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12 Days of Christmas Giveaway Day Two!

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575304236805.jpeg">Gray / photo Barton County. BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a weekend traffic stop. Just after 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 1300 block of Baker Street, according to sheriff Brian Bellendir. A 2007 GMC Yukon was stopped for an equipment violation, and a passenger in the vehicle was identified as Melvin Gray, 51, Great Bend. Gray had outstanding warrants from Rush County. The sheriff’s office K9 officer, Maxx, was at the scene and indicated the presence of controlled substances, Bellendir said, adding that methamphetamine and marijuana allegedly were located. Gray was transported to the Barton County jail on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of marijuana. He is being held in lieu of a $50,000 bond. Gray is also being held for Rush County on an outstanding warrant with a bond of $25,000. He has more than two dozen convictions for theft, burglary, identity theft, aggravated escape from custody, forgery and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Felon wanted in Rush County jailed after traffic stop

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575299116020.jpeg">Hays VA Outpatient Clinic By JUDY SHERARDHays DAR The VA Outpatient Clinic, 207B East 7th Street in Hays, will continue to provide WiFi service to those visiting the clinic for the next three years thanks to a $6,744 grant from the Robert E. and Patricia A. Schmidt Foundation, Hays, and the local <a href="http://kansasdar.org/courtneyspalding/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Courtney-Spalding Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution</a>. Using a $2,500 grant from the Schmidt Foundation in 2018, Eagle Communications Inc. of Hays, installed WiFi wiring and equipment following a technician site survey to determine what was needed. Before that the clinic had been a Wi-Fi “dead zone” for visitors. The $6,744 grant will “provide 36 months of managed firewall and internet services” to the clinic, according to a letter from the foundation. "The managed firewall will add higher security because of medical and VA information that may be transmitted," said Bunnie Bowen, Courtney-Spalding treasurer. After months of researching ways to achieve channel reception in a financial and sustainable manner, the Courtney-Spalding Chapter also provided a television in the VA Clinic waiting room in 2018. Using an antennae for reception, the TV offers a selection of eight channels. The project was made possible by donations from Hays Community Assistance Center, Hays Walmart, Viola Kaempfe family, Brandon Purdy of Simply, LLC, and anonymous donors. Both projects, the waiting room TV and WiFi, are provided in honor of Kathryn Walker West, Maj., U.S. Army (ret., NSDAR Corresponding Secretary and former Kansas Regent.

Local DAR grant helps fund WiFi at Hays VA clinic  

Hays CVB: December events in Hays

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Seven small earthquakes have rattled Kansas since Saturday, with all but one of them clustered near Wichita.The Kansas Geological Survey reports that six of the tremblers were centered in southwest Sedgwick County. They ranged in magnitude from 2 to 3.1. A seventh earthquake with a magnitude of 2.9 was reported in Rooks County in the north-central part of the state. The threshold for damage usually starts at 4.0. The earthquakes hit as the Kansas Corporation Commission is investigating the cause of a swarm of 17 earthquakes in five days in the same area of central Kansas in August. The regulatory agency’s investigation is focused on the underground disposal of oilfield waste that has been blamed for quakes elsewhere in southern Kansas.

7 small earthquakes rattle Kansas over the weekend

Ellis Co. domestic violence, rape reports increase; officials say more victims reporting

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574721795249.jpeg">Sara Albrecht and Jennifer Windholz / photos courtesy Happy Creek Chic By SHAUNA RUMBAUGH<a href="https://www.hpj.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">High Plains Journal</a> Dying. Doomed to decline. Can’t be saved. Dismal declarations like these dominate headlines about the fate of rural America.&nbsp; Ben Winchester, a University of Minnesota Extension educator in evaluation and rural sociology at UMN’s Extension Center for Community Vitality, has studied rural demographics extensively in Minnesota and across the United States, and he sees positive trends in rural areas.&nbsp; “People are moving into our small towns every day for what we are and what we will be,” he said. Winchester uses the term “brain gain” to challenge the narrative about “brain drain” in rural counties — when young people leave their communities for higher education and careers in cities. Discussions of rural America often focus on the percentage of population loss from rural counties, he said. But that negative language ignores the fact that, according to census data overall, people in the 30 to 50 age range are still moving into rural areas with their families.&nbsp; “So on one hand, we have 18-year-olds that decided to leave the community with their high school education and very few career-kind of prospects at that time. But at the same time, we have people in their 30s, 40s and 50s moving in—and they're bringing their skills, their jobs, their experience and their education with them,” Winchester said.&nbsp; His research indicates the three biggest reasons people move to rural communities are:<ol><li>Slower pace of life;&nbsp;</li><li>Safety and security (especially families with children); and</li><li>Low cost of housing.</li><li> </li></ol>Ignoring the brain gain that’s taking place across rural America does a disservice to those people, Winchester said. “I would rather our towns start to recognize some of the assets they’re bringing in rather than focusing so much on the so-called deficits that are created by losing our 18-year-olds.”<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574721883992.jpeg">Returning to rural rootsSisters Sara Albrecht and Jennifer Windholz grew up in rural Graham County, Kansas. Their farm family was active in 4-H and other school and community activities in the Hill City area.&nbsp; Like many others who are part of the brain gain migration to rural areas, both left home following high school but later returned home to raise their families. And they brought the education and experience they gained in other places with them. Albrecht and her husband, DJ, traveled around the country and lived in several different areas before choosing to move back to rural Kansas.&nbsp; “We really were looking for some place different to raise our kids, so we chose to move back,” Albrecht said. The lower cost of living was also a factor, she said. Windholz earned a degree in apparel and textile marketing from Kansas State University. She managed or co-managed several retail stores in Manhattan and Kansas City after graduating.&nbsp; “I was never the person that said I hated where I came from and couldn’t wait to get out. I just didn’t think there was anything there for me,” Windholz said.&nbsp; Then she met her future husband, Stan, while visiting Hill City to watch her nieces show animals at the county fair one summer.&nbsp; Windholz left the city and moved back home six months later. She managed a clothing store in Hays, Kansas, for several years before coming home to the Windholzes’ farm in southern Graham County to care for their children full time.&nbsp;<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574721901026.jpeg">Designing a business for rural AmericaWindholz got a sewing machine for Christmas one year and made some stay-put headbands for herself. She reached out to others to see if anyone else wanted some.&nbsp; “They sold like crazy,” she said, which led her to open an online shop in 2017. As more orders came in, she purchased a vinyl machine to add printing and further customization options.&nbsp; Windholz continued to expand her shop and began offering T-shirts with vinyl prints. She brought Albrecht, an artist, on board to create custom designs. The siblings bought a screen-printing machine and began fulfilling bulk orders for custom shirts. The business they continue to build together, Happy Creek Chic, is thriving. They have added boutique clothing to their offerings. Albrecht’s artistic talent and Windholz’s marketing and fashion background have proven a successful combination. Both said internet access has broadened the reach of their rural business. “We couldn’t do this without the internet and networks of people,” Windholz said. Some of their bulk shirt orders have come from customers in other states who have seen Happy Creek Chic promoted on Facebook and elsewhere online. Albrecht and Windholz said that at times they wished they had a storefront so customers could shop in person and see and touch the clothing. Traveling boutiques they saw in cities inspired the sisters. Earlier this year, they bought and remodeled a trailer and now offer customers a mobile storefront — the Happy Creek Chic Traveling Boutique. “We—rural Kansans—need that. All these little towns that can’t support a boutique get so excited when you come,” Windholz said. They take the trailer to craft fairs and other events. They also make pop-up shopping stops in Hill City, WaKeeney and other surrounding towns, advertising their current location on Facebook and by word-of-mouth. The sisters plan to make pop-up shopping a regular occurrence in towns that may not be able to support a brick-and-mortar boutique, and the response has been positive. “We’ve designed the business to work in rural America,” Windholz said. They’re able to benefit from both online and in-person sales. Windholz and Albrecht acknowledged it is challenging to start a new business and support it in a rural community. Small businesses’ products may cost more than similar items at big box stores, but they try to keep their prices competitive.&nbsp; Albrecht started a gourmet pasta business several years ago, and one of her biggest struggles was finding the right price point for her noodles. She found that rural customers weren’t always willing to pay the price she needed to charge in order to make any profit. She is thankful for the direction Happy Creek Chic has taken and the decisions she and Windhoz have made. “I feel extremely blessed just because this is a business that we started from scratch and it is successful,” Albrecht said. She is in the process of adding a separate part of the business to create logos, Christmas cards, graduation announcements and other freelance design projects for customers who don’t want shirts. Giving back to the communityWindholz, Albrecht, and their husbands have served on different local boards and committees, and they are active in 4-H and other activities.&nbsp; “I think it’s so important to give back to the community. Volunteers make the world go round in a small town,” Windholz said. Volunteers run most of the events in the area, she added. Even the movie theater in Hill City is run by volunteers. Albrecht agreed and said small towns also offer opportunities for leadership development. “There's so much room for volunteering and becoming a better leader because our community is dependent on it,” she said. Windholz encouraged residents of small towns who see a lack in their community to take the initiative to address that need. “Volunteer. Start something. Create something that is more in your wheelhouse.” Albrecht and Windholz are contributing to their community as a team, too. Their mother, Kathy Hofstetter, was approached to take over the Sugarplum Market, an annual craft fair in Hill City. Their whole family is now involved in putting on the event.&nbsp; “The craft fair was dear to our hearts. We love crafting and all that good stuff,” Albrecht said. “We just felt like it was something we could do together as a family for the community and other small businesses.” Over the past couple of years, they’ve sought out vendors to ensure they have a good variety of different products at the show. They said they want it to be a must-go-to event that people mark down on their calendars every year—and it has become one. The show has grown to three buildings, and they appreciate that it helps other small businesses in the area by giving people some extra money in their pockets at Christmas time. They also donate some of their proceeds from the event to a different organization every year.&nbsp; Investing social capitalCommunity engagement like that is one example of the social capital being invested in rural communities through brain gain. Winchester sees other upward-pointing trends affecting rural communities, including the growth of nonprofits and the diversification of the economy.&nbsp; Rural America is changing, but it isn’t dying. “Everything changes. This world continues to change our communities, urban and rural alike.” The narratives we use to describe rural America are important, Winchester said. People don’t move to rural towns out of pity.&nbsp; “People are moving to small towns for what they see today and what they see for the future — not for what may have been,” he said. To learn more, visit <a href="HappyCreekChic.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HappyCreekChic.com</a> or <a href="Facebook.com/happycreekchic" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook.com/happycreekchic</a>.&nbsp;Shauna Rumbaugh can be reached at 620-227-1805 or <a href="srumbaugh@hpj.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">srumbaugh@hpj.com</a>. Republished with permission. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574722046385.jpeg">

Brain gain: Returning to rural roots with experience, education

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1575039043146.jpeg">'Empty Place at the Table' 2019 Gala Jana’s Campaign, a Hays-based national education and violence prevention organization with the single mission of reducing gender and relationship violence, hosted their annual Empty Place at the Table Gala at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall in Hays on Saturday, November 2. This annual event brings together Jana’s Campaign’s supporters, donors, and friends to celebrate the prevention education work being done across the state and beyond. With 250 people in attendance, nearly $80,000 was raised to ultimately make our world a safer place. “Empty Place at the Table is our largest fundraising event, and it continues to grow each and every year, says Kaiti Dinges, executive director of Jana’s Campaign. “I am continually blown away by the support we receive from the Hays community and beyond. With this support, we are able to reach thousands of preteens, teens, and young adults, working to prevent violent and unhealthy relationship behaviors before they start.” The evening features a festive cocktail hour, dinner, live entertainment, a raffle, along with both a silent and live auction. Businesses throughout the community and state donated items and experiences to support the event. Jana’s Campaign celebrated impacting over 69,000 students from 600 middle and high schools across nine states. All of the numbers reflect work completed since 2013, when Jana’s Campaign formalized their data collection processes. “To honor Jana with a room full of people who understand why prevention of gender-based violence is so important, and who are fully committed to making a difference is unbelievably inspiring,” shared Christie Brungardt, Jana’s mom and organization co-founder. “We will be able to accomplish great things with the funds raised at the gala this year.” - NEWS RELEASE -

'Empty Place at the Table' annual event exceeds fundraising goal

FHSU University Relations Most everyone, including children, can relate to SUVs these days, even if they aren’t sure what the acronym stands for.&nbsp; So volunteers of all ages should have fun building wooden sports utility vehicles at this year’s Fred P. Ruda Teaming Up for Tots (TUFT) at Fort Hays State University.&nbsp; The event, in its 30th year, is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, in the Center for Applied Technology.&nbsp; The toy building venture was named in memory of Ruda, longtime chair of the Department of Applied Technology Studies at FHSU, who came up with the idea in 1990.&nbsp; Volunteers of all ages are eligible to help assemble the toys, which are given to local children – through the TUFT organization – who otherwise might not receive Christmas gifts. Jobs for volunteers include sanding, running parts from station to station, attaching wheels and other parts, and some machine operations for those who have experience.&nbsp; No RSVP is necessary. Volunteers can show up the day of the event and can come and go as their schedule allows. Cover photo courtesy FHSU University Relations

FHSU’s toy building event in its 30th year 

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574099003602.png"><a href="https://www.hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">For a full look at weather visit the State Farm Weather Window by clicking here. </a><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575241058268.jpeg">

Three-day weather outlook

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1575041783062.jpeg">Teeth from an ancient shark that once swam in the ocean that covered Kansas were discovered in Mitchell County in 2010. Courtesy: Sternberg Museum of Natural History By MYA ACOSTA<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/remains-ancient-shark-kansas-set-display" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kansas News Service</a> Parts of a prehistoric shark skeleton, the only specimen of its kind found in North America, will soon be on display at Fort Hays State University. The nearly 17-foot long cretaceous shark was discovered in Mitchell County, about 70 miles northwest of Salina. The Cretaceous period was roughly 66 million to 145 million years ago. The fossils were found by Mike Everhart, Fred Smith and Gail Pearson in 2010. The three were searching for bone fragments when Smith found vertebrae pieces of the shark encased in limestone. With the help of DePaul University biological scientist Kenshu Shimada, Everhart and his team identified and named their fossil findings to be a unique specimen of shark — the Cretodus houghtonorum. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1575041851452.jpeg">An artist's rendering of the species of shark that swam in the ocean covering Kansas millions of years ago. Courtesy: Sternberg Museum of Natural History Everhart says the specimen is an important find for Kansas because it is one of only two discovered in the world; the other is a full skeleton in an Italian museum. The teeth of the specimen were unique and did not match others on record. Everhart says the teeth were crucial in identifying the specimen and have helped paleontologists better identify other fossils. “In paleontology, we kind of live for these things,” Everhart says. The name for the Cretodus houghtonorum shark stems from an odd coincidence: Everhart and his team found their fossils on Keith and Debora Houghton’s ranch. Another tooth of the same specimen was found in the 1850s in Houghton, England. Parts of the vertebrae and teeth of the shark will be on display at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History at Fort Hays State within the next month. For more information go to <a href="http://oceansofkansas.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">oceansofkansas.com</a>&nbsp;or <a href="http://sternberg.fhsu.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sternberg.fhsu.edu</a>. Mya Acosta is an intern in the KMUW News Lab.

Remains of ancient shark from Kan. set for display at Sternberg

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Orscheln's Trophy Shot 2019

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1575040899672.jpeg">Heavy rains this spring led to widespread flooding in Kansas. Chris Neal / For the Kansas News Service By BRIAN GRIMMETT<a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/months-flooding-killed-kansas-trees-and-state-park-tourism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kansas News Service</a> The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism stands to lose millions of dollars after record spring rains led to park closures, property damage and washed-out roads. In most of Kansas, the rain started in early spring and didn’t stop until the end of June. High water levels at reservoirs (where most state parks are located) inundated campgrounds, boat docks and roads. “We’re not talking about for a week.” Parks Director Linda Lanterman said. “We’re talking six weeks, eight weeks ... so the damage is significant until you can get that water down.” The timing couldn’t have been worse for Kansas state parks, which depend upon revenue during what Lanterman calls the “Million-Dollar Months” — May, June, July and August — to stay afloat for the rest of the year. But state parks failed to reach $1 million in each of those months this year. In May, the parks brought in $981,586 compared with $1,065,033 in 2018. The dropoff was even more severe in June, when revenue was $568,743 compared with $1,563,780 in 2018. Understanding how important these months were, several parks managers tried to stay open until campgrounds were inaccessible. Lanterman said she had to tell a few parks they had to close earlier before floodwaters made it impossible to remove cabins and other equipment. While parts of a few state parks in eastern Kansas (<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Perry" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Perry</a> and <a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Milford" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Milford</a>) are still flooded, preventing the department from fully assessing the damage, most opened up by mid-July. With the rains gone, the park system made more than $1 million in both July and August from boaters and campers. “Who would have guessed?” Lanterman said. “Not me.” But there’s still the issue of repairing damage: Floodwaters have cracked boat docks, washed away gravel from roads, filled restrooms with silt and removed chunks of land underneath concrete campsites and picnic table pads. The flooding is also <a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2019/06/flooding-causes-concern-for-trees.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">going to kill a lot of trees in the state parks</a>. Dozens of acres of trees have been underwater for months, which means the roots aren’t able to get the oxygen they need. “We can see clearly they are starting to decline and go downhill,” said Ryan Armbrust, a state forest health specialist with the Kansas Forest Service. When trees die, especially at this scale, it can have a major impact on the local ecosystem. Armbrust said trees provide shade and homes for animals, and also reduce air pollution. That won’t come back until the next generation of trees. He’s also worried about what will grow back in place of the lost trees. “What forest regrows in that area may not necessarily be as functional or as high-quality as what was there before,” he said. Instead of oak and hickory regrowing (those higher- quality trees, it might be a lot of elms or hackberry. At worst, invasive species such as bush honeysuckle will take advantage of the opportunity to spread, Armbrust said. It’s not just trees around rivers and lakes either. Armbrust said he expects to get plenty of calls next spring from people with windbreaks on their property, wondering why they don’t look so good. “Even though the month of May is obviously behind us,” Armbrust said. “We’re still going to be having impacts from that flood event for some time.” 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&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a>&nbsp;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 the health and well-being of Kansans, their communities and civic life.

Months of flooding killed Kansas' trees and state park tourism 

By BECKY KISERHays Post Changes to certain sections of the Unified Development Code (UDC) approved Tuesday by the Hays city commission could lead to lower costs for new business developments. Requirements for minimum lot sizes and street frontage, along with a mandatory 3-acre lot requirement for new hotels/motels, are now considered too restrictive, Jesse Rohr, public works director, told commissioners. "Land prices in our area are a big part of the development cost and by requiring minimum lot sizes for business that don't need that much space, it can possibly hinder development," Rohr said. <iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/64U4mWTzPAE" height="315" width="560"></iframe> The same applies for minimum street frontage. "There are many commercial businesses in Hays that do not have 200 foot of street frontage, as would be required by the UDC, and they've been very successful. "By reducing or removing some of those requirements, it will hopefully allow developers themselves to determine the size of the lots they need." In working with the Hays Area Planning Commission, Rohr said it was determined that "lot size should be market-driven and developed as needed for any specific type commercial or industrial development."&nbsp; The amendments will also allow more flexibility in design and make land use more efficient. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574876113260.jpeg">Elimination of mandatory lot sizes and reductions in minimum street frontage changed in the UDC. The Planning Commission and city staff also recommended eliminating the minimum lot size for motels/hotels. "Many hotels can meet the minimum requirements for parking, landscaping, stormwater management without needing three acres of land," Rohr said. "The last several motels/hotels [built in Hays] did not need that much space." The two amendments to the UDC were unanimously approved. Parking requirements were also discussed by the Planning Commission with a recommendation to allow limited on-street parking - up to 15% - to be counted towards total parking requirements for buildings. One and two-family dwellings would not be included in the change. "Being short a couple parking spaces and allowing those spaces to be located within available on-street parking, which is already paved, can make a big difference in a project," Rohr said. Initial costs to install a single parking space ranges from $3,000 to $5,000. The property owner would have less impervious area and potentially reduce costs for stormwater development. Commissioner Ron Mellick said he had "a problem" with the on-street parking proposal in residential areas but was not opposed to it in commercial areas. "Down around the college .... they already have a parking problem down there and letting them park on the street only adds to it," Mellick said. "I'm sure you could drive down there right now and you wouldn't be able to find a parking spot. "I think this is going to have unintended consequences for development down there." Mellick said the same parking problems could occur in neighborhoods north of 27th Street. The other commissioners agreed with Mellick. The problem is already occurring around group homes in residential areas, said Henry Schwaller, mayor. Musil amended his motion and changed the recommendation to apply to commercial areas only. Commissioner Eber Phelps still wasn't convinced that there wouldn't be "potential problems elsewhere in the community," and voted against allowing the limited on-street parking. The recommendation was passed 4-1. The UDC was adopted in August of 2016. City staff continues to review the document as development in Hays occurs.&nbsp; In other business, city commissioners: <ul><li>Awarded the low bid of $384,659 to J Corp, Hays, for construction of 2019 waterline improvements.</li><li>Awarded the low bid of $238,482 to Emery Sapp &amp; Sons, Inc., Columbia, Missouri, for diamond grinding of Commerce Parkway from I-70 south to Reservation Road.&nbsp;</li></ul> Commissioner Sandy Jacobs attended the meeting via telephone.

🎥 New developments may be less expensive following UDC amendments 

🎤Post Podcast: Planning ahead key to winter safety

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1575036946041.jpeg">FHSU sophomore Tage Rothchild, a member of last year’s national runner-up robotics team, talks to high school students visiting campus earlier this semester during the Department of Applied Technology’s Junior-Senior Day.&nbsp; BY DIANE GASPER-O'BRIENFHSU University Relations and Marketing&nbsp; Exhaust fans were purring so loudly that the instructor nearly had to shout above the din.&nbsp; Nonethless, juniors and seniors from nearly 20 high schools across Kansas were all ears as Dillon Bell explained a partnership between Fort Hays State University and North Central Kansas Technical College. They were visiting the FHSU campus earlier this month as part of Junior-Senior Day for the Department of Applied Technology.&nbsp; Every once in a while, someone’s eyes would wander across the room to a row of welding booths in the Center for Applied Technology. The welders barely noticed as they went about their business.&nbsp; Two of those hard at work, Ethan Peterson and Hesston Maxwell, said it seemed like more than just a couple of years ago since they were in those high school students’ shoes. Little did they know back then that extending their college careers past one year could look so good.&nbsp; Peterson and Maxwell learned from presentations by FHSU students and instructors at Fort Hays State’s Applied Technology Junior-Senior Day in 2017 about the different opportunities the program has to offer.&nbsp; The Smith Center High School graduates are two of several who began their careers in the welding program of NCK Tech, then continued as full-time Fort Hays State students the next year. In Year 2, they take classes in the manufacturing discipline at FHSU while pursuing an associate degree of welding engineering technology.&nbsp; The students are already familiar with the facilities in the second-year program because the first-year NCK Tech students take their welding classes, along with FHSU students, in the CAT – barely two years old and stocked with state-of-the-art equipment and student-friendly classrooms.&nbsp; “It’s a great partnership we have with the tech college,” said Kim Stewart, chair of FHSU’s Department of Applied Technology. “It gives the students a lot of options, and we always want to put students first.”&nbsp; Bell doubles as the welding instructor for the Fort Hays State and NCK Tech students, alternating days with each group. The NCK Tech students take general education classes on their campus in northeast Hays.&nbsp; The partnership was the brainchild of former department chair Dr. Fred Ruda when he and his staff were trying to think of creative ways to increase enrollment in their department. It has been well received.&nbsp; Peterson and Maxwell didn’t even know about such an option until they came to Junior-Senior Day their junior year at Smith Center. But they liked the idea so much they didn’t return for the event last year but scheduled a personal visit to campus instead.&nbsp; “It really opened up my eyes about the possibilities of what I could do with my life,” said Maxwell, whose dad owns a welding shop. “I was born into welding, and I really enjoy it, but I’m excited about the second-year classes, too.”&nbsp; Peterson also said his current plans are to complete the two-year program, but he could change his mind and continue on at Fort Hays State for a bachelor’s degree. After all, early on in high school, he was set on going into the medical field in college until his sophomore year, when he “got hooked on welding.”&nbsp; After their second year, students can choose to move seamlessly into the bachelor’s degree pathway at Fort Hays State. Most who do that route continue with the manufacturing concentration, but they also have a choice among engineering design technology, construction technology, construction management, and technology and engineering teacher education.&nbsp; The event for juniors and seniors was just one of several opportunities the department gives high school students to visit campus as a group. During the fall semester, FHSU holds a race for drivers of electric cars that draws competitors from around the state. Then in the spring, the Western Kansas Technology Education Fair gives middle and high school students a chance to participate in live communications as well as showcase projects from their technology education classes.&nbsp;&nbsp; “These are all great ways to introduce prospective students to the culture we have here at Fort Hays State with applied technology,” Stewart said. “Once they get here, they are able to see all the good things we are doing in our building. We just have to keep planting the seeds.”&nbsp;

FHSU partnerships create opportunities for students

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574099003602.png"><a href="https://www.hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">For a full look at weather visit the State Farm Weather Window by clicking here. </a><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574870769316.jpeg">

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12 Days of Christmas Giveaway Day One!

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574351682207.jpeg">NEWTON-The Osborne Bulldogs won their last state title in 2016, when the current senior class was a group of wide-eyed freshman. Osborne lost last year's state title game to Hanover in heartbreaking 58-50 fashion. It would be fair to say this group has some championship experience, and while 3 title game appearances in 4 years is certainly an accomplishment, it just wouldn't mean as much if not finished with a title. Osborne, led by a senior class of 6 strong, completed that impressive 4 year run with a title, defeating the Axtell Eagles 34-26 at Fischer field in Newton. That outcome was in doubt several times, as Axtell struck first, going up 6-0 on a 5-yard run by freshman Isaac Detwiler. However, Osborne was able to respond in a hurry, cashing in on a 3-yard touchdown by senior Steele Wolters. That knotted things at 6. The second quarter was more of the same, as the two teams traded touchdowns. It looked as though Osborne would take a 14-12 lead into the break, however, a long hailmary pass from Axtell senior standout Quinn Buessing was hauled in in the end zone by junior Mitchell Buessing. The ensuing two-point conversion was converted, giving the Eagles a 20-14 at halftime. Osborne received the second half kickoff and wasted little time in driving down the field. Talented senior Darien Holloway broke off a long 45-yard touchdown run tying the game at 20. A successful conversion followed, giving the Bulldogs a 22-20. Buessing and company drove down the field, and Quinn ran in another touchdown, giving the Eagles the 26-22 lead. A huge credit to the Bulldog defense who stiffened the rest of the way . Ove the last 15 minutes of game time, the Bulldog defense intercepted Buessing twice and Steele Wolters ran in two touchdowns, one with under 2 minute to play, giving the Bulldogs a 34-26 lead. However, the Eagles had the ball back with a 1:55 on the clock and a chance to tie the game. That chance was quickly thwarted when sophomore Mason Schurr intercepted Buessing on a deep post pattern. Osborne could kneel it out from there, giving them their 4th state title in school history! The Osborne rushing attack was impressive as always, as 3 different rushers crossed the 100-yard mark. Mason Schurr ran 22 times for 120 yards and a touchdown. Darien Holloway finished his impressive career with 20 carries for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day. Steele Wolters, the guard turned quarterback, had a monster day with 13 carries for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns. Quinn Buessing, who was a four year starter for the Eagles and widely regarded as one of the better 8-man passing quarterbacks to ever play, finished 13 of 20 for 158 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also ran in a score, but threw 2 interceptions. The Eagles finished the season a 11-2, a one win improvement from last year's 10-2 campaign. The Eagles lone state title came in 1993. They have had runner-up showings in 1985 and 2019. The Bulldogs finished an undefeated season at 13-0. The Bulldogs now have 4 state titles in 5 tries, with 3 of those titles at the 8-man level ('13,'16,'19). Coach Steve Tiernan now has 4 state titles, 2 of which have come with the Bulldogs.

Osborne Claims 4th State Title, beats Axtell 34-26

🎤Post Podcast: Extension district to offer two December seminars

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1575044961317.jpeg">Teaming Up For Tots will once again collect gifts to provide for less-fortunate families in Ellis County.&nbsp; Angel names can be picked up at Walmart, Big Creek Crossing and First Kansas Bank in Hays.&nbsp; Angel gifts may be dropped off at Walmart, Maurices or The Paisley Pear in Hays.&nbsp; All gifts must be returned by Dec. 11.&nbsp; —&nbsp;Submitted

Teaming Up For Tots gifts to be returned by Dec. 11

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574810206654.jpeg">Avery Johnson, peer tutor, helps first grader Ava Preston complete an art project in Katelyn Gannon's class at O'Loughlin Elementary School. By CRISTINA JANNEYHays Post After more than 20 years, the Hays Middle School Peer Tutor program continues to grow and be a benefit to both students and teachers. Students are bused, or walk in the case of Wilson Elementary, to schools in the district to help teachers and other students. Peer tutors are placed at HMS, all four of the elementary schools and the Early Childhood Complex. Students in grades six through eight in both general education and special education — 176 in all — are volunteering as peer tutors this semester. Donna Lubbers, HMS counselor, said at a recent school board meeting, when she first started working with the program, she placed only 10 peer tutors. Lubbers attributed much of the success of the program to the students. "I think that speak volumes of our students, because they are the ones who have really sold the program," Lubbers said. "I have more and more teachers. Many of these teachers here behind me make the program work because most of these teachers have peer tutors in their classrooms." Peer tutor Avery Johnson, eighth grader, said she likes being a peer tutor, "because it gives you a chance to interact with little kids and get more involved with kids as you grow up." The day Hays Post visited Katelyn Gannon's first-grade class, Avery was helping student Ava Preston complete an art project. "Avery does an awesome job working with students," Gannon said, "by adding that extra intervention piece when needed that I can't always do by myself. She is great checking papers if I need her to or helping students individually if I need her to." <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574810241911.jpeg">Chantel Gonzalez, peer tutor, works in Sarah Smith's fifth-grade class at O'Loughlin Elementary School. Chantel Gonzalez, eighth grader, said talking to the students in Sarah Smith's, fifth-grade class has helped her learn to better communicate. "I work with fifth-graders so I can teach them how to be prepared for sixth grade," Gonzalez said. "I interact with them, and they can talk to me whenever they need it." Peer tutor Keira Gray, seventh grader, said she can relate to the fifth-graders she works with in Sonya Herl's fifth-grade class at O'Loughlin Elementary School. "I feel like like the ones who need to talk, they can talk to me a lot better becuase they can relate to me a lot more," she said. "They are just fun to work with in general. They are all really just great kids." Herl said Gray is a role model for her students. "She was a former student in my classroom, and the students feel very connected to her because of this," she said.&nbsp;"She is very helpful to me as she is an extra hand who can assist with students who might need individual or small group help.&nbsp; "Keira is a talented writer. I have actually shared some of her writing as an example when we are working on specific types of essays. My class loves that they have been able to meet her since they have already experienced her work when she was in my classroom in fifth grade." <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574810110297.jpeg">Peer tutor Keira Gray, seventh grader, works in Sonya Herl's fifth-grade class at O'Loughlin Elementary School. "I feel that Keira should feel very valued," Herl said. "My students love being helped by her.&nbsp;&nbsp;They show her respect and see her as a friend they now know from the middle school. "We have talked in our classroom how Keira will already know them next year when she is an eighth-grade student, and they are new sixth graders. That can be a very positive for my class to be a friend to an older student." Ruby Fields, seventh grader and peer tutor for Michelle Callahan's kindergarten class, said she also liked getting to know the students. Fields said she hopes to some day teach dance and will likely be working with children. "It's a learning experience," she said, "and I really love helping kids so its a good opportunity." <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574810289668.jpeg">Ruby Fields, peer tutor, helps kindergartener Landry Callahan with spelling at Roosevelt Elementary School. Callahan said the peer tutors help her students to make another connection with someone older who they can see as a buddy. "It's really great with a child who may be struggling with a concept to sit with a peer tutor and receive that extra help," she said. ... "Kindergarteners love everybody, so when someone new comes into the classroom, it's really exciting. It's really fun. They could be doing the world's most difficult assignment, but if I put them next to a peer tutor, it is seen as a game. It is seen as a privilege if you get chosen to work with the peer tutor that day. It is another way to make learning fun for that day." <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574810323845.jpeg">Peer tutor Kailey Delimont listens to Carson Crough, first grader, read at Roosevelt Elementary School. Lubbers said the peer tutoring program can be very beneficial to the special education students who participate in the program as peer tutors. "This really gives them an opportunity to succeed that they might not normally have. Sometimes we might have students who struggle in traditional classes who go on to be a peer tutor and I receive rave reviews from their supervising teachers. "It greatly benefits their self-esteem. They can now go into a younger classroom and be a leader, honestly be a little hero to these younger students who really grow to look up to them." This course offering equates to one to one-and-half instructional positions. The district would have to offer more electives and hire another staff person if the peer tutor program did not exist, Lubbers, who organizes the program, said. Lubbers said the demand by students for the peer students class outpaces the space available. Seventy-six teachers in the district utilize the tutors. Lubbers said she teaches the peer tutors their work is almost like a job. They have to be responsible and serve as role models to other students, she said. Roles of the peer tutors include• Assist in general and special education rooms• Assist students individually or in small groups• Recess buddies• Assist students in computer labs• Help students with corrections• Tutor students on homework• Engage in developmental play• Develop instructional materials for teachers• Complete classroom related tasks&nbsp; <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574810378779.jpeg">Peer tutor Blake Pflaum, seventh grader, helps students at O'Loughlin Elementary School play a math game. "If our peer tutors miss, our teachers miss them greatly," Lubbers said. "They know exactly what they need from that student when they come into their room and they grow to depend on them." Board member Luke Oborny said, "One of the positive things I see is the lives they touch. We are looking at 170 students, but they are touching the other 2,800. I don't think you can quantify the high fives and the little things that might make a difference to all of those other students." Some of the students Lubbers had in her peer tutor program are now studying to be teachers. Disclosure: Ruby Fields is the daughter of Ron Fields, who works for Eagle Radio, parent company of Hays Post.

20 years later and peer tutor program still popular as ever

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574794242999.jpeg">FHSU University Relations Carolers, crafts and, of course, Santa Claus will gather with Fort Hays State University President Tisa Mason to officially begin the holiday season at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, in and around Sheridan Hall on the FHSU campus.&nbsp; The event is free, and the public is invited.&nbsp; In addition to the university’s Dickens Carolers, the event will feature crafts, activities and games, a display of coloring contest pictures, horse drawn carriage rides and refreshments – hot chocolate, chili and cookies.&nbsp; Santa will hand out gifts provided by Wendy’s Restaurants.&nbsp; President Mason will award the prizes for the coloring contest winners.&nbsp; Just before the activities begin, the audience will count down to the reason for the gathering – lighting up the university Christmas tree in front of Sheridan Hall.&nbsp; The ceremony is sponsored by FHSU Fraternity and Sorority Life, the Office of the President, the Office of International Student Services, campus intramurals, FHSU Athletics, the University Activities Board, Student Engagement, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Excellence, and Wendy’s Restaurants.&nbsp;

FHSU invites public to annual Christmas tree lighting

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574880482951.jpeg">The cattle business gave birth to Dodge City, and sustains it at an industrial level today. Chris Neal / For the Kansas News Service By JIM MCLEAN<a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-cattle-town-dodge-city-bucks-rural-trend-growth-driven-immigrants#stream/0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kansas News Service</a> DODGE CITY — The history of this small city built on the cattle trade sets it apart from most towns in rural Kansas. The mere name of the place evokes recollections of the Wild West and the subsequent romancing of that age. Yet Dodge City also stands apart from the region that surrounds it. This place is growing.So how does Dodge City buck a trend that’s hollowed out great swaths of rural Kansas and Great Plains for generations? In a word: immigration. The place is filling up with people willing to take on the bloody, grueling and sometimes dangerous jobs of cutting up cows into steaks and hamburger. “The cattle industry in southwest Kansas,” said <a href="https://matthewsanderson.wordpress.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Matt Sanderson</a>, a rural sociologist at Kansas State University, is “where we see growth.” Large areas of rural Kansas have emptied out so much that demographers consider them frontiers, “wilderness on the edge of a settled area.” The loss of younger people, in particular, Sanderson said, constitutes a crisis in the making. Between 2010 and 2017, he said, rural areas lost 5% of their working-age population. “It’s a very large number,” Sanderson said. So large, he didn’t believe it until he checked his math. He said immigrants change the dynamic “because they come in their prime working ages” and help widen the population base.<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574880510930.jpeg">Massive feedlots and beefpacking plants drive the Dodge City economy and draw immigrants eager for the jobs they offer. Credit Chris Neal / For the Kansas News Service The <a href="https://www.nationalbeef.com/careers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">meatpacking jobs</a> that <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=ym_ULxzq_qYC&amp;pg=PA224&amp;lpg=PA224&amp;dq=meatpacking+triangle+kansas&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=zRmWhaUVjD&amp;sig=ACfU3U3jIviVUVSstbA73QyYvqbnWvPoiQ&amp;hl=en&amp;ppis=_e&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjQxOS77YDmAhUBSK0KHab4CAgQ6AEwB3oECAkQAQ#v=onepage&amp;q=meatpacking%20triangle%20kansas&amp;f=false" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">attract immigrants</a> to Dodge, Garden City and Liberal, demand hard work amid the stench of cattle and raw meat. They also offer a path to a middle-class life in America. Ernestor De La Rosa immigrated to Dodge City with his parents when he was 13. He watched as workers streamed in from Mexico, Central America, Asia and Africa and transformed the town’s economy and culture. “It came little by little,” De La Rosa said. “For the most part, people embraced it.” Today, Latinos account for about<a href="https://datausa.io/profile/geo/dodge-city-ks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> two-thirds of Dodge’s population</a>.De La Rosa left Dodge for college, returned and is now the assistant city manager. That job places him as a liaison to the immigrant community. “They trust me,” he said. “They know I can do things to help.” Still, problems persist that he can’t solve. Like many undocumented immigrants in Dodge, De La Rosa remains in the United States under an executive order issued in 2012 by President Obama that established the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program, better known as <a href="https://www.nilc.org/issues/daca/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DACA</a>. It gives temporary protection to migrants who immigrated illegally before their 16th birthday. The Trump administration ended the program, but the order remains in force pending the outcome of a court challenge. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide the case next year.<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574880538651.jpeg">Ernestor De La Rosa is an administrator for Dodge City, and in danger of deportation. Credit Jim McLean / Kansas News Service “There’s a lot of anxiety. There’s a lot of uncertainty. And there’s definitely fear,” De La Rosa said. “Fear of the program being taken away.” Immigrants are the main reason Dodge’s population stays steady at just under 30,000. A mass deportation would pose an existential threat to the meatpacking industry in the region, and to the prospects of Dodge City, Liberal and Garden City. But tourism that trades heavily on Dodge’s Wild West past also drives the town’s economy. City officials hope to double the tourist trade by gussying up the downtown historic district. When finished next year, it will include a renovated a replica of 1870s Front Street and an expanded Boot Hill Museum. The city issued bonds to pay for the multi-million project, which it plans to pay off with increased sales tax revenue generated by a hoped-for bump in tourism. The <a href="https://www.boothilldistillery.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAzuPuBRAIEiwAkkmOSDAFbmxGjuflIR1fyF3etLhQYa0M-7RDxXcH7b6wfcJnoKUtMbUncBoCCkYQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Boot Hill Distillery</a> is a recent addition to the downtown area. Located in a renovated building that once housed city offices, it markets a line of unique spirits made from grain grown by farmers in the region. Like the other attractions, its marketing trades on the Dodge’s rowdy cowtown reputation.&nbsp;It owes that reputation to Hollywood and the long-running television show “Gunsmoke” as much as it does to real history, said Lee Griffith, the distillery’s marketing director. “It’s the attraction of the Old West, the mystique of what Dodge City was,” Griffith said. “The pop culture aspect of it.”<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574880568870.jpeg">Lee Griffith at the Boot Hill Distillery, among the places trading off Dodge City's past. Credit Jim McLean / Kansas News Service A “W<a href="https://www.dodgecity.org/487/Why-Not-Dodge" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hy Not Dodge</a>” initiative backed by voters in 1997 used a sales tax hike to pay for a number of projects, including tourist-friendly upgrades around town. That tax increase paid for the renovation of the Civic Center, the construction of a casino-and-convention center, sports complex and water park. “I don’t know what we would be like if we wouldn’t have passed that ‘entertainment’ tax,” said Joann Knight, the economic development director for Dodge and Ford County.Knight also heads efforts to address a problem that Dodge shares with other rural communities — a lack of affordable housing. Several years ago, she said, dozens of people hired by one of the meatpacking companies had to book rooms at a local hotel for six months. “They all left because they couldn’t find a place to live,” Knight said. Dodge is attacking its housing problem in several ways, ranging from programs that help developers cover their up-front costs to commissioning students at Dodge City Community College to <a href="https://www.dodgeglobe.com/news/20180504/dccc-chad-house-is-up-for-sale" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">build one or two new houses a year</a>. The city has even taken to searching the countryside for abandoned farmhouses that it can haul into town and renovate. “There are still issues,” Knight said. “But they’re not as critical.”<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574880602034.jpeg">Dodge City likes its cowboy image. Credit Bethany Wood / For the Kansas News Service This is the sixth in a series of stories investigating the decline in rural Kansas and efforts to reverse it. Support for this season of “My Fellow Kansans” was provided by&nbsp;the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, working to improve the health and wholeness of Kansans since 1986 through funding innovative ideas and sparking conversations in the health community. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://healthfund.org/a/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">healthfund.org</a>. Jim McLean is the senior correspondent for the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio covering health, education and politics. You can reach him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jmcleanks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@jmcleanks</a> or email jim@kcur.org.&nbsp;

Dodge City bucks rural trend with growth driven by immigrants 

ELLIS — On Tuesday, Ellis High School inducted 12 juniors and four seniors into the local chapter of the National Honor Society. Requirements to get into NHS are a 3.5 GPA, leadership in seven organizations within the school or community, accumulation of 40 hours of community service, and a positive character evaluation by teachers.&nbsp; The following students were inducted into the National Honor Society:<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574800890074.jpeg">Back Row, from left:&nbsp;*Senior Rylee Werth, daughter of Rodney &amp; Cristi Werth; Junior Brady Frickey, son of Brad &amp; Stacy Frickey; Junior Kassidy Winter, daughter of Vic &amp; Joan Winter; Junior Clay Shaw, son of Doug &amp; Jill Shaw; Junior Sam Pyle, son of Daniel &amp; Machelle Pyle; Junior Zachary Schiel, son of Jared &amp; Elizabeth Schiel; Senior Abigail Mattheyer, daughter of Dustin &amp; Mara Mattheyer; Junior Magdalene James, daughter of Wesley James &amp; Alice Berens; Junior Grace Eck, daughter of Mark &amp; Sarah Eck; and Junior Lyndsy Hinman, daughter of Kelly &amp; Eva Hinman. Front Row, from left:&nbsp;*Senior Clara Crawford, daughter of Kimberly Andries &amp; the late George Crawford III; *Senior Cheyenne Born, daughter of Brock &amp; Coleen Born; Junior Maci Kohl, daughter of Lance &amp; Marnie Kohl; Junior Camryn Frickey, daughter of Brian &amp; Michelle Frickey; Junior Michaela Keller, daughter of Michael &amp; Vanessa Keller; and Junior Caitlin Fisher, daughter of Bryan &amp; Becca Fisher.*Second-year members