<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574438014678.jpeg">Largemouth bass hatchery brood fish KDWPT PRATT ­– A revolutionary fish stocking program by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) has largemouth bass thriving in waters nearly void of America’s highest-profile fish not long ago, and Kansas bass anglers are taking notice. “The early-spawn program is a real game-changer for bass fishing,” said Steve Hausler, a 50-year bass angler of Ellis, <a href="http://www.haysbass.com/?page_id=11" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hays Bass Anglers Association </a>and <a href="https://www.bassmaster.com/conservation-news/eager-new-conservation-directors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">conservation director for Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation</a>. “This is one of the few times man has figured out how to do something better than nature. It’s really turned things around.” KDWPT’s early-spawn bass program “tricks” hatchery brood fish to spawn up to 60 days earlier than normal when in the wild. The added time gives young stocked bass the chance to grow to a size that can survive a Kansas winter.&nbsp;&nbsp; Now, the number of federal reservoirs with “good” or “excellent” largemouth fishing by KDWPT criteria has doubled in the last decade. It’s just one of several programs currently improving Kansas fishing opportunities. “It’s been all-hands-on-deck to get these programs going, and so successful,” said Doug Nygren, Fisheries Division director for KDWPT. “Credit needs to go to a lot of different people.” Nygren added lake biologists, hatchery staff and private conservation and angling groups as making major contributions. Early-spawn bass programDespite intensive stocking programs in the past, many Kansas reservoirs maintained relatively poor largemouth bass populations for decades. It wasn’t until recent years, when KDWPT fisheries biologists began taking an even more critical look at the situation that the limiting factors were identified. “The problem was our young bass weren’t big enough to make it through the winters because they weren’t really big enough to take advantage of available food. Most were only 4 to 5 inches,” said Nygren. “We learned if we could grow those fish to about 8 inches, their odds of survival were greatly improved.” In southwest Kansas, Meade Fish Hatchery manager Jason Vajnar learned to manipulate water temperatures and light levels to trick February and March brood fish into thinking it was late May, stimulating the fish to spawn up to two months early. “We’re now stocking 1.5- to 2.5-inch bass before wild fish have even hatched,” said Nygren, “And we’re finding many more of our stocked bass now survive their first winter. After that, they’re in good shape.” Now in its 10th year, the early-spawn bass program produces nearly 2 million fish annually, having a profound impact on angling quality. From 2005-2009, Kansas averaged four reservoirs with “good” or “excellent” rankings for largemouth bass. This year, nine reservoirs – Big Hill, Glen Elder, Kirwin, La Cygne, Milford, Perry, Sebelius, Webster and Wilson – all earned “good” or better ratings; and, more are expected to be added for 2020 and beyond. “In some of these lakes, like Webster and Kirwin, probably every bass they have is an early-spawn hatchery fish. Bass were once almost non-existent in these areas and now they’re two of the best bass lakes in the state,” said Nygren. “We have other lakes coming on, too. Kanopolis never really had a bass fishery but it’s pretty good, now.” Georgia cubesQuality bass habitat is always a concern, especially in Kansas reservoirs where natural habitat, like submerged brush piles, can quickly deteriorate. That’s why in 2015, Kansas biologists began experimenting with artificial habitat, sinking 4-foot cubes made of PVC pipe, interlaced with flexible sewer pipe, into lakes and reservoirs. As expected when they were invented in Georgia, the “Georgia cubes” instantly attracted Kansas bass and consequently, bass anglers. Submerged in prime locations, the cubes are sometimes placed in clusters of up to 20 or more – configurations fisheries biologists refer to as “fish cities.” The clusters – which can quickly introduce a significant amount of habitat in areas previously void of underwater structures – are expected to pay dividends for decades to come. There are currently more than 2,000 cubes attracting fish in KDWPT-managed waters, with more being added every year. Anglers can obtain precise GPS coordinates for every cube/cluster at <a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Fishing-Reports" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Fishing-Reports</a>. Financing, constructing and placing the cubes wouldn’t have been possible without the support of area bass clubs, lake organizations and even Boy Scout troops interested in improving their local waters.<a href="null" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574438242019.jpeg"></a>Steve Hausler “B.A.S.S. Nation has been challenging local clubs to get involved in local projects. These cubes are perfect,” said Hausler. “They’re so easy to build and we can get three or four on a bass boat, take them out and place them. They’ve been a great way to get anglers involved.” Though highly successful, artificial fish habitat won’t completely replace natural structures, as many fisheries biologists still see benefits in sinking cedar brush piles and planting dense water willows in shallow areas. But the progressive thinking of KDWPT Fisheries staff doesn’t stop at habitat. Strides are also being made in the way of revitalizing forage fish populations in lakes and reservoirs in need. Threadfin shad have been successfully introduced at Horsethief Reservoir in Hodgeman County instead of common gizzard shad, a species which could have quickly overpopulated the 450-acre lake. Add to the mix newly-flooded habitat created by this year’s heavy rains, and these great programs become even better. “It’s kind of a perfect set up,” said Nygren. “We should be experiencing some really great fishing in Kansas the next several years.” For more on fishing in Kansas, and to download an electronic version of the 2019 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary, visit <a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ksoutdoors.com/Fishing</a>.

HAUSLER: 'Early-spawn program game-changer for bass fishing'

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574706903341.jpeg">The National Weather Service in Goodland has issued a hazardous weather advisory for northwest Kansas. Forecasters are calling for a storm to move into extreme western Kansas at 11 p.m. MST Monday. The event is expected to last through 5 p.m. Tuesday and included Sherman, Thomas, Decatur, Cheyenne, Rawlins and Norton counties Rain is expected to quickly change to snow as the temperature falls into the low 20s overnight Monday. Accumulation of more than 6 inches is possible north of Interstate 70 and west of U.S. 83. Winds up to 45 mph will make travel precarious. In Hays and Ellis County, winter weather is expected to arrive late Tuesday afternoon, with drizzle turning to snow after 4 p.m. Winds up to 25 mph are expected, and 1 to 3 inches of snow could be possible. The skies are expected to clear Wednesday, with a 50 percent chance of snow returning Wednesday night or Thanksgiving Day. Precipitation is expected into the weekend, although the mercury is expected to rise to the low to mid-50s by Friday. Click <a href="https://hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window">HERE</a> for the complete extended forecast and check Hays Post and your Eagle Radio of Hays stations in case of severe weather.<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574706943416.jpeg"> <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574706931209.jpeg">

NWS: Up to 6 inches of snow possible in areas of NW Kansas

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140802303.jpeg">BY JOHN P. TRETBAR Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $48 per barrel after dropping 75 cents on Friday. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports a 13% increase in its weekly statewide Kansas Rig Count.&nbsp;There are nine active rigs in eastern Kansas, which is up one for the week, and 25 west of Wichita, which is up three from last week.&nbsp;Drilling is underway on one well in Ellis County and one in Russell County.&nbsp;Operators are about to spud a new well in Ellis County and another in Stafford County. Baker Hughes reported a drop of three oil rigs in the company's weekly rig count summary Friday. There are 803 active rigs in the U.S.&nbsp;Texas was down two rigs. The count in Canada was 137, up three.&nbsp; Regulators approved 25 permits for drilling at new locations across Kansas last week.&nbsp;That's 976 so far this year.&nbsp;There are six new drilling permits east of Wichita, and 19 in Western Kansas, including three in Barton County, one in Ellis County and one in Russell County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reported 23 newly-completed wells statewide last week, four in eastern Kansas and 19 west of Wichita.&nbsp;There were two completed wells in Barton County, but both turned out to be dry holes.&nbsp;There was one producing well completed in Russell County. So far this year, operators have completed 1,268 new wells. The annual membership meeting of the Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association is December 11 at the Petroleum Club in Wichita.&nbsp;For more information, contact Kelly Rains at (316) 263-7297 , or go to their Web site at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kioga.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.kioga.org</a>. KIOGA is joining state regulators in support of three measures to facilitate the plugging of abandoned oil and gas wells. The Topeka Capital Journal reports KIOGA and the KCC support three bills expected during the upcoming legislative session.&nbsp;One measure would combine two existing funds, for plugging old and new wells, into one account.&nbsp;Another bill would define who is responsible for plugging wells.&nbsp;A third bill would allow the KCC to reimburse farmers and others for capping wells for which they have not been deemed responsible.&nbsp; The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a 1.4 million barrel increase in U.S. crude inventories, which rose to 450.4 million barrels. That's about three percent above the five-year average for this time of year. That's a smaller build than what was reported by the America Petroleum Institute on Tuesday, which sent prices down more than two percent. Traders reversed that course on Wednesday with a two percent increase in prices. U.S. oil producers continued record-pace output last week. The latest weekly total from the EIA showed domestic production of 12.782 million [["twelve point seven eight two million"]] barrels per day for the week ending November 15.&nbsp;That's just nine thousand barrels per day less than the all-time record set the week before. The government said U.S. crude-oil imports were up 222,000 barrels per day last week to six million barrels per day. The four-week average for U.S. imports was 6.1 million barrels per day, which is down 18% from the same period a year ago. The Bureau of Land Management is taking public comment on its next lease sale in the heart of the hottest oil-production regions in the world. BLM is accepting public input through December 9 on the sale next May of fossil-fuel leases in and around the Permian Basin. A total of 112 tracts of federally-owned land are nominated for lease in New Mexico and Texas.&nbsp; Officials say ConocoPhillips hopes to sell parts of its Alaska projects to offset risks and share the expenses of investments planned in the state. Alaska’s Energy Desk reported Thursday that the sale package includes old, new and unbuilt projects representing most of Conoco’s Alaska holdings. The government expects record output in December from the nation's major shale regions, but predicts continuing declines in the Eagle Ford shale of South Texas. The Energy Information Administration's latest Drilling Productivity Report predicts total U.S. crude oil output from seven shale formations will rise to a record high of 9.13 million barrels per day in December. But EIA said production in the Eagle Ford will drop by 14-thousand barrels per day in December to an average of 1.36 million barrels per day. That would be the fourth such decline in a row, and the lowest production since May in the Eagle Ford.&nbsp; Crude-oil production in North Dakota, the number-two producer in the nation, dropped by more than 40-thousand barrels per day in September.&nbsp;Regulators say wet weather was largely to blame. The Department of Mineral Resources reported preliminary production total of nearly 43.3 million barrels for the month, or more than 1.4 million barrels per day. That's down nearly 40-thousand barrels per day from the revised August total. DMR Director Lynn Helms said the best way to describe the month of September is "soggy." The National Weather Service reported eight inches of rain in Williston, marking that city's wettest September ever. The Bismarck Tribune reports that some heavy rainfall prompts some counties to place restrictions on gravel roads, which closes them to the heavy trucks used to service the oil patch. The United States is taking advantage, and market share, as Saudi Arabia raises its prices to India. OPEC's share of India's oil imports fell to 73% in October. Reuters reports that's down from the average of about 80%. Among those cutting into OPEC's share are the U.S., Iraq, and Nigeria. OPEC marked its steepest month-on-month production drop in more than fifteen years.&nbsp;Saudi exports decreased by 211,000 barrels per day in September, a month in which the kingdom's oil infrastructure was hit by military attacks. Total OPEC production dropped more than a million barrels per day from August to September to just shy of 29 million barrels per day. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140802303.jpeg">

News From the Oil Patch, Nov. 25

Eagle's Mike Koerner interviews Brenda Meder about the Hays Winter Art Walk, scheduled for Dec. 6.<iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8j8bFEgwiFs" height="315" width="560"></iframe>

🎥 Hays Winter Art Walk set for Dec. 6

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg">The Hays Police Department responded to 5 animal calls and conducted 15 traffic stops Sat., Nov. 16, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log. &nbsp;Disorderly Conduct--500 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:25 AM; 1:27 AMSuspicious Activity--700 block W 8th St, Hays; 11/15 11:44 PM; 11/16 2:21 AMSuicidal Subject--100 block E 8th St, Hays; 3:25 AMSuicidal Subject--500 block E 6th St, Hays; 6:10 AM; 10:54 AMBurglary/residence--400 block W 7th St, Hays; 5 AM; 7 AMSuspicious Person--1700 block Gen Custer Rd, Hays; 9:41 AMLost Animals ONLY--2500 block Timber Dr, Hays; 4:16 PMAnimal At Large--100 block W 37th St, Hays; 4:24 PMDisturbance - Noise--1000 block Country Club Dr, Hays; 9:22 PM; 9:25 PMHarassment, Telephone/FAX--4600 block Van Buren, Hays; 11:44 PM&nbsp;&nbsp;The Hays Police Department responded to 9 animal calls and conducted 11 traffic stops Sun., Nov. 17, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log. Criminal Trespass--100 block W 7th St, Hays; 12:30 AM; 12:33 AMDriving Under the Influence--700 block Ash St, Hays; 1:58 AM; 2:17 AMSuspicious Activity--300 block W 10th St, Hays; 4:21 AMAnimal At Large--700 block E 6th St, Hays; 10:03 AMPhone/Mail Scam--1500 block 40 Bypass Hwy, Hays; 10/31 1 PM; 11/17 10:52 AMWelfare Check--Hays; 12:11 PMViolation of Restraining Order/PFA--500 block E 8th St, Hays; 11/12 5:58 PMAnimal At Large--2500 block E 21st St, Hays; 2 PMLost Animals ONLY--1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 2:52 PMAnimal At Large--Tiger Pl, Hays; 3:12 PMAnimal At Large--19th and Allen, Hays; 3:44 PMBattery - simple--2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 4:30 PM; 5:10 PMSuspicious Activity--1000 block Elm St, Hays; 8:30 PM&nbsp;The Hays Police Department responded to 6 animal calls and conducted 16 traffic stops Mon., Nov. 18, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log. Suspicious Activity--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 1:08 AMTheft (general) 4700 block Roth Ave, Hays; 11/16 10 AM; 11/18 8:10 AMMV Accident-City Street/Alley--2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 9:05 AMSuspicious Activity--1900 block Whittier Rd, Hays; 11:514 AMIdentity Theft--3300 block Thunderbird Dr, Hays; 12:11 PMFound/Lost Property--Hays; 2:17 PMPhone/Mail Scam--1300 block Anthony Dr, Hays; 3:07 PMWelfare Check--2700 block Ash St, Hays; 3:14 PMAnimal At Large--1500 block 40 Bypass Hwy, Hays; 4:08 PMAnimal Call--2700 block Thunderbird Dr, Hays; 4:10 PMTheft of Vehicle--500 block Vine St, Hays; 4:44 PMMV Accident-City Street/Alley--2800 block Indian Trl, Hays; 6:07 PMMental Health Call--1200 block Vine St, Hays; 6:59 PMSuicidal Subject--1300 block E 33rd St, Hays; 9:30 PM; 9:55 PM&nbsp;&nbsp;The Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 20 traffic stops Tue., Nov. 19, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log. MV Accident-City Street/Alley--1600 block E 28th St, Hays; 3:23 PMWelfare Check--2200 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 12:24 AMLost Animals ONLY--500 block E 8th St, Hays; 1:23 AMAbandoned Vehicle--19th and MacArthur, Hays; 9:43 AMMental Health Call--2100 block E 21st St, Hays; 11:07 AMFound/Lost Property--2500 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 12:13 PMAssist - Other (not MV)--1300 block W 27th St, Hays; 12:40 PMLost Animals ONLY--2900 block Hillcrest Dr, Hays; 4:38 PMDangerous Animal--400 block W 24th St, Hays; 5:21 PMFire--500 block E 20th St, Hays; 7:17 PMFound/Lost Property--1700 block Douglas Dr, Hays; 7:16 PMMental Health Call--1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 9:03 PMSuspicious Activity--2500 block General Lawton Rd, Hays; 10:54 PM&nbsp;&nbsp;The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 8 traffic stops Wed., Nov. 20, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log. 44 - Traffic Stop--3600 block Hall St, Hays; 2:11 AMWarrant Service (Fail to Appear)--1600 block E 41st St, Hays; 2:52 AMFire--200 block W 7th St, Hays; 6:50 AMAnimal Call--700 block Vine St, Hays; 9:50 AMDisturbance - Noise--2900 block Thunderbird Dr, Hays; 12:45 PMDisturbance - Noise--2700 block Ash St, Hays; 1 PMCriminal Damage to Property--1300 block Lawrence Dr, Hays; 1:20 PMIdentity Theft--1300 block E 18th St, Hays; 1:22 PMMV Accident-City Street/Alley --700 block Elm St, Hays; 1:20 PMTraffic/Driving Complaint--1200 block E 27th St, Hays; 2:52 PMDrug Offenses--1000 block E 41st St, Hays; 4:02 PM; 4:59 PMShoplifting--4300 block Vine St, Hays; 4:08 PMCounterfeit currency/documents--1900 block Vine St, Hays; 4:17 PMMV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run--4300 block Vine St, Hays; 5 AM; 5:37 PM MV Accident-City Street/Alley--2700 block Vine St, Hays; 6:16 PM; 6:17 PMSuicidal Subject--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 7:02 PMBattery - Domestic--400 block W 8th St, Hays; 10 PM; 10:04 PMLost Animals ONLY--400 block E 18th St, Hays; 11:21 PM&nbsp;The Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 10 traffic stops Thu., Nov. 21, 2019, according to the HPD Activity Log. Intoxicated Subject--2100 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 1:09 AMDUI - Driving Under the Influence--600 block Walnut St, Hays; 2:08 AMAnimal Bite Investigation--1300 block Allen St, Hays; 8:16 AMMV Accident-Private Property-Hit and Run--700 block 12th St, Hays; 9:27 AMWildlife Incident--100 block W 11th St, Hays; 10:01 AMIdentity Theft--100 block W 12th St, Hays; 11/20; 4:08 PM; 4:57 PMImpersonate Officer--Gardner; 10 AM; 10:05 AMSuspicious Vehicle--3300 block Vine St, Hays; 11:46 AM ; 11:51 AMImpersonate Officer--9100 block E Harry St, Wichita; 12:34 PM; 12:45 PMImpersonate Officer--400 block E 22nd St, Hays; 12:45 PM; 12:46 PMCriminal Damage to Property--200 block E 5th St, Hays; 2:03 PM; 2:21 PMFound/Lost Property--100 block W 5th St, Hays; 2:50 PM; 2:51 PMPhone/Mail Scam--500 block W 37th St, Hays; 3:50 PM; 3:59 PMMV Accident-Hit and Run--1300 block Vine St, Hays; 4:06 PM; 4:37 PMSuspicious Activity--2500 block Gen Lawton Rd, Hays; 6:06 PMParking Complaint--500 block E 8th St, Hays; 8:54 PMDisturbance - Noise--100 block E 18th St, Hays; 10 PM; 10:18 PMDrug Offenses--2700 block Ash St, Hays; 10:19 PM; 11 PMAmbulance Run--2400 block Vine St, Hays; 10:29 PM&nbsp; <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573140734289.jpeg">

HPD Activity Log Nov. 16-21

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574369222912.jpeg"> City of Hays Due to the observation of Thanksgiving Day, refuse/recycling collection schedules will be altered. Crews will start with Monday’s collection routes and progress throughout the week. There are no expected changes to Monday’s collection route. Tuesday, Nov. 26, and Wednesday, Nov. 27, collection routes will be picked up on Tuesday. Thursday, Nov. 28, and Friday, Nov. 29, collection routes will be picked up on Wednesday, Nov. 27. There will be no collections on Thursday or Friday. It is anticipated that heavy volumes of refuse/recyclable will be encountered around the holidays. Please be sure to set your bags out by 7 a.m. on the collection day and keep in mind that the trucks have no set time schedule. City of Hays customers with questions regarding this notice should contact the Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department at (785) 628-7350.

Trash collection schedule changed for Thanksgiving holiday

THOMAS COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 9 p.m. Sunday in Thomas County. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Subaru Legacy driven by Landee Kistler,19, Monument, was southbound on Kansas 25 five miles south of Colby. The driver side tires went off the roadway to the left. The driver over-corrected, traveled across both lanes of traffic into the west ditch and rolled. EMS transported Kistler to Citizen’s Medical Center. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp;

NW Kansas teen hospitalized after vehicle rolls

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574693660655.png">COLBY — The Kansas Governor’s Ringneck Classic hosted the largest gathering of conservation organization leaders in recent history when officers from Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever (PF/QF, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF, National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF, Mule Deer Foundation (MDF, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA, Delta Waterfowl (DW, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks &amp; Tourism (KDWPT) participated in a roundtable at the event’s closing night banquet Saturday November 16.&nbsp; The panel discussed conservation, agriculture and their efforts to address declining participation in hunting before a sold-out room at the City Limits Convention Center. The Ringneck Classic raises funds for the Northwest Kansas Conservation Foundation and other projects in the region.&nbsp;Sponsors from across the country participate in the event and hunt pheasants with local landowners and hosts.&nbsp;Since its inception in 2011, the organization has raised more than $400,000 and is championing a local effort to dedicate the un-irrigated corners of center pivot fields for long term grassy habitat.&nbsp;Corners for Wildlife is a cooperative effort of PF and Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. The roundtable capped the three day event, and was moderated by noted Minnesota conservationist Ryan Bronson.&nbsp;MDF CEO Miles Moretti, Chief Conservation Officer of the RMEF Blake Henning, DW Vice President of Waterfowl and Hunting Joel Brice, KDWPT Secretary Brad Loveless, NWTF VP of Conservation Ross Melinchuk, PF/QF CEO Howard Vincent, and TNC Kansas Director Rob Manes filled out the panel. The Kansas Governor’s Ringneck Classic is an annual event, and you can get more information by visiting <a href="http://www.kansasringneckclassic.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.kansasringneckclassic.com/</a>.&nbsp; The Ringneck Classic, Inc. is a 501(c)3 corporation in the state of Kansas.&nbsp;The Classic is committed to contributing to Northwest Kansas, the youth of our communities, habitat improvement and land conservation.&nbsp;Event proceeds support the Northwest Kansas Conservation Foundation.

Critter, conservation groups discuss future of NW Kan. wildlife

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574370086288.jpeg">By CRISTINA JANNEYHays Post Hays USD 489 has approved a new Hays High Trap Team. Chris Dinkel, sponsor and coach for the club, said the driving force behind forming the trap shooting club came from students. An open sign up meeting for the club was Wednesday. The students will be competing in trap competitions starting in April. The students will be shooting locally at the Hays City Sportsmen's Club. A range master is required for all team shooting sessions. The scores league-wide are compiled electronically, and then the students are ranked. Students only travel for state and national competitions. As of 2018, Kansas had 72 participating teams with more than 2,000 participants. It is not a Kansas State High School Activities Association sanctioned activity. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574370134540.jpeg"> The students all have to provide their own firearms. Firearms and ammunition can't be stored on school property. When the students travel, firearms have to be kept in a separate non-school vehicle. They also must be secured except when the students are competing. The school district also can't pay for ammunition. The school could pay for targets, but there was no money allocated this year for the program. The club will have to pay for all its own expenses. It plans to start fundraising immediately. The cost per student per year is about $250 to $300. Dinkel said he thought there are some groups in Hays that will be willing to support the club financially. "Although this is not a cheap venture, I do think there are opportunities there to fund it," Dinkel said. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574370226050.png"> The club has already elected officers, which include Monique William, president; Jordan Hunsicker, vice president; Madalyn William, secretary; Cooper Shubert, treasurer; and Nolan Claus, public relations. Monique William was shooting for the Russell High School Trap Team because HHS did not have a team. The students have already written by-laws for their club, which include the Kansas State High School Clay Target League regulations and an emergency plan. The club also adopted the HHS and USD 489 handbooks. All registered athletes are insured by the league’s accident insurance policy, which is covered through the USA trap league.&nbsp;All registered coaches and volunteers are insured by the league’s general liability insurance policy. The school is not responsible for the insurance. The club went a step beyond league rules on safety training and are requiring members to take both the hunter safety course and have the Student Athlete Firearm Education (SAFE) certification. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574370373540.png"> "We don't want to be half-hearted about this. We want to be structured. We want students who are serious about it as a sport and a sporting event," Dinkel said. "We want to put education and safety out in the forefront of our program." Dinkel said he said he did not know how many students the club will attract this year. With four coaches, the club can have up to 40 students. "In today's trials on the topic of firearms, I personally think it is a time to educate and demonstrate and provide an avenue for students who see the great outdoors as a sport to pursue that sport." Shooting sports shows appropriate and constructive means of using a firearm, Dinkel said. "I think this is a really positive spin and push by students and parents to provide an opportunity for kids to pursue their interests," Dinkel said. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574370873942.png"> Dinkel noted shooting sports can be a lifelong hobby. It is also a sport that offers college scholarships. About 300 schools have shooting sports programs at the collegiate level. Monique William said the sport is also accessible. She shoots in a league with a young women who has only one arm. A gentleman at the shooting club shoots from a wheelchair. Coaches include Dinkel, Alex Ford, HHS teacher; Ben Hunsicker, parent; and Grady William, parent. If you wish to donate to the team, you can contact Dinkel at the high school at cdinkel@usd489.com.

Trap shooting club launches at Hays High

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574117285695.jpeg">Photo courtesy Hays Police Department ﻿City of Hays The Hays Police Department will be conducting training on Tuesday between the hours of 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at 203 E. 17th, Hays. Police officers will be training with special tactical equipment. This training is being done with great care and safety. As a home or business owner, you may see law enforcement officers move through your area. There is no need to be alarmed. The officers are merely conducting a realistic training exercise and there is no danger to the community. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the on-site supervisor (Team Commander Tim Greenwood, or Chief Don Scheibler at 785-625-1030.

Hays Police Department SSRT training Tuesday 

<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/2019/11/1574647076112.jpeg">

Three-day weather outlook

HAYS -- Women involved in agriculture should make plans to attend the “Surviving to Thriving: Care for Yourself to Care for the Farm – Women in Ag Workshop” to be held on Dec. 9 at the K-State Agricultural Research Center in Hays.&nbsp; Registration and supper begins at 5:30 p.m. and the program will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Come listen to Will Stutterheim with the Fort Hay State University Kelly Center talk about his experiences with the farm crisis and mental health; Kaley Conner with High Plains Mental Health will give tips on nurturing your mental health; Berny Unruh with Cottonwood Extension will discuss healthy eating for the busy farm family; and Meagan Cramer with Kansas Farm Bureau will finish out the evening sharing organizational tips on bullet journaling and organizing your brain. Advance registration is requested by Dec. 4 to the Ellis County Conservation District at 785-628-3081, extension 3. A $5 fee for the meal can be made payable in advance to the Conservation District at 2715 Canterbury, Hays, Kansas 67601, or at the event. A meal cannot be guaranteed for those who don’t register in advance. The workshop is sponsored by Ellis Co. Farm Bureau, Ellis Co. Conservation District, Farm Service Agency, High Plains Mental Health, K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Surviving to Thriving: Care for Yourself to Care for the Farm

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/10/1572283561997.png">Lata Nott / Freedom Forum Institute Picture this scenario: A woman contacts a hitman. She tells him she wants her husband dead and promises to pay him $5,000 once the job is done. But the police find out about the plot before the murder can take place and the woman finds herself under arrest. Her defense? She never actually did anything to hurt her husband. All she did was exercise her freedom of speech by having a conversation with a contract killer. Does that argument work? You don’t need to be a lawyer to know that it doesn’t. The First Amendment may protect our right to speak freely, but it does have limits. In many cases, we encounter those limits when our speech becomes conduct — when our words go beyond merely expressing our thoughts and feelings and become actions in and of themselves. Hiring — or attempting to hire — someone to commit a crime on your behalf is the most obvious example of this, but there are others. Speech that intentionally incites others to commit immediate acts of violence isn’t protected by the First Amendment. Neither is speech that conveys nuclear codes to a country at war with the United States, or speech that’s meant to make someone fear for his or her life. Or, to look at an example from last week, neither is speech that’s intended to intimidate witnesses. President Trump was accused of doing this when he posted tweets attacking former U.S. Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch during her testimony at the impeachment inquiry. Trump’s response to reporters was, “I have the right to speak. I have the freedom of speech just as other people do.” Whether that argument works or not depends on what the president’s intentions were when he sent out those tweets. If he simply wanted to express his opinion about a former employee, even if it was ill-timed and inappropriate, that’s not illegal. But if he intended to discourage Yovanovitch or other potential witnesses from testifying against him during the impeachment inquiry, that moves his tweets out of the cozy realm of protected speech and into the land of punishable conduct. Put another way, it would need to be more than just an expression of what’s on his mind, but rather be an action taken to achieve an illegal outcome (in this case, obstruction of justice). Incidentally, even though this would be a felony, Trump can’t be prosecuted for this while he’s a sitting president — although it is something that could be added to his impeachment charges. Courts are often reluctant to consider speech as conduct unless there’s a good deal of context supporting that the speaker had unlawful intentions. For instance, when it comes to that aforementioned crime of intentionally inciting others to commit immediate acts of violence, you’ll only be charged with it if your speech was directed towards a specific person or group and you had an expectation that the speech would actually lead in short order to lawless action. That’s a pretty narrow exception to the First Amendment, which is as it should be. That’s why calls for laws that criminalize hate speech, with the rationale that people who hear it may go on to commit violent acts, don’t sit well with me. While there are times when words themselves can be criminal, there’s something very discomforting about drawing a line linking one person’s speech and someone else’s uncoordinated and independent actions. Lata Nott is executive director of the First Amendment Center of the Freedom Forum Institute.&nbsp;Contact her via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lnott@freedomforum.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">lnott@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow her on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/latanott" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@LataNott</a>.

FIRST FIVE: When words speak louder than actions

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<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574279268260.jpeg">Carolina Recchi, co-founder of EdSights, speaks Tuesday during the Entrepreneur Direct lecture series at FHSU. By CRISTINA JANNEYHays Post The co-founder of a company that created a chat bot to help colleges retain students spoke at Fort Hays State University on Tuesday. Carolina Recchi, co-founder of <a href="https://www.edsights.io/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EdSights</a>, spoke to students and faculty about her company as well as she and her sister's failures and successes in launching the startup. Recchi's lecture was part of the FHSU Entrepreneur Direct lecture series. Carolina and her sister grew up in Italy, and Carolina came to the United States to study at Babson College where she earned her degree in international business. Carolina is only five years out of college. She initially went to work for Bloomberg, where she was selling data to universities. She soon learned she loved working with higher education clients, and this eventually lead she and her sister to strike out on their own. Recchi's current company —&nbsp;EdSights —&nbsp;uses artificial intelligence to help students navigate their college experience. The ultimate goal is to increase student success and increase graduation rates. Some of the schools EdSights is currently working with include Pittsburg State University, Northwestern and Baker University. The sisters have raised a $1 million in venture capital for their company and graduated from the the Techstars accelerator program in Kansas City. However, EdSights was not the original concept for the sisters' business. They first created an app called ClassPulse, which allowed students to give professors real-time feedback on their performance. Recchi and her sister realized course evaluations were flawed. Students fill them out without paying attention, she said. Faculty don't have good ways of receiving real-time feedback, and it ends up penalizing both faculty and students, she said. The Chronicle of Higher Education published a story about the app while the sisters were testing it at Georgetown. The sisters were inundated with requests for the app. Carolina quit her job at Bloomberg to pursue ClassPulse and her sister turned down a job at Amazon., which she said was a mistake. The company scaled quickly with as many as 200 colleges using the app, but the sisters realized they had no way of monetizing the app. Students didn't want to pay for it. Professors liked it, but not enough to pay for it. Universities did not see enough value in it to pay for it. They realized they didn't have a business model and they needed to pivot the focus of their company. "This is embarrassing to admit, but it keeps happening," she said. "I keep seeing founders, even second-time founders, who say I will just grow this thing and get so many users, and they'll figure out the money part later. This is like the Instagram model. You don't want to do that." Recchi went back to her customers and asked them what problems they were facing and what they would be willing to pay for. They found universities were eager for help with student retention. Twenty million students enroll in college every year, but only about half of them graduate in six years. Six thousand students drop out of college every day. College dropouts earn about 35 percent less than their peers and are four times more likely to default on student debt. An average college loses $10 million annually due to student dropouts. The higher education system in North America as a whole loses about $41 billion annually because of student dropouts. EdSights built a chat bot, a robot, that engages with students over text message. They name the bot after the school mascot. The bot can answer questions, such as 'How do I drop a class?' or 'How do I find a tutor?'. "As we talk to students, we are doing two things. We are connecting students with helpful resources, and we are looking at the data and making suggestions to universities on which populations or demographics may need extra resources," Recchi said. Students responded well to the chat bot. EdSights had a 95 percent opt in from students. Seventy percent of student were active engagers. The bot helped increase retention by 7.3 percent and saved universities $1.7 million. Recchi concluded her talk by sharing some lessons she and her sister learned in launching their startup. "As a first-time founder, inevitably you make so many mistakes, because you don't know what you don't know and you kind of learn it in the process," Recchi said. "Work hard, you are smart enough I hope you know that. "But there are some specific actionable things that over time will create luck for you because there is such thing is luck but you can create it for yourself." Don't plan, prototype"What I mean by that is don't overthink your idea because it probably is not going to be what you end up with," Recchi said. "Your idea is your starting point. Your idea is not your business. It is just an idea. Pick a business or a space that you are passionate about." She said you can try out an idea without blowing through your 401k by using a minimum buy-in product and testing it. "You have to be lean," she said. "You have to be able to change everything and not just jump into it and see how people respond to it." Embrace change and pivot"If something isn't working, ask yourself why," she said. "I see so many founders banging their head against the wall, but the wall isn't going to move." As a startup, you are at a disadvantage at almost everything, including money and employees. However, you can do more a lot faster, she said. "You have nothing to lose and everything to gain," Recchi said. "So if something isn't working, start from scratch, pivot, make small changes. You have to be nimble. You have to move fast, learn fast, throw thing away if they are not working. There is no real big repercussions." Ask for help and make it easy for people to help youAsk for something very specific. If you want to be introduced to an investor, name a specific investor. EdSights seeks introductions to specific university officials to pitch their products. Follow upRecchi said she is very direct with her potential investors and clients. She said she contacted one investor eight times before the investor finally agreed to invest in the company. Now that investor is one of the biggest investors in EdSights. Listen to feedback(But pick mentors wisely)The Recchies are using mentors who are five to 10 years ahead of them in the growth of their companies, in their industry and successful. Recchi said avoid mentors who want something from you. Don't pay a consultant and don't give up equity in your company for advice, she said. Choose a co-founder wiselyRecchi was lucky because she has her sister as a co-founder, but one of the top reasons why startups don't do well is problems between founders.

Startup uses artificial intelligence to help colleges retain students

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574438233311.jpeg">FHSU University Relations For many faculty and staff at Fort Hays State University, dedication goes far beyond the classroom and their Monday through Friday jobs.&nbsp; “We often talk about what amazing students we have here at Fort Hays State, and that is true, but our faculty and staff are equally incredible,” said Schuyler Coates, director of annual giving with the FHSU Foundation.&nbsp; “Our faculty and staff work hard to not only educate our students, but they support them in a variety of other ways. We’re thankful that many choose to support our students with a financial gift on top of all that they are already doing.” As the fundraising arm of the university, the FHSU Foundation recently kicked off its annual Campus Campaign – encouraging faculty and staff to consider taking their roles one step further by making a financial gift in support of FHSU and their students.&nbsp; “The cool thing about supporting Fort Hays State with a gift is that individuals get to designate where they would like their money to go,” Coates said. “Want to support scholarships for students in your department? Great! For those who would like to honor a staff member who has passed, we have many memorial scholarships already established. The options are endless.”&nbsp; Kathleen Cook, assistant director of FHSU’s Virtual College, gives back to the university because she loves where she works and wants to support her two favorite activities – the Encore Series and FHSU Athletics.&nbsp; Maggie Denning, FHSU’s coordinator of academic success and paper-based testing programs, chooses to support the university for a slightly different reason.&nbsp; “Giving back to Fort Hays State ensures that we can continue offering incoming students an excellent education and the opportunity to receive scholarships,” she said. “It also allows us to reach beyond Kansas to touch the lives of students from all over the world.”&nbsp; Mark Griffin, FHSU’s assistant vice president and chief information officer for Technology Services, recognizes the importance of paying it forward to the next generation of students.&nbsp; “Fort Hays State University has given a lot to me and my family,” said Griffin. “It’s not only fair that I give back to FHSU, but it’s the right thing to do. I want to see our current and future students have the same opportunities I’ve had, or even better ones! This is my small way to help in providing those opportunities for them.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Faculty and staff at FHSU contribute in varying ways to the departments, athletic teams, student organizations or scholarships of their choice. As employees, faculty and staff also have the unique option to make their gifts via payroll deduction.&nbsp; “Regardless of why faculty and staff of Fort Hays State University choose to give, their support is making an incredible impact in the lives of our students,” said Coates. “As another semester draws to an end, and with the holidays approaching, what better time to thank these individuals for their generosity? Words alone cannot express our gratitude for their time, treasure and talents.”&nbsp; To learn more about the Fort Hays State University Foundation and the funding needs of Fort Hays State, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://foundation.fhsu.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: blue;">https://foundation.fhsu.edu</a>, call 785-628-5620 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:foundation@fhsu.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: blue;">foundation@fhsu.edu</a>.&nbsp;

FHSU Foundation embarks on 2019 Campus Campaign

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574451686834.jpeg">Katelyn M. Mosshart, RN, BSN, Breast Health Nurse Navigator at the Breast Care Center at HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System, recently attended the Academy of Oncology Nurse &amp; Patient Navigators (AONN+) 10th annual conference.&nbsp; AONN+ is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to improving patient care and quality of life by defining, enhancing, and promoting the role of oncology nurse and patient navigators. The network provides professionals information to better manage the complexities of the cancer care treatment continuum for their patients.&nbsp; Mosshart co-presented a presentation on the topic of Rural Navigation at one of the breakout sessions. She, along with other Masonic Cancer Alliance members were also recognized with the Organizational recognition Award that acknowledges employers who embrace the critical role of oncology navigators and foster their growth. — HaysMed

HaysMed Breast Care Center nurse presents at national conference 

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574353892810.jpeg">Aetna Better Health of Kansas CEO David Livingston attended the KanCare hearings this week. Stephen Koranda / Kansas News Service&nbsp; By STEPHEN KORANDAKansas News Service Though its Medicaid contract is still at stake, Aetna Better Health is making progress, Kansas lawmakers and state regulators said this week.&nbsp; “There has been a good response from them,” Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment Lee Norman told a panel of lawmakers Tuesday. State regulators had put Aetna on<a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/kansas-officials-put-aetna-deadline-youre-failing-medicaid-contract" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> notice in July</a> that it wasn’t in compliance with its state contract and risked being fired. The state initially rejected Aetna’s proposal to correct issues this summer, but approved an updated plan in September that included concrete deadlines to fix specific issues like delayed payments to hospitals. Company executives<a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/we-get-it-aetna-apologizes-kansas-pushes-fix-medicaid-problems" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> took responsibility</a> for the challenges in August, and said Tuesday that improvements were happening. “The work is not done yet, but we’ve come a long way,” Aetna national Medicaid CEO Randy Hyun said. Among the changes are new processes to make payments to hospitals quicker and fix incorrect payment rates. The company also enrolled more health care providers, from 17,700 in March to 32,600 by the end of September. The company also replaced top Kansas officials, and the new head of Aetna’s Medicaid program in Kansas said he is focused on the improvements and the quality of care Medicaid recipients receive. Aetna provides health care coverage for about one quarter of the nearly 400,000 low-income Kansans on Medicaid.&nbsp; “What I will personally promise is there’s going to be a never-ending focus on quality and outcomes,” state Aetna CEO David Livingston told lawmakers. “It’s our contractual obligation. It’s a moral obligation.” Lingering issuesDespite the improvements, hospitals told lawmakers this week that they still see delays getting paid by Aetna, and there can be issues signing up to become an in-network provider. “When you submit the same information to the same place over and over again, it just becomes very frustrating,” said Paula Pedersen, Abilene Memorial Hospital’s director of patient financial services.&nbsp; Lawmakers expressed relief that Aetna was on firmer footing, despite the remaining issues.&nbsp; “I’m pleased to see that big picture things are moving forward,” Republican Rep. Susan Concannon said. “In my district, I’m still hearing complaints.” The head of KanCare noted that Aetna has set deadlines to make additional changes, and that the threat of firing them still stands.&nbsp;&nbsp; “Our goal is to work them into compliance,” Medicaid Director Adam Proffitt said. “This will not continue in perpetuity.” He added that the state expects to see additional progress by the end of the year. “We’re continuing to enforce high standards on them,” Proffitt told lawmakers. “We are not taking our foot off the gas.” Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio covering health, education and politics. Follow him on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/kprkoranda" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&nbsp;@kprkoranda</a>&nbsp;or email skoranda@ku.edu.

 Payments aren't aways timely, but Kan. says Medicaid contractor making progress 

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574266659674.jpeg"> LA CROSSE — The Rush County Historical Society and Kansas Barbed Wire Museum will be hosting the annual Old-Fashioned Christmas on Friday, Nov. 29, from 5 to 8 p.m. in La Crosse. Some new and exciting changes are in store along with traditional events. Each of the five unique museums will be decorated for the holidays. The historic Timken Depot will feature a special one night only display of railroad history including the lost Harvey House hotel in Rush Center. The museum will also unveil a new display of medical equipment belonging to Dr. Walter Singleton, a medical doctor, optometrist, and licensed pharmacist who practiced in La Crosse in the early 20th century. There will be live musical performances including piano in the Depot, an opportunity to sing along to the reed organ in the Nekoma Bank Museum from 5-8 pm, and a special string quartet in the Barbed Wire Museum from 6-7 pm. Visitors can enjoy hot cider, homemade cookies and popcorn, or roast their own marshmallows over an open fire throughout the evening. Free horse-drawn wagon rides will be available from 5 to 7 pm, weather permitting.&nbsp; A special craft and gift market from the residents of Rush County Memorial Hospital ISB (Long Term Care) will feature a variety of local hand-made crafts. The craft and gift market will be open Friday only from 5-8 pm in the back room of the Nekoma Bank Museum. Kids will have the opportunity to experience hands-on learning in a one-room school with old-fashioned make-it and take-it crafts in the recently dedicated Pleasant Point One-Room School Museum. The century-old school is a time capsule of early 20th century rural education with nearly all of its original furnishings and books. There will also be events across the footbridge from the museum complex at the Grass Park North Shelter House. Beginning at 6:30, Rush County Fire District #4 will be serving hot dogs and hot chocolate. Santa arrives at 7:00 on the fire truck with candy sacks for the children. Events begin at 5:00 pm, Friday at the museum campus on the south edge of La Crosse on West First Street. All events are free and open to the public. The Rush County Museum Complex features five museums: the Historical Museum located in the 1887 Timken Santa Fe Depot; the Post Rock Museum, one of the seven wonders of Kansas Customs; the Nekoma Bank Museum, a restored 1916 rural bank; the recently dedicated 1907 Pleasant Point School Museum; and nationally recognized Kansas Barbed Wire Museum.&nbsp; &nbsp;For more information, visit us on Facebook, on the web at <a href="http://www.rushcounty.org/RCHS" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent;">www.rushcounty.org/RCHS</a> or call 785-222-2808. — Submitted

La Crosse to host annual Old-Fashioned Christmas

<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/2019/11/1574534904289.jpeg">

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574354521012.png">In November 2019, Hays Post was rated by NewsGuard, an international organization that employs trained journalists to rate and review thousands of news websites for credibility and transparency.Hays Post received a green rating for its high journalistic standards.NewsGuard uses nine journalistic criteria to rate each website. To learn more about NewsGuard’s rating of publications, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.newsguardtech.com./" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 119, 119);">www.newsguardtech.com.</a>The green or red badge of sites rated by NewsGuard are designed to alert readers about the credibility of a news source and appears on social media feeds and as a browser extension that rates search engine results. The extension can be downloaded&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsguardtech.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 119, 119);">HERE</a>.NewsGuard was launched in 2018.&nbsp;Based on each website’s performance on NewsGuard’s nine journalistic criteria, each site is rated with a red or green rating. News organizations producing high quality journalism and following basic standards of accuracy and accountability get green ratings.Read more&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jillgoldsmith/2019/01/16/newsguard-gets-a-leg-up-in-the-war-on-real-fake-news/#3ba558486f57" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 119, 119);">HERE</a>.

Hays Post’s journalism receives a ‘green’ rating from NewsGuard

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<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574372328761.jpeg">WaKeeney, "Christmas City of the High Plains," celebrates its 69th annual holiday tradition Nov. 30. By CATHY ALBERTWaKeeney Travel &amp; Tourism WAKEENEY — A cherished tradition continues in WaKeeney, known as “the Christmas City of the High Plains.” WaKeeney lights up the prairie skies with twinkling lights and fresh greenery and garlands during the holidays. This annual tradition began in 1950 and is the longest-running Christmas display between Kansas City and Denver. Each November WaKeeney is magically transformed into a holiday wonderland. Highlighting the holiday display is a magnificent handmade, 35-foot tree of fresh pine greenery with over 3,000 lights. The tree rests under a canopy of heavenly blue lights in the middle of the main intersection of Main and Russell Avenue. It is topped with four ivory stars, each 5 ft. in diameter. To complete this Christmas wonderland, a four-square block area around the tree is draped with more greenery garlands; handcrafted wreaths, bells, stars, and trees; and, of course, more twinkling lights. In all, there are over 6,800 lights in the display. The entire display is made up of approximately 3 miles of electrical wiring, 1400 lbs. of fresh greenery, and 1100 yards of greenery garlands. The original idea was born in 1948 by two local businessmen, and the first display was lit in 1950. Art Keraus, the owner of the local hardware store and “a man who could build anything,” teamed up with J.H. “Jake” Heckman, the local banker and artist, to design an original Christmas display. Keraus had seen similar but smaller trees in Colorado and came home determined to build a bigger and better tree right in the middle of downtown WaKeeney. They spent many hours of long hard work in the basement of the hardware store making sure the decorations were just right. Heckman would try out the design on cardboard, paint it, put the light bulbs in it, and then turn out the lights in the basement and sit for great lengths of time, studying it to make sure each detail would be visible and that the colors would remain true. These traditional decorations are still used today. The first display went up in 1950 and more decorations were added each year until 1956. Over time there has been only one more addition. During the 1990s all the downtown buildings were outlined with over 2,000 perimeter lights, which remained lit year-round. Then in 2018, new LED color-changing lights were installed on the perimeter of the downtown buildings. The color of these lights is changed throughout the year to support the local school as well as the different holidays. City workers get the decorations ready to be put up. Many man hours go into preparing the display for the tree raising. Workers spend approximately two weeks preparing the display and putting it up. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574372498110.jpeg">Bucket trucks are used to assemble the tree branches into place in downtown WaKeeney. Then city workers with help from several local utility companies, such as Midwest Energy, Western Co-op Electric, Nex-Tech, and KDOT, assemble the large tree and put up the final decorations with their bucket trucks. Through the years many local volunteers have donated hundreds of hours in preparing for this annual event, which has become a source of pride for the community. The Christmas “tree” is a tribute to the will and cooperation of our local residents. Hundreds of volunteers have worked side by side for over 60 years on a common goal and they have learned about brotherhood – one of the true meanings of Christmas. The annual Christmas Tree Lighting is always held on the Saturday night following Thanksgiving and the display remains up through New Year’s Day. The display is free to the public. Visitors come from miles around to see this impressive light display, which is considered one of the largest Christmas tree and lighting displays between Kansas City and Denver. WaKeeney has truly earned the title of “Christmas City of the High Plains.” The 2019 celebration is scheduled for Saturday, November 30. The day begins with the annual Christmas Bazaar at the Trego County Fairgrounds and Trego Community High School Commons Area beginning at 9:00 a.m. The Trego County Historical Museum is planning a “Twelve Days of Christmas” display, which begins at 10:00 a.m. Downtown activities begin at 2:30 p.m. when the free ticket booth opens at the VFW, where everyone can pick up free tickets to see Santa Claus and ride “Santa’s Sleigh,” a Virtual Reality ride. During the afternoon and evening join in the many activities planned throughout the downtown area, such as “Santa’s Sleigh Ride,” child ID kits by the local police departments, live reindeer, soup supper, and Santa’s Downtown Workshop. At 6:00 p.m. the lighting ceremony begins around the legendary Christmas tree. Santa Claus will arrive to light the tree and then move to the North Pole to visit with the children and handout treats. Most of these activities are free to the public. For more information, contact the WaKeeney Travel &amp; Tourism at (785) 743-8325, <a href="https://www.wakeeney.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.wakeeney.org</a>, or on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GetWaKeeney/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook at Get WaKeeney</a>.

WaKeeney holiday tradition in its 69th year

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574199155148.jpeg">HHS Chess Club Hays PostThe Hays High Chess Club took first place at the Wichita Chess Tournament. This was&nbsp;a very large tournament and the biggest meet that the team has ever attended. Sheena Zeng&nbsp;placed first overall, Noah&nbsp;Bruggerman placed ninth, and Japeth&nbsp;Briney&nbsp;placed 10th. The Chess Club is coached by Erin Holder.&nbsp;Other Team Members of our winning HHS Chess Club are Raiden Hartman, Sydney Walker and Jonathan Garner.

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