<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736538639151.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

Hays, KS - A rare opportunity to acquire the former High Plains Farm Credit headquarters, a 13,070-square-foot office building in Hays, Kansas. Positioned along one of Hays' busiest thoroughfares, the property offers excellent visibility and convenient access to restaurants, retail centers including Big Creek Crossing Mall, and Interstate 70.&nbsp;

The building itself features extensive modern upgrades, including a substantial 2017 expansion with a finished basement. The building offers 21 private offices, an executive boardroom, a state-of-the-art server room, and parking for 35-40 vehicles.&nbsp;

"This property represents a premium commercial opportunity in Hays," says Braden McCurdy, CEO and Auctioneer. "With its strategic location, modern security features, and recent updates, this property is an exceptional investment for businesses seeking a turnkey corporate facility."&nbsp;

Notable features include multiple executive suites, a kitchen with granite and stainless appliances, seven climate-controlled zones with several Nest thermostats, and a concrete pad plumbed for backup generator installation. The well-maintained property showcases meticulous landscaping and a shaded back patio area.&nbsp;

This office building is up for auction with online-only bidding beginning on February 4th and ending on February 12th. For more information, photos, and the terms and conditions for bidding, please visit McCurdy.com/10368&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736545899937.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays, KS - A rare opportunity to acquire the former High Plains Farm Credit headquarters, a 13,070-square-foot office building in Hays, Kansas. Positioned along one of Hays' busiest thoroughfares, the property offers excellent visibility and convenient access to restaurants, retail centers including Big Creek Crossing Mall, and Interstate 70.&nbsp;The building itself features extensive modern upgrades, including a substantial 2017 expansion with a finished basement. The building offers 21 private offices, an executive boardroom, a state-of-the-art server room, and parking for 35-40 vehicles.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736545933873.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"This property represents a premium commercial opportunity in Hays," says Braden McCurdy, CEO and Auctioneer. "With its strategic location, modern security features, and recent updates, this property is an exceptional investment for businesses seeking a turnkey corporate facility."&nbsp;Notable features include multiple executive suites, a kitchen with granite and stainless appliances, seven climate-controlled zones with several Nest thermostats, and a concrete pad plumbed for backup generator installation. The well-maintained property showcases meticulous landscaping and a shaded back patio area.&nbsp;This office building is up for auction with online-only bidding beginning on February 4th and ending on February 12th. For more information, photos, and the terms and conditions for bidding, please visit McCurdy.com/10368&nbsp;

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: How to survive an unsuccessful deer season

This is the third in a four-part series on the life and death of Hays resident Karen Schumacher, who died at the hands of her husband in 2022.

Part 1:&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f6fb5eb0-494c-4518-992a-6bffdf7c38c9">A Voice for Karen: Living behind a curtain of silence</a> Part 2:&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/83db8380-36ef-4fae-998f-19d47159e964">A Voice for Karen: Leaving and going back</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3af7a093-f0d8-4c2e-a1e3-4a31be6c0e7e">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays man who killed wife sentenced to 10 years in prison</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/277704cd-f369-48f7-bfca-bdbdba1e8959">If you are a victim of domestic violence, find help here</a>

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

On March 21, 2022, an employee told Kayci Schumacher police officers and an ambulance were at her mother-in-law, Karen Schumacher, and father-in-law, Jay Schumacher's, home in Hays.

Jeremiah, Karen's son, tried to call his dad, Jay, but he didn’t answer.&nbsp;

“As I pulled up, I looked at the officer and asked, ‘Is my mom dead?’” Jeremiah said.

Jeremiah was directed to Hays Medical Center. His father was already in custody and was being questioned by police.

"I got to the hospital and got questioned by the detective for what seemed like an eternity. I bet you it was a solid hour or so before I was ever able to see what was going on with my mom," Jeremiah said.

Jeremiah, as well as the autopsy report, said Karen had multiple cuts and bruises across her face and body. She appeared to have been punched or kicked in the teeth, Jeremiah said, adding she appeared to be bruised from head to toe.

"I went back to see her getting worked on. The doctor said she was not good. I said, 'Is she going to make it?' He said, 'It's bad. She's not in a good place.'"

His mother died at 9:03 a.m. the following day.

“I hate to say it, but I kind of expected it,” Jeremiah said.

"That was one thing that mom always said. 'If I die in a weird way, look around because I have things to implicate your dad hidden throughout the house,'" he said.

During the police interrogation of Jay, which was shown during his preliminary hearing, he said, "I didn't hit her any harder than I usually do," and he whipped his hand through the air.

He also commented that his wife was going to die anyway, alluding to her diminished mental capacity.

Jay N. Schumacher was initially charged with first-degree murder.&nbsp;

The day that Karen died was not an ending. It was the start of grief and court battles that continue more than two years after her death.

Jeremiah was not initially allowed, as Karen’s son and only child, to take custody of her remains.

“He wouldn’t let me take her and have her cremated like she wanted,” Jeremiah said.&nbsp;

Jay wanted his sister to handle Karen's funeral arrangements. "I said, 'No! That's my mom,'" Jeremiah said.

A battle over his mother’s estate also ensued. Jay would have inherited all of Karen’s half of the couple’s assets.&nbsp;

The Kansas Slayer Law prohibits people convicted of feloniously killing another person from inheriting or taking any part of the deceased's estate.

However, Jay had yet to be convicted of his wife’s murder. This left him free to disperse or dispose of the couple’s assets to support his defense.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2f905806-4881-4d91-b175-a5b9c4145f86">“Karen’s Law,” which was signed into law in spring 2023,</a> closed the loophole in the Kansas probate law, making it unlawful for anyone charged with killing someone to benefit from their estate.

Sadly, this bill did not benefit Jeremiah Schumacher, as the law was not retroactive.

Jeremiah filed a lawsuit in 2024 against Jay for $10,000 in reimbursement for his mother’s funeral expenses and $250,000 in non-economic damages in connection to his mother’s death.

That case is in mediation and is scheduled for a status conference on Feb 11.

The emotional toll on Karen’s family and friends is impossible to put a price tag on.

After his mother's death, Jeremiah, an outwardly tough guy who works in construction, retreated to his room, his oldest two children said.

“It has been the hardest on him,” Ella said of her dad, “because it happened to him too. He had to live through it.”

Ella, 16, and Ben, 19, the oldest of Karen’s grandchildren were interviewed by the Hays Post with the permission of their parents.&nbsp;

Both of the children said Jay’s arrest made them the target of bullies and unwanted attention.

Ben said it was difficult to carry the Schumacher name. He went to the gym, and the other guys taunted him.

Ella said her classmates watched the court hearings via Zoom on their iPads during class at school.

“‘Don’t you know this is Ella’s grandpa,’” Ella said, her classmates taunted.

“Not good,” she said. “It’s not like I wanted to be related to that.”

Ella said her peers focused on Karen's death and not her grandmother as a person.

"They only talked about the fact that she died and the fact that happened and not how she felt through their entire relationship," Ella said, "and how scared she probably was and what was going on in her head."

Because of the family's strained relationship, Ben and Ella said they didn't have much time to spend with their grandmother.

“I will just randomly think about it a lot and get super sad about it,” Ella said. “I just wish I would have known her more. He took that away from us. We never got to know her because of Jay.”

She added, “I just want her to be remembered in a good way by people, not for what she was known as after it happened.”

&nbsp;Jeremiah and Kayci's youngest children are 4-year-old twins. They will never get to know their grandmother in life.

However, Kayci said in some ways they know her more than the other grandchildren through the positive stories they have been told about her.

Jeremiah related how he wanted his mother to be remembered.

“As the fun, loving person she was with the outgoing smile and that hideous cackle that I miss,” Jeremiah said of her laugh.

Scarlett Deutscher, her good friend, said she felt years of friendship were stolen from her.

“That was what we were supposed to do when we got older. Her and I were supposed to do old-lady trips or follow the grandkids, you know, spend time together. That’s been taken away,” she said.

Deutscher wants Karen's legacy to be one of love.

“I would just let [the grandkids] know that I know she loved them,"&nbsp;Deutscher said. "She wished she could spend more time with them. She would, just like me, spoil the grandkids and let them know she loved them, and she would do anything for them to protect them to love on them.

“I want her grandkids to know that Karen was a great lady, the best friend that anyone could have. She would do anything for anybody. She loved hard on everybody.”&nbsp;

Today is Karen's birthday. She would have been 63.

Editor's note: Scarlett Deutscher is an employee of Eagle Media, which is the parent company of the Hays Post.

If you are a survivor of domestic or sexual violence, you can receive help in a variety of ways. You can walk into an Options office at 2716 Plaza, Hays, or&nbsp;1480 W. Fourth, Colby.&nbsp; You can call Options' 24-hour helpline at 1-800-794-4624 or text HOPE to 847411.

The Options website,&nbsp;<a href="https://help4abuse.org/">https://help4abuse.org/</a>, offers a live chat option or video conference with an advocate.

The website has a safe escape button that allows you to quickly close out of the website and erase your cookies, so anyone who is on the computer after you will not be able to see that you have been on the website.

Options has a free app for Android and Apple devices called "My Mobile Options."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732649972148.jpeg" alt="Graphics and video by Jordan Schaffer" />
 <figcaption>Graphics and video by Jordan Schaffer</figcaption>
 </figure>This is the third in a four-part series on the life and death of Hays resident Karen Schumacher, who died at the hands of her husband in 2022.Part 1:&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f6fb5eb0-494c-4518-992a-6bffdf7c38c9">A Voice for Karen: Living behind a curtain of silence</a> Part 2:&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/83db8380-36ef-4fae-998f-19d47159e964">A Voice for Karen: Leaving and going back</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3af7a093-f0d8-4c2e-a1e3-4a31be6c0e7e">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays man who killed wife sentenced to 10 years in prison</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/277704cd-f369-48f7-bfca-bdbdba1e8959">If you are a victim of domestic violence, find help here</a><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZosTLeq63_w?si=GIkSVQQ9In8Wkpym" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostOn March 21, 2022, an employee told Kayci Schumacher police officers and an ambulance were at her mother-in-law, Karen Schumacher, and father-in-law, Jay Schumacher's, home in Hays.Kayci contacted her husband immediately.Jeremiah, Karen's son, tried to call his dad, Jay, but he didn’t answer.&nbsp;“As I pulled up, I looked at the officer and asked, ‘Is my mom dead?’” Jeremiah said.Jeremiah was directed to Hays Medical Center. His father was already in custody and was being questioned by police."I got to the hospital and got questioned by the detective for what seemed like an eternity. I bet you it was a solid hour or so before I was ever able to see what was going on with my mom," Jeremiah said.Jeremiah, as well as the autopsy report, said Karen had multiple cuts and bruises across her face and body. She appeared to have been punched or kicked in the teeth, Jeremiah said, adding she appeared to be bruised from head to toe."I went back to see her getting worked on. The doctor said she was not good. I said, 'Is she going to make it?' He said, 'It's bad. She's not in a good place.'"His mother died at 9:03 a.m. the following day.“I hate to say it, but I kind of expected it,” Jeremiah said."That was one thing that mom always said. 'If I die in a weird way, look around because I have things to implicate your dad hidden throughout the house,'" he said.During the police interrogation of Jay, which was shown during his preliminary hearing, he said, "I didn't hit her any harder than I usually do," and he whipped his hand through the air.He also commented that his wife was going to die anyway, alluding to her diminished mental capacity.Jay N. Schumacher was initially charged with first-degree murder.&nbsp;The day that Karen died was not an ending. It was the start of grief and court battles that continue more than two years after her death.Jeremiah was not initially allowed, as Karen’s son and only child, to take custody of her remains.“He wouldn’t let me take her and have her cremated like she wanted,” Jeremiah said.&nbsp;Jay wanted his sister to handle Karen's funeral arrangements. "I said, 'No! That's my mom,'" Jeremiah said.<h2>Karen's Law</h2>A battle over his mother’s estate also ensued. Jay would have inherited all of Karen’s half of the couple’s assets.&nbsp;The Kansas Slayer Law prohibits people convicted of feloniously killing another person from inheriting or taking any part of the deceased's estate.However, Jay had yet to be convicted of his wife’s murder. This left him free to disperse or dispose of the couple’s assets to support his defense.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2f905806-4881-4d91-b175-a5b9c4145f86">“Karen’s Law,” which was signed into law in spring 2023,</a> closed the loophole in the Kansas probate law, making it unlawful for anyone charged with killing someone to benefit from their estate.Sadly, this bill did not benefit Jeremiah Schumacher, as the law was not retroactive.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732119655509.png" alt="Jeremiah Schumacher testifies before members of the Kansas House in support of Karen's Law. (Screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>Jeremiah Schumacher testifies before members of the Kansas House in support of Karen's Law. (Screen capture from Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>Jeremiah filed a lawsuit in 2024 against Jay for $10,000 in reimbursement for his mother’s funeral expenses and $250,000 in non-economic damages in connection to his mother’s death.That case is in mediation and is scheduled for a status conference on Feb 11.The emotional toll on Karen’s family and friends is impossible to put a price tag on.After his mother's death, Jeremiah, an outwardly tough guy who works in construction, retreated to his room, his oldest two children said.“It has been the hardest on him,” Ella said of her dad, “because it happened to him too. He had to live through it.”<h2>Carrying the Schumacher name</h2>Ella, 16, and Ben, 19, the oldest of Karen’s grandchildren were interviewed by the Hays Post with the permission of their parents.&nbsp;Both of the children said Jay’s arrest made them the target of bullies and unwanted attention.Ben said it was difficult to carry the Schumacher name. He went to the gym, and the other guys taunted him.Ella said her classmates watched the court hearings via Zoom on their iPads during class at school.“‘Don’t you know this is Ella’s grandpa,’” Ella said, her classmates taunted.“Not good,” she said. “It’s not like I wanted to be related to that.”Ella said her peers focused on Karen's death and not her grandmother as a person."They only talked about the fact that she died and the fact that happened and not how she felt through their entire relationship," Ella said, "and how scared she probably was and what was going on in her head."Because of the family's strained relationship, Ben and Ella said they didn't have much time to spend with their grandmother.“I will just randomly think about it a lot and get super sad about it,” Ella said. “I just wish I would have known her more. He took that away from us. We never got to know her because of Jay.”She added, “I just want her to be remembered in a good way by people, not for what she was known as after it happened.”<h2>Remembering Karen</h2>&nbsp;Jeremiah and Kayci's youngest children are 4-year-old twins. They will never get to know their grandmother in life.However, Kayci said in some ways they know her more than the other grandchildren through the positive stories they have been told about her.Jeremiah related how he wanted his mother to be remembered.“As the fun, loving person she was with the outgoing smile and that hideous cackle that I miss,” Jeremiah said of her laugh.Scarlett Deutscher, her good friend, said she felt years of friendship were stolen from her.“That was what we were supposed to do when we got older. Her and I were supposed to do old-lady trips or follow the grandkids, you know, spend time together. That’s been taken away,” she said.Deutscher wants Karen's legacy to be one of love.“I would just let [the grandkids] know that I know she loved them,"&nbsp;Deutscher said. "She wished she could spend more time with them. She would, just like me, spoil the grandkids and let them know she loved them, and she would do anything for them to protect them to love on them.“I want her grandkids to know that Karen was a great lady, the best friend that anyone could have. She would do anything for anybody. She loved hard on everybody.”&nbsp;Today is Karen's birthday. She would have been 63.Editor's note: Scarlett Deutscher is an employee of Eagle Media, which is the parent company of the Hays Post.<h2>How to get help</h2>If you are a survivor of domestic or sexual violence, you can receive help in a variety of ways. You can walk into an Options office at 2716 Plaza, Hays, or&nbsp;1480 W. Fourth, Colby.&nbsp; You can call Options' 24-hour helpline at 1-800-794-4624 or text HOPE to 847411.The Options website,&nbsp;<a href="https://help4abuse.org/">https://help4abuse.org/</a>, offers a live chat option or video conference with an advocate.The website has a safe escape button that allows you to quickly close out of the website and erase your cookies, so anyone who is on the computer after you will not be able to see that you have been on the website.Options has a free app for Android and Apple devices called "My Mobile Options."

A Voice for Karen: He took her away from us

If you are a survivor of domestic or sexual violence, you can receive help in a variety of ways from Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services. The agency serves 18 counties in northwest Kansas.

 You can walk into an Options office at 2716 Plaza, Hays, or&nbsp;1480 W. Fourth, Colby. You can call Options' 24-hour helpline at 1-800-794-4624 or text HOPE to 847411.

The website has a safe escape button that allows you to close out of the website and erase your cookies quickly, so anyone on the computer after you cannot see that you have been on the website.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603907215006.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>How to get help</h2>If you are a survivor of domestic or sexual violence, you can receive help in a variety of ways from Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services. The agency serves 18 counties in northwest Kansas. You can walk into an Options office at 2716 Plaza, Hays, or&nbsp;1480 W. Fourth, Colby. You can call Options' 24-hour helpline at 1-800-794-4624 or text HOPE to 847411.The Options website,&nbsp;<a href="https://help4abuse.org/">https://help4abuse.org/</a>, offers a live chat option or video conference with an advocate.The website has a safe escape button that allows you to close out of the website and erase your cookies quickly, so anyone on the computer after you cannot see that you have been on the website.Options has a free app for Android and Apple devices called "My Mobile Options."

If you are a victim of domestic violence, find help here

Get ready for a day of discovery and excitement as the Kansas Science Festival takes over downtown Hays on Sunday, May 4, 2025!

 This free, family-friendly event promises an unforgettable experience with interactive STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) booths, hands-on activities, and opportunities to engage with researchers and community science practitioners from across Kansas.

Explore how science shapes our everyday lives and get inspired by researchers from diverse fields as they share their work in a fun and accessible way. Whether you're a K-12 student, parent, or lifelong learner, there will be something for everyone!

● Interactive STEM Booths: Perfect for families with kids of all ages.

● Meet-the-Experts: Chat with researchers at all career stages and learn about their exciting discoveries.

● Hands-On Fun: Dive into engaging activities designed to spark curiosity and creativity.

Mark your calendars, stay tuned for more updates, and prepare to celebrate the wonders of STEM on May 4, 2025 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

For more information, visit <a href="https://sciencefestks.org/hays/">https://sciencefestks.org/hays/</a>. You may also follow us and the partnering organizations on social media.

RAISE Kansas - <a href="https://raiseks.org/">https://www.raiseks.org</a>

STEM Harvest - <a href="https://stemharvest.org/">https://stemharvest.org</a>

Hays Public Library - <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/">https://hayslibrary.org/</a>

Fort Hays State Science and Mathematics Education Institute - <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/smei/">https://www.fhsu.edu/smei/</a>

TreeTop Security - <a href="https://www.treetopsecurity.com/">https://treetopsecurity.com</a>

K-State Research &amp; Extension Office - <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/">https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/</a>

The Kansas Science Festival is actively seeking sponsors and presenters to help make this event a success. If you're passionate about sharing your love for science and STEM, or if your organization wants to support this event, we’d love to hear from you! 

Please go to <a href="https://sciencefestks.org/hays/">https://sciencefestks.org/hays/</a> and fill out the Google form to register as a presenter. For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Lindsay Schmidt at LASCHMIDT7@FHSU.EDU or visit the Kansas Science Fest website for more details.

The Kansas Science Festival is dedicated to fostering a love for science and exploration through interactive events that connect communities, researchers, and educators. Our mission is to inspire curiosity, encourage lifelong learning, and highlight the role of science in our daily lives. <a href="https://sciencefestks.org/">https://sciencefestks.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736441906153.jpeg" alt="The Kansas Science Festival will be held in downtown Hays on Sunday, May 4. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Science Festival will be held in downtown Hays on Sunday, May 4. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedGet ready for a day of discovery and excitement as the Kansas Science Festival takes over downtown Hays on Sunday, May 4, 2025! This free, family-friendly event promises an unforgettable experience with interactive STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) booths, hands-on activities, and opportunities to engage with researchers and community science practitioners from across Kansas.Explore how science shapes our everyday lives and get inspired by researchers from diverse fields as they share their work in a fun and accessible way. Whether you're a K-12 student, parent, or lifelong learner, there will be something for everyone!<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736442659167.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Highlights of the event include:● Interactive STEM Booths: Perfect for families with kids of all ages.● Meet-the-Experts: Chat with researchers at all career stages and learn about their exciting discoveries.● Hands-On Fun: Dive into engaging activities designed to spark curiosity and creativity.Mark your calendars, stay tuned for more updates, and prepare to celebrate the wonders of STEM on May 4, 2025 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.For more information, visit <a href="https://sciencefestks.org/hays/">https://sciencefestks.org/hays/</a>. You may also follow us and the partnering organizations on social media.Event PartnersRAISE Kansas - <a href="https://raiseks.org/">https://www.raiseks.org</a>STEM Harvest - <a href="https://stemharvest.org/">https://stemharvest.org</a>Hays Public Library - <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/">https://hayslibrary.org/</a>Fort Hays State Science and Mathematics Education Institute - <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/smei/">https://www.fhsu.edu/smei/</a>TreeTop Security - <a href="https://www.treetopsecurity.com/">https://treetopsecurity.com</a>K-State Research &amp; Extension Office - <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/">https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736442476745.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Call for Sponsors and PresentersThe Kansas Science Festival is actively seeking sponsors and presenters to help make this event a success. If you're passionate about sharing your love for science and STEM, or if your organization wants to support this event, we’d love to hear from you! Please go to <a href="https://sciencefestks.org/hays/">https://sciencefestks.org/hays/</a> and fill out the Google form to register as a presenter. For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Lindsay Schmidt at LASCHMIDT7@FHSU.EDU or visit the Kansas Science Fest website for more details.About the Kansas Science FestivalThe Kansas Science Festival is dedicated to fostering a love for science and exploration through interactive events that connect communities, researchers, and educators. Our mission is to inspire curiosity, encourage lifelong learning, and highlight the role of science in our daily lives. <a href="https://sciencefestks.org/">https://sciencefestks.org</a>.

Kansas Science Festival coming to downtown Hays in May

By&nbsp;MICHAEL A. SMITH Insight Kansas

Currently (excuse the pun), electric vehicles make up only about 1% of the car and light truck market in Kansas–but that will change. Even the climate denialism of President-elect Trump cannot stop it. His newfound friendship with Tesla CEO Elon Musk is sure to keep EV sales strong. Besides, a new Panasonic EV battery factory being built in DeSoto received the largest state tax incentive package in Kansas history– $2.5 billion.

EVs are not perfect. They are expensive. It takes longer to charge an EV battery than to fill a gas tank, and that’s assuming that high-capacity chargers are available. These tend to be found only along interstates and in urban areas. EV motors and batteries require precious metals, the mining of which can lead to environmental degradation and abuse of workers. Finally, their unique combination of metals can burn differently than other materials, presenting new challenges to firefighters and other first responders

That said, EVs are still much better for the environment. They require no petroleum fuels, and the carbon footprint of generating their electricity is just a fraction of the tailpipe emissions generated by internal combustion engines. EVs also save the environmental cost of oil drilling, refining and shipping. Many EV drivers recharge the vehicles overnight at home. This leads to more consistent electricity generation throughout the day, which brings greater efficiencies at the power plant. The electricity can also be generated through cleaner sources such as wind and solar. Recharging EV batteries costs only about a third the price of refueling a gas tank.

For Kansas, several policy challenges await. Like most states, Kansas funds the state’s roads and highways primarily with motor fuel taxes on gasoline and diesel, which in turns leverage federal matching funds, also generated with motor fuel taxes. EV drivers do not pay these taxes. Kansas joins many other states in levying additional registration fees on EVs, but at $20-$30 per year, they do not replace the revenue generated by the average car or light truck in Kansas: over $110 annually in state taxes alone.

Some states have gotten creative. Oregon’s experimental OReGO plan uses monitors to assess how many miles a driver puts on their car each year, and levies a per-mile tax. Yet the idea of the state monitoring our driving habits is sure to rankle Kansas’ libertarian sensibilities. Even Oregon made the program voluntary. OReGO will probably be a no-go around here.

In a classic example of steering a straight course in all directions, the federal government and many states also offer tax credits for the purchase of EVs, due to their environmental benefits. A recent Kansas Reflector article noted that these credits were sharply restricted for EVs in Kansas several years ago. However, the federal credit is still in effect.

Other EV challenges include new training for firefighters. Notwithstanding the recent, viral, debunked “Tesla fires” social media post, EVs’ unique materials present some challenges to first responders, including those working along highways and near battery factories.

As for Tesla, they no longer own the market for EVs but they are still a major player. Kansas’ auto dealership licensing laws currently prohibit Tesla’s direct-to-consumer sales, but this may be the year that the legislature updates those laws. Right now, the closest place for most Kansans to test drive and service Teslas is Kansas City, MO.

EVs’ popularity continues to grow. Conspiracy theories and culture warriors notwithstanding, it is time for Kansas legislators to make the law more… well, current.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700168795368.png" alt="Michael A. Smith" />
 <figcaption>Michael A. Smith</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;MICHAEL A. SMITH Insight KansasCurrently (excuse the pun), electric vehicles make up only about 1% of the car and light truck market in Kansas–but that will change. Even the climate denialism of President-elect Trump cannot stop it. His newfound friendship with Tesla CEO Elon Musk is sure to keep EV sales strong. Besides, a new Panasonic EV battery factory being built in DeSoto received the largest state tax incentive package in Kansas history– $2.5 billion.EVs are not perfect. They are expensive. It takes longer to charge an EV battery than to fill a gas tank, and that’s assuming that high-capacity chargers are available. These tend to be found only along interstates and in urban areas. EV motors and batteries require precious metals, the mining of which can lead to environmental degradation and abuse of workers. Finally, their unique combination of metals can burn differently than other materials, presenting new challenges to firefighters and other first respondersThat said, EVs are still much better for the environment. They require no petroleum fuels, and the carbon footprint of generating their electricity is just a fraction of the tailpipe emissions generated by internal combustion engines. EVs also save the environmental cost of oil drilling, refining and shipping. Many EV drivers recharge the vehicles overnight at home. This leads to more consistent electricity generation throughout the day, which brings greater efficiencies at the power plant. The electricity can also be generated through cleaner sources such as wind and solar. Recharging EV batteries costs only about a third the price of refueling a gas tank.For Kansas, several policy challenges await. Like most states, Kansas funds the state’s roads and highways primarily with motor fuel taxes on gasoline and diesel, which in turns leverage federal matching funds, also generated with motor fuel taxes. EV drivers do not pay these taxes. Kansas joins many other states in levying additional registration fees on EVs, but at $20-$30 per year, they do not replace the revenue generated by the average car or light truck in Kansas: over $110 annually in state taxes alone.Some states have gotten creative. Oregon’s experimental OReGO plan uses monitors to assess how many miles a driver puts on their car each year, and levies a per-mile tax. Yet the idea of the state monitoring our driving habits is sure to rankle Kansas’ libertarian sensibilities. Even Oregon made the program voluntary. OReGO will probably be a no-go around here.In a classic example of steering a straight course in all directions, the federal government and many states also offer tax credits for the purchase of EVs, due to their environmental benefits. A recent Kansas Reflector article noted that these credits were sharply restricted for EVs in Kansas several years ago. However, the federal credit is still in effect.Other EV challenges include new training for firefighters. Notwithstanding the recent, viral, debunked “Tesla fires” social media post, EVs’ unique materials present some challenges to first responders, including those working along highways and near battery factories.As for Tesla, they no longer own the market for EVs but they are still a major player. Kansas’ auto dealership licensing laws currently prohibit Tesla’s direct-to-consumer sales, but this may be the year that the legislature updates those laws. Right now, the closest place for most Kansans to test drive and service Teslas is Kansas City, MO.EVs’ popularity continues to grow. Conspiracy theories and culture warriors notwithstanding, it is time for Kansas legislators to make the law more… well, current.

INSIGHT KANSAS: More electric vehicles are coming to Kansas 

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 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

This story is the second in a four-part series on the life and death of Hays resident Karen Schumacher, who died at the hands of her husband in 2022.

Part 1:&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f6fb5eb0-494c-4518-992a-6bffdf7c38c9">A Voice for Karen: Living behind a curtain of silence</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3af7a093-f0d8-4c2e-a1e3-4a31be6c0e7e">Hays man who killed wife sentenced to 10 years in prison</a>

Karen Schumacher died at the hands of her husband in March 2022 after years of abuse.

Now, two years after her death, her friends and family are looking at her attempts to leave her abusive relationship and what kept drawing her back in.

Even in the early years of their marriage, Jay, Karen's husband, was physically violent with Karen, according to her friends and family.

Karen told her son, Jeremiah, that if she died, it would be by Jay's hands, and she had left proof in the couple's home.

Police searched Jay and Karen's home after Karen's death. Much later, Jeremiah searched the house and found hidden letters that chronicled the abuse dating back to his parents' early marriage.

In one of the letters, Karen describes Jay throwing her against the basement floor. She says she is disappointed in him and that if he does this again, she will leave him "FOREVER."

Karen's sister, Sue, initially thought the fights between Karen and Jay were only verbal. Yet, she said Karen still repeatedly tried to leave Jay throughout their marriage.

Sue said Karen drove more than an hour to Sue's home, first in Salina and then in Newton, intending to leave Jay.

"She would panic and say, 'I've got to get back before he gets home from work,' just scared to death. She would drive all the way there for maybe an hour and turn around and drive home. She did that a couple of times when I lived in Newton."

Karen left Jay to stay at the domestic violence shelter many times, Sue said, but she kept going back to Jay.

"She would miss her pets and wonder how they were doing," she said. "One of his controls, Jay, was to strangle cats, throw cats against the wall, kill her cats, take them out in the country and shoot them in front of her.

"[He would say,] 'If you ever leave me, this is what will happen to you. I will hunt you down like the dog you are and kill you.' We believed that. My husband and I believed it. She believed it," Sue said.

"When Jeremiah lived at home, he would threaten Jeremiah. 'I will torture him in front of you. I will kill him and then kill you and kill me,'" Sue said of Jay's words to Karen.

"Then, when Jeremiah left, it turned to me. 'I will kill your sister. You'll have to watch. I'll kill you and then kill me,'" Sue said of Jay's words.

Jeremiah said he was frustrated with his mother for not leaving his father.

“Then I saw what happened any time she tried,” he said.

Jeremiah moved out of his parents' house when he was 19. He initially thought the abuse stopped. "Because I was told I was the reason," he said.

“If we did something he didn’t like, it was bad, man,” Jeremiah said.

Sue said Karen would call her and tell her Jay was on the porch.

“I would call the police, and they would say, ‘We’ll talk to him,'” Sue said. “[This happened] 20 times or so.”

“She went directly to the police and said he’s hitting me,” Jeremiah said.

By this time, Jeremiah said, her memory was scrambled.&nbsp;

She was going to the police station two to three times a week,&nbsp;Jeremiah said.

"They would just take her back to the house and say, 'Jay, she says you're hitting her.' 'Oh no, she doesn't know what she's talking about,' [Jay would say] and in she'd go," Jeremiah said.

When Karen was living in Victoria, she filed a protection from abuse order against Jay.

Jay owned a number of guns and voluntarily placed them in the hands of the Victoria Police as he was barred from possessing firearms under the order, according to Victoria Police records.

By the time the protection from abuse order was in place in about 2016, Victoria Police Chief Cole Dinkel said Karen's mental health had deteriorated significantly.

Sue was driving from Newton in an attempt to take care of her sister, who was living alone with Jay out of the house because of the protection from abuse order.

Police reports from the time said Karen often forgot to shower. Her house and clothes also smelled of cat urine as she struggled to care for her home and her animals.

Dinkel said Karen reported abuse, but they were instances that had happened years early. There were never any visible marks on her, and she never called while the alleged violence was occurring, he said. She also made reports and then refused to press charges days later, according to reports from that time.

Karen was taken to Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, and that organization brought her back to Victoria, Dinkel said.

Dinkel said he did not have enough evidence to arrest Jay.

"You can't take a man's freedom on a hunch," Dinkel said.

Dinkel said there was one instance in which Jay showed up at the couple's home in Victoria to deliver groceries. The protection from abuse order was in effect, so Dinkel asked Jay to leave. He gave Jay a warning, and Jay left. A report was filed, but no charges.

Dinkel worked with Karen when she was a dispatcher in Hays. He said he regarded her as a friend and tried to get her help. The Department of Children and Families and the Ellis County Attorney's Office were both contacted in regard to Karen. Dinkel said he hoped to establish a care and treatment case.

However, Charlene Brubaker of the Ellis County Attorney's Office said Karen needed someone to serve as her guardian. Sue said she was interested in establishing a power of attorney for Karen, but Dinkel said Karen resisted, telling him she was afraid her sister would institutionalize her.&nbsp;

In 2016, Karen and Jay jointly requested the protection from abuse order to be lifted.

In a report from that time, Dinkel wrote that Karen asked him, "Am I doing the right thing?"

Dinkel said he has no regrets and expressed frustration that he and his colleagues are now being portrayed as "bad guys." He said because Karen was his friend, he went above and beyond to try to help her.

"The entire situation was a mess from the start to the finish," he said.

He added, "You can only help a person as much as they want help. Karen took three steps back for every one step forward."

Jeremiah said he was reluctant to work with the Victoria Police Department because of his father's relationship with them, although Dinkel said he was no more than Jay's acquaintance.

 Jeremiah said, “I never tried to report the abuse because my dad had very good friends in the police department, and frankly, we knew it would get back to him.

&nbsp;“I couldn’t afford to put my family through the possibility of what he might do,” Jeremiah  said.

“I was terrified of him. We all were,” he said.

Sue said she also called the Hays Police Department, where Karen had worked as a dispatcher. They said they could not do anything because Karen and Jay lived outside of their jurisdiction in Victoria.

After years of abuse, Karen's body and brain showed the effects.

She began forgetting things. It was hard for her to care for herself. Jay claimed she had dementia.&nbsp;

"It was hard to watch. You would never think she was that age. You had to help her learn how to make a plate of food because she didn't know how to do it," Kayci, Jeremiah's wife, said.

At one point, Karen wandered away from her house. Jay was on the road, so the police called Jeremiah to assist his mom.

Jeremiah and Kayci told Jay they would help care for Karen.

“If you can’t deal with this, maybe you should put her in a home or something,” Jeremiah said.

"'I ain't putting her in a Goddamn home, and I'm not paying for that shit,'" Jay told Jeremiah. "'I'll take care of your mom.'"

Karen separated from Jay about five years before her death. She filed for divorce.

Sue sought the opinion of a neurologist who diagnosed brain damage due to repeated head injuries.&nbsp;

Because of Karen's declining health, Sue was trying to gain guardianship.

However, Karen had left beloved pets at the house she shared with Jay. She went back to Jay one last and final time. She dropped the divorce filing.

Jay's control over Karen's life tightened even more. Jeremiah said she was no longer allowed to have keys to a vehicle or a cell phone.

Although Jay allowed Karen to attend some family functions with him present, he completely cut off contact between Jeremiah, his wife and children, and Sue, Jeremiah and Sue said.

Jeremiah said he only saw his mother twice in the years leading up to her death when he bumped into his parents at a store.

“He 100 percent isolated her, at least from us,” Jeremiah said.

Jeremiah would see Facebook posts of his mother in the hospital. He tried to contact his father to find out his mother's condition. Jay would not respond.

"It was his life. Her life that she had that she created, it was over," Kayci, Jeremiah's wife, said.

Scarlett Deutscher, Karen's longtime friend, saw her friend occasionally in the community, but she wasn't the same.&nbsp;

She would forget things,&nbsp;Deutscher said.

She recalled seeing Jay and Karen at a local convenience store.

"I feel bad about it, now looking back," she said. "I would see them every now and again. He said, 'Yeah, Karen's in the car.' I went to the car to go say hi to her. She just wasn't there. I could look into her eyes. I could still make contact with her, and she would kind of look at me and smile."

Deutscher&nbsp;said she thought Jay had finally stepped up to take care of Karen.

"But it was all a big lie he told a best friend," she said, "but I believed it. I believed him that he was taking care of her when, in essence, he wasn't. He was beatin' her. He was being very cruel to her. He was not taking care of her as she should be as a dependent."

“As someone you love. You just don’t do that,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732649972148.jpeg" alt="Graphics and video by Jordan Schaffer" />
 <figcaption>Graphics and video by Jordan Schaffer</figcaption>
 </figure>This story is the second in a four-part series on the life and death of Hays resident Karen Schumacher, who died at the hands of her husband in 2022.Part 1:&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f6fb5eb0-494c-4518-992a-6bffdf7c38c9">A Voice for Karen: Living behind a curtain of silence</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3af7a093-f0d8-4c2e-a1e3-4a31be6c0e7e">Hays man who killed wife sentenced to 10 years in prison</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/277704cd-f369-48f7-bfca-bdbdba1e8959">If you are a victim of domestic violence, find help here</a><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M51p3FJ7UH4?si=UwR3rIrZLIfRlLOB" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostKaren Schumacher died at the hands of her husband in March 2022 after years of abuse.Now, two years after her death, her friends and family are looking at her attempts to leave her abusive relationship and what kept drawing her back in.Even in the early years of their marriage, Jay, Karen's husband, was physically violent with Karen, according to her friends and family.Karen told her son, Jeremiah, that if she died, it would be by Jay's hands, and she had left proof in the couple's home.Police searched Jay and Karen's home after Karen's death. Much later, Jeremiah searched the house and found hidden letters that chronicled the abuse dating back to his parents' early marriage.In one of the letters, Karen describes Jay throwing her against the basement floor. She says she is disappointed in him and that if he does this again, she will leave him "FOREVER."<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TmjnmQJJ4w8?si=MNS1zOz27EUSiLC6" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><h2>Leaving and going back</h2>Karen's sister, Sue, initially thought the fights between Karen and Jay were only verbal. Yet, she said Karen still repeatedly tried to leave Jay throughout their marriage.Sue said Karen drove more than an hour to Sue's home, first in Salina and then in Newton, intending to leave Jay."She would panic and say, 'I've got to get back before he gets home from work,' just scared to death. She would drive all the way there for maybe an hour and turn around and drive home. She did that a couple of times when I lived in Newton."Karen left Jay to stay at the domestic violence shelter many times, Sue said, but she kept going back to Jay."She would miss her pets and wonder how they were doing," she said. "One of his controls, Jay, was to strangle cats, throw cats against the wall, kill her cats, take them out in the country and shoot them in front of her."[He would say,] 'If you ever leave me, this is what will happen to you. I will hunt you down like the dog you are and kill you.' We believed that. My husband and I believed it. She believed it," Sue said."When Jeremiah lived at home, he would threaten Jeremiah. 'I will torture him in front of you. I will kill him and then kill you and kill me,'" Sue said of Jay's words to Karen."Then, when Jeremiah left, it turned to me. 'I will kill your sister. You'll have to watch. I'll kill you and then kill me,'" Sue said of Jay's words.Jeremiah said he was frustrated with his mother for not leaving his father.“Then I saw what happened any time she tried,” he said.Jeremiah moved out of his parents' house when he was 19. He initially thought the abuse stopped. "Because I was told I was the reason," he said.“If we did something he didn’t like, it was bad, man,” Jeremiah said.<h2>Not enough evidence</h2>Sue said Karen would call her and tell her Jay was on the porch.“I would call the police, and they would say, ‘We’ll talk to him,'” Sue said. “[This happened] 20 times or so.”“She went directly to the police and said he’s hitting me,” Jeremiah said.By this time, Jeremiah said, her memory was scrambled.&nbsp;She was going to the police station two to three times a week,&nbsp;Jeremiah said."They would just take her back to the house and say, 'Jay, she says you're hitting her.' 'Oh no, she doesn't know what she's talking about,' [Jay would say] and in she'd go," Jeremiah said.When Karen was living in Victoria, she filed a protection from abuse order against Jay.Jay owned a number of guns and voluntarily placed them in the hands of the Victoria Police as he was barred from possessing firearms under the order, according to Victoria Police records.By the time the protection from abuse order was in place in about 2016, Victoria Police Chief Cole Dinkel said Karen's mental health had deteriorated significantly. Sue was driving from Newton in an attempt to take care of her sister, who was living alone with Jay out of the house because of the protection from abuse order.Police reports from the time said Karen often forgot to shower. Her house and clothes also smelled of cat urine as she struggled to care for her home and her animals.Dinkel said Karen reported abuse, but they were instances that had happened years early. There were never any visible marks on her, and she never called while the alleged violence was occurring, he said. She also made reports and then refused to press charges days later, according to reports from that time.Karen was taken to Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, and that organization brought her back to Victoria, Dinkel said.Dinkel said he did not have enough evidence to arrest Jay."You can't take a man's freedom on a hunch," Dinkel said.Dinkel said there was one instance in which Jay showed up at the couple's home in Victoria to deliver groceries. The protection from abuse order was in effect, so Dinkel asked Jay to leave. He gave Jay a warning, and Jay left. A report was filed, but no charges.Dinkel worked with Karen when she was a dispatcher in Hays. He said he regarded her as a friend and tried to get her help. The Department of Children and Families and the Ellis County Attorney's Office were both contacted in regard to Karen. Dinkel said he hoped to establish a care and treatment case.However, Charlene Brubaker of the Ellis County Attorney's Office said Karen needed someone to serve as her guardian. Sue said she was interested in establishing a power of attorney for Karen, but Dinkel said Karen resisted, telling him she was afraid her sister would institutionalize her.&nbsp;In 2016, Karen and Jay jointly requested the protection from abuse order to be lifted.In a report from that time, Dinkel wrote that Karen asked him, "Am I doing the right thing?"Dinkel said he has no regrets and expressed frustration that he and his colleagues are now being portrayed as "bad guys." He said because Karen was his friend, he went above and beyond to try to help her."The entire situation was a mess from the start to the finish," he said.He added, "You can only help a person as much as they want help. Karen took three steps back for every one step forward."Jeremiah said he was reluctant to work with the Victoria Police Department because of his father's relationship with them, although Dinkel said he was no more than Jay's acquaintance. Jeremiah said, “I never tried to report the abuse because my dad had very good friends in the police department, and frankly, we knew it would get back to him.&nbsp;“I couldn’t afford to put my family through the possibility of what he might do,” Jeremiah said.“I was terrified of him. We all were,” he said.Sue said she also called the Hays Police Department, where Karen had worked as a dispatcher. They said they could not do anything because Karen and Jay lived outside of their jurisdiction in Victoria.<h2>Brain damage</h2>After years of abuse, Karen's body and brain showed the effects.She began forgetting things. It was hard for her to care for herself. Jay claimed she had dementia.&nbsp;"It was hard to watch. You would never think she was that age. You had to help her learn how to make a plate of food because she didn't know how to do it," Kayci, Jeremiah's wife, said.At one point, Karen wandered away from her house. Jay was on the road, so the police called Jeremiah to assist his mom.Jeremiah and Kayci told Jay they would help care for Karen.“If you can’t deal with this, maybe you should put her in a home or something,” Jeremiah said."'I ain't putting her in a Goddamn home, and I'm not paying for that shit,'" Jay told Jeremiah. "'I'll take care of your mom.'"Karen separated from Jay about five years before her death. She filed for divorce.Sue sought the opinion of a neurologist who diagnosed brain damage due to repeated head injuries.&nbsp;Because of Karen's declining health, Sue was trying to gain guardianship.However, Karen had left beloved pets at the house she shared with Jay. She went back to Jay one last and final time. She dropped the divorce filing.Jay's control over Karen's life tightened even more. Jeremiah said she was no longer allowed to have keys to a vehicle or a cell phone.Although Jay allowed Karen to attend some family functions with him present, he completely cut off contact between Jeremiah, his wife and children, and Sue, Jeremiah and Sue said.Jeremiah said he only saw his mother twice in the years leading up to her death when he bumped into his parents at a store.“He 100 percent isolated her, at least from us,” Jeremiah said.Jeremiah would see Facebook posts of his mother in the hospital. He tried to contact his father to find out his mother's condition. Jay would not respond."It was his life. Her life that she had that she created, it was over," Kayci, Jeremiah's wife, said.Scarlett Deutscher, Karen's longtime friend, saw her friend occasionally in the community, but she wasn't the same.&nbsp;She would forget things,&nbsp;Deutscher said.She recalled seeing Jay and Karen at a local convenience store."I feel bad about it, now looking back," she said. "I would see them every now and again. He said, 'Yeah, Karen's in the car.' I went to the car to go say hi to her. She just wasn't there. I could look into her eyes. I could still make contact with her, and she would kind of look at me and smile."Deutscher&nbsp;said she thought Jay had finally stepped up to take care of Karen."But it was all a big lie he told a best friend," she said, "but I believed it. I believed him that he was taking care of her when, in essence, he wasn't. He was beatin' her. He was being very cruel to her. He was not taking care of her as she should be as a dependent."“As someone you love. You just don’t do that,” she said.Editor's note: Scarlett Deutscher is an employee of Eagle Media, which is the parent company of the Hays Post.<h2>How to get help</h2>If you are a survivor of domestic or sexual violence, you can receive help in a variety of ways. You can walk into an Options office at 2716 Plaza, Hays, or&nbsp;1480 W. Fourth, Colby.&nbsp; You can call Options' 24-hour helpline at 1-800-794-4624 or text HOPE to 847411.The Options website,&nbsp;<a href="https://help4abuse.org/">https://help4abuse.org/</a>, offers a live chat option or video conference with an advocate.The website has a safe escape button that allows you to quickly close out of the website and erase your cookies, so anyone who is on the computer after you will not be able to see that you have been on the website.Options has a free app for Android and Apple devices called "My Mobile Options."

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