By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Students at Ellis High School are diving into entrepreneurship with their new printing business, The Railway.

Ellis Superintendent Janice Wilson said the idea came from the owner of Vineyard Creations after they discussed a possible school business.

Wilson said The Railway received support and funding from the Board of Education.

"We got input from staff, applied for a grant and were awarded $25,000 from the Dane. G. Hansen Foundation," she said.

The Railway utilized the grant to purchase equipment, inventory, and additional resources to set up and support the juniors in the workshop.

The nonprofit produces T-shirts and hoodies with custom designs for school sports teams. It plans to expand to include additional items such as hats, bags and cups.

The printing business runs one hour a day, five days a week, during regular school hours. Art teacher Justin Longbine and business teacher Kyle Fox lead the class.

The Railway opened in October after months of preparation and equipment setup. Its first client was the boys' junior high basketball team.

"They were the first ones we wanted to tackle because we knew when we first got the equipment we needed to learn it,"&nbsp;Longbine said.

Classes like graphic design and web page design contribute to business, while workshop students develop screen printing and inventory management skills.

"It's that discipline of ensuring they understand where they're at in the screen printing process," Longbine said. "There's a lot of variables for error... it's taking their time and being able to follow that process instead of willy nilly."

The printing business works with the school to produce apparel and designs for school spirit and community-oriented products.

The Railway partners with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ordermygear.com/" target="_blank">OrderMyGear</a>&nbsp;for online orders, but it is not accessible for community members to browse.&nbsp;Plans are underway for a more comprehensive online store.

Longbine said operating during school hours poses time constraints, and he is considering extending the workshop beyond the academic year, giving students more work opportunities.

"They may not want to pursue this as a job, but if some of them go to Fort Hays, they can get a job at one of those other businesses. It gives them a leg up," he said.

One student said she plans to retake the class during her senior year, while another said she enjoys seeing others wear the designs they created.

"It's exciting to see how we're improving and seeing the kids in our school wearing the stuff that we make," one student said.

The process starts with students coating screens with emulsion and exposing them to light to burn a design onto the screen. The prepared screen is then used to apply ink to materials such as shirts.

Once printed, the ink is set using a flash dryer and fully cured in a larger dryer. Vinyl is used to personalize the product with names and unique details.

As students gain hands-on experience in the workshop, Fox manages the marketing and financial aspects of the business, incorporating his classes into these tasks.

"My web page class is involved, and they've been doing a lot of the marketing," Fox said. "My business class has also been involved in the ordering process and cost analysis."

Fox said all earnings are reinvested into the business to build inventory, ensuring its continuation into the next semester.

Wilson said Ellis residents, such as students, families, and business owners, are their primary customers. However, printed products are also available to surrounding communities.

"We're not only providing kids with an experience, we are providing the community with a service. It connects the community, which we are always looking for," she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734120676529.jpeg" alt="An&nbsp;Ellis High School student with a stack of pillowcases&nbsp;at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>An&nbsp;Ellis High School student with a stack of pillowcases&nbsp;at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostStudents at Ellis High School are diving into entrepreneurship with their new printing business, The Railway.Ellis Superintendent Janice Wilson said the idea came from the owner of Vineyard Creations after they discussed a possible school business.Wilson said The Railway received support and funding from the Board of Education."We got input from staff, applied for a grant and were awarded $25,000 from the Dane. G. Hansen Foundation," she said.The Railway utilized the grant to purchase equipment, inventory, and additional resources to set up and support the juniors in the workshop.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734120881490.jpeg" alt="A screen with a design on a lightbox at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A screen with a design on a lightbox at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734120847884.jpeg" alt="Wash station for washing screens at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Wash station for washing screens at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734120816892.jpeg" alt="A large screen printing machine at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A large screen printing machine at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The nonprofit produces T-shirts and hoodies with custom designs for school sports teams. It plans to expand to include additional items such as hats, bags and cups.The printing business runs one hour a day, five days a week, during regular school hours. Art teacher Justin Longbine and business teacher Kyle Fox lead the class.The Railway opened in October after months of preparation and equipment setup. Its first client was the boys' junior high basketball team."They were the first ones we wanted to tackle because we knew when we first got the equipment we needed to learn it,"&nbsp;Longbine said.Classes like graphic design and web page design contribute to business, while workshop students develop screen printing and inventory management skills.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121330827.jpeg" alt="A sweater with an Ellis Basketball design made by Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A sweater with an Ellis Basketball design made by Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121358743.jpeg" alt="A T-shirt with a basketball design&nbsp;made by Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A T-shirt with a basketball design&nbsp;made by Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121407576.jpeg" alt="A T-shirt&nbsp;made by Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A T-shirt&nbsp;made by Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"It's that discipline of ensuring they understand where they're at in the screen printing process," Longbine said. "There's a lot of variables for error... it's taking their time and being able to follow that process instead of willy nilly."The printing business works with the school to produce apparel and designs for school spirit and community-oriented products.The Railway partners with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ordermygear.com/" target="_blank">OrderMyGear</a>&nbsp;for online orders, but it is not accessible for community members to browse.&nbsp;Plans are underway for a more comprehensive online store.Longbine said operating during school hours poses time constraints, and he is considering extending the workshop beyond the academic year, giving students more work opportunities."They may not want to pursue this as a job, but if some of them go to Fort Hays, they can get a job at one of those other businesses. It gives them a leg up," he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121063044.jpeg" alt="A manual screen printing machine being used by two Ellis students&nbsp;at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A manual screen printing machine being used by two Ellis students&nbsp;at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121091048.jpeg" alt="A student working on a pillow case at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A student working on a pillow case at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121123449.jpeg" alt="A student working on a pillowcase with the screen printing press at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A student working on a pillowcase with the screen printing press at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>One student said she plans to retake the class during her senior year, while another said she enjoys seeing others wear the designs they created."It's exciting to see how we're improving and seeing the kids in our school wearing the stuff that we make," one student said.The process starts with students coating screens with emulsion and exposing them to light to burn a design onto the screen. The prepared screen is then used to apply ink to materials such as shirts.Once printed, the ink is set using a flash dryer and fully cured in a larger dryer. Vinyl is used to personalize the product with names and unique details.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121208031.jpeg" alt="A student inserting a pillowcase into a dryer at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A student inserting a pillowcase into a dryer at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121236770.jpeg" alt="A student working on a pillow case at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A student working on a pillow case at Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121386055.jpeg" alt="A pillowcase for the Ellis High School wrestling team made by Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A pillowcase for the Ellis High School wrestling team made by Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>As students gain hands-on experience in the workshop, Fox manages the marketing and financial aspects of the business, incorporating his classes into these tasks."My web page class is involved, and they've been doing a lot of the marketing," Fox said. "My business class has also been involved in the ordering process and cost analysis."Fox said all earnings are reinvested into the business to build inventory, ensuring its continuation into the next semester.Wilson said Ellis residents, such as students, families, and business owners, are their primary customers. However, printed products are also available to surrounding communities."We're not only providing kids with an experience, we are providing the community with a service. It connects the community, which we are always looking for," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734121440963.jpeg" alt="Apparel with designs made by Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Apparel with designs made by Ellis High School's The Railway workshop. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>

Ellis High School students build skills through The Railway printing business

As of Monday, Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas has officially relocated to its new space at 1011 Centennial Blvd. in Hays.

Please note that the thrift store is not yet open or accepting donations at this time. 

We appreciate everyone’s patience during this transition and will announce the thrift store’s opening date and donation schedule, anticipated sometime in January.

For questions or additional information, please call us at 785-625-2644. Please note that we will be closed from Dec. 23-Jan. 1 for the Christmas holiday.

Thank you for your continued support as we settle into our new home!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582085227559.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedAs of Monday, Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas has officially relocated to its new space at 1011 Centennial Blvd. in Hays.Please note that the thrift store is not yet open or accepting donations at this time. We appreciate everyone’s patience during this transition and will announce the thrift store’s opening date and donation schedule, anticipated sometime in January.For questions or additional information, please call us at 785-625-2644. Please note that we will be closed from Dec. 23-Jan. 1 for the Christmas holiday.Thank you for your continued support as we settle into our new home!

Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas completes move to new location

ELLIS COUNTY —A man from Hays died in an accident just before 9p.m. Tuesday in Ellis County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Tundra driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Brandon L.&nbsp; Frick, 40, Hays, was southbound on U183 at Munjor Road.

The pickup crossed the center line and struck a northbound semi driven by Jesse W. Crum, 34, Colorado. After impact, both vehicles traveled into the west ditch and came to rest on their wheels.

&nbsp;Frick was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Brock's- Keithley Funeral Home. Crum was not injured.&nbsp; Frick was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

ELLIS COUNTY —A man from Hays died in an accident just before 9p.m. Tuesday in Ellis County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Tundra driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Brandon L.&nbsp; Frick, 40, Hays, was southbound on U183 at Munjor Road.The pickup crossed the center line and struck a northbound semi driven by Jesse W. Crum, 34, Colorado. After impact, both vehicles traveled into the west ditch and came to rest on their wheels.&nbsp;Frick was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Brock's- Keithley Funeral Home. Crum was not injured.&nbsp; Frick was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Man from Hays dies after pickup, semi crash

On Wednesday, CC Steel will be performing sewer line maintenance on Vine Street at 17th&nbsp;Street in Hays between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. 

The northbound and southbound lanes of Vine St. will remain open.

 Those traveling eastbound on 17th&nbsp;St., will only be able to turn right going southbound onto Vine St.

The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please contact CC Steel at (218) 770-8286 or the Office of Project Management at (785) 628-7350.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699897178724.png" alt="Photo by Unsplash" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Unsplash</figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysOn Wednesday, CC Steel will be performing sewer line maintenance on Vine Street at 17th&nbsp;Street in Hays between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The northbound and southbound lanes of Vine St. will remain open. Those traveling eastbound on 17th&nbsp;St., will only be able to turn right going southbound onto Vine St.The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please contact CC Steel at (218) 770-8286 or the Office of Project Management at (785) 628-7350.

Sewer line maintenance Wednesday on Vine Street at 17th in Hays 

By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District

The new year is right around the corner, and now is the time to create health goals for 2025. Making healthy choices is something we get to do every day, but it does not have to be overwhelming. In fact, simply walking every day can improve heart health, strengthen the lungs, improve quality of sleep, and fight osteoporosis! If walking to improve health is something you are interested in, a Walk with Ease class may be for you.

Walk with Ease (WWE) is here to help people with arthritis or other related conditions reduce pain, increase balance, strength, walking pace, and improve overall health. Walk with Ease is not only an evidence-based program, but it’s also fun! Participants have the opportunity to walk, stretch, and socialize during each session. WWE is a class created by the National Arthritis Foundation, and it is offered through Kansas State Research &amp; Extension.

Walk with Ease provides pain management and physical activity education to individuals and families. These classes include an educational book that covers various topics about walking and arthritis management, and the $15 registration fee covers the price of the book. The enrollment fee is waived for those who have previously taken the class. Walk with Ease classes aim to help each participant implement realistic goals, maintain a long-term physical activity routine, and help Kansans find resources to stay active.

Are you ready to make the healthy choice the easy choice? Do you want to learn how to improve mobility and decrease pain? Are you eager to learn how to develop a personal walking plan?

Join us for our next Walk with Ease class that kicks off on January 6th! This indoor class will take place from 10:00-11:00 a.m. on MWF at the Hoisington Recreation Center in Hoisington, KS.

For more information, please contact Karissa Winkel, Family and Community Wellness Agent to register, at krwinkel@ksu.edu, 620-793-1910.

Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697546908793.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension DistrictThe new year is right around the corner, and now is the time to create health goals for 2025. Making healthy choices is something we get to do every day, but it does not have to be overwhelming. In fact, simply walking every day can improve heart health, strengthen the lungs, improve quality of sleep, and fight osteoporosis! If walking to improve health is something you are interested in, a Walk with Ease class may be for you.Walk with Ease (WWE) is here to help people with arthritis or other related conditions reduce pain, increase balance, strength, walking pace, and improve overall health. Walk with Ease is not only an evidence-based program, but it’s also fun! Participants have the opportunity to walk, stretch, and socialize during each session. WWE is a class created by the National Arthritis Foundation, and it is offered through Kansas State Research &amp; Extension.Walk with Ease provides pain management and physical activity education to individuals and families. These classes include an educational book that covers various topics about walking and arthritis management, and the $15 registration fee covers the price of the book. The enrollment fee is waived for those who have previously taken the class. Walk with Ease classes aim to help each participant implement realistic goals, maintain a long-term physical activity routine, and help Kansans find resources to stay active.Are you ready to make the healthy choice the easy choice? Do you want to learn how to improve mobility and decrease pain? Are you eager to learn how to develop a personal walking plan?Join us for our next Walk with Ease class that kicks off on January 6th! This indoor class will take place from 10:00-11:00 a.m. on MWF at the Hoisington Recreation Center in Hoisington, KS.For more information, please contact Karissa Winkel, Family and Community Wellness Agent to register, at krwinkel@ksu.edu, 620-793-1910.Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

WINKEL: Walk with Ease coming to Hoisington

<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/2024/12/1734475487139.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

By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle Media

US crude-oil production rose to another record last week, 13,631,000 barrels per day, topping the previous record by nearly 100,000 daily barrels. The Energy Information Administration reports a spike in the four-week average as well, up 3.4% to more than 13.4 million barrels per day.&nbsp; Cumulative output for the year so far is up more than five percent from a year ago, to more than 13.2 million barrels a day.

The government says the production cost of those barrels is dropping. EIA compared financial results and production for 34 publicly-traded companies and found that increasing well productivity is reducing their cost per barrel, and freeing up cash for dividends, stock buybacks, and other uses.The Kansas Geological Survey reports a continuing drag on the state's output. Operators in Kansas produced 17.9 million barrels of crude from January to August, or 73,635 barrels per day, a 4.3% drop from the first eight months last year.&nbsp; 

The Kansas Geological Survey reports all but one of the top-ten producing counties declined during that period. Ellis County still tops the list, with an average of 5,735 barrels per day, down more than 200 barrels a day from the same eight months last year. Output is up more than 13% in Finney County at number two. Haskell County ranks third, but drops by about ten percent compared to last year. Barton County ranks fourth at 3,872 barrels per day, down six percent from a year earlier. Russell County output is fifth in the rankings with 3,548 barrels per day, down about three percent. &nbsp; Output dropped about four percent in Stafford County, which ranks eighth among counties statewide.

The Energy Department takes delivery on another 700,000 barrels of crude for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at a $15 per barrel markdown from the sales price two years ago. Current strategic stockpiles total more than 392 million barrels, up 12% from a year ago. US commercial crude inventories dropped by nearly 1.5 million barrels last week to 422 million.

Kansas crude prices are at four-week highs but about six dollars below the average so far this year. Kansas Common crude rose a dollar a barrel on Friday at CHS in McPherson, to start the week at $61.50 per barrel. The average price per barrel in McPherson so far this year has been just under $67. The average so far this month is under $61 per barrel.

Operators completed 40 wells across the state last week, including two in Barton County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 28 wells east of Wichita and 12 in Western Kansas. That's 1,282 well-completions so far this year, compared to 1,628 by this time last year.

Kansas regulators okayed 25 new drilling permits last week with 20 in eastern Kansas and five in the western half of the state. That's 1,110 new drilling locations statewide so far this year, which is down 124 permits from the total a year ago.

The Kansas Rig Count from Independent Oil and Gas Service is up one at 11 rigs in eastern Kansas, and up one at 22 rigs west of Wichita. The total number of rigs either moving to or currently on site is up ten percent from a month ago, but down nearly six percent from last year at this time.

The latest report from Baker Hughes is up one gas rig and down one in the miscellaneous column, for a total of 589 rigs. Texas was down two rigs. New Mexico was up two. Pennsylvania drops by one rig and Louisiana is up one. The horizontal tally was down one rig, while the total for directional rigs was up one.

The government reports gasoline and diesel inventories are up from last week but both are four percent below the five-year seasonal average. EIA reports demand for gasoline is up marginally from a year ago while diesel demand is down slightly.&nbsp; National gasoline and diesel prices are down half a penny from a week ago. Triple-A reports just 18 states left with regular gas over three dollars a gallon. Average prices in Kansas drop to $2.66 for regular and $3.18 for diesel.

Crude-oil imports averaged just under six million barrels a day, down from 6.5 million a year ago and 6.8 million two years ago. The four week average is over 8.3 million, up slightly from a year ago.

Crude exports averaged just over three million barrels a day, down 700,000 barrels from a year ago and down 1.3 million from two years ago. Four week average crude exports are down more than 300,000 barrels.

Comparing imports to exports shows the US is a net crude-oil importer by more than 2.8 million barrels a day. Adding product imports and exports to that equation reveals we are a net petroleum exporter by nearly 2.5 million barrels a day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670507085360.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle MediaUS crude-oil production rose to another record last week, 13,631,000 barrels per day, topping the previous record by nearly 100,000 daily barrels. The Energy Information Administration reports a spike in the four-week average as well, up 3.4% to more than 13.4 million barrels per day.&nbsp; Cumulative output for the year so far is up more than five percent from a year ago, to more than 13.2 million barrels a day.The government says the production cost of those barrels is dropping. EIA compared financial results and production for 34 publicly-traded companies and found that increasing well productivity is reducing their cost per barrel, and freeing up cash for dividends, stock buybacks, and other uses.The Kansas Geological Survey reports a continuing drag on the state's output. Operators in Kansas produced 17.9 million barrels of crude from January to August, or 73,635 barrels per day, a 4.3% drop from the first eight months last year.&nbsp; The Kansas Geological Survey reports all but one of the top-ten producing counties declined during that period. Ellis County still tops the list, with an average of 5,735 barrels per day, down more than 200 barrels a day from the same eight months last year. Output is up more than 13% in Finney County at number two. Haskell County ranks third, but drops by about ten percent compared to last year. Barton County ranks fourth at 3,872 barrels per day, down six percent from a year earlier. Russell County output is fifth in the rankings with 3,548 barrels per day, down about three percent. &nbsp; Output dropped about four percent in Stafford County, which ranks eighth among counties statewide.The Energy Department takes delivery on another 700,000 barrels of crude for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at a $15 per barrel markdown from the sales price two years ago. Current strategic stockpiles total more than 392 million barrels, up 12% from a year ago. US commercial crude inventories dropped by nearly 1.5 million barrels last week to 422 million.Kansas crude prices are at four-week highs but about six dollars below the average so far this year. Kansas Common crude rose a dollar a barrel on Friday at CHS in McPherson, to start the week at $61.50 per barrel. The average price per barrel in McPherson so far this year has been just under $67. The average so far this month is under $61 per barrel.Operators completed 40 wells across the state last week, including two in Barton County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 28 wells east of Wichita and 12 in Western Kansas. That's 1,282 well-completions so far this year, compared to 1,628 by this time last year.Kansas regulators okayed 25 new drilling permits last week with 20 in eastern Kansas and five in the western half of the state. That's 1,110 new drilling locations statewide so far this year, which is down 124 permits from the total a year ago.The Kansas Rig Count from Independent Oil and Gas Service is up one at 11 rigs in eastern Kansas, and up one at 22 rigs west of Wichita. The total number of rigs either moving to or currently on site is up ten percent from a month ago, but down nearly six percent from last year at this time.The latest report from Baker Hughes is up one gas rig and down one in the miscellaneous column, for a total of 589 rigs. Texas was down two rigs. New Mexico was up two. Pennsylvania drops by one rig and Louisiana is up one. The horizontal tally was down one rig, while the total for directional rigs was up one.The government reports gasoline and diesel inventories are up from last week but both are four percent below the five-year seasonal average. EIA reports demand for gasoline is up marginally from a year ago while diesel demand is down slightly.&nbsp; National gasoline and diesel prices are down half a penny from a week ago. Triple-A reports just 18 states left with regular gas over three dollars a gallon. Average prices in Kansas drop to $2.66 for regular and $3.18 for diesel.Crude-oil imports averaged just under six million barrels a day, down from 6.5 million a year ago and 6.8 million two years ago. The four week average is over 8.3 million, up slightly from a year ago.Crude exports averaged just over three million barrels a day, down 700,000 barrels from a year ago and down 1.3 million from two years ago. Four week average crude exports are down more than 300,000 barrels.Comparing imports to exports shows the US is a net crude-oil importer by more than 2.8 million barrels a day. Adding product imports and exports to that equation reveals we are a net petroleum exporter by nearly 2.5 million barrels a day.

News From the Oil Patch: More bang for the buck

A Hays male juvenile was arrested for his alleged role in three vehicle thefts, vehicle burglary and stolen firearms.

Deputy Hays Police Chief Brian Dawson said three Hays juveniles allegedly stole three vehicles on Nov. 7 from West 17th Street, West 15th Street and Hillcrest Street in Hays.

A&nbsp; 2008 Chevy Malibu was involved in a rollover accident, and a vehicle owner reported a shotgun was inside their car when the vehicle was stolen.

Officers deployed K-9 units and drones to search the area of the rollover scene in the 1100 block of Rome Road. Dawson said the occupants had fled the scene.

Dawson also said on Nov. 7, a vehicle burglary allegedly took place on East 19th Street, resulting in a stolen Beretta handgun.

On Nov. 8, a&nbsp;2012 Nissan Sentra was found undamaged on East 15th Street and returned to its owner.

On Nov. 14, a tip led officers to one of the juvenile suspects who was reportedly in possession of the stolen Beretta handgun and was defacing its serial number, according to Dawson

Altering or removing the serial number of a firearm is a federal offense.

Dawson said officers executed a search warrant at the juvenile's residence, where they allegedly discovered the stolen Beretta handgun with the serial number scratched off. They also found the stolen shotgun and drug paraphernalia.

During the search, another male juvenile gave a false identity and posed as a runaway. He was arrested after being identified as having a warrant for rape out of Pawnee County. His arrest was&nbsp;unrelated to the vehicle thefts, Dawson said.

The juvenile suspected of being involved in the vehicle thefts was arrested and remains in juvenile detention as of Wednesday. Two other Hays juveniles, a male and a female, were questioned and released to their guardians.

On Nov. 26, a&nbsp;2009 Saturn Aura vehicle was located in rural Rush County, which was found damaged and subsequently towed.

Dawson said the juvenile, who was arrested for the vehicle thefts, has a hearing scheduled for Friday to determine whether he will remain in detention.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716320706146.jpeg" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA Hays male juvenile was arrested for his alleged role in three vehicle thefts, vehicle burglary and stolen firearms.Deputy Hays Police Chief Brian Dawson said three Hays juveniles allegedly stole three vehicles on Nov. 7 from West 17th Street, West 15th Street and Hillcrest Street in Hays.A&nbsp; 2008 Chevy Malibu was involved in a rollover accident, and a vehicle owner reported a shotgun was inside their car when the vehicle was stolen.Officers deployed K-9 units and drones to search the area of the rollover scene in the 1100 block of Rome Road. Dawson said the occupants had fled the scene.Dawson also said on Nov. 7, a vehicle burglary allegedly took place on East 19th Street, resulting in a stolen Beretta handgun.On Nov. 8, a&nbsp;2012 Nissan Sentra was found undamaged on East 15th Street and returned to its owner.On Nov. 14, a tip led officers to one of the juvenile suspects who was reportedly in possession of the stolen Beretta handgun and was defacing its serial number, according to DawsonAltering or removing the serial number of a firearm is a federal offense.Dawson said officers executed a search warrant at the juvenile's residence, where they allegedly discovered the stolen Beretta handgun with the serial number scratched off. They also found the stolen shotgun and drug paraphernalia.During the search, another male juvenile gave a false identity and posed as a runaway. He was arrested after being identified as having a warrant for rape out of Pawnee County. His arrest was&nbsp;unrelated to the vehicle thefts, Dawson said.The juvenile suspected of being involved in the vehicle thefts was arrested and remains in juvenile detention as of Wednesday. Two other Hays juveniles, a male and a female, were questioned and released to their guardians.On Nov. 26, a&nbsp;2009 Saturn Aura vehicle was located in rural Rush County, which was found damaged and subsequently towed.Dawson said the juvenile, who was arrested for the vehicle thefts, has a hearing scheduled for Friday to determine whether he will remain in detention.

Hays juvenile arrested for 3 alleged vehicle thefts, stolen firearms

The Hays Police Department responded to 77 incidents Dec. 1-7, 2024, according to the HPD activity log.

Hays Police DepartmentThe Hays Police Department responded to 77 incidents Dec. 1-7, 2024, according to the HPD activity log.<figure>
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Hays Police Department activity log, Dec. 1-7, 2024

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Hays Police Department arrest log, Dec..1-7, 2024

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Members of Kansas’ congressional delegation celebrated the federal government’s decision Monday to remove a proposed electric transmission line route from a program offering assistance for power infrastructure projects.

The U.S. Department of Energy earlier this year announced a list of preliminary “<a href="https://www.energy.gov/gdo/national-interest-electric-transmission-corridor-designation-process" target="_blank">National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors</a>” to offer financial assistance and permits to transmission line builders in areas with little infrastructure.

One of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/09/27/transmission-line-developer-asks-for-narrower-corridor-through-kansas-nearby-states/">corridors the agency initially proposed</a>&nbsp;was the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/tag/grain-belt-express/" target="_blank">Grain Belt Express</a>, a 5,000-megawatt transmission line expected to run from Kansas to Indiana proposed by Chicago-based Invenergy. The Grain Belt route was dropped from the program when the Department of Energy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/gdo/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-three-high-priority-areas-advancing-national" target="_blank">narrowed the proposed corridors Monday</a>.

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said the program “represented a dangerous overreach of federal authority,” and on Monday took credit for the Department of Energy’s removal of the Grain Belt route.

“We are glad to report that we won this battle, and Kansans voices were heard at the highest levels,” he said.

But the Department of Energy’s decision Monday will not keep the Grain Belt Express transmission line from being built. While the agency’s program helps obtain permits for transmission projects that can’t get state approval, Invenergy has already obtained state approvals for Grain Belt.

“This designation was not required for the project to continue to advance toward construction,” said Patrick Whitty, senior vice president of public affairs for transmission at Invenergy.

Whitty said in a statement that Invenergy, too, asked that the Grain Belt route be removed from consideration for the Department of Energy program and was pleased the agency listened.

Grain Belt Express is expected to run from southwest Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/07/11/grain-belt-express-announces-expansion-that-means-more-clean-energy-for-missouri/" target="_blank">carrying renewable energy through Missouri</a>&nbsp;and Illinois before ending at the Indiana border. To do so, the line has to cross thousands of properties and needs easements on landowners’ properties across three states.

Invenergy says it has obtained the vast majority of those easements through voluntary negotiations with landowners. For the rest, the project was granted the right of eminent domain, a legal mechanism that allows utilities and governments to take land or easements from unwilling landowners and compensate them.

Grain Belt’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/08/missouri-governor-to-sign-compromise-legislation-after-efforts-to-stymie-grain-belt-express/" target="_blank">ability to use eminent domain has drawn the ire</a>&nbsp;of Republican lawmakers and farm groups who&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/04/19/grain-belt-transmission-line-forges-ahead-amid-landowner-lawmaker-pushback/" target="_blank">fought to undermine the project at the Missouri General Assembly</a>&nbsp;for years.

Now federal lawmakers from Kansas, including Marshall, Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Tracey Mann are railing against the project.

Mann called Monday’s announcement a “huge win for Kansans.”

“Kansans made it clear from the very beginning that we were not interested in the federal government seizing our private land,” Mann said.

Moran said the decision to allow projects like Grain Belt Express “should be left up to Kansans, not Washington.”

In Missouri, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley has taken issue with a $4.9 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/lpo-announces-conditional-commitment-grain-belt-express-construct-high-voltage-direct" target="_blank">loan the Department of Energy offered to the Grain Belt project</a>.

<a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hawley-Letter-to-Biden-Energy-Department-re-Grain-Belt-Express.pdf" target="_blank">Hawley wrote a letter</a>&nbsp;to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm saying the Grain Belt line will wreak havoc on landowners.

“Your decision to commit funding to the Grain Belt Express via conditional loan comes after repeated refusals to engage with my constituents,” Hawley said, “who live in constant fear of their land being confiscated.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734452717911.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>Members of Kansas’ congressional delegation celebrated the federal government’s decision Monday to remove a proposed electric transmission line route from a program offering assistance for power infrastructure projects.But the project will still move forward.The U.S. Department of Energy earlier this year announced a list of preliminary “<a href="https://www.energy.gov/gdo/national-interest-electric-transmission-corridor-designation-process" target="_blank">National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors</a>” to offer financial assistance and permits to transmission line builders in areas with little infrastructure.One of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/09/27/transmission-line-developer-asks-for-narrower-corridor-through-kansas-nearby-states/">corridors the agency initially proposed</a>&nbsp;was the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/tag/grain-belt-express/" target="_blank">Grain Belt Express</a>, a 5,000-megawatt transmission line expected to run from Kansas to Indiana proposed by Chicago-based Invenergy. The Grain Belt route was dropped from the program when the Department of Energy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/gdo/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-three-high-priority-areas-advancing-national" target="_blank">narrowed the proposed corridors Monday</a>.U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said the program “represented a dangerous overreach of federal authority,” and on Monday took credit for the Department of Energy’s removal of the Grain Belt route.“We are glad to report that we won this battle, and Kansans voices were heard at the highest levels,” he said.But the Department of Energy’s decision Monday will not keep the Grain Belt Express transmission line from being built. While the agency’s program helps obtain permits for transmission projects that can’t get state approval, Invenergy has already obtained state approvals for Grain Belt.“This designation was not required for the project to continue to advance toward construction,” said Patrick Whitty, senior vice president of public affairs for transmission at Invenergy.Whitty said in a statement that Invenergy, too, asked that the Grain Belt route be removed from consideration for the Department of Energy program and was pleased the agency listened.Grain Belt Express is expected to run from southwest Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/07/11/grain-belt-express-announces-expansion-that-means-more-clean-energy-for-missouri/" target="_blank">carrying renewable energy through Missouri</a>&nbsp;and Illinois before ending at the Indiana border. To do so, the line has to cross thousands of properties and needs easements on landowners’ properties across three states.Invenergy says it has obtained the vast majority of those easements through voluntary negotiations with landowners. For the rest, the project was granted the right of eminent domain, a legal mechanism that allows utilities and governments to take land or easements from unwilling landowners and compensate them.Grain Belt’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/08/missouri-governor-to-sign-compromise-legislation-after-efforts-to-stymie-grain-belt-express/" target="_blank">ability to use eminent domain has drawn the ire</a>&nbsp;of Republican lawmakers and farm groups who&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/04/19/grain-belt-transmission-line-forges-ahead-amid-landowner-lawmaker-pushback/" target="_blank">fought to undermine the project at the Missouri General Assembly</a>&nbsp;for years.Now federal lawmakers from Kansas, including Marshall, Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Tracey Mann are railing against the project.Mann called Monday’s announcement a “huge win for Kansans.”“Kansans made it clear from the very beginning that we were not interested in the federal government seizing our private land,” Mann said.Moran said the decision to allow projects like Grain Belt Express “should be left up to Kansans, not Washington.”In Missouri, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley has taken issue with a $4.9 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/lpo-announces-conditional-commitment-grain-belt-express-construct-high-voltage-direct" target="_blank">loan the Department of Energy offered to the Grain Belt project</a>.<a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hawley-Letter-to-Biden-Energy-Department-re-Grain-Belt-Express.pdf" target="_blank">Hawley wrote a letter</a>&nbsp;to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm saying the Grain Belt line will wreak havoc on landowners.“Your decision to commit funding to the Grain Belt Express via conditional loan comes after repeated refusals to engage with my constituents,” Hawley said, “who live in constant fear of their land being confiscated.”

Grain Belt route removed from federal transmission program — but project will go forward

Auditions for the Hays Community Theatre production of “Leaving Iowa” have been set for 7-9 p.m. on Dec. 18 and 19.

“Leaving Iowa is a comic and heartwarming tribute to the family vacation,” said Bill Gasper, who is taking on director responsibilities at HCT for the first time. “It is told through flashbacks as a son travels to Mount Union, Iowa, to bury his father’s ashes. During this journey, the son reflects on his life while revisiting the humor and disappointments of family road trips.”

The play features a cast ranging in size from as few as six people to as many as 28. All the characters are adults, so Gasper is looking for actors who are high school age and older.

“The casting is flexible as actors can assume one of the principal characters that appear throughout the play or take on one or more of the multi-character roles who appear during the production,” Gasper said. “Actors and audience members alike will enjoy the humorous ‘over-the-top’ scenes as well as the sentimental aspects of the play.”

Actors need only attend one evening of auditions, which will consist of each person reading a monologue specific to their gender. Several reads from the script will follow monologues. Selected reads will be dependent upon the number of people present at the audition. Audition monologues and reads can be found at <a href="https://www.hctks.com/auditions">https://www.hctks.com/auditions</a>. Interested actors should also download and fill out the audition form before their audition. All audition materials will also be available at the audition.

Rehearsals for “Leaving Iowa” will begin on Jan. 5 with performances set for Feb. 21-23 at Hays Community Theatre, 121 E. Eighth St.

Questions can be directed to Gasper at bgasper56@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734386068325.png" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedAuditions for the Hays Community Theatre production of “Leaving Iowa” have been set for 7-9 p.m. on Dec. 18 and 19.“Leaving Iowa is a comic and heartwarming tribute to the family vacation,” said Bill Gasper, who is taking on director responsibilities at HCT for the first time. “It is told through flashbacks as a son travels to Mount Union, Iowa, to bury his father’s ashes. During this journey, the son reflects on his life while revisiting the humor and disappointments of family road trips.”The play features a cast ranging in size from as few as six people to as many as 28. All the characters are adults, so Gasper is looking for actors who are high school age and older.“The casting is flexible as actors can assume one of the principal characters that appear throughout the play or take on one or more of the multi-character roles who appear during the production,” Gasper said. “Actors and audience members alike will enjoy the humorous ‘over-the-top’ scenes as well as the sentimental aspects of the play.”Actors need only attend one evening of auditions, which will consist of each person reading a monologue specific to their gender. Several reads from the script will follow monologues. Selected reads will be dependent upon the number of people present at the audition. Audition monologues and reads can be found at <a href="https://www.hctks.com/auditions">https://www.hctks.com/auditions</a>. Interested actors should also download and fill out the audition form before their audition. All audition materials will also be available at the audition.Rehearsals for “Leaving Iowa” will begin on Jan. 5 with performances set for Feb. 21-23 at Hays Community Theatre, 121 E. Eighth St.Questions can be directed to Gasper at bgasper56@gmail.com.

UPDATE: Auditions for 'Leaving Iowa' set for this week

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/12/16/banned-from-sons-football-games-kansas-father-gets-settlement-for-free-speech-retaliation/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Conflict in a small Kansas town that began at youth football games became a nucleus for a threatened free speech lawsuit that prompted a $75,000 payout.

Over the course of about three years, Tim Clark, whose children attend school in the roughly 1,000-person city of Quinter in western Kansas, clashed with coaches, parents and city officials at his son’s football games. The single father, who doesn’t live in Quinter, expressed his frustrations in a 2022 Facebook post complaining about playing time and accusing coaches of favoritism.

Shortly after, city officials banned him for life from attending his son’s sporting events.

Clark recalled the experience during a Kansas Reflector podcast interview alongside his attorney, Max Kautsch.

In October 2022, then-city administrator Greg Thomas, Mayor Jeremy Blackwill and a Gove County sheriff’s deputy confronted Clark in a parking lot outside his son’s football practice. Clark, who was sitting with his young daughter at the time, recorded the incident on his phone — including Thomas calling Clark the “community’s problem.”

“It was overwhelming. It was disheartening,” Clark said during the podcast interview. “It was all the things you could possibly feel, and emotions I don’t think I’ve ever felt before, especially because these three men were standing behind me. One of them’s got a gun. You know, I’m unarmed with my daughter, and they’re threatening to arrest me.”

According to a prepared legal complaint alleging First Amendment retaliation, Clark “faced the prospect of arrest for attending Quinter Parks and Rec events.” The city rescinded the ban on Sept. 27 of this year, the draft complaint said, “but retaliation against Tim continues.” The parties settled the dispute in October for $75,000 before the complaint was filed in court.

The draft complaint named Blackwill, Thomas and the city’s recreation director, Daryl Havlas, as defendants.&nbsp;

Kautsch, who has written&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/max-kautsch/">columns</a>&nbsp;for Kansas Reflector, underscored the labeling of Clark as the “community’s problem” throughout the draft complaint.

“It is not up to the government to label members of the community as a problem,” Kautsch said in a podcast interview. “That obviously shows bias. It shows that there is not a rational basis.”

But city officials didn’t fully accept the settlement agreement.

Mayor Blackwill said the city only paid a $1,500 deductible, and it was the city’s insurance company’s recommendation to offer a settlement “despite heavy protest from the city.”

“The city had no say in this decision,” he told Kansas Reflector in an email. “We still strongly oppose their decision and are currently evaluating our options with other carriers.”

Blackwill, who is also the assistant fire chief for the Quinter Fire Department, said all decisions before the settlement came directly from him.

“We consider this situation behind us,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734448142253.jpeg" alt="Tim Clark, who threatened to sue the small western Kansas town of Quinter for free speech violations after he was banned from his son’s sporting events, sits for a Dec. 12, 2024, interview for the Kansas Reflector podcast. Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Tim Clark, who threatened to sue the small western Kansas town of Quinter for free speech violations after he was banned from his son’s sporting events, sits for a Dec. 12, 2024, interview for the Kansas Reflector podcast. Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/12/16/banned-from-sons-football-games-kansas-father-gets-settlement-for-free-speech-retaliation/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Conflict in a small Kansas town that began at youth football games became a nucleus for a threatened free speech lawsuit that prompted a $75,000 payout.Over the course of about three years, Tim Clark, whose children attend school in the roughly 1,000-person city of Quinter in western Kansas, clashed with coaches, parents and city officials at his son’s football games. The single father, who doesn’t live in Quinter, expressed his frustrations in a 2022 Facebook post complaining about playing time and accusing coaches of favoritism.Shortly after, city officials banned him for life from attending his son’s sporting events.Clark recalled the experience during a Kansas Reflector podcast interview alongside his attorney, Max Kautsch.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1986978171&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/free-speech-challenged-at-small-town-kansas-youth-football-games" title="Sports rant leads to free speech challenge in small Kansas town" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Sports rant leads to free speech challenge in small Kansas town</a></div></div>In October 2022, then-city administrator Greg Thomas, Mayor Jeremy Blackwill and a Gove County sheriff’s deputy confronted Clark in a parking lot outside his son’s football practice. Clark, who was sitting with his young daughter at the time, recorded the incident on his phone — including Thomas calling Clark the “community’s problem.”“It was overwhelming. It was disheartening,” Clark said during the podcast interview. “It was all the things you could possibly feel, and emotions I don’t think I’ve ever felt before, especially because these three men were standing behind me. One of them’s got a gun. You know, I’m unarmed with my daughter, and they’re threatening to arrest me.”According to a prepared legal complaint alleging First Amendment retaliation, Clark “faced the prospect of arrest for attending Quinter Parks and Rec events.” The city rescinded the ban on Sept. 27 of this year, the draft complaint said, “but retaliation against Tim continues.” The parties settled the dispute in October for $75,000 before the complaint was filed in court.The draft complaint named Blackwill, Thomas and the city’s recreation director, Daryl Havlas, as defendants.&nbsp;Kautsch, who has written&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/max-kautsch/">columns</a>&nbsp;for Kansas Reflector, underscored the labeling of Clark as the “community’s problem” throughout the draft complaint.“It is not up to the government to label members of the community as a problem,” Kautsch said in a podcast interview. “That obviously shows bias. It shows that there is not a rational basis.”But city officials didn’t fully accept the settlement agreement.Mayor Blackwill said the city only paid a $1,500 deductible, and it was the city’s insurance company’s recommendation to offer a settlement “despite heavy protest from the city.”“The city had no say in this decision,” he told Kansas Reflector in an email. “We still strongly oppose their decision and are currently evaluating our options with other carriers.”Blackwill, who is also the assistant fire chief for the Quinter Fire Department, said all decisions before the settlement came directly from him.“We consider this situation behind us,” he said.

Banned from son’s football games, Quinter father gets settlement for free speech retaliation

A Fort Hays State University student is introducing an interactive story stroll in Larned this spring, combining story time with health.

The story stroll will feature about 10 podiums managed by the Jordaan Memorial Library. These will provide a place for stories and encourage physical and mental health.

Ryssa Schlaefli is a junior at FHSU and previously had assistant professor Jessica Phelan as a teacher. She has also served as a mentor for Phelan's class through an internship.

"We started working on a grant, Phelan asked me if I would write a story for the story stroll," Schlaefli said.

Schlaefli said working on the Golden Belt Community Foundation grant and writing the first story for the project are not tied to extra credit or her internships.

Schlaefli's story follows a blue flower who feels sad and struggles with self-acceptance. With the help of supportive flowers in the flower bed, she learns to embrace and love herself despite her imperfections.

"Flowers look very different, but they're all beautiful. That's what the story is about," she said.

Each podium will display a page of the story along with self-reflection questions and instructions, guiding readers through the story stroll while encouraging them to explore their emotions.

"Health is more than just physical. It's mental as well. We need those conversations between parents and children,"&nbsp;Schlaefli said.

Jordaan Memorial Library, in collaboration with Schlaefli and Phelan, received a $3,000 grant from the Golden Belt Community Foundation.

Phelan said there are two possible locations for the story stroll, but there has been no official decision as the city of Larned has shown support.

The story stroll project is designed primarily for families and children in the Larned area. It aims to encourage families to be physically active together.

"A huge part of that is having a support system, resources, and purpose for doing the activity," Phelan said.

The podiums will feature stories that can be updated regularly and utilized for promotional events.

The podiums, designed to be hip-height and diagonal for easy access by children, will be mounted on metal stands with a protective barrier. The final design is still in development.

While Schlaefli writes the initial story, the mission is for local fourth-grade classes to create their own stories to be featured in the story stroll.

"This is above and beyond just a regular internship," Phelan said.

Schlaefli is majoring in health promotion and fitness instruction, with a focus on community health. During winter break, she plans to finalize her story and finish its illustrations.

Schlaefli said if the opportunity arises, she would also like to bring a story stroll to Hays.

"If a grant opened up that would allow us to do something like that, then definitely yes," she said.

Phelan, a health promotion and fitness instructor at FHSU from Larned, said Sunflower Electric in Great Bend will install the podiums for the story stroll.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733928542298.jpeg" alt="Early rendering of a podium for the Larned story stroll. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Early rendering of a podium for the Larned story stroll. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731093059976.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA Fort Hays State University student is introducing an interactive story stroll in Larned this spring, combining story time with health.The story stroll will feature about 10 podiums managed by the Jordaan Memorial Library. These will provide a place for stories and encourage physical and mental health.Ryssa Schlaefli is a junior at FHSU and previously had assistant professor Jessica Phelan as a teacher. She has also served as a mentor for Phelan's class through an internship."We started working on a grant, Phelan asked me if I would write a story for the story stroll," Schlaefli said.Schlaefli said working on the Golden Belt Community Foundation grant and writing the first story for the project are not tied to extra credit or her internships.Schlaefli's story follows a blue flower who feels sad and struggles with self-acceptance. With the help of supportive flowers in the flower bed, she learns to embrace and love herself despite her imperfections."Flowers look very different, but they're all beautiful. That's what the story is about," she said.Each podium will display a page of the story along with self-reflection questions and instructions, guiding readers through the story stroll while encouraging them to explore their emotions."Health is more than just physical. It's mental as well. We need those conversations between parents and children,"&nbsp;Schlaefli said.Jordaan Memorial Library, in collaboration with Schlaefli and Phelan, received a $3,000 grant from the Golden Belt Community Foundation.Phelan said there are two possible locations for the story stroll, but there has been no official decision as the city of Larned has shown support.The story stroll project is designed primarily for families and children in the Larned area. It aims to encourage families to be physically active together."A huge part of that is having a support system, resources, and purpose for doing the activity," Phelan said.The podiums will feature stories that can be updated regularly and utilized for promotional events.The podiums, designed to be hip-height and diagonal for easy access by children, will be mounted on metal stands with a protective barrier. The final design is still in development.While Schlaefli writes the initial story, the mission is for local fourth-grade classes to create their own stories to be featured in the story stroll."This is above and beyond just a regular internship," Phelan said.Schlaefli is majoring in health promotion and fitness instruction, with a focus on community health. During winter break, she plans to finalize her story and finish its illustrations.Schlaefli said if the opportunity arises, she would also like to bring a story stroll to Hays."If a grant opened up that would allow us to do something like that, then definitely yes," she said.Phelan, a health promotion and fitness instructor at FHSU from Larned, said Sunflower Electric in Great Bend will install the podiums for the story stroll.

Nwester: FHSU student, library to introduce story strolls to Larned families

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734385215099.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>

TMP-Marian&nbsp;at Hoxie Tuesday, Dec. 17 – 6:00 p.m. Hoxie, Kan. - Hoxie High School

Radio: KHAZ (99.5)&nbsp;<a href="https://99kzcountry.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN </a>Video: TMP-Marian Sports Network&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/1817804">CLICK HERE TO WATCH
($)</a>

The TMP-Marian Monarchs travel to Hoxie Tuesday night for a pair of key MCL contests.&nbsp;

The TMP girls are 2-2 and the Hoxie girls are 3-1 while the TMP boys are 0-4 and the Hoxie boys are 2-2.

Tipoff of the girl's game is set for 6&nbsp;p.m. from Hoxie on the Monarchs Sports Network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575411582384.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TMP-Marian&nbsp;at Hoxie Tuesday, Dec. 17 – 6:00 p.m. Hoxie, Kan. - Hoxie High SchoolRadio: KHAZ (99.5)&nbsp;<a href="https://99kzcountry.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN </a>Video: TMP-Marian Sports Network&nbsp;<a href="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/1817804">CLICK HERE TO WATCH
($)</a>The TMP-Marian Monarchs travel to Hoxie Tuesday night for a pair of key MCL contests.&nbsp;The TMP girls are 2-2 and the Hoxie girls are 3-1 while the TMP boys are 0-4 and the Hoxie boys are 2-2.Tipoff of the girl's game is set for 6&nbsp;p.m. from Hoxie on the Monarchs Sports Network.

🏀🎥 TMP travels to Hoxie for key MCL contests

THOMAS COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Monday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Nissan Rogue driven by&nbsp; Katherine&nbsp; Kufahl, 61, Colby, was westbound on Plum street at N Mission Ridge Avenue in Colby. 

The Nissan struck a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Shawna&nbsp;Petersen, 39, Colby in the intersection.

EMS transported both drivers to Citizens Medical Center.&nbsp; Kufahl was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

THOMAS COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Monday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Nissan Rogue driven by&nbsp; Katherine&nbsp; Kufahl, 61, Colby, was westbound on Plum street at N Mission Ridge Avenue in Colby. The Nissan struck a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Shawna&nbsp;Petersen, 39, Colby in the intersection.EMS transported both drivers to Citizens Medical Center.&nbsp; Kufahl was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

2 NW Kansas women hospitalized after 2-vehicle crash

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A Hays man was arrested earlier this month on a charge of sexual exploitation of a child.

24-year-old Jonathon Alexander Weigel of Hays was arrested on a criminal threat charge, according to Brian Dawson, deputy Hays Police chief.

Upon further investigation, police found that Weigel had allegedly solicited inappropriate photos from a 15-year-old Ellis County girl, Dawson said.

He is also now facing charges of interference with a law enforcement officer and sexual exploitation of a child, Dawson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734392604975.png" alt="Weigel photo Ellis County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Weigel photo Ellis County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA Hays man was arrested earlier this month on a charge of sexual exploitation of a child.24-year-old Jonathon Alexander Weigel of Hays was arrested on a criminal threat charge, according to Brian Dawson, deputy Hays Police chief.Upon further investigation, police found that Weigel had allegedly solicited inappropriate photos from a 15-year-old Ellis County girl, Dawson said.He is also now facing charges of interference with a law enforcement officer and sexual exploitation of a child, Dawson said.

Hays man allegedly solicited inappropriate photos from teen

Exactly 32 years ago this month, I decided I couldn’t work with my existing employer. Although we knew no one in Hays, we moved to Hays from South Florida.

My wife was immediately happy. She became involved in the community and became active in our church. For the first time in 10 years, she was relieved not to have to live with an absent husband, struggling with two residences and medical school.

Our kids (2, 4, and 6) had transitioned beautifully, immediately finding new friends. At that time, there were no hospital-employed physicians, and the hospital had just transitioned to its new campus, Hays Medical Center. It was a great asset and attracted me to the community in the first place. We loved this community and wanted to stay and start our own independent practice.

We had one problem. It’s called a restrictive covenant. This covenant could have prevented me from staying in this area and practicing dermatology. We decided to fight to stay in Hays.

At that time, the director of medical recruitment of Hays Medical Center testified that we needed at least three dermatologists to service the needs of Hays and the surrounding community.

Our fight eventually ended up at the Supreme Court. We lost. It cost me a lot of money, but I was able to stay in Hays. I believed then, and I believe even more strongly now, that restricting physicians by way of a restrictive covenant is against public welfare.

Fast-forward 30 years. I just read with interest the post from Mr. Herrman regarding the hospital's current status. I agree that the turnover of staff is always a problem at any hospital or physician's office. He acknowledged the difficulty in recruiting physicians to Western Kansas.

Unfortunately, HMC, over the last year, has lost or will lose many physicians. These physicians will be forced to move away from Western Kansas due to restrictive covenants if they want to continue practicing medicine.

Some of these doctors would have chosen to stay in Western Kansas if given the opportunity.

At the same time, HMC is attempting to rebuild these departments. It has filed a lawsuit trying to prevent Dr. Grove from practicing in Tribune, Kansas (165 miles away). If HMC was really interested in providing general surgical care in Greeley County, why restrict his access?

Another lawsuit has been filed by Dr Rodriguez against HMC. He also wants to provide oncology care in Western Kansas. How can HMC operate a cancer center if there is only one remaining oncologist?

Unfortunately, restrictive convents are indeed a common practice amongst physician groups and hospitals.

The covenants at HMC include multiple different physician specialties as well as other staff members, all controlled by one nonprofit corporation. The intent is to reduce competition, but unfortunately, at the same time, they restrict access to health care throughout most of Northwest Kansas if a physician chooses or is forced to leave.

Mr. Herrman sent out an email a couple of weeks ago to all HMC associates stating “noncompete covenants are “standard in health care,” “required” in its contracts, and “provides assurance to our patients that the hospital and its clinics have the medical staff and expertise to provide for their oftentimes complex medical needs.”

Exactly 32 years ago this month, I decided I couldn’t work with my existing employer. Although we knew no one in Hays, we moved to Hays from South Florida.My wife was immediately happy. She became involved in the community and became active in our church. For the first time in 10 years, she was relieved not to have to live with an absent husband, struggling with two residences and medical school.Our kids (2, 4, and 6) had transitioned beautifully, immediately finding new friends. At that time, there were no hospital-employed physicians, and the hospital had just transitioned to its new campus, Hays Medical Center. It was a great asset and attracted me to the community in the first place. We loved this community and wanted to stay and start our own independent practice.We had one problem. It’s called a restrictive covenant. This covenant could have prevented me from staying in this area and practicing dermatology. We decided to fight to stay in Hays.At that time, the director of medical recruitment of Hays Medical Center testified that we needed at least three dermatologists to service the needs of Hays and the surrounding community.Our fight eventually ended up at the Supreme Court. We lost. It cost me a lot of money, but I was able to stay in Hays. I believed then, and I believe even more strongly now, that restricting physicians by way of a restrictive covenant is against public welfare.Fast-forward 30 years. I just read with interest the post from Mr. Herrman regarding the hospital's current status. I agree that the turnover of staff is always a problem at any hospital or physician's office. He acknowledged the difficulty in recruiting physicians to Western Kansas.Unfortunately, HMC, over the last year, has lost or will lose many physicians. These physicians will be forced to move away from Western Kansas due to restrictive covenants if they want to continue practicing medicine.Some of these doctors would have chosen to stay in Western Kansas if given the opportunity.At the same time, HMC is attempting to rebuild these departments. It has filed a lawsuit trying to prevent Dr. Grove from practicing in Tribune, Kansas (165 miles away). If HMC was really interested in providing general surgical care in Greeley County, why restrict his access?Another lawsuit has been filed by Dr Rodriguez against HMC. He also wants to provide oncology care in Western Kansas. How can HMC operate a cancer center if there is only one remaining oncologist?Unfortunately, restrictive convents are indeed a common practice amongst physician groups and hospitals.The covenants at HMC include multiple different physician specialties as well as other staff members, all controlled by one nonprofit corporation. The intent is to reduce competition, but unfortunately, at the same time, they restrict access to health care throughout most of Northwest Kansas if a physician chooses or is forced to leave.Mr. Herrman sent out an email a couple of weeks ago to all HMC associates stating “noncompete covenants are “standard in health care,” “required” in its contracts, and “provides assurance to our patients that the hospital and its clinics have the medical staff and expertise to provide for their oftentimes complex medical needs.”Noncompete covenants are standard in the health care industry. However, what he fails to state is that not all contracts are as broad as the ones HMC chooses to enforce on its previously employed physicians. More importantly, HMC is not required to enforce them.Does the last statement imply that previously employed physicians do not have the “expertise to provide for their oftentimes complex medical needs”? So, in other words, he’s doing western Kansas a favor by denying those physicians from practicing medicine in this region?The intent of all restrictive covenants is to preserve a financial asset. We doctors do not consider patients financial assets. We develop very deeply personal relationships with our patients.My questions are:No. 1: Why insist on enforcing a restrictive covenant?If contract negotiations fail, for whatever reason, should that tenured physician be restricted from practicing medicine in the entire region?After all, we are in a doctor-shortage area. Doctor recruitment to Western Kansas is, unfortunately, nearly impossible. I am not aware of any full-time physicians taking the place of these lost physicians. I have heard about the use of locum tenens for replacement.In the last 30 years, exactly, 1.5 full-time dermatologists have entered our area. Dr. Schaeffer, who grew up in Salina, and Dr. Hibbs, my daughter. You see, trying to recruit to Western Kansas is very difficult.No. 2: Why have the local community leaders, elected representatives of our district, our state, elected representatives to our U.S. House of Representatives and Senate and our governor been completely silent about their opinion on the enforcement of this draconian policy?Enforcement of a policy that prevents respected and established physicians who are living and contributing to their community to leave or stop practicing medicine should be reevaluated. It is certainly against public welfare at a time when access to health care is extremely difficult, especially in underserved areas.Does anybody believe a doctor previously employed at HMC should be restricted access to all patient care in western Kansas?No. 3: Does anyone think locum tenens can replace seasoned experience physicians? Filling the empty positions with a locum tenens, who by definition are temporary doctors, is not the answer. They are also much more expensive than permanent physicians.I sure wish I had a solution to this problem, as I have raised my family and hope to see my grandkids grow up here in Hays. Over the last 30 years, I have developed very strong bonds with many of the physicians that have been forced to leave this area. We certainly need a strong hospital.I will continue to do everything in my power to support HMC. It is my prayer that HMC can rebuild the physicians and staff they have lost.However, enforcement of restrictive covenants, which prevent our local trusted physicians from practicing their skills here in Western Kansas, makes absolutely no sense to me.Nearly all these departing physicians require a hospital to continue practicing their skills. Why would they negotiate themselves into such a dead-end position?—Don Tillman D.O., Great Plains Dermatology

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