Beginning Monday, pavement markings on Hall Street between Eighth and 27th streets are being replaced. 

 Hall Street will remain open, however, traffic may be temporarily restricted while work is in progress. 

 For more information, contact the Office of Project Management at (785) 628-7350 or the contractor, Roadsafe at (316) 322-3070.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584721067731.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Beginning Monday, pavement markings on Hall Street between Eighth and 27th streets are being replaced. Hall Street will remain open, however, traffic may be temporarily restricted while work is in progress. Work should be complete by May 1. For more information, contact the Office of Project Management at (785) 628-7350 or the contractor, Roadsafe at (316) 322-3070.— City of Hays

Pavement markings will be replaced this week on Hall

Three years ago, I enjoyed piloting a series of programs targeting our senior population titled, Keys to Embracing Aging. Each month for a year I brought a new topic complete with a well written fact sheet to a consistent audience of around twenty seniors. It is time to bring out those fact sheets again but this time, instead of just focusing on seniors, I’m calling it “Keys to Embracing Life.”

Today I’m sharing information from the Positive Attitude fact sheet. It’s no secret that the connection between mind and body is strong. An overall positive attitude, including an upbeat outlook on life, can affect overall happiness, health, and well-being. Similar to good health practices such as eating well and getting plenty of exercise, a positive attitude should be a habit that starts early in life.

A positive attitude can impact mental health and physical functioning, including the ability to fight disease and infection. Attitude can also affect relationships, social networks, and help make success in life more likely. The bottom line, being more positive across the lifespan causes less stress and enables people to live healthier, happy lives.

Dr. Martin Seligman, the creator of positive psychology, believes that happiness helps provide a sense of purpose in life because it is something that you can create and nurture. He identified seven habits of happy people. Happy people:

We all know people who are positive and almost always have a smile on their face. Our five-year-old grandson, Bo, is one happy kid. If the weather is nice, Bo and his mom will be practicing hitting or catching a baseball, or shooting baskets at their driveway basketball goal. After a recent rainy day, Bo and his two sisters, went on a worm hunt. It was such a success that a weekend fishing trip is planned. Our daughter, Kristen, sent a picture of three smiling kids with their gallon pail almost half full of worms.

Everyone has an occasional bad day, but in general, a positive attitude and happy outlook can help pull you through life’s challenges. Having an upbeat and proactive outlook on life over time can also contribute to better health and optimal aging, including longevity.

Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583253738760.jpeg" alt="Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Three years ago, I enjoyed piloting a series of programs targeting our senior population titled, Keys to Embracing Aging. Each month for a year I brought a new topic complete with a well written fact sheet to a consistent audience of around twenty seniors. It is time to bring out those fact sheets again but this time, instead of just focusing on seniors, I’m calling it “Keys to Embracing Life.”Today I’m sharing information from the Positive Attitude fact sheet. It’s no secret that the connection between mind and body is strong. An overall positive attitude, including an upbeat outlook on life, can affect overall happiness, health, and well-being. Similar to good health practices such as eating well and getting plenty of exercise, a positive attitude should be a habit that starts early in life.A positive attitude can impact mental health and physical functioning, including the ability to fight disease and infection. Attitude can also affect relationships, social networks, and help make success in life more likely. The bottom line, being more positive across the lifespan causes less stress and enables people to live healthier, happy lives.Dr. Martin Seligman, the creator of positive psychology, believes that happiness helps provide a sense of purpose in life because it is something that you can create and nurture. He identified seven habits of happy people. Happy people:<ol>
 <li>Build close relationships</li><li>Care for others</li><li>Engage in healthy, active lifestyles</li><li>Embrace spirituality</li><li>Practice positive thinking</li><li>Embrace a hobby or activity</li><li>Identify strengths</li>
 </ol>We all know people who are positive and almost always have a smile on their face. Our five-year-old grandson, Bo, is one happy kid. If the weather is nice, Bo and his mom will be practicing hitting or catching a baseball, or shooting baskets at their driveway basketball goal. After a recent rainy day, Bo and his two sisters, went on a worm hunt. It was such a success that a weekend fishing trip is planned. Our daughter, Kristen, sent a picture of three smiling kids with their gallon pail almost half full of worms.Everyone has an occasional bad day, but in general, a positive attitude and happy outlook can help pull you through life’s challenges. Having an upbeat and proactive outlook on life over time can also contribute to better health and optimal aging, including longevity.Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

KRUG: Keys to embracing life

By CORINNE BOYER <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/update-coronavirus-clusters-grow-rapidly-three-western-kansas-meatpacking-counties">Kansas News Service</a>

Update: Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman said on Friday that 
Kansas has now identified 250 cases of COVID-19 among workers at the 
state's six meatpacking plants. The federal government has sent supplies
 to test thousands of people in southwest Kansas. Meanwhile, the Centers
 for Disease Control and Prevention is sending staff to the region.

GARDEN CITY, Kansas —
 Two western Kansas counties that are home to meatpacking plants have 
some of the highest counts of the coronavirus in the state. It’s a 
distinction that comes as the Tyson plant near Garden City said this 
week it has several cases among its workers.

None of the 
meatpacking plants, which make up about 25% of the national beef supply 
according to a Kansas State professor’s estimate, has shared a specific 
count of workers with a COVID-19 diagnosis. And the state health 
department leaves it up to county health departments to decide whether 
to provide the public with detailed case information.

In the 
span of 11 days, Ford County, where there is a National Beef and a 
Cargill plant in Dodge City, has gone from 16 cases to 288. Seward 
County, which has a National Beef plant in Liberal, went from six to 
125. Finney County, where the Tyson plant is located, is up from 17 to 
87.

Several meatpacking plants around the country, from South 
Dakota to Iowa to Colorado, have had to shut down temporarily over the 
past few weeks due to the number of workers coming down with the 
coronavirus. But so far, Kansas’ major meatpacking plants have not fully
 shut down, though the National Beef plant in Dodge City did close for a
 few days for deep cleaning.

Companies say they’ve been taking 
extra precautions and social distancing measures. But unions are 
pressing for better protections inside plants, where workers 
stand-side-by side to cut meat from carcasses.&nbsp;

Kansas Gov. Laura
 Kelly said there is an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to the situation at
 the local, state and federal levels for testing, isolation and 
providing things like shields and personal protective equipment to 
protect workers.

“We’ve found isolation housing for those who 
need to be quarantined if they’ve had any contact,” Kelly said Thursday 
on KCUR’s “Up To Date” talk show. “So we’re taking a very aggressive 
approach, because we don’t want to be like Iowa or South Dakota where 
we’re having to shut those plants down.”

The Tyson plant in 
Holcomb employs about 3,800 people. The announcement of cases among 
Tyson workers came shortly after the Finney County Health Department 
began testing up to 50 people a day for the virus. Health department 
director Colleen Drees said “there is evidence of community spread.”&nbsp;

High
 Plains Public Radio news director Angie Haflich and Kansas News Service
 news editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report.

Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://kannews.slack.com/team/UFFCS11T5">@Corinne</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank"> _boyer</a> or email cboyer@hppr,org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587938713112.png" alt=" National Beef has a meatpacking plant in Liberal, Kansas, which is in Seward County. Bethany Wood / For the Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> National Beef has a meatpacking plant in Liberal, Kansas, which is in Seward County. Bethany Wood / For the Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CORINNE BOYER <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/update-coronavirus-clusters-grow-rapidly-three-western-kansas-meatpacking-counties">Kansas News Service</a>Update: Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman said on Friday that 
Kansas has now identified 250 cases of COVID-19 among workers at the 
state's six meatpacking plants. The federal government has sent supplies
 to test thousands of people in southwest Kansas. Meanwhile, the Centers
 for Disease Control and Prevention is sending staff to the region.GARDEN CITY, Kansas —
 Two western Kansas counties that are home to meatpacking plants have 
some of the highest counts of the coronavirus in the state. It’s a 
distinction that comes as the Tyson plant near Garden City said this 
week it has several cases among its workers.None of the 
meatpacking plants, which make up about 25% of the national beef supply 
according to a Kansas State professor’s estimate, has shared a specific 
count of workers with a COVID-19 diagnosis. And the state health 
department leaves it up to county health departments to decide whether 
to provide the public with detailed case information.In the 
span of 11 days, Ford County, where there is a National Beef and a 
Cargill plant in Dodge City, has gone from 16 cases to 288. Seward 
County, which has a National Beef plant in Liberal, went from six to 
125. Finney County, where the Tyson plant is located, is up from 17 to 
87.Several meatpacking plants around the country, from South 
Dakota to Iowa to Colorado, have had to shut down temporarily over the 
past few weeks due to the number of workers coming down with the 
coronavirus. But so far, Kansas’ major meatpacking plants have not fully
 shut down, though the National Beef plant in Dodge City did close for a
 few days for deep cleaning.Companies say they’ve been taking 
extra precautions and social distancing measures. But unions are 
pressing for better protections inside plants, where workers 
stand-side-by side to cut meat from carcasses.&nbsp;Kansas Gov. Laura
 Kelly said there is an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to the situation at
 the local, state and federal levels for testing, isolation and 
providing things like shields and personal protective equipment to 
protect workers.“We’ve found isolation housing for those who 
need to be quarantined if they’ve had any contact,” Kelly said Thursday 
on KCUR’s “Up To Date” talk show. “So we’re taking a very aggressive 
approach, because we don’t want to be like Iowa or South Dakota where 
we’re having to shut those plants down.”The Tyson plant in 
Holcomb employs about 3,800 people. The announcement of cases among 
Tyson workers came shortly after the Finney County Health Department 
began testing up to 50 people a day for the virus. Health department 
director Colleen Drees said “there is evidence of community spread.”&nbsp;High
 Plains Public Radio news director Angie Haflich and Kansas News Service
 news editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report.Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://kannews.slack.com/team/UFFCS11T5">@Corinne</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank"> _boyer</a> or email cboyer@hppr,org.

Update: Virus clusters grow rapidly In 3 western Kan. meatpacking counties

Collin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presented the monthly progress report during Thursday's city commission meeting.

Projects from each city department are highlighted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587760733241.jpeg" alt="Collin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presents the monthly progress report at the April 23 city commission meeting." />
 <figcaption>Collin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presents the monthly progress report at the April 23 city commission meeting.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostCollin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presented the monthly progress report during Thursday's city commission meeting.Projects from each city department are highlighted.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yB_ZRgoFpoM"></iframe>
 <figcaption>(Video courtesy Nex-Tech)</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥 Bielser presents Hays progress report

As the battle with COVID-19 continues and we daily thank our courageous health care and essential workers, Kansas teachers also need our thanks.&nbsp; They rose to the occasion and kept learning alive.

With the future still unclear, teachers now are envisioning what will become the “new normal” return to school.&nbsp; What changes for health safety and preparedness will be necessary? What federal funding will come?&nbsp; What state budget cuts may occur?

When schools closed, teachers rushed to completely transition classes to virtual learning and take-home packets for students.&nbsp; Currently they keep personal contact to instruct and mentor students through texting, email, phone calls and Zoom.

Nonetheless at-home family support and virtual learning cannot replace the full school experience, particularly fundamental teacher-guided, deep discussions that drive high-quality learning through complex analysis, help for at-risk students and extra-curricular activities.

Education research cannot yet provide definitive answers about the benefit of online learning overall or for different ages or groups of students.&nbsp; Nevertheless, the reality is that teachers need to be prepared to use technology in future situations which may call for students to be homebound, to make immediate plans to address the “corona slide” of reduced learning caused by the current situation and to integrate new virtual learning opportunities in traditional classrooms.&nbsp;

The recently enacted federal CARES act provides $13.5 billion earmarked mostly for K-12 schools and an additional $3 billion in education funding for governors to release.&nbsp;&nbsp;The act also specifies a separate rural-development item for distance learning.&nbsp; Moreover, engagement of the Federal Communication Commission may be forthcoming for distance learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Federal help may ease the pain in the short run, but it is not a solution to fill all needs incurred by or brought to light by the pandemic or mitigate budget cuts due to economic recession that may come as COVID-19 recedes.&nbsp;

Teachers deserve our thanks, the resources they need to create robust, flexible learning environments and the technology to make it happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Almost half of Kansas students attend rural schools where too often they don’t have access to fast, reliable broadband connection or internet service.&nbsp; Students in high-need urban schools often lack the same technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A stop-gap solution for Topeka folk during our stay-at-home period is placing the local library’s two “hotspot” equipped bookmobiles in parking lots of two areas with low connectivity.&nbsp; Wi-fi also has been used in school buses for parking-lot learning, but neither effort is a long-term solution.

Currently, Kansas schools cannot supply one-to-one technology--tablets or computers—for every student in each school (although some schools have done so, nor supply broadband and internet needed for every student to do schoolwork from home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It is essential for the Kansas economy and necessary for public education to provide all students contemporary communication technology.&nbsp; Creative leveraging of federal, state and local resources is vital for overall school budgets if we are to continue learning opportunities as in the past.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The virus exposed weaknesses in the system, but it taught us that Kansans are committed, people, intrinsically connected to supporting public school life and traditions.&nbsp; Sequestered in our homes, we long for spring music contests, baseball and commencement ceremonies--our students’ wish for interaction with peers and personal contact with teachers.&nbsp; Educational renewal may be the state’s greatest challenge for the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Never have teachers been more relevant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576185211786.jpeg" alt="Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education." />
 <figcaption>Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education.</figcaption>
 </figure>As the battle with COVID-19 continues and we daily thank our courageous health care and essential workers, Kansas teachers also need our thanks.&nbsp; They rose to the occasion and kept learning alive.With the future still unclear, teachers now are envisioning what will become the “new normal” return to school.&nbsp; What changes for health safety and preparedness will be necessary? What federal funding will come?&nbsp; What state budget cuts may occur?When schools closed, teachers rushed to completely transition classes to virtual learning and take-home packets for students.&nbsp; Currently they keep personal contact to instruct and mentor students through texting, email, phone calls and Zoom.Nonetheless at-home family support and virtual learning cannot replace the full school experience, particularly fundamental teacher-guided, deep discussions that drive high-quality learning through complex analysis, help for at-risk students and extra-curricular activities.Education research cannot yet provide definitive answers about the benefit of online learning overall or for different ages or groups of students.&nbsp; Nevertheless, the reality is that teachers need to be prepared to use technology in future situations which may call for students to be homebound, to make immediate plans to address the “corona slide” of reduced learning caused by the current situation and to integrate new virtual learning opportunities in traditional classrooms.&nbsp;The recently enacted federal CARES act provides $13.5 billion earmarked mostly for K-12 schools and an additional $3 billion in education funding for governors to release.&nbsp;&nbsp;The act also specifies a separate rural-development item for distance learning.&nbsp; Moreover, engagement of the Federal Communication Commission may be forthcoming for distance learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Federal help may ease the pain in the short run, but it is not a solution to fill all needs incurred by or brought to light by the pandemic or mitigate budget cuts due to economic recession that may come as COVID-19 recedes.&nbsp;Teachers deserve our thanks, the resources they need to create robust, flexible learning environments and the technology to make it happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;Almost half of Kansas students attend rural schools where too often they don’t have access to fast, reliable broadband connection or internet service.&nbsp; Students in high-need urban schools often lack the same technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;A stop-gap solution for Topeka folk during our stay-at-home period is placing the local library’s two “hotspot” equipped bookmobiles in parking lots of two areas with low connectivity.&nbsp; Wi-fi also has been used in school buses for parking-lot learning, but neither effort is a long-term solution.Currently, Kansas schools cannot supply one-to-one technology--tablets or computers—for every student in each school (although some schools have done so, nor supply broadband and internet needed for every student to do schoolwork from home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is essential for the Kansas economy and necessary for public education to provide all students contemporary communication technology.&nbsp; Creative leveraging of federal, state and local resources is vital for overall school budgets if we are to continue learning opportunities as in the past.&nbsp;&nbsp;The virus exposed weaknesses in the system, but it taught us that Kansans are committed, people, intrinsically connected to supporting public school life and traditions.&nbsp; Sequestered in our homes, we long for spring music contests, baseball and commencement ceremonies--our students’ wish for interaction with peers and personal contact with teachers.&nbsp; Educational renewal may be the state’s greatest challenge for the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;Never have teachers been more relevant.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Teacher heroes face the 'new normal' school 

The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance has partnered with Hays Post to bring you Encouraging Words, a series of messages from Ellis County faith leaders.

Check Hays Post on Wednesdays and Sundays for the latest Encouraging Words.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WOmhOBsUvqY"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance has partnered with Hays Post to bring you Encouraging Words, a series of messages from Ellis County faith leaders.Check Hays Post on Wednesdays and Sundays for the latest Encouraging Words.

🎥 Encouraging Words: Pastor Steve Dinkel

<a href="https://hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window/">For a full look at weather visit the State Farm Weather Window by clicking here.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window/">For a full look at weather visit the State Farm Weather Window by clicking here.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587873769400.png" alt="state farm.png" />
 <figcaption>state farm.png</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587873927296.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Three-day weather outlook

Can the government override our First Amendment rights with orders 
such as limits on public assemblies, faith-based gatherings and public 
protests during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The short answer is “yes … probably … in certain circumstances … within specific limits.”

Here’s what our public officials, should ask themselves — and what we
 should demand that they do — before using public health concerns as a 
reason to infringe on any of our core freedoms of religion, speech, 
press, assembly or petition.

First, take a measure of whether a quarantine, stay-at-home order or 
limit on public gatherings is in response to an actual crisis.

Little doubt today’s COVID-19 pandemic meets that test.

But going all the way back to 1900, courts have not always supported 
declarations. In that year, a federal court overturned a San Francisco 
quarantine order applied to a largely Chinese-American area of the city.
 The court, in Jew Ho v. Williamson, found the order overly broad, based
 on a biased and unsupported theory that rice consumption made people 
more likely to spread bubonic plague — a genuine health crisis of that 
moment.

More recently, several courts have rejected such government overreach
 in cases involving vaccination for measles — overturning attempts to 
ban unvaccinated students from attending public schools. Again, in other
 cases more than a century old to modern-day issues ranging from AIDS to
 the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic of a few years 
ago to concern about Ebola, courts largely have focused more on “how” 
government is applying limits on personal freedoms rather than “if” such
 action is constitutional.

In what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites as
 the foundation case for government authority to impose public safety 
limitations, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in 1905 Massachusetts’ state 
power to impose “public health control measures” in the face of a 
smallpox outbreak. The justices held that the 10th Amendment 
empowers states to undertake “reasonable regulations” to protect public 
health and safety” and cited a community’s “right of self-defense” to 
“protect itself against an epidemic disease.”

But both First Amendment and due process requirements of the 14th
 Amendment lead us to the second question that public officials should 
ask themselves: Is the order the least-restrictive means to protecting 
public health?

We see such reasoning applied when officials have turned first to 
“social distancing” — 6-, 8- or 10-foot separation from others — or 
limits on the number of people at public gatherings, rather than 
attempting outright bans on all meetings or short-term school closings 
before canceling classes for an entire semester.

As a coalition of free-speech groups — including, I should note, the 
Freedom Forum — argued in an open letter recently to federal, state and 
local officials, there also are ways to protest that don’t violate 
health orders: “Wearing masks and standing 6 feet apart outside 
hospitals and other places of business to protest inadequate safety 
precautions; participating in car demonstrations in Arizona, California 
and Michigan; and launching digital campaigns.”

The letter was promoted in part by a tweet on April 14 by police in 
Raleigh, N.C., that public protest is “a non-essential activity.” The 
coalition letter argued that “people must be free to express 
disagreement with government decisions, even when it involves criticism 
of essential public health measures.”

Two lawsuits directly stemming from COVID-19 restrictions give a hint as to the legal battles ahead.

Temple Baptist Church in Greenville, Miss., <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-department-church-greenville-mississippi-coronavirus-order/" target="_blank">filed a federal lawsuit</a>
 challenging $500 fines for worshipers who attended a “drive-in” service
 in which they remained in their cars. The U.S. Justice Department is 
supporting the church, saying police targeted a religious gathering and 
were not applying meeting limits equally to secular events, and that a 
ban on attending services in a car does not meet the “least-restrictive 
methods” test.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld last week that Gov. Tom Wolf’s
 March 19 order banning “non-life-essential” meetings does not violate 
the First Amendment right to peaceably assemble or other constitutional 
rights. A group supporting a congressional candidate had challenged the 
executive order, claiming multiple constitutional violations, including 
that it interfered with members’ rights to peaceably assemble at a 
“place of physical operations” that they wish to use to engage in speech
 and advocacy.

However, the justices, in <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/supreme-court/2020/68-mm-2020.html" target="_blank">Friends of Danny DeVito, et al v. Wolf</a>,
 said, “Constitutional rights to free speech and assembly … are not 
absolute, and states may place content-neutral time, place and manner 
restrictions on speech and assembly,” as long as the restrictions 
further a substantial governmental interest and do not unreasonably 
limit alternative means of communication, such as online campaigning.

Technology may be a barrier to successful challenges by faith-based 
communities to orders preventing them from gathering to worship, which 
some groups argue is essential to their religious practices. Courts may 
find that online meeting apps and software, such as Zoom and 
GoToMeeting, provide reasonable alternatives to actual gatherings, at 
least for a short time. Critics of social distancing or meeting bans may
 counter that not all people have access to the web, but not everyone 
has ready transportation to attend services in person, either.

And the element of time introduces a third question to be asked, 
likely to come more into play as the coronavirus crisis lengthens: “Is 
the duration of the limit appropriate to the danger?” As the danger to 
public health ebbs, the legal justification for preventing in-person 
worship services or shoulder-to-shoulder protest marches also will 
diminish.

For those watching the daily briefings from the White House, federal 
officials are, for now, limited in their power to impose widespread 
orders like stay-at-home restrictions. The U.S. government can impose 
individual quarantines to prevent the spread of diseases like cholera, 
yellow fever, pandemic flu and now “severe acute respiratory syndromes” 
like COVID-19 across state lines. But as with state and local officials,
 federal agencies like the CDC show a clear and compelling reason for 
detention — that it’s the least restrictive measure required to protect 
public health.

A complicating factor for First Amendment watchdogs is that each 
state has its own version of laws authorizing quarantines and isolation 
orders. A starting point for opponents of such restrictions rests with 
the U.S. Constitution’s provision in the 14th Amendment that 
none of us can be denied “life, liberty or property, without due process
 of law.” Again, courts have held there are reasons when we can be 
deprived of liberty because we pose a danger to others — for example, 
because of mental illness (U.S. Supreme Court, Addington v. Texas, 
1979).

But even in such cases, government has to prove a “clear and 
compelling danger,” not just a scientific theory or concern that someone
 or something might be a threat — a legal standard which might come to 
rely heavily on testing for COVID-19 exposure and infection once those 
interventions become widespread.

The COVID-19 outbreak is a real threat to public health, but it 
should not be a reason for long-term damage to our core freedoms.

Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the
 Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom
 Forum Institute. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573872297806.png" alt="Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Can the government override our First Amendment rights with orders 
such as limits on public assemblies, faith-based gatherings and public 
protests during the COVID-19 pandemic?The short answer is “yes … probably … in certain circumstances … within specific limits.”Here’s what our public officials, should ask themselves — and what we
 should demand that they do — before using public health concerns as a 
reason to infringe on any of our core freedoms of religion, speech, 
press, assembly or petition.First, take a measure of whether a quarantine, stay-at-home order or 
limit on public gatherings is in response to an actual crisis.Little doubt today’s COVID-19 pandemic meets that test.But going all the way back to 1900, courts have not always supported 
declarations. In that year, a federal court overturned a San Francisco 
quarantine order applied to a largely Chinese-American area of the city.
 The court, in Jew Ho v. Williamson, found the order overly broad, based
 on a biased and unsupported theory that rice consumption made people 
more likely to spread bubonic plague — a genuine health crisis of that 
moment.More recently, several courts have rejected such government overreach
 in cases involving vaccination for measles — overturning attempts to 
ban unvaccinated students from attending public schools. Again, in other
 cases more than a century old to modern-day issues ranging from AIDS to
 the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic of a few years 
ago to concern about Ebola, courts largely have focused more on “how” 
government is applying limits on personal freedoms rather than “if” such
 action is constitutional.In what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites as
 the foundation case for government authority to impose public safety 
limitations, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in 1905 Massachusetts’ state 
power to impose “public health control measures” in the face of a 
smallpox outbreak. The justices held that the 10th Amendment 
empowers states to undertake “reasonable regulations” to protect public 
health and safety” and cited a community’s “right of self-defense” to 
“protect itself against an epidemic disease.”But both First Amendment and due process requirements of the 14th
 Amendment lead us to the second question that public officials should 
ask themselves: Is the order the least-restrictive means to protecting 
public health?We see such reasoning applied when officials have turned first to 
“social distancing” — 6-, 8- or 10-foot separation from others — or 
limits on the number of people at public gatherings, rather than 
attempting outright bans on all meetings or short-term school closings 
before canceling classes for an entire semester.As a coalition of free-speech groups — including, I should note, the 
Freedom Forum — argued in an open letter recently to federal, state and 
local officials, there also are ways to protest that don’t violate 
health orders: “Wearing masks and standing 6 feet apart outside 
hospitals and other places of business to protest inadequate safety 
precautions; participating in car demonstrations in Arizona, California 
and Michigan; and launching digital campaigns.”The letter was promoted in part by a tweet on April 14 by police in 
Raleigh, N.C., that public protest is “a non-essential activity.” The 
coalition letter argued that “people must be free to express 
disagreement with government decisions, even when it involves criticism 
of essential public health measures.”Two lawsuits directly stemming from COVID-19 restrictions give a hint as to the legal battles ahead.Temple Baptist Church in Greenville, Miss., <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-department-church-greenville-mississippi-coronavirus-order/" target="_blank">filed a federal lawsuit</a>
 challenging $500 fines for worshipers who attended a “drive-in” service
 in which they remained in their cars. The U.S. Justice Department is 
supporting the church, saying police targeted a religious gathering and 
were not applying meeting limits equally to secular events, and that a 
ban on attending services in a car does not meet the “least-restrictive 
methods” test.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld last week that Gov. Tom Wolf’s
 March 19 order banning “non-life-essential” meetings does not violate 
the First Amendment right to peaceably assemble or other constitutional 
rights. A group supporting a congressional candidate had challenged the 
executive order, claiming multiple constitutional violations, including 
that it interfered with members’ rights to peaceably assemble at a 
“place of physical operations” that they wish to use to engage in speech
 and advocacy.However, the justices, in <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/supreme-court/2020/68-mm-2020.html" target="_blank">Friends of Danny DeVito, et al v. Wolf</a>,
 said, “Constitutional rights to free speech and assembly … are not 
absolute, and states may place content-neutral time, place and manner 
restrictions on speech and assembly,” as long as the restrictions 
further a substantial governmental interest and do not unreasonably 
limit alternative means of communication, such as online campaigning.Technology may be a barrier to successful challenges by faith-based 
communities to orders preventing them from gathering to worship, which 
some groups argue is essential to their religious practices. Courts may 
find that online meeting apps and software, such as Zoom and 
GoToMeeting, provide reasonable alternatives to actual gatherings, at 
least for a short time. Critics of social distancing or meeting bans may
 counter that not all people have access to the web, but not everyone 
has ready transportation to attend services in person, either.And the element of time introduces a third question to be asked, 
likely to come more into play as the coronavirus crisis lengthens: “Is 
the duration of the limit appropriate to the danger?” As the danger to 
public health ebbs, the legal justification for preventing in-person 
worship services or shoulder-to-shoulder protest marches also will 
diminish.For those watching the daily briefings from the White House, federal 
officials are, for now, limited in their power to impose widespread 
orders like stay-at-home restrictions. The U.S. government can impose 
individual quarantines to prevent the spread of diseases like cholera, 
yellow fever, pandemic flu and now “severe acute respiratory syndromes” 
like COVID-19 across state lines. But as with state and local officials,
 federal agencies like the CDC show a clear and compelling reason for 
detention — that it’s the least restrictive measure required to protect 
public health.A complicating factor for First Amendment watchdogs is that each 
state has its own version of laws authorizing quarantines and isolation 
orders. A starting point for opponents of such restrictions rests with 
the U.S. Constitution’s provision in the 14th Amendment that 
none of us can be denied “life, liberty or property, without due process
 of law.” Again, courts have held there are reasons when we can be 
deprived of liberty because we pose a danger to others — for example, 
because of mental illness (U.S. Supreme Court, Addington v. Texas, 
1979).But even in such cases, government has to prove a “clear and 
compelling danger,” not just a scientific theory or concern that someone
 or something might be a threat — a legal standard which might come to 
rely heavily on testing for COVID-19 exposure and infection once those 
interventions become widespread.The COVID-19 outbreak is a real threat to public health, but it 
should not be a reason for long-term damage to our core freedoms.Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the
 Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom
 Forum Institute. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

FIRST FIVE: Our First Amendment rights must survive COVID-19

The women's basketball program at Colby Community College will be led by James Cole for the 2020-21 season, the college announced. He fills the vacancy left by Antwain Scales, who resigned in March.

"First, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and my family, because none of this is possible without them and their unwavering support," Cole said. "I'd also like to thank Mike Saddler, Dr. Carter, and everyone else that was involved in the process of helping me become the next women's basketball head coach at Colby Community College. My goal is to continue to build this program, compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes, and help them become successful in life. Go Trojans!"&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cole has experience coaching at different levels. In the college ranks, he served as an assistant men's coach at Alabama Southern Community College, Millsaps College, Jones County Junior College, and Independence Community College. He was also a head basketball coach at both Greenwood High School and Saint Joseph Catholic School in Mississippi. Before accepting the position at CCC, he was the head girls coach at Independence High School.

"I'm extremely excited about bringing James Cole to Colby," said CCC Athletic Director Mike Saddler. "The women's basketball program took great steps over the last two seasons, so it was important that our next coach continue that momentum. We had a great pool of candidates, but it was clear that James had the skills we were looking for to continue to grow the program not only on the court but also in the classroom and in the community."

Coming to Colby, Cole brings a resume of building programs around quality student-athletes.

"He is known around the country as a top-notch recruiter and has been around successful basketball programs throughout his career," Saddler said. "I look forward to the future of Colby women's basketball under Coach Cole."

Cole earned a master's degree in interscholastic athletic administration and a bachelor's degree in coaching and sports administration.&nbsp;

He begins immediately, pending board approval.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587842695262.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CCCThe women's basketball program at Colby Community College will be led by James Cole for the 2020-21 season, the college announced. He fills the vacancy left by Antwain Scales, who resigned in March."First, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and my family, because none of this is possible without them and their unwavering support," Cole said. "I'd also like to thank Mike Saddler, Dr. Carter, and everyone else that was involved in the process of helping me become the next women's basketball head coach at Colby Community College. My goal is to continue to build this program, compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes, and help them become successful in life. Go Trojans!"&nbsp;&nbsp;Cole has experience coaching at different levels. In the college ranks, he served as an assistant men's coach at Alabama Southern Community College, Millsaps College, Jones County Junior College, and Independence Community College. He was also a head basketball coach at both Greenwood High School and Saint Joseph Catholic School in Mississippi. Before accepting the position at CCC, he was the head girls coach at Independence High School."I'm extremely excited about bringing James Cole to Colby," said CCC Athletic Director Mike Saddler. "The women's basketball program took great steps over the last two seasons, so it was important that our next coach continue that momentum. We had a great pool of candidates, but it was clear that James had the skills we were looking for to continue to grow the program not only on the court but also in the classroom and in the community."Coming to Colby, Cole brings a resume of building programs around quality student-athletes."He is known around the country as a top-notch recruiter and has been around successful basketball programs throughout his career," Saddler said. "I look forward to the future of Colby women's basketball under Coach Cole."Cole earned a master's degree in interscholastic athletic administration and a bachelor's degree in coaching and sports administration.&nbsp;He begins immediately, pending board approval.

Colby CC chooses Cole to lead women's basketball program

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A Hays High School school senior is one of 621 students in the nation to be selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholars Program semifinalist.

Taylor Weidenhaft, 18, Catharine, wrote in one of her essays about the struggles she has overcome to be one of the top students in the nation.

Weidenhaft was 14 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. She underwent four rounds of chemo at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.&nbsp;

She spent much of her eighth-grade year completing her school work remotely so she could undergo treatment for the illness. She was a 4.0 student going into treatment and has remained a 4.0 student at HHS.

She wrote about her eighth-grade Algebra I teacher, Desirae Kinderknecht, in one of her essays for her Presidential Scholars application.

"She motivated me to work harder and push myself,"&nbsp;Weidenhaft said, "because she believed in what I could do. She has helped me through my high school years too. She has always been there for me. I just really appreciated her."

She was announced to be in remission on Feb. 1, 2016.

Weidenhaft also wrote in her Presidential Scholars essays about the great support the community gave her when she was undergoing cancer treatment.

The community staged a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Weidenhaft. About half of the 500 attendees at the dinner were total strangers, she said.

A third prompt for her scholars application asked her to write about a song or piece of art that inspired her.

Weidenhaft chose the song "Rise Up" by Andra Day.

"It just talks about how you can rise above your circumstances. Even when you get knocked down, you have to get back up and continue to push yourself and keep fighting," she said. "I felt that was really connected to me."

Weidenhaft has used her experience to reach out to others who have been affected by cancer. She helped a friend whose mother was undergoing cancer treatment.&nbsp;

"I tried to give him someone to talk to who understood what she was going through," she said.

She also met a another student from Tulsa at church camp whose younger sister was fighting Hodgkin's lymphoma, just as Weidenhaft had.

"I was able to be there for her when her little sister finally made it out of treatment and was announced into remission," she said. "It is crazy to see that I can have a positive impact on people who are going through similar things as I did."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Weidenhaft said her experience fighting cancer has inspired her to pursue a career in the medical field. She will be attending Kansas State University in the fall and hopes to major in human health biology with a minor in psychology.

She said she aspires to be a pediatric plastic surgeon.

"When I was at [Children's Mercy], I saw kids walking in and out of my appointments with all kids of medical needs and different disabilities," she said. 

"My dad has a client who is a plastic surgeon and talked about how you could work with kids who have cleft pallets or dog bites or burn victims. I thought that would be really neat.

"I know how difficult it can be for children to have good self-esteem. I experienced that when I was in chemo and lost all my hair and gained weight from all the medications I was on. It was really hard for me.

"It eventually taught me what you look like on the outside isn't what your identity is."

She said she knows it is easier to be confident in who you are when you have a physical appearance you can be proud of.

Weidenhaft said she intends to do undergraduate research at K-State and said vaccine research would be an area she would consider after seeing the affects of COVID-19.

Weidenhaft has kept busy at HHS with a variety of activities, including varsity soccer, Red Cross Club, Future Medical Professionals Club, Student Council and National Honor Society. She also competes in barrel racing and is active in her youth group at Celebration Community Church.

Her volunteering with her youth group has included participation in A Night to Shine, which is a formal dance for developmentally disabled adults.

Weidenhaft said she is particularly disappointed to not be able to finish her senior year of soccer, but she said she understands schools are closed to keep everyone safe.

HHS Principal Martin Straub said this was the first student in his memory from HHS to be named a semifinalist in the Presidential Scholars Program.

Weidenhaft was one of 5,600 students out of the anticipated 3.6 million U.S. seniors that was invited to apply for the program. She has gone through several rounds of competition to reach this final stage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587762559909.jpeg" alt="Taylor Weidenhaft, senior at Hays High School, is a semifinalist for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program." />
 <figcaption>Taylor Weidenhaft, senior at Hays High School, is a semifinalist for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA Hays High School school senior is one of 621 students in the nation to be selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholars Program semifinalist.Taylor Weidenhaft, 18, Catharine, wrote in one of her essays about the struggles she has overcome to be one of the top students in the nation.Weidenhaft was 14 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. She underwent four rounds of chemo at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.&nbsp;She spent much of her eighth-grade year completing her school work remotely so she could undergo treatment for the illness. She was a 4.0 student going into treatment and has remained a 4.0 student at HHS.She wrote about her eighth-grade Algebra I teacher, Desirae Kinderknecht, in one of her essays for her Presidential Scholars application."She motivated me to work harder and push myself,"&nbsp;Weidenhaft said, "because she believed in what I could do. She has helped me through my high school years too. She has always been there for me. I just really appreciated her."She was announced to be in remission on Feb. 1, 2016.Weidenhaft also wrote in her Presidential Scholars essays about the great support the community gave her when she was undergoing cancer treatment.The community staged a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Weidenhaft. About half of the 500 attendees at the dinner were total strangers, she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587762690163.jpeg" alt="Weidenhaft enjoys barrel racing in her spare time." />
 <figcaption>Weidenhaft enjoys barrel racing in her spare time.</figcaption>
 </figure>A third prompt for her scholars application asked her to write about a song or piece of art that inspired her.Weidenhaft chose the song "Rise Up" by Andra Day."It just talks about how you can rise above your circumstances. Even when you get knocked down, you have to get back up and continue to push yourself and keep fighting," she said. "I felt that was really connected to me."Weidenhaft has used her experience to reach out to others who have been affected by cancer. She helped a friend whose mother was undergoing cancer treatment.&nbsp;"I tried to give him someone to talk to who understood what she was going through," she said.She also met a another student from Tulsa at church camp whose younger sister was fighting Hodgkin's lymphoma, just as Weidenhaft had."I was able to be there for her when her little sister finally made it out of treatment and was announced into remission," she said. "It is crazy to see that I can have a positive impact on people who are going through similar things as I did."&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587762775971.jpeg" alt="Weidenhaft also played varsity soccer at HHS." />
 <figcaption>Weidenhaft also played varsity soccer at HHS.</figcaption>
 </figure>Weidenhaft said her experience fighting cancer has inspired her to pursue a career in the medical field. She will be attending Kansas State University in the fall and hopes to major in human health biology with a minor in psychology.She said she aspires to be a pediatric plastic surgeon."When I was at [Children's Mercy], I saw kids walking in and out of my appointments with all kids of medical needs and different disabilities," she said. "My dad has a client who is a plastic surgeon and talked about how you could work with kids who have cleft pallets or dog bites or burn victims. I thought that would be really neat."I know how difficult it can be for children to have good self-esteem. I experienced that when I was in chemo and lost all my hair and gained weight from all the medications I was on. It was really hard for me."It eventually taught me what you look like on the outside isn't what your identity is."She said she knows it is easier to be confident in who you are when you have a physical appearance you can be proud of.Weidenhaft said she intends to do undergraduate research at K-State and said vaccine research would be an area she would consider after seeing the affects of COVID-19.Weidenhaft has kept busy at HHS with a variety of activities, including varsity soccer, Red Cross Club, Future Medical Professionals Club, Student Council and National Honor Society. She also competes in barrel racing and is active in her youth group at Celebration Community Church.Her volunteering with her youth group has included participation in A Night to Shine, which is a formal dance for developmentally disabled adults.Weidenhaft said she is particularly disappointed to not be able to finish her senior year of soccer, but she said she understands schools are closed to keep everyone safe.HHS Principal Martin Straub said this was the first student in his memory from HHS to be named a semifinalist in the Presidential Scholars Program.Weidenhaft was one of 5,600 students out of the anticipated 3.6 million U.S. seniors that was invited to apply for the program. She has gone through several rounds of competition to reach this final stage.

HHS student, cancer survivor rises to be a top student in nation

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The numbers within the March financial statement reported Thursday by Kim Rupp, Hays finance director, were pretty rosy.

Revenues in March totaled $2,594,262, an increase of $331,530 compared to the same period last year. Sales tax receipts were up nearly 4 percent in 2019, and so far in 2020, continue a positive trend.

The receipts lag about two months behind, Rupp cautioned city commissioners, and they are going to decline as retail spending decreases during the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

The 1.25 percent retail sales tax is the largest source of money for the city's general fund. The general fund revenues pay for city services including police, fire, street, parks, swimming pool and the golf course. It also provides funding to outside agencies such as economic development, United Way, CARE Council, and Fort Hays State University/City of Hays scholarships.

Working with Rupp, Toby Dougherty, city manager, along with department heads, have projected what they expect the "obvious losses" will be in sales tax collections and the transient guest tax.

"The further we go along, we're going to be losing things like court fines and forfeitures, things like that," Dougherty said. "We'll try to figure out what the effect of that is going to be."

"The departments have all been tasked with finding what they can cut in the <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/2712/2020-BUDGET-pdf">2020 budget</a>. As everybody is preparing their 2021 budget, the mandate was, let's keep things as lean as possible for 2021."

Dougherty reassured commissioners the city is in a good financial position and has adequately funded reserves.

"We aren't living hand-to-mouth or paycheck-to-paycheck.

"We have a good unreserved fund balance. If we make cuts or have a revenue loss, we do have the ability to absorb that and hopefully recoup that at a later date."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Commissioner Michael Berges, noting some communities have furloughed city employees, asked if Hays is at risk of that.&nbsp;

"We're not there yet," Dougherty responded, "and it's really not something I'd consider right now.

"Worst case scenario, we might put hiring freezes into place and not fill positions as they vacate. We have a certain amount of turnover and could hopefully downsize that way.

"Furloughing is a pretty drastic cut that I don't see us taking right now." The city has 181 employees.

According to Dougherty, Hays hotels currently have an occupancy rate of 15 to 20 percent.

A 2 percent increase in the transient guest tax two years ago is earmarked for partial funding of the North Vine Street Corridor Improvement Project, along with a $6 million federal grant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587763722515.jpeg" alt="Kim Rupp, Hays finance director, reviews the city's March 2020 financial report." />
 <figcaption>Kim Rupp, Hays finance director, reviews the city's March 2020 financial report.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe numbers within the March financial statement reported Thursday by Kim Rupp, Hays finance director, were pretty rosy.Revenues in March totaled $2,594,262, an increase of $331,530 compared to the same period last year. Sales tax receipts were up nearly 4 percent in 2019, and so far in 2020, continue a positive trend.The receipts lag about two months behind, Rupp cautioned city commissioners, and they are going to decline as retail spending decreases during the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587763040442.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The 1.25 percent retail sales tax is the largest source of money for the city's general fund. The general fund revenues pay for city services including police, fire, street, parks, swimming pool and the golf course. It also provides funding to outside agencies such as economic development, United Way, CARE Council, and Fort Hays State University/City of Hays scholarships.Working with Rupp, Toby Dougherty, city manager, along with department heads, have projected what they expect the "obvious losses" will be in sales tax collections and the transient guest tax."The further we go along, we're going to be losing things like court fines and forfeitures, things like that," Dougherty said. "We'll try to figure out what the effect of that is going to be.""The departments have all been tasked with finding what they can cut in the <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/2712/2020-BUDGET-pdf">2020 budget</a>. As everybody is preparing their 2021 budget, the mandate was, let's keep things as lean as possible for 2021."<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a3tnlmgGviM"></iframe>
 <figcaption>(Video courtesy of Nex-Tech)</figcaption>
 </figure>Dougherty reassured commissioners the city is in a good financial position and has adequately funded reserves."We aren't living hand-to-mouth or paycheck-to-paycheck."We have a good unreserved fund balance. If we make cuts or have a revenue loss, we do have the ability to absorb that and hopefully recoup that at a later date."&nbsp;&nbsp;Commissioner Michael Berges, noting some communities have furloughed city employees, asked if Hays is at risk of that.&nbsp;"We're not there yet," Dougherty responded, "and it's really not something I'd consider right now."Worst case scenario, we might put hiring freezes into place and not fill positions as they vacate. We have a certain amount of turnover and could hopefully downsize that way."Furloughing is a pretty drastic cut that I don't see us taking right now." The city has 181 employees.According to Dougherty, Hays hotels currently have an occupancy rate of 15 to 20 percent.A 2 percent increase in the transient guest tax two years ago is earmarked for partial funding of the North Vine Street Corridor Improvement Project, along with a $6 million federal grant.

🎥 DOUGHERTY: City budget tightens; employee furloughs unlikely   

American Wind Energy Association

KANSAS CITY&nbsp;– Wind power in Kansas leaped ahead in 2019 as growing demand drove critical
 economic growth and solidified wind’s role as a reliable and competitive energy source. A new
<a href="https://www.awea.org/resources/news/2020/wind-is-now-america%E2%80%99s-largest-renewable-energy-pro" target="_blank">U.S. Wind
 Industry Annual Market Report</a>
from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) shows how Kansas businesses, consumers, farmers, and local communities are benefiting from advancements in wind. Across the country,
 wind is creating jobs as the top choice for new power and Kansas is a national leader, with wind now servings as the largest
source of electricity generation in the state.


AWEA’s report reveals that wind in Kansas now accounts for 41 percent of the state’s electricity, enough energy to power nearly two million homes. 

Over the past five years, Kansas had the largest
 increase in wind energy generation than any other state. Wind power is becoming the cheapest and fastest growing source of new electrical generation in many states around the country, and the local economy is responding. 

Powering Kansas, a statewide coalition
 of civic and business leaders supporting policies that expand wind energy investment in the state, reacted to the report by citing the economic benefits felt at the local level that are critical in today’s environment.



“Kansas has created a leading model for integrating wind power and harnessing the energy source to not just power our homes and businesses, but also our economy at large,” said State Representative
 Don Hineman, R-Dighton. “Wind is now the leading source of electricity generation in our state, and the report’s findings further underscore how critical it is that our state remain at the forefront of wind power investment.”&nbsp;


Wind is not just powering Kansas’ homes and businesses. The emergence of wind power has created a ripple effect that is powering Kansas’ economy at record levels. Wind projects
 have amounted to $11.4 billion of private investment, $29 million in annual tax revenue, and $36 million in annual land lease payments across the state.

“Kansas
is proving that we can build a modern economy around wind power right here in the heartland, and utilize the energy source to attract new business, build new revenue streams, and create an economic climate for success that produces results,” said State
 Representative Tom Cox (R-Shawnee). “We’re proud to be a leading state for the top source of renewable energy, and we’re committed to supporting wind through long-term, sustainable investments that will keep our economy supported for decades to come.”

Across the country, expanded innovation and development meant wind reached new heights in 2019 as America’s top choice for new power after building 9.1 gigawatts (GW, representing
 39 percent of new utility-scale power additions. With these additions, operating wind power capacity in the U.S. now stands at over 105 GW, enough to power 32 million American homes.


Powering Kansas, an initiative of the American Wind Energy&nbsp;Association,&nbsp;is
 a statewide coalition of civic and business leaders supporting innovative policies that expand renewable and wind energy investment in the state. With
commonsense federal and state policies, Kansas can continue to be a national leader in harnessing the power of wind and renewable energy development.

About the&nbsp;American&nbsp;Wind&nbsp;Energy&nbsp;Association

AWEA is the national trade association for the U.S. wind industry, the largest source of renewable energy in the country. We represent 1,000 member companies, 120,000
 jobs in the U.S. economy, and a nationwide workforce located across all 50 states, AWEA serves as a powerful voice for how wind works for America. Members include global leaders in wind power and energy development, turbine manufacturing, and component and
 service suppliers. Visit <a href="https://www.awea.org/" target="_blank">AWEA’s website</a>
to learn more about the enormous economic benefits wind power brings to America
 and be sure to follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmericanWindEnergyAssociation/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,
<a href="https://twitter.com/awea" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,
 and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-wind-energy-association" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587392139740.jpeg" alt="Online utility-scale wind projects in Kansas (Map by&nbsp;American Wind Energy Association)" />
 <figcaption>Online utility-scale wind projects in Kansas (Map by&nbsp;American Wind Energy Association)</figcaption>
 </figure>American Wind Energy Association KANSAS CITY&nbsp;– Wind power in Kansas leaped ahead in 2019 as growing demand drove critical
 economic growth and solidified wind’s role as a reliable and competitive energy source. A new
<a href="https://www.awea.org/resources/news/2020/wind-is-now-america%E2%80%99s-largest-renewable-energy-pro" target="_blank">U.S. Wind
 Industry Annual Market Report</a>
from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) shows how Kansas businesses, consumers, farmers, and local communities are benefiting from advancements in wind. Across the country,
 wind is creating jobs as the top choice for new power and Kansas is a national leader, with wind now servings as the largest
source of electricity generation in the state.
AWEA’s report reveals that wind in Kansas now accounts for 41 percent of the state’s electricity, enough energy to power nearly two million homes. Over the past five years, Kansas had the largest
 increase in wind energy generation than any other state. Wind power is becoming the cheapest and fastest growing source of new electrical generation in many states around the country, and the local economy is responding. Powering Kansas, a statewide coalition
 of civic and business leaders supporting policies that expand wind energy investment in the state, reacted to the report by citing the economic benefits felt at the local level that are critical in today’s environment.

“Kansas has created a leading model for integrating wind power and harnessing the energy source to not just power our homes and businesses, but also our economy at large,” said State Representative
 Don Hineman, R-Dighton. “Wind is now the leading source of electricity generation in our state, and the report’s findings further underscore how critical it is that our state remain at the forefront of wind power investment.”&nbsp;
Wind is not just powering Kansas’ homes and businesses. The emergence of wind power has created a ripple effect that is powering Kansas’ economy at record levels. Wind projects
 have amounted to $11.4 billion of private investment, $29 million in annual tax revenue, and $36 million in annual land lease payments across the state.“Kansas
is proving that we can build a modern economy around wind power right here in the heartland, and utilize the energy source to attract new business, build new revenue streams, and create an economic climate for success that produces results,” said State
 Representative Tom Cox (R-Shawnee). “We’re proud to be a leading state for the top source of renewable energy, and we’re committed to supporting wind through long-term, sustainable investments that will keep our economy supported for decades to come.”Across the country, expanded innovation and development meant wind reached new heights in 2019 as America’s top choice for new power after building 9.1 gigawatts (GW, representing
 39 percent of new utility-scale power additions. With these additions, operating wind power capacity in the U.S. now stands at over 105 GW, enough to power 32 million American homes.
About Powering Kansas
Powering Kansas, an initiative of the American Wind Energy&nbsp;Association,&nbsp;is
 a statewide coalition of civic and business leaders supporting innovative policies that expand renewable and wind energy investment in the state. With
commonsense federal and state policies, Kansas can continue to be a national leader in harnessing the power of wind and renewable energy development.About the&nbsp;American&nbsp;Wind&nbsp;Energy&nbsp;AssociationAWEA is the national trade association for the U.S. wind industry, the largest source of renewable energy in the country. We represent 1,000 member companies, 120,000
 jobs in the U.S. economy, and a nationwide workforce located across all 50 states, AWEA serves as a powerful voice for how wind works for America. Members include global leaders in wind power and energy development, turbine manufacturing, and component and
 service suppliers. Visit <a href="https://www.awea.org/" target="_blank">AWEA’s website</a>
to learn more about the enormous economic benefits wind power brings to America
 and be sure to follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmericanWindEnergyAssociation/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,
<a href="https://twitter.com/awea" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,
 and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-wind-energy-association" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>.

HINEMAN: 'Critical for Kansas' to remain at forefront of wind power

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

Let’s go to a beach in Florida. A wedding is taking place on this beachfront location, complete with beautiful floral arrangements. And where do you suppose these flowers came from? They came from halfway across the continent in rural Kansas.

Phyllis Cheney is the owner of Phyllis’ Flowers &amp; More in Chapman, Kansas. Hers is the flower shop which supplied this wedding. As of this writing, her shop is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Phyllis plans to reopen after the pandemic is over.

Phyllis grew up at Atwood. She met and married her husband Greg and studied floriculture and horticulture at Kansas State University before going to Scott City where they farmed for many years. They had a daughter named Vickie who especially enjoyed dance as a child. Vickie grew up and moved to eastern Kansas. She met and married Jeremiah Woods, who lived near Chapman. Eventually Vickie’s parents – Phyllis and Greg – decided to move to Chapman as well.

One day, Phyllis and daughter Vickie were looking at houses in Chapman when they noticed an open building downtown. Vicki had been working as a dance instructor at Fort Riley but was thinking of opening her own dance studio.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“This is perfect,” Vickie told her mother. “It’s going to need some remodeling, but we can do it.”

Vickie and Jeremiah bought the building and remodeled it. The back side of the building became the site of Vickie’s dance studio, called Downtown Dance and Tumbling. Phyllis opened a flower and gift shop in the front side of the building. She called her shop Phyllis’ Flowers &amp; More.

Phyllis had previously worked part-time in a flower shop and always had an interest in floral design. Phyllis’ Flowers &amp; More is a floral, gift and boutique shop. Her business offers Kansas products such as gift baskets, blown glasswork, Tonja’s Toffee, wooden puzzles, handmade soaps and other handcrafted items.

When it comes to floral arrangements, personal service is an emphasis for Phyllis. This is especially evident when it comes to funerals.

“I like to do something that tells the story of the person’s life, not just simply flowers,” Phyllis said. When her own father died, she helped design a personalized floral arrangement.

“Dad was an avid fisherman, and he always helped out during wheat harvest,” she said. “I knew our local florist really well, so she let me do the design.” It included a cane pole and a bobber on a spray of wheat, with a sign that said, “Gone Fishin.’”

“When I do a funeral spray, I try to learn as much about the person as I can before the family comes in,” Phyllis said. “If they are former military or have a special hobby, I try to bring in something that depicts that person’s life.” She has designed a funeral floral display with toy John Deere equipment for a retired farmer and used quilt squares for a former quilter, for example.

Phyllis especially enjoyed doing her granddaughter’s wedding flowers. Phyllis also recalled a local girl who was planning a beachfront wedding in Florida and ordered flowers online, but found the flowers were not at all what she expected. She asked Phyllis to put together silk flower arrangements on short notice, and Phyllis was able to get it done.

It’s a long way from Chapman to the Florida beach, but Phyllis Cheney’s arrangements made the wedding special. That’s impressive for a floral shop located in a rural community like Chapman, population 1,393 people. Now, that’s rural.

For more information, go to Facebook and search for Phyllis’ Flowers &amp; More.

It’s time to leave the beachfront in Florida where Phyllis’s flowers helped decorate this wedding site. We commend Phyllis Cheney and her daughter, Vickie Woods of Downtown Dance and Tumbling, for making a difference by bringing their talents and entrepreneurship to rural America. I hope their businesses will grow and flower.

And there’s more. Tonja’s Toffee was one of the products featured in Phyllis’ shop, and it is part of a special legacy. We’ll learn about that next week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587562694953.png" alt="Phyllis Cheney" />
 <figcaption>Phyllis Cheney</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural DevelopmentLet’s go to a beach in Florida. A wedding is taking place on this beachfront location, complete with beautiful floral arrangements. And where do you suppose these flowers came from? They came from halfway across the continent in rural Kansas.Phyllis Cheney is the owner of Phyllis’ Flowers &amp; More in Chapman, Kansas. Hers is the flower shop which supplied this wedding. As of this writing, her shop is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Phyllis plans to reopen after the pandemic is over.Phyllis grew up at Atwood. She met and married her husband Greg and studied floriculture and horticulture at Kansas State University before going to Scott City where they farmed for many years. They had a daughter named Vickie who especially enjoyed dance as a child. Vickie grew up and moved to eastern Kansas. She met and married Jeremiah Woods, who lived near Chapman. Eventually Vickie’s parents – Phyllis and Greg – decided to move to Chapman as well.One day, Phyllis and daughter Vickie were looking at houses in Chapman when they noticed an open building downtown. Vicki had been working as a dance instructor at Fort Riley but was thinking of opening her own dance studio.&nbsp;&nbsp;“This is perfect,” Vickie told her mother. “It’s going to need some remodeling, but we can do it.”Vickie and Jeremiah bought the building and remodeled it. The back side of the building became the site of Vickie’s dance studio, called Downtown Dance and Tumbling. Phyllis opened a flower and gift shop in the front side of the building. She called her shop Phyllis’ Flowers &amp; More.Phyllis had previously worked part-time in a flower shop and always had an interest in floral design. Phyllis’ Flowers &amp; More is a floral, gift and boutique shop. Her business offers Kansas products such as gift baskets, blown glasswork, Tonja’s Toffee, wooden puzzles, handmade soaps and other handcrafted items.When it comes to floral arrangements, personal service is an emphasis for Phyllis. This is especially evident when it comes to funerals.“I like to do something that tells the story of the person’s life, not just simply flowers,” Phyllis said. When her own father died, she helped design a personalized floral arrangement.“Dad was an avid fisherman, and he always helped out during wheat harvest,” she said. “I knew our local florist really well, so she let me do the design.” It included a cane pole and a bobber on a spray of wheat, with a sign that said, “Gone Fishin.’”“When I do a funeral spray, I try to learn as much about the person as I can before the family comes in,” Phyllis said. “If they are former military or have a special hobby, I try to bring in something that depicts that person’s life.” She has designed a funeral floral display with toy John Deere equipment for a retired farmer and used quilt squares for a former quilter, for example.Phyllis especially enjoyed doing her granddaughter’s wedding flowers. Phyllis also recalled a local girl who was planning a beachfront wedding in Florida and ordered flowers online, but found the flowers were not at all what she expected. She asked Phyllis to put together silk flower arrangements on short notice, and Phyllis was able to get it done.It’s a long way from Chapman to the Florida beach, but Phyllis Cheney’s arrangements made the wedding special. That’s impressive for a floral shop located in a rural community like Chapman, population 1,393 people. Now, that’s rural.For more information, go to Facebook and search for Phyllis’ Flowers &amp; More.It’s time to leave the beachfront in Florida where Phyllis’s flowers helped decorate this wedding site. We commend Phyllis Cheney and her daughter, Vickie Woods of Downtown Dance and Tumbling, for making a difference by bringing their talents and entrepreneurship to rural America. I hope their businesses will grow and flower.And there’s more. Tonja’s Toffee was one of the products featured in Phyllis’ shop, and it is part of a special legacy. We’ll learn about that next week.

Now That’s Rural: Phyllis Cheney, Phyllis’ Flowers & More

 Hays city commissioners voted 3-2 Thursday to accept the low bid for construction of the North Vine Street Corridor Improvement Project.

The bid from Smoky Hill Construction, Salina, was $3.5 million over estimates by the city's project engineer, WSP of Lenexa, and by the Kansas Department of Transportation. KDOT will oversee the project.

Voting in the negative were the two newest city commissioners, Michael Berges and Mason Ruder.

Ruder was also the sole voter against accepting the $1.2 million single construction engineering bid for the project from&nbsp; Kirkham Michael, Ellsworth, which passed 4-1.&nbsp;Kirkham Michael will be working under an existing contract they have with KDOT for&nbsp;on-call inspection services.,

The city does not specifically know why the two construction bids it received for the work are nearly 30 percent higher than anticipated. 

The low bid by Smoky Hill Construction, which has completed four other major projects for the city in the past 14 years, and has built traffic roundabouts in other Kansas communities, was $11,915,287. The other bid, from KOSS Construction, Topeka, was even higher. KOSS has also built roundabouts elsewhere.

The engineer's estimate was $8,463,336 and KDOT’s estimate was lower at $8,152,118. 

John Braun, city project manager, told the commission last week he "mainly attributed it to the current economic situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic."

"The city is able to cover the higher than estimated cost of construction," Braun said.

Berges, a financial analyst, asked several questions of City Manager Toby Dougherty and Finance Director Kim Rupp. As he said last week, Berges remains opposed to the project. "I just couldn't reconcile voting for the approval with the (bids) coming in that far off."

Hays was awarded a $6.05 million federal BUILD grant in December 2018. Dougherty reminded the commission it is 2018-allocated monies from the Federal Highway Administration, saying "if we don't take it, somebody else will."

The construction bid, combined with $1.2 million for construction engineering by Kirkham Michael of Ellsworth, brings the project cost total to $13.1 million.&nbsp;

Subtracting the $6 million federal grant leaves the city’s share at $7,110,430. It will be paid from the Capital Projects Fund by a 2% increase in the city's Transient Guest Tax (TGT) that was implemented in 2018. The TGT is now 7%.

Berges was also concerned about the reliability of the TGT. "How do we fund that (possible) gap?" he asked Dougherty.

"I think you'd have to have a lot of hotels shut down," Dougherty responded.

"The current scenario doesn't include the two new hotels that are under construction (Hilton Garden Inn and AVID, both north of Interstate 70). They're going to be a draw and the development at (I-70 Exit 157) that is going to include hotels.&nbsp;

"You'd have to see either of those hotels not come online and/or a wholesale reduction in the other hotels. That's why we feel fairly confident in making a recommendation like that."

Dougherty added that Rupp has been "fairly conservative with his estimates on that."

Dougherty also noted the city has very little general obligation bond debt.

As Berges did last week, Ruder this week supported the idea of "pushing it down the line and getting some concrete numbers where we're going to be after the summer. See how businesses bounce back. See what other funds are available .... In the fall it would give us some more time to find out why there was such a drastic difference."&nbsp;

Acknowledging the city was disappointed when the bids came in higher than expected, Commissioner Ron Mellick said "I have to live with today" and the city should get construction started now. 

"If we wait another six months, what will the bids do then?" he wondered. "Higher, lower, none at all?&nbsp; I don't know.

"I do know with what the bids are today, we can afford to do it today."&nbsp;

Mellick also talked about how complex the job is as another possible reason for the high bids.

"I don't believe engineers have a full grasp of how difficult it is. People who actually do this work have a better understanding of what the labor is and what it's going to cost to do it."&nbsp;

Shaun Musil, mayor, said the large project drew the most contacts and emails from residents he's had in a long time. He also feels the cost estimates "are just flat wrong."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587093169044.jpeg" alt="The $7.1 million payment from the city of Hays is due to KDOT May 14 for the North Vine Street Corridor Improvement Project." />
 <figcaption>The $7.1 million payment from the city of Hays is due to KDOT May 14 for the North Vine Street Corridor Improvement Project.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays Post Hays city commissioners voted 3-2 Thursday to accept the low bid for construction of the North Vine Street Corridor Improvement Project.The bid from Smoky Hill Construction, Salina, was $3.5 million over estimates by the city's project engineer, WSP of Lenexa, and by the Kansas Department of Transportation. KDOT will oversee the project.Voting in the negative were the two newest city commissioners, Michael Berges and Mason Ruder.Ruder was also the sole voter against accepting the $1.2 million single construction engineering bid for the project from&nbsp; Kirkham Michael, Ellsworth, which passed 4-1.&nbsp;Kirkham Michael will be working under an existing contract they have with KDOT for&nbsp;on-call inspection services.,The city does not specifically know why the two construction bids it received for the work are nearly 30 percent higher than anticipated. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587692996736.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The low bid by Smoky Hill Construction, which has completed four other major projects for the city in the past 14 years, and has built traffic roundabouts in other Kansas communities, was $11,915,287. The other bid, from KOSS Construction, Topeka, was even higher. KOSS has also built roundabouts elsewhere.The engineer's estimate was $8,463,336 and KDOT’s estimate was lower at $8,152,118. John Braun, city project manager, told the commission last week he "mainly attributed it to the current economic situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.""The city is able to cover the higher than estimated cost of construction," Braun said.Berges, a financial analyst, asked several questions of City Manager Toby Dougherty and Finance Director Kim Rupp. As he said last week, Berges remains opposed to the project. "I just couldn't reconcile voting for the approval with the (bids) coming in that far off."Hays was awarded a $6.05 million federal BUILD grant in December 2018. Dougherty reminded the commission it is 2018-allocated monies from the Federal Highway Administration, saying "if we don't take it, somebody else will."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587694501086.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The construction bid, combined with $1.2 million for construction engineering by Kirkham Michael of Ellsworth, brings the project cost total to $13.1 million.&nbsp;Subtracting the $6 million federal grant leaves the city’s share at $7,110,430. It will be paid from the Capital Projects Fund by a 2% increase in the city's Transient Guest Tax (TGT) that was implemented in 2018. The TGT is now 7%.Berges was also concerned about the reliability of the TGT. "How do we fund that (possible) gap?" he asked Dougherty."I think you'd have to have a lot of hotels shut down," Dougherty responded."The current scenario doesn't include the two new hotels that are under construction (Hilton Garden Inn and AVID, both north of Interstate 70). They're going to be a draw and the development at (I-70 Exit 157) that is going to include hotels.&nbsp;"You'd have to see either of those hotels not come online and/or a wholesale reduction in the other hotels. That's why we feel fairly confident in making a recommendation like that."Dougherty added that Rupp has been "fairly conservative with his estimates on that."Dougherty also noted the city has very little general obligation bond debt.As Berges did last week, Ruder this week supported the idea of "pushing it down the line and getting some concrete numbers where we're going to be after the summer. See how businesses bounce back. See what other funds are available .... In the fall it would give us some more time to find out why there was such a drastic difference."&nbsp;<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LJdPhebMy5I"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Acknowledging the city was disappointed when the bids came in higher than expected, Commissioner Ron Mellick said "I have to live with today" and the city should get construction started now. "If we wait another six months, what will the bids do then?" he wondered. "Higher, lower, none at all?&nbsp; I don't know."I do know with what the bids are today, we can afford to do it today."&nbsp;Mellick also talked about how complex the job is as another possible reason for the high bids."I don't believe engineers have a full grasp of how difficult it is. People who actually do this work have a better understanding of what the labor is and what it's going to cost to do it."&nbsp;Shaun Musil, mayor, said the large project drew the most contacts and emails from residents he's had in a long time. He also feels the cost estimates "are just flat wrong.""There's been so many studies. ... I think this is best for the community. It'll be many years before we see it. It is (temporarily) going to hurt businesses," Musil noted." ... With the policies the city has in place -&nbsp; even after this pandemic - two or three years down the road, we're (still) going to be in good shape."Vice-Mayor Sandy Jacobs expressed her continued support for the project, saying "I'm not closed-minded about it and have done my due diligence in speaking with developers, contractors and bankers."Both Ruder and Berges at the end of the meeting expressed their respect for the other commissioners' decisions."I know we've all done extensive research and talked with many, many contractors, citizens, businesses," Ruder said. "I believe we're all up here doing what we believe is best for the city of Hays."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587093202586.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to the work timeline, construction will begin next month and continue through October 2021.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587084308491.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

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