RUSSELL — The next exhibition at the Deines Cultural Center is Atomic Kansas: Paintings by Elizabeth Daniel from Tonganoxie.

Her lifelong fascination with the “Atomic Era” and the design elements of the 1950s and '60s lead artist, Elizabeth Daniel to toying with the idea of mixing nature and nostalgia. She creates mid-century inspired work that boasts bright colors and almost appears to serve as vibrant, kitschy advertisements for Kansas scenery.

Daniel’s show Atomic Kansas will be exhibited January 24 through February 21.

The opening reception is January 24 from 5-7 p.m.

The Deines Cultural Center is located in Russell at 820 N. Main. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579539588403.jpeg" alt="The exhibit "Atomic Kansas" by Elizabeth Daniel opens Friday at Deines Cultural Center, Russell." />
 <figcaption>The exhibit "Atomic Kansas" by Elizabeth Daniel opens Friday at Deines Cultural Center, Russell.</figcaption>
 </figure>DCCRUSSELL — The next exhibition at the Deines Cultural Center is Atomic Kansas: Paintings by Elizabeth Daniel from Tonganoxie.Her lifelong fascination with the “Atomic Era” and the design elements of the 1950s and '60s lead artist, Elizabeth Daniel to toying with the idea of mixing nature and nostalgia. She creates mid-century inspired work that boasts bright colors and almost appears to serve as vibrant, kitschy advertisements for Kansas scenery.Daniel’s show Atomic Kansas will be exhibited January 24 through February 21.The opening reception is January 24 from 5-7 p.m.The Deines Cultural Center is located in Russell at 820 N. Main. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.Call 785-483-3742 for information.

'Atomic Kansas' exhibit opens Friday in Russell

Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson held steady at $48.75 a barrel. That's 50 cents a barrel higher than a week ago, and $2.25 a barrel less than at the start of this year. Current prices are seven dollars a barrel higher than a year ago.

The weekly rig count from Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service was down one rig to eight rigs operating in eastern Kansas, and up two to 15 rigs west of Wichita. The total is 18% lower than a month ago and 30% lower than a year ago at this time.&nbsp; Drilling was underway on one lease in Russell County. Baker Hughes reports 796 active drilling rigs across the U.S., an increase of 14 oil rigs and one seeking natural gas.&nbsp; The count in Texas was up five rigs, while New Mexico and North Dakota were each up three.&nbsp; Canada reported 244 active drilling rigs, up 41 from a week ago.

Kansas Regulators granted permits for drilling at eleven new locations across the state last week, four of them east of Wichita and seven in Western Kansas. That's 38 new permits so far this year.

Independent Oil &amp; Gas reports 29 newly-completed wells across the state, 57 so far this year. There were eight new completions in eastern Kansas, and 21 in the western half of the state, including one in Russell County and two in Stafford County.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports average U.S. crude production last year reached 12.2 million barrels per day.&nbsp; That's an increase of 1.3 million barrels per day.&nbsp;&nbsp;Petroleum imports dropped from 2.3 million to just half a million barrels per day last year. The U.S. has remained a net petroleum exporter since September, and EIA predicts that will continue through 2020 and 2021.

U.S. natural gas production set a new record last year: 92 billion cubic feet per day. In its monthly Short Term Energy Outlook, the government predicts U.S. operators will beat that total this year and again next year.&nbsp; Natural gas prices are predicted to drop this year but recover and actually gain ground next year.

U.S. operators set another production record last week.&nbsp; The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports production of 12.98 million barrels per day for the week ending January 10. That beats the previous record by about 100-thousand barrels per day. &nbsp;

As our production continues to increase, U.S. imports continue to drop, and we remain a net petroleum exporter. EIA reported imports of 6.6 million barrels per day last week, down 179-thousand barrels per day.&nbsp; The four-week average is about 13% less than the same period a year ago.

Regulators in North Dakota report that state's crude-oil production dipped in November from October's record high.&nbsp; The Department of Mineral Resources reported statewide production of 1.515 million barrels. That's down 2,500 barrels per day from the state's record set the previous month. The state's operators were able to capture just 83% of the natural gas produced at the state's oil wells, and were forced to vent or flare the remaining 17%.

Oil-by-rail in the U.S. continues to show increases over the same period a year ago, despite a broad downturn in freight-train traffic.&nbsp; The Association of American Railroads reports 14,303 tanker cars moved petroleum and petroleum products during the week ending January 11. That's up 2.8% from the same week a year ago. Canada reports a 12.9% increase.

New shipping fuel regulations have dramatically boosted demand for heavy-sweet grades of crude oil, which are the best suited to produce newly-required low-sulfur fuel. Reuters cites one spot deal in which more than half a million barrels of Australian heavy sweet crude were sold at a $30 premium, or nearly $100 a barrel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574099516454.jpeg" alt="<a href="https://drlg4ksoil.com/">Discovery Drilling</a>" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://drlg4ksoil.com/">Discovery Drilling</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARKansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson held steady at $48.75 a barrel. That's 50 cents a barrel higher than a week ago, and $2.25 a barrel less than at the start of this year. Current prices are seven dollars a barrel higher than a year ago.The weekly rig count from Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service was down one rig to eight rigs operating in eastern Kansas, and up two to 15 rigs west of Wichita. The total is 18% lower than a month ago and 30% lower than a year ago at this time.&nbsp; Drilling was underway on one lease in Russell County. Baker Hughes reports 796 active drilling rigs across the U.S., an increase of 14 oil rigs and one seeking natural gas.&nbsp; The count in Texas was up five rigs, while New Mexico and North Dakota were each up three.&nbsp; Canada reported 244 active drilling rigs, up 41 from a week ago.Kansas Regulators granted permits for drilling at eleven new locations across the state last week, four of them east of Wichita and seven in Western Kansas. That's 38 new permits so far this year.Independent Oil &amp; Gas reports 29 newly-completed wells across the state, 57 so far this year. There were eight new completions in eastern Kansas, and 21 in the western half of the state, including one in Russell County and two in Stafford County.The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports average U.S. crude production last year reached 12.2 million barrels per day.&nbsp; That's an increase of 1.3 million barrels per day.&nbsp;&nbsp;Petroleum imports dropped from 2.3 million to just half a million barrels per day last year. The U.S. has remained a net petroleum exporter since September, and EIA predicts that will continue through 2020 and 2021.U.S. natural gas production set a new record last year: 92 billion cubic feet per day. In its monthly Short Term Energy Outlook, the government predicts U.S. operators will beat that total this year and again next year.&nbsp; Natural gas prices are predicted to drop this year but recover and actually gain ground next year.U.S. operators set another production record last week.&nbsp; The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports production of 12.98 million barrels per day for the week ending January 10. That beats the previous record by about 100-thousand barrels per day. &nbsp;As our production continues to increase, U.S. imports continue to drop, and we remain a net petroleum exporter. EIA reported imports of 6.6 million barrels per day last week, down 179-thousand barrels per day.&nbsp; The four-week average is about 13% less than the same period a year ago.Regulators in North Dakota report that state's crude-oil production dipped in November from October's record high.&nbsp; The Department of Mineral Resources reported statewide production of 1.515 million barrels. That's down 2,500 barrels per day from the state's record set the previous month. The state's operators were able to capture just 83% of the natural gas produced at the state's oil wells, and were forced to vent or flare the remaining 17%.Oil-by-rail in the U.S. continues to show increases over the same period a year ago, despite a broad downturn in freight-train traffic.&nbsp; The Association of American Railroads reports 14,303 tanker cars moved petroleum and petroleum products during the week ending January 11. That's up 2.8% from the same week a year ago. Canada reports a 12.9% increase.New shipping fuel regulations have dramatically boosted demand for heavy-sweet grades of crude oil, which are the best suited to produce newly-required low-sulfur fuel. Reuters cites one spot deal in which more than half a million barrels of Australian heavy sweet crude were sold at a $30 premium, or nearly $100 a barrel.

News From the Oil Patch, Jan. 20

<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="Grow Hays programming ramping up for 2020" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/p7kus-d0153f&?from=usersite&vjs=1&skin=3&fonts=Helvetica&auto=1&download=1" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player"></iframe></div>

🎤Post Podcast: Grow Hays programming ramping up for 2020

Last week’s inspection results from the Kansas Department of Agriculture:

Lucky Buffet&nbsp;- Jan. 16 2405 Vine - Hays

An inspection following a complaint found four violations.

<h2>Last week’s inspection results from the Kansas Department of Agriculture:</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577115615594.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Lucky Buffet&nbsp;- Jan. 16 2405 Vine - HaysAn inspection following a complaint found four violations.<ol>
 <li>In the two-door refrigeration unit, there was a plate that had a raw chicken breast being stored on a wire rack directly above an opened container of cut assorted vegetables. No evidence of leaking was observed.&nbsp; </li><li>On one of the buffet lines, there was cut cantaloupe at the temperature of 62 F. Cantaloupe was held in the refrigeration before cutting began. All other cold holding temperatures are in compliance. </li><li>In the walk-in cooler, there were two pans of crab rangoon that had no date label. </li><li>In the two-door True refrigeration unit, there was an opened container of assorted desserts, that contained milk, with no date of when the box was opened.&nbsp; </li>
 </ol>

Ellis Co. restaurant and lodging inspections, 1/13 – 01/19

<a href="https://wakeeneytravelblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/17/exploring-kansas-legends-and-folktales-with-the-trego-county-historical-society/">By DENA WEIGEL BELL</a> WaKeeney Travel Blog

WAKEENEY — Giant grasshoppers and elusive jackalopes. Kansas is a place of tall tales and legendary characters, but these exaggerations are more than just interesting stories meant to entertain. They are the stories we share to explain the uniqueness of the Kansas character.

In celebration of Kansas Day, the Trego County Historical Society will examine our state’s many legends and folktales and what they say about the communities that keep these stories alive during a presentation on&nbsp;“Kansas Legends and Folktales" with Jim Hoy.

On Sunday, Jan. 26,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.humanitieskansas.org/get-involved/request-speaker/jim-hoy-kansas-legends-and-folktales" target="_blank">historian and author Jim Hoy</a>&nbsp;will present&nbsp;“Kansas Legends and Folktales,” an examination of&nbsp;the history of these stories and how they have helped shape the character of our state and its people.

As a former director of the Center for Great Plains Studies at Emporia State University and an authority on the folklife of ranching, Hoy is an authority on the&nbsp;subject&nbsp;and has co-authored “Plains Folk,” a syndicated newspaper column focused on&nbsp;rural Kansas life.

&nbsp;This presentation is funded by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.humanitieskansas.org/grants-programs/speakers-bureau" target="_blank">Kansas Humanities</a>’&nbsp;Movement of Ideas&nbsp;Speakers Bureau, an organization dedicated to sharing stories that inspire our imaginations, spark informed conversations, and generate insights that strengthen civic engagement through presentations and workshops with experts on the subjects.

Along with the presentation, awards will be handed out to the top recipients of the museum’s annual Kansas Day coloring contest.

 This is the eighth year the Historical Society has sponsored the program for Trego Grade School’s first through fourth grades students and every year the entries focus on places found in Trego County.

&nbsp;Join us at the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.tregohistorical.org/" target="_blank">Trego County Historical Society Museum</a>&nbsp;in WaKeeney on Sunday, January 26 at 2 p.m. for “Kansas Legends and Folktales” with Jim Hoy.

The Kansas Day program is an annual event celebrating our state’s entry into the Union and is free to the public.&nbsp;

For more information about this event and others&nbsp;contact the Trego County Historical Society of&nbsp;WaKeeney at (785) 743-2964.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://wakeeneytravelblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/17/exploring-kansas-legends-and-folktales-with-the-trego-county-historical-society/">By DENA WEIGEL BELL</a> WaKeeney Travel BlogWAKEENEY — Giant grasshoppers and elusive jackalopes. Kansas is a place of tall tales and legendary characters, but these exaggerations are more than just interesting stories meant to entertain. They are the stories we share to explain the uniqueness of the Kansas character.In celebration of Kansas Day, the Trego County Historical Society will examine our state’s many legends and folktales and what they say about the communities that keep these stories alive during a presentation on&nbsp;“Kansas Legends and Folktales" with Jim Hoy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579540475801.jpeg" alt="Jim Hoy" />
 <figcaption>Jim Hoy</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>“Kansas Legends and Folktales”</h2>On Sunday, Jan. 26,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.humanitieskansas.org/get-involved/request-speaker/jim-hoy-kansas-legends-and-folktales" target="_blank">historian and author Jim Hoy</a>&nbsp;will present&nbsp;“Kansas Legends and Folktales,” an examination of&nbsp;the history of these stories and how they have helped shape the character of our state and its people. As a former director of the Center for Great Plains Studies at Emporia State University and an authority on the folklife of ranching, Hoy is an authority on the&nbsp;subject&nbsp;and has co-authored “Plains Folk,” a syndicated newspaper column focused on&nbsp;rural Kansas life.&nbsp;This presentation is funded by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.humanitieskansas.org/grants-programs/speakers-bureau" target="_blank">Kansas Humanities</a>’&nbsp;Movement of Ideas&nbsp;Speakers Bureau, an organization dedicated to sharing stories that inspire our imaginations, spark informed conversations, and generate insights that strengthen civic engagement through presentations and workshops with experts on the subjects.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579540418289.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Day Coloring ContestAlong with the presentation, awards will be handed out to the top recipients of the museum’s annual Kansas Day coloring contest. This is the eighth year the Historical Society has sponsored the program for Trego Grade School’s first through fourth grades students and every year the entries focus on places found in Trego County.&nbsp;Join us at the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.tregohistorical.org/" target="_blank">Trego County Historical Society Museum</a>&nbsp;in WaKeeney on Sunday, January 26 at 2 p.m. for “Kansas Legends and Folktales” with Jim Hoy. The Kansas Day program is an annual event celebrating our state’s entry into the Union and is free to the public.&nbsp;For more information about this event and others&nbsp;contact the Trego County Historical Society of&nbsp;WaKeeney at (785) 743-2964.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Historian will explore Kansas legends, folktales in Trego County

Enjoy the sunny skies Monday while they last.

The National Weather Service in Dodge City is warning of more winter weather on the way Tuesday.

Beginning between 2 and 4 p.m., the NWS is calling for a quick-moving system to&nbsp; run through Kansas from the west, bringing a wintry mix of rain and snow to the region.&nbsp;

There's another slight chance of rain and snow Wednesday and Thursday before skies clear again Thursday night and Friday.

Check Hays Post and tune into your Eagle Radio of Hays stations for the latest on severe weather and cancellations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579536973737.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Enjoy the sunny skies Monday while they last.The National Weather Service in Dodge City is warning of more winter weather on the way Tuesday.Beginning between 2 and 4 p.m., the NWS is calling for a quick-moving system to&nbsp; run through Kansas from the west, bringing a wintry mix of rain and snow to the region.&nbsp;There's another slight chance of rain and snow Wednesday and Thursday before skies clear again Thursday night and Friday.Check Hays Post and tune into your Eagle Radio of Hays stations for the latest on severe weather and cancellations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579536997904.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579537019749.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

NWS: System could bring more winter weather to region Tuesday

The 74th annual meeting of the Ellis County Conservation District will be 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall, 2350 E. Eighth.

Evening activities will include a meal, provided courtesy of sponsors and the Ellis County Conservation District, election of two district supervisors and presentation of onservation awards.

The evening will conclude with entertainment by Bluegrass duo 80 Proof Alice. 

The public is invited to attend this event at no charge. RSVP by Jan. 24 by calling 785-628-3081, Ext 3.

2019 Wildlife Award:&nbsp;Bill and Brenda Klaus

The Ellis County Conservation District and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism have selected Bill and Brenda Klaus as the recipient of the 2019 Wildlife Habitat Award.

Bill has always enjoyed wildlife when either hunting with family and friends or having the ability to watch it in his backyard.&nbsp; In 2006, Bill started putting together plans for installing two wildlife windbreaks on his property.&nbsp; The spring of 2007 Bill met with the local NRCS office to finalize his plans.&nbsp; A four-row windbreak was installed along with a smaller three-row windbreak on his property consisting of over 600 plants.&nbsp; The windbreaks allow for shelter for the wildlife along with a food source for them with the plums that were planted on both sides of the larger windbreak.&nbsp; Weed barrier was installed to help with the weed control and a drip irrigation system was also installed to assist in the survival of the plantings.&nbsp; Over the first few years several cedars and shrubs had to be replanted to prevent gaps in the windbreaks.&nbsp; Bill mentioned the plums have really taken off lately and formed nice thickets for the wildlife.

The next step in transforming his property for wildlife habitat began with the seeding of half of the cropland acres to a grass and forb mix in 2014.&nbsp; The next year following wheat harvest, the wheat stubble was sprayed and used for cover to drill the same grass and forb mix to the remaining cropland acres in 2015.&nbsp; He mows areas to allow the wildlife areas to grow reducing the thick thatch that forms from several years of grass growth with no maintenance. &nbsp;

In the future Bill would like to plant some food plots to allow for the wildlife to utilize.&nbsp; He is amazed at how the variety and abundance of wildlife have shown up to their property.&nbsp; Bill enjoys being able to hear the birds and on occasion to see the wildlife from his back porch.

The Ellis County Conservation District and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism are honored to present Bill and Brenda Klaus as the recipient of the 2019 Wildlife Habitat Award for their conservation efforts.&nbsp;

2019 Conservation Award:&nbsp;Orville and Janel Moore

The Ellis County Conservation District has selected Orville &amp; Janel Moore as the recipients of the 2019 Conservation Award.

Orville and Janel are the third generation to farm the Moore and Werth land.&nbsp; Orville began his farm training as a young child running tractors for his dad and uncles when he was not in school.&nbsp; He still recalls solo piloting his first tractor at the age of 13.&nbsp; Orville and Janel have been married for 47 years and were blessed with four children Russ, Leigh Ann, John and Curt.&nbsp; Janel mentioned harvest time is always enjoyable as the kids come out to help and the 13 grandchildren ranging from 16 years old to a set of 4-year-old twins enjoy spending time in the harvest field.

Orville is no stranger to conservation as he has worked with his father, Millard, for over 50 years in the soil conservation construction business and as a farming partner.&nbsp; All of their land is terraced to reduce the soil erosion.&nbsp; Most terraces drain into waterways to get the excess moisture safely off of the fields.&nbsp; Orville also installed two tile outlet terraces which drain down a pipe to a bubble up riser.&nbsp; These were installed on some sandy soil next to an old sandpit allowing for the safe outlet of water on unstable soils. &nbsp;

Their farming operation is a wheat, sorghum, fallow rotation.&nbsp; Orville has been utilizing no-till on his cropland acres for several years which has removed the need to rebuild terraces due to the soil not being disturbed.&nbsp; He has tried cover crops in the fallow year to allow live roots growing in the soil to reduce soil erosion.&nbsp; Soil sampling is another tool Orville likes to utilize to prevent the over fertilization and runoff of unnecessary nutrients into our valuable water supply.

Orville and Janel also run a cow-calf operation and have four horses and one mule.&nbsp; They lightly stock their rangeland to prevent the over grazing of their pastures.&nbsp; Over the years pit-ponds and dams were installed on their pastures to retain water for the livestock.

Their future goals for their land is to retain the maximum amount of moisture received with the least amount of runoff possible.&nbsp; He stated they are stewards of the land for a short period of time and they want to pass it on in prime condition.&nbsp;

The Ellis County Conservation District is honored to present Orville &amp; Janel Moore with the 2019 Conservation Award for their conservation efforts.&nbsp;

2019 Windbreak Award:&nbsp;Jay and Janea Dinkel&nbsp;

The Ellis County Conservation District has selected Jay and Janea Dinkel as the recipients of the 2019 Windbreak Conservation Award.

In 2010, Jay and Janea purchased the piece of land they call home from Janea’s grandmother Stella Sander. Jay was already planning on what he wanted to do for their shelterbelt.&nbsp; Energy savings, visual barrier, wildlife habitat and dust protection were some of the goals in planning the windbreak.&nbsp; In 2011, with the help of family and friends, Jay and Janea planted their four-row windbreak consisting of cedars on the north two rows, hackberry on the third row and the south row of sandhill plum and fragrant sumac. The nearly 700 trees and shrubs were all planted by hand in holes that were drilled with a post hole digger mounted on back of a tractor.&nbsp; Once the trees were planted the weed barrier was installed by trenching on both sides of the tree rows and rolling out the barrier by hand.&nbsp; Finally, the drip irrigation system was installed to help with the watering of the massive planting. &nbsp;

Over the first season of tree growth nearly half of the trees died.&nbsp; Jay felt it was due to the very dry conditions and not wanting to drain the water well which was needed for the cattle also.&nbsp; 700 plants take a bunch of water to survive the harsh hot winds and drought.&nbsp; After replanting the dead trees and shrubs in the spring of 2012 they lost half of those.&nbsp; He felt it was again from the drought but was seeing improvements with the drip system.&nbsp; Jay didn’t know what rodent or critter was needing a drink, but he was missing the top half of most of the 6000 ft of drip line.&nbsp; He buried old sinks at the ends of the tree rows to allow the wildlife some water and his drip irrigation issues stopped.&nbsp; The hackberry was the hardest to keep going with the major wind storms.&nbsp; Pruning has helped with the hackberry and some support when necessary.

The windbreak is maintained by removing dead trees and replacing with new trees to reduce the possibility of gaps in protection.&nbsp; Weed barrier has been trimmed back from the trunks to prevent the girdling of the trees.&nbsp; The windbreak will be sprayed in the spring as some bag worms have shown up in the cedars.

Jay and Janea are very proud of what the windbreak has grown to be and made certain to point out the fact without the help of friends and family this project would not be the success it is today.

The Ellis County Conservation District is honored to present Jay and Janea Dinkel with the 2019 Windbreak Conservation Award.

The 74th annual meeting of the Ellis County Conservation District will be 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall, 2350 E. Eighth.Evening activities will include a meal, provided courtesy of sponsors and the Ellis County Conservation District, election of two district supervisors and presentation of onservation awards.The evening will conclude with entertainment by Bluegrass duo 80 Proof Alice. The public is invited to attend this event at no charge. RSVP by Jan. 24 by calling 785-628-3081, Ext 3.<h2>Award winners</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579533549559.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>2019 Wildlife Award:&nbsp;Bill and Brenda KlausThe Ellis County Conservation District and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism have selected Bill and Brenda Klaus as the recipient of the 2019 Wildlife Habitat Award.Bill has always enjoyed wildlife when either hunting with family and friends or having the ability to watch it in his backyard.&nbsp; In 2006, Bill started putting together plans for installing two wildlife windbreaks on his property.&nbsp; The spring of 2007 Bill met with the local NRCS office to finalize his plans.&nbsp; A four-row windbreak was installed along with a smaller three-row windbreak on his property consisting of over 600 plants.&nbsp; The windbreaks allow for shelter for the wildlife along with a food source for them with the plums that were planted on both sides of the larger windbreak.&nbsp; Weed barrier was installed to help with the weed control and a drip irrigation system was also installed to assist in the survival of the plantings.&nbsp; Over the first few years several cedars and shrubs had to be replanted to prevent gaps in the windbreaks.&nbsp; Bill mentioned the plums have really taken off lately and formed nice thickets for the wildlife.The next step in transforming his property for wildlife habitat began with the seeding of half of the cropland acres to a grass and forb mix in 2014.&nbsp; The next year following wheat harvest, the wheat stubble was sprayed and used for cover to drill the same grass and forb mix to the remaining cropland acres in 2015.&nbsp; He mows areas to allow the wildlife areas to grow reducing the thick thatch that forms from several years of grass growth with no maintenance. &nbsp;In the future Bill would like to plant some food plots to allow for the wildlife to utilize.&nbsp; He is amazed at how the variety and abundance of wildlife have shown up to their property.&nbsp; Bill enjoys being able to hear the birds and on occasion to see the wildlife from his back porch.The Ellis County Conservation District and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism are honored to present Bill and Brenda Klaus as the recipient of the 2019 Wildlife Habitat Award for their conservation efforts.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579533578967.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>2019 Conservation Award:&nbsp;Orville and Janel MooreThe Ellis County Conservation District has selected Orville &amp; Janel Moore as the recipients of the 2019 Conservation Award.Orville and Janel are the third generation to farm the Moore and Werth land.&nbsp; Orville began his farm training as a young child running tractors for his dad and uncles when he was not in school.&nbsp; He still recalls solo piloting his first tractor at the age of 13.&nbsp; Orville and Janel have been married for 47 years and were blessed with four children Russ, Leigh Ann, John and Curt.&nbsp; Janel mentioned harvest time is always enjoyable as the kids come out to help and the 13 grandchildren ranging from 16 years old to a set of 4-year-old twins enjoy spending time in the harvest field.Orville is no stranger to conservation as he has worked with his father, Millard, for over 50 years in the soil conservation construction business and as a farming partner.&nbsp; All of their land is terraced to reduce the soil erosion.&nbsp; Most terraces drain into waterways to get the excess moisture safely off of the fields.&nbsp; Orville also installed two tile outlet terraces which drain down a pipe to a bubble up riser.&nbsp; These were installed on some sandy soil next to an old sandpit allowing for the safe outlet of water on unstable soils. &nbsp;Their farming operation is a wheat, sorghum, fallow rotation.&nbsp; Orville has been utilizing no-till on his cropland acres for several years which has removed the need to rebuild terraces due to the soil not being disturbed.&nbsp; He has tried cover crops in the fallow year to allow live roots growing in the soil to reduce soil erosion.&nbsp; Soil sampling is another tool Orville likes to utilize to prevent the over fertilization and runoff of unnecessary nutrients into our valuable water supply.Orville and Janel also run a cow-calf operation and have four horses and one mule.&nbsp; They lightly stock their rangeland to prevent the over grazing of their pastures.&nbsp; Over the years pit-ponds and dams were installed on their pastures to retain water for the livestock.Their future goals for their land is to retain the maximum amount of moisture received with the least amount of runoff possible.&nbsp; He stated they are stewards of the land for a short period of time and they want to pass it on in prime condition.&nbsp;The Ellis County Conservation District is honored to present Orville &amp; Janel Moore with the 2019 Conservation Award for their conservation efforts.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579533621390.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>2019 Windbreak Award:&nbsp;Jay and Janea Dinkel&nbsp;The Ellis County Conservation District has selected Jay and Janea Dinkel as the recipients of the 2019 Windbreak Conservation Award.In 2010, Jay and Janea purchased the piece of land they call home from Janea’s grandmother Stella Sander. Jay was already planning on what he wanted to do for their shelterbelt.&nbsp; Energy savings, visual barrier, wildlife habitat and dust protection were some of the goals in planning the windbreak.&nbsp; In 2011, with the help of family and friends, Jay and Janea planted their four-row windbreak consisting of cedars on the north two rows, hackberry on the third row and the south row of sandhill plum and fragrant sumac. The nearly 700 trees and shrubs were all planted by hand in holes that were drilled with a post hole digger mounted on back of a tractor.&nbsp; Once the trees were planted the weed barrier was installed by trenching on both sides of the tree rows and rolling out the barrier by hand.&nbsp; Finally, the drip irrigation system was installed to help with the watering of the massive planting. &nbsp;Over the first season of tree growth nearly half of the trees died.&nbsp; Jay felt it was due to the very dry conditions and not wanting to drain the water well which was needed for the cattle also.&nbsp; 700 plants take a bunch of water to survive the harsh hot winds and drought.&nbsp; After replanting the dead trees and shrubs in the spring of 2012 they lost half of those.&nbsp; He felt it was again from the drought but was seeing improvements with the drip system.&nbsp; Jay didn’t know what rodent or critter was needing a drink, but he was missing the top half of most of the 6000 ft of drip line.&nbsp; He buried old sinks at the ends of the tree rows to allow the wildlife some water and his drip irrigation issues stopped.&nbsp; The hackberry was the hardest to keep going with the major wind storms.&nbsp; Pruning has helped with the hackberry and some support when necessary.The windbreak is maintained by removing dead trees and replacing with new trees to reduce the possibility of gaps in protection.&nbsp; Weed barrier has been trimmed back from the trunks to prevent the girdling of the trees.&nbsp; The windbreak will be sprayed in the spring as some bag worms have shown up in the cedars.Jay and Janea are very proud of what the windbreak has grown to be and made certain to point out the fact without the help of friends and family this project would not be the success it is today.The Ellis County Conservation District is honored to present Jay and Janea Dinkel with the 2019 Windbreak Conservation Award.

Ellis Co. Conservation District announces award winners

By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/150000-kansans-who-drink-private-wells-are-largely-blind-contamination">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — About 150,000 people in Kansas get their drinking water from private wells.

How clean, and safe, is that water? Short answer: It depends.

But
 new research suggests those wells deliver water tainted with a range of
 pollutants. Some leaked from dry cleaning operations. Yet far more 
wells soak up, and deliver to taps, fertilizer that’s been building up 
in Kansas soil and water over generations of modern farming.

But
 it’s not up to regulators from Washington or agencies in Topeka to test
 private well water quality. That falls to individual well owners. With 
little to no government oversight, some public health officials worry 
that’s creating a system where far too many people are left vulnerable 
to potential cancer-causing pollutants and toxins.

New research from Kansas State University shows that <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15" target="_blank">groundwater quality in the&nbsp; Great Bend Aquifer in south-central Kansas </a><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15">rates far</a><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15" target="_blank"> worse today than 30 years ago</a>.

The
 main culprit is a dramatic increase in the amount of nitrate. It’s a 
byproduct of the Green Revolution of the 1960s that turbo-charged modern
 farming toward greater yields, especially the use of chemical 
fertilizers.

Farmers learned that soil laced with extra nitrogen 
could squeeze more&nbsp; bushels from an acre of land. But not all that 
nitrogen stays put or gets absorbed in wheat, corn, sorghum and 
soybeans. Some runs off into streams, or trickles into underground 
reservoirs.

“The change that we see is comparable to the most 
extreme change measured by a nationwide study,” Matthew Kirk, associate 
professor of geology at Kansas State University said. “So this is a 
pretty big increase in nitrate.”

High levels of nitrogen in water <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations#two">can lead to shortness of breath</a>. It can even cause death in young children and older adults. The federal <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa">Safe Drinking</a><a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa"> Water Ac</a><a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa">t</a>, which only governs public drinking water, limits nitrate levels to less than 10 milligrams per liter.

When Kirk sampled the water for his research, seven of the 22 wells tested exceeded that limit.

When
 analyzing the molecules, Kirk said it was clear that the nitrogen was 
coming from fertilizer leaching into the aquifer from the surface. This 
particular part of the natural underground reservoir is more vulnerable 
to land use changes because it’s relatively close to the surface, so the
 water doesn’t get filtered well. Kirk said it could stand as an early 
warning for other deeper parts of the broader High Plains Aquifer.

Kirk said private well users need to test their water regularly or put the health of their families at risk.

“We
 do that for municipal water supplies. But for rural well owners, it’s 
entirely up to them,” he said. “They don’t have to have their water 
tested unless they want to.”

Because there’s no reporting 
requirement, there’s also no statewide record of groundwater quality. 
And even if collecting that kind of data helped officials understand the
 bigger picture, the movement of water underground is complex. Just 
because one well is contaminated doesn’t mean the next well over is too.

The <a href="https://www.ngwa.org/" target="_blank">National Ground Water Association</a> recommends private well owners do a <a href="https://wellowner.org/" target="_blank">basic quality test for bacteria and nitrates once a year</a>.

“(But)
 Some people tend to overlook it,” said Brian Snelten, the NGWA 
President-elect. “It’s one of those things you can forget about. It’s 
like changing your car oil.”

While a basic test is going to be fine in most cases, there are other chemicals some people need to worry about.

The
 water in Randi Williams house now comes from the city of Wichita. But 
until a few years ago, she got her water from a private well.

“The
 lady that sold us the house had us taste the water and hold it up to 
the light,” Williams said. “And then we had it tested on our own. Since 
it tested fine, no problems.”

A <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/dryclean/FourSeasons.html">toxic plume of dry cleaning chemicals had made its way to their well</a>. It had likely been there for years.

Why
 didn’t she discover it when she bought the house? Because the toxic 
chemicals from the dry cleaning plume are odorless and tasteless, and 
basic tests for bacteria don’t expose it.

She wished she would 
have been more informed about the potential dangers near her well, such 
as dry cleaners and underground gas storage tanks.

“Had we known, we probably would have done more testing because, of course, we want to be healthy,” she said.

Databases of <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/waterwell/index.html">some of that information exist</a>,
 but there’s no system to alert people with water wells nearby. Even if 
someone did know where to find the information, the average homeowner 
isn’t likely to understand what they’re looking at.

<a href="http://meridiantesting.com/services/home-owners/" target="_blank">Meridian Labs in Wichita</a>
 is one of a few places that offers comprehensive residential water 
testing in Kansas. Their tests range anywhere from $20 for a simple 
bacteria test, to $150 for a more comprehensive report.

“A lot of
 times, I will take them through their report step-by-step,” Jessica 
Jensen, the lab’s technical director, said. “Some people just need that 
peace of mind.”

Even when well owners discover there’s a problem, the cost of solving it can vary wildly. A <a href="https://www.aquasana.com/whole-house-water-filters/500k-gallon-well-water/proinstall?discountcode=LIVEHEALTHY&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiA6vXwBRBKEiwAYE7iS4w2sPxDaMiR6fkwErolYdtovM_3xmmS7XWRk2-QHdD0_5dDLBtQ5BoCyXQQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">sophisticated home filtration system</a>
 could run several thousand dollars. While cleaning up a large plume, 
which involves the city or state, can cost several hundred thousand, 
even millions of dollars.

Elizabeth Ablah researches population 
health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. She 
said that knowledge gap is a big part of the problem. Without some kind 
of standardized statewide regulations, it’s too much to expect regular 
people to fully grasp complex water quality issues.

“We need to 
be starting to address these issues in a more systematic way rather than
 this piecemeal patchwork sort of intervention that we’ve been doing,” 
she said.

She and her colleague, Jack Brown, worked with state 
agencies, local public health officials and engineering and drilling 
firms to develop <a href="http://wichita.kumc.edu/improving-and-protecting-water-well-quality/project-recommendations.html">18 recommendations for improving and protecting well water quality</a>.

The
 recommendations range from changes in code that would standardize the 
definition of a nonpublic household water well to defining trigger 
events for when the state would require well testing.

But they were released a year ago, and so far, nothing has changed.

She’s
 worried that without some kind of change, the Kansans with private 
water wells will have to continue relying largely on faith that their 
water is safe to drink.

“Really there’s no entity that is 
currently focusing on water quality for non-public water well users,” 
she said. “And that is a problem.”

Brian Grimmett reports on 
the environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and 
the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a>
 or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org. The Kansas News Service 
is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains 
Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and 
their connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579532395946.jpeg" alt="Brian Grimmett/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Brian Grimmett/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/150000-kansans-who-drink-private-wells-are-largely-blind-contamination">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — About 150,000 people in Kansas get their drinking water from private wells.How clean, and safe, is that water? Short answer: It depends.But
 new research suggests those wells deliver water tainted with a range of
 pollutants. Some leaked from dry cleaning operations. Yet far more 
wells soak up, and deliver to taps, fertilizer that’s been building up 
in Kansas soil and water over generations of modern farming.But
 it’s not up to regulators from Washington or agencies in Topeka to test
 private well water quality. That falls to individual well owners. With 
little to no government oversight, some public health officials worry 
that’s creating a system where far too many people are left vulnerable 
to potential cancer-causing pollutants and toxins.New research from Kansas State University shows that <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15" target="_blank">groundwater quality in the&nbsp; Great Bend Aquifer in south-central Kansas </a><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15">rates far</a><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z#Sec15" target="_blank"> worse today than 30 years ago</a>.The
 main culprit is a dramatic increase in the amount of nitrate. It’s a 
byproduct of the Green Revolution of the 1960s that turbo-charged modern
 farming toward greater yields, especially the use of chemical 
fertilizers.Farmers learned that soil laced with extra nitrogen 
could squeeze more&nbsp; bushels from an acre of land. But not all that 
nitrogen stays put or gets absorbed in wheat, corn, sorghum and 
soybeans. Some runs off into streams, or trickles into underground 
reservoirs.“The change that we see is comparable to the most 
extreme change measured by a nationwide study,” Matthew Kirk, associate 
professor of geology at Kansas State University said. “So this is a 
pretty big increase in nitrate.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579532260540.jpeg" alt="Location of wells tested. Shaded areas depict the High Plain aquifer. Dashed vertical lines approximate boundaries between the Ogallala, Great Bend Prairie, and Equus Beds aquifers.&nbsp;Credit Matthew Kirk / Kansas State University" />
 <figcaption>Location of wells tested. Shaded areas depict the High Plain aquifer. Dashed vertical lines approximate boundaries between the Ogallala, Great Bend Prairie, and Equus Beds aquifers.&nbsp;Credit Matthew Kirk / Kansas State University</figcaption>
 </figure>High levels of nitrogen in water <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations#two">can lead to shortness of breath</a>. It can even cause death in young children and older adults. The federal <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa">Safe Drinking</a><a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa"> Water Ac</a><a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa">t</a>, which only governs public drinking water, limits nitrate levels to less than 10 milligrams per liter.When Kirk sampled the water for his research, seven of the 22 wells tested exceeded that limit.When
 analyzing the molecules, Kirk said it was clear that the nitrogen was 
coming from fertilizer leaching into the aquifer from the surface. This 
particular part of the natural underground reservoir is more vulnerable 
to land use changes because it’s relatively close to the surface, so the
 water doesn’t get filtered well. Kirk said it could stand as an early 
warning for other deeper parts of the broader High Plains Aquifer.Kirk said private well users need to test their water regularly or put the health of their families at risk.“We
 do that for municipal water supplies. But for rural well owners, it’s 
entirely up to them,” he said. “They don’t have to have their water 
tested unless they want to.”Because there’s no reporting 
requirement, there’s also no statewide record of groundwater quality. 
And even if collecting that kind of data helped officials understand the
 bigger picture, the movement of water underground is complex. Just 
because one well is contaminated doesn’t mean the next well over is too.The <a href="https://www.ngwa.org/" target="_blank">National Ground Water Association</a> recommends private well owners do a <a href="https://wellowner.org/" target="_blank">basic quality test for bacteria and nitrates once a year</a>.“(But)
 Some people tend to overlook it,” said Brian Snelten, the NGWA 
President-elect. “It’s one of those things you can forget about. It’s 
like changing your car oil.”While a basic test is going to be fine in most cases, there are other chemicals some people need to worry about.<h2>Dry cleaning plume</h2>The
 water in Randi Williams house now comes from the city of Wichita. But 
until a few years ago, she got her water from a private well.“The
 lady that sold us the house had us taste the water and hold it up to 
the light,” Williams said. “And then we had it tested on our own. Since 
it tested fine, no problems.”It wasn’t fine.A <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/dryclean/FourSeasons.html">toxic plume of dry cleaning chemicals had made its way to their well</a>. It had likely been there for years.Why
 didn’t she discover it when she bought the house? Because the toxic 
chemicals from the dry cleaning plume are odorless and tasteless, and 
basic tests for bacteria don’t expose it.She wished she would 
have been more informed about the potential dangers near her well, such 
as dry cleaners and underground gas storage tanks.“Had we known, we probably would have done more testing because, of course, we want to be healthy,” she said.Databases of <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/waterwell/index.html">some of that information exist</a>,
 but there’s no system to alert people with water wells nearby. Even if 
someone did know where to find the information, the average homeowner 
isn’t likely to understand what they’re looking at.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579532281804.jpeg" alt="Water quality testing at Meridian Labs in Wichita.&nbsp;Credit Brian Grimmett/Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Water quality testing at Meridian Labs in Wichita.&nbsp;Credit Brian Grimmett/Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Knowledge gaps</h2><a href="http://meridiantesting.com/services/home-owners/" target="_blank">Meridian Labs in Wichita</a>
 is one of a few places that offers comprehensive residential water 
testing in Kansas. Their tests range anywhere from $20 for a simple 
bacteria test, to $150 for a more comprehensive report.“A lot of
 times, I will take them through their report step-by-step,” Jessica 
Jensen, the lab’s technical director, said. “Some people just need that 
peace of mind.”Even when well owners discover there’s a problem, the cost of solving it can vary wildly. A <a href="https://www.aquasana.com/whole-house-water-filters/500k-gallon-well-water/proinstall?discountcode=LIVEHEALTHY&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiA6vXwBRBKEiwAYE7iS4w2sPxDaMiR6fkwErolYdtovM_3xmmS7XWRk2-QHdD0_5dDLBtQ5BoCyXQQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">sophisticated home filtration system</a>
 could run several thousand dollars. While cleaning up a large plume, 
which involves the city or state, can cost several hundred thousand, 
even millions of dollars.Elizabeth Ablah researches population 
health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. She 
said that knowledge gap is a big part of the problem. Without some kind 
of standardized statewide regulations, it’s too much to expect regular 
people to fully grasp complex water quality issues.“We need to 
be starting to address these issues in a more systematic way rather than
 this piecemeal patchwork sort of intervention that we’ve been doing,” 
she said.She and her colleague, Jack Brown, worked with state 
agencies, local public health officials and engineering and drilling 
firms to develop <a href="http://wichita.kumc.edu/improving-and-protecting-water-well-quality/project-recommendations.html">18 recommendations for improving and protecting well water quality</a>.The
 recommendations range from changes in code that would standardize the 
definition of a nonpublic household water well to defining trigger 
events for when the state would require well testing.But they were released a year ago, and so far, nothing has changed.She’s
 worried that without some kind of change, the Kansans with private 
water wells will have to continue relying largely on faith that their 
water is safe to drink.“Really there’s no entity that is 
currently focusing on water quality for non-public water well users,” 
she said. “And that is a problem.”Brian Grimmett reports on 
the environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and 
the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a>
 or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org. The Kansas News Service 
is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains 
Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and 
their connection to public policy.

Kansans who drink from private wells largely blind to contamination

On May 15, 1917, the Strand Theatre opened in Hays with a showing of 1916's "Snow White."

At the time, the Hays Free Press called the new opera house "a thing of beauty" and "a building of which Hays may well feel proud."

The theater was built by local entrepreneur Millard "M.G." Kirkman who envisioned his endeavor as home to "wholesome amusements worthy the patronage of the people of Hays."

It was outfitted with the latest in technology and was described as "up-to-date and classy in every respect."

Its life as a theater would last only a few decades, closing after a newer, larger theater would open down the street. After the theater closed, the building would be used as a retail space but has been empty since its last tenant vacated the building for another location nearly 20 years ago.

But now, another local entrepreneur is re-envisioning the historic structure again as a source of pride for Hays as an event center in the heart of the downtown district, The Bricks.

Dustin and Laney Roths recently bought the over 5,000-sqaure-foot building at 1102 Main, just down the street from another endeavor operated by Dustin, Dimond R Jewelry, 807 Main.

"It's very exciting to know that Dustin and Laney Roths have taken over that (building," said Sara Bloom, director of the Downtown Hays Development Corp. "Dustin has been a longtime board member of the DHDC, even serving as our board president, and we know that they care about downtown and they care about these historic buildings. We know that they are going to do the thing correctly and they are going to be aware of their neighbors and they are just going to do a wonderful job when it comes to, not only preserving the building but bettering downtown."

They plan to incorporate much of the original look of the building into the new design, bringing back some of the architectural touches from before the building's life as a retail outlet.

"We intend to save history with this project, not destroy it," Dustin said. "Our goal is to bring this thing back to a grand look, that gets used by people.

"It was the Village Shop for a long time," he said. "And that's how most people in Hays will remember it."

The shop, though, covered most of the original walls and ceiling, much of which will be incorporated back into the center.

Dustin said the original tin will be restored on the 25-foot ceilings, with chandeliers installed for lighting.

"It's one of the big projects, getting that tin back to the way it would have looked originally, and restoring it in whatever way we can," Dustin said.

"I think we are excited to ... bring this building back to life and letting the people that live here in Hays enjoy that building," Laney said, adding they hope to have an open house after the remodel has been completed so everyone can see the rehabbed interior of the building.

"From a downtown standpoint, we are super excited to see this historic building brought back to life," Bloom said. "It stood empty for far too long."

While the historic nature of the building limits the changes that can be made, many modern convinces are planned to make the center functional, as well as beautiful.

"It's a contributing building of the Chestnut Street District," Dustin said. "Any time you are a contributing (member) the Historical Society has a lot more of a look at what you are doing and approving what you are doing."

A kitchenette and bar space is planned for the location.

A stage will also be added in order to incorporate a variety of events.

Dustin also said he hopes the center will serve as a beautiful space that will fill the gap between full-service venues and lower-end open buildings in Hays.

"We are going to have this nice place that can handle a whole array of different kinds of events," Dustin said.

"The thing we are trying to do is hit the middle," he said. "The beauty with us is even if it costs a bit more than say a regular metal building ... is you can bring your own alcohol to your wedding, you can cater whomever you want and you can find savings if you want to."

The location being in the heart of the city is also a part of the allure of the space, Dustin said.

"We have utilized it for events already because it is just such a great space right on Main Street," Bloom said. "So to see it actually turned into an event center and something that a lot of organizations and community members are going to be able to utilize is just a dream come true for the DHDC."

"You want to be right near where all of the bars are, where the eating is, where all of the night-life is," Dustin said. "A lot of the other spaces, frankly are on the outskirts of town."

"Everything is right there, easily accessible," he said.

"Our idea for Hays is that they have another place to put together concerts, where they can have comedians, where they can do all kinds of things," Dustin said. "These are the things, that I think, that create a great quality of life in a town this size and for us to be a part of it is really exciting."

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/thestrandhays/?ref=br_rs">To see more photos, or to follow the construction process visit the event center's facebook page by clicking here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578605984728.jpeg" alt="Photo of the Strand Theatre in downtown Hays. Photo by James Bell" />
 <figcaption>Photo of the Strand Theatre in downtown Hays. Photo by James Bell</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostOn May 15, 1917, the Strand Theatre opened in Hays with a showing of 1916's "Snow White."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579302063833.jpeg" alt="An ad from the May 12, 1917 edition of The Hays Free Press shows the first movies that would be shown in the theatre. (Photo from the Fort Hays State University archives. Video courtesy YouTube)" />
 <figcaption>An ad from the May 12, 1917 edition of The Hays Free Press shows the first movies that would be shown in the theatre. (Photo from the Fort Hays State University archives. Video courtesy YouTube)</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mq1ZE_M-Kk8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>At the time, the Hays Free Press called the new opera house "a thing of beauty" and "a building of which Hays may well feel proud."The theater was built by local entrepreneur Millard "M.G." Kirkman who envisioned his endeavor as home to "wholesome amusements worthy the patronage of the people of Hays." It was outfitted with the latest in technology and was described as "up-to-date and classy in every respect."Its life as a theater would last only a few decades, closing after a newer, larger theater would open down the street. After the theater closed, the building would be used as a retail space but has been empty since its last tenant vacated the building for another location nearly 20 years ago.But now, another local entrepreneur is re-envisioning the historic structure again as a source of pride for Hays as an event center in the heart of the downtown district, The Bricks.<div><iframe title="Strand Theatre to be opened as event center" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/p6986-cef824?from=yiiadmin&download=1&version=1&skin=3&btn-skin=101&auto=1&share=1&fonts=Helvetica&download=1&rtl=0&pbad=1"></iframe></div>Dustin and Laney Roths recently bought the over 5,000-sqaure-foot building at 1102 Main, just down the street from another endeavor operated by Dustin, Dimond R Jewelry, 807 Main."It's very exciting to know that Dustin and Laney Roths have taken over that (building," said Sara Bloom, director of the Downtown Hays Development Corp. "Dustin has been a longtime board member of the DHDC, even serving as our board president, and we know that they care about downtown and they care about these historic buildings. We know that they are going to do the thing correctly and they are going to be aware of their neighbors and they are just going to do a wonderful job when it comes to, not only preserving the building but bettering downtown."They plan to incorporate much of the original look of the building into the new design, bringing back some of the architectural touches from before the building's life as a retail outlet."We intend to save history with this project, not destroy it," Dustin said. "Our goal is to bring this thing back to a grand look, that gets used by people."It was the Village Shop for a long time," he said. "And that's how most people in Hays will remember it."The shop, though, covered most of the original walls and ceiling, much of which will be incorporated back into the center.Dustin said the original tin will be restored on the 25-foot ceilings, with chandeliers installed for lighting."It's one of the big projects, getting that tin back to the way it would have looked originally, and restoring it in whatever way we can," Dustin said."I think we are excited to ... bring this building back to life and letting the people that live here in Hays enjoy that building," Laney said, adding they hope to have an open house after the remodel has been completed so everyone can see the rehabbed interior of the building."From a downtown standpoint, we are super excited to see this historic building brought back to life," Bloom said. "It stood empty for far too long."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579465934146.jpeg" alt="Conceptual drawing of the interior of the Strand Event Center facing towards the entrance. (Photo courtesy Dustin and Laney Roths.)" />
 <figcaption>Conceptual drawing of the interior of the Strand Event Center facing towards the entrance. (Photo courtesy Dustin and Laney Roths.)</figcaption>
 </figure>While the historic nature of the building limits the changes that can be made, many modern convinces are planned to make the center functional, as well as beautiful."It's a contributing building of the Chestnut Street District," Dustin said. "Any time you are a contributing (member) the Historical Society has a lot more of a look at what you are doing and approving what you are doing."A kitchenette and bar space is planned for the location.A stage will also be added in order to incorporate a variety of events.Dustin also said he hopes the center will serve as a beautiful space that will fill the gap between full-service venues and lower-end open buildings in Hays."We are going to have this nice place that can handle a whole array of different kinds of events," Dustin said."The thing we are trying to do is hit the middle," he said. "The beauty with us is even if it costs a bit more than say a regular metal building ... is you can bring your own alcohol to your wedding, you can cater whomever you want and you can find savings if you want to."The location being in the heart of the city is also a part of the allure of the space, Dustin said."We have utilized it for events already because it is just such a great space right on Main Street," Bloom said. "So to see it actually turned into an event center and something that a lot of organizations and community members are going to be able to utilize is just a dream come true for the DHDC.""You want to be right near where all of the bars are, where the eating is, where all of the night-life is," Dustin said. "A lot of the other spaces, frankly are on the outskirts of town.""Everything is right there, easily accessible," he said."Our idea for Hays is that they have another place to put together concerts, where they can have comedians, where they can do all kinds of things," Dustin said. "These are the things, that I think, that create a great quality of life in a town this size and for us to be a part of it is really exciting."<a href="https://www.facebook.com/thestrandhays/?ref=br_rs">To see more photos, or to follow the construction process visit the event center's facebook page by clicking here</a>.

Historic Hays theater returns to life as event center

RUSH COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer involved shooting&nbsp; that occurred along Highway 96 near Rush Center in Rush County Tuesday morning, according to KBI spokesperson Melissa Underwood.

The shooting occurred following a vehicle pursuit by the Ness County Sheriff’s Office.

No sheriff’s deputies were hurt. One&nbsp; subject was injured and was transported to the hospital. His condition is unknown at this time.

KBI agents and a crime scene response team have responded, according to Underwood.

RUSH COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer involved shooting&nbsp; that occurred along Highway 96 near Rush Center in Rush County Tuesday morning, according to KBI spokesperson Melissa Underwood.The shooting occurred following a vehicle pursuit by the Ness County Sheriff’s Office.No sheriff’s deputies were hurt. One&nbsp; subject was injured and was transported to the hospital. His condition is unknown at this time.KBI agents and a crime scene response team have responded, according to Underwood.

KBI: 1 hospitalized after officer-involved shooting in Rush Co.

BY STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-governors-78-billion-budget-calls-taxing-hulu-delaying-payments-pension-debt#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s <a href="https://budget.kansas.gov/budget-report/" target="_blank">budget wish list</a>
 is long: boosting spending on higher education, public safety and human
 services. She'd aim to cut some taxes, but look to add new ones for 
streaming video and music services.

Not surprisingly, the $7.8 billion plan is getting a mixed response from the Republicans who control the Legislature.

It’s
 the Democrat’s second budget proposal since taking office, and she’s 
relying less on some maneuvers used in past years, like taking money 
from the state highway fund to help keep the budget in the black. But 
she still wants some flexibility in state spending, so she’s hoping to 
refinance the state’s $9 billion in pension debt.

“Kansas has 
made tremendous strides in recovering from the last decade of fiscal 
chaos,” Kelly said in a statement. “This balanced budget builds on that 
progress and positions Kansas to begin a new decade of shared prosperity
 and growth.”

By the time this budget’s fiscal year (July 2020 to
 June 2021) ends, the state would still have about $628 million in 
reserves. That’s less than $1.1 billion at the end of the 2019 fiscal 
year, but well above the tiny reserves a few years ago.&nbsp;

Kansas 
has been on a tax rollercoaster over the last decade — with the state 
cutting taxes starting in 2012 during the tenure of then-Gov. Sam 
Brownback. Lawmakers changed course in 2017 after struggles balancing 
the budget and reversed many of those tax cuts.&nbsp;

Kelly has a few ideas about taxes, and one of them is puting $54 
million toward a program that helps reduce local property taxes. It 
hasn’t been funded since 2003.

Republican Rep. Troy Waymaster is skeptical, and said that for a $150,000 home, the discount would be about $25.

“Are
 people going to notice that? I would say probably not,” Waymaster said,
 suggesting that reducing vehicle taxes could have a bigger impact on 
Kansans’ lives.&nbsp;

It’s the second time Kelly has proposed reamortizing the Kansas Public Employees Retirement system’s debt.&nbsp;

The
 state has about 15 years left under a current plan to eliminate the 
deficit. Under that plan, KPERS payments will balloon to around $1 
billion annually by 2032.&nbsp;

Kelly wants to add an extra 10 years, 
which she said would lower annual payments by $130 million to $160 
million over the next four years. The payments would still top $1 
billion, but not until 2041. And total costs to pay off the debt would 
rise by about $4.4 billion.&nbsp;

Lawmakers rejected reamortizing last year. Some Republicans still want to try to pay off the debt on the current schedule.&nbsp;

“I
 think that we need to remain frugal and we need to continue to pay our 
bills as best we can with what we have right now,” said Republican Sen. 
Carolyn McGinn, who chairs the Senate’s budget committee.

Kelly’s budget director, Larry Campbell, said the current 15-year 
payoff schedule will only come to pass if the state is on time, every 
time.&nbsp;

“That ain’t going to happen,” Campbell said Thursday at a 
meeting with lawmakers. “That assumes the payments are made perfectly 
from now on and they’ve never been.”

Reducing the annual KPERS 
payment will give the state the ability to invest in services like 
education and roads, he said, while keeping a financial cushion to help 
weather any economic downturns.

To
 drive up revenues, Kelly is proposing adding sales taxes to more online
 digital purchases: Think Spotify, Netflix, Hulu or a digital download 
of magazines or books. Doing so could raise $22 million for the state's 
general fund, plus more for highways and local governments.

Campbell
 said buying a physical book, movie or audio recording in a Kansas-based
 store would be subject to sales tax, but those things purchased online 
in digital form currently avoid the fees.

“Kansas sales tax 
policy is antiquated,” Campbell said. “As more and more items are being 
purchased online, the least we can do is level the playing field for our
 existing Kansas businesses.”

When it comes to spending, the 
proposed budget would put millions more on state mental facilities, 
children’s services and corrections. The plan would renovate prison 
facilities in Winfield and Lansing to create dedicated substance-abuse 
treatment centers.

Kansas would also boost higher education 
spending by $28 million, with some targeted at need-based aid and 
technical education. Universities had requested more, including $50 
million in base funding and $10 million for aid.

Kelly’s proposal
 also reduces, but doesn’t fully eliminate, shifting money from the 
highway fund to help balance the budget. The plan would divert almost 
$160 million away from roads — $73 million less than used last year. In 
2018, Campbell’s office says the state “swept” (or shifted) $288 
million.

Then, there’s more about taxes. Kelly wants to reinstate
 a refundable credit for food sales taxes for lower-income Kansans only.
 Costing the state $53 million, the annual tax credits range from $60 
for an individual making under $30,000 to $240 for a married couple 
making under $40,000.

Campbell estimates 69,000 people get the 
state’s current nonrefundable tax credit and a total of 540,000 could 
receive a credit under the governor’s plan. It typically would be 
applied when Kansans file their taxes, but Campbell said there’s also a 
form to claim it without filing taxes.

Having people pay the 
sales tax and then apply for the credit was a concern for Republican 
Rep. Stephen Owens, who said they “may not end up getting anything 
back.”

Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank">&nbsp;@kprkoranda</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579280475519.jpeg" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly says the state has made "tremendous strides" with its budget but still wants some flexibility. Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly says the state has made "tremendous strides" with its budget but still wants some flexibility. Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>BY STEPHEN KORANDA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-governors-78-billion-budget-calls-taxing-hulu-delaying-payments-pension-debt#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s <a href="https://budget.kansas.gov/budget-report/" target="_blank">budget wish list</a>
 is long: boosting spending on higher education, public safety and human
 services. She'd aim to cut some taxes, but look to add new ones for 
streaming video and music services.Not surprisingly, the $7.8 billion plan is getting a mixed response from the Republicans who control the Legislature.It’s
 the Democrat’s second budget proposal since taking office, and she’s 
relying less on some maneuvers used in past years, like taking money 
from the state highway fund to help keep the budget in the black. But 
she still wants some flexibility in state spending, so she’s hoping to 
refinance the state’s $9 billion in pension debt.“Kansas has 
made tremendous strides in recovering from the last decade of fiscal 
chaos,” Kelly said in a statement. “This balanced budget builds on that 
progress and positions Kansas to begin a new decade of shared prosperity
 and growth.”By the time this budget’s fiscal year (July 2020 to
 June 2021) ends, the state would still have about $628 million in 
reserves. That’s less than $1.1 billion at the end of the 2019 fiscal 
year, but well above the tiny reserves a few years ago.&nbsp;Kansas 
has been on a tax rollercoaster over the last decade — with the state 
cutting taxes starting in 2012 during the tenure of then-Gov. Sam 
Brownback. Lawmakers changed course in 2017 after struggles balancing 
the budget and reversed many of those tax cuts.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579280510507.jpeg" alt=" Republican Rep. Troy Waymaster isn't a fan of Gov. Laura Kelly's idea to lower certain property taxes. Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Republican Rep. Troy Waymaster isn't a fan of Gov. Laura Kelly's idea to lower certain property taxes. Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Kelly has a few ideas about taxes, and one of them is puting $54 
million toward a program that helps reduce local property taxes. It 
hasn’t been funded since 2003.Republican Rep. Troy Waymaster is skeptical, and said that for a $150,000 home, the discount would be about $25.“Are
 people going to notice that? I would say probably not,” Waymaster said,
 suggesting that reducing vehicle taxes could have a bigger impact on 
Kansans’ lives.&nbsp;<h2>The pension dilemma</h2>It’s the second time Kelly has proposed reamortizing the Kansas Public Employees Retirement system’s debt.&nbsp;The
 state has about 15 years left under a current plan to eliminate the 
deficit. Under that plan, KPERS payments will balloon to around $1 
billion annually by 2032.&nbsp;Kelly wants to add an extra 10 years, 
which she said would lower annual payments by $130 million to $160 
million over the next four years. The payments would still top $1 
billion, but not until 2041. And total costs to pay off the debt would 
rise by about $4.4 billion.&nbsp;Lawmakers rejected reamortizing last year. Some Republicans still want to try to pay off the debt on the current schedule.&nbsp;“I
 think that we need to remain frugal and we need to continue to pay our 
bills as best we can with what we have right now,” said Republican Sen. 
Carolyn McGinn, who chairs the Senate’s budget committee.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579280544933.jpeg" alt=" Budget Director Larry Campbell says Kansas doesn't always make its pension debt payments on time. Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Budget Director Larry Campbell says Kansas doesn't always make its pension debt payments on time. Credit Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Kelly’s budget director, Larry Campbell, said the current 15-year 
payoff schedule will only come to pass if the state is on time, every 
time.&nbsp;“That ain’t going to happen,” Campbell said Thursday at a 
meeting with lawmakers. “That assumes the payments are made perfectly 
from now on and they’ve never been.”Reducing the annual KPERS 
payment will give the state the ability to invest in services like 
education and roads, he said, while keeping a financial cushion to help 
weather any economic downturns.<h2>New streaming revenue and other ideas</h2>To
 drive up revenues, Kelly is proposing adding sales taxes to more online
 digital purchases: Think Spotify, Netflix, Hulu or a digital download 
of magazines or books. Doing so could raise $22 million for the state's 
general fund, plus more for highways and local governments.Campbell
 said buying a physical book, movie or audio recording in a Kansas-based
 store would be subject to sales tax, but those things purchased online 
in digital form currently avoid the fees.“Kansas sales tax 
policy is antiquated,” Campbell said. “As more and more items are being 
purchased online, the least we can do is level the playing field for our
 existing Kansas businesses.”When it comes to spending, the 
proposed budget would put millions more on state mental facilities, 
children’s services and corrections. The plan would renovate prison 
facilities in Winfield and Lansing to create dedicated substance-abuse 
treatment centers.Kansas would also boost higher education 
spending by $28 million, with some targeted at need-based aid and 
technical education. Universities had requested more, including $50 
million in base funding and $10 million for aid.Kelly’s proposal
 also reduces, but doesn’t fully eliminate, shifting money from the 
highway fund to help balance the budget. The plan would divert almost 
$160 million away from roads — $73 million less than used last year. In 
2018, Campbell’s office says the state “swept” (or shifted) $288 
million.Then, there’s more about taxes. Kelly wants to reinstate
 a refundable credit for food sales taxes for lower-income Kansans only.
 Costing the state $53 million, the annual tax credits range from $60 
for an individual making under $30,000 to $240 for a married couple 
making under $40,000.Campbell estimates 69,000 people get the 
state’s current nonrefundable tax credit and a total of 540,000 could 
receive a credit under the governor’s plan. It typically would be 
applied when Kansans file their taxes, but Campbell said there’s also a 
form to claim it without filing taxes.Having people pay the 
sales tax and then apply for the credit was a concern for Republican 
Rep. Stephen Owens, who said they “may not end up getting anything 
back.”Stephen Koranda is the Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" target="_blank">&nbsp;@kprkoranda</a>.

Kelly's $7.8B budget calls for taxing Hulu, delaying pension payments

The Beach Family Foundation, Derby, has awarded Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas a $21,150 grant. This will allow DSNWK to begin the multi-step process of installing access control technology systems within 10 of 16 residential homes in Hays, Russell, Victoria, Atwood, Hill City and Norton. 

The first phase of this project will consist of installing magnetic locks and keypads on the main doors within each home. DSNWK has previously installed these keyless locks in two residential homes where there is a higher risk of elopement. 

Installing this infrastructure hardware will allow the organization to eventually achieve the overall goal of electronic keyless access control into all homes and office buildings. 

The organization has made this goal a priority in order to promote safety and ease of access by those persons who receive support in these settings and those staff who help them each day. 

DSNWK would like to thank the Beach Family Foundation for their generosity and support which helps DSNWK improve the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in northwest Kansas. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578522464134.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DSNWKThe Beach Family Foundation, Derby, has awarded Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas a $21,150 grant. This will allow DSNWK to begin the multi-step process of installing access control technology systems within 10 of 16 residential homes in Hays, Russell, Victoria, Atwood, Hill City and Norton. The first phase of this project will consist of installing magnetic locks and keypads on the main doors within each home. DSNWK has previously installed these keyless locks in two residential homes where there is a higher risk of elopement. Installing this infrastructure hardware will allow the organization to eventually achieve the overall goal of electronic keyless access control into all homes and office buildings. The organization has made this goal a priority in order to promote safety and ease of access by those persons who receive support in these settings and those staff who help them each day. DSNWK would like to thank the Beach Family Foundation for their generosity and support which helps DSNWK improve the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in northwest Kansas.

Grant to DSNWK funds access control technology

The 33rd annual meeting of the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays will be held at 2 p.m. Sun., Jan. 26 in the historic Fort Hays Visitor's Center.

The meeting will begin with a program on historic fashion "Fashion on the Fort Frontier" by textile preservationist Jennifer Tracz.&nbsp;

Tracz began her career as a wedding&nbsp;gown designer while attending the University of Kansas. She continued to design&nbsp;gowns after completing her BFA in textile design. After completing her graduate&nbsp;coursework in Collections Management for Costume and Textile, she has worked for&nbsp;museums across western Kansas and Colorado helping manage, preserve and display&nbsp;textile and fashion collections.

&nbsp;As a textile preservationist, she enjoys working with&nbsp;small museums to further enhance and display their collections.

Join us for this&nbsp;program about how fashion evolved and transcended in western Kansas near Fort&nbsp;Hays.

If you have a textile item and would like to learn more about how to preserve and&nbsp;conserve it, Tracz has agreed to look at items at the end of her program. Please, only textile items.

Following the program will be a short break. Cookies, coffee, and tea will be provided.

After the break, a meeting of the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays will be held.

This will allow the members of the Friends to hear first-hand the progress that has been&nbsp;made in developing the site as well as future plans.

The program is open to the public. There is no charge to attend the program and&nbsp;meeting.

Fort Hays State Historic Site is located four miles south of I-70 exit 157 at Hays.

For more information&nbsp;contact Fort Hays State Historic Site, 1472 Highway 183 Alt., Hays, KS 67601-9212: 785-625-6812 or&nbsp;thefort@kshs.org.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579014080873.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays blockhouse" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays blockhouse</figcaption>
 </figure>The 33rd annual meeting of the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays will be held at 2 p.m. Sun., Jan. 26 in the historic Fort Hays Visitor's Center.The meeting will begin with a program on historic fashion "Fashion on the Fort Frontier" by textile preservationist Jennifer Tracz.&nbsp;Tracz began her career as a wedding&nbsp;gown designer while attending the University of Kansas. She continued to design&nbsp;gowns after completing her BFA in textile design. After completing her graduate&nbsp;coursework in Collections Management for Costume and Textile, she has worked for&nbsp;museums across western Kansas and Colorado helping manage, preserve and display&nbsp;textile and fashion collections.&nbsp;As a textile preservationist, she enjoys working with&nbsp;small museums to further enhance and display their collections.Join us for this&nbsp;program about how fashion evolved and transcended in western Kansas near Fort&nbsp;Hays.If you have a textile item and would like to learn more about how to preserve and&nbsp;conserve it, Tracz has agreed to look at items at the end of her program. Please, only textile items.Following the program will be a short break. Cookies, coffee, and tea will be provided.After the break, a meeting of the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays will be held.This will allow the members of the Friends to hear first-hand the progress that has been&nbsp;made in developing the site as well as future plans.The program is open to the public. There is no charge to attend the program and&nbsp;meeting.Fort Hays State Historic Site is located four miles south of I-70 exit 157 at Hays.For more information&nbsp;contact Fort Hays State Historic Site, 1472 Highway 183 Alt., Hays, KS 67601-9212: 785-625-6812 or&nbsp;thefort@kshs.org.&nbsp;- SUBMITTED -&nbsp;

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