into
this brand-new welcome center on the first floor and it is going to be 100
percent totally ‘Tigerized,' ” Linn said. The space will also feature
a “monstrous” big screen that will be used for those visits to showcase Tiger life.Much of the tour activity
will now run out of this welcome center, Linn said, giving an exciting entry to the campus.“We all know that impact
that a first impression makes to families coming to visit,” he said. Another key feature of the
facility will be a tutoring center, on the first floor.“We have tutoring built
right in there, where students can walk in,” Linn said.The academic advising and
career exploration center will also be located on the first floor.The second floor
will house space for the FHSU Student Government and space for other student
organizations.“That’s the student
life/student engagement floor,” Linn said. “Anything that students do
outside of the classroom that student engagement/student life part, is going to
be on that second floor. There is going to be ample space for them
to do really unique and creative activities.”But what is on the third
floor is what will make the center stand out among similar centers at other
colleges, he said.“The third floor is all
about physical and mental wellness,” Linn said. “It’s going to house our
student health center and our Kelly Center. They are going to be intermingled, and they are going to work together on the entire third floor because we all
know that in order for a student to be successful, they have to be healthy — both physically and mentally.”With the additional room on campus, many departments and services not directly moving to the building will also benefit.“The university across the
entire campus has gotten really tight on space,” Linn said. “It’s been hard to
find an office, a faculty office when we hire somebody, so this new center is
going to have a variety of impacts at the university.”“The building itself is
going to be great for our students, but us vacating some of the offices like
career services moving out of Sheridan Hall, that’s prime real estate for an
office to come in that might be cramped somewhere else. It will give us a
little breathing room on this campus,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601516925379.jpeg" alt="Since the groundbreaking celebration during the 2020 FHSU Homecoming progress has steadily continued on the&nbsp;Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success." />
 <figcaption>Since the groundbreaking celebration during the 2020 FHSU Homecoming progress has steadily continued on the&nbsp;Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Making it happen</h2>Construction on campus is thanks is large part to donor support through the FHSU Foundation — and the&nbsp;Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success is no different.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/97cd8970-e058-45c3-83a7-abadfb060142">The center is named after&nbsp;Richard Fischli and Dolores Wills-Fischli, who attended FHSU in the 1950s.</a>“Beyond the classroom, the Fischlis were known
for giving what they could and truly understood the impact that every dollar
had on student success,” said Hayley Bieker, director of communications and marketing at the Fort Hays State University Foundation."(Donations are) life
changing,” she said. “Dolores and Richard will impact more lives throughout
this building and the students that walk inside this facility then they will probably
ever know and that’s truly the case with every donor that we have at Fort Hays
State.”All gifts to the university strengthen to college, Bieker said.“They are making an impact. Yhey are changing students’ lives. They allow faculty to better do their jobs
in the classroom,” she said.While construction is underway, opportunities to support the center, and other projects across the campus remain.“I think what we want people
to know is this stunning new Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success is coming
to life on our campus and that people can be a part of it,” Bieker said. Various naming opportunities
are available in the building at a wide range of donation levels.“That’s forever, that’s
going to be there forever and ever after we are all gone. It’s amazing the impact that all of our friends at the university and alums of the university
make," Bieker said.But at the heart of it all is taking care of the young, impressionable minds who grace FHSU.“The bottom line is … what it is going to do for our
students?” Linn said. “We can talk about how beautiful the building is and how
it fits into the campus and how excited we are. But the bottom line, the
Fischlis’ wanted to know how their money can make a difference for all future
students, and I can’t imagine anything better than this.” <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607717928821.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/97cd8970-e058-45c3-83a7-abadfb060142">To read more about the FHSU Foundation and opportunities for sponsorships click here.</a>

🎙Post Podcast: Newest Fort Hays State building taking shape

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Jessica Roe is known as the COVID Commander in the USD 489 school district.

Roe, who is the lead nurse for the school district, was tasked with coordinating contact tracing for the schools as well as being the go-to person when it came to questions about COVID-19.

Although she is not a teacher, she is being honored this month as the Hays Post Education Professional of Month for her efforts to keep children and their families, as well as teachers and staff safe.

Superintendent Ron Wilson said last week when Roe was honored with the district's Making a Difference Award, her work has been essential to keeping schools open and children learning on site.

Roe was nominated for Hays Post award three times since the beginning of the semester.

Jaymi Gabel, a fellow school nurse working at Roosevelt Elementary School, said in her nomination for the Hay Post award, Roe has been working long hours to fulfill her duties.

"Jessica continues to work day and night, outside of her contracted time, to ensure that the schools are the safest place they can be," Gabel said. "Jessica has two small children of her own and a husband that have been placed on the back burner during this pandemic as a result of Jessica working so hard for the staff, students and community."

Roe answers emails, texts and phone calls from parents, staff, students and community members related to COVID policy and procedures in the school all hours of the day, Gabel said in her nomination.

"Jessica treats every student the way she would want her own children to be treated," Gabel said. "USD 489 and the Hays community are so fortunate to have a nurse on their side such as Jessica."

Renee Hoffman, health office aide at Lincoln Elementary School, said of Roe in her nomination, "She has given 100 percent of herself to this new task and always with a positive attitude. 

"As a nurse, she is there to educate the students, staff and parents on COVID precautions and symptoms. Her dedication and support to the school district and community is unmeasurable."

Bethany Pfannenstiel, Hays Middle School nurse, noted Roe continues to be responsible for her other school nurse duties, some of which include health screenings, administering students medication, and assessing sick or injured students and staff.

Roe, BSN, said working as a school nurse during COVID has not only meant longer work days, but it has challenged her as nurse.

"In any other instance when a kid would come in and tell you they're sick, you can assess them on what we've been trained to know," Roe said, "but during COVID, it is hard to say if it's any other kind of illness or is this a COVID-related illness.

"You want to make the best decision and keep the school safe, but we also still want kids to be in school."

At the beginning of the school year, the district was requiring anyone with a close contact to a COVID positive person to quarantine for 14 days.

"That was really hard, especially some of the kids who had to quarantine three or four times," she said. "They would come back for a little bit and they would have to quarantine again."

The Hays school board on Oct. 19 voted to change the quarantine to seven days because it was not seeing a lot spread within the school with students wearing masks, Roe said.

Parents want to have their kids in school, and Roe said the change has made it easier to make those quarantine phone calls.

Roes said she thinks keeping students in classes on site is important as the students receive more focused attention.

Roe said she thinks the district has done a good job of following COVID prevention protocols, including mask wearing and constantly cleaning and sanitizing.

Roe — the only health care worker in her family — said she always wanted to work in health care.

However, Roe, 29, said she never imagined when she went into nursing she would be on the front lines of a global pandemic.&nbsp;

She said answering questions and being a health educator has always been one of the appealing aspects of her job as a school nurse.

"When they get to go to their doctor, they get to hear things that way, but unless you're sick you usually don't go to your doctor," she said. "When they come in and ask questions, you can help educate them or point them in the right direction."

She said she was hopeful last week as Americans began to receive the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine.&nbsp;

"I look at other counties that have shut schools down. I know we have had a few school closures here and there for short periods, but I look at how far our district's come," Roe said. "We made it a whole semester with very few closures. I think that's amazing."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603901709009.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608567858280.jpeg" alt="USD 489 lead nurse Jessica Roe has served as the district's point person on COVID-19, answering questions for staff and parents as well as conducting contact tracing. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>USD 489 lead nurse Jessica Roe has served as the district's point person on COVID-19, answering questions for staff and parents as well as conducting contact tracing. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostJessica Roe is known as the COVID Commander in the USD 489 school district.Roe, who is the lead nurse for the school district, was tasked with coordinating contact tracing for the schools as well as being the go-to person when it came to questions about COVID-19.Although she is not a teacher, she is being honored this month as the Hays Post Education Professional of Month for her efforts to keep children and their families, as well as teachers and staff safe.Superintendent Ron Wilson said last week when Roe was honored with the district's Making a Difference Award, her work has been essential to keeping schools open and children learning on site.Roe was nominated for Hays Post award three times since the beginning of the semester.Jaymi Gabel, a fellow school nurse working at Roosevelt Elementary School, said in her nomination for the Hay Post award, Roe has been working long hours to fulfill her duties."Jessica continues to work day and night, outside of her contracted time, to ensure that the schools are the safest place they can be," Gabel said. "Jessica has two small children of her own and a husband that have been placed on the back burner during this pandemic as a result of Jessica working so hard for the staff, students and community."Roe answers emails, texts and phone calls from parents, staff, students and community members related to COVID policy and procedures in the school all hours of the day, Gabel said in her nomination."Jessica treats every student the way she would want her own children to be treated," Gabel said. "USD 489 and the Hays community are so fortunate to have a nurse on their side such as Jessica."Renee Hoffman, health office aide at Lincoln Elementary School, said of Roe in her nomination, "She has given 100 percent of herself to this new task and always with a positive attitude. "As a nurse, she is there to educate the students, staff and parents on COVID precautions and symptoms. Her dedication and support to the school district and community is unmeasurable."Bethany Pfannenstiel, Hays Middle School nurse, noted Roe continues to be responsible for her other school nurse duties, some of which include health screenings, administering students medication, and assessing sick or injured students and staff.Roe, BSN, said working as a school nurse during COVID has not only meant longer work days, but it has challenged her as nurse."In any other instance when a kid would come in and tell you they're sick, you can assess them on what we've been trained to know," Roe said, "but during COVID, it is hard to say if it's any other kind of illness or is this a COVID-related illness."You want to make the best decision and keep the school safe, but we also still want kids to be in school."At the beginning of the school year, the district was requiring anyone with a close contact to a COVID positive person to quarantine for 14 days."That was really hard, especially some of the kids who had to quarantine three or four times," she said. "They would come back for a little bit and they would have to quarantine again."The Hays school board on Oct. 19 voted to change the quarantine to seven days because it was not seeing a lot spread within the school with students wearing masks, Roe said.Parents want to have their kids in school, and Roe said the change has made it easier to make those quarantine phone calls.Roes said she thinks keeping students in classes on site is important as the students receive more focused attention.Roe said she thinks the district has done a good job of following COVID prevention protocols, including mask wearing and constantly cleaning and sanitizing.Roe — the only health care worker in her family — said she always wanted to work in health care.However, Roe, 29, said she never imagined when she went into nursing she would be on the front lines of a global pandemic.&nbsp;She said answering questions and being a health educator has always been one of the appealing aspects of her job as a school nurse."When they get to go to their doctor, they get to hear things that way, but unless you're sick you usually don't go to your doctor," she said. "When they come in and ask questions, you can help educate them or point them in the right direction."She said she was hopeful last week as Americans began to receive the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine.&nbsp;"I look at other counties that have shut schools down. I know we have had a few school closures here and there for short periods, but I look at how far our district's come," Roe said. "We made it a whole semester with very few closures. I think that's amazing."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603901709009.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Educator of the Month: Roe serves as USD 489 COVID Commander

A $16,000 grant from the Beach Family Foundation will help Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas support their efforts to “energize the brand of DSNWK."

DSNWK will be using the grant to update building signage across northwest Kansas to reflect the new logo and clearer messaging of DSNWK.&nbsp;

“The goal is for the new, stronger messages and images to create better recognition across the 18 county area, attract more job applicants, foster inclusion and grow the donor base, primarily within the counties we operate but also beyond our borders,” said Jerry Michaud, DSNWK president.&nbsp;

DSNWK would like to thank the Beach Family Foundation for their continued support of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in northwest Kansas.

DSNWK is a 501(c)3 nonprofit serving 18 counties in northwest Kansas with a mission to advocate for persons with disabilities and those who care about them by planning and supporting a life of dignity, interdependence, and personal satisfaction in the community.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602261742827.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DSNWKA $16,000 grant from the Beach Family Foundation will help Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas support their efforts to “energize the brand of DSNWK."DSNWK will be using the grant to update building signage across northwest Kansas to reflect the new logo and clearer messaging of DSNWK.&nbsp;“The goal is for the new, stronger messages and images to create better recognition across the 18 county area, attract more job applicants, foster inclusion and grow the donor base, primarily within the counties we operate but also beyond our borders,” said Jerry Michaud, DSNWK president.&nbsp;DSNWK would like to thank the Beach Family Foundation for their continued support of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in northwest Kansas.DSNWK is a 501(c)3 nonprofit serving 18 counties in northwest Kansas with a mission to advocate for persons with disabilities and those who care about them by planning and supporting a life of dignity, interdependence, and personal satisfaction in the community.&nbsp;

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