By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The community rallied to support a Thomas More Prep-Marian junior who is battling cancer for a second time.

Sophia Linenberger, a TMP junior, was seen off to treatment Tuesday by both her TMP classmates and the Fort Hays State University football team.

Sophia was diagnosed in January 2019 with a rare cancer, Ewing's sarcoma. She spent much of last year going back and forth to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City for treatment, including two surgeries to her spine.

Sophia was told was she was in remission for her cancer last fall, but the cancer appeared again in a recent exam.

Tiger football coach Chris Brown organized the send-off at noon Tuesday in front of Lewis Field before Sophia left for Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., for chemotherapy.

The TMP send-off was was arranged by teacher and softball coach Melissa Schoepf and conducted at TMP's Victory Lane.

"Coach Brown holds a very special place in my heart along with his team," said Sophia's mother, Jenny, in a text. "They have been and continue to support Sophia. Bless them all. The football players continue to wear armbands, (and that) means so much to Sophia and our family.

"I thank all that continue to pray and support Sophia," she said. "It is nice to have such a caring community."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602199464506.jpeg" alt="Sophia Linenberger is presented a football by the FHSU football team before she heads to treatment at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. Submitted photos" />
 <figcaption>Sophia Linenberger is presented a football by the FHSU football team before she heads to treatment at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. Submitted photos</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe community rallied to support a Thomas More Prep-Marian junior who is battling cancer for a second time.Sophia Linenberger, a TMP junior, was seen off to treatment Tuesday by both her TMP classmates and the Fort Hays State University football team.Sophia was diagnosed in January 2019 with a rare cancer, Ewing's sarcoma. She spent much of last year going back and forth to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City for treatment, including two surgeries to her spine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602200746385.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Sophia was told was she was in remission for her cancer last fall, but the cancer appeared again in a recent exam.Tiger football coach Chris Brown organized the send-off at noon Tuesday in front of Lewis Field before Sophia left for Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., for chemotherapy.The TMP send-off was was arranged by teacher and softball coach Melissa Schoepf and conducted at TMP's Victory Lane.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602200799352.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"Coach Brown holds a very special place in my heart along with his team," said Sophia's mother, Jenny, in a text. "They have been and continue to support Sophia. Bless them all. The football players continue to wear armbands, (and that) means so much to Sophia and our family."I thank all that continue to pray and support Sophia," she said. "It is nice to have such a caring community."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602200860492.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602201087611.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602201132808.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602201178512.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602201228399.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602201294793.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602201346317.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602201380513.jpeg" alt="Sophia Linenberger 10" />
 <figcaption>Sophia Linenberger 10</figcaption>
 </figure>

TMP student gets send off for cancer treatment #SophiaStrong

The 2020 Drive-thru seasonal flu vaccination event was held on Sunday, Sept. 27. Once again, it was a huge success. In its 21st year, the event resulted in 3,646 people receiving the seasonal flu vaccine over a five hour period. That’s an average of one vaccine every 4.9 seconds!

The event is organized by a committee led by HaysMed Director of 
Infection Prevention Kevin Myers and staffed by dozens of volunteers 
from HaysMed as well as the nursing departments of both Fort Hays State 
University and North Central Kansas Technical College. Thank you to all 
who volunteered!

The event is sponsored by the HaysMed Foundation at a cost of nearly 
$70,000 annually. Attendees also dropped off cash donations and 1,800 
pounds of non-perishable food items which were delivered to the 
Community Assistance Center. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602181248975.png" alt="Photos courtesy of Gayla Wichman, HaysMed" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy of Gayla Wichman, HaysMed</figcaption>
 </figure>HaysMed FoundationThe 2020 Drive-thru seasonal flu vaccination event was held on Sunday, Sept. 27. Once again, it was a huge success. In its 21st year, the event resulted in 3,646 people receiving the seasonal flu vaccine over a five hour period. That’s an average of one vaccine every 4.9 seconds!The event is organized by a committee led by HaysMed Director of 
Infection Prevention Kevin Myers and staffed by dozens of volunteers 
from HaysMed as well as the nursing departments of both Fort Hays State 
University and North Central Kansas Technical College. Thank you to all 
who volunteered!The event is sponsored by the HaysMed Foundation at a cost of nearly 
$70,000 annually. Attendees also dropped off cash donations and 1,800 
pounds of non-perishable food items which were delivered to the 
Community Assistance Center. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602181275030.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AClvlGge52U"></iframe>
 <figcaption>Sponsored</figcaption>
 </figure>

More than 3,600 receive flu shots at HaysMed drive-through

By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/your-steak-may-be-stake-next-pandemic-and-kansas-helping-us-prepare">Kansas News Service</a>

GREAT BEND, Kansas — Emerging infectious diseases like the coronavirus don’t just threaten humans. They’re also <a href="https://www.meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=d/sp/i/157365/pid/157365" target="_blank">a major concern for </a>the livestock industry and the U.S. food supply, with billions, if not trillions, of dollars at stake.

“We
 have a lot of movement of animals,” said Jack Shere, associate 
administrator for emergency program planning, response and security at 
the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. “And disease could 
spread very easily.”

Considering <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/basics/zoonotic-diseases.html" target="_blank">three out of four new diseases</a>
 in humans come from animals, including the coronavirus, the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture and livestock producers are seeing what they 
can learn from the world’s response to COVID-19 — so they can be 
prepared for the equally serious threat <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/basics/zoonotic-diseases.html" target="_blank">of a devastating animal disease.</a>

The coronavirus isn’t the first wakeup call for the federal government.

In
 2015, a highly infectious strain of avian influenza (aka bird flu) led 
to the outright death or euthanization of more than 50 million chickens 
and turkeys in the upper Midwest. It also resulted in<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/outlooks/86282/ldpm-282-02.pdf?v=3641" target="_blank"> trade restrictions that caused more than $1 billion in lost export revenue</a>.

“No
 one likes to pay for all of the response capabilities when nothing 
happens, but then when it happens people look at each other and say why 
weren’t we better prepared,” Shere said.

A big part of the 
federal strategy to keep diseases at bay involves the Department of 
Homeland Security, which is not only responsible for Customs and Border 
Patrol but also supports several important research laboratories, such 
as Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York state.

“The potential for emerging threats, emerging diseases, future 
diseases is real,” said Bob Burns, executive director office of 
innovation and collaboration at the Department of Homeland Security’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/about-st" target="_blank">Science and Technology Directorate</a>. “And we need to pay attention to that.”

He
 said people should be surprised more foreign animal diseases haven’t 
shown up already. For years, the agriculture industry has dodged a 
breakout of foot-and-mouth disease, and so far, a massive outbreak of 
African Swine Fever has been confined to China, Mongolia, Vietnam and 
parts of Europe.

Like with the coronavirus outbreak, Burns said a
 key to stopping a foreign animal disease will be quickly identifying 
what it is and where it’s been. But you can’t have a diagnostic test 
ready if you’re not already studying or aware of the disease.

For that, you need laboratories like the one under construction in Manhattan, Kansas. The <a href="https://www.usda.gov/nbaf" target="_blank">$1.2 billion National Bio and Agro-Defense facility is expected to begin operati</a><a href="https://www.usda.gov/nbaf">on in 2022</a>. It will be one of only <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/other-manhattan-project" target="_blank">four labs</a> in the world that can work with large live animals and highly infectious, deadly diseases for which there aren’t vaccines.

But, really, the
 first people to recognize an actual outbreak will likely be farmers, 
ranchers and feedlot operators who are in constant contact with 
thousands of animals every day.

<a href="https://www.ilsbeef.com/" target="_blank">Innovative Livestock Services</a>
 operates eight feedlots in Kansas and Nebraska, where caregivers 
perform a health check on every pen at least once a day. They make sure 
every animal is visually inspected for signs and symptoms of disease.

“They
 look for the same thing we look for in our kids — runny nose, a 
depressed look, that type of stuff,” said Brandon Depenbusch, vice 
president of cattle operations for Innovative Livestock Services.

Depenbusch
 said he thinks about the consequences of a foreign animal disease 
outbreak almost every day. It’s why he’s participating in the <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/division-of-animal-health/secure-food-supply/kansas-secure-beef-supply-plan" target="_blank">Secure Beef Supply</a>
 program, a coordinated effort between the USDA and a few states 
(including Colorado and Kansas) that trains and prepares cattle, pork 
and poultry operations on disease response plans.

“Yes, it’s a 
plan sitting on a shelf,” Kansas Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith
 said. “We want to make sure it stays on the shelf, but at the same time
 when it’s time to do, they can open the book and say, ‘Yeah, I know 
what I’m going to do.’”

In the case of an outbreak, he said his 
department would act aggressively: immediately stopping all movement of 
animals, tracing where infected animals have been and setting up 
barriers between operations to prevent disease from spreading.

That
 last one is a real challenge. Depenbusch said as many as 75 delivery 
trucks enter the feedlots every day, each one potentially carrying a 
disease from another lot.

During an outbreak, there’d only be one
 main entrance and exit, he said, and each truck would be washed and 
disinfected before entering. That’ll slow down the feedlots and require a
 lot more workers, which isn’t sustainable long-term, but cheaper than 
the alternative — getting a call from the state Department of 
Agriculture telling you to euthanize 30,000 head of cattle.

“That
 might be one of the things that’s come out of COVID-19 is maybe now 
producers are saying, ‘Hmm, you know what, maybe I ought to give that a 
little more thought on our operation on what would happen if we had (an 
infectious disease),’” he said.

Depenbusch is also involved in an effort to create an automated cattle tracking system, known as <a href="https://www.uscattletrace.org/" target="_blank">U.S. CattleTrace</a>, which <a href="https://www.k-state.edu/seek/spring-2019/cattle-trace/index.html" target="_blank">Kansas piloted</a>. It’s in its infancy, and isn’t always a very popular idea with producers who worry about government intrusion into their data.

But CattleTrace is producer-run, and any of the data would only be shared during an emergency.

“You
 cannot talk about enhanced biosecurity plans without at least 
mentioning animal identification,” he said. “Because one without the 
other is not good.”

In Kansas, the Department of Agriculture also
 runs large-scale foreign animal disease disaster drills, which last for
 days and&nbsp; involve producers and several state agencies. The drills 
started in 2008.

Scarlett Hagins, the vice president of 
communications for the Kansas Livestock Association, said the drills 
have been a huge success, especially because they strengthen 
relationships between producers and the state. Those are necessary 
should serious measures need to be taken to stop a disease.

If you’re looking for a parallel, think about the debate over Kansas’ mask mandate.

“I
 think the trust is there and that if something came up and this is what
 would need to be done,” Hagins said, “I think that our producers would 
do the best they could to accommodate that.”

Kansas is unique: 
It’s the only state currently doing drills on this scale and frequency. 
Smith said it’s not that ag departments in other states aren’t aware or 
concerned, but their lawmakers and governors haven’t made it a priority 
yet.

“There’s really not a whole lot
 sovereign about those state lines, they’re pretty porous,” Smith said. 
“And we have a lot of movement that happens across state lines.”

Ultimately,
 any plan to respond to the next foreign animal disease outbreak will 
have a lot in common with the recommended response to COVID-19. To stop 
either, you have to have systems in place to test and trace. You have to
 isolate the infected from the healthy. And in the end, the heaviest 
burden falls to state and local agencies, most of which aren’t nearly as
 prepared as they should be.

Brian Grimmett reports on the 
environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the 
Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602177097722.png" alt=" Cattle in a pen at Great Bend feedyard. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Cattle in a pen at Great Bend feedyard. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/your-steak-may-be-stake-next-pandemic-and-kansas-helping-us-prepare">Kansas News Service</a>GREAT BEND, Kansas — Emerging infectious diseases like the coronavirus don’t just threaten humans. They’re also <a href="https://www.meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=d/sp/i/157365/pid/157365" target="_blank">a major concern for </a>the livestock industry and the U.S. food supply, with billions, if not trillions, of dollars at stake.“We
 have a lot of movement of animals,” said Jack Shere, associate 
administrator for emergency program planning, response and security at 
the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. “And disease could 
spread very easily.”Considering <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/basics/zoonotic-diseases.html" target="_blank">three out of four new diseases</a>
 in humans come from animals, including the coronavirus, the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture and livestock producers are seeing what they 
can learn from the world’s response to COVID-19 — so they can be 
prepared for the equally serious threat <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/basics/zoonotic-diseases.html" target="_blank">of a devastating animal disease.</a>The last big outbreakThe coronavirus isn’t the first wakeup call for the federal government.In
 2015, a highly infectious strain of avian influenza (aka bird flu) led 
to the outright death or euthanization of more than 50 million chickens 
and turkeys in the upper Midwest. It also resulted in<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/outlooks/86282/ldpm-282-02.pdf?v=3641" target="_blank"> trade restrictions that caused more than $1 billion in lost export revenue</a>.“No
 one likes to pay for all of the response capabilities when nothing 
happens, but then when it happens people look at each other and say why 
weren’t we better prepared,” Shere said.A big part of the 
federal strategy to keep diseases at bay involves the Department of 
Homeland Security, which is not only responsible for Customs and Border 
Patrol but also supports several important research laboratories, such 
as Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York state.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602177154647.png" alt=" The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas is nearing completion. Credit Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas is nearing completion. Credit Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>“The potential for emerging threats, emerging diseases, future 
diseases is real,” said Bob Burns, executive director office of 
innovation and collaboration at the Department of Homeland Security’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/about-st" target="_blank">Science and Technology Directorate</a>. “And we need to pay attention to that.”He
 said people should be surprised more foreign animal diseases haven’t 
shown up already. For years, the agriculture industry has dodged a 
breakout of foot-and-mouth disease, and so far, a massive outbreak of 
African Swine Fever has been confined to China, Mongolia, Vietnam and 
parts of Europe.Like with the coronavirus outbreak, Burns said a
 key to stopping a foreign animal disease will be quickly identifying 
what it is and where it’s been. But you can’t have a diagnostic test 
ready if you’re not already studying or aware of the disease.For that, you need laboratories like the one under construction in Manhattan, Kansas. The <a href="https://www.usda.gov/nbaf" target="_blank">$1.2 billion National Bio and Agro-Defense facility is expected to begin operati</a><a href="https://www.usda.gov/nbaf">on in 2022</a>. It will be one of only <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/other-manhattan-project" target="_blank">four labs</a> in the world that can work with large live animals and highly infectious, deadly diseases for which there aren’t vaccines.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602177187306.png" alt=" Cattle wait for the arrival of the feed truck at Great Bend Feedyard. Credit Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Cattle wait for the arrival of the feed truck at Great Bend Feedyard. Credit Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>First to show, first to knowBut, really, the
 first people to recognize an actual outbreak will likely be farmers, 
ranchers and feedlot operators who are in constant contact with 
thousands of animals every day.<a href="https://www.ilsbeef.com/" target="_blank">Innovative Livestock Services</a>
 operates eight feedlots in Kansas and Nebraska, where caregivers 
perform a health check on every pen at least once a day. They make sure 
every animal is visually inspected for signs and symptoms of disease.“They
 look for the same thing we look for in our kids — runny nose, a 
depressed look, that type of stuff,” said Brandon Depenbusch, vice 
president of cattle operations for Innovative Livestock Services.Depenbusch
 said he thinks about the consequences of a foreign animal disease 
outbreak almost every day. It’s why he’s participating in the <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/division-of-animal-health/secure-food-supply/kansas-secure-beef-supply-plan" target="_blank">Secure Beef Supply</a>
 program, a coordinated effort between the USDA and a few states 
(including Colorado and Kansas) that trains and prepares cattle, pork 
and poultry operations on disease response plans.“Yes, it’s a 
plan sitting on a shelf,” Kansas Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith
 said. “We want to make sure it stays on the shelf, but at the same time
 when it’s time to do, they can open the book and say, ‘Yeah, I know 
what I’m going to do.’”In the case of an outbreak, he said his 
department would act aggressively: immediately stopping all movement of 
animals, tracing where infected animals have been and setting up 
barriers between operations to prevent disease from spreading.That
 last one is a real challenge. Depenbusch said as many as 75 delivery 
trucks enter the feedlots every day, each one potentially carrying a 
disease from another lot.During an outbreak, there’d only be one
 main entrance and exit, he said, and each truck would be washed and 
disinfected before entering. That’ll slow down the feedlots and require a
 lot more workers, which isn’t sustainable long-term, but cheaper than 
the alternative — getting a call from the state Department of 
Agriculture telling you to euthanize 30,000 head of cattle.“That
 might be one of the things that’s come out of COVID-19 is maybe now 
producers are saying, ‘Hmm, you know what, maybe I ought to give that a 
little more thought on our operation on what would happen if we had (an 
infectious disease),’” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602177222587.png" alt=" Employees at the Kansas Department of Agriculture take part in a foreign animal disease disaster drill in 2019. Credit Kansas Department of Agriculture" />
 <figcaption> Employees at the Kansas Department of Agriculture take part in a foreign animal disease disaster drill in 2019. Credit Kansas Department of Agriculture</figcaption>
 </figure>Depenbusch is also involved in an effort to create an automated cattle tracking system, known as <a href="https://www.uscattletrace.org/" target="_blank">U.S. CattleTrace</a>, which <a href="https://www.k-state.edu/seek/spring-2019/cattle-trace/index.html" target="_blank">Kansas piloted</a>. It’s in its infancy, and isn’t always a very popular idea with producers who worry about government intrusion into their data.But CattleTrace is producer-run, and any of the data would only be shared during an emergency.“You
 cannot talk about enhanced biosecurity plans without at least 
mentioning animal identification,” he said. “Because one without the 
other is not good.”In Kansas, the Department of Agriculture also
 runs large-scale foreign animal disease disaster drills, which last for
 days and&nbsp; involve producers and several state agencies. The drills 
started in 2008.Scarlett Hagins, the vice president of 
communications for the Kansas Livestock Association, said the drills 
have been a huge success, especially because they strengthen 
relationships between producers and the state. Those are necessary 
should serious measures need to be taken to stop a disease.If you’re looking for a parallel, think about the debate over Kansas’ mask mandate.“I
 think the trust is there and that if something came up and this is what
 would need to be done,” Hagins said, “I think that our producers would 
do the best they could to accommodate that.”Kansas is unique: 
It’s the only state currently doing drills on this scale and frequency. 
Smith said it’s not that ag departments in other states aren’t aware or 
concerned, but their lawmakers and governors haven’t made it a priority 
yet.And that worries him.“There’s really not a whole lot
 sovereign about those state lines, they’re pretty porous,” Smith said. 
“And we have a lot of movement that happens across state lines.”Ultimately,
 any plan to respond to the next foreign animal disease outbreak will 
have a lot in common with the recommended response to COVID-19. To stop 
either, you have to have systems in place to test and trace. You have to
 isolate the infected from the healthy. And in the end, the heaviest 
burden falls to state and local agencies, most of which aren’t nearly as
 prepared as they should be.Brian Grimmett reports on the 
environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the 
Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

Your steak may be at stake in next pandemic; Kansas helping U.S. prepare

Three-day weather outlook

TOPEKA - The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for 26 state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas. The letting took place Sept. 16, 2020, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.

Pottawatomie ‑&nbsp;75 C‑4938‑01 – Dyer Road (RS 536) beginning approximately 400 feet north of Rocky Lane, at the entrance to the Little Grill restaurant north through the horizontal curve, grading and surfacing, 0.2 mile,&nbsp;Ebert Construction Co. Inc. &amp; Subsidiary, Wamego, Kan., $520,963.63.

Riley ‑&nbsp;70‑81 KA‑5919‑01 ‑ I‑70, from the Geary/Riley county line east to the Wabaunsee/Riley county line, pavement marking, 6.0 miles,&nbsp;Innovative&nbsp;Marking Systems Inc., Bluffdale,&nbsp;Utah, $588,472.65.

Wabaunsee ‑&nbsp;99‑99 KA‑4744‑03 – Including the following routes K‑99, K‑138, K‑185, signing, 11.4 miles,&nbsp;Collins &amp; Hermann&nbsp;Inc.,&nbsp;Saint Louis,&nbsp;Mo., $52,500.80.

Wabaunsee ‑&nbsp;70‑99 KA‑5920‑01 ‑ I‑70, from the Wabaunsee/Riley county line east to the end of the concrete east of the K‑30/I‑70/Windy Hill Road interchange, pavement marking, 19.4 miles,&nbsp;Innovative&nbsp;Marking Systems Inc., Bluffdale,&nbsp;Utah,&nbsp;$1,880,201.55.

Wyandotte ‑&nbsp;70‑105 KA‑5628‑01 – I-70, overhead sign truss serial # 105S0069 over the ramp from westbound I‑70 located at the split to northbound I‑635 and southbound I‑635, signing,&nbsp;Fulsom&nbsp;Brothers, Inc., Cedar&nbsp;Vale,&nbsp;Kan., $143,143.00.

Wyandotte ‑&nbsp;05‑105 N‑0677‑01 ‑ K‑5 (Leavenworth Road), from 78th Street to 63rd Street, grading and surfacing, 1.8 miles,&nbsp;Amino Brothers Company Inc., Kansas City,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$8,483,967.54.

Statewide ‑&nbsp;70‑106 KA‑4744‑04 ‑ I‑70, from the Geary/Riley county line east to the KTA Toll Plaza in Topeka, signing, 50.8 miles,&nbsp;Collins &amp; Hermann&nbsp;Inc.,&nbsp;St.&nbsp;Louis, Mo.,&nbsp;$3,370,000.00.

Statewide ‑&nbsp;106 TE‑0402‑06 ‑ Flint Hills Trail: from 17th Street east to South Lewelling Road in Osage City, special, 4.1 miles,&nbsp;Killough Construction&nbsp;Inc., Ottawa,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$1,113,919.93.

Statewide ‑&nbsp;181‑106 KA‑5916‑01 ‑ K‑181, from the K‑232/K‑181 junction east to the Russell/Lincoln county line, from the Russell/Lincoln county line east to the Lincoln/Mitchell county line and from the Lincoln/Mitchell county line north to the Mitchell/Osborne county line, milling and overlay, 36.5 miles,&nbsp;APAC-Kansas&nbsp;Inc&nbsp;Shears Division, Hutchinson, Kan., $6,067,762.63.

Gove ‑&nbsp;70‑32 KA‑5839‑01 ‑ I‑70, beginning 1 mile west of the east K‑23 Spur east for approximately 9 miles, rumble strip installation, 9.0 miles,&nbsp;Surface Preparation Technologies&nbsp;LLC,&nbsp;New Kingstown,&nbsp;Penn.,&nbsp;$155,727.20.

Norton ‑&nbsp;36‑69 KA‑5810‑01 – U.S. 36, from the east U.S. 36/K‑383 junction east to the Norton/Phillips county line, surface recycle, 8.4 miles,&nbsp;Dustrol Inc.,&nbsp;Towanda,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$911,717.63.

Russell ‑&nbsp;18‑84 KA‑3931‑01 ‑ K‑18, bridge #051 over Coon Creek located 0.36&nbsp;mile east of the east U.S. 281 junction, bridge replacement,&nbsp;L&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;M Contractors Inc., Great&nbsp;Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$1,439,849.23.

Sherman ‑&nbsp;27‑91 KA‑5809‑01 ‑ K‑27, from the K‑27/U.S. 24B junction north to the Cheyenne/Sherman county line, sealing, 16.6 miles,&nbsp;Heft&nbsp;and Sons LLC,&nbsp;Greensburg,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$628,267.50.

Smith ‑&nbsp;92 KA‑5918‑01 ‑ K‑8, from the U.S. 36/K‑8 junction north to the Nebraska state line; U.S. 36, from the Phillips/Smith county line east to the Jewel/Smith county line; K‑182, from the U.S. 36/K‑182 junction north to Bellaire (entire route); K‑191, from the geographic center of the contiguous United States east to the U.S. 281/K‑191 junction (entire route); K‑204, from the U.S. 36/K‑204 junction east to the west city limits of Smith Center (entire route); K‑248, from the old U.S. 36/K‑248 junction north to the U.S. 36/K‑248 junction (entire route); U.S. 281, from the east U.S. 36/U.S. 281 junction north to the Nebraska state line, milling and overlay, 66.2 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$10,439,835.86.

Woodson ‑&nbsp;104 C‑4947‑01 – Bridge over South Big Creek located 10.7 miles north and 9 miles west of the U.S. 54/ U.S. 75 junction, bridge replacement, 0.2 mile,&nbsp;B&nbsp;&amp; B Bridge Company&nbsp;LLC, St. Paul, Kan., $525,462.00.

Statewide ‑&nbsp;69‑106 KA‑1554‑02 – U.S. 69, from 3 miles north of the north Arma city limits to 950 feet north of the Crawford/Bourbon county line, grade, bridge and surfacing, 5.7 miles,&nbsp;Bob Bergkamp&nbsp;Construction Co. Inc., Wichita, Kan., $21,624,010.43.

Barton ‑&nbsp;156‑5 KA‑5811‑01 ‑ K‑156, from the east K‑156/U.S. 56 junction northeast to the Barton/Ellsworth county line, surface recycle, 17.2 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$4,508,111.00.

Comanche ‑&nbsp;17 KA‑5758‑01 ‑ K‑1, from the Kansas/Oklahoma state line north to the U.S. 160/K‑1 junction and U.S. 160, from the Clark/Comanche county line east to the Comanche/Barber county line, milling and overlay, 49.2 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$6,196,335.05.

Harper ‑&nbsp;39 KA‑5821‑01 ‑ U.S. 160, from the Barber/Harper county line east to the U.S. 160/K‑14 junction and K‑2, from the north Anthony city limits north to the south U.S. 160/K‑2 junction milling and overlay, 26.1 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$4,235,318.49.

Kiowa ‑&nbsp;54‑49 KA‑5801‑01 – U.S. 54, from the Ford/Kiowa county line east to 1 mile east of the east Greensburg city limits, milling and overlay, 16.7 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$2,681,091.85.

Pratt ‑&nbsp;76 C‑4967‑01 ‑ Major collector roads in the northwest quarter of the county, signing, 53.0 miles,&nbsp;Mission&nbsp;Construction&nbsp;Co. Inc., St&nbsp;Paul,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$59,648.88.

Reno ‑&nbsp;11‑78 KA‑3882‑01 ‑ K‑11, bridge #026 over Goose Creek located 6.32 miles north of the Kingman County line, bridge replacement,&nbsp;King Construction Company Inc. &amp; Subsidiaries, Hesston,&nbsp;Kan., $1,460,469.92.

Reno ‑&nbsp;61‑78 KA‑5889‑01 ‑ K‑61, at 8 locations beginning approximately 475 feet south of bridge #148 northeast to the west U.S. 50/K‑61 junction, guard fence, 9.2 miles,&nbsp;J&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;J&nbsp;Contractors&nbsp;Inc.,&nbsp;Iola, Kan., $766,357.41.

Rice ‑&nbsp;80 C‑4982‑01 ‑ Various routes in the western third of the county, pavement marking, 46.0 miles,&nbsp;Traffic&nbsp;Control&nbsp;Services&nbsp;Inc., Wichita,&nbsp;Kan., $205,252.81.

Rice ‑&nbsp;04‑80 KA‑5808‑01 ‑ K‑4, from the Barton/Rice county line east to the Ellsworth/Rice county line, milling and overlay, 25.4 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$2,935,340.24.

Sedgwick ‑&nbsp;235‑87 KA‑5599‑01 ‑ I‑235, located over southbound I‑235 at the ramp to I‑135, signing,&nbsp;Fulsom Brothers,&nbsp;Inc.,&nbsp;Cedar Vale, Kan.,&nbsp;$125,179.00.

The following project has been approved from the Aug. 19, 2020, letting.

Statewide ‑&nbsp;69‑106 KA‑4744‑01 – U.S. 69, U.S. 56 and U.S. 169; in Johnson and Wyandotte counties, signing, 9.7 miles,&nbsp;Fulsom Brothers, Inc., Cedar Vale, Kan., $298,035.46.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1564755565813.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KDOTTOPEKA - The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for 26 state highway construction and maintenance projects in Kansas. The letting took place Sept. 16, 2020, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.District One — NortheastPottawatomie ‑&nbsp;75 C‑4938‑01 – Dyer Road (RS 536) beginning approximately 400 feet north of Rocky Lane, at the entrance to the Little Grill restaurant north through the horizontal curve, grading and surfacing, 0.2 mile,&nbsp;Ebert Construction Co. Inc. &amp; Subsidiary, Wamego, Kan., $520,963.63.Riley ‑&nbsp;70‑81 KA‑5919‑01 ‑ I‑70, from the Geary/Riley county line east to the Wabaunsee/Riley county line, pavement marking, 6.0 miles,&nbsp;Innovative&nbsp;Marking Systems Inc., Bluffdale,&nbsp;Utah, $588,472.65.Wabaunsee ‑&nbsp;99‑99 KA‑4744‑03 – Including the following routes K‑99, K‑138, K‑185, signing, 11.4 miles,&nbsp;Collins &amp; Hermann&nbsp;Inc.,&nbsp;Saint Louis,&nbsp;Mo., $52,500.80.Wabaunsee ‑&nbsp;70‑99 KA‑5920‑01 ‑ I‑70, from the Wabaunsee/Riley county line east to the end of the concrete east of the K‑30/I‑70/Windy Hill Road interchange, pavement marking, 19.4 miles,&nbsp;Innovative&nbsp;Marking Systems Inc., Bluffdale,&nbsp;Utah,&nbsp;$1,880,201.55.Wyandotte ‑&nbsp;70‑105 KA‑5628‑01 – I-70, overhead sign truss serial # 105S0069 over the ramp from westbound I‑70 located at the split to northbound I‑635 and southbound I‑635, signing,&nbsp;Fulsom&nbsp;Brothers, Inc., Cedar&nbsp;Vale,&nbsp;Kan., $143,143.00.Wyandotte ‑&nbsp;05‑105 N‑0677‑01 ‑ K‑5 (Leavenworth Road), from 78th Street to 63rd Street, grading and surfacing, 1.8 miles,&nbsp;Amino Brothers Company Inc., Kansas City,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$8,483,967.54.Statewide ‑&nbsp;70‑106 KA‑4744‑04 ‑ I‑70, from the Geary/Riley county line east to the KTA Toll Plaza in Topeka, signing, 50.8 miles,&nbsp;Collins &amp; Hermann&nbsp;Inc.,&nbsp;St.&nbsp;Louis, Mo.,&nbsp;$3,370,000.00.Statewide ‑&nbsp;106 TE‑0402‑06 ‑ Flint Hills Trail: from 17th Street east to South Lewelling Road in Osage City, special, 4.1 miles,&nbsp;Killough Construction&nbsp;Inc., Ottawa,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$1,113,919.93.District Two — North CentralStatewide ‑&nbsp;181‑106 KA‑5916‑01 ‑ K‑181, from the K‑232/K‑181 junction east to the Russell/Lincoln county line, from the Russell/Lincoln county line east to the Lincoln/Mitchell county line and from the Lincoln/Mitchell county line north to the Mitchell/Osborne county line, milling and overlay, 36.5 miles,&nbsp;APAC-Kansas&nbsp;Inc&nbsp;Shears Division, Hutchinson, Kan., $6,067,762.63.District Three — NorthwestGove ‑&nbsp;70‑32 KA‑5839‑01 ‑ I‑70, beginning 1 mile west of the east K‑23 Spur east for approximately 9 miles, rumble strip installation, 9.0 miles,&nbsp;Surface Preparation Technologies&nbsp;LLC,&nbsp;New Kingstown,&nbsp;Penn.,&nbsp;$155,727.20.Norton ‑&nbsp;36‑69 KA‑5810‑01 – U.S. 36, from the east U.S. 36/K‑383 junction east to the Norton/Phillips county line, surface recycle, 8.4 miles,&nbsp;Dustrol Inc.,&nbsp;Towanda,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$911,717.63.Russell ‑&nbsp;18‑84 KA‑3931‑01 ‑ K‑18, bridge #051 over Coon Creek located 0.36&nbsp;mile east of the east U.S. 281 junction, bridge replacement,&nbsp;L&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;M Contractors Inc., Great&nbsp;Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$1,439,849.23.Sherman ‑&nbsp;27‑91 KA‑5809‑01 ‑ K‑27, from the K‑27/U.S. 24B junction north to the Cheyenne/Sherman county line, sealing, 16.6 miles,&nbsp;Heft&nbsp;and Sons LLC,&nbsp;Greensburg,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$628,267.50.Smith ‑&nbsp;92 KA‑5918‑01 ‑ K‑8, from the U.S. 36/K‑8 junction north to the Nebraska state line; U.S. 36, from the Phillips/Smith county line east to the Jewel/Smith county line; K‑182, from the U.S. 36/K‑182 junction north to Bellaire (entire route); K‑191, from the geographic center of the contiguous United States east to the U.S. 281/K‑191 junction (entire route); K‑204, from the U.S. 36/K‑204 junction east to the west city limits of Smith Center (entire route); K‑248, from the old U.S. 36/K‑248 junction north to the U.S. 36/K‑248 junction (entire route); U.S. 281, from the east U.S. 36/U.S. 281 junction north to the Nebraska state line, milling and overlay, 66.2 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$10,439,835.86.District Four — SoutheastWoodson ‑&nbsp;104 C‑4947‑01 – Bridge over South Big Creek located 10.7 miles north and 9 miles west of the U.S. 54/ U.S. 75 junction, bridge replacement, 0.2 mile,&nbsp;B&nbsp;&amp; B Bridge Company&nbsp;LLC, St. Paul, Kan., $525,462.00.Statewide ‑&nbsp;69‑106 KA‑1554‑02 – U.S. 69, from 3 miles north of the north Arma city limits to 950 feet north of the Crawford/Bourbon county line, grade, bridge and surfacing, 5.7 miles,&nbsp;Bob Bergkamp&nbsp;Construction Co. Inc., Wichita, Kan., $21,624,010.43.District Five — South CentralBarton ‑&nbsp;156‑5 KA‑5811‑01 ‑ K‑156, from the east K‑156/U.S. 56 junction northeast to the Barton/Ellsworth county line, surface recycle, 17.2 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$4,508,111.00.Comanche ‑&nbsp;17 KA‑5758‑01 ‑ K‑1, from the Kansas/Oklahoma state line north to the U.S. 160/K‑1 junction and U.S. 160, from the Clark/Comanche county line east to the Comanche/Barber county line, milling and overlay, 49.2 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$6,196,335.05.Harper ‑&nbsp;39 KA‑5821‑01 ‑ U.S. 160, from the Barber/Harper county line east to the U.S. 160/K‑14 junction and K‑2, from the north Anthony city limits north to the south U.S. 160/K‑2 junction milling and overlay, 26.1 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$4,235,318.49.Kiowa ‑&nbsp;54‑49 KA‑5801‑01 – U.S. 54, from the Ford/Kiowa county line east to 1 mile east of the east Greensburg city limits, milling and overlay, 16.7 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$2,681,091.85.Pratt ‑&nbsp;76 C‑4967‑01 ‑ Major collector roads in the northwest quarter of the county, signing, 53.0 miles,&nbsp;Mission&nbsp;Construction&nbsp;Co. Inc., St&nbsp;Paul,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$59,648.88.Reno ‑&nbsp;11‑78 KA‑3882‑01 ‑ K‑11, bridge #026 over Goose Creek located 6.32 miles north of the Kingman County line, bridge replacement,&nbsp;King Construction Company Inc. &amp; Subsidiaries, Hesston,&nbsp;Kan., $1,460,469.92.Reno ‑&nbsp;61‑78 KA‑5889‑01 ‑ K‑61, at 8 locations beginning approximately 475 feet south of bridge #148 northeast to the west U.S. 50/K‑61 junction, guard fence, 9.2 miles,&nbsp;J&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;J&nbsp;Contractors&nbsp;Inc.,&nbsp;Iola, Kan., $766,357.41.Rice ‑&nbsp;80 C‑4982‑01 ‑ Various routes in the western third of the county, pavement marking, 46.0 miles,&nbsp;Traffic&nbsp;Control&nbsp;Services&nbsp;Inc., Wichita,&nbsp;Kan., $205,252.81.Rice ‑&nbsp;04‑80 KA‑5808‑01 ‑ K‑4, from the Barton/Rice county line east to the Ellsworth/Rice county line, milling and overlay, 25.4 miles,&nbsp;Venture Corporation,&nbsp;Great Bend,&nbsp;Kan.,&nbsp;$2,935,340.24.Sedgwick ‑&nbsp;235‑87 KA‑5599‑01 ‑ I‑235, located over southbound I‑235 at the ramp to I‑135, signing,&nbsp;Fulsom Brothers,&nbsp;Inc.,&nbsp;Cedar Vale, Kan.,&nbsp;$125,179.00.The following project has been approved from the Aug. 19, 2020, letting.Statewide ‑&nbsp;69‑106 KA‑4744‑01 – U.S. 69, U.S. 56 and U.S. 169; in Johnson and Wyandotte counties, signing, 9.7 miles,&nbsp;Fulsom Brothers, Inc., Cedar Vale, Kan., $298,035.46.

Five NW Kan. counties among upcoming KDOT construction projects

GOVE COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Thursday in Gove County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1972 Dodge single axel wheat truck driven by Arnold Ray Sauer, 60, Quinter, was eastbound on County Road BB one mile north and east of Quinter.

The driver failed to yield at a yield sign at County Road 74.

 A southbound&nbsp; 2002 Dodge 1500 driven by Fabian Mungaray, 15, Quinter, struck the wheat truck on the driver's side door.

EMS transported&nbsp; Sauer and Mungaray to Gove County Medical Center. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the&nbsp; KHP.

GOVE COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Thursday in Gove County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1972 Dodge single axel wheat truck driven by Arnold Ray Sauer, 60, Quinter, was eastbound on County Road BB one mile north and east of Quinter.The driver failed to yield at a yield sign at County Road 74. A southbound&nbsp; 2002 Dodge 1500 driven by Fabian Mungaray, 15, Quinter, struck the wheat truck on the driver's side door.EMS transported&nbsp; Sauer and Mungaray to Gove County Medical Center. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the&nbsp; KHP.

Two hospitalized after NW Kansas truck crash

Fort Hays State University is investigating the report of a potential hate crime incident involving an automobile that was defaced with racist language. The University Police Department has launched a criminal investigation.&nbsp;

Anyone with any knowledge about this incident is asked to contact UPD at 785.628.5304 or&nbsp;785-625-1011 (after 4:30 p.m.).

Senior leadership in the departments of Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, University Police and the Compliance and General Counsel’s offices are also actively involved in addressing this matter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

FHSU University RelationsFort Hays State University is investigating the report of a potential hate crime incident involving an automobile that was defaced with racist language. The University Police Department has launched a criminal investigation.&nbsp;Anyone with any knowledge about this incident is asked to contact UPD at 785.628.5304 or&nbsp;785-625-1011 (after 4:30 p.m.).Senior leadership in the departments of Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, University Police and the Compliance and General Counsel’s offices are also actively involved in addressing this matter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

FHSU police investigating potential hate crime

LENORA — Nex-Tech received notification it was awarded SPARK relief funding from the Kansas Department of Commerce. Earlier this year the state of Kansas realized that every corner of the state had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of Kansas made emergency financial relief available from federal CARES Act funding. The Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Task Force approved more than $130 million in relief funding for economic development and connectivity in the state. These dollars are being awarded in the form of grants to eligible businesses through the Kansas Department of Commerce.

The Lenora-based technology company will receive grant funding of almost $800,000 that will enable the development of broadband services in unserved and underserved areas of central and western Kansas. These projects will impact almost 450 business and residential customers in eight counties, including Barton, Decatur, Norton, Phillips, Republic, Rooks, Sheridan, and Smith. The SPARK committee created 10 grant opportunities and Nex-Tech applied for funding in two of these categories: Broadband Partnership Adoption Grant and Connectivity Emergency Response Grant.

The Broadband Partnership Adoption Grant provides support for low-income households by partnering with providers and school districts to ensure connectivity to as many Kansans as possible. Expanded connectivity should result in improved opportunities for remote learning, remote working and accessing telehealth/telemedicine services. Nex-Tech was awarded funding of $33,936 to supplement its Continuous Learning Initiative. With the Continuous Learning Initiative program Nex‐Tech can provide free Internet access to eligible students for remote learning from home.

The Connectivity Emergency Response Grant (CERG) was created to address the increased need for Internet connectivity in Kansas in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Proposed projects should improve connectivity to unserved and underserved areas of Kansas to address the needs of telework, telehealth, distance learning and other remote business services. Nex-Tech was awarded $761,111 for five projects.

“We are extremely pleased to have received this grant funding to expand and improve Internet connectivity to customers in Central and Western Kansas,” stated Jimmy Todd, CEO and General Manager of Nex-Tech. “We want to thank the many individuals, businesses and community leaders who wrote letters of support for these projects.”

Since receiving word about the grant funding Nex-Tech has already started working on the Courtland and Scandia fiber project, and they are putting plans in place to begin work on other projects in order to meet the project deadline of December 30, 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601562391147.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedLENORA — Nex-Tech received notification it was awarded SPARK relief funding from the Kansas Department of Commerce. Earlier this year the state of Kansas realized that every corner of the state had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of Kansas made emergency financial relief available from federal CARES Act funding. The Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Task Force approved more than $130 million in relief funding for economic development and connectivity in the state. These dollars are being awarded in the form of grants to eligible businesses through the Kansas Department of Commerce.The Lenora-based technology company will receive grant funding of almost $800,000 that will enable the development of broadband services in unserved and underserved areas of central and western Kansas. These projects will impact almost 450 business and residential customers in eight counties, including Barton, Decatur, Norton, Phillips, Republic, Rooks, Sheridan, and Smith. The SPARK committee created 10 grant opportunities and Nex-Tech applied for funding in two of these categories: Broadband Partnership Adoption Grant and Connectivity Emergency Response Grant.<h2>Broadband Partnership Adoption Grant</h2>The Broadband Partnership Adoption Grant provides support for low-income households by partnering with providers and school districts to ensure connectivity to as many Kansans as possible. Expanded connectivity should result in improved opportunities for remote learning, remote working and accessing telehealth/telemedicine services. Nex-Tech was awarded funding of $33,936 to supplement its Continuous Learning Initiative. With the Continuous Learning Initiative program Nex‐Tech can provide free Internet access to eligible students for remote learning from home.<h2>Connectivity Emergency Response Grant</h2>The Connectivity Emergency Response Grant (CERG) was created to address the increased need for Internet connectivity in Kansas in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Proposed projects should improve connectivity to unserved and underserved areas of Kansas to address the needs of telework, telehealth, distance learning and other remote business services. Nex-Tech was awarded $761,111 for five projects.<ul>
 <li>Fixed Wireless Upgrades—This project focuses on six rural areas located in Decatur, Norton, Phillips, Rooks, Sheridan, and Smith Counties. This grant will allow Nex-Tech to upgrade equipment, and approximately 250 customers in these areas can be upgraded to a 25/3 Mbps Internet connection.</li><li>Plainville Lake—This project focuses on rural Plainville located in Rooks County Kansas. Fiber to the premise infrastructure will be deployed allowing one business and three residential customers access to a fiber Internet connection of 25 Mbps up to a Gig connection. This will also provide Wi-Fi connectivity at the recreational area and shelter house at Plainville Lake.</li><li>Rural Republic County—This project will serve six underserved large farms and rural businesses in the Republic County area. These customers will have access to a fiber Internet connection of 25 Mbps up to a Gig connection.</li><li>Prairie Dog State Park—The community of Norton recognized the lack of broadband access at Prairie Dog State Park, but the onslaught of Covid-19 made it much more apparent. Several organizations, including The Norton County Community Foundation, and Norton City/County Economic Development shared the need to add Internet connectivity at the state office and campgrounds. These entities worked with Nex-Tech to submit this grant application, which will result in bringing high-speed Internet to the State Park office and Wi-Fi connectivity to the campground areas. The Norton community and the Kansas State Director of Parks each pledged to support 5% of the cost for the project.</li><li>Rural Great Bend—This project will serve several underserved farms and rural businesses south of Great Bend, including the Barton County Historical Society. These customers will have access to a fiber Internet connection of 25 Mbps up to a Gig connection.</li>
 </ul>“We are extremely pleased to have received this grant funding to expand and improve Internet connectivity to customers in Central and Western Kansas,” stated Jimmy Todd, CEO and General Manager of Nex-Tech. “We want to thank the many individuals, businesses and community leaders who wrote letters of support for these projects.”Since receiving word about the grant funding Nex-Tech has already started working on the Courtland and Scandia fiber project, and they are putting plans in place to begin work on other projects in order to meet the project deadline of December 30, 2020.

Nex-Tech awarded SPARK grant funding

Hays tied a record high set in 1934 by reaching a high of 95 degrees on Wednesday.

The forecast calls for the weather in Northwest Kansas to remain hot and dry for the remainder of the week.

Highs will be in the mid-to-upper 80s through Sunday.

The high is forecast to drop by 20 degrees to 67 degrees on Monday, but no rain is in the forecast through Wednesday.

Hays has had no measurable moisture so far in the month of October.&nbsp;

On the year, Hays has received 20.64 inches compared to an average moisture accumulation of 21.42 inches expected by the end of October.&nbsp;

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHays tied a record high set in 1934 by reaching a high of 95 degrees on Wednesday.The forecast calls for the weather in Northwest Kansas to remain hot and dry for the remainder of the week.Highs will be in the mid-to-upper 80s through Sunday.The high is forecast to drop by 20 degrees to 67 degrees on Monday, but no rain is in the forecast through Wednesday.Hays has had no measurable moisture so far in the month of October.&nbsp;On the year, Hays has received 20.64 inches compared to an average moisture accumulation of 21.42 inches expected by the end of October.&nbsp;

Hays ties record high on Wednesday; more warm, dry in forecast

Different Walk, same reasons, smaller groups. The Alzheimer's Association's Walk to End Alzheimer’s is happening in Hays on Saturday, Oct. 10, and in Victoria on Saturday, Oct. 17. 

We are walking everywhere — on city sidewalks, hiking trails, paths, and treadmills. I am joining others and walking to honor those we love who are currently battling Alzheimer’s, the sixth&nbsp;leading cause of death in America.&nbsp; We are raising money toward finding a cure, so others don’t have to face the same heartbreak as my family and many others have. I encourage everyone to get out and walk on October 10th and October 17th, wear purple and fundraise so that someday we will be celebrating the first survivor of Alzheimer’s. 

October 10th is the Hays Walk kickoff Downtown Hays at the Union Pacific Plaza from 7:00 to 11: 00 am. Register for Hays Walk to End Alzheimer’s or another Walk near you at&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%253a%252f%252falz.org%252fcwkswalk&amp;c=E,1,YmwUjDBiDb-cufXSl6kBZuaFqui4lb4vEK1eKBXFpeMlYWtaQ7-SBZ5k91NiJrtm03ggKfasDUyCQUoskqPMQ4IWRftYOLEpL9ZGHjtL&amp;typo=1">alz.org/cwkswalk</a>. Learn about the drive-thru Promise Gardens at four locations in Hays on October 10th Walk day. The locations for these promise gardens are, Union Pacific Plaza, downtown Hays, Brookdale Senior Living on east 27th, Good Samaritan on west 27th, and Via Christ Village on Canterbury where you will see colorful pinwheel flowers representing the different reasons, we all walk.

Don’t forget to join Victoria at their Promise Garden on October 17th at 9:00 am near the Volga-German statue corner of 10th and Cathedral.&nbsp;

Micki Armstrong, Chairwoman, Hays Alzheimer’s Walk&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601990159437.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Submitted by Micki ArmstrongDifferent Walk, same reasons, smaller groups. The Alzheimer's Association's Walk to End Alzheimer’s is happening in Hays on Saturday, Oct. 10, and in Victoria on Saturday, Oct. 17. We are walking everywhere — on city sidewalks, hiking trails, paths, and treadmills. I am joining others and walking to honor those we love who are currently battling Alzheimer’s, the sixth&nbsp;leading cause of death in America.&nbsp; We are raising money toward finding a cure, so others don’t have to face the same heartbreak as my family and many others have. I encourage everyone to get out and walk on October 10th and October 17th, wear purple and fundraise so that someday we will be celebrating the first survivor of Alzheimer’s. October 10th is the Hays Walk kickoff Downtown Hays at the Union Pacific Plaza from 7:00 to 11: 00 am. Register for Hays Walk to End Alzheimer’s or another Walk near you at&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%253a%252f%252falz.org%252fcwkswalk&amp;c=E,1,YmwUjDBiDb-cufXSl6kBZuaFqui4lb4vEK1eKBXFpeMlYWtaQ7-SBZ5k91NiJrtm03ggKfasDUyCQUoskqPMQ4IWRftYOLEpL9ZGHjtL&amp;typo=1">alz.org/cwkswalk</a>. Learn about the drive-thru Promise Gardens at four locations in Hays on October 10th Walk day. The locations for these promise gardens are, Union Pacific Plaza, downtown Hays, Brookdale Senior Living on east 27th, Good Samaritan on west 27th, and Via Christ Village on Canterbury where you will see colorful pinwheel flowers representing the different reasons, we all walk. Don’t forget to join Victoria at their Promise Garden on October 17th at 9:00 am near the Volga-German statue corner of 10th and Cathedral.&nbsp;Micki Armstrong, Chairwoman, Hays Alzheimer’s Walk&nbsp;

Walk to End Alzheimer’s set for Saturday in Hays, Victoria

Note: Photos in this story are from previous years at the food pantry. All volunteers are wearing masks, washing hands frequently and taking other COVID precautions since the start of the pandemic.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post&nbsp;

ELLIS — The annual Ellis Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday.

This year, perhaps more than others, the event is needed to help stock the shelves of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EllisFoodBoxes">Ellis Food Boxes and Pantry</a>, said Althea Groff, volunteer.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the need for food in Ellis has been fluctuating, Groff said, with some months the pantry serving more families than in years past and some months slightly less.

"It shows the instability of the whole situation, " she said.

The pantry is serving between 45 to 63 families per month. However, some of the food that is collected in the annual Trick or Treat food drive also helps fill Christmas food boxes.&nbsp;

The pantry usually serves 100 families or more through that program.

Because of concerns about COVID-19, residents are asked to put bags or boxes of food on their porches prior to the 4 p.m. start time of Sunday's drive.

If you miss the drive Sunday, you can also drop food donations at the <a href="http://www.ellisfoundation.net/">Ellis Alliance</a> office, 820 Washington. Monetary donations for the food pantry can also be made at the Alliance office.&nbsp;

"Our need at the pantry right now is getting product in," Groff said. "Some is still available through the Kansas Food Bank. They have been very supportive and been able to provide, so each time we are able to provide and are able to have enough food to give out. ...

"Every year, this Halloween Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat has been a wonderful thing for the food bank, and it just gives us a little boost so that we feel comfortable so we know that we will be able to provide for the people in Ellis," Groff said.

If your families needs to sign up for a Christmas food box, you can do so at the Ellis Alliance office or during the November food distribution from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, at the Food Pantry, 210 Madison — behind the Casey's in Ellis.

Groff wanted thank those who continue to donate to the pantry, as well as regular pantry volunteers and those volunteers who will be picking up food during Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601998515178.jpeg" alt="Volunteers pack food boxes at the Ellis Food Boxes and Pantry. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Volunteers pack food boxes at the Ellis Food Boxes and Pantry. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Note: Photos in this story are from previous years at the food pantry. All volunteers are wearing masks, washing hands frequently and taking other COVID precautions since the start of the pandemic.By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post&nbsp;ELLIS — The annual Ellis Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday.This year, perhaps more than others, the event is needed to help stock the shelves of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EllisFoodBoxes">Ellis Food Boxes and Pantry</a>, said Althea Groff, volunteer.Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the need for food in Ellis has been fluctuating, Groff said, with some months the pantry serving more families than in years past and some months slightly less."It shows the instability of the whole situation, " she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601998184419.jpeg" alt="Ellis Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat" />
 <figcaption>Ellis Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat</figcaption>
 </figure>The pantry is serving between 45 to 63 families per month. However, some of the food that is collected in the annual Trick or Treat food drive also helps fill Christmas food boxes.&nbsp;The pantry usually serves 100 families or more through that program.Because of concerns about COVID-19, residents are asked to put bags or boxes of food on their porches prior to the 4 p.m. start time of Sunday's drive.If you miss the drive Sunday, you can also drop food donations at the <a href="http://www.ellisfoundation.net/">Ellis Alliance</a> office, 820 Washington. Monetary donations for the food pantry can also be made at the Alliance office.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601998643297.jpeg" alt="Volunteers bring in food to the Ellis Food Boxes and Pantry during a past Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat food drive. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Volunteers bring in food to the Ellis Food Boxes and Pantry during a past Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat food drive. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"Our need at the pantry right now is getting product in," Groff said. "Some is still available through the Kansas Food Bank. They have been very supportive and been able to provide, so each time we are able to provide and are able to have enough food to give out. ..."Every year, this Halloween Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat has been a wonderful thing for the food bank, and it just gives us a little boost so that we feel comfortable so we know that we will be able to provide for the people in Ellis," Groff said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601998711247.jpeg" alt="Volunteers sort food at the Ellis Food Boxes and Pantry. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Volunteers sort food at the Ellis Food Boxes and Pantry. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>If your families needs to sign up for a Christmas food box, you can do so at the Ellis Alliance office or during the November food distribution from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, at the Food Pantry, 210 Madison — behind the Casey's in Ellis.Groff wanted thank those who continue to donate to the pantry, as well as regular pantry volunteers and those volunteers who will be picking up food during Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat on Sunday.

Ellis Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat to give boost to pantry

Continuing the celebration of its 50th season, Western Plains Arts Association brings Marimba Sol De Chiapas to Hoxie High School auditorium on Sunday, Oct. 11. The group will offer a free pre-concert workshop starting at 1:30 p.m. at the auditorium&nbsp; for anyone interested.

This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

Major sponsors include a special grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan.

Marimba Sol De Chiapas is the first professional folkloric music ensemble of&nbsp;its kind permanently-based within the United States and calling Kansas City home&nbsp;since 1991. Now in its 16th year, the&nbsp;evolution of the group was actually started by Dr. Laurence Kaptain in 1988 as&nbsp;Marimba&nbsp;Yajalón. Committed to the authentic performance of the&nbsp;marimba,&nbsp;Marimba Sol de Chiapas&nbsp;(which translates as&nbsp;The Chiapan Sun Marimba Group) maintains an active schedule&nbsp;of performances, recordings, and multi-cultural workshops.

Sol&nbsp;is a Mid-America Arts Alliance-approved&nbsp;Touring Performer with more than 20 years of ensemble highlights ranging from a feature on National&nbsp;Public Radio’s&nbsp;Morning Edition&nbsp;and a cameo appearance on ABC’s&nbsp;Good Morning&nbsp;America, to performing at the art world’s premier event of the Americas—Art Basel&nbsp;Miami. From performances at three&nbsp;International Festivals of the Marimba&nbsp;and events hosted by the Mexican Consul of New Orleans celebrating the&nbsp;Bicentennial of Mexico’s independence from Spain,&nbsp;to several&nbsp;Compact Disc recordings. So&nbsp;authentic is their interpretation and approach that the ensemble has toured&nbsp;Mexico on numerous occasions as guests of the Mexican government.

Marimba Sol de&nbsp;Chiapas&nbsp;is North America's premiere professional&nbsp;Mexican Marimba band.

Much more than a musical instrument, the marimba in Mexico is a cultural symbol&nbsp;woven into the fabric of everyday life in the state of Chiapas. It is difficult&nbsp;to walk down any street within the state without hearing&nbsp;las maderas que cantan&nbsp;or what Chiapans affectionately call "the wood that sings." Chiapas is one of&nbsp;Mexico's most isolated and exotic states, which only adds resonance to the&nbsp;combination of reality and legend that surrounds the marimba, its music, and the&nbsp;people who play the instrument.

At first glance, a North American audience sees what they think is a sort of&nbsp;xylophone--and they are right! The marimba is a type of xylophone. There are&nbsp;two most obvious differences--aside from instrument materials/construction and&nbsp;appearance--between the Mexican marimba tradition and the "concert marimba"&nbsp;tradition that most North Americans are familiar with. The first is that the&nbsp;Mexican tradition most always has several musicians performing on a single&nbsp;instrument, whereas the concert tradition usually involves a single solo&nbsp;performer. The second difference is the very distinctive "buzz" that is an integral&nbsp;part of the sound of the Mexican instrument, and that is lacking on the concert&nbsp;version of the marimba.

Eclectic is the best term with which one would describe the repertoire of&nbsp;the marimba. Groups will literally perform any musical work.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1601475977400.jpeg" alt="John Currey, Sam Wisman, Laura Lee Crandall and Bill Shaltis" />
 <figcaption>John Currey, Sam Wisman, Laura Lee Crandall and Bill Shaltis</figcaption>
 </figure>WPAAContinuing the celebration of its 50th season, Western Plains Arts Association brings Marimba Sol De Chiapas to Hoxie High School auditorium on Sunday, Oct. 11. The group will offer a free pre-concert workshop starting at 1:30 p.m. at the auditorium&nbsp; for anyone interested.This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.Major sponsors include a special grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan.Marimba Sol De Chiapas is the first professional folkloric music ensemble of&nbsp;its kind permanently-based within the United States and calling Kansas City home&nbsp;since 1991. Now in its 16th year, the&nbsp;evolution of the group was actually started by Dr. Laurence Kaptain in 1988 as&nbsp;Marimba&nbsp;Yajalón. Committed to the authentic performance of the&nbsp;marimba,&nbsp;Marimba Sol de Chiapas&nbsp;(which translates as&nbsp;The Chiapan Sun Marimba Group) maintains an active schedule&nbsp;of performances, recordings, and multi-cultural workshops.Sol&nbsp;is a Mid-America Arts Alliance-approved&nbsp;Touring Performer with more than 20 years of ensemble highlights ranging from a feature on National&nbsp;Public Radio’s&nbsp;Morning Edition&nbsp;and a cameo appearance on ABC’s&nbsp;Good Morning&nbsp;America, to performing at the art world’s premier event of the Americas—Art Basel&nbsp;Miami. From performances at three&nbsp;International Festivals of the Marimba&nbsp;and events hosted by the Mexican Consul of New Orleans celebrating the&nbsp;Bicentennial of Mexico’s independence from Spain,&nbsp;to several&nbsp;Compact Disc recordings. So&nbsp;authentic is their interpretation and approach that the ensemble has toured&nbsp;Mexico on numerous occasions as guests of the Mexican government.Marimba Sol de&nbsp;Chiapas&nbsp;is North America's premiere professional&nbsp;Mexican Marimba band.Much more than a musical instrument, the marimba in Mexico is a cultural symbol&nbsp;woven into the fabric of everyday life in the state of Chiapas. It is difficult&nbsp;to walk down any street within the state without hearing&nbsp;las maderas que cantan&nbsp;or what Chiapans affectionately call "the wood that sings." Chiapas is one of&nbsp;Mexico's most isolated and exotic states, which only adds resonance to the&nbsp;combination of reality and legend that surrounds the marimba, its music, and the&nbsp;people who play the instrument.At first glance, a North American audience sees what they think is a sort of&nbsp;xylophone--and they are right! The marimba is a type of xylophone. There are&nbsp;two most obvious differences--aside from instrument materials/construction and&nbsp;appearance--between the Mexican marimba tradition and the "concert marimba"&nbsp;tradition that most North Americans are familiar with. The first is that the&nbsp;Mexican tradition most always has several musicians performing on a single&nbsp;instrument, whereas the concert tradition usually involves a single solo&nbsp;performer. The second difference is the very distinctive "buzz" that is an integral&nbsp;part of the sound of the Mexican instrument, and that is lacking on the concert&nbsp;version of the marimba.Eclectic is the best term with which one would describe the repertoire of&nbsp;the marimba. Groups will literally perform any musical work.— Submitted

WPAA bring Marimba Sol De Chiapas to Hoxie

The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 17 traffic stops Mon., Sept. 28, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Drug Offenses--1500 block Vine St, Hays; 12:01 AM; 12:03 AM 
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 2:42 AM; 3:01 AM 
Identity Theft—1700 block Golden Belt Dr, Hays; 9:14 AM 
Criminal Damage to Property--16th and Fort, Hays; 09/27; 9/28 10:06 AM 
Found/Lost Property--1200 block Maple St, Ellis; 1:26 PM 
Phone/Mail Scam—400 block W 15th St, Hays; 1:41 PM 
Parking Complaint--2500 block Donald, Hay; 2:03 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--2700 block Vine St, Hays; 2:37 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley—2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 12:53 PM 
Civil Dispute--2400 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 4:04 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property—1100 block E 8th St, Hays;&nbsp; 9/23 12 AM; 9/25 12 PM 
Mental Health Call—3600 block Vine, Hays; 5:10 PM 
Animal Call—300 block W 18th St, Ha; 11 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property—400 block W 11th St, Hays; 11:39 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 12 traffic stops Tue., Sept. 29, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Driving Under the Influence--700 block Main St, Hays; 1:59 AM MV Accident-City
Street/Alley--Hays; 7:50 AM Theft of
Vehicle--1000 block 40 Bypass Hwy, Hays; 3/1; 9/28 3 PM Identity Theft--1500 block Haney Dr, Hays; 9:07 AM Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/11; 8/3 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/11 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/10; 7/23 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/6/; 7/31 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/13&nbsp; Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays;&nbsp; 7/2; 7/31 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/10; 7/13 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/2; 7/31 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 8/8 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/19; 7/25 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/22; 8/7 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/5/; 7/31 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/1; 8/2 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/8/; 7/9 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 8/9; 8/10 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/2; 7/24 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/18; 7/4 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/1; 7/12 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/16; 6/27 Theft (general)--1200 block E 30th St, Hays; 10 PM; 9/29 12:41 PM&nbsp; Criminal Damage to Property--1500&nbsp; block E 27th St Terr, Hays; 9/28 10 PM; 9/29 12:50 PM Animal At Large--2200 block Henry Dr; 2:47 PM Animal At Large--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 2:56 PM Harassment (All Other)--100 block W 4th St, Hays; 4:10 PM; 5:20 PM Suspicious Activity--1200 block Vine St, Hays; 5:34 PM Traffic/Driving Complaint--2400 block Main St Terr, Hays; 7:25 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 6 animal calls and conducted 9 traffic stops Wed., Sept. 30, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Disturbance - Noise--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 12:12 AM Water Use Violation--200 block W 25th St, Hay; 12:40 AM Lost Animals ONLY--2700 block Willow St, Hays; 12:59 AM Suspicious Activity--1500 block US 183 Alt Hwy, Hays; 1:11 AM Shoplifting--3600 block Vine St, Hays; 3:58 AM Civil Dispute--200 block W 12th St, Hays; 5:29 AM Mental Health Call--3400 block Vine St,
Hays; 6:31 AM Burglary/vehicle--1000 block Centennial Blvd, Hays; 7:31 AM Identity Theft--500 block W 29th St, Hays; 9:14 AM Battery - simple--100 block E 7th St, Hays; 9/25 11 PM Welfare Check--1300 block Oak St, Hays; 9:41 AM; 9:50 AM Criminal Damage to Property--200 block E 6th St, Hays; 9/16 12 AM; 9/30 9:43 AM Battery - simple--2700 block Indian Trl, Hays; 10:05 AM; 10:10 AM Identity Theft--3700 block Thunderbird Dr, Hays; 10:40 AM Suicidal Subject--200 block W 7th St, Hays; 11:35 AM Pursuit Chase--29th and Elm, Hays; 1:46 PM Phone/Mail Scam--3000 block Limestone Ct, Hays; 2:19 PM Burglary/residence--2900 block Walnut St, Hays: 2:38 PM Bicycle - Lost,Found,Stolen--1300 block E 22nd St, Hays; 3:15 PM Harassment (All Other)--200 block E 28th St, Hays; 5:02 PM Blackmail/Extortion--300 block W 6th St, Hays;5:49 PM Animal At Large--1700 block Marjorie Dr, Hays; 6:36 PM Civil Dispute--800 block Walnut St, Hays; 6:58 PM MV Accident-City Street/Alley--2700 block Willow St, Hays; 8:32 PM

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592410704431.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 17 traffic stops Mon., Sept. 28, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.Drug Offenses--1500 block Vine St, Hays; 12:01 AM; 12:03 AM 
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)—100 block W 12th St, Hays; 2:42 AM; 3:01 AM 
Identity Theft—1700 block Golden Belt Dr, Hays; 9:14 AM 
Criminal Damage to Property--16th and Fort, Hays; 09/27; 9/28 10:06 AM 
Found/Lost Property--1200 block Maple St, Ellis; 1:26 PM 
Phone/Mail Scam—400 block W 15th St, Hays; 1:41 PM 
Parking Complaint--2500 block Donald, Hay; 2:03 PM 
Driving Under the Influence--2700 block Vine St, Hays; 2:37 PM 
MV Accident-City Street/Alley—2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 12:53 PM 
Civil Dispute--2400 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 4:04 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property—1100 block E 8th St, Hays;&nbsp; 9/23 12 AM; 9/25 12 PM 
Mental Health Call—3600 block Vine, Hays; 5:10 PM 
Animal Call—300 block W 18th St, Ha; 11 PM 
Criminal Damage to Property—400 block W 11th St, Hays; 11:39 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 7 animal calls and conducted 12 traffic stops Tue., Sept. 29, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.Driving Under the Influence--700 block Main St, Hays; 1:59 AM MV Accident-City
Street/Alley--Hays; 7:50 AM Theft of
Vehicle--1000 block 40 Bypass Hwy, Hays; 3/1; 9/28 3 PM Identity Theft--1500 block Haney Dr, Hays; 9:07 AM Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/11; 8/3 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/11 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/10; 7/23 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/6/; 7/31 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/13&nbsp; Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays;&nbsp; 7/2; 7/31 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/10; 7/13 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/2; 7/31 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 8/8 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/19; 7/25 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/22; 8/7 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/5/; 7/31 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/1; 8/2 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/8/; 7/9 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 8/9; 8/10 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/2; 7/24 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/18; 7/4 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 7/1; 7/12 Drug Offenses--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 6/16; 6/27 Theft (general)--1200 block E 30th St, Hays; 10 PM; 9/29 12:41 PM&nbsp; Criminal Damage to Property--1500&nbsp; block E 27th St Terr, Hays; 9/28 10 PM; 9/29 12:50 PM Animal At Large--2200 block Henry Dr; 2:47 PM Animal At Large--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 2:56 PM Harassment (All Other)--100 block W 4th St, Hays; 4:10 PM; 5:20 PM Suspicious Activity--1200 block Vine St, Hays; 5:34 PM Traffic/Driving Complaint--2400 block Main St Terr, Hays; 7:25 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 6 animal calls and conducted 9 traffic stops Wed., Sept. 30, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.Disturbance - Noise--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 12:12 AM Water Use Violation--200 block W 25th St, Hay; 12:40 AM Lost Animals ONLY--2700 block Willow St, Hays; 12:59 AM Suspicious Activity--1500 block US 183 Alt Hwy, Hays; 1:11 AM Shoplifting--3600 block Vine St, Hays; 3:58 AM Civil Dispute--200 block W 12th St, Hays; 5:29 AM Mental Health Call--3400 block Vine St,
Hays; 6:31 AM Burglary/vehicle--1000 block Centennial Blvd, Hays; 7:31 AM Identity Theft--500 block W 29th St, Hays; 9:14 AM Battery - simple--100 block E 7th St, Hays; 9/25 11 PM Welfare Check--1300 block Oak St, Hays; 9:41 AM; 9:50 AM Criminal Damage to Property--200 block E 6th St, Hays; 9/16 12 AM; 9/30 9:43 AM Battery - simple--2700 block Indian Trl, Hays; 10:05 AM; 10:10 AM Identity Theft--3700 block Thunderbird Dr, Hays; 10:40 AM Suicidal Subject--200 block W 7th St, Hays; 11:35 AM Pursuit Chase--29th and Elm, Hays; 1:46 PM Phone/Mail Scam--3000 block Limestone Ct, Hays; 2:19 PM Burglary/residence--2900 block Walnut St, Hays: 2:38 PM Bicycle - Lost,Found,Stolen--1300 block E 22nd St, Hays; 3:15 PM Harassment (All Other)--200 block E 28th St, Hays; 5:02 PM Blackmail/Extortion--300 block W 6th St, Hays;5:49 PM Animal At Large--1700 block Marjorie Dr, Hays; 6:36 PM Civil Dispute--800 block Walnut St, Hays; 6:58 PM MV Accident-City Street/Alley--2700 block Willow St, Hays; 8:32 PM<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592410704431.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

HPD Activity Log, Sept. 28-30

By KAITI DINGES Executive Director of Jana’s Campaign

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Domestic violence is one of society’s largest social problems and it hides in plain sight. DVAM is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of these issues and share resources.&nbsp;

Nationally, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men have experienced gender-based violence by an intimate partner or ex-intimate partner (CDC, 2019).&nbsp;

Domestic violence is a leading contributor of injuries, chronic health issues, high-risk health behaviors, and creates a significant strain on the healthcare system. Growing evidence shows the long-term impact of emotional and mental trauma from violence carries an additional likelihood of disease and illness.&nbsp;

Domestic violence takes on many forms. It can be verbal, emotional, psychological, digital, sexual, and/or physical abuse. It can be extreme jealousy, possessiveness, unwanted touching, coercion, and excessive arguments.&nbsp;

And it is ALL about power and control.&nbsp;

Domestic violence occurs in every community across the country, and can happen to anyone regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or economic status.&nbsp;

In Kansas alone, domestic violence claimed 37 lives in 2018 (KBI, 2018).&nbsp;

Throughout the month of October, Jana’s Campaign pledges to share 31 facts about domestic violence on our social media accounts.&nbsp;

Our hope is that you increase your understanding of this complex issue and utilize the information to become a part of the collective voice of individuals, families, activists, institutions, and systems who are working to prevent domestic violence.&nbsp;

To access this information, please follow Jana’s Campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.&nbsp;

Violence is a learned behavior, and we can unlearn violence. The only way we can create a society that does not accept violence, is to become educated on the issue and then start a conversation about what we know. While I know these conversations can be uncomfortable, I also know that no social issue has been solved by not talking about it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578075822734.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KAITI DINGES Executive Director of Jana’s CampaignOctober is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence is one of society’s largest social problems and it hides in plain sight. DVAM is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of these issues and share resources.&nbsp;Nationally, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men have experienced gender-based violence by an intimate partner or ex-intimate partner (CDC, 2019).&nbsp;Domestic violence is a leading contributor of injuries, chronic health issues, high-risk health behaviors, and creates a significant strain on the healthcare system. Growing evidence shows the long-term impact of emotional and mental trauma from violence carries an additional likelihood of disease and illness.&nbsp;Domestic violence takes on many forms. It can be verbal, emotional, psychological, digital, sexual, and/or physical abuse. It can be extreme jealousy, possessiveness, unwanted touching, coercion, and excessive arguments.&nbsp;And it is ALL about power and control.&nbsp;Domestic violence occurs in every community across the country, and can happen to anyone regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or economic status.&nbsp;In Kansas alone, domestic violence claimed 37 lives in 2018 (KBI, 2018).&nbsp;Throughout the month of October, Jana’s Campaign pledges to share 31 facts about domestic violence on our social media accounts.&nbsp;A fact per day.&nbsp;Our hope is that you increase your understanding of this complex issue and utilize the information to become a part of the collective voice of individuals, families, activists, institutions, and systems who are working to prevent domestic violence.&nbsp;To access this information, please follow Jana’s Campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.&nbsp;Violence is a learned behavior, and we can unlearn violence. The only way we can create a society that does not accept violence, is to become educated on the issue and then start a conversation about what we know. While I know these conversations can be uncomfortable, I also know that no social issue has been solved by not talking about it.

LETTER: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month 

Let me introduce you to one of our new students: Hannah Dechant from Goodland. Her mom, Koren, recently messaged me to express gratitude: “Hannah’s experience has been amazing thus far, even in this crazy COVID world!”

Here is Hannah’s story: She shared that as long as she can remember, she has wanted to become a teacher with special education credentials. When she was 3 years old, her parents learned that she was legally blind in her left eye from a disorder called Amblyopia.

“In elementary school, my parents were my biggest advocates,” Hannah said. “In junior high and high school – and now in college – everything became much harder. I had to become my biggest advocate. Although I never needed special education services, I did access a few accommodations. This has meant I have to work that much harder to meet my goals. I believe my experiences, including constantly having to battle for myself, will be a big advantage as I pursue my dream.”

She said that when it was time for her to start looking for a university, she knew that FHSU was the right fit for her, “not just because it was close to home or because of the reasonable tuition, but because of the atmosphere. I came to the FHSU Leadership shadow day, took part in a class, and that is when I really knew FHSU was for me,” Hannah said.&nbsp;

One of Hannah’s favorite experiences so far is being a part of a Learning Community and being able to have friends and other classmates who have the same passion and drive that she does.&nbsp;

A Learning Community is a group of first-year students who share common interests, take classes together, live on the same floor, and participate in activities together throughout the year. It is a place for students to connect with one another, become engaged in all that Fort Hays State University has to offer, and belong to a supporting community.

“I really enjoy being in my Learning Community. We take classes together, study, and hang out while having fun – all while learning about becoming the best educator I can be,” Hannah said.

Hannah is a member of the Opportunity through Education Learning Community, designed especially for students interested in early childhood, elementary, or secondary teacher education. Learning Community students tend to have higher average GPAs than students who do not participate in a learning community. Additionally, students in Learning Communities also state that they feel greater satisfaction with student-faculty interaction and a greater sense of campus support. So, in my opinion, one of Hannah’s early college decisions was strategic and smart.

Each Learning Community is led by a faculty mentor. The faculty mentor for Opportunity through Education is Dr. Elodie Jones. Dr. Jones has been working with Learning Communities for several years now and is a strong proponent of the program. In fact, her daughter, Avery, a freshman at FHSU, is also enjoying a Learning Community experience.

Dr. Jones is a thoughtful educator. This semester, she is facilitating courses in both online and face-to-face settings, striving to truly make genuine and impactful connections with her students. She is a lifelong educator who said she realizes the most important factor regarding student learning and “making it stick” begins with building solid and meaningful relationships.&nbsp;

When I asked how her fall semester is going, she said she has been fortunate enough to teach a hybrid undergraduate course that has allowed her to fully connect with her freshman Learning Community. She redesigned her face-to-face course by splitting the class in half and then holding two 40-minute sessions versus one large session. When students are not in a class, they are reading articles, watching videos, engaging in discussions, or developing projects surrounding the course content.

Dr. Jones believes that face-to-face contact is the most powerful aspect of teaching to solidify students’ experience as incoming freshmen.

“The in-person sessions give me time to build relationships and make human connections in a time when I think students are seeking a physical presence,” she said. “I have found that my learning community students are eager because they just want to be at FHSU, be a part of something incredible, plus establish a bit of normality. They are seeking the true college experience regardless of how different it might be from what we consider ‘traditional.’ ”

Dr. Jones shared that her undergraduate students are very resilient and empathic young adults who have lived through unprecedented experiences over the last several months. From a missed ending to their senior year in high school, rescheduled summer graduations, and a transition into a new residence hall life, she believes these students are a force to be reckoned with. They will do astounding things with such deep understanding for challenging constructs such as change, opposition, being flexible, and living in the moment.

“This generation is filled with open and honest students who are not afraid to express themselves,” she noted. “I could not be more excited to work with such a bright, kind, and compassionate group of students.”&nbsp;

I couldn’t agree more. These Tigers are embracing education with great enthusiasm. They are demonstrating their resilience and determination. Indeed, this is what makes them Tigers.

At FHSU, our resolve to outlast and achieve is as firm and steady as our century-old limestone buildings. Nowhere else will you find a staff and faculty as dedicated and willing to give 150 percent effort to the FHSU mission and reinvest assets in what matters most: our students.

Inevitably there are changes and challenges, but we continue to press on and grow in spite of them. In fact, we’re stronger than ever.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>Let me introduce you to one of our new students: Hannah Dechant from Goodland. Her mom, Koren, recently messaged me to express gratitude: “Hannah’s experience has been amazing thus far, even in this crazy COVID world!”Here is Hannah’s story: She shared that as long as she can remember, she has wanted to become a teacher with special education credentials. When she was 3 years old, her parents learned that she was legally blind in her left eye from a disorder called Amblyopia.“In elementary school, my parents were my biggest advocates,” Hannah said. “In junior high and high school – and now in college – everything became much harder. I had to become my biggest advocate. Although I never needed special education services, I did access a few accommodations. This has meant I have to work that much harder to meet my goals. I believe my experiences, including constantly having to battle for myself, will be a big advantage as I pursue my dream.”She said that when it was time for her to start looking for a university, she knew that FHSU was the right fit for her, “not just because it was close to home or because of the reasonable tuition, but because of the atmosphere. I came to the FHSU Leadership shadow day, took part in a class, and that is when I really knew FHSU was for me,” Hannah said.&nbsp;One of Hannah’s favorite experiences so far is being a part of a Learning Community and being able to have friends and other classmates who have the same passion and drive that she does.&nbsp;A Learning Community is a group of first-year students who share common interests, take classes together, live on the same floor, and participate in activities together throughout the year. It is a place for students to connect with one another, become engaged in all that Fort Hays State University has to offer, and belong to a supporting community.“I really enjoy being in my Learning Community. We take classes together, study, and hang out while having fun – all while learning about becoming the best educator I can be,” Hannah said.Hannah is a member of the Opportunity through Education Learning Community, designed especially for students interested in early childhood, elementary, or secondary teacher education. Learning Community students tend to have higher average GPAs than students who do not participate in a learning community. Additionally, students in Learning Communities also state that they feel greater satisfaction with student-faculty interaction and a greater sense of campus support. So, in my opinion, one of Hannah’s early college decisions was strategic and smart.Each Learning Community is led by a faculty mentor. The faculty mentor for Opportunity through Education is Dr. Elodie Jones. Dr. Jones has been working with Learning Communities for several years now and is a strong proponent of the program. In fact, her daughter, Avery, a freshman at FHSU, is also enjoying a Learning Community experience.Dr. Jones is a thoughtful educator. This semester, she is facilitating courses in both online and face-to-face settings, striving to truly make genuine and impactful connections with her students. She is a lifelong educator who said she realizes the most important factor regarding student learning and “making it stick” begins with building solid and meaningful relationships.&nbsp;When I asked how her fall semester is going, she said she has been fortunate enough to teach a hybrid undergraduate course that has allowed her to fully connect with her freshman Learning Community. She redesigned her face-to-face course by splitting the class in half and then holding two 40-minute sessions versus one large session. When students are not in a class, they are reading articles, watching videos, engaging in discussions, or developing projects surrounding the course content.Dr. Jones believes that face-to-face contact is the most powerful aspect of teaching to solidify students’ experience as incoming freshmen.“The in-person sessions give me time to build relationships and make human connections in a time when I think students are seeking a physical presence,” she said. “I have found that my learning community students are eager because they just want to be at FHSU, be a part of something incredible, plus establish a bit of normality. They are seeking the true college experience regardless of how different it might be from what we consider ‘traditional.’ ”Dr. Jones shared that her undergraduate students are very resilient and empathic young adults who have lived through unprecedented experiences over the last several months. From a missed ending to their senior year in high school, rescheduled summer graduations, and a transition into a new residence hall life, she believes these students are a force to be reckoned with. They will do astounding things with such deep understanding for challenging constructs such as change, opposition, being flexible, and living in the moment.“This generation is filled with open and honest students who are not afraid to express themselves,” she noted. “I could not be more excited to work with such a bright, kind, and compassionate group of students.”&nbsp;I couldn’t agree more. These Tigers are embracing education with great enthusiasm. They are demonstrating their resilience and determination. Indeed, this is what makes them Tigers.At FHSU, our resolve to outlast and achieve is as firm and steady as our century-old limestone buildings. Nowhere else will you find a staff and faculty as dedicated and willing to give 150 percent effort to the FHSU mission and reinvest assets in what matters most: our students.Inevitably there are changes and challenges, but we continue to press on and grow in spite of them. In fact, we’re stronger than ever.

MASON: Tiger freshman seizes opportunity at FHSU

Midwest Energy is seeking applicants for the position of Engineering Assistant, in Hays, Kan.&nbsp; The primary responsibilities of this position include reviewing, organizing, and developing reports of electric system outage statistics, as well as other information to be used internally by Midwest Energy, senior staff and the Board of Directors. &nbsp;

Applicants must be a high school graduate or equivalent.&nbsp; Two years of post-secondary education in business, math or statistics and communications is preferred.&nbsp; Individual should have three or more years of experience with emphasis in data management, record-keeping, and administrative support.&nbsp; Experience with Microsoft Word is required and expert level of knowledge in Microsoft Excel is preferred. &nbsp;

Midwest Energy offers a comprehensive benefit package.&nbsp; Candidates should submit an application and resume with cover letter summarizing relevant experience and training, by October 19, 2020 to: recruitment@mwenergy.com.&nbsp; Applications and additional details may be found at <a href="http://www.mwenergy.com/careers">www.mwenergy.com/careers</a>. &nbsp;

Midwest Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586196165303.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Midwest Energy is seeking applicants for the position of Engineering Assistant, in Hays, Kan.&nbsp; The primary responsibilities of this position include reviewing, organizing, and developing reports of electric system outage statistics, as well as other information to be used internally by Midwest Energy, senior staff and the Board of Directors. &nbsp;Applicants must be a high school graduate or equivalent.&nbsp; Two years of post-secondary education in business, math or statistics and communications is preferred.&nbsp; Individual should have three or more years of experience with emphasis in data management, record-keeping, and administrative support.&nbsp; Experience with Microsoft Word is required and expert level of knowledge in Microsoft Excel is preferred. &nbsp;Midwest Energy offers a comprehensive benefit package.&nbsp; Candidates should submit an application and resume with cover letter summarizing relevant experience and training, by October 19, 2020 to: recruitment@mwenergy.com.&nbsp; Applications and additional details may be found at <a href="http://www.mwenergy.com/careers">www.mwenergy.com/careers</a>. &nbsp;Midwest Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. &nbsp;

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