

The No. 13 Fort Hays State women's basketball team looks to keep things rolling Saturday when the Tigers host the Washburn Ichabods. First tip in the in-state rivalry is set for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Promotions Game Sponsor: Heartland Building Center National Anthem: Roosevelt Elementary (women) Wilson Elementary (men) Education Appreciation: All faculty and staff at USD 489 and TMP will receive (1) free (GA) ticket Big Brothers Big Sisters Duck Toss: Purchase ducks ($1 for 1, $5 for 6) to throw onto the court at halftime of the men's game for a chance to win a new TV, courtesy of Horizon Appliance and Electronics,&nbsp;Hays Med Surgery Robot Demonstration Radio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3-FM)&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KJLS">LISTEN LIVE</a>

Fort Hays State (14-2, 5-2 MIAA) has won each of its last eight games, the second-longest active streak in the MIAA and 12th-longest in Division II. Washburn (8-7, 2-4 MIAA) is coming off a road loss to Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday, 69-53.

Washburn holds a 47-35 lead in the all-time series, including a slim 20-18 lead in games played in Hays. The Tigers have controlled the series of late, winning&nbsp;eight of the last nine meetings.&nbsp;The Tigers are 10-12 against Washburn under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=884">Tony Hobson</a>, including a 6-4 mark inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. Fort Hays State has won five-straight at home against the Ichabods, the longest such streak in series history.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5430">Belle Barbieri</a>&nbsp;recorded a double-double (10 points, 13 rebounds) in the most recent meeting with Washburn, helping the Tigers to a dominating 75-48 win in last season's MIAA semifinals (3/9/19).

Washburn enters the weekend 8-7 overall and 2-4 in conference play. The Ichabods are 1-3 in road games this season. They average 70.4 points per game while allowing 67.2 points each night. Three Ichabods average in double figures in scoring, led by Reagan Phelan's 13.3 points per contest. Hunter Bentley adds 12.5 ppg while leading the team with 7.2 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per outing. Phelan leads the team and ranks second in the MIAA with 5.0 assists each game.



FHSU Sports Information<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579280716460.jpeg" alt="Courtesy FHSU Athletics / Sam Leventhal photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy FHSU Athletics / Sam Leventhal photo</figcaption>
 </figure>

The No. 13 Fort Hays State women's basketball team looks to keep things rolling Saturday when the Tigers host the Washburn Ichabods. First tip in the in-state rivalry is set for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.Promotions Game Sponsor: Heartland Building Center National Anthem: Roosevelt Elementary (women) Wilson Elementary (men) Education Appreciation: All faculty and staff at USD 489 and TMP will receive (1) free (GA) ticket Big Brothers Big Sisters Duck Toss: Purchase ducks ($1 for 1, $5 for 6) to throw onto the court at halftime of the men's game for a chance to win a new TV, courtesy of Horizon Appliance and Electronics,&nbsp;Hays Med Surgery Robot Demonstration Radio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3-FM)&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KJLS">LISTEN LIVE</a> Fort Hays State (14-2, 5-2 MIAA) has won each of its last eight games, the second-longest active streak in the MIAA and 12th-longest in Division II. Washburn (8-7, 2-4 MIAA) is coming off a road loss to Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday, 69-53.Washburn holds a 47-35 lead in the all-time series, including a slim 20-18 lead in games played in Hays. The Tigers have controlled the series of late, winning&nbsp;eight of the last nine meetings.&nbsp;The Tigers are 10-12 against Washburn under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=884">Tony Hobson</a>, including a 6-4 mark inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. Fort Hays State has won five-straight at home against the Ichabods, the longest such streak in series history.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5430">Belle Barbieri</a>&nbsp;recorded a double-double (10 points, 13 rebounds) in the most recent meeting with Washburn, helping the Tigers to a dominating 75-48 win in last season's MIAA semifinals (3/9/19).Washburn enters the weekend 8-7 overall and 2-4 in conference play. The Ichabods are 1-3 in road games this season. They average 70.4 points per game while allowing 67.2 points each night. Three Ichabods average in double figures in scoring, led by Reagan Phelan's 13.3 points per contest. Hunter Bentley adds 12.5 ppg while leading the team with 7.2 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per outing. Phelan leads the team and ranks second in the MIAA with 5.0 assists each game.

No. 13 Tiger women host in-state rival Washburn Saturday

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Two Kansas natives are bringing a combination of fossils and vibrant art to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in its latest exhibit "The Prairie Ocean: Long Time, No Sea." The exhibit opens to the public today.

Chuck Bonner was born and raised in central and western Kansas, and his father was good friends with George Sternberg, for whom the Hays museum is named.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;plesiosaur fossil that Bonner's father, Marion, found in 1955 is still on display at the Sternberg.

The Bonner family has a prehistoric fish named for them — the Bonnerichthys. Chuck Bonner found the type specimen for the creature. His brother, who was a paleontologist at KU, prepared the fossil and it sat in storage until it could be identified. 

The&nbsp;Bonnerichthys lived in the late&nbsp;Cretaceous Period (79 million to 66 million years ago) was about 20 feet long and was a filter feeder. A fossil of one of the fins of this fish is on display in the "Prairie Ocean" exhibit as well as a painting depicting what the fish may have looked like.

Although Bonner has had some thrilling fossil finds, he joked his next one will be his best.

He said he enjoys the naturalness of fossil hunting. He always has his head to the ground, looking for his next discovery.

Bonner attended Fort Hays State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in art and a master’s degree in painting. Today, he and his wife run the <a href="http://www.keystonegallery.com/">Keystone Gallery</a>, which is a combination of art gallery, fossil museum and gift shop.

Ray Troll, co-creator of the exhibit, is a Wichita native and graduate of Bethany College in Lindsborg. He now lives in Alaska. He is known for his artwork depicting prehistoric creatures and has several book credits, including "Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway" with&nbsp;Dr. Kirk Johnson.

Troll began drawing dinosaurs with crayons when he was 4, and prehistoric creatures have been an obsession ever since, he said. By the time he was 6, he was a mini-expert.

"Tyrannosaur was the first word I learned how to spell," he said. "because I was so passionate about dinosaurs. I knew how to spell dinosaur before I knew how to spell my own name."

Troll said he was drawn to prehistoric creatures because they are like mythical dragons.

"They once roamed the land. These creatures swam in the ocean," he said. "We are standing on the ancient sea floor right here. It is that reality of these almost mythical beasts ... They're real."

Bonner and Troll met in the early '90s when Troll was working on the book "Planet Ocean."

Troll went fossil hunting with Bonner in the Kansas chalk formations. He found a little numb sticking out of the ground that turned out to be portion of a&nbsp; rare leg bone from a pteranodon. That fossil is on display in the "Prairie Ocean" exhibit.&nbsp;

Troll was so excited and proud of the find that he started signing some of his art with a silent P — Ptroll. Look for a tongue-and-cheek art piece depicting Ptroll as the&nbsp;pteranodon hunter in the exhibit.

"It truly is a magical thing when I touched that bone," he said."&nbsp; When I first found the [pteranodon bone], it was magical. It was extraordinary. This is from 80 million years ago. ... That is the first time that has seen the light of the day in 80 million years, and it was like I had a mystical kind of spirit animal connection."

Understanding the science behind the animals, helps the artist recreate these prehistoric creatures in art, Bonner said.

"You need to know somewhat about the anatomy and skeletal structure," he said. "It also helps to know their modern relatives in some ways."

Bonner pointed to a large painting on the back wall of the exhibit. He said even though the fish is not related to the modern-day swordfish, it resembles a swordfish in its body shape with the exception of its very large teeth.

Troll stood in front of a colorful mural that stretched around one of the walls of the exhibit. He noted he also uses modern-day fish to choose the colors and shading in his artwork of prehistoric creatures.

Most modern fish are counter shaded, which mean they are white or light colored on the bottom and darker on the top. This helps camouflage them from both above and below.

He pointed to one fish and said he chose to color the fish like a modern-day tuna because it was shaped like a tuna and likely filled a similar niche in the prehistoric seas.

"That is a fascinating thing about evolution," Troll said. "This is in a different group of fish. This is not related to a tuna, yet it evolved into a shape that is almost exactly like a tuna — big head, big, strong forked tail."

Troll then pointed to another illustration of a fish. He lifted up his sleeve to show a tattoo on his arm of the same fish — the Troll's rat fish, which is named for him.

"It's because I am a rat fish nerd, and there is a rat fish scientist that I know, and to honor me and my rat fish obsession, she named a rat fish after me," he said.&nbsp;

Almost every color in the spectrum appears on modern-day fish, so Troll brings a varied pallet to his work of prehistoric creatures. Stripes and polka dots in Troll's fish, like in modern fish, could have been used for camouflage or to attract a mate.

Bonner said he just hopes visitors to the exhibit will find it interesting.

"I hope they're not bored," Bonner said. "We want some pizazz. This is a great representation of the type of life that was in the inland sea through Kansas and the western interior seaway."

Troll said "I hope this piques their curiosity about the natural world, and piquing their curiosity, they will want to know more about the natural world and introduce whimsy and fantasy, but also gets them interested in the topic of deep time. ...

"I think it is important for us to know our place in the universe and the history of the planet. The only way to understand where we are going as a species and as a planet is to know where it has been before."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579208737432.jpeg" alt="A mural by Ray Troll depicts fish that lived in the great western interior seaway. The sea covered Kansas during the&nbsp;Cretaceous Period (79 million to 66 million years ago). Troll uses modern fish as inspiration for these prehistoric&nbsp; creatures." />
 <figcaption>A mural by Ray Troll depicts fish that lived in the great western interior seaway. The sea covered Kansas during the&nbsp;Cretaceous Period (79 million to 66 million years ago). Troll uses modern fish as inspiration for these prehistoric&nbsp; creatures.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostTwo Kansas natives are bringing a combination of fossils and vibrant art to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in its latest exhibit "The Prairie Ocean: Long Time, No Sea." The exhibit opens to the public today.Chuck Bonner was born and raised in central and western Kansas, and his father was good friends with George Sternberg, for whom the Hays museum is named.&nbsp;A&nbsp;plesiosaur fossil that Bonner's father, Marion, found in 1955 is still on display at the Sternberg.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579209627281.jpeg" alt="A photo of a plesiosaur fossil that Chuck Bonner's father, Marion, found and donated to the Sternberg collection in 1955. Also pictured are Chuck Bonner's mother and older sister." />
 <figcaption>A photo of a plesiosaur fossil that Chuck Bonner's father, Marion, found and donated to the Sternberg collection in 1955. Also pictured are Chuck Bonner's mother and older sister.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Bonner family has a prehistoric fish named for them — the Bonnerichthys. Chuck Bonner found the type specimen for the creature. His brother, who was a paleontologist at KU, prepared the fossil and it sat in storage until it could be identified. The&nbsp;Bonnerichthys lived in the late&nbsp;Cretaceous Period (79 million to 66 million years ago) was about 20 feet long and was a filter feeder. A fossil of one of the fins of this fish is on display in the "Prairie Ocean" exhibit as well as a painting depicting what the fish may have looked like.Although Bonner has had some thrilling fossil finds, he joked his next one will be his best.He said he enjoys the naturalness of fossil hunting. He always has his head to the ground, looking for his next discovery.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579209668262.jpeg" alt="Chuck Bonner prepares a display case for the exhibit that contains a fossil and original art by Bonner and Ray Troll." />
 <figcaption>Chuck Bonner prepares a display case for the exhibit that contains a fossil and original art by Bonner and Ray Troll.</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonner attended Fort Hays State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in art and a master’s degree in painting. Today, he and his wife run the <a href="http://www.keystonegallery.com/">Keystone Gallery</a>, which is a combination of art gallery, fossil museum and gift shop.Ray Troll, co-creator of the exhibit, is a Wichita native and graduate of Bethany College in Lindsborg. He now lives in Alaska. He is known for his artwork depicting prehistoric creatures and has several book credits, including "Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway" with&nbsp;Dr. Kirk Johnson.Troll began drawing dinosaurs with crayons when he was 4, and prehistoric creatures have been an obsession ever since, he said. By the time he was 6, he was a mini-expert."Tyrannosaur was the first word I learned how to spell," he said. "because I was so passionate about dinosaurs. I knew how to spell dinosaur before I knew how to spell my own name."Troll said he was drawn to prehistoric creatures because they are like mythical dragons."They once roamed the land. These creatures swam in the ocean," he said. "We are standing on the ancient sea floor right here. It is that reality of these almost mythical beasts ... They're real."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579209714241.jpeg" alt="A portion of a&nbsp;pteranodon leg bone that was discovered by Ray Troll in the western Kansas chalk formations." />
 <figcaption>A portion of a&nbsp;pteranodon leg bone that was discovered by Ray Troll in the western Kansas chalk formations.</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonner and Troll met in the early '90s when Troll was working on the book "Planet Ocean."Troll went fossil hunting with Bonner in the Kansas chalk formations. He found a little numb sticking out of the ground that turned out to be portion of a&nbsp; rare leg bone from a pteranodon. That fossil is on display in the "Prairie Ocean" exhibit.&nbsp;Troll was so excited and proud of the find that he started signing some of his art with a silent P — Ptroll. Look for a tongue-and-cheek art piece depicting Ptroll as the&nbsp;pteranodon hunter in the exhibit."It truly is a magical thing when I touched that bone," he said."&nbsp; When I first found the [pteranodon bone], it was magical. It was extraordinary. This is from 80 million years ago. ... That is the first time that has seen the light of the day in 80 million years, and it was like I had a mystical kind of spirit animal connection."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579209756205.jpeg" alt="The painting pictured here on the bottom of this wall in the&nbsp; Sternberg "Prairie Ocean" exhibit is a representation of the fossil fragment hanging on the upper wall." />
 <figcaption>The painting pictured here on the bottom of this wall in the&nbsp; Sternberg "Prairie Ocean" exhibit is a representation of the fossil fragment hanging on the upper wall.</figcaption>
 </figure>Understanding the science behind the animals, helps the artist recreate these prehistoric creatures in art, Bonner said."You need to know somewhat about the anatomy and skeletal structure," he said. "It also helps to know their modern relatives in some ways."Bonner pointed to a large painting on the back wall of the exhibit. He said even though the fish is not related to the modern-day swordfish, it resembles a swordfish in its body shape with the exception of its very large teeth.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579209803354.jpeg" alt="Ray Troll hangs an art piece for "The Prairie Ocean: Long Time, No Sea" exhibit at the Sternberg Museum. The exhibit opens to the public today." />
 <figcaption>Ray Troll hangs an art piece for "The Prairie Ocean: Long Time, No Sea" exhibit at the Sternberg Museum. The exhibit opens to the public today.</figcaption>
 </figure>Troll stood in front of a colorful mural that stretched around one of the walls of the exhibit. He noted he also uses modern-day fish to choose the colors and shading in his artwork of prehistoric creatures.Most modern fish are counter shaded, which mean they are white or light colored on the bottom and darker on the top. This helps camouflage them from both above and below.He pointed to one fish and said he chose to color the fish like a modern-day tuna because it was shaped like a tuna and likely filled a similar niche in the prehistoric seas."That is a fascinating thing about evolution," Troll said. "This is in a different group of fish. This is not related to a tuna, yet it evolved into a shape that is almost exactly like a tuna — big head, big, strong forked tail."Troll then pointed to another illustration of a fish. He lifted up his sleeve to show a tattoo on his arm of the same fish — the Troll's rat fish, which is named for him."It's because I am a rat fish nerd, and there is a rat fish scientist that I know, and to honor me and my rat fish obsession, she named a rat fish after me," he said.&nbsp;Almost every color in the spectrum appears on modern-day fish, so Troll brings a varied pallet to his work of prehistoric creatures. Stripes and polka dots in Troll's fish, like in modern fish, could have been used for camouflage or to attract a mate.Bonner said he just hopes visitors to the exhibit will find it interesting."I hope they're not bored," Bonner said. "We want some pizazz. This is a great representation of the type of life that was in the inland sea through Kansas and the western interior seaway."Troll said "I hope this piques their curiosity about the natural world, and piquing their curiosity, they will want to know more about the natural world and introduce whimsy and fantasy, but also gets them interested in the topic of deep time. ..."I think it is important for us to know our place in the universe and the history of the planet. The only way to understand where we are going as a species and as a planet is to know where it has been before."

Sternberg exhibit meshes art with inland sea fossils

<div><iframe title="K-State Research Center finds limited tilling offers crop benefits" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/zbrem-cef805&?from=usersite&skin=3&fonts=Helvetica&auto=1&download=1&share=1&version=1" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player"></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL Hays PostNo-till crop production has been promoted for decades, with good results across the state, but recent findings from the K-State Agriculture Research Center now suggests limited tilling might help control pervasive weed growth, without diminishing the benefits of completely till-free farming.“No-till production where we use herbicides to control weeds
and we don’t stir the soil — till it up or plow it, like we did historically —
has been a really important improvement in agriculture in the western United
States, the Great Plains and in Kansas over the last 40 to 50 years,” said Bob Gillen, WKARC department head.Over the years, no-till farming has allowed producers to grow crops, like soybeans, that were previously unavailable to them as well as increase yields in northwest Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578954917028.jpeg" alt="Bob Gillen / K-State Extension photo" />
 <figcaption>Bob Gillen / K-State Extension photo</figcaption>
 </figure>But as benefits from the practice have become well known, problems have begun to arise.“Producers have made really great strides with (no-till farming) and that
helps with soil moisture capture, helps with soil health, helps keep the soil
from blowing," Gillen said. "But because we use herbicides to control the weeds, now we have
some weeds that have developed resistance to those herbicides and so our system
is kind of breaking down a little bit.“We want the no-till benefits, but we can’t figure out how to control all the weeds, without doing some tillage,” he said.With that concern in mind, the center began looking for ways to retain the no-till benefits, while also finding a way to control weed growth.“One of the things with no-till we are always concerned that
once we quit tilling the soil and stirring it do we need to always continue
that to contain those great benefits,” Gillen said.During their research, they found a surprising result.“Well, it looks like we need to go back to some tillage to
control these very difficult to control, herbicide-resistant weeds,” Gillen said.Further, they found that limited tilling may retain the benefits of completely no-till farming while enabling better weed control.“We didn’t want to go back to regular tillage, because we know that’s just not what we want to do,” Gillen said. “But if we just tilled once every three years, very strategically — may be a one-time thing — to control these really hard to beat weeds and get back on top of them could we maintain those benefits of no-till,” Gillen said.<h2>“We are not talking about going back to regular tillage." </h2>Researchers further found introducing limited tilling does not damage the soil in ways incurred from regular tilling.&nbsp;“If we need to do that once in a while, it isn’t going
to destroy the good soil structure that we have developed over a long period of
time. It’s not going to reduce the organic matter,” Gillen said. “So it looks like we can use this tool of very occasional
tillage, get on top of the weeds, and still keep all of those advantages.”They found the tilling needed is not just limited in frequency, but also in practice.“We are talking about one, very shallow, tillage to remove
some very shallow-rooted grasses,” Gillen said.“I wouldn’t use the word breakthrough, but it looks like
this is going to be a really positive result,” he said.<h2>“I think this is a good example of something we have done to address&nbsp; a problem that is right in front of us that I think can have a widespread, positive impact in western Kansas.”</h2>️The day-to-day pressures of a typical producer may limit the ability of a producer to come to the same conclusion, so long-term study is where groups like the research center can help farmers find the best solution to pressing concerns.“If you take just one or two years," such as data an average producer might be able to collect, Gillen said, “You can get very misleading results.”In this case, continuing research from the center may have another positive and long-lasting impact on farming practices in the area, and how producers manage their land, especially in dry regions like northwest Kansas.&nbsp;“The real number factor there is moisture management,” Gillen said.“We really want to keep as much acreage as possible no-till
and keep it tilled as little as possible, and it looks like we can do that, if
we are careful.”

🎤Hays researcher: Limited tilling found to provide crop benefits

Dr. Laura Andrews, an associate professor of music at Fort Hays State University, was recently named the Northwest Kansas Music Educators Association Outstanding College Music Educator of the Year.&nbsp;

She was presented with the award at the Northwest Kansas KMEA mini-convention concert series in December at the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center on the FHSU campus.&nbsp;

Andrews has for more than two decades served students who seek to make a career in the fields of instrumental, vocal and elementary education.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579206863571.jpeg" alt="Andrews" />
 <figcaption>Andrews</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsDr. Laura Andrews, an associate professor of music at Fort Hays State University, was recently named the Northwest Kansas Music Educators Association Outstanding College Music Educator of the Year.&nbsp;She was presented with the award at the Northwest Kansas KMEA mini-convention concert series in December at the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center on the FHSU campus.&nbsp;Andrews has for more than two decades served students who seek to make a career in the fields of instrumental, vocal and elementary education.&nbsp;

FHSU’s Andrews named outstanding music educator in NW Kan.

Back for a third time in recent years, Acoustic Eidolon will perform for the Western Plains Arts Association, Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Wallace County High School Auditorium, 521 North Main, Sharon Springs. The program begins at 2 p.m. Mountain (3 p.m. Central). Sharon Springs is in the Mountain time zone.

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

Fate has a magical way of bringing people together. Take the case of Joe Scott and Hannah Alkire of Acoustic Eidolon. In 1995, Hannah, a studio cellist, received a call to play on a Boulder ensemble’s record. Hannah listened in amazement as directions to the recording studio told her to turn on a small road near her home, and then turn down her own street past her house! Little did Hannah know that across the street and three houses away lived Joe, the greatest and only double-neck guitjo player in the world.

A few years after they met, Joe and Hannah both found themselves between full-time musical engagements. Joe called Hannah, saying he’d always wanted to hear the cello and the guitjo together. He had a feeling the harp-like sound of the guitjo, combined with the warmth of Hannah’s cello, would be beautiful together. So on a snowy day in February 1998, they got together to play for the first time. What happened next was magic. Captivated by the music they created together, Joe and Hannah immediately agreed to clear out their schedules, start rehearsing full-time, and form what would become Acoustic Eidolon.

But, fate wasn’t finished with Hannah and Joe. What started as a musical/business partnership and friendship blossomed into their marriage in fall 2001. Joe and Hannah joke that this was a marriage of convenience since they were already together all the time anyway! But, anyone watching them perform can feel the love that draws them together. Their love for one another, and their passion for life, speaks through their music.

Hannah grew up in Champaign, Ill. She started playing the piano at the age of four, then begged to play the cello at age eight. Her father played the piano. Her mother was a music instructor, and her sister played the violin. Musical genes trace back to her grandparents, who opened a music business in 1929 and thrived. Her grandmother taught guitar until she was 90!&nbsp;

Hannah studied with&nbsp;Gabriel Magyar&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Hungarian String Quartet. She took the cello seriously from the start, and played in her school orchestra. She decided early on to keep the cello her passion but not go to music school, although she continued to study and play seriously. At the University of Illinois, she got a degree to teach French, English and Spanish at the high school level, and then taught for 5 years. In 1992, she moved to the Boulder, Colo. area.

After her arrival in Colorado, Hannah enjoyed performing at area festivals and symphony orchestras. Eager to stretch herself, Hannah moved out of the strictly classical world. She started playing with rock, funk, and alternative groups, performing at various local venues and national events like the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. She was also a founding member of the Anasazi String Quartet. Hannah stays active recording, and has been involved in numerous projects to come out of the Rocky Mountain region. It was through her studio work that she met Joe. On that snowy day in February 1998, Hannah had no idea a year later playing her cello with Joe would become her lifeline…literally.

In January 1999, Hannah was diagnosed with&nbsp;non-Hodgkins lymphoma. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation through August of 1999. During that time, she continued to rehearse with Joe almost daily. Acoustic Eidolon was a source of hope and an anchor during this challenging time. During the last several days of each round of chemo, when Hannah felt the strongest, they would go into the studio and record cello parts. As a result, the debut album, Eidolon, was finished in late April 1999, and their first tour was actually during a brief break from radiation. Each year, Hannah celebrates her cancer-free anniversary, and describes herself as “strangely grateful” for her experience. “A wake-up call of that caliber leaves you pretty much stuck in permanent appreciation mode” says Hannah. She believes life is a celebration of all that we do have, and a culmination of all we love and are called to do. She and Joe are committed to bringing joy to as many people as possible through their music, and often add in appearances in schools, hospitals, hospices, and even chemo infusion rooms to inspire and help others.

As a Colorado native who grew up near Boulder, he began playing the acoustic guitar at 12. By the time he was 14, his dad suggested he take up the&nbsp;5-string banjo. He immersed himself in Bill Monroe, Lester Flat and Earl Scruggs. Joe excelled on the banjo, and won many contests at regional bluegrass festivals as a teen. Over the next several years, he was involved in various folk, bluegrass and rock groups based in the Colorado area.

At age 23, he attended the Guitar Institute of Technology&nbsp;in Hollywood, Calif. There he studied all styles of acoustic and electric guitar and was fortunate enough to study with many of the world’s finest guitar players. During this time he also started experimenting with different ways of stringing the acoustic guitar. One of the ideas was based on stringing the standard 6-string acoustic like a 5-string banjo. This was an idea that Joe’s father suggested years earlier. With this stringing, he discovered that he could play all his same banjo licks, but on the acoustic guitar it created a whole new sound. This was the beginning of the Guitjo.

After graduating GIT, Joe toured the country extensively playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals with the New Christy Minstrels, a popular 1960’s folk group based in Los Angeles. In 1985 he returned home to Colorado to start the group&nbsp;Wind Machine&nbsp;with Steve Mesple. Wind Machine toured for the next 14 years, and released 13 critically-acclaimed recordings. It was during those years that Joe along with help from Mesple developed the the 14-string-double-neck guitjo. Wind Machine ended its run in the spring of 1998. At that point Joe thought he would take a long-needed break from performing, but fate had a different plan. Enter Hannah. And as they say, the rest is history.

Visit the official website at <a href="http://www.acousticeidolon.com">www.acousticeidolon.com</a> for videos, pictures and CD information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578930508020.png" alt="Mark Sims photo /&nbsp;<a href="http://www.acousticeidolon.com">www.acousticeidolon.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Mark Sims photo /&nbsp;<a href="http://www.acousticeidolon.com">www.acousticeidolon.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure>WPAABack for a third time in recent years, Acoustic Eidolon will perform for the Western Plains Arts Association, Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Wallace County High School Auditorium, 521 North Main, Sharon Springs. The program begins at 2 p.m. Mountain (3 p.m. Central). Sharon Springs is in the Mountain time zone.Admission is by WPAA season ticket or adults $10, students $5 at the door. 50th anniversary season programs are made possible through the generous support of area businesses and individuals, including a special season grant by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan.Fate has a magical way of bringing people together. Take the case of Joe Scott and Hannah Alkire of Acoustic Eidolon. In 1995, Hannah, a studio cellist, received a call to play on a Boulder ensemble’s record. Hannah listened in amazement as directions to the recording studio told her to turn on a small road near her home, and then turn down her own street past her house! Little did Hannah know that across the street and three houses away lived Joe, the greatest and only double-neck guitjo player in the world.A few years after they met, Joe and Hannah both found themselves between full-time musical engagements. Joe called Hannah, saying he’d always wanted to hear the cello and the guitjo together. He had a feeling the harp-like sound of the guitjo, combined with the warmth of Hannah’s cello, would be beautiful together. So on a snowy day in February 1998, they got together to play for the first time. What happened next was magic. Captivated by the music they created together, Joe and Hannah immediately agreed to clear out their schedules, start rehearsing full-time, and form what would become Acoustic Eidolon.But, fate wasn’t finished with Hannah and Joe. What started as a musical/business partnership and friendship blossomed into their marriage in fall 2001. Joe and Hannah joke that this was a marriage of convenience since they were already together all the time anyway! But, anyone watching them perform can feel the love that draws them together. Their love for one another, and their passion for life, speaks through their music.Hannah grew up in Champaign, Ill. She started playing the piano at the age of four, then begged to play the cello at age eight. Her father played the piano. Her mother was a music instructor, and her sister played the violin. Musical genes trace back to her grandparents, who opened a music business in 1929 and thrived. Her grandmother taught guitar until she was 90!&nbsp;Hannah studied with&nbsp;Gabriel Magyar&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Hungarian String Quartet. She took the cello seriously from the start, and played in her school orchestra. She decided early on to keep the cello her passion but not go to music school, although she continued to study and play seriously. At the University of Illinois, she got a degree to teach French, English and Spanish at the high school level, and then taught for 5 years. In 1992, she moved to the Boulder, Colo. area.After her arrival in Colorado, Hannah enjoyed performing at area festivals and symphony orchestras. Eager to stretch herself, Hannah moved out of the strictly classical world. She started playing with rock, funk, and alternative groups, performing at various local venues and national events like the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. She was also a founding member of the Anasazi String Quartet. Hannah stays active recording, and has been involved in numerous projects to come out of the Rocky Mountain region. It was through her studio work that she met Joe. On that snowy day in February 1998, Hannah had no idea a year later playing her cello with Joe would become her lifeline…literally.In January 1999, Hannah was diagnosed with&nbsp;non-Hodgkins lymphoma. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation through August of 1999. During that time, she continued to rehearse with Joe almost daily. Acoustic Eidolon was a source of hope and an anchor during this challenging time. During the last several days of each round of chemo, when Hannah felt the strongest, they would go into the studio and record cello parts. As a result, the debut album, Eidolon, was finished in late April 1999, and their first tour was actually during a brief break from radiation. Each year, Hannah celebrates her cancer-free anniversary, and describes herself as “strangely grateful” for her experience. “A wake-up call of that caliber leaves you pretty much stuck in permanent appreciation mode” says Hannah. She believes life is a celebration of all that we do have, and a culmination of all we love and are called to do. She and Joe are committed to bringing joy to as many people as possible through their music, and often add in appearances in schools, hospitals, hospices, and even chemo infusion rooms to inspire and help others.As a Colorado native who grew up near Boulder, he began playing the acoustic guitar at 12. By the time he was 14, his dad suggested he take up the&nbsp;5-string banjo. He immersed himself in Bill Monroe, Lester Flat and Earl Scruggs. Joe excelled on the banjo, and won many contests at regional bluegrass festivals as a teen. Over the next several years, he was involved in various folk, bluegrass and rock groups based in the Colorado area.At age 23, he attended the Guitar Institute of Technology&nbsp;in Hollywood, Calif. There he studied all styles of acoustic and electric guitar and was fortunate enough to study with many of the world’s finest guitar players. During this time he also started experimenting with different ways of stringing the acoustic guitar. One of the ideas was based on stringing the standard 6-string acoustic like a 5-string banjo. This was an idea that Joe’s father suggested years earlier. With this stringing, he discovered that he could play all his same banjo licks, but on the acoustic guitar it created a whole new sound. This was the beginning of the Guitjo.After graduating GIT, Joe toured the country extensively playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals with the New Christy Minstrels, a popular 1960’s folk group based in Los Angeles. In 1985 he returned home to Colorado to start the group&nbsp;Wind Machine&nbsp;with Steve Mesple. Wind Machine toured for the next 14 years, and released 13 critically-acclaimed recordings. It was during those years that Joe along with help from Mesple developed the the 14-string-double-neck guitjo. Wind Machine ended its run in the spring of 1998. At that point Joe thought he would take a long-needed break from performing, but fate had a different plan. Enter Hannah. And as they say, the rest is history.Visit the official website at <a href="http://www.acousticeidolon.com">www.acousticeidolon.com</a> for videos, pictures and CD information.— Submitted

Musical duo will make another NW Kan. appearance this month

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

<figure>
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 <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.&nbsp;</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579288635740.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>

Three-day weather outlook

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

Let’s go to the 2019 National Restaurant Association Expo in Chicago. Food suppliers are displaying products from across the nation. Only one of these suppliers is a producer of a healthy, fermented drink called kombucha that promotes health in a person’s gut. This remarkable business is owned by a Native American woman who lives in rural Kansas.

Melinda Williamson is the founder and owner of the business called Morning Light Kombucha, the only such business at this 2019 national foods show. Melinda was born and raised in Topeka. She is of Native American descent, specifically from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.

“I always dreamed of having my own business,” Melinda said. “I think I started a little cleaning business when I was in the fourth grade.” As she grew older, she became very interested in science. She got a B.S. in natural history biology at K-State and then worked as a senior research specialist in a laboratory at Oklahoma State where she got a master’s in rangeland ecology and management, all while raising her daughter.

“As my daughter got older, I thought about coming back to our home area so that we could be closer to family,” Melinda said. They moved back to the reservation near Mayetta and she took a position working for the tribe

In 2010, Melinda was diagnosed with an autoimmune illness. “I was really sick,” Melinda said.&nbsp;&nbsp;She sought to improve her diet and health and found that drinking kombucha and green smoothies helped. She started making kombucha of her own. “People loved it and they wanted it.” She went to workshops put on by the Small Business Development Center to help develop plans for a kombucha business.

In March 2016, Melinda launched Morning Light Kombucha. Her business is based in values of health and sustainability which are very important to her.

What is kombucha? It is a fermented, non-alcoholic tea that is rich in beneficial bacteria and B vitamins. “I start with a green and black tea blend and add sugar, filtered water, and the fermented culture,” Melinda said. In four to six weeks, most of the sugar is consumed. The result is a bubbly, tart, low-sugar drink that is rich in probiotics and organic acids. “It is a great power-packed drink, a good alternative to soda. We recommend people drink four to eight ounces a day,” she said.

The goal is a healthy gut. “The digestive system needs to be in balance,” Melinda said. “I’ve gotten a lot of healing from it, and I wanted to help others.”

Why the name Morning Light? “In my tribe, morning is a time for prayer,” Melinda said. “The light of a new day marks a time for a fresh start.”

As her business grew, Melinda expanded her production kitchen in nearby Hoyt. Her Morning Light Kombucha is now served on tap at eleven locations across northeast Kansas and she’s seeking to grow. Her commitment to sustainability includes composting and recycling of brewing waste, selling kombucha on tap in refillable bottles, and recycling straws, lids, and sample cups.&nbsp;

Melinda works with a network of local organic producers as her suppliers. “Ninety percent of our ingredients are sourced from local farmers,” she said.

Morning Light Kombucha is a member of the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s From the Land of Kansas program as well as Kombucha Brewers International. It is also a trademarked American Indian Foods product through the Intertribal Agricultural Council. A portion of her business’s proceeds are donated to those in native communities, such as helping native students travel to Washington, D.C. “We give back where we can,” Melinda said.

It’s great to find a business like this in a rural community such as Hoyt, population 642 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.

For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morninglightkombucha.com/">www.morninglightkombucha.com</a>.

It’s time to leave the National Restaurant Association Expo in Chicago, where a Native American woman from Kansas is the only kombucha brewer present. We salute Melinda Williamson for making a difference with a business committed to health and sustainability. Such entrepreneurs can give us a good gut feeling.

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural DevelopmentLet’s go to the 2019 National Restaurant Association Expo in Chicago. Food suppliers are displaying products from across the nation. Only one of these suppliers is a producer of a healthy, fermented drink called kombucha that promotes health in a person’s gut. This remarkable business is owned by a Native American woman who lives in rural Kansas.Melinda Williamson is the founder and owner of the business called Morning Light Kombucha, the only such business at this 2019 national foods show. Melinda was born and raised in Topeka. She is of Native American descent, specifically from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579110364576.jpeg" alt="Melinda Williamson" />
 <figcaption>Melinda Williamson</figcaption>
 </figure>“I always dreamed of having my own business,” Melinda said. “I think I started a little cleaning business when I was in the fourth grade.” As she grew older, she became very interested in science. She got a B.S. in natural history biology at K-State and then worked as a senior research specialist in a laboratory at Oklahoma State where she got a master’s in rangeland ecology and management, all while raising her daughter.“As my daughter got older, I thought about coming back to our home area so that we could be closer to family,” Melinda said. They moved back to the reservation near Mayetta and she took a position working for the tribeIn 2010, Melinda was diagnosed with an autoimmune illness. “I was really sick,” Melinda said.&nbsp;&nbsp;She sought to improve her diet and health and found that drinking kombucha and green smoothies helped. She started making kombucha of her own. “People loved it and they wanted it.” She went to workshops put on by the Small Business Development Center to help develop plans for a kombucha business.In March 2016, Melinda launched Morning Light Kombucha. Her business is based in values of health and sustainability which are very important to her.What is kombucha? It is a fermented, non-alcoholic tea that is rich in beneficial bacteria and B vitamins. “I start with a green and black tea blend and add sugar, filtered water, and the fermented culture,” Melinda said. In four to six weeks, most of the sugar is consumed. The result is a bubbly, tart, low-sugar drink that is rich in probiotics and organic acids. “It is a great power-packed drink, a good alternative to soda. We recommend people drink four to eight ounces a day,” she said.The goal is a healthy gut. “The digestive system needs to be in balance,” Melinda said. “I’ve gotten a lot of healing from it, and I wanted to help others.”Why the name Morning Light? “In my tribe, morning is a time for prayer,” Melinda said. “The light of a new day marks a time for a fresh start.”As her business grew, Melinda expanded her production kitchen in nearby Hoyt. Her Morning Light Kombucha is now served on tap at eleven locations across northeast Kansas and she’s seeking to grow. Her commitment to sustainability includes composting and recycling of brewing waste, selling kombucha on tap in refillable bottles, and recycling straws, lids, and sample cups.&nbsp;Melinda works with a network of local organic producers as her suppliers. “Ninety percent of our ingredients are sourced from local farmers,” she said.Morning Light Kombucha is a member of the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s From the Land of Kansas program as well as Kombucha Brewers International. It is also a trademarked American Indian Foods product through the Intertribal Agricultural Council. A portion of her business’s proceeds are donated to those in native communities, such as helping native students travel to Washington, D.C. “We give back where we can,” Melinda said.It’s great to find a business like this in a rural community such as Hoyt, population 642 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.morninglightkombucha.com/">www.morninglightkombucha.com</a>.It’s time to leave the National Restaurant Association Expo in Chicago, where a Native American woman from Kansas is the only kombucha brewer present. We salute Melinda Williamson for making a difference with a business committed to health and sustainability. Such entrepreneurs can give us a good gut feeling.

Now That’s Rural: Melinda Williamson, Morning Light Kombucha

Two public hearings for rezoning requests will be held by the Hays Area Planning Commission Monday.

The commission will consider approval of rezoning the tract within 3301 U.S. Highway 183 Alternate, located on the west side of 33rd and the bypass, from “A-L” Agriculture to “C-2” Commercial General. 

The property began operating as Creek Side Resort RV Park in August 2019. Owner&nbsp;Aaron Dreher wants to rezone a small area to the north of the office for more RV parking spaces.

The second public hearing will consider&nbsp;rezoning from “P-I” Public and Institutional District to “R-G” Residential General District for the property at 2909 Roosevelt St.&nbsp;

 The property owner recently split the lot from the 1605 E. 29th Street parcel.&nbsp;

The adjacent neighborhood is zoned “NC.2” (Neighborhood Conservation) and the “P-I” Public and Institution zoning district does not allow residential uses; thus, the reason for the change of zoning request for that parcel.&nbsp; Sewer would need to be extended by the developer from the development to the north.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Commissioners will also consider the preliminary and final plat of the proposed Hess First Addition located at 5809 230th Ave. 

The complete Jan. 20 agenda is available <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01202020-1171">here</a>. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

HAYS POSTTwo public hearings for rezoning requests will be held by the Hays Area Planning Commission Monday.The commission will consider approval of rezoning the tract within 3301 U.S. Highway 183 Alternate, located on the west side of 33rd and the bypass, from “A-L” Agriculture to “C-2” Commercial General. The property began operating as Creek Side Resort RV Park in August 2019. Owner&nbsp;Aaron Dreher wants to rezone a small area to the north of the office for more RV parking spaces.The second public hearing will consider&nbsp;rezoning from “P-I” Public and Institutional District to “R-G” Residential General District for the property at 2909 Roosevelt St.&nbsp; The property owner recently split the lot from the 1605 E. 29th Street parcel.&nbsp;The adjacent neighborhood is zoned “NC.2” (Neighborhood Conservation) and the “P-I” Public and Institution zoning district does not allow residential uses; thus, the reason for the change of zoning request for that parcel.&nbsp; Sewer would need to be extended by the developer from the development to the north.&nbsp; &nbsp;Commissioners will also consider the preliminary and final plat of the proposed Hess First Addition located at 5809 230th Ave. The complete Jan. 20 agenda is available <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01202020-1171">here</a>. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

Two public hearings for rezoning requests Monday

ROOKS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Friday in Rooks County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Dodge Ram driven by Mark A. Hays, 59, Woodston, was southbound on 25 Road just north of U.S. 24 six miles east of Stockton.

&nbsp;The pickup veered left off the roadway and struck a tree.

Hays was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp;Plumer-Overlease Mortuary.&nbsp; The KHP did not have information on seat belt usage.

ROOKS COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 9:30a.m. Friday in Rooks County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Dodge Ram driven by Mark A. Hays, 59, Woodston, was southbound on 25 Road just north of U.S. 24 six miles east of Stockton.&nbsp;The pickup veered left off the roadway and struck a tree.Hays was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp;Plumer-Overlease Mortuary.&nbsp; The KHP did not have information on seat belt usage.

Rooks County man dies after pickup strikes a tree

There’s more than one way to make it to the NFL from an NCAA Division II school. Even before graduating from D-II Fort Hays State University in December, Tatyana Legette – who grew up in Topeka – took on a seasonal position in event operations for the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp;

After dazzling FHSU basketball fans in Gross Memorial Coliseum for four years, Legette - an All-American last season - graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health and human performance with an emphasis in sports management and recreation and a minor in leadership. Her dream is to work in some capacity for a professional sports team. She mentioned that to one of her professors, Dr. Lynn Maska, and in passing to FHSU President Tisa Mason last summer. They forwarded Legette contact information for Nick Capo, head of external event operations for the Chiefs, who happens to be an FHSU graduate.&nbsp;

Voilà! Legette landed the seasonal gig and hopes it develops into a full-time position. She will be super busy Sunday, checking in ticket takers and reserved-section tailgaters at the AFC championship game in Arrowhead Stadium. One of the perks of the job is getting to watch the games after she gets finished with her pre-game responsibilities.&nbsp;

The Chiefs are hoping for a victory over the Tennessee Titans and a trip to Super Bowl LIV Feb. 2 in Florida. Legette is hoping for even more. She grew up cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles because her dad is a diehard Eagles fan. But his youngest daughter says she could be persuaded to change allegiances if she joins the Chiefs staff. KC is definitely No. 1 on her list right now since the Eagles have been eliminated. So go Chiefs, and good luck Tatyana!&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579300638409.jpeg" alt="Tatyana Legette / courtesy photos" />
 <figcaption>Tatyana Legette / courtesy photos</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsThere’s more than one way to make it to the NFL from an NCAA Division II school. Even before graduating from D-II Fort Hays State University in December, Tatyana Legette – who grew up in Topeka – took on a seasonal position in event operations for the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp;After dazzling FHSU basketball fans in Gross Memorial Coliseum for four years, Legette - an All-American last season - graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health and human performance with an emphasis in sports management and recreation and a minor in leadership. Her dream is to work in some capacity for a professional sports team. She mentioned that to one of her professors, Dr. Lynn Maska, and in passing to FHSU President Tisa Mason last summer. They forwarded Legette contact information for Nick Capo, head of external event operations for the Chiefs, who happens to be an FHSU graduate.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579300679966.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Voilà! Legette landed the seasonal gig and hopes it develops into a full-time position. She will be super busy Sunday, checking in ticket takers and reserved-section tailgaters at the AFC championship game in Arrowhead Stadium. One of the perks of the job is getting to watch the games after she gets finished with her pre-game responsibilities.&nbsp;The Chiefs are hoping for a victory over the Tennessee Titans and a trip to Super Bowl LIV Feb. 2 in Florida. Legette is hoping for even more. She grew up cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles because her dad is a diehard Eagles fan. But his youngest daughter says she could be persuaded to change allegiances if she joins the Chiefs staff. KC is definitely No. 1 on her list right now since the Eagles have been eliminated. So go Chiefs, and good luck Tatyana!&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579300717509.jpeg" alt="" />
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579300739987.jpeg" alt="tatyana4.jpg" />
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 </figure>

From Gross Memorial Coliseum to Arrowhead Stadium

PHILLIPSBURG — The U.S. Geological Survey reported a small earthquake occurred Thursday night in Phillips County.

The quake, which measured 2.8 in magnitude, was recorded&nbsp; at 9:24 p.m. Thursday about 8 miles south-southeast of Phillipsburg — just west of Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge.

It was the third quake recorded in Phillips County in 2020 — and only the third in northwest Kansas this year. A 2.5-magnitude earthquake occurred just after 4 p.m. Jan. 3 just northeast of the Kirwin refuge, and a 2.7-magnitude quake was recored Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579293482759.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>PHILLIPSBURG — The U.S. Geological Survey reported a small earthquake occurred Thursday night in Phillips County.The quake, which measured 2.8 in magnitude, was recorded&nbsp; at 9:24 p.m. Thursday about 8 miles south-southeast of Phillipsburg — just west of Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge.It was the third quake recorded in Phillips County in 2020 — and only the third in northwest Kansas this year. A 2.5-magnitude earthquake occurred just after 4 p.m. Jan. 3 just northeast of the Kirwin refuge, and a 2.7-magnitude quake was recored Wednesday.

Third earthquake of 2020 recorded in Phillips County

At around 7:20 a.m. Friday, emergency responders were dispatched to the 1500 block of Feedlot road after a semi transporting cattle overturned.

The semi came to rest on its side in the north ditch after leaving the roadway on the ice-covered road, according to Ellis County Undersheriff Scott Braun.

Weather conditions were cited as the cause of the accident.

The Kansas Highway Patrol worked the accident, with the assistance of the Ellis County Sherrif's Office and Ellis County Rural Fire Department.

Braun said a few cows died in the accident, but overall the load was safe.

The fire department unloaded the surviving cattle from the trailer and moved the animals to a holding pen. Arrangements were being made to move the cattle to another location.

The semi will remain in place until road conditions improve that will allow an operation to remove it.

By JAMES BELL Hays PostAt around 7:20 a.m. Friday, emergency responders were dispatched to the 1500 block of Feedlot road after a semi transporting cattle overturned.The semi came to rest on its side in the north ditch after leaving the roadway on the ice-covered road, according to Ellis County Undersheriff Scott Braun.Weather conditions were cited as the cause of the accident.The Kansas Highway Patrol worked the accident, with the assistance of the Ellis County Sherrif's Office and Ellis County Rural Fire Department.Braun said a few cows died in the accident, but overall the load was safe.The fire department unloaded the surviving cattle from the trailer and moved the animals to a holding pen. Arrangements were being made to move the cattle to another location.The semi will remain in place until road conditions improve that will allow an operation to remove it.No injuries were reported.

Cattle killed in semi accident Friday in Ellis Co.

The hiring process for a new county administrator will be discussed during Monday's Ellis County Commission meeting.

Darin Myers,&nbsp;director of Fire and Emergency Management, has been serving as interim county administrator since the departure of Phillip Smith-Hanes in late November for the same position in Saline County.

Also on the agenda is a vehicle replacement for the county fire department.&nbsp;

As part of the 2020 Fire and Emergency Management budget, the 1994 Suburban is&nbsp;scheduled to be replaced with a 3/4 ton pickup. 

This is also part of a&nbsp; $40,000 Homeland Security&nbsp;grant to purchase an enclosed water supply trailer for the fire district. The pickup purchase will ensure a vehicle able to pull the new trailer when it is purchased later this year.

Staff is recommending the bid award to Lewis Automotive, Hays, at $31,955.56. 

The Suburban would be transferred to the Ellis Fire Department.&nbsp;

Commissioners are also expected to appoint Jason Kennedy, EMS director, to represent Ellis County on the Northwest Kansas Homeland Security Council. Kennedy would replace Kerry McCue who retired at the end of 2019.&nbsp;

The complete Jan. 20 agenda is available <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01202020-296">here</a>. The meeting starts at 5 p.m. in the commission chambers of the Ellis County Administration Building, 718 Main, Hays.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578921333301.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div>By BECKY KISER Hays Post</div>The hiring process for a new county administrator will be discussed during Monday's Ellis County Commission meeting.Darin Myers,&nbsp;director of Fire and Emergency Management, has been serving as interim county administrator since the departure of Phillip Smith-Hanes in late November for the same position in Saline County.Also on the agenda is a vehicle replacement for the county fire department.&nbsp;As part of the 2020 Fire and Emergency Management budget, the 1994 Suburban is&nbsp;scheduled to be replaced with a 3/4 ton pickup. This is also part of a&nbsp; $40,000 Homeland Security&nbsp;grant to purchase an enclosed water supply trailer for the fire district. The pickup purchase will ensure a vehicle able to pull the new trailer when it is purchased later this year.Staff is recommending the bid award to Lewis Automotive, Hays, at $31,955.56. The Suburban would be transferred to the Ellis Fire Department.&nbsp;Commissioners are also expected to appoint Jason Kennedy, EMS director, to represent Ellis County on the Northwest Kansas Homeland Security Council. Kennedy would replace Kerry McCue who retired at the end of 2019.&nbsp;The complete Jan. 20 agenda is available <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01202020-296">here</a>. The meeting starts at 5 p.m. in the commission chambers of the Ellis County Administration Building, 718 Main, Hays.&nbsp;

Ellis County Commission to discuss hiring new administrator

The Hays Police Department responded to 3 animal calls and conducted 17 traffic stops Tue., Jan. 14, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Disturbance - Noise--400 block W. 7th, Hays; 12:18 AM

Assist - Other (not MV)--500 block E 20th St, Hays;&nbsp;1:35 AM

Mental Health Call--100 block E 14th St, Hays;&nbsp;5:59 AM

Credit Card Violations--4300 block Vine St, Hays; 1/7/ 7:02 PM; 7:17 PM

Credit Card Violations--3600 block Vine St, Hays;&nbsp;1/7/ 7:20 PM; 7:27 PM

Welfare Check--200 block E 20th St, Hays; 2:17 PM

Found/Lost Property--100 block 14th St, Hays; 2:34 PM

MV Accident-City Street/Alley--3400 block Vine St, Hays; 4:06 PM

Disturbance - General--200 block&nbsp; W 7th St, Hays; 4:57 PM

Disturbance - Noise--1100 block Cody Ave, Hays; 9:20 PM

MV Accident-Hit and Run--1300 block Vine St, Hays; 12 AM

The Hays Police Department responded to 2 animal calls and conducted 27 traffic stops Wed., Jan. 15, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Driving Under the Influence--4100 block Roth Ave, Hays; 4:15 AM; 4:31 AM

MV Accident-Hit and Run--200 block W 29th St, Hays; 7:48 AM

Suspicious Person--500 block E 6th St, Hays; 8:42 AM; 8:46 AM

MV Accident-City Street/Alley--1300 block Allen St, Hays; 10:20 AM

Found/Lost Property--2000 block E 8th St, Ellis County; 12:02 PM

Phone/Mail Scam--1100 block Amhurst Dr, Hays; 12:40 PM

Battery - Domestic--1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 5:08 PM; 5:12 PM

Lost Animals ONLY--1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 5:11 PM

Mental Health Call--500 block E 6th St, Hays; 6:31 PM

Suspicious Activity--100 block W 15th St, Hays; 9:52 PM

Theft (general)--700 block E 7th St, Hays; 10:32 PM

The Hays Police Department responded to 5 animal calls and conducted 16 traffic stops Thu., Jan. 16, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mental Health Call--500 block E 6th St, Hays; 4:27 AM

Theft (general)--1200 block E 21st St, Hays; 1/12 9:51 PM; 1/16 7 AM

Theft (general)--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 8:48 AM

Theft (general)--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 1/14 7:02 AM; 5 PM

Found/Lost Property--100 block W 4th St, Hays; 12:55 PM; 12:59 PM

Disturbance - Noise--1700 block Marjorie Dr; 2:03 PM

Found/Lost Property--2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 2:11 PM

MV Accident-City Street/Alley--4200 block Vine St, Hays; 4:34 PM; 4:38 AM

MV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run--200 block E 7th St, Hays; 4:40 PM

Assist - Other (not MV)--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 4:58 PM

Civil Transport--1300 block Kansas Highway 264, Larned; 6:35 PM

Suspicious Activity--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 9:49 PM

Civil Transport--200 block E 7th St, Hays; 10:07 PM

Driving Under the Influence--600 block Ash St, Hays;&nbsp;11:23 PM

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hays Police Department responded to 3 animal calls and conducted 17 traffic stops Tue., Jan. 14, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.&nbsp;&nbsp;Disturbance - Noise--400 block W. 7th, Hays; 12:18 AMAssist - Other (not MV)--500 block E 20th St, Hays;&nbsp;1:35 AMMental Health Call--100 block E 14th St, Hays;&nbsp;5:59 AMCredit Card Violations--4300 block Vine St, Hays; 1/7/ 7:02 PM; 7:17 PMCredit Card Violations--3600 block Vine St, Hays;&nbsp;1/7/ 7:20 PM; 7:27 PMWelfare Check--200 block E 20th St, Hays; 2:17 PMFound/Lost Property--100 block 14th St, Hays; 2:34 PMFound/Lost Property--Hays; 3:01 PMMV Accident-City Street/Alley--3400 block Vine St, Hays; 4:06 PMDisturbance - General--200 block&nbsp; W 7th St, Hays; 4:57 PMDisturbance - Noise--1100 block Cody Ave, Hays; 9:20 PMMV Accident-Hit and Run--1300 block Vine St, Hays; 12 AMThe Hays Police Department responded to 2 animal calls and conducted 27 traffic stops Wed., Jan. 15, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.&nbsp;&nbsp;Driving Under the Influence--4100 block Roth Ave, Hays; 4:15 AM; 4:31 AMMV Accident-Hit and Run--200 block W 29th St, Hays; 7:48 AMSuspicious Person--500 block E 6th St, Hays; 8:42 AM; 8:46 AMMV Accident-City Street/Alley--1300 block Allen St, Hays; 10:20 AMFound/Lost Property--2000 block E 8th St, Ellis County; 12:02 PMPhone/Mail Scam--1100 block Amhurst Dr, Hays; 12:40 PMBattery - Domestic--1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 5:08 PM; 5:12 PMLost Animals ONLY--1000 block Reservation Rd, Hays; 5:11 PMMental Health Call--500 block E 6th St, Hays; 6:31 PMSuspicious Activity--100 block W 15th St, Hays; 9:52 PMTheft (general)--700 block E 7th St, Hays; 10:32 PMThe Hays Police Department responded to 5 animal calls and conducted 16 traffic stops Thu., Jan. 16, 2020, according to the HPD Activity Log.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mental Health Call--500 block E 6th St, Hays; 4:27 AMTheft (general)--1200 block E 21st St, Hays; 1/12 9:51 PM; 1/16 7 AMTheft (general)--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 8:48 AMTheft (general)--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 1/14 7:02 AM; 5 PMFound/Lost Property--100 block W 4th St, Hays; 12:55 PM; 12:59 PMDisturbance - Noise--1700 block Marjorie Dr; 2:03 PMFound/Lost Property--2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 2:11 PMMV Accident-City Street/Alley--4200 block Vine St, Hays; 4:34 PM; 4:38 AMMV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run--200 block E 7th St, Hays; 4:40 PMAssist - Other (not MV)--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 4:58 PMAssist - Other (not MV)--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 4:58 PMCivil Transport--1300 block Kansas Highway 264, Larned; 6:35 PMSuspicious Activity--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 9:49 PMCivil Transport--200 block E 7th St, Hays; 10:07 PMDriving Under the Influence--600 block Ash St, Hays;&nbsp;11:23 PM<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>

HPD Activity Log Jan. 14-16

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

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🎤Post Podcast: FHSU students returning; FHSU Police share what you need to know

Fourteen awards to faculty, staff and students were presented today at Fort Hays State University’s annual convocation kicking off the spring semester, held in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center.

Three faculty members were selected for the faculty awards for the fall 2019 semester, one each in the areas of teaching, scholarly activity and service. Each person is presented with a $500 cash award, funded through the support of Commerce Bank. The award winners’ departments are provided by the university deans with $250 in additional budget support.

Dr. Robert Lloyd, assistant professor of management, was presented the Outstanding Teaching Award.

Dr. Babu George, associate professor of management, was announced as the recipient of the Outstanding Scholarly Activity Award. George is also the international coordinator for FHSU’s W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship.

The Outstanding Service Award for the fall semester went to Dr. Seth Kastle, assistant professor of leadership studies.

The Adjunct Faculty of the Year Award recognizes an adjunct faculty member from each of the university’s five academic colleges. Each winner receives a $500 cash award:

• &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences – Tj Reilley, Department of Philosophy.

• &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship – Dr. Stacey Seibel, Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting.

• &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;College of Education – Julie Cannizzo, Department of Advanced Education Programs.

• &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;College of Health and Behavioral Sciences – Dr. Darin Callacombe, Department of Psychology.

• &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Peter Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics – Eamonn Coveney, Department of Geosciences.

The Distinguished Service Awards recognize two staff members, one from University Support Staff and another for an Unclassified Professional Staff member. The awards are presented for longevity, breadth of quality contributions and the significance of their dedication and commitment to the university. Each receives a $500 cash award.

Rebecca Luedders, a 20-year employee of FHSU Printing Services, is the UPS winner.

Eileen Roberts, who has worked for various department of the university for more than 41 years, is the winner of the USS award. She currently works in the Human Resource Office.

Les and Elizabeth Griffin Outstanding Service Awards were presented to two staff members and two student workers in the university’s daily operations departments. Each staff winner receives a $500 cash award, and each student winner receives a $250 cash award.

Martin Jimenez, who works in Picken Hall, received the Griffin Family Outstanding Service Award for Facility Operations-Staff. Alberto Jimenez (no relation, a Wichita junior working in the university motor pool, received the Facility Operations-Student award.

Jolene Kaufman was the recipient of the Outstanding Food Service-Staff award, and Madison Walz, a Rexford senior working for Chartwells as a barista in the Memorial Union’s Starbucks, was the Food Service-Student award winner.



<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579288150070.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU UNIVERSITY RELATIONSFourteen awards to faculty, staff and students were presented today at Fort Hays State University’s annual convocation kicking off the spring semester, held in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center.Three faculty members were selected for the faculty awards for the fall 2019 semester, one each in the areas of teaching, scholarly activity and service. Each person is presented with a $500 cash award, funded through the support of Commerce Bank. The award winners’ departments are provided by the university deans with $250 in additional budget support.Dr. Robert Lloyd, assistant professor of management, was presented the Outstanding Teaching Award.Dr. Babu George, associate professor of management, was announced as the recipient of the Outstanding Scholarly Activity Award. George is also the international coordinator for FHSU’s W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship.The Outstanding Service Award for the fall semester went to Dr. Seth Kastle, assistant professor of leadership studies.The Adjunct Faculty of the Year Award recognizes an adjunct faculty member from each of the university’s five academic colleges. Each winner receives a $500 cash award:• &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences – Tj Reilley, Department of Philosophy.• &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship – Dr. Stacey Seibel, Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting.• &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;College of Education – Julie Cannizzo, Department of Advanced Education Programs.• &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;College of Health and Behavioral Sciences – Dr. Darin Callacombe, Department of Psychology.• &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Peter Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics – Eamonn Coveney, Department of Geosciences.The Distinguished Service Awards recognize two staff members, one from University Support Staff and another for an Unclassified Professional Staff member. The awards are presented for longevity, breadth of quality contributions and the significance of their dedication and commitment to the university. Each receives a $500 cash award.Rebecca Luedders, a 20-year employee of FHSU Printing Services, is the UPS winner.Eileen Roberts, who has worked for various department of the university for more than 41 years, is the winner of the USS award. She currently works in the Human Resource Office.Les and Elizabeth Griffin Outstanding Service Awards were presented to two staff members and two student workers in the university’s daily operations departments. Each staff winner receives a $500 cash award, and each student winner receives a $250 cash award.Martin Jimenez, who works in Picken Hall, received the Griffin Family Outstanding Service Award for Facility Operations-Staff. Alberto Jimenez (no relation, a Wichita junior working in the university motor pool, received the Facility Operations-Student award.Jolene Kaufman was the recipient of the Outstanding Food Service-Staff award, and Madison Walz, a Rexford senior working for Chartwells as a barista in the Memorial Union’s Starbucks, was the Food Service-Student award winner.

Awards highlight spring convocation at FHSU

An ice storm that moved into Hays early Friday morning forced many area schools to cancel classes for the day, including USD 489, TMP-Marian and Holy Family, and NCK Tech in Hays.

The city of Hays has postponed today's refuse/recycling collection until Saturday because of the hazardous conditions.

The official weather record from the K-State Agricultural Center reports 0.24 inches of moisture overnight with a 1/8 inch ice glaze on exposed surfaces.

Temperatures are <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e20f28d7d7daa72b30eb1ef">forecast</a> to reach into the low 40's this afternoon and through the weekend.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579284704847.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div>By BECKY KISER Hays Post</div>An ice storm that moved into Hays early Friday morning forced many area schools to cancel classes for the day, including USD 489, TMP-Marian and Holy Family, and NCK Tech in Hays.The city of Hays has postponed today's refuse/recycling collection until Saturday because of the hazardous conditions.The official weather record from the K-State Agricultural Center reports 0.24 inches of moisture overnight with a 1/8 inch ice glaze on exposed surfaces.Temperatures are <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e20f28d7d7daa72b30eb1ef">forecast</a> to reach into the low 40's this afternoon and through the weekend.&nbsp;

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