<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/2019/12/1575929617735.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><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/2020/1/1580504148244.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Three-day weather outlook

By NOMIN UJIJEDIIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/how-medicaid-expansion-would-shift-cost-health-care-kansas-prisons-and-jails#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — The new Medicaid expansion bill, the product of a <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-paves-medicaid-expansion-path-after-governor-and-top-republican-break-partisan-logjam" target="_blank">compromise</a>
 between Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and some Republican leaders, would 
change how state prisons and county jails fund health care for 
prisoners.

By expanding the types of people who can qualify for 
the program, the bill would extend Medicaid access to 80% to 90% of 
state prisoners if it passes, according to the Kansas Department of 
Corrections

Kansas is one of only <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/state-indicator/states-reporting-corrections-related-medicaid-enrollment-policies-in-place-for-prisons-or-jails/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">seven U.S. states</a>
 that kicks people off of Medicaid when they go to prison or jail. The 
one exception is when an inmate is hospitalized for more than 24 hours. 
The DOC or county jails can apply for Medicaid funding to cover part of 
the cost if the inmate is eligible for the government health care plan.

Right
 now, state prison officials say, less than 1% of Kansas state prisoners
 — fewer than 100 people — qualify for Medicaid based on the state’s <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/hcf/Medicaid/eligibility_guidelines.html" target="_blank">restrictions</a>
 on age, income, disability status and family status. The department 
doesn’t collect data on how many people in county jails qualify.

The
 new bill would allow the DOC to take advantage of Medicaid funding for 
more inmates. It also increases the share of state Medicaid costs that 
the federal government would pay.

“It revolves around those current income requirements,” DOC spokeswoman Rebecca Witte said. “They would be eligible.”

She said the department would save $2 million in 2022 if Medicaid expansion is passed.

County
 jails also would see savings, said Jeffrey Easter, Sedgwick County 
sheriff and legislative chair for the Kansas Sheriffs’ Association. 
Sedgwick County spent about $1 million in 2018 on hospitalized inmates.

He said if the bill passes, “that million dollars wouldn’t be coming out of my budget and local taxpayer money.”

Data
 collected by the Kansas Sheriffs’ Association shows most county jails —
 excluding Sedgwick, Wyandotte, Johnson and Shawnee counties — spent a 
total of $6 million in 2018 on outside hospitalizations for inmates.

That
 year, Shawnee County spent $770,000 on offsite medical treatment for 
jail inmates, but it didn’t have information on how much of that went to
 hospitalizations. A spokesman for the county Department of Corrections 
said the county does not apply for Medicaid coverage for any inmates.

Wyandotte
 and Johnson counties did not immediately respond to a request for 
information on how much their jails spent on hospitalizations in 2018.

The
 Medicaid expansion bill would also require the Department of 
Corrections to help counties get jail inmates back on Medicaid after 
their release.

Even people who go to jail for two weeks are 
kicked off the program and they don’t get back on Medicaid for three or 
four weeks after release, Easter said. For some people with mental 
illnesses, it can turn into a cycle.

“For them to get any type of
 plan or medications, they’ve got to be back on Medicaid,” Easter said. 
“You see them decline, rearrested, and we (start) the process over 
again.”

Currently, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which runs the state’s Medicaid program, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/sites/kcur/files/202001/KDHEPDF.pdf" target="_blank">contracts</a>
 with a company called Appriss to collect a daily list of people 
entering and leaving county jails. The department checks the list 
against its Medicaid database and terminates coverage until a person is 
released.

On the state level, the DOC sends KDHE a monthly list 
of people in its prisons. The list is checked against the state Medicaid
 database and KASPER, the database of state prisoners, to determine 
whose Medicaid will be terminated.

Before people are released, a 
special unit in the DOC processes applications for people going back on 
Medicaid. The Medicaid expansion bill would require the DOC to assist 
county jails with this process.

For county and state governments, the biggest effect of <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2016/08/how-and-when-medicaid-covers-people-under-correctional-supervision" target="_blank">terminating Medicaid coverage</a>
 for incarcerated people is the time and resources needed to take people
 on and off, said Maria Schiff, a criminal justice and health care 
researcher for the nonprofit Pew Charitable Trusts.

“Generating a new application is more work,” she said, “than activating a suspended one.”

But
 the most dramatic impact, Schiff said, is for the people who lose their
 coverage. Once they’re released, they can struggle with navigating the 
health care system, especially if they’ve been incarcerated for many 
years.

Most states that have expanded Medicaid employ re-entry 
counselors in prisons and jails who help people reapply for Medicaid 
before they’re released, Schiff said.

“A person in a state prison
 doesn’t have the tools and internet connection and information and 
access to legal forms that individuals on the outside have,” she said.

Proponents
 of Medicaid expansion have argued the policy will reduce recidivism. 
But it’s too early for researchers to know, Schiff said. Rhode Island, 
however, has seen a drop in substance abuse-related fatalities among the
 recently released.

“It’s not the coverage alone. Because you 
don’t want these people just showing up in emergency departments,” she 
said. “You really want them getting attached to a primary care system.”

Nomin
 Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and social welfare for KCUR and 
the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/nominuj" target="_blank">@NominUJ</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580497793171.jpeg" alt=" Currently, less than 1% of people in Kansas prisons are eligible for Medicaid. If the proposed expansion plan were to pass, 80% to 90% would be eligible. Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Currently, less than 1% of people in Kansas prisons are eligible for Medicaid. If the proposed expansion plan were to pass, 80% to 90% would be eligible. Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOMIN UJIJEDIIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/how-medicaid-expansion-would-shift-cost-health-care-kansas-prisons-and-jails#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — The new Medicaid expansion bill, the product of a <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-paves-medicaid-expansion-path-after-governor-and-top-republican-break-partisan-logjam" target="_blank">compromise</a>
 between Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and some Republican leaders, would 
change how state prisons and county jails fund health care for 
prisoners.By expanding the types of people who can qualify for 
the program, the bill would extend Medicaid access to 80% to 90% of 
state prisoners if it passes, according to the Kansas Department of 
CorrectionsKansas is one of only <a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/state-indicator/states-reporting-corrections-related-medicaid-enrollment-policies-in-place-for-prisons-or-jails/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D" target="_blank">seven U.S. states</a>
 that kicks people off of Medicaid when they go to prison or jail. The 
one exception is when an inmate is hospitalized for more than 24 hours. 
The DOC or county jails can apply for Medicaid funding to cover part of 
the cost if the inmate is eligible for the government health care plan.Right
 now, state prison officials say, less than 1% of Kansas state prisoners
 — fewer than 100 people — qualify for Medicaid based on the state’s <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/hcf/Medicaid/eligibility_guidelines.html" target="_blank">restrictions</a>
 on age, income, disability status and family status. The department 
doesn’t collect data on how many people in county jails qualify.The
 new bill would allow the DOC to take advantage of Medicaid funding for 
more inmates. It also increases the share of state Medicaid costs that 
the federal government would pay.“It revolves around those current income requirements,” DOC spokeswoman Rebecca Witte said. “They would be eligible.”She said the department would save $2 million in 2022 if Medicaid expansion is passed.County
 jails also would see savings, said Jeffrey Easter, Sedgwick County 
sheriff and legislative chair for the Kansas Sheriffs’ Association. 
Sedgwick County spent about $1 million in 2018 on hospitalized inmates.He said if the bill passes, “that million dollars wouldn’t be coming out of my budget and local taxpayer money.”Data
 collected by the Kansas Sheriffs’ Association shows most county jails —
 excluding Sedgwick, Wyandotte, Johnson and Shawnee counties — spent a 
total of $6 million in 2018 on outside hospitalizations for inmates.That
 year, Shawnee County spent $770,000 on offsite medical treatment for 
jail inmates, but it didn’t have information on how much of that went to
 hospitalizations. A spokesman for the county Department of Corrections 
said the county does not apply for Medicaid coverage for any inmates.Wyandotte
 and Johnson counties did not immediately respond to a request for 
information on how much their jails spent on hospitalizations in 2018.<h2>Impact on Re-entry</h2>The
 Medicaid expansion bill would also require the Department of 
Corrections to help counties get jail inmates back on Medicaid after 
their release.Even people who go to jail for two weeks are 
kicked off the program and they don’t get back on Medicaid for three or 
four weeks after release, Easter said. For some people with mental 
illnesses, it can turn into a cycle.“For them to get any type of
 plan or medications, they’ve got to be back on Medicaid,” Easter said. 
“You see them decline, rearrested, and we (start) the process over 
again.”Currently, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which runs the state’s Medicaid program, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/sites/kcur/files/202001/KDHEPDF.pdf" target="_blank">contracts</a>
 with a company called Appriss to collect a daily list of people 
entering and leaving county jails. The department checks the list 
against its Medicaid database and terminates coverage until a person is 
released.On the state level, the DOC sends KDHE a monthly list 
of people in its prisons. The list is checked against the state Medicaid
 database and KASPER, the database of state prisoners, to determine 
whose Medicaid will be terminated.Before people are released, a 
special unit in the DOC processes applications for people going back on 
Medicaid. The Medicaid expansion bill would require the DOC to assist 
county jails with this process.For county and state governments, the biggest effect of <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2016/08/how-and-when-medicaid-covers-people-under-correctional-supervision" target="_blank">terminating Medicaid coverage</a>
 for incarcerated people is the time and resources needed to take people
 on and off, said Maria Schiff, a criminal justice and health care 
researcher for the nonprofit Pew Charitable Trusts.“Generating a new application is more work,” she said, “than activating a suspended one.”But
 the most dramatic impact, Schiff said, is for the people who lose their
 coverage. Once they’re released, they can struggle with navigating the 
health care system, especially if they’ve been incarcerated for many 
years.Most states that have expanded Medicaid employ re-entry 
counselors in prisons and jails who help people reapply for Medicaid 
before they’re released, Schiff said.“A person in a state prison
 doesn’t have the tools and internet connection and information and 
access to legal forms that individuals on the outside have,” she said.Proponents
 of Medicaid expansion have argued the policy will reduce recidivism. 
But it’s too early for researchers to know, Schiff said. Rhode Island, 
however, has seen a drop in substance abuse-related fatalities among the
 recently released.“It’s not the coverage alone. Because you 
don’t want these people just showing up in emergency departments,” she 
said. “You really want them getting attached to a primary care system.”Nomin
 Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and social welfare for KCUR and 
the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/nominuj" target="_blank">@NominUJ</a>.

How Medicaid expansion would change health care in Kan. prisons

	The past couple of weeks have created a new normal at my house. Early on the morning of January 14th, my husband, John, was riding his bike to the prayer breakfast at our church. 

The streets were not slick but as he approached the church and hopped up on the sidewalk his bike hit black ice and he landed hard on his left side. He realized immediately that he was not able to pull himself up or crawl to a door, so he started shaking a sign to try to get someones’ attention. 

Finally, nearly 40 minutes after he had left home, a good Samaritan, Jake and his wife, came to John’s rescue. They called 911, covered him with a blanket and gave me a call.&nbsp;

An ambulance ride to the hospital and X-rays taken in the ER confirmed what John already knew; he had fractured his left hip. Surgery was set for that evening and thankfully everything went well. I had around 48 hours to round up the items that we would need to make our house somewhat handicap accessible before bringing John home. We are not big fans of recliners; after all, we would rather be out riding on the back of our tandem bike. But for the next few weeks John is resting pretty well in his new lift chair. Other items that make our bathroom handicap accessible include a transfer bench for the shower and handrails added to the stool. A wheel chair and ramp will also make visits to the doctor possible.

A few years ago, Extension specialists wrote a fact sheet titled, Fashion an Easier Lifestyle with Assistive Technology. Whether you are dealing with a sudden and temporary need for assistive devices or a chronic condition which contributes to a disability, assistive technology may help you with your daily activities. Assistive technology can help a person be more independent and able to live in their home safely. It can also make caregiving tasks easier.&nbsp;

Another fact sheet titled, Age Sense: The Caregiving Journey, really spoke to me as our normal routine has been turned upside down. While nearly everyone will find themselves in a caregiving role during their lifetime, it can be a stressful experience. I am so fortunate that John has a positive attitude. One of the first nights that I moved from sleeping on the sofa to the bed, we decided John would call me on his cell phone if he needed anything. In the middle of the night I heard John yelling for me and jumped up and asked him why he didn’t use the phone. Well, he had dropped it into the mechanism of the lift chair. A few minutes later, I was able to retrieve it and we just decided to laugh about the experience. After sharing the experience with a class I was teaching the next day, a friend brought me a cow bell for John to use to get my attention!

We are so fortunate to live in a community with an excellent health care facility. Our family and friends have provided just what we needed when we needed it during the time since the accident. Now, we just need to focus on the positive during the coming weeks, so that healing can continue.&nbsp;

While your life as you know it may change in an instant, your positive attitude will help you through the crises. Feel free to give me a call if you would like a copy of either of the fact sheets I mentioned above. I am happy to share!

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574802720194.jpeg" alt="Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>	The past couple of weeks have created a new normal at my house. Early on the morning of January 14th, my husband, John, was riding his bike to the prayer breakfast at our church. The streets were not slick but as he approached the church and hopped up on the sidewalk his bike hit black ice and he landed hard on his left side. He realized immediately that he was not able to pull himself up or crawl to a door, so he started shaking a sign to try to get someones’ attention. Finally, nearly 40 minutes after he had left home, a good Samaritan, Jake and his wife, came to John’s rescue. They called 911, covered him with a blanket and gave me a call.&nbsp;An ambulance ride to the hospital and X-rays taken in the ER confirmed what John already knew; he had fractured his left hip. Surgery was set for that evening and thankfully everything went well. I had around 48 hours to round up the items that we would need to make our house somewhat handicap accessible before bringing John home. We are not big fans of recliners; after all, we would rather be out riding on the back of our tandem bike. But for the next few weeks John is resting pretty well in his new lift chair. Other items that make our bathroom handicap accessible include a transfer bench for the shower and handrails added to the stool. A wheel chair and ramp will also make visits to the doctor possible.A few years ago, Extension specialists wrote a fact sheet titled, Fashion an Easier Lifestyle with Assistive Technology. Whether you are dealing with a sudden and temporary need for assistive devices or a chronic condition which contributes to a disability, assistive technology may help you with your daily activities. Assistive technology can help a person be more independent and able to live in their home safely. It can also make caregiving tasks easier.&nbsp;Another fact sheet titled, Age Sense: The Caregiving Journey, really spoke to me as our normal routine has been turned upside down. While nearly everyone will find themselves in a caregiving role during their lifetime, it can be a stressful experience. I am so fortunate that John has a positive attitude. One of the first nights that I moved from sleeping on the sofa to the bed, we decided John would call me on his cell phone if he needed anything. In the middle of the night I heard John yelling for me and jumped up and asked him why he didn’t use the phone. Well, he had dropped it into the mechanism of the lift chair. A few minutes later, I was able to retrieve it and we just decided to laugh about the experience. After sharing the experience with a class I was teaching the next day, a friend brought me a cow bell for John to use to get my attention!We are so fortunate to live in a community with an excellent health care facility. Our family and friends have provided just what we needed when we needed it during the time since the accident. Now, we just need to focus on the positive during the coming weeks, so that healing can continue.&nbsp;While your life as you know it may change in an instant, your positive attitude will help you through the crises. Feel free to give me a call if you would like a copy of either of the fact sheets I mentioned above. I am happy to share!Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>. K-State Research &amp; Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

KRUG: Focus on the positive

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

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile notifications click here.</a><div><iframe title="Entrepreneurship the focus of upcoming Grow Hays Events" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/4tw2f-d20e6b?from=yiiadmin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&skin=3&auto=1&share=1&fonts=Helvetica&download=1&rtl=0&pbad=1"></iframe></div>

🎤Post Podcast: Entrepreneurship the focus of upcoming Grow Hays Events

The science behind wind energy has captured the attention of Kansas students and boosted the number of competitors in the state’s KidWind Challenge from 17 teams in 2018 to 71 teams this year. The increased number of participants also prompted the addition of a fifth regional competition. Regional events begin on Feb. 5 and continue through March 6 culminating in a state competition on April 4.&nbsp;

KidWind is an annual competition where student teams build and test their own wind turbines, then compete in a regional event for a chance to move on to state and national competitions.&nbsp; The events are part of the Energy Education partnership between the Kansas Corporation Commission and K-State Engineering Extension with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

“KidWind is a fantastic hands-on opportunity that allows students to tinker and experiment with wind turbine designs. They experience the thrill of scientific discovery as their designs are validated through performance testing, and they hone their public-speaking skills as they present their turbine design to a panel of judges,” explained David Carter, director of the Kansas Energy Program at K-State Engineering Extension.

Tatum Vogel, a teacher at Dighton Elementary, said the skills her students learned from KidWind extended beyond science to include perseverance and other life skills.

“We went to the regional competition with a turbine that was heavy and barely turned. We weren't out of the city limits that day, and these students had already redesigned the entire top. The life skills involved were priceless. They had to communicate, work together, take initiative to learn more, and apply all the science and physics along the way,” said Vogel.

Teams compete by age group, fourth–eighth grades or ninth–12th grades, with three to five students per team (recommended). At each regional competition, the top two teams in each age group advance to the state finals. State winners move on to the national competition in Denver. The complete schedule of events appears below. All events are open to the public.

Region&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Date&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Location_____________________________________

Kansas City&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feb. 5&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Olathe (Olathe West High School)

Northeast&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feb. 20&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Manhattan (Unger Complex)

Southwest&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feb. 25&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dodge City (Village Square Mall)

Northwest&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feb. 27&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Oakley (NW Kansas Educational Service Center)

Southeast&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; March 6&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burlington (Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant)

State Finals&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; April 4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Topeka (Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers)

National Finals&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; June 1-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Denver

More information about KidWind is available at <a href="https://kansasenergyprogram.org/kidwindchallenge">https://kansasenergyprogram.org/kidwindchallenge</a>.

The science behind wind energy has captured the attention of Kansas students and boosted the number of competitors in the state’s KidWind Challenge from 17 teams in 2018 to 71 teams this year. The increased number of participants also prompted the addition of a fifth regional competition. Regional events begin on Feb. 5 and continue through March 6 culminating in a state competition on April 4.&nbsp;KidWind is an annual competition where student teams build and test their own wind turbines, then compete in a regional event for a chance to move on to state and national competitions.&nbsp; The events are part of the Energy Education partnership between the Kansas Corporation Commission and K-State Engineering Extension with a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.“KidWind is a fantastic hands-on opportunity that allows students to tinker and experiment with wind turbine designs. They experience the thrill of scientific discovery as their designs are validated through performance testing, and they hone their public-speaking skills as they present their turbine design to a panel of judges,” explained David Carter, director of the Kansas Energy Program at K-State Engineering Extension.Tatum Vogel, a teacher at Dighton Elementary, said the skills her students learned from KidWind extended beyond science to include perseverance and other life skills.“We went to the regional competition with a turbine that was heavy and barely turned. We weren't out of the city limits that day, and these students had already redesigned the entire top. The life skills involved were priceless. They had to communicate, work together, take initiative to learn more, and apply all the science and physics along the way,” said Vogel.Teams compete by age group, fourth–eighth grades or ninth–12th grades, with three to five students per team (recommended). At each regional competition, the top two teams in each age group advance to the state finals. State winners move on to the national competition in Denver. The complete schedule of events appears below. All events are open to the public.Region&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Date&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Location_____________________________________Kansas City&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feb. 5&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Olathe (Olathe West High School)Northeast&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feb. 20&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Manhattan (Unger Complex)Southwest&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feb. 25&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dodge City (Village Square Mall)Northwest&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Feb. 27&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Oakley (NW Kansas Educational Service Center)Southeast&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; March 6&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Burlington (Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant)State Finals&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; April 4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Topeka (Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers)National Finals&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; June 1-4&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; DenverMore information about KidWind is available at <a href="https://kansasenergyprogram.org/kidwindchallenge">https://kansasenergyprogram.org/kidwindchallenge</a>.

Participation in the Kansas KidWind Challenge quadruples

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

ELLIS — Human trafficking is modern-day slavery, and U.S. highways are the slave routes, a Catholic sister told a group in Ellis last week.

Sister Margaret Nacke of the <a href="https://www.sistersagainsttrafficking.org/">U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking </a>spoke last week to the Daughters of Isabella Group in Ellis.

"I think our middle states, the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas, really can say this — that we are a state of transit because traffickers come through here with their victims.&nbsp;

"We can say we are a state of origin because a lot of the kids who are trafficked are from our own state of Kansas, and we can say we are a state of destination, because of times of the fairs or big sports events, we bring in victims from other states."

There are more peopled enslaved today than during the 400 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Nacke said.

An estimated 40 million people, including children, are held in slavery worldwide today despite the fact that every single country in the world has outlawed slavery, according to&nbsp;U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking.

This is the result of greed and lust, but also the result of economic despairity, she said, as the poor are at the highest risk of being trafficked.

"Human trafficking is a multi-billion criminal business that is sustained by the buyers," Nacke said. "It's an economic principal. It's very simple. If you open a store and no one comes, you have to close the store. It looks that we have a lot of people to buy."

Nacke said that girls are more expensive when they are younger. This is resulting in the age of trafficked girls trending downward.&nbsp;

The girls are used in brothels and at truck stops, as well in pornography. The United States is the top consumer of pornography in the world, Nacke said.

"It's not just boys and men," she said. "It's girls and women looking at pornography during work hours.

"If you look at the research on that," Nacke said, "if you look at the brain of someone who has been looking at pornography and that of someone using heroine, that's about the same."

Although most of the people trafficked in the U.S. are for the sex trade, you do see some people also trafficked for labor. One of the most common areas for this in the U.S. is woman working in nail salons.

"We use slave labor a lot in this country and don't even know it," Nacke said. "All of us in this room at some time or another have consumed, worn or touched something that was [created] with slave labor."

You can find your slavery footprint by going to <a href="http://www.endslaverynow.org/act/action-library/find-your-slavery-footprint">End Slavery Now</a>. This journalist took the survey and learned she had 28 slaves working for her based on factors such as buying and eating habits.&nbsp;

End Slavery Now also has offers a downloadable, Slave-Free Buying Guide.

Nacke mentioned several common items,&nbsp;such as sugar, coffee and cocoa, that are produced through international slave labor, often children.

"I remember reading a talk of a man that had won the Nobel Peace Prize and he said, 'How is that these children can work in picking up cocoa beans and yet have never tasted chocolate?' " Nacke said, "... or stitching footballs and never played the game?"

&nbsp;Children are forced into slave labor on fishing vessels, and that fish makes to U.S. tables.

Drug cartels use children to ferry drugs across the U.S./Mexico border. When the cartels are done with the children, they kill them, Nacke said.

Technology is changing the way victims get caught up in trafficking as well as the way victims are bought and sold.

"I think what really grows the business is social media," Nacke said. "The internet is a 21st century auction block. The last auction in this country was in 1859 at a race track that is out of business now in Georgia to pay off a guy's debts. It brought in like $9 million.&nbsp;

"We are doing that today on the internet. You can buy a man, woman or child on the internet from a local market as fast as you can buy a pizza or buy a book or music from Amazon."

Predators use the internet to build relationships with young, potential victims.

"I think we have to teach our children not to give everything out about yourself," she said. "If you don't know who is at the other end of that (and they can lie about their age and everything, stop the communication right there."

Nacke said a groundswell of education is helping address the problem.

Legislation is also changing. Children in the sex trade were once prosecuted as prostitutes. Any person under the age of 18 is not a prostitute — they are a victim of a crime, Nacke said.

U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking has worked with law enforcement, medical professionals and hotel and motel staff to teach them to recognizing possible instances of human trafficking.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-888-3737-888. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). You can also contact your local law enforcement agency about suspected human trafficking. If you believe someone is in eminent danger, call 911.

Related link: <a href="https://sharedhope.org/">Shared Hop</a>e

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1569973929042.jpeg" alt="In the United States, 82 percent of incidents of human trafficking were related to the sex trade. 98 percent of those involved were women or girls, some as young as 8.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>In the United States, 82 percent of incidents of human trafficking were related to the sex trade. 98 percent of those involved were women or girls, some as young as 8.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostELLIS — Human trafficking is modern-day slavery, and U.S. highways are the slave routes, a Catholic sister told a group in Ellis last week.Sister Margaret Nacke of the <a href="https://www.sistersagainsttrafficking.org/">U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking </a>spoke last week to the Daughters of Isabella Group in Ellis."I think our middle states, the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas, really can say this — that we are a state of transit because traffickers come through here with their victims.&nbsp;"We can say we are a state of origin because a lot of the kids who are trafficked are from our own state of Kansas, and we can say we are a state of destination, because of times of the fairs or big sports events, we bring in victims from other states."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580492957361.jpeg" alt="Sister Margaret Nacke of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sistersagainsttrafficking.org/">U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking&nbsp;</a>spoke last week to the Daughters of Isabella Group in Ellis." />
 <figcaption>Sister Margaret Nacke of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sistersagainsttrafficking.org/">U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking&nbsp;</a>spoke last week to the Daughters of Isabella Group in Ellis.</figcaption>
 </figure>There are more peopled enslaved today than during the 400 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Nacke said.An estimated 40 million people, including children, are held in slavery worldwide today despite the fact that every single country in the world has outlawed slavery, according to&nbsp;U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking.This is the result of greed and lust, but also the result of economic despairity, she said, as the poor are at the highest risk of being trafficked.<h2>Statistics on trafficking in the U.S.</h2><ul>
 <li>In the United States, 82 percent of incidents of human trafficking were related to the sex trade. </li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>98 percent of those involved are women or girls</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>95 percent of the victims experience physical or sexual violence during trafficking</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>The average of age a girl in the sex trade is 13, but victims have been trafficked as young as 8</li>
 </ul>"Human trafficking is a multi-billion criminal business that is sustained by the buyers," Nacke said. "It's an economic principal. It's very simple. If you open a store and no one comes, you have to close the store. It looks that we have a lot of people to buy."<h2>Sex trade</h2>Nacke said that girls are more expensive when they are younger. This is resulting in the age of trafficked girls trending downward.&nbsp;The girls are used in brothels and at truck stops, as well in pornography. The United States is the top consumer of pornography in the world, Nacke said."It's not just boys and men," she said. "It's girls and women looking at pornography during work hours."If you look at the research on that," Nacke said, "if you look at the brain of someone who has been looking at pornography and that of someone using heroine, that's about the same."<h2>Slave labor</h2>Although most of the people trafficked in the U.S. are for the sex trade, you do see some people also trafficked for labor. One of the most common areas for this in the U.S. is woman working in nail salons."We use slave labor a lot in this country and don't even know it," Nacke said. "All of us in this room at some time or another have consumed, worn or touched something that was [created] with slave labor."You can find your slavery footprint by going to <a href="http://www.endslaverynow.org/act/action-library/find-your-slavery-footprint">End Slavery Now</a>. This journalist took the survey and learned she had 28 slaves working for her based on factors such as buying and eating habits.&nbsp;End Slavery Now also has offers a downloadable, Slave-Free Buying Guide.Nacke mentioned several common items,&nbsp;such as sugar, coffee and cocoa, that are produced through international slave labor, often children."I remember reading a talk of a man that had won the Nobel Peace Prize and he said, 'How is that these children can work in picking up cocoa beans and yet have never tasted chocolate?' " Nacke said, "... or stitching footballs and never played the game?"&nbsp;Children are forced into slave labor on fishing vessels, and that fish makes to U.S. tables.Drug cartels use children to ferry drugs across the U.S./Mexico border. When the cartels are done with the children, they kill them, Nacke said.<h2>Technology</h2>Technology is changing the way victims get caught up in trafficking as well as the way victims are bought and sold."I think what really grows the business is social media," Nacke said. "The internet is a 21st century auction block. The last auction in this country was in 1859 at a race track that is out of business now in Georgia to pay off a guy's debts. It brought in like $9 million.&nbsp;"We are doing that today on the internet. You can buy a man, woman or child on the internet from a local market as fast as you can buy a pizza or buy a book or music from Amazon."Predators use the internet to build relationships with young, potential victims."I think we have to teach our children not to give everything out about yourself," she said. "If you don't know who is at the other end of that (and they can lie about their age and everything, stop the communication right there."<h2>Education is key</h2>Nacke said a groundswell of education is helping address the problem.Legislation is also changing. Children in the sex trade were once prosecuted as prostitutes. Any person under the age of 18 is not a prostitute — they are a victim of a crime, Nacke said.U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking has worked with law enforcement, medical professionals and hotel and motel staff to teach them to recognizing possible instances of human trafficking.<h2>Red flags of trafficking</h2><ul>
 <li>&nbsp;inconsistent or missing history</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>doesn't know the current city or address</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>has few or no personal possessions</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>youth who has a much older boyfriend or girlfriend</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>inappropriately dressed for the weather or situation</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>youth who has items they cannot afford</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>looks younger than the stated age</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>carrying a large amount of cash</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>frequent travel</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>rehearsed responses</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>living with the employer</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>pimp branding tattoos</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>not in control of passport or ID</li>
 </ul>The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-888-3737-888. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). You can also contact your local law enforcement agency about suspected human trafficking. If you believe someone is in eminent danger, call 911.Related link: <a href="https://sharedhope.org/">Shared Hop</a>eCover photo courtesy Pixabay

Catholic sister to Ellis group: Slave trade thriving in Midwest

LAWRENCE — Twenty-one new law enforcement officers graduated from the&nbsp;Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center on Jan. 24. Reno County Sheriff Darrian Campbell was the speaker for the ceremony in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium.

The new officers were members of the 261st basic training class. The graduates, who began their training in September 2019, represented 18 municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies from across Kansas.

Graduates receive certificates of course completion from KLETC and Kansas law enforcement certification from the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, the state’s law enforcement licensing authority. The training course fulfills the state requirement for law enforcement training. Classroom lectures and hands-on applications help train officers to solve the increasingly complex problems they face in the line of duty.

Established by the Kansas Legislature in 1968, KLETC trains the majority of municipal, county and state law enforcement officers in Kansas and oversees the training of the remaining officers at seven authorized and certified academy programs operated by local law enforcement agencies and the Kansas Highway Patrol.

About 300 officers enroll annually in KLETC 14-week basic training programs. KLETC offers continuing education and specialized training to over 10,000 Kansas officers each year. KLETC is located one mile west and one mile south of Yoder, near Hutchinson, and is a division of University of Kansas Professional &amp; Continuing Education.

Graduates who granted permission to release their names are listed below by county and agency:

<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHaysPD%2Fposts%2F3169425589751575&width=500" width="500" height="605" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div>LAWRENCE — Twenty-one new law enforcement officers graduated from the&nbsp;Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center on Jan. 24. Reno County Sheriff Darrian Campbell was the speaker for the ceremony in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium.The new officers were members of the 261st basic training class. The graduates, who began their training in September 2019, represented 18 municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies from across Kansas.Graduates receive certificates of course completion from KLETC and Kansas law enforcement certification from the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, the state’s law enforcement licensing authority. The training course fulfills the state requirement for law enforcement training. Classroom lectures and hands-on applications help train officers to solve the increasingly complex problems they face in the line of duty.Established by the Kansas Legislature in 1968, KLETC trains the majority of municipal, county and state law enforcement officers in Kansas and oversees the training of the remaining officers at seven authorized and certified academy programs operated by local law enforcement agencies and the Kansas Highway Patrol.About 300 officers enroll annually in KLETC 14-week basic training programs. KLETC offers continuing education and specialized training to over 10,000 Kansas officers each year. KLETC is located one mile west and one mile south of Yoder, near Hutchinson, and is a division of University of Kansas Professional &amp; Continuing Education.Graduates who granted permission to release their names are listed below by county and agency:Cheyenne County<ol>
 <li>Sean Preston - Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office</li>
 </ol>Ellis County<ol>
 <li>Alex Broadway - Hays Police Department</li><li>Aaron Ewy - Hays Police Department</li>
 </ol>

Newest Hays PD officers graduate from academy

Join Grow Hays at BriefSpace at 6 p.m. Tuesday for the first TriSpective event of 2020.

The topic for the event is Growth Through Acquisition. The speakers will be Rob Readle (Coldwell Banker Executive Realty) and Kiley Rupp (Body + Soul Day Spa) along with Scott Gross (144 DesignCo. and Hays Area Chamber of Commerce).

Readle and Rupp have both recently gone through acquisitions and will talk about their experiences so far. Gross will talk about branding and marketing the new entity.

The quarterly TriSpectives are made possible via The Robert E. Schmidt Foundation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579031366928.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Join Grow Hays at BriefSpace at 6 p.m. Tuesday for the first TriSpective event of 2020.The topic for the event is Growth Through Acquisition. The speakers will be Rob Readle (Coldwell Banker Executive Realty) and Kiley Rupp (Body + Soul Day Spa) along with Scott Gross (144 DesignCo. and Hays Area Chamber of Commerce).Readle and Rupp have both recently gone through acquisitions and will talk about their experiences so far. Gross will talk about branding and marketing the new entity.The quarterly TriSpectives are made possible via The Robert E. Schmidt Foundation.

Grow Hays TriSpective to focus on growth through acquisition

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575929617735.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><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/2020/1/1580504088659.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Twenty-three projects have been selected for Kansas Airport Improvement Program funding for the purpose of planning, constructing or rehabilitating public use general aviation airports, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.&nbsp;

KAIP receives $5 million annually through the T-WORKS transportation program and requires airport sponsors to share in the project costs by paying a minimum of 5% of the total project. The KDOT’s Division of Aviation, which manages the program, considered 113 project applications this year with a combined total project value of more than $27 million.

“Transportation provides access to all things important in our lives and aviation is a particularly important mode of transportation for Kansas industry,” Julie Lorenz, Secretary of Transportation said. “These airport improvements are a few of the many important efforts to empower aviation economic growth across our entire state. KAIP has shown great value through the years and will continue under the proposed FORWARD transportation program.”&nbsp;

The selection board identified $4.2 million of improvements to address the top 15% most impactful airport improvements across the state.&nbsp;

“Aviation represents $20.6 billion in total economic impact for the state of Kansas,” said Bob Brock, KDOT Director of Aviation. “We’ve assessed the remaining $23.5 million of needs and are working with communities to identify best-value strategic improvements through KAIP.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Communities selected for funding and amount awarded include:

Atwood&nbsp;– Backup generator for airfield lighting and Automated Weather Observing System -- $27,000

Benton&nbsp;– 15 additional parking pads along taxiway -- $45,360

Colby&nbsp;– Airfield drainage and grading -- $104,250

Colby&nbsp;– Install Automated Weather Observing System -- $91,800

Gardner&nbsp;– Campus redesign, tech survey and business and economic plan -- $178,600

Goodland&nbsp;– Construct taxiway replacement -- $310,612

Hugoton&nbsp;– Crack seal, seal coat and re-mark runway -- $212,750

Hutchinson&nbsp;– Crack seal, seal coat and re-mark taxiway, aprons and taxilane -- $263,400

Independence&nbsp;– Remove and replace runway markings -- $212,250

Newton&nbsp;– Install precision approach path indicators -- $158,500

Olathe/Johnson County&nbsp;– Materials for minor maintenance -- $7,500

Olathe/New Century&nbsp;– Mill and overlay north half of hangar apron -- $216,000

Parsons&nbsp;– Two 10,000-gallon fuel tanks (Jet-A &amp; 100LL) and card reader -- $225,000

Phillipsburg&nbsp;– 600 feet runway extension design -- $332,500

Pratt&nbsp;– Two 10,000-gallon fuel tanks (Jet-A &amp; 100LL) -- $200,000

Rose Hill&nbsp;– Move electrical vault -- $41,650

Rose Hill&nbsp;– Lighting for taxiways -- $85,680

Rose Hill&nbsp;– Aeronautical survey for instrument approach -- $66,500

Rose Hill&nbsp;– Precision approach path indicator and windsock -- $38,610

Rose Hill&nbsp;– Update master plan -- $28,500

Salina&nbsp;– Rehabilitate pavement K-State Polytechnic apron -- $103,320

Satanta&nbsp;– Crack seal, seal coat and re-mark runway -- $141,530

Scott City&nbsp;– Install Automated Weather Observing System -- $100,980

Smith Center&nbsp;– Construct partial parallel taxiway -- $28,225

Tribune&nbsp;– Install Automated Weather Observing System -- $158,750

Ulysses&nbsp;– Install Automated Weather Observing System, segmented circle and wind-cone -- $417,000

Wellington&nbsp;– Repair Automated Weather Observing System -- $108,900

Wichita/James Jabara&nbsp;– Runway slab replacement and patching -- $344,000

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Twenty-three projects have been selected for Kansas Airport Improvement Program funding for the purpose of planning, constructing or rehabilitating public use general aviation airports, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.&nbsp;KAIP receives $5 million annually through the T-WORKS transportation program and requires airport sponsors to share in the project costs by paying a minimum of 5% of the total project. The KDOT’s Division of Aviation, which manages the program, considered 113 project applications this year with a combined total project value of more than $27 million.“Transportation provides access to all things important in our lives and aviation is a particularly important mode of transportation for Kansas industry,” Julie Lorenz, Secretary of Transportation said. “These airport improvements are a few of the many important efforts to empower aviation economic growth across our entire state. KAIP has shown great value through the years and will continue under the proposed FORWARD transportation program.”&nbsp;The selection board identified $4.2 million of improvements to address the top 15% most impactful airport improvements across the state.&nbsp;“Aviation represents $20.6 billion in total economic impact for the state of Kansas,” said Bob Brock, KDOT Director of Aviation. “We’ve assessed the remaining $23.5 million of needs and are working with communities to identify best-value strategic improvements through KAIP.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Communities selected for funding and amount awarded include:Atwood&nbsp;– Backup generator for airfield lighting and Automated Weather Observing System -- $27,000Benton&nbsp;– 15 additional parking pads along taxiway -- $45,360Colby&nbsp;– Airfield drainage and grading -- $104,250Colby&nbsp;– Install Automated Weather Observing System -- $91,800Gardner&nbsp;– Campus redesign, tech survey and business and economic plan -- $178,600Goodland&nbsp;– Construct taxiway replacement -- $310,612Hugoton&nbsp;– Crack seal, seal coat and re-mark runway -- $212,750Hutchinson&nbsp;– Crack seal, seal coat and re-mark taxiway, aprons and taxilane -- $263,400Independence&nbsp;– Remove and replace runway markings -- $212,250Newton&nbsp;– Install precision approach path indicators -- $158,500Olathe/Johnson County&nbsp;– Materials for minor maintenance -- $7,500Olathe/New Century&nbsp;– Mill and overlay north half of hangar apron -- $216,000Parsons&nbsp;– Two 10,000-gallon fuel tanks (Jet-A &amp; 100LL) and card reader -- $225,000Phillipsburg&nbsp;– 600 feet runway extension design -- $332,500Pratt&nbsp;– Two 10,000-gallon fuel tanks (Jet-A &amp; 100LL) -- $200,000Rose Hill&nbsp;– Move electrical vault -- $41,650Rose Hill&nbsp;– Lighting for taxiways -- $85,680Rose Hill&nbsp;– Aeronautical survey for instrument approach -- $66,500Rose Hill&nbsp;– Precision approach path indicator and windsock -- $38,610Rose Hill&nbsp;– Update master plan -- $28,500Salina&nbsp;– Rehabilitate pavement K-State Polytechnic apron -- $103,320Satanta&nbsp;– Crack seal, seal coat and re-mark runway -- $141,530Scott City&nbsp;– Install Automated Weather Observing System -- $100,980Smith Center&nbsp;– Construct partial parallel taxiway -- $28,225Tribune&nbsp;– Install Automated Weather Observing System -- $158,750Ulysses&nbsp;– Install Automated Weather Observing System, segmented circle and wind-cone -- $417,000Wellington&nbsp;– Repair Automated Weather Observing System -- $108,900Wichita/James Jabara&nbsp;– Runway slab replacement and patching -- $344,000

NW Kan. airports among those receiving funding for improvements

Public radio performers featured on nationally syndicated shows, Mountain Stage and Prairie Home Companion, are coming to St. Francis on Sunday, Feb. 9. The 3 p.m. Central show is scheduled for the St. Francis Community High School Auditorium.

Grammy Award winning singer Mollie O’Brien and her husband, professional guitarist Rich Moore, have mined the vast range of American roots music from traditional folk, jazz, blues and rock to create a varied and entertaining show for the Western Plains Arts Association.&nbsp;

Admission is by WPAA season ticket or adults $10 and students $5. 50th anniversary season programs are made possible through the generous support of area businesses and individuals, including a grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan, Kan.

Here is what a few leaders in the music industry say about O’Brien. ”An incredible singer and fantastic guitarist performing some of the best songs you’ll ever hear in one show…In 27 years of performing on Mountain Stage, she’s one of the top three best singers ever to perform on the show,” Larry Groce, artistic director and host, Mountain Stage. Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones said, “If you want to know what singing is all about, listen to Mollie O’Brien.” The Washington Post wrote, “The precision of her phrasing, the smooth flow of her delivery and the sheer beauty of her alto make her one of the best interpretive singers in American pop today.”

O’Brien and Moore have been married more than 30 years, making beautiful music together and apart. They met in 1981 at the Denver Folklore Center and married a few years later. At the time they were involved in their own bands and working solidly all over Colorado – Mollie was singing with Prosperity Jazz Band, a vintage swing band which featured local luminary Washboard Chaz among others; Rich was playing bass with the rock-steady blues band, The Late Show. Within a year Mollie joined The Late Show, and they attracted notice outside the bar band scene and began playing Colorado blues festivals and concerts. A few years of marriage and two daughters later, things began to change. O’Brien quit the blues band and Moore got a day job that he held until both of their daughters graduated from college. Now, here’s how things turned out.

O’Brien became known to the rest of the world as a singer’s singer when, in 1988, she and her brother Tim released the first of three critically-acclaimed albums. Eventually, Mollie recorded five equally well-received solo albums. She was a regular on the nationally-syndicated radio show, “A Prairie Home Companion” from 2001 through 2005, and has long been known as a singer who doesn’t recognize a lot of musical boundaries. Audiences love her fluid ability to make herself at home in any genre while never sacrificing the essence of the song she tackles. She has primarily focused her efforts on the fading art of interpretation and the end result is a singer at the very top of her game who is not afraid to take risks both vocally and in the material she chooses.

Moore has immersed himself in the Colorado music scene for many years. While staying home with the kids when Mollie and Tim toured, he held a day job and continued to perform locally with a variety of Colorado favorites, including Pete Wernick and Celeste Krenz. Not only is Moore known to produce some of the funniest onstage running commentary, he’s also a powerhouse guitar player who can keep up with O’Brien’s twists and turns from blues to traditional folk to jazz to rock and roll. He creates a band with just his guitar and, as a result, theirs is an equal partnership.

The duo has released three CD’s that showcase their talent for unlocking the secrets to a diverse array of songs in authoritative yet very fun and unusual arrangements. Visit their website: mollieobrien.com for more information.

O’Brien and Moore let us know via their choice of material that they are not afraid to take risks. It’s almost as if they’re telling us that at this stage in their lives, they are at home with their musical selves – they can do whatever they want and they don’t care if the rest of the world agrees with them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580497590386.jpeg" alt="Photo by Amos Perrine" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Amos Perrine</figcaption>
 </figure>WPAAPublic radio performers featured on nationally syndicated shows, Mountain Stage and Prairie Home Companion, are coming to St. Francis on Sunday, Feb. 9. The 3 p.m. Central show is scheduled for the St. Francis Community High School Auditorium.Grammy Award winning singer Mollie O’Brien and her husband, professional guitarist Rich Moore, have mined the vast range of American roots music from traditional folk, jazz, blues and rock to create a varied and entertaining show for the Western Plains Arts Association.&nbsp;Admission is by WPAA season ticket or adults $10 and students $5. 50th anniversary season programs are made possible through the generous support of area businesses and individuals, including a grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan, Kan.Here is what a few leaders in the music industry say about O’Brien. ”An incredible singer and fantastic guitarist performing some of the best songs you’ll ever hear in one show…In 27 years of performing on Mountain Stage, she’s one of the top three best singers ever to perform on the show,” Larry Groce, artistic director and host, Mountain Stage. Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones said, “If you want to know what singing is all about, listen to Mollie O’Brien.” The Washington Post wrote, “The precision of her phrasing, the smooth flow of her delivery and the sheer beauty of her alto make her one of the best interpretive singers in American pop today.”O’Brien and Moore have been married more than 30 years, making beautiful music together and apart. They met in 1981 at the Denver Folklore Center and married a few years later. At the time they were involved in their own bands and working solidly all over Colorado – Mollie was singing with Prosperity Jazz Band, a vintage swing band which featured local luminary Washboard Chaz among others; Rich was playing bass with the rock-steady blues band, The Late Show. Within a year Mollie joined The Late Show, and they attracted notice outside the bar band scene and began playing Colorado blues festivals and concerts. A few years of marriage and two daughters later, things began to change. O’Brien quit the blues band and Moore got a day job that he held until both of their daughters graduated from college. Now, here’s how things turned out.O’Brien became known to the rest of the world as a singer’s singer when, in 1988, she and her brother Tim released the first of three critically-acclaimed albums. Eventually, Mollie recorded five equally well-received solo albums. She was a regular on the nationally-syndicated radio show, “A Prairie Home Companion” from 2001 through 2005, and has long been known as a singer who doesn’t recognize a lot of musical boundaries. Audiences love her fluid ability to make herself at home in any genre while never sacrificing the essence of the song she tackles. She has primarily focused her efforts on the fading art of interpretation and the end result is a singer at the very top of her game who is not afraid to take risks both vocally and in the material she chooses.Moore has immersed himself in the Colorado music scene for many years. While staying home with the kids when Mollie and Tim toured, he held a day job and continued to perform locally with a variety of Colorado favorites, including Pete Wernick and Celeste Krenz. Not only is Moore known to produce some of the funniest onstage running commentary, he’s also a powerhouse guitar player who can keep up with O’Brien’s twists and turns from blues to traditional folk to jazz to rock and roll. He creates a band with just his guitar and, as a result, theirs is an equal partnership.The duo has released three CD’s that showcase their talent for unlocking the secrets to a diverse array of songs in authoritative yet very fun and unusual arrangements. Visit their website: mollieobrien.com for more information.O’Brien and Moore let us know via their choice of material that they are not afraid to take risks. It’s almost as if they’re telling us that at this stage in their lives, they are at home with their musical selves – they can do whatever they want and they don’t care if the rest of the world agrees with them.Cover photo by David Burns

Public radio performers to be featured Feb. 9 in St. Francis

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile notifications click here.</a><div><iframe title="HHS Project Prom helps everyone enjoy special events" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/yrkua-d1f501?from=yiiadmin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&skin=3&auto=1&share=1&fonts=Helvetica&download=1&rtl=0&pbad=1"></iframe></div>

🎤Post Podcast: HHS Project Prom helps every student enjoy special events

WALLACE COUNTY— One person died in an accident just after 4.a.m. Saturday in Wallace County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Suzuki Grand Vitara driven by Timothy P. Williams, 37, Pueblo, Co., was westbound on U.S 40 eight miles east of Kansas 27 at Sharon Springs.

The driver lost control of the vehicle. It entered the north ditch and rolled multiple times.&nbsp; Two occupants of the vehicle were ejected.&nbsp;

EMS transported Williams and passengers Gary Westphall, 41, Pueblo, Co; Chad Eugene Coleman, 42, Colorado Springs, Co.; and Marshall Wayne Hobson, 22, Pueblo Co., to the hospital in Goodland where Hobson died. 

Only Coleman was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

WALLACE COUNTY— One person died in an accident just after 4.a.m. Saturday in Wallace County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Suzuki Grand Vitara driven by Timothy P. Williams, 37, Pueblo, Co., was westbound on U.S 40 eight miles east of Kansas 27 at Sharon Springs.The driver lost control of the vehicle. It entered the north ditch and rolled multiple times.&nbsp; Two occupants of the vehicle were ejected.&nbsp;EMS transported Williams and passengers Gary Westphall, 41, Pueblo, Co; Chad Eugene Coleman, 42, Colorado Springs, Co.; and Marshall Wayne Hobson, 22, Pueblo Co., to the hospital in Goodland where Hobson died. Only Coleman was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

1 dead, 3 hospitalized after SUV rolls in NW Kansas

The Hays High Dance Team is excited to hold its annual dance camp.

 Any child (boy or girl) kindergarten-fifth grade is welcome. The camp will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 15&nbsp;with a parent performance at 11:45 a.m. at Hays High School Gym A. 

Check in will begin at 8:30 a.m. This year the dancers will be learning a dance to a mix of songs. Drinks and snacks will be provided, and each dancer will receive a camp T-shirt to be worn the night of performance, which will be Tuesday, Feb. 18 during the halftime of the girls varsity basketball game. 

Please return the the registration form along with payment (cash or check payable to Hays High School Dance) to your grade school or the High School office by Monday, Feb. 10 in an envelope: Attn: Sarah Malott, HHS Dance.

If you have questions or wish to RSVP, email hayshighdanceteam@gmail.com.

Child’s Name _________________________________					 &nbsp; &nbsp; Grade ______&nbsp;

Shirt Size (Please Circle) 	Youth: &nbsp;	 S&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; M &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; L &nbsp; &nbsp; 		Adult:&nbsp; &nbsp; S&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; M&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; L	 &nbsp; XL

Address________________________________________________________________________			

Phone Number 	________________________		_

 Cell Number	__________________________&nbsp;

Medical Concerns? ________________________________________________________________________________	

Emergency Contact: Name and phone number if parent cannot be reached during camp.

(N)_________________________________________

(#)_________________________________________

Disclaimer: My child has my permission to attend the Hays High Dance Camp. I have no knowledge of any physical impairment that would affect or be affected by my child’s participation in camp or at the performance. In the event of an emergency at camp in which my child requires medical care, I authorize the staff of Hays High Dance Camp to obtain for them whatever medical treatment the staff, in its best judgment deems necessary and appropriate. I specifically waive and release the staff of Hays High Dance Camp, Hays High School and U.S.D. 489 from liability of any claim for damages that my child or I may have for the injuries they may sustain at the Hays High Dance Camp and the performance.&nbsp;

Parent/Guardian Signature&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;					 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 	Date	

SubmittedThe Hays High Dance Team is excited to hold its annual dance camp. Any child (boy or girl) kindergarten-fifth grade is welcome. The camp will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 15&nbsp;with a parent performance at 11:45 a.m. at Hays High School Gym A. Check in will begin at 8:30 a.m. This year the dancers will be learning a dance to a mix of songs. Drinks and snacks will be provided, and each dancer will receive a camp T-shirt to be worn the night of performance, which will be Tuesday, Feb. 18 during the halftime of the girls varsity basketball game. Camp cost is $25 per dancer.Please return the the registration form along with payment (cash or check payable to Hays High School Dance) to your grade school or the High School office by Monday, Feb. 10 in an envelope: Attn: Sarah Malott, HHS Dance.If you have questions or wish to RSVP, email hayshighdanceteam@gmail.com.<h2>Registration form</h2>Hays High Dance CampChild’s Name _________________________________					 &nbsp; &nbsp; Grade ______&nbsp;Parent/Guardian(s)										Shirt Size (Please Circle) 	Youth: &nbsp;	 S&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; M &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; L &nbsp; &nbsp; 		Adult:&nbsp; &nbsp; S&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; M&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; L	 &nbsp; XLAddress________________________________________________________________________			Phone Number 	________________________		_ Cell Number	__________________________&nbsp;Family Doctor						 Doctor Phone #			Medical Concerns? ________________________________________________________________________________	Emergency Contact: Name and phone number if parent cannot be reached during camp.(N)_________________________________________(#)_________________________________________Disclaimer: My child has my permission to attend the Hays High Dance Camp. I have no knowledge of any physical impairment that would affect or be affected by my child’s participation in camp or at the performance. In the event of an emergency at camp in which my child requires medical care, I authorize the staff of Hays High Dance Camp to obtain for them whatever medical treatment the staff, in its best judgment deems necessary and appropriate. I specifically waive and release the staff of Hays High Dance Camp, Hays High School and U.S.D. 489 from liability of any claim for damages that my child or I may have for the injuries they may sustain at the Hays High Dance Camp and the performance.&nbsp;Parent/Guardian Signature&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;					 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 	Date

Registration open for Hays High dance camp



The 16th-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team opens a three-game home swing Saturday (Feb. 1) with a big conference matchup against Nebraska-Kearney. Opening tip in the rivalry matchup is slated for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Promotions Game Sponsor: Eagle National Anthem: Washington Grade School Student Section Theme: Black out the Lopers - wear black! Kids K-12th grade get in FREE courtesy of Eagle and FHSU Athletics Halftime performance: Vision Dance Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM) <a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KJLS">LISTEN LIVE</a>

The Tigers (16-3, 7-3 MIAA) are looking to avenge one of this season's losses after falling to the Lopers (19-2, 8-2 MIAA) back in December.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5442">Jaden Hobbs</a>&nbsp;tallied 20 points and four assists in that contest, with&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5430">Belle Barbieri</a>&nbsp;nearly picking up a double-double (15 points, nine rebounds).

Fort Hays State is riding a 32 game regular season home winning streak, dating back more than two years. The Lopers were the last team to defeat FHSU at home during the regular season, winning 78-64 in January 2018.

Fort Hays State holds a 56-37 lead in the all-time series with UNK, including a 34-11 edge in games played in Hays. The Tigers have more games against and more wins over the Lopers than any other team in program history. FHSU has dominated the series of late, winning 17 of the last 19 meetings. Head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=884">Tony Hobson</a>&nbsp;is 17-3 against the Lopers, including wins in eight of the 10 games played inside GMC. Hobson holds a 7-2 edge when coaching against his former player and assistant coach and current UNK head coach Carrie Eighmey.

Hobbs is currently averaging 4.6 assists per contest, which would tie for third-most in a single season in program history.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5434">Kacey Kennett</a>&nbsp;has been a scoring machine for the Tigers of late, averaging 16.8 points over the last four games.

Barbieri has been comfortable playing at home all season, knocking down 65.7 percent of her shots inside the Coliseum and leading the team with 12.0 points per home game.

Nebraska-Kearney currently sits in second in the MIAA standings with an overall record of 19-2 and an conference mark of 8-2. Both teams to defeat the Lopers this season are from the state of Kansas (Pittsburg State, Emporia State). They lead the league in both scoring offense with 79.4 points per game and scoring defense at 54.6 points allowed per contest. Their +24.8 scoring margin is fifth-best in the country. The Lopers sit just behind the Tigers in assist/turnover ratio, ranking fourth nationally at 1.46. They dish out 18.6 assists each night, fourth-most in the league. Haley Simental leads the team with 12.1 points per game, with Maegan Holt (10.8 ppg) and Brooke Carlson (10.7 ppg) also averaging in double figures. Simental's 3-point shooting percentage of 46.9 percent is 11th-best in the country.



<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580488965396.jpeg" alt="Courtesy FHSU Athletics / Allie Schweizer photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy FHSU Athletics / Allie Schweizer photo</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Sports Information

The 16th-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team opens a three-game home swing Saturday (Feb. 1) with a big conference matchup against Nebraska-Kearney. Opening tip in the rivalry matchup is slated for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.Promotions Game Sponsor: Eagle National Anthem: Washington Grade School Student Section Theme: Black out the Lopers - wear black! Kids K-12th grade get in FREE courtesy of Eagle and FHSU Athletics Halftime performance: Vision Dance Radio: KJLS (103.3-FM) <a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KJLS">LISTEN LIVE</a>The Tigers (16-3, 7-3 MIAA) are looking to avenge one of this season's losses after falling to the Lopers (19-2, 8-2 MIAA) back in December.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5442">Jaden Hobbs</a>&nbsp;tallied 20 points and four assists in that contest, with&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5430">Belle Barbieri</a>&nbsp;nearly picking up a double-double (15 points, nine rebounds).Fort Hays State is riding a 32 game regular season home winning streak, dating back more than two years. The Lopers were the last team to defeat FHSU at home during the regular season, winning 78-64 in January 2018.Fort Hays State holds a 56-37 lead in the all-time series with UNK, including a 34-11 edge in games played in Hays. The Tigers have more games against and more wins over the Lopers than any other team in program history. FHSU has dominated the series of late, winning 17 of the last 19 meetings. Head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=884">Tony Hobson</a>&nbsp;is 17-3 against the Lopers, including wins in eight of the 10 games played inside GMC. Hobson holds a 7-2 edge when coaching against his former player and assistant coach and current UNK head coach Carrie Eighmey.Hobbs is currently averaging 4.6 assists per contest, which would tie for third-most in a single season in program history.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5434">Kacey Kennett</a>&nbsp;has been a scoring machine for the Tigers of late, averaging 16.8 points over the last four games.Barbieri has been comfortable playing at home all season, knocking down 65.7 percent of her shots inside the Coliseum and leading the team with 12.0 points per home game.Nebraska-Kearney currently sits in second in the MIAA standings with an overall record of 19-2 and an conference mark of 8-2. Both teams to defeat the Lopers this season are from the state of Kansas (Pittsburg State, Emporia State). They lead the league in both scoring offense with 79.4 points per game and scoring defense at 54.6 points allowed per contest. Their +24.8 scoring margin is fifth-best in the country. The Lopers sit just behind the Tigers in assist/turnover ratio, ranking fourth nationally at 1.46. They dish out 18.6 assists each night, fourth-most in the league. Haley Simental leads the team with 12.1 points per game, with Maegan Holt (10.8 ppg) and Brooke Carlson (10.7 ppg) also averaging in double figures. Simental's 3-point shooting percentage of 46.9 percent is 11th-best in the country.

No. 16 FHSU women's basketball back home against rival Lopers Saturday

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Turn-Key Property is set to open a new 18-unit apartment complex at the corner of Seventh and Oak Streets in Hays as of June 1.

Turn-Key is pre-leasing the units now as work continues on the three-story building in downtown Hays.

Mike Graham of Turn-Key said he thought the location of the new apartments will be a selling point.

"I think it was just a good location — not right up against the college, but close to that and close to downtown," he said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580325821260.jpeg" alt="Seventh and Oak Suites in Hays is scheduled to be open for renters as of June 1." />
 <figcaption>Seventh and Oak Suites in Hays is scheduled to be open for renters as of June 1.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostTurn-Key Property is set to open a new 18-unit apartment complex at the corner of Seventh and Oak Streets in Hays as of June 1.Turn-Key is pre-leasing the units now as work continues on the three-story building in downtown Hays.Mike Graham of Turn-Key said he thought the location of the new apartments will be a selling point."I think it was just a good location — not right up against the college, but close to that and close to downtown," he said.&nbsp;The property is also close to Hays amenities, such as the Hays Aquatic Park, Larks Park, Municipal Park and Frontier Park.Graham said the builders felt there was a need for one-bedroom apartments in Hays, noting that most of the one-bedroom apartments available in the city are older.David Randa, owner of Reliable HVAC and partner on the project, said the complex is being constructed with an eye on efficiency.All utilities plus internet will be paid at the complex, which will utilize solar power for a portion of its electrical needs."We are doing everything we can to be as green as possible — as efficient as possible," Randa said.The city of Hays has also helped the developers be the utmost efficient in water usage.Graham said he thought renters like to have leases with all utilities paid, and these efficiencies allow the developers to offer that benefit.The 700-square-foot apartments are all one bedroom with full-size kitchens. They come equipped with all appliances, including fridges, stoves, dishwashers, microwaves and washer/dryers. The cabinets are hickory, and the countertops are granite.Off-street parking will also be available.Rent will be $775 per month for two people or $750 for one person. About one-third of the apartments have already been rented.If you are interested in leasing one of the apartments, you can email michael@turn-keyproperty.com or call 785-656-3081.Turn-Key Property manages properties across the city for numerous owners and is currently leasing one, two, three, four, five and six bedroom rentals at other facilities. The management group has about 150 openings for June.Graham said said he wanted to thank Doug Williams of Grow Hays for his input on the project and acknowledge Ben Moore, the architect, and Driggs Design Group.

Local