Dr. Oluwaseun Akinbo, orthopedic surgeon at HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Medical Center, was selected by the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) to be an associate editor of the premier orthopedic publication, the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS).&nbsp;

The AOA partners with the JBJS to offer AOA’s Emerging Leaders an opportunity to serve as Associate Editors on the JBJS Associate Editor Panel. &nbsp;

The AOA's Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) delivers a continuum of learning for developing orthopaedic leaders. Members are among a highly select group of orthopaedists poised to impact the specialty now and in the future. Emerging Leaders garner essential skills and build a strong foundation for leadership, development and success.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596475085013.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HaysMedDr. Oluwaseun Akinbo, orthopedic surgeon at HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Medical Center, was selected by the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) to be an associate editor of the premier orthopedic publication, the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS).&nbsp;The AOA partners with the JBJS to offer AOA’s Emerging Leaders an opportunity to serve as Associate Editors on the JBJS Associate Editor Panel. &nbsp;The AOA's Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) delivers a continuum of learning for developing orthopaedic leaders. Members are among a highly select group of orthopaedists poised to impact the specialty now and in the future. Emerging Leaders garner essential skills and build a strong foundation for leadership, development and success.&nbsp;

HaysMed surgeon named associate editor of premier orthopedic publication 

By TIM CARPENTER &amp; NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/04/kansas-voters-pivot-to-advance-by-mail-voting-amid-covid-19/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Six times the 
number of advance by-mail ballots have been returned to local election 
offices in Kansas compared to the 2016 and 2018 primary elections with 
the surge in popularity tied to competitive races and the pandemic.

Secretary of State Scott 
Schwab, who serves as the state’s top elections officer, said 159,000 
voters had submitted advance ballots by mail. That compared to 26,917 
two years ago in the primary and 26,795 four years ago in the summer 
election. There has been a narrow partisan split in the returns: 
Democrats, 81,208; Republicans, 77,372; Libertarian, nine.

“Despite the ongoing 
pandemic, we are pleased with the number of Kansas voters who have 
exercised their right to vote through advance by mail ballots and 
advance in-person voting,” Schwab said. “We encourage those who have not
 voted to do so on Tuesday.”

As of Friday, 314,788 
advance mail-in ballots had been sent to Kansans. The interest among 
potential voters vastly exceeded request totals from the previous two 
primary elections, with 51,211 forwarded in the same period in 2018 and 
53,387 in 2016.

Schwab predicted 28 
percent of 1.8 million registered Kansas voters would take part in the 
primary. In 2018, 27 percent or 487,000 voted in the primary. His 
prediction was based on historical turnout data, advance voting figures,
 registered voters in Kansas and competitive races capable of driving 
turnout. The secretary of state’s office said the pandemic created 
unique conditions not present in prior elections.

Due to enhanced COVID-19 
safety precautions and historically high advance voting numbers, 
election returns may be delayed Tuesday evening of the primary election.
 Voters have been asked to resolve intense GOP primary elections for 
U.S. Senate and three of four U.S. House districts, in addition to 
hundreds of statehouse and local election contests.

Despite
 a record number of mail-in ballot requests, Johnson County election 
commissioner Connie Schmidt said pre-emptive measures by the election 
office has given staff time to process the votes. An application for a mail-in ballot was sent to every voter in that county for the first time, Schmidt said.

“It
 was sort of our way of taking control of the potential of having many 
people wanting to vote by mail,” she said. “Those started coming back to
 our office around the first of June so we’ve had plenty of time 
built-in to process the number of ballots.”

Johnson
 County distributed 106,000 ballots and received about 70,000 back. 
State law permits county election officials to scan the ballots in 
advance, but not tabulate those results until polling stations close at 7
 p.m. Tuesday.

In Finney County, election
 officer Dori Munyan said 282 of the 457 mail-in ballots sent to 
potential voters were put through counters. In the 2016 primary election, Munyan said, Finney County only received 100 mail-in ballots. In 2018, they received 84.

Jamie
 Doss, Saline county clerk, said they’ve been having an advanced-mail 
review board come in daily to process the ballots as they came. The 
county mailed 4,891 advanced ballots to constituents and received 3,328 
in return, which was three times the normal volume.

“We
 brought in some extra poll workers to help with the process of getting 
the mail out and receiving it back,” Doss said. “Hopefully by 7 p.m. or 
shortly after we will have a count on our advanced ballots.”

Wyandotte
 County election commissioner Bruce Newby didn’t expect problems 
processing the flood of primary votes. Typically, the county receives 
around 5,000 mail-in ballot requests, but forwarded more than 11,600 to 
voters for the August election. On Monday, he said 7,700 had been 
returned. Work on other mail-in votes for school bonds, for example, 
have given his staff a comfort level with advanced voting.

“Voting
 by mail is a piece of cake for us,” Newby said. “It would take an 
astronomical number of votes for us to start having any problems.”

In Douglas County, 
election commissioner Jamie Shew said nearly 12,000 of the 21,000 
advanced ballots had been returned. The record total of advance mail 
voting was in November 2018 with about 13,000 ballots, and Shew expected
 to surpass that figure due to keen interest in a handful of contested 
elections and apprehension about entering polling stations during the 
pandemic.

“This is an election where nothing is as expected,” he said.

Advance by mail ballots 
must be postmarked on or before the date of the election and received in
 the local election office by 5:00 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7. After the 
initial counts on Tuesday, election officials will prepare revised 
totals Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Schwab said Kansans 
interested in advance voting could do so in person until noon Monday. As
 of Friday, he said, 30,762 people had taken advantage of that option. 
More than two-thirds of those voters were Republicans. In 2018, a 
presidential election year, 40,406 advance in-person ballots were cast. 
The figure for the 2016 primary election was 28,452.

“Our priority has been, 
and will continue to be, to maintain balance in protecting the health 
and safety of Kansas voters and election workers while also ensuring the
 security of Kansas elections. If you feel safe going to the grocery 
store, you should feel safe to vote,” Schwab said.

In light of COVID-19, he said Kansas voters Tuesday should follow safety protocols recommended by health professionals.

He said voters should 
expect increased distance between voting booths, greater distance in 
interactions with election workers and frequent sanitizing of election 
equipment. No voter will be turned away for wearing, or not wearing, a 
mask, he said.

Although state law 
requires Kansas voters to show photo identification when casting a vote 
in-person, Executive Order 20-55 will allow voters to use driver’s 
licenses or identification cards that expired between March 12, 2020, 
and Sept. 15, 2020, in the primary and general election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596642607358.jpeg" alt="Kansas election offices have been flooded with advance voting ballots as COVID-19 and competitive races prompted people to express themselves in a safely before Election Day on Tuesday. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas election offices have been flooded with advance voting ballots as COVID-19 and competitive races prompted people to express themselves in a safely before Election Day on Tuesday. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER &amp; NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/04/kansas-voters-pivot-to-advance-by-mail-voting-amid-covid-19/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Six times the 
number of advance by-mail ballots have been returned to local election 
offices in Kansas compared to the 2016 and 2018 primary elections with 
the surge in popularity tied to competitive races and the pandemic.Secretary of State Scott 
Schwab, who serves as the state’s top elections officer, said 159,000 
voters had submitted advance ballots by mail. That compared to 26,917 
two years ago in the primary and 26,795 four years ago in the summer 
election. There has been a narrow partisan split in the returns: 
Democrats, 81,208; Republicans, 77,372; Libertarian, nine.“Despite the ongoing 
pandemic, we are pleased with the number of Kansas voters who have 
exercised their right to vote through advance by mail ballots and 
advance in-person voting,” Schwab said. “We encourage those who have not
 voted to do so on Tuesday.”As of Friday, 314,788 
advance mail-in ballots had been sent to Kansans. The interest among 
potential voters vastly exceeded request totals from the previous two 
primary elections, with 51,211 forwarded in the same period in 2018 and 
53,387 in 2016.Schwab predicted 28 
percent of 1.8 million registered Kansas voters would take part in the 
primary. In 2018, 27 percent or 487,000 voted in the primary. His 
prediction was based on historical turnout data, advance voting figures,
 registered voters in Kansas and competitive races capable of driving 
turnout. The secretary of state’s office said the pandemic created 
unique conditions not present in prior elections.Due to enhanced COVID-19 
safety precautions and historically high advance voting numbers, 
election returns may be delayed Tuesday evening of the primary election.
 Voters have been asked to resolve intense GOP primary elections for 
U.S. Senate and three of four U.S. House districts, in addition to 
hundreds of statehouse and local election contests.<h2>The county counting</h2>Despite
 a record number of mail-in ballot requests, Johnson County election 
commissioner Connie Schmidt said pre-emptive measures by the election 
office has given staff time to process the votes. An application for a mail-in ballot was sent to every voter in that county for the first time, Schmidt said.“It
 was sort of our way of taking control of the potential of having many 
people wanting to vote by mail,” she said. “Those started coming back to
 our office around the first of June so we’ve had plenty of time 
built-in to process the number of ballots.”Johnson
 County distributed 106,000 ballots and received about 70,000 back. 
State law permits county election officials to scan the ballots in 
advance, but not tabulate those results until polling stations close at 7
 p.m. Tuesday.In Finney County, election
 officer Dori Munyan said 282 of the 457 mail-in ballots sent to 
potential voters were put through counters. In the 2016 primary election, Munyan said, Finney County only received 100 mail-in ballots. In 2018, they received 84.Jamie
 Doss, Saline county clerk, said they’ve been having an advanced-mail 
review board come in daily to process the ballots as they came. The 
county mailed 4,891 advanced ballots to constituents and received 3,328 
in return, which was three times the normal volume.“We
 brought in some extra poll workers to help with the process of getting 
the mail out and receiving it back,” Doss said. “Hopefully by 7 p.m. or 
shortly after we will have a count on our advanced ballots.”Wyandotte
 County election commissioner Bruce Newby didn’t expect problems 
processing the flood of primary votes. Typically, the county receives 
around 5,000 mail-in ballot requests, but forwarded more than 11,600 to 
voters for the August election. On Monday, he said 7,700 had been 
returned. Work on other mail-in votes for school bonds, for example, 
have given his staff a comfort level with advanced voting.“Voting
 by mail is a piece of cake for us,” Newby said. “It would take an 
astronomical number of votes for us to start having any problems.”In Douglas County, 
election commissioner Jamie Shew said nearly 12,000 of the 21,000 
advanced ballots had been returned. The record total of advance mail 
voting was in November 2018 with about 13,000 ballots, and Shew expected
 to surpass that figure due to keen interest in a handful of contested 
elections and apprehension about entering polling stations during the 
pandemic.“This is an election where nothing is as expected,” he said.Advance by mail ballots 
must be postmarked on or before the date of the election and received in
 the local election office by 5:00 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7. After the 
initial counts on Tuesday, election officials will prepare revised 
totals Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.<h2>In-person advance</h2>Schwab said Kansans 
interested in advance voting could do so in person until noon Monday. As
 of Friday, he said, 30,762 people had taken advantage of that option. 
More than two-thirds of those voters were Republicans. In 2018, a 
presidential election year, 40,406 advance in-person ballots were cast. 
The figure for the 2016 primary election was 28,452.“Our priority has been, 
and will continue to be, to maintain balance in protecting the health 
and safety of Kansas voters and election workers while also ensuring the
 security of Kansas elections. If you feel safe going to the grocery 
store, you should feel safe to vote,” Schwab said.In light of COVID-19, he said Kansas voters Tuesday should follow safety protocols recommended by health professionals.He said voters should 
expect increased distance between voting booths, greater distance in 
interactions with election workers and frequent sanitizing of election 
equipment. No voter will be turned away for wearing, or not wearing, a 
mask, he said.Although state law 
requires Kansas voters to show photo identification when casting a vote 
in-person, Executive Order 20-55 will allow voters to use driver’s 
licenses or identification cards that expired between March 12, 2020, 
and Sept. 15, 2020, in the primary and general election.

Kan. voters pivot to advance by-mail voting amid COVID-19

Graduating classes of 2020 across the country long will be remembered for the challenges they faced during the last several weeks before graduation.&nbsp; But it’s the success of one group of new alumni at Fort Hays State University that future graduates will look to emulate for years to come.&nbsp; The inaugural graduating class from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctorate of Nursing Practice (BSN to DNP) online program set the bar high when all 12 passed the national certification board examination on the first try.&nbsp; Now, those advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are working in medical facilities all across the state in a wide variety of healthcare services: family practice, public health, cardiology, rheumatology and psychiatric.&nbsp; Contributing to that perfect pass rate were several measures implemented by the nursing department and its staff before the program even started.&nbsp; Nursing faculty wrote grants from two different organizations that helped fund equipment and extra classes – some geared specifically toward tips for passing the certification exam.&nbsp; In addition, two Fort Hays State BSN to DNP students were selected for fellowships from the KU School of Nursing where DNP graduates work in a residency-type program, giving them invaluable experience their first year after graduation.&nbsp; “The program is designed for the APRN to continue to learn from instructors, preceptors and specialists,” said Terry Siek, vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer at The University of Kansas Health System-HaysMed Campus. “We have been working on transition to practice for our APRNs and hope this will be the model that we can follow in the future.”&nbsp; Heather Holaday from Garfield received one of the KU fellowships and is working at the Pawnee Valley Medical Associates in Larned.&nbsp; “It’s a great transition piece,” Holaday said. “I’ll have the opportunity to go into a practice and learn as I go. I get a year of guidance from a mentor who I can rely on to ask questions.”&nbsp; The clinic pays for 60 percent of the graduate’s salary, while the fellowship makes up for the remaining 40 percent.&nbsp; One of the grants written by FHSU came from the Hansen Foundation. Graduates set to work in any of the 26 counties served by the foundation could apply for a $25,000 scholarship to help offset college expenses.&nbsp; The largest grant came from a Health Resources and Service Administration. That federal grant provides the BSN to DNP program with nearly $700,000 over a four-year span. Half of that goes to stipends to graduates who will work in rural and underserved areas for at least two years. The other half helps with the purchase of new equipment, funding new faculty positions to assist in simulations and clinical site placement, and to enhance course work.&nbsp; Adding review courses for the national certification to part of the curriculum was key to the graduates’ success, said Mary Jo Gubitoso, assistant professor of nursing.&nbsp; She said the courses helped them organize the large volume of material and gave them test-taking skills, and provided practice exams before taking the national certification.&nbsp; “I thought those review courses were phenomenal,” Holaday said. “They were difficult, but I felt so prepared for my certification exam. I knew I had the information to pass.”&nbsp; Jenny Manry, chair of FHSU’s nursing department, attributes the success of the program to her entire team, especially faculty.&nbsp; “Our faculty are some of the best nurse practitioners in Western Kansas,” she said. “They each practice part-time in a clinical setting to stay current in evidence-based practice. These sites include working in the emergency room, cardiology, family practice, and neonatology. They care about students and often burn the midnight oil to make sure that our program is the best.”&nbsp; Information about the BSN to DNP program and all nursing program at Fort Hays State can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fhsu.edu/nursing">www.fhsu.edu/nursing</a>.&nbsp; Following is a list of the first graduating class of the BSN to DNP program, their hometowns and their place of employment:&nbsp; • Summer Anthony, Salina, KU School of Nursing fellowship, First Care Clinic, Hays.&nbsp; • Alicia Arias, Hays, First Care Clinic, Hays.&nbsp; • Paula Bitter, Holyrood, Russell County Health Dept.&nbsp; • Violet Gomes, Basehor, Leavenworth County Health Dept.&nbsp; • Heather Holaday, Garfield, KU School of Nursing fellowship, Pawnee Valley Medical Associates, Larned.&nbsp; • Vicki James-Bortzer, Jetmore, Pratt Regional Family Practice, Dodge City.&nbsp; • Jennifer Payne, Garden City, Heart Center at St. Catherine Hospital, Garden City.&nbsp; • Cathryn Preisner, Hays, Hays Family Medicine.&nbsp; • Debra Shinn, Ellis, Rheumatology Clinic, Russell Regional Hospital.&nbsp; • Alicia Utley, Hutchinson, seeking employment in family healthcare.&nbsp; • Jenesa Osborn, Valley Center, Cardiovascular Care, Wichita.&nbsp; • Erica Powell, Ellinwood, Center for Counseling, Great Bend.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596554047697.jpeg" alt="Holoday" />
 <figcaption>Holoday</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsGraduating classes of 2020 across the country long will be remembered for the challenges they faced during the last several weeks before graduation.&nbsp; But it’s the success of one group of new alumni at Fort Hays State University that future graduates will look to emulate for years to come.&nbsp; The inaugural graduating class from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctorate of Nursing Practice (BSN to DNP) online program set the bar high when all 12 passed the national certification board examination on the first try.&nbsp; Now, those advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are working in medical facilities all across the state in a wide variety of healthcare services: family practice, public health, cardiology, rheumatology and psychiatric.&nbsp; Contributing to that perfect pass rate were several measures implemented by the nursing department and its staff before the program even started.&nbsp; Nursing faculty wrote grants from two different organizations that helped fund equipment and extra classes – some geared specifically toward tips for passing the certification exam.&nbsp; In addition, two Fort Hays State BSN to DNP students were selected for fellowships from the KU School of Nursing where DNP graduates work in a residency-type program, giving them invaluable experience their first year after graduation.&nbsp; “The program is designed for the APRN to continue to learn from instructors, preceptors and specialists,” said Terry Siek, vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer at The University of Kansas Health System-HaysMed Campus. “We have been working on transition to practice for our APRNs and hope this will be the model that we can follow in the future.”&nbsp; Heather Holaday from Garfield received one of the KU fellowships and is working at the Pawnee Valley Medical Associates in Larned.&nbsp; “It’s a great transition piece,” Holaday said. “I’ll have the opportunity to go into a practice and learn as I go. I get a year of guidance from a mentor who I can rely on to ask questions.”&nbsp; The clinic pays for 60 percent of the graduate’s salary, while the fellowship makes up for the remaining 40 percent.&nbsp; One of the grants written by FHSU came from the Hansen Foundation. Graduates set to work in any of the 26 counties served by the foundation could apply for a $25,000 scholarship to help offset college expenses.&nbsp; The largest grant came from a Health Resources and Service Administration. That federal grant provides the BSN to DNP program with nearly $700,000 over a four-year span. Half of that goes to stipends to graduates who will work in rural and underserved areas for at least two years. The other half helps with the purchase of new equipment, funding new faculty positions to assist in simulations and clinical site placement, and to enhance course work.&nbsp; Adding review courses for the national certification to part of the curriculum was key to the graduates’ success, said Mary Jo Gubitoso, assistant professor of nursing.&nbsp; She said the courses helped them organize the large volume of material and gave them test-taking skills, and provided practice exams before taking the national certification.&nbsp; “I thought those review courses were phenomenal,” Holaday said. “They were difficult, but I felt so prepared for my certification exam. I knew I had the information to pass.”&nbsp; Jenny Manry, chair of FHSU’s nursing department, attributes the success of the program to her entire team, especially faculty.&nbsp; “Our faculty are some of the best nurse practitioners in Western Kansas,” she said. “They each practice part-time in a clinical setting to stay current in evidence-based practice. These sites include working in the emergency room, cardiology, family practice, and neonatology. They care about students and often burn the midnight oil to make sure that our program is the best.”&nbsp; Information about the BSN to DNP program and all nursing program at Fort Hays State can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fhsu.edu/nursing">www.fhsu.edu/nursing</a>.&nbsp; Following is a list of the first graduating class of the BSN to DNP program, their hometowns and their place of employment:&nbsp; • Summer Anthony, Salina, KU School of Nursing fellowship, First Care Clinic, Hays.&nbsp; • Alicia Arias, Hays, First Care Clinic, Hays.&nbsp; • Paula Bitter, Holyrood, Russell County Health Dept.&nbsp; • Violet Gomes, Basehor, Leavenworth County Health Dept.&nbsp; • Heather Holaday, Garfield, KU School of Nursing fellowship, Pawnee Valley Medical Associates, Larned.&nbsp; • Vicki James-Bortzer, Jetmore, Pratt Regional Family Practice, Dodge City.&nbsp; • Jennifer Payne, Garden City, Heart Center at St. Catherine Hospital, Garden City.&nbsp; • Cathryn Preisner, Hays, Hays Family Medicine.&nbsp; • Debra Shinn, Ellis, Rheumatology Clinic, Russell Regional Hospital.&nbsp; • Alicia Utley, Hutchinson, seeking employment in family healthcare.&nbsp; • Jenesa Osborn, Valley Center, Cardiovascular Care, Wichita.&nbsp; • Erica Powell, Ellinwood, Center for Counseling, Great Bend.&nbsp;

FHSU’s inaugural BSN to DNP graduating class sets a high standard 

Three-day weather outlook

Boy howdy, just when you think you’ve heard it all, Joey Chestnut comes along and eats more hot dogs in 10 minutes than I’ll eat in the next 10 years, someone wanting to be president of our great nation really thinks college can be free and startup companies here in America are actually growing meat in labs. Here in cattle country “them’s fighten’ words,” but more stories about companies actually producing lab-grown meat are surfacing all the time.

A recent online news article began “Startups make meat that avoids slaughter.” Memphis Meats is headquartered in California, (no surprise there) and is slowly perfecting the craft of actually growing meat in stem cell broth extracted from cow fetuses, calling it “cell-based meat;” test-tube-to-table so to speak. A person involved with the company told the interviewer “People want meat; they don’t want slaughter, so we make slaughter-free meat.” (Also remember that someone also said, “We ourselves are responsible for the snow storm that produced all these snowflakes.”) Now I have to admit, burying myself elbow-deep in innards to field dress a deer is not the highlight of my hunt, and I never particularly looked forward to sending a steer to the processing plant. But with the first bite of grilled venison tenderloin or juicy T-bone steak, any and all twinges of apprehension dissolve like my deodorant on a Kansas August afternoon.&nbsp;

So, I’m trying to imagine what this will look like. Maybe I’ll walk into the lobby of a storefront that looks for all-the-world like an out-of-business dry cleaners and announce to the clerk “Hi, I’m here to pick up the 3 pounds of Kansas City strip I ordered 17 years ago.”&nbsp; The clerk will press a button, the racks that used to hold the dry-cleaned clothing will revolve until out pop my steaks, hanging from the rack like a couple old welding gloves. Or maybe I’ll have to don a hospital gown and hairnet and stroll through what looks like the maternity ward at a hospital, where row-after-row of large covered Petri dishes contain growing steaks and chops, all labeled with “birth dates” going back 15 years. I’ll direct the “lab doctor’s” attention to a couple robust looking pork chops and a giant sirloin and head home with my “slaughter-free” meat. &nbsp;

I get it that God has programmed genetic information into seeds telling them what they will become; how else do you explain that a soybean seed grows another soybean plant and not an oak tree, etc. But how are stem cells from a cow fetus used to grow different cuts of meat, and chicken and fish as well for that matter?&nbsp; Seems like the rib eye I order could just as easily grow into rocky mountain oysters.&nbsp;

And since I don’t ever foresee a practical way to collect stem cells or anything else for that matter from wild game animals, does that mean someone will eventually try to grow my venison back strap from cow fetus stem cells? Look, I get that some folks want to eat plant-based meat, but God never meant for our meat to be grown in a lab. Even given the wonky, topsy-turvey thinking of parts of our society today, I don’t expect this lab-grown meat thing to ever catch on; but that’s what I once said about texting too…Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com." />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>Boy howdy, just when you think you’ve heard it all, Joey Chestnut comes along and eats more hot dogs in 10 minutes than I’ll eat in the next 10 years, someone wanting to be president of our great nation really thinks college can be free and startup companies here in America are actually growing meat in labs. Here in cattle country “them’s fighten’ words,” but more stories about companies actually producing lab-grown meat are surfacing all the time.A recent online news article began “Startups make meat that avoids slaughter.” Memphis Meats is headquartered in California, (no surprise there) and is slowly perfecting the craft of actually growing meat in stem cell broth extracted from cow fetuses, calling it “cell-based meat;” test-tube-to-table so to speak. A person involved with the company told the interviewer “People want meat; they don’t want slaughter, so we make slaughter-free meat.” (Also remember that someone also said, “We ourselves are responsible for the snow storm that produced all these snowflakes.”) Now I have to admit, burying myself elbow-deep in innards to field dress a deer is not the highlight of my hunt, and I never particularly looked forward to sending a steer to the processing plant. But with the first bite of grilled venison tenderloin or juicy T-bone steak, any and all twinges of apprehension dissolve like my deodorant on a Kansas August afternoon.&nbsp;So, I’m trying to imagine what this will look like. Maybe I’ll walk into the lobby of a storefront that looks for all-the-world like an out-of-business dry cleaners and announce to the clerk “Hi, I’m here to pick up the 3 pounds of Kansas City strip I ordered 17 years ago.”&nbsp; The clerk will press a button, the racks that used to hold the dry-cleaned clothing will revolve until out pop my steaks, hanging from the rack like a couple old welding gloves. Or maybe I’ll have to don a hospital gown and hairnet and stroll through what looks like the maternity ward at a hospital, where row-after-row of large covered Petri dishes contain growing steaks and chops, all labeled with “birth dates” going back 15 years. I’ll direct the “lab doctor’s” attention to a couple robust looking pork chops and a giant sirloin and head home with my “slaughter-free” meat. &nbsp;I get it that God has programmed genetic information into seeds telling them what they will become; how else do you explain that a soybean seed grows another soybean plant and not an oak tree, etc. But how are stem cells from a cow fetus used to grow different cuts of meat, and chicken and fish as well for that matter?&nbsp; Seems like the rib eye I order could just as easily grow into rocky mountain oysters.&nbsp;And since I don’t ever foresee a practical way to collect stem cells or anything else for that matter from wild game animals, does that mean someone will eventually try to grow my venison back strap from cow fetus stem cells? Look, I get that some folks want to eat plant-based meat, but God never meant for our meat to be grown in a lab. Even given the wonky, topsy-turvey thinking of parts of our society today, I don’t expect this lab-grown meat thing to ever catch on; but that’s what I once said about texting too…Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Makin’ bacon

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

The Ellis County Republican primary featured several contested races and by the end of voting Tuesday two incumbents were defeated.

All of Tuesday’s election results are unofficial until approved by the Ellis County Commission during the official election canvass. That meeting is scheduled for Aug. 13 at 5 p.m. at the Administrative Center.

In the race for Ellis County treasurer incumbent Lisa Schlegel was defeated by challenger Vernon Ruder Jr. Ruder will face Democrat Julie Mercer in the November general election.

Ruder edged Schlegel 38.26% to 31.89%.&nbsp;

Ruder received 1,856 votes while Schlegel amassed 1,547 votes.

Sherry Dryden finished third with 29.85% of the vote — 1,448 votes.

In the race for Ellis County Commission Second District, Neal Younger defeated incumbent Dustin Roths and challenger Kerry McCue.

Younger received 639 votes to Roths 547 and edged him 40.16% to 34.38%. McCue received 405 votes for 25.46%.

Younger is expected to run unopposed in the November election, unless a challenger mounts a write-in campaign.

In the Republican race for Ellis County Attorney. Robert Anderson Jr. defeated Chris Lyon 64.94 to 35.06%. Anderson collected 2,958 votes to Lyon’s 1,597.

No Democratic candidate filed for the race, so Anderson will run unopposed.&nbsp;

With all 70 precincts reporting, another incumbent&nbsp;was defeated in the race for 23rd Judicial District judge. Former Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees was the winner over incumbent Blake Bittel, 45 percent to 39 percent. Kerry Wasinger had 16 percent of the vote.&nbsp;The 23rd Judicial District is comprised of Ellis, Gove, Rooks and Trego counties.

Incumbent Magistrate Judge of the 23rd Judicial District, Doug Bigge, Rooks County, was re-elected in a defeat of Nolan Weiser, 60 percent to 40 percent.&nbsp;

You can find a complete list of Tuesday’s election results by clicking <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/DocumentCenter/View/4001/2020-Primary-Unofficial-Results">HERE</a>.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostThe Ellis County Republican primary featured several contested races and by the end of voting Tuesday two incumbents were defeated.All of Tuesday’s election results are unofficial until approved by the Ellis County Commission during the official election canvass. That meeting is scheduled for Aug. 13 at 5 p.m. at the Administrative Center.In the race for Ellis County treasurer incumbent Lisa Schlegel was defeated by challenger Vernon Ruder Jr. Ruder will face Democrat Julie Mercer in the November general election.Ruder edged Schlegel 38.26% to 31.89%.&nbsp;Ruder received 1,856 votes while Schlegel amassed 1,547 votes.Sherry Dryden finished third with 29.85% of the vote — 1,448 votes.In the race for Ellis County Commission Second District, Neal Younger defeated incumbent Dustin Roths and challenger Kerry McCue.Younger received 639 votes to Roths 547 and edged him 40.16% to 34.38%. McCue received 405 votes for 25.46%.Younger is expected to run unopposed in the November election, unless a challenger mounts a write-in campaign.In the Republican race for Ellis County Attorney. Robert Anderson Jr. defeated Chris Lyon 64.94 to 35.06%. Anderson collected 2,958 votes to Lyon’s 1,597.No Democratic candidate filed for the race, so Anderson will run unopposed.&nbsp;With all 70 precincts reporting, another incumbent&nbsp;was defeated in the race for 23rd Judicial District judge. Former Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees was the winner over incumbent Blake Bittel, 45 percent to 39 percent. Kerry Wasinger had 16 percent of the vote.&nbsp;The 23rd Judicial District is comprised of Ellis, Gove, Rooks and Trego counties.Incumbent Magistrate Judge of the 23rd Judicial District, Doug Bigge, Rooks County, was re-elected in a defeat of Nolan Weiser, 60 percent to 40 percent.&nbsp;You can find a complete list of Tuesday’s election results by clicking <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/DocumentCenter/View/4001/2020-Primary-Unofficial-Results">HERE</a>.

2020 Ellis County primary election results

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OiwDtPbVUA">Click HERE to watch LIVE.</a>

2020 Duck Derby ... watch LIVE! Scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OiwDtPbVUA">Click HERE to watch LIVE.</a>2020 Duck Derby ... watch LIVE! Scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596666942892.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥 Watch the 2020 Duck Derby LIVE!

The Ellis County Health Department on Wednesday announced two new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the county.

There are now 15 active cases, including one active hospitalization, and 121 recovered cases.&nbsp;

Since reporting began, there have been 137 total cases, including one death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593005366466.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Health Department on Wednesday announced two new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the county.There are now 15 active cases, including one active hospitalization, and 121 recovered cases.&nbsp;Since reporting began, there have been 137 total cases, including one death.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596659170561.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Two new cases of coronavirus identified in Ellis Co.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

<div><iframe title="Hays Chamber introduces new staff member" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/88hiw-e5c8f9?from=pb6admin&amp;download=1&amp;version=1&amp;vjs=1&amp;auto=1&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Helvetica&amp;skin=3&amp;pfauth="></iframe></div><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: Hays Chamber introduces new staff member

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Melissa Dixon, executive director of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, has an update on community activities this month in Hays.

Check the Community Events calendar at <a href="http://www.visithays.com/calendar.aspx">www.visithays.com</a> for the latest information.&nbsp;

The Hays CVB encourages everyone to follow current state and local health department guidelines for COVID-19.

A <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/733/Face-Mask-Ordinance">mandatory face mask requirement</a> when distancing of six feet is not possible is in effect for the city of Hays through Aug. 31.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575300742886.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostMelissa Dixon, executive director of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, has an update on community activities this month in Hays.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2yWNKuBum4A"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Check the Community Events calendar at <a href="http://www.visithays.com/calendar.aspx">www.visithays.com</a> for the latest information.&nbsp;The Hays CVB encourages everyone to follow current state and local health department guidelines for COVID-19.A <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/733/Face-Mask-Ordinance">mandatory face mask requirement</a> when distancing of six feet is not possible is in effect for the city of Hays through Aug. 31.&nbsp;

🎥 August activities in Hays

By C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/04/happy-trails-to-a-grand-champion-kansas-statesman/">Kansas Reflector</a>

<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2018/b2017_18/members/rep_hineman_don_1/">Don Hineman</a> is such a gentleman he still calls the man who booted him from his leadership position a friend.

Hineman is a farmer from 
Dighton, out west. He’s also a Republican state representative who 
serves around 22,000 people in Gove, Lane, Logan, Scott, Sheridan, Trego
 and Wichita counties. This week, or the first time in more than a 
decade, he won’t be on the August primary ballot.

“I’m now 73 years old and 
it just seemed like it was probably long enough,” he told me. “I had a 
good individual ready to step up and run for the seat I was vacating.”

That’d be another farmer, 
Jim Minnix, a former Scott County commissioner. No Democrat filed, so we
 can go ahead and call the November election for Minnix in Kansas House 
District 118.

Some people say Hineman is
 a classic statesman, the rare elected official who serves with 
integrity. They say it’s too bad he’s leaving the Legislature.

I called him on a hot day 
in July. When he stepped somewhere out of the western Kansas wind, I 
could hear birds chattering. He’d been replanting milo. It was late for 
that, but better than never.

I asked him to reflect on his time in Topeka.

“I guess I would summarize
 my legislative service as being focused on policy much more than 
politics,” he said. “That gained me some support and respect and 
appreciation from some folks but obviously caused consternation from 
others.”

Among his proudest moments, Hineman said, was being “directly involved” in <a href="https://www.kcur.org/government/2017-06-07/brownback-tax-cut-era-ends-with-kansas-legislatures-veto-override">overturning then-Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto</a>
 of the Legislature’s 2017 roll-back of Brownback’s infamous tax cuts. 
By then it was obvious, he said, “that simply cutting taxes was not a 
viable strategy for economic growth and simultaneously continuing to 
provide essential governmental services.”

That’s the thing about government, those essential services.

“People don’t appreciate governmental services until the ones they depend on disappear,” Hineman said.

“We’ve been lucky over the
 years that Kansas has had a superior highway system to most of our 
neighbors,” he said, but when legislators take money from the Kansas 
Department of Transportation to make up for shortfalls elsewhere, roads 
deteriorate. Especially in western Kansas.

“The average citizen 
believes there’s an excessive amount of waste in government budgets, and
 certainly there is some,” Hineman allowed. “That’s probably inevitable 
in an organization the size of state government. But that mantra is 
amplified and repeated so often by the folks who want to downsize state 
government significantly and reduce taxes significantly without great 
concern for government services, unfortunately the general public places
 more credibility in that mantra of wasteful government than is actually
 true.”

Besides serving as House majority leader for two years, Hineman also chaired the<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/committees/ctte_h_rural_revitalization_1/"> Rural Revitalization Committee</a>, which identified three ways to help rural Kansas.

First, people need access to health care. Expanding Medicaid could help.

Second, rural areas need affordable housing — they can’t attract businesses if there’s nowhere for workers to live.

Third, everyone needs high-speed broadband.

“That’s just as important 
to our societal infrastructure as the railroads and highway system, or 
rural electrification in the ‘30s and ‘40s,” he said. “High speed 
broadband is now the infrastructure that is needed and desperately 
lacking in rural Kansas — there are urban broadband deserts as well.”

Nothing much happened on 
affordable housing, which Hineman said was frustrating. They did make 
progress on broadband: Hineman credited Gov. Laura Kelly’s 
administration for putting some money for that into her highway plan.

“The funding is not adequate,” he said, “but everyone realizes it’s a start.”

They were also making progress on health care. Hineman’s committee<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/hb2677/"> approved a bill</a>
 allowing Kansas to participate in a federal pilot project establishing 
rural health centers, but the House didn’t have time to vote on it 
before the pandemic ended the session.

It was another attempt to improve rural health care that got him in trouble.

“I took a leadership role in <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190505/house-republicans-drop-effort-to-force-medicaid-expansion-vote-this-year">trying to get Medicaid expansion passed in 2019</a> session, and there was significant political blowback to that,” Hineman explained.

Last fall, House Speaker <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/members/rep_ryckman_jr_ron_1/">Ron Ryckman</a>, R-Olathe, removed Hineman as chairman of the Rural Revitalization Committee.

“Here’s the odd thing,” 
Hineman said. “Ron Ryckman and I are good friends. I understood why he 
had to make that move, to make some amount of unity within the 
Republican House caucus. I regretted it, hated to see it happen, but 
understood why he felt he needed to.”

That’s mighty diplomatic 
of Hineman. Because out here in reality, a Republican punishing another 
Republican for supporting something that would help the people of his 
district is a load of rotten milo.

Hineman’s earned a break. But he had advice for the rest of us.

“The first thing is to pay
 attention, and get your news from credible sources. There are a lot of 
issues that touch the Kansas Legislature that the average citizen is 
really not aware of, and that’s unfortunate,” he said. “It’s supposed to
 be a representational form of government, but if the people aren’t 
paying attention and in active communication with their representatives,
 that representational aspect is diminished.”

He said he’d been looking 
forward to traveling when his term ends in January, but the pandemic has
 delayed those plans. At least he’ll have less traveling to Topeka.

C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596634909678.png" alt="Rep. Don Hineman at the 2011 Kansas State Fair. "The First Annual Legislative Showmanship contest was held at the Kansas State Fair last Saturday," he wrote on Facebook. "When the dust had settled on the tanbark I was selected as Grand Champion by the judge, Governor Sam Brownback. All the credit goes to 4-Her Kate Hagans of Utica, who lent me her steer Mr. Snazzy, and coached me to victory!" (Don Hineman/Facebook) " />
 <figcaption>Rep. Don Hineman at the 2011 Kansas State Fair. "The First Annual Legislative Showmanship contest was held at the Kansas State Fair last Saturday," he wrote on Facebook. "When the dust had settled on the tanbark I was selected as Grand Champion by the judge, Governor Sam Brownback. All the credit goes to 4-Her Kate Hagans of Utica, who lent me her steer Mr. Snazzy, and coached me to victory!" (Don Hineman/Facebook) </figcaption>
 </figure>By C.J. JANOVY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/04/happy-trails-to-a-grand-champion-kansas-statesman/">Kansas Reflector</a><a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2018/b2017_18/members/rep_hineman_don_1/">Don Hineman</a> is such a gentleman he still calls the man who booted him from his leadership position a friend.Hineman is a farmer from 
Dighton, out west. He’s also a Republican state representative who 
serves around 22,000 people in Gove, Lane, Logan, Scott, Sheridan, Trego
 and Wichita counties. This week, or the first time in more than a 
decade, he won’t be on the August primary ballot.“I’m now 73 years old and 
it just seemed like it was probably long enough,” he told me. “I had a 
good individual ready to step up and run for the seat I was vacating.”That’d be another farmer, 
Jim Minnix, a former Scott County commissioner. No Democrat filed, so we
 can go ahead and call the November election for Minnix in Kansas House 
District 118.Some people say Hineman is
 a classic statesman, the rare elected official who serves with 
integrity. They say it’s too bad he’s leaving the Legislature.I called him on a hot day 
in July. When he stepped somewhere out of the western Kansas wind, I 
could hear birds chattering. He’d been replanting milo. It was late for 
that, but better than never.I asked him to reflect on his time in Topeka.“I guess I would summarize
 my legislative service as being focused on policy much more than 
politics,” he said. “That gained me some support and respect and 
appreciation from some folks but obviously caused consternation from 
others.”Among his proudest moments, Hineman said, was being “directly involved” in <a href="https://www.kcur.org/government/2017-06-07/brownback-tax-cut-era-ends-with-kansas-legislatures-veto-override">overturning then-Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto</a>
 of the Legislature’s 2017 roll-back of Brownback’s infamous tax cuts. 
By then it was obvious, he said, “that simply cutting taxes was not a 
viable strategy for economic growth and simultaneously continuing to 
provide essential governmental services.”That’s the thing about government, those essential services.“People don’t appreciate governmental services until the ones they depend on disappear,” Hineman said.Highways, for example.“We’ve been lucky over the
 years that Kansas has had a superior highway system to most of our 
neighbors,” he said, but when legislators take money from the Kansas 
Department of Transportation to make up for shortfalls elsewhere, roads 
deteriorate. Especially in western Kansas.“The average citizen 
believes there’s an excessive amount of waste in government budgets, and
 certainly there is some,” Hineman allowed. “That’s probably inevitable 
in an organization the size of state government. But that mantra is 
amplified and repeated so often by the folks who want to downsize state 
government significantly and reduce taxes significantly without great 
concern for government services, unfortunately the general public places
 more credibility in that mantra of wasteful government than is actually
 true.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596634974241.jpeg" alt="Kansas Rep. Don Hineman, second from left, and his family. (Submitted by Don Hineman to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Rep. Don Hineman, second from left, and his family. (Submitted by Don Hineman to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Besides serving as House majority leader for two years, Hineman also chaired the<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/committees/ctte_h_rural_revitalization_1/"> Rural Revitalization Committee</a>, which identified three ways to help rural Kansas.First, people need access to health care. Expanding Medicaid could help.Second, rural areas need affordable housing — they can’t attract businesses if there’s nowhere for workers to live.Third, everyone needs high-speed broadband.“That’s just as important 
to our societal infrastructure as the railroads and highway system, or 
rural electrification in the ‘30s and ‘40s,” he said. “High speed 
broadband is now the infrastructure that is needed and desperately 
lacking in rural Kansas — there are urban broadband deserts as well.”Nothing much happened on 
affordable housing, which Hineman said was frustrating. They did make 
progress on broadband: Hineman credited Gov. Laura Kelly’s 
administration for putting some money for that into her highway plan.“The funding is not adequate,” he said, “but everyone realizes it’s a start.”They were also making progress on health care. Hineman’s committee<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/hb2677/"> approved a bill</a>
 allowing Kansas to participate in a federal pilot project establishing 
rural health centers, but the House didn’t have time to vote on it 
before the pandemic ended the session.It was another attempt to improve rural health care that got him in trouble.“I took a leadership role in <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190505/house-republicans-drop-effort-to-force-medicaid-expansion-vote-this-year">trying to get Medicaid expansion passed in 2019</a> session, and there was significant political blowback to that,” Hineman explained.Last fall, House Speaker <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/members/rep_ryckman_jr_ron_1/">Ron Ryckman</a>, R-Olathe, removed Hineman as chairman of the Rural Revitalization Committee.“Here’s the odd thing,” 
Hineman said. “Ron Ryckman and I are good friends. I understood why he 
had to make that move, to make some amount of unity within the 
Republican House caucus. I regretted it, hated to see it happen, but 
understood why he felt he needed to.”That’s mighty diplomatic 
of Hineman. Because out here in reality, a Republican punishing another 
Republican for supporting something that would help the people of his 
district is a load of rotten milo.Hineman’s earned a break. But he had advice for the rest of us.“The first thing is to pay
 attention, and get your news from credible sources. There are a lot of 
issues that touch the Kansas Legislature that the average citizen is 
really not aware of, and that’s unfortunate,” he said. “It’s supposed to
 be a representational form of government, but if the people aren’t 
paying attention and in active communication with their representatives,
 that representational aspect is diminished.”He said he’d been looking 
forward to traveling when his term ends in January, but the pandemic has
 delayed those plans. At least he’ll have less traveling to Topeka.C.J. Janovy is a veteran journalist with deep roots in the Midwest. Before joining the Kansas Reflector, she was an editor and reporter at Kansas City’s NPR affiliate, KCUR. Before that, she edited the city’s alt-weekly newspaper, The Pitch.

OPINION: Happy trails to Hineman, a grand champion statesman

With portions of Fort Hays State University’s Rarick Hall undergoing renovation this year, the Tiger Tots Preschool Center – whose home is on the first floor of Rarick – found a new space for the 2020-21 school year.&nbsp; After months of preparing a classroom in the Hadley Center in downtown Hays, Tiger Tots’ teachers are excited to celebrate with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 6. For this school year, the facility will be called FHSU’s Tiger Tots Preschool Center-Hadley campus.&nbsp; The ribbon cutting, sponsored by the Hays Chamber of Commerce, will take place in the Hadley courtyard with entry on the north side of the building at 220 E. Eighth.&nbsp; The public is invited to attend and is asked to follow FHSU’S event-related COVID-19 policies and procedures, which can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fhsu.edu/covid-19-response/visitors">www.fhsu.edu/covid-19-response/visitors</a>.&nbsp;Those who attend are asked to wear a mask and maintain a minimum of a 6-foot distance from others.&nbsp; The ribbon cutting will be streamed live from the Hays Chamber of Commerce Facebook page at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/HaysAreaChamber">www.facebook.com/HaysAreaChamber</a>.&nbsp; A community partnership celebration for the preschool center at Hadley, just a few blocks east of campus, is being planned for later in the year to showcase its large, spacious classroom. The Tiger Tots center will return to campus for the 2021-22 school year, following the completion of Rarick’s first-floor renovation.&nbsp; Tiger Tots is a combination preschool/child care facility for children of FHSU and NCK Tech students and children of FHSU faculty and staff. Children ages 30 months to 5 years are eligible to attend. More information about Tiger Tots can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fhsu.edu/tigertots">www.fhsu.edu/tigertots</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596486432428.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsWith portions of Fort Hays State University’s Rarick Hall undergoing renovation this year, the Tiger Tots Preschool Center – whose home is on the first floor of Rarick – found a new space for the 2020-21 school year.&nbsp; After months of preparing a classroom in the Hadley Center in downtown Hays, Tiger Tots’ teachers are excited to celebrate with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 6. For this school year, the facility will be called FHSU’s Tiger Tots Preschool Center-Hadley campus.&nbsp; The ribbon cutting, sponsored by the Hays Chamber of Commerce, will take place in the Hadley courtyard with entry on the north side of the building at 220 E. Eighth.&nbsp; The public is invited to attend and is asked to follow FHSU’S event-related COVID-19 policies and procedures, which can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fhsu.edu/covid-19-response/visitors">www.fhsu.edu/covid-19-response/visitors</a>.&nbsp;Those who attend are asked to wear a mask and maintain a minimum of a 6-foot distance from others.&nbsp; The ribbon cutting will be streamed live from the Hays Chamber of Commerce Facebook page at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/HaysAreaChamber">www.facebook.com/HaysAreaChamber</a>.&nbsp; A community partnership celebration for the preschool center at Hadley, just a few blocks east of campus, is being planned for later in the year to showcase its large, spacious classroom. The Tiger Tots center will return to campus for the 2021-22 school year, following the completion of Rarick’s first-floor renovation.&nbsp; Tiger Tots is a combination preschool/child care facility for children of FHSU and NCK Tech students and children of FHSU faculty and staff. Children ages 30 months to 5 years are eligible to attend. More information about Tiger Tots can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fhsu.edu/tigertots">www.fhsu.edu/tigertots</a>.&nbsp;

FHSU’s Tiger Tots excited to show off new space

Dr. Edgardo Olvera and Rachel Johnson, APRN, FNP-C are new providers at HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System.&nbsp; They join Dr(s). Michael Albrecht, Patrick Atkinson, Kayla Gray, Erin Hemphill, Pramod Janga, Parul Singh and APRN Anissa Sonntag, all part of the hospitalist team at HaysMed.

Hospitalists and their team specialize in the care of patients while they are in the hospital.&nbsp; Everything from coordinating care, organizing communication with clinical team members and answering questions or concerns, hospitalists are available most of the day for patients and their families.

Dr. Olvera completed medical school at Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Facultad de Medicine, Mexico.&nbsp; He did a residency in internal medicine at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center/Weill Cornell Medical College.

Johnson received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Baker University School of Nursing and a Master of Science in nursing, APRN, Family Nurse Practitioner at Washburn University, both in Topeka, Kansas.

For more information on hospitalist care, go to haysmed.com/hospitalists

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596478591180.jpeg" alt="Colvera" />
 <figcaption>Colvera</figcaption>
 </figure>HaysMedDr. Edgardo Olvera and Rachel Johnson, APRN, FNP-C are new providers at HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System.&nbsp; They join Dr(s). Michael Albrecht, Patrick Atkinson, Kayla Gray, Erin Hemphill, Pramod Janga, Parul Singh and APRN Anissa Sonntag, all part of the hospitalist team at HaysMed.Hospitalists and their team specialize in the care of patients while they are in the hospital.&nbsp; Everything from coordinating care, organizing communication with clinical team members and answering questions or concerns, hospitalists are available most of the day for patients and their families.Dr. Olvera completed medical school at Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Facultad de Medicine, Mexico.&nbsp; He did a residency in internal medicine at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center/Weill Cornell Medical College.Johnson received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Baker University School of Nursing and a Master of Science in nursing, APRN, Family Nurse Practitioner at Washburn University, both in Topeka, Kansas.For more information on hospitalist care, go to haysmed.com/hospitalists<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596478645557.jpeg" alt="Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>

HaysMed welcomes new members to hospitalist team

By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau

Our family’s summer vacation plans changed three times over the course of the past few months. Initially my wife and I planned on taking our college senior daughter on a grand excursion to Glacier National Park, then hopping the northern border to sightsee in Calgary, Banff and Jasper.

We scratched that idea well before Canada told U.S. citizens to take off, eh. We started scouting campsites in southern Utah, where five National Parks dot the landscape. Unfortunately, as the time came to reserve our campsites, we saw Covid-19 cases growing in Utah and here at home.

Retreating yet again, we looked within the borders of the Sunflower State. While we don’t have any glaciers, nothing close to the Canadian Rockies or the cool dry desert nights, there’s still some cool things to see in Kansas. We settled on a day trip to see Castle Rock, Monument Rocks and Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park.

I figured this would be an easy, hassle free trip to the northwest corner of our great state. No need to do extensive research on where to stay or look up things to do. We had a course and generally knew the area. I had a lunch recommendation from our colleague.

We loaded into my wife’s car a little after 8 a.m. and headed west. We initially planned on having lunch first then getting to the sightseeing. Instead, the sign for Castle Rock beckoned from Interstate 70 and we decided eating could wait. This was the first mistake, but the second would soon become more apparent.

Generally, the best way to spot a tourist is they either have way too much gear or not enough. We soon found ourselves in the latter category when we turned off a perfectly suitable gravel road to something giving minimum maintenance roads a bad name.

The same process that eroded everything but Castle Rock and the nearby badlands is still in progress, and that includes the loop around the attraction. It’s compounded by vehicle traffic from looky-loos. For the better part of a mile we held our breath as we navigated over ruts more than a foot deep in spots. Again, we were traversing this in a car capable of getting high-centered on a speedbump.

While our vehicle was unsuited to the local conditions, we managed to avoid getting stuck in a chasm, powered up a steep incline as the tires shot gravel behind us and then we took a wrong turn. The “road” narrowed in on us as it traced the side of a hill so the driver’s side was lower than the passenger side. Then, 15 yards from flat, smooth roadbed we came to a small gorge.

My daughter is old enough she didn’t learn any new words during this adventure, but it’s safe to say the plethora of profanity built to a crescendo at this point in our journey. After surveying the gully cutting across our path, I shouted to my wife and daughter we needed to dig to level the road.

We started using a jack handle to scrap dirt into the crater, and after about 30 minutes of “digging,” another group came along on the “good” road, stopped and offered their help. A half hour of poking at the dirt with a metal rod had dulled any semblance of embarrassment at our self-inflected predicament. We gladly accepted.

Two of the men in the group grabbed a second jack handle from one of their vehicles and began flinging dirt. Within 10 minutes, we’d leveled the ground just enough to cautiously drive out to safe ground.

We thanked our helpers and headed back to the Interstate to continue on our journey, which didn’t involve any other hiccups. We took in the badlands at Little Jerusalem with a thunderstorm in the background. At Monument Rocks, we dutifully posed for photos in a keyhole between two spires and then began our trek home, only stopping for dinner and to see the Cathedral on the Plains in Victoria.

While the trip wasn’t jumping from a bridge into a river fed by glacial melt, or hiking through Zion National Park, it did remind me of the beauty and wonder within our state’s borders. Kansas is also a place where complete strangers will take the time to help, even if it means piling dirt with a jack handle. Still, if I had to do it again, I’d take a different vehicle and toss in a shovel. Just in case.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574694551876.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm BureauOur family’s summer vacation plans changed three times over the course of the past few months. Initially my wife and I planned on taking our college senior daughter on a grand excursion to Glacier National Park, then hopping the northern border to sightsee in Calgary, Banff and Jasper.We scratched that idea well before Canada told U.S. citizens to take off, eh. We started scouting campsites in southern Utah, where five National Parks dot the landscape. Unfortunately, as the time came to reserve our campsites, we saw Covid-19 cases growing in Utah and here at home.Retreating yet again, we looked within the borders of the Sunflower State. While we don’t have any glaciers, nothing close to the Canadian Rockies or the cool dry desert nights, there’s still some cool things to see in Kansas. We settled on a day trip to see Castle Rock, Monument Rocks and Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park.I figured this would be an easy, hassle free trip to the northwest corner of our great state. No need to do extensive research on where to stay or look up things to do. We had a course and generally knew the area. I had a lunch recommendation from our colleague.We loaded into my wife’s car a little after 8 a.m. and headed west. We initially planned on having lunch first then getting to the sightseeing. Instead, the sign for Castle Rock beckoned from Interstate 70 and we decided eating could wait. This was the first mistake, but the second would soon become more apparent.Generally, the best way to spot a tourist is they either have way too much gear or not enough. We soon found ourselves in the latter category when we turned off a perfectly suitable gravel road to something giving minimum maintenance roads a bad name.The same process that eroded everything but Castle Rock and the nearby badlands is still in progress, and that includes the loop around the attraction. It’s compounded by vehicle traffic from looky-loos. For the better part of a mile we held our breath as we navigated over ruts more than a foot deep in spots. Again, we were traversing this in a car capable of getting high-centered on a speedbump.While our vehicle was unsuited to the local conditions, we managed to avoid getting stuck in a chasm, powered up a steep incline as the tires shot gravel behind us and then we took a wrong turn. The “road” narrowed in on us as it traced the side of a hill so the driver’s side was lower than the passenger side. Then, 15 yards from flat, smooth roadbed we came to a small gorge.My daughter is old enough she didn’t learn any new words during this adventure, but it’s safe to say the plethora of profanity built to a crescendo at this point in our journey. After surveying the gully cutting across our path, I shouted to my wife and daughter we needed to dig to level the road.We started using a jack handle to scrap dirt into the crater, and after about 30 minutes of “digging,” another group came along on the “good” road, stopped and offered their help. A half hour of poking at the dirt with a metal rod had dulled any semblance of embarrassment at our self-inflected predicament. We gladly accepted.Two of the men in the group grabbed a second jack handle from one of their vehicles and began flinging dirt. Within 10 minutes, we’d leveled the ground just enough to cautiously drive out to safe ground.We thanked our helpers and headed back to the Interstate to continue on our journey, which didn’t involve any other hiccups. We took in the badlands at Little Jerusalem with a thunderstorm in the background. At Monument Rocks, we dutifully posed for photos in a keyhole between two spires and then began our trek home, only stopping for dinner and to see the Cathedral on the Plains in Victoria.While the trip wasn’t jumping from a bridge into a river fed by glacial melt, or hiking through Zion National Park, it did remind me of the beauty and wonder within our state’s borders. Kansas is also a place where complete strangers will take the time to help, even if it means piling dirt with a jack handle. Still, if I had to do it again, I’d take a different vehicle and toss in a shovel. Just in case."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: A tourist in Kansas

Fort Hays State University is currently accepting applications for the position of University Police Officer. Review of applications will begin after the priority deadline of 08/17/2020. 

For a full description and a list of requirements, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2ffhsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com%2fCAREERS.&amp;c=E,1,LVyXuqcw8Gbkxt-MNxjeeny4Dare5waHc9Lf2afTAVb7Rnjs6xXojYWhXLeHIggKr86twpTyA482WBHFKcJ0tk7XWpNoFgyB6cml2r7qpJGUEiJGR1JF6-WK0c0,&amp;typo=1">https://fhsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/CAREERS</a>.

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, no felony convictions, no convictions for domestic violence, and must maintain a valid Kansas driver's license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596564480613.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Fort Hays State University is currently accepting applications for the position of University Police Officer. Review of applications will begin after the priority deadline of 08/17/2020. For a full description and a list of requirements, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2ffhsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com%2fCAREERS.&amp;c=E,1,LVyXuqcw8Gbkxt-MNxjeeny4Dare5waHc9Lf2afTAVb7Rnjs6xXojYWhXLeHIggKr86twpTyA482WBHFKcJ0tk7XWpNoFgyB6cml2r7qpJGUEiJGR1JF6-WK0c0,&amp;typo=1">https://fhsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/CAREERS</a>. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, no felony convictions, no convictions for domestic violence, and must maintain a valid Kansas driver's license.

Lane Co. farm couple finalist for conservation award

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on Kansas' primary election (all times local):

Salina real estate broker and former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann has won the Republican primary in Kansas’ 1st District.

Mann defeated eye surgeon and Finney County Commissioner Bill Clifford, physician’s assistant Jerry Molstad and reverend Michael Soetaert.

Mann will face the Democratic nominee in the November contest for the congressional seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Roger Marshall, who ran for the U.S. Senate. But Mann will be heavily favored in a district that hasn’t been won by a Democrat since the 1950s.

Mann campaigned a an anti-abortion, pro-gun candidate. He said he planned to support President Donald Trump’s policies.

The mostly rural farming district is one of the nation’s most Republican and has elected three congress members who went on to become U.S. senators over the past 50 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596597527918.png" alt="Tracy Mann" />
 <figcaption>Tracy Mann</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on Kansas' primary election (all times local):10:15 p.m.Salina real estate broker and former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann has won the Republican primary in Kansas’ 1st District.Mann defeated eye surgeon and Finney County Commissioner Bill Clifford, physician’s assistant Jerry Molstad and reverend Michael Soetaert.Mann will face the Democratic nominee in the November contest for the congressional seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Roger Marshall, who ran for the U.S. Senate. But Mann will be heavily favored in a district that hasn’t been won by a Democrat since the 1950s.Mann campaigned a an anti-abortion, pro-gun candidate. He said he planned to support President Donald Trump’s policies.The mostly rural farming district is one of the nation’s most Republican and has elected three congress members who went on to become U.S. senators over the past 50 years.

Mann wins GOP primary in Kansas 1st

Kali Barnett has won the Democratic primary in Kansas’ 1st District. The 35-year-old author and music teacher from Garden City defeated Christy Davis, the former executive director of Symphony in the Flint Hills.

Barnett will face Salina real estate broker and former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann in the November contest for the congressional seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Roger Marshall, who on Tuesday won the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate.

The seat hasn’t been won by a Democrat since the 1950s. It’s one of the nation’s most Republican districts and has elected three congressmen who went on to become U.S. senators over the past 50 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594058610345.png" alt="Kali Barnett&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kali Barnett&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on Kansas' primary election (all times local):10:30 p.m.Kali Barnett has won the Democratic primary in Kansas’ 1st District. The 35-year-old author and music teacher from Garden City defeated Christy Davis, the former executive director of Symphony in the Flint Hills.Barnett will face Salina real estate broker and former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann in the November contest for the congressional seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Roger Marshall, who on Tuesday won the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate.The seat hasn’t been won by a Democrat since the 1950s. It’s one of the nation’s most Republican districts and has elected three congressmen who went on to become U.S. senators over the past 50 years._____

Barnett wins Democratic primary in Kansas 1st

With all 70 precincts reporting, another incumbent&nbsp;was defeated in the race for 23rd Judicial District. Former Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees was the winner over incumbent Blake Bittel, 45 percent to 39 percent. Kerry Wasinger had 16 percent of the vote.&nbsp;The 23rd Judicial District is comprised of Ellis, Gove, Rooks and Trego counties.

Incumbent Magistrate Judge of the 23rd Judicial District, Doug Bigge, Trego County, was re-elected in a defeat of Nolan Weiser, 60 percent to 40 percent.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596478871632.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostThe Ellis County Republican primary featured several contested races and by the end of voting Tuesday two incumbents were defeated.All of Tuesday’s election results are unofficial until approved by the Ellis County Commission during the official election canvass. That meeting is scheduled for Aug. 13 at 5 p.m. at the Administrative Center.In the race for Ellis County treasurer incumbent Lisa Schlegel was defeated by challenger Vernon Ruder Jr. Ruder will face Democrat Julie Mercer in the November general election.Ruder edged Schlegel 38.26% to 31.89%.&nbsp;Ruder received 1,856 votes while Schlegel amassed 1,547 votes.Sherry Dryden finished third with 29.85% of the vote — 1,448 votes.In the race for Ellis County Commission Second District, Neal Younger defeated incumbent Dustin Roths and challenger Kerry McCue.Younger received 639 votes to Roths 547 and edged him 40.16% to 34.38%. McCue received 405 votes for 25.46%.Younger is expected to run unopposed in the November election, unless a challenger mounts a write-in campaign.In the Republican race for Ellis County Attorney. Robert Anderson Jr. defeated Chris Lyon 64.94 to 35.06%. Anderson collected 2,958 votes to Lyon’s 1,597.No Democratic candidate filed for the race, so Anderson will run unopposed.&nbsp;With all 70 precincts reporting, another incumbent&nbsp;was defeated in the race for 23rd Judicial District. Former Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees was the winner over incumbent Blake Bittel, 45 percent to 39 percent. Kerry Wasinger had 16 percent of the vote.&nbsp;The 23rd Judicial District is comprised of Ellis, Gove, Rooks and Trego counties.Incumbent Magistrate Judge of the 23rd Judicial District, Doug Bigge, Trego County, was re-elected in a defeat of Nolan Weiser, 60 percent to 40 percent.&nbsp;You can find a complete list of Tuesday’s election results by clicking <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/DocumentCenter/View/4001/2020-Primary-Unofficial-Results">HERE</a>.

UPDATE: Preliminary Ellis County primary election results

First responders are on the scene of an accident in the 3600 block of Vine that occurred late Tuesday afternoon. 

Law enforcement officials are asking for residents to avoid the area.

Check Hays Post for more as details become available.

First responders are on the scene of an accident in the 3600 block of Vine that occurred late Tuesday afternoon. Law enforcement officials are asking for residents to avoid the area.Check Hays Post for more as details become available.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHaysPD%2Fposts%2F3674683289225800&width=500" width="500" height="671" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div>

Accident snarls traffic on north Vine Tuesday afternoon

<div><iframe title="Ellis Co. Fairground buildings to remain open for use" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/fwkqn-e5a386?from=pb6admin&amp;download=1&amp;version=1&amp;vjs=1&amp;auto=1&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Helvetica&amp;skin=3&amp;pfauth="></iframe></div><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: Ellis Co. Fairground buildings to remain open for use

By Jonathan Zweygardt and Becky Kiser Hays Post

Ellis County voters heading to the polls for today's Kansas primary election will see some changes at their voting locations due to the coronavirus.

According to election officer and clerk Donna Maskus, hand sanitizer stations are available.

"We've done our best to put six feet between each voting booth," Maskus says, and there is Plexiglas protecting the workers."

Every location set up in the polling area is "wiped down and sanitized each hour," says Sandra Bainter, a poll worker at the Hays Recreation Center.

Each voter is given their own pen to sign in with electronically and then mark their ballot with ink. The pens are then kept by the voter.

Although there is a face mask requirement in the city of Hays through August 31, voters cannot be turned away from polling stations for not wearing a face covering, according to Secretary of State Scott Schwab.

Polls in Ellis County are open until 7 p.m. Tuesday.&nbsp;

For candidate profiles of the contested local races in Ellis County, click <a href="https://hayspost.com/category/election-2020">here</a>.

Check back with Hays Post for election results tonight as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596563269965.jpeg" alt="An Ellis County voter submits her identification to a poll worker at the Hays Recreation Center Tuesday morning prior to receiving her ballot. (Photos by Becky Kiser)" />
 <figcaption>An Ellis County voter submits her identification to a poll worker at the Hays Recreation Center Tuesday morning prior to receiving her ballot. (Photos by Becky Kiser)</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596563234557.jpeg" alt="Ellis County poll workers are protected by Plexiglass" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County poll workers are protected by Plexiglass</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596563252641.jpeg" alt="Voters are using pens provided by poll workers to mark their ballots in ink. The pens, which have an electronic stylus on the other end for signing their ballots, are kept by voters." />
 <figcaption>Voters are using pens provided by poll workers to mark their ballots in ink. The pens, which have an electronic stylus on the other end for signing their ballots, are kept by voters.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596563286243.jpeg" alt="Each surface touched by voters and poll workers is sanitized every hour." />
 <figcaption>Each surface touched by voters and poll workers is sanitized every hour.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596563191120.jpeg" alt="A voter submits her completed ballot." />
 <figcaption>A voter submits her completed ballot.</figcaption>
 </figure>By Jonathan Zweygardt and Becky Kiser Hays PostEllis County voters heading to the polls for today's Kansas primary election will see some changes at their voting locations due to the coronavirus.According to election officer and clerk Donna Maskus, hand sanitizer stations are available."We've done our best to put six feet between each voting booth," Maskus says, and there is Plexiglas protecting the workers."Every location set up in the polling area is "wiped down and sanitized each hour," says Sandra Bainter, a poll worker at the Hays Recreation Center.Each voter is given their own pen to sign in with electronically and then mark their ballot with ink. The pens are then kept by the voter.Although there is a face mask requirement in the city of Hays through August 31, voters cannot be turned away from polling stations for not wearing a face covering, according to Secretary of State Scott Schwab.Polls in Ellis County are open until 7 p.m. Tuesday.&nbsp;For candidate profiles of the contested local races in Ellis County, click <a href="https://hayspost.com/category/election-2020">here</a>.Check back with Hays Post for election results tonight as they become available.

Ellis Co. polls open with social distancing, sanitation in place

The Ellis County Public Works Road &amp; Bridge Division announced this week that an asphalt overlay
project on Ellis Avenue will take place beginning at the intersection of Spring Hill Road and Ellis
Avenue, commencing south on Ellis Avenue for 2 miles to the intersection of Ellis Avenue
and Munjor Road. The project will begin at the 900 block of Ellis Avenue and end in the 1000
block of Ellis Avenue. 

This 2-mile stretch of Ellis Avenue will be closed to through traffic
beginning at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday and will remain closed until the project is
completed. The estimated completion date is Monday. Pending the forecast
of rain, the start/completion date could be delayed. Motorists traveling in the affected closure
area should use alternate routes of travel until the project is completed.


Direct any questions to the Ellis County Public Works Road &amp; Bridge Division at 785-628-
9455.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593005366466.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Public Works Road &amp; Bridge Division announced this week that an asphalt overlay
project on Ellis Avenue will take place beginning at the intersection of Spring Hill Road and Ellis
Avenue, commencing south on Ellis Avenue for 2 miles to the intersection of Ellis Avenue
and Munjor Road. The project will begin at the 900 block of Ellis Avenue and end in the 1000
block of Ellis Avenue. This 2-mile stretch of Ellis Avenue will be closed to through traffic
beginning at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday and will remain closed until the project is
completed. The estimated completion date is Monday. Pending the forecast
of rain, the start/completion date could be delayed. Motorists traveling in the affected closure
area should use alternate routes of travel until the project is completed.
Direct any questions to the Ellis County Public Works Road &amp; Bridge Division at 785-628-
9455.&nbsp;

Portion of Ellis Avenue will be closed for repairs

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for&nbsp;Ellis Co RWD 1C, located in&nbsp;Ellis&nbsp;County.&nbsp;This includes the community of Antonino but does not include the City of Hays.&nbsp;This&nbsp;advisory&nbsp;is not related to Covid-19.

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

The advisory took effect on&nbsp;August 04, 2020&nbsp;and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved.&nbsp;KDHE&nbsp;issued the advisory because of distribution system maintenance, resulting in a loss of pressure in the system. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

KDHETOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for&nbsp;Ellis Co RWD 1C, located in&nbsp;Ellis&nbsp;County.&nbsp;This includes the community of Antonino but does not include the City of Hays.&nbsp;This&nbsp;advisory&nbsp;is not related to Covid-19.Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:<ul>
 <li>If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.</li><li>Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.</li><li>Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic ice maker.</li><li>Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.</li><li>Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.</li>
 </ul>The advisory took effect on&nbsp;August 04, 2020&nbsp;and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved.&nbsp;KDHE&nbsp;issued the advisory because of distribution system maintenance, resulting in a loss of pressure in the system. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.<a></a>Regardless of whether the public water supplier or KDHE announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.For consumer questions, please contact the water system or KDHE at 785-296-5514.&nbsp;For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdheks.gov%2Fpws%2Femergencyresponse%2Fwater_disruption.htm&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C9071352a15a64ff00f9408d83876b132%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637321430296048381&amp;sdata=qSXomNdaZ8pxpH37ICT7PCBj43jRnOLSGlpuE2v5ZCc%3D&amp;reserved=0">http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm</a>Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety &amp; lodging program at<a href="mailto:kda.fsl@ks.gov">kda.fsl@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 785-564-6767.

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