Hays native, former Army Ranger, to discuss his book 'War Story'

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574191968294.jpeg"> Submitted Open Enrollment is only time of year that individuals who are Medicare eligible can make changes to their prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans. “It is extremely important to have someone review your Medicare plans, aside from the potential to saved hundreds of dollars. We provide clarity as to how the plans work and if changes are necessary for the upcoming year,” said Cortney Dale, president and CEO at Sunflower Senior Solutions. There will be a free event at Fort Hays State University's Memorial Union (Calvary Room) on Wednesday, Dec. 4, and Thursday, Dec. 5, to discuss 2020 options. Call 785.301.2716 to reserve a time. Medicare itself only covers a portion of health care costs so there are “gaps in coverage” that consumers are left to fill. The event will cover education on the supplemental plans for those considering them for the first time or who simply want to compare what they have to other plans. “A question that comes up frequently is how to fill the gaps when it comes to dental, vision and hearing coverage — these three areas are not covered by Medicare,” Dale said. “We have information on all of those plans as well and we want to help as many folks as we can get the coverage they need and, more importantly, we want them to understand how the plans work with each other.” Founded in 2015 in Hays, Sunflower Senior Solutions is an independent insurance brokerage.

Sunflower Senior Solutions to host free Medicare education event at FHSU

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574289529658.jpeg">FHSU University Relations Fort Hays State University’s stunning&nbsp;new Center for Art and Design will now carry Bob and Pat Schmidt’s name. The university received final Kansas Board of Regents approval today to name the facility the Schmidt Foundation Center for Art and Design.&nbsp; The naming opportunity came about following a generous $2.5 million gift from the Schmidt Foundation to Fort Hays State. The two-story, 43,000-square foot building, dedicated to art, opened its doors to students at the start of the fall 2019 academic semester.&nbsp; “The Schmidt Foundation is excited to be a part of such a beautiful project,” said Gary Shorman, president of the Schmidt Foundation. “Bob and Pat Schmidt were not only avid supporters of Fort Hays State University, but they also loved art and those who create it. We believe FHSU’s Center for Art and Design is the perfect place to invest and to build a wonderful future for students who choose to enhance our lives with art.”&nbsp; The Schmidt Foundation Center provides lab spaces for graphic design, interior design, drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, art education, art history and photography. The facility also offers departmental office space, a multi-purpose lab, a traditional classroom, woodshop, graduate studios, commons area and a ceramics kiln yard.&nbsp; The late Bob and Pat Schmidt were known for their generous philanthropic support. They&nbsp;were determined to continue to be major contributors to projects important to Kansas, Fort Hays State University included, through the Schmidt Foundation.&nbsp; A native of La Crosse, Bob Schmidt stayed close to home to attend what was then Fort Hays Kansas State College, where he met his future wife, Pat, who was also a student. He graduated in 1950 and went on to become a renowned broadcaster and eventual owner of KAYS Inc. Along the way, he become an icon throughout the community of Hays, through both his leadership and his philanthropy.&nbsp; Pat Schmidt believed in the Midwestern work ethic and Kansas values. She was known for her love of the arts, and she supported them generously. She served as Hays Arts Council president twice and was appointed to serve on the board of directors of the Association of Arts Councils of Kansas.&nbsp; The couple enjoyed nearly 69 years of married life together before Pat passed away in 2015 and Bob in 2017. The Schmidt Foundation continues their legacy by supporting education, the arts, and Fort Hays State University.&nbsp; Learn how you can support the students and programs within FHSU’s new Schmidt Foundation Center for Art and Design by contacting the FHSU Foundation at 785-628-5620 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:foundation@fhsu.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 130, 191);">foundation@fhsu.edu</a>. To learn more about the FHSU Foundation, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://foundation.fhsu.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 130, 191);">https://foundation.fhsu.edu</a>.&nbsp;

FHSU's Center for Art and Design named for Bob and Pat Schmidt Foundation

&nbsp;<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574116435480.jpeg">Kansas students Jeff Garcia, Cassoday, and Katie Sleichter, Clay Center, visited Taiwan in fall 2019 through the Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program. ﻿KDA MANHATTAN —&nbsp;&nbsp;Two Kansas students, including a Clay Center native, traveled to Taiwan Oct. 26-Nov. 3, 2019, to represent the state as part of a long-standing student exchange program to learn about Taiwan’s agricultural industry and how Kansas agriculture exports benefit both Kansas and Taiwan. The students were selected for the Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program by the Kansas Department of Agriculture based on their exceptional leadership and communication skills, appreciation for international travel, and passion for Kansas agriculture.&nbsp;“This exchange offers students an opportunity of a lifetime to experience another country’s agriculture, technology and culture,” said Suzanne Ryan-Numrich, international trade director at KDA. “The students who went on this exchange came home with a broader understanding of the global economy we live in.”&nbsp;The two students who participated were Jeffrey Garcia from Cassoday, a freshman at Butler Community College majoring in Agribusiness; and Katherine Sleichter from Clay Center, a freshman at Kansas State University majoring in agribusiness (international option, Global Food Systems Leadership, and minoring in Spanish.&nbsp;The students traveled with students from Missouri. Their visit included tours of the National Chung Hsing University, interaction with Taiwanese students, meetings with the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and visits to local farms and research institutes across Taiwan.&nbsp;“It was interesting to me to see the difference between Kansas agriculture and Taiwanese agriculture,” said Sleichter. “While in Taiwan we had the opportunity to tour a variety of different farming operations, specifically fruit farms. We toured a passion fruit farm, a dragon fruit farm, an organic tea farm, a guava farm, a tomato farm, and a cocoa farm. The farm tours opened my eyes to the diversity of agriculture, and that there is more than just the type of farms that are common in the United States.”&nbsp;Garcia agreed that it was a great experience. “I really enjoyed trying all the new food and seeing how they grow all the fruit and vegetables they grow in Taiwan.”&nbsp;The trip is coordinated by KDA and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver, Colorado, and is sponsored by TECO.&nbsp;Opportunities such as the Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program provide tremendous knowledge and networking to the delegates. In 2018, Kansas exported over $167 million in agriculture commodities to Taiwan and it was the fifth-ranked export destination for Kansas products. International relationships with countries such as Taiwan help open opportunities for more exports in the future.&nbsp;Each fall, KDA coordinates the Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program application process which is open to high school seniors or college freshmen. For more information, please contact Robin Blume, education and events coordinator at KDA, at 785-564-6756 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:robin.blume@ks.gov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: inherit;">robin.blume@ks.gov</a>.

Clay Center student part of Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program 

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1563272343983.png">Rain is on the way — with the possibility of thunderstorms. The National Weather Service in Dodge City on Wednesday is predicting scattered rain showers and a few thunderstorms late this afternoon and into the evening. Severe weather is not expected, but strong winds are expected with gusts up to 35 mph. The temperature is expected to take a steep dive overnight, with a low of 33 predicted for Hays. The high Thursday is only expected to reach 42 degrees with a low of 25 overnight and the chance of rain or snow. While the weekend is expected to be quiet, forecasters are projecting the possibility of a strong winter storm around Tuesday. Click <a href="https://hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HERE</a> for the complete extended weather forecast and tune into your Eagle Radio of Hays stations in case of severe weather.

Rain with the possibility of T-storms moving into the area

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574258526530.jpeg">The eastbound lanes of 22nd Street, from Vine Street to General Hays Road, will be closed from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday to allow Midwest Energy crews to change out a pole at the VFW. This closure only affects eastbound traffic coming off Vine; westbound traffic, as well as the left turn lane from 22nd Street to Vine, will remain open. "Please watch out for utility crews in this area during these times. Midwest Energy thanks you for your patience," company spokesman Mike Morley said in a news release.

Portion of 22nd will be closed to eastbound traffic Thursday

🎤HACC: Shopping local more important than ever

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269301254.jpeg">By JAMES BELLHays Post At about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, emergency responders were dispatched to reports of a structure fire in the Countryside Estates mobile home park, 1010 Reservation Rd. The Hays Fire Department found a home actively burning and worked to extinguish the fire for over an hour with two water lines, while removing windows and cutting an access hole into the building. Ellis County Fire and EMS, along with the Hays Police Department, assisted at the scene. The home was a complete loss according to Ryan Hagans, HFD Chief. He said the cause is currently unknown and the state fire marshal is investigating. The fire was the second structure fire reported in Hays on Tuesday. Shortly before 7 a.m. in the 200 block of West Seventh, the department was dispatched to a fire in a kitchen. The fire started on the stove, with damage limited to the kitchen, Hagans said. No injuries were reported in either incident. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269339047.jpeg"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269392520.jpeg"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269405727.jpeg"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269418119.jpeg"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269431535.jpeg"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269450335.jpeg"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269461583.jpeg"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269473151.jpeg"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269484047.jpeg"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574269495040.jpeg">

UPDATE: Fire destroys Hays home Wednesday morning

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574199373703.jpeg">Members of the HHS Math Relay Team were honored at the Hays school board meeting Monday night. The Hays High Math Relay Team, which includes&nbsp;17&nbsp;students, freshman through seniors&nbsp;brought home another first-place team finish in the 2019 FHSU Math Relays. They competed against 40 different schools with about 700 kids from across Kansas. The team is coached by Dustin Dreher. Team members include:Seniors:Lynsie Hansen&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Taylor Weidenhaft&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carson Ackerman&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nathan Erbert&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Juniors&nbsp;Alexis WhiteAndrew Duke&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nic Park&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dalyn Schwarz&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Marissa Raynesford&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ashley Vilaysing&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zach Chance&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sophomores&nbsp;Jada Thomas&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wes Oakley&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carson Kieffer&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Freshman&nbsp;*Anthony Arial&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bradyn Dreher&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chase Summers&nbsp;&nbsp;

HHS Math Relay Team takes first place

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574258392845.png">The generosity continues as Gone Logo donated 238 William Our Warrior t-shirts to Hays Middle School staff and students. The shirts were purchased by staff and students and 100 percent of proceeds went to the Cade and Tiffany Scott family. Their son, William, has a rare CHD called Tetralogy of Fallot with an absent pulmonary artery. The family was in Palo Alto, Calif., last week for surgery where William is recovering nicely. Gone Logo made a tremendous contribution to the Scott family as well as numerous other individuals and businesses in Hays and surrounding communities. The Scott family would like to thank everyone for their donations, prayers and support.&nbsp; — Submitted

'William Our Warrior' shirts donated to help raise funds for Hays family

GOVE COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Tuesday in Gove County.&nbsp;The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Kenworth semi driven by Robery Leon Hunsaker, 54, Thornton, Colorado, was westbound on Interstate 70 just&nbsp;east of Castle Rock Road.&nbsp;The semi struck a Chevy Silverado driven by Hugo Gonzales, 52, Wheat Ridge, CO., in the right lane.&nbsp;The Silverado was pushed across the westbound lanes and into the guard rail, caught fire and was completely destroyed. Gonzales was transported to Schmidt Funeral Home of Quinter. Hunsaker was not injured. The KHP did not have complete information on seat belt usage.

Driver dies after I-70 semi crash, fire

By CRISTINA JANNEYHays PostThursday night, David Schramm, a nationally known speaker and Hays native, was the first guest of the John C. Thorns Jr. Memorial Lecture Series. Schramm, a faculty member at Stanford University, and Thorns, a longtime FHSU professor and artist, were friends. Thorns founded the Healing After Loss of Suicide group in Hays where he sought help after losing his own wife to suicide. The Center for Life Experience, which is the umbrella organization for the HALOS, is one of the sponsors of what organizers hope will be an annual lecture series. Schramm gave a TED Talk in 2011 about his own suicide attempt and shared Thursday night about his journey of recovery from addiction and depression. That TED Talk has now been shared almost 1.9 million times and translated into more than 30 languages. He also shared personal experiences about his friendship with Thorns on Thursday night. The Schramm and Thorns families were friends. When David was in the second or third grade, he used to push John's father, who had been disabled by a stroke, around the mall on his daily trips to socialize and get coffee. David's mother was manager there.He said he likely first heard the word suicide in connection with John's wife's death, although he said he doesn't remember the particulars of his mother explaining this to him. Schramm said Thorns was a mentor and advocate for him as he grew up and through his years in college.&nbsp;When Schramm finished his doctorate in education, he dedicated it in part to Thorns. Thorns' daughter, Jenny, died in a car accident in 1983, and Schramm said he watched Thorns' crumbling and rebuilding as he dealt with that loss. When Schramm was preparing to marry his husband, Ken, he brought him to meet Thorns. "He took our wedding invitation in 2007 that was done by an artist friend of mine and he did a collage on top of the invitation, so I have a work of art that mirrors both the importance of my marriage and my life with my husband and John's art and Javier's art. I just treasure that. It was John's way of showing his support for our marriage when I wasn't experiencing that support from all corners of my life in 2007." Schramm's lecture was titled "Finding Healing and Hope in Western Kansas." He shared some examples of Thorns' work during his lecture and noted that others see what is missing from the Kansas landscape, but Thorns saw what was here. "Getting ready for tonight's talk, I can see beauty in Kansas, that I don't remember seeing as a kid growing up in Hays," he said. Schramm shared some of what he saw as advantages and disadvantages of living in western Kansas. <h3>Benefits of growing up in western Kansas</h3><ul><li>Relatively simple, safe, slow lifestyle across generations</li><li>Very little violent crime</li><li>Lots of family</li><li>Lifelong friendships</li><li>Shared history and sense of community</li><li>Everybody knows you</li></ul> Schramm said he still has friends in Hays who he grew up with. He met a person on the plane coming into Hays who said all of his children and grandchildren live within 10 miles of him. "There is an embracement and encouragement and joy around family," he said. <h3>Challenges of growing up in western Kansas</h3><ul><li>Relatively simple, safe, slow lifestyle across generations</li><li>It can be repressive if you are different from the norm</li><li>We don't see possibilities outside of Ellis County</li><li>We have tolerated a conspiracy of silence</li><li>Too many of our best and brightest leave</li><li>Way too much alcohol</li><li>Easy access to firearms</li></ul> "As a gay kid growing up in a Catholic high school and a Catholic family wanting to be true to my faith and understanding the orientation that was coming out in me, that was really difficult," Schramm said. "There was not a lot of embrace of that which was different." Scrhamm said the conspiracy of silence around mental illness in Ellis County has gone far too long. "I was meeting with survivors in the HALOS group, people who have lost somebody to suicide, today," he said. "I said, 'What do you want me to say tonight?' They said, 'Let us say the names of the people we have lost. Ask us about the loss that we've had. Let us tell you the story, saying Tim or TJ or Calista or Glen or David.' Let us not brush under the rug the struggles that people have." When Schramm was growing up in Ellis County, it was the No. 1 per capita consumer of alcohol in he world. "There was a pride in the fact. We had bumper stickers that said 'Get drunk in Hays. Keep us No. 1.' It's kind of funny, but it's kind of scary. As someone who is now in recovery, I would worry about that amount of alcohol ... if my children were growing up here, that they would be exposed to that," he said. Schramm said he debated including easy access to firearms on his list, but he related a personal story of why he did. Schramm first tried to kill himself when he was in the seventh grade. He wrote a note and was going to shoot himself. When he took the handgun out of his family's closet, the gun went off and shot a hole in the floor. He was so startled by the gun going off that he ripped up the note and put the gun away. No one ever found the bullet hole in the thick shag carpet and no one new that Schramm had intended to kill himself. "That could have gone really differently in 1977, and it has gone really differently for too many young people in our community," he said. Between 1999 and 2016 in Kansas, the suicide rate went up 45 percent. Between 2016 and 2017, youth suicide went up 50 percent. Schramm said he was almost one of those statistics and that is why he willing to do presentations like the one in Hays. In June 2003, Schramm had just completed temporary duty in Hays working for Thomas More-Prep Marian, his alma mater, where he helped raised $250,000 for the school. He had just sold his apartment in New York for a six-figure profit and he had been offered a job at NYU, where he had just received his master's degree. On the outside, it looked like things were going well, but it was a facade.&nbsp;He had just received his third DUI, this time in a vehicle that had been secured for him by TMP. He was battling addiction to alcohol and drugs. The sale of the apartment came only in time to keep it from foreclosure. He was deeply depressed. After a bout of drinking in a New York bar, he left all his luggage behind in the bar, walked out onto the streets of New York. He wrote a suicide note and inserted it into an ATM. He made his way to the Manhattan bridge and jumped 200 feet into the water below. He shattered his arm and broke all his ribs. He struggled to stay afloat with his one uninjured arm as he drifted in the East River before the passengers on the Staten Island Ferry heard his screams and alerted rescue crews. Schramm's family rallied around him. His father and sister came to be by his side during his initial recovery at Bellevue Hospital. "I slowly began the rebuilding of my life from that dreadful mistake," he said. After 23 days in Bellevue, he checked into Halstead's Valley Hope addiction treatment program. Then he had to come back to Ellis County to serve jail time for his DUI. He then spent a month in a retreat house in Colorado to work on his spiritual life. "And yet I was able to step back into recovery," he said. "It took a long journey — a long walk." He said he learned what surrender is, which in recovery is not giving up, but going over to the winning side. Schramm used an analogy from a fellow professor — water your flowers and cut your weeds. "What are the actions we can take to&nbsp;keep that dry grass moist that keep the precipitating factors at bay so a lightning strike like a loss of a job or a crop not going well or not getting on a traveling team or not getting a part in a show or not getting a job you were going for—that those don't become lightning strikes that lead us to do something more deliberate or that could be more deadly?" <h3>Resources</h3>High Plains Mental Health has a 24-hour crisis line that can be reached at 1-800-432-0333.<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/kellycenter/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FHSU Kelly Center:&nbsp;</a>785-628-4401The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:&nbsp;1-800-273-TALK (8255).The National Suicide Crisis Text Line:&nbsp;741741.The local National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) group meets on the first Monday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Hadley Center. For more information contact Ann Leiker, coordinator at 785-259-6859 or email her&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cfle1@eaglecom.net" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cfle1@eaglecom.net</a>.Healing After Loss of Suicide:&nbsp;For more information contact Ann Leiker, coordinator at 785-259-6859 or email her&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cfle1@eaglecom.net" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cfle1@eaglecom.net</a>.

Schramm honors Thorns in Healing and Hope lecture

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574192804280.jpeg">A tooth of Cretodus houghtonorum superimposed over an image of a rendering of how the shark might have looked. Image provided by Kenshu Shimada &amp; Michael Everhart.&nbsp; FHSU University Relations The chance discovery in Western Kansas of a fossil vertebra turned into an important and unique paleontological find – the remains of the first ever North American occurrence of a large fossilized skeleton of Cretodus, a large prehistoric shark previously known only from isolated teeth.&nbsp; This remarkable specimen, recently added to the collection at Fort Hays State University’s Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays, is the most complete in North America and is one of two best known in the world. The other is in Italy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dr. Kenshu Shimada, a paleontology professor at DePaul University, Chicago, and Mike Everhart, adjunct curator of paleontology at the Sternberg Museum, worked for eight years to be able to share the discovery with the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The find is especially important because most of what is known about prehistoric sharks is based on finds of individual teeth.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“We found a fairly complete individual with most of its teeth and about half of the vertebral column. It's quite a major jump from what we knew about this Cretaceous shark,” said Everhart.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The shark was found just south of Tipton, in Mitchell County, at the Ring Neck Ranch, owned by Keith and Deborah Houghton. The Houghton family has been open to scientific collecting trips on their property.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Everhart and a friend, Gail Pearson, had collected fossils from the ranch’s Blue Hill Shale outcrops. On a trip in 2010, they took a friend of Pearson’s who had never before hunted fossils: Fred Smith, editor of The Tipton Times.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Everhart found some broken rib fragments from a plesiosaur and started to recover them.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“While Pearson and I were trying to pick up these little bone fragments, Smith got bored and went further upslope to the east. He came back with this chunk of rock that had this round shape on both ends, and he's saying, ‘Hey look, I found a piece of petrified wood,’” said Everhart.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While the shape and concentric rings were understandably suggestive of a tree branch, it was not. Smith had found something special.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“I recognized it as a concretion (a rounded mass of mineral matter) containing several vertebrae from a shark. Nothing quite like it had ever been found in the Blue Hill Shale,” said Everhart.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They marked the location and, after several weather delays, came back in the spring and started digging.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“The more we dug, the more we found. We found more concretions, more disc-shaped vertebrae, and lots of shark's teeth. We got almost a complete mouth,” said Everhart. “It had this whole tooth array, different teeth from all over the mouth of the shark. In shark paleontology, single fossil teeth are mostly what you have to work with. But in this case, these were all from the same individual.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Everhart got Shimada involved. Shimada, who earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Fort Hays State, is an expert on fossil sharks. He provided on-site direction for the dig, collected material for further study and is credited for measuring and assembling the data so a description of the shark could be submitted for publication.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the beginning, they thought their shark was a mostly complete specimen of an 1850s English find, which was based on only a single tooth.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Until now, that discovery from 150 years ago was the only descriptive information we had to work with,” said Everhart.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They discovered that was not the case. The new shark did not match, and the team began to think that it may be the first known, reasonably complete specimen of a different shark – and could be a new species.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Identifying it involved defining not only descriptions of the individual teeth – height and width and whatever else – but also explaining why they were different in shape from other known specimens,” said Everhart.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Once the dig, research, and extensive descriptions were complete, Shimada and Everhart submitted a comprehensive manuscript documenting their data.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This 91-million-year-old shark was preserved in sediments deposited in an ancient ocean that covered the middle of North America during the Late Cretaceous period. The find consists of 134 teeth, 61 vertebrae and 23 plate-like scales.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;From measurements, discovery location and comparison to other sharks of the time, the team determined that at nearly 17 feet long, this shark was a distant cousin to modern great-white and sand tiger sharks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The shark is estimated to have been 22 years old when it died, but the life expectancy of the species was extrapolated to be a possible 51 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;From the position of other fossils near the find, it was inferred that the shark’s last meal was a much smaller shark, and after dying, its carcass was scavenged by another large shark.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“This new shark differs from all other known species in the genus by having a distinct array of teeth that are uniquely shaped,” said Everhart. “Our analysis showed that the teeth of this shark are measurably different (size and shape) from any other known species of&nbsp;Cretodus and that justified the naming of the new species.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While preparing all the materials for publication, Shimada and Everhart also had to propose a Latinized name for the species.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That original 1850s tooth was found near Houghton, England. The new shark came from the Houghton family ranch. The coincidence of name struck Everhart and Shimada as the natural choice for the nomenclature.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It was scientifically confirmed that the find was a new species, and the official, published, species name is&nbsp;Cretodus houghtonorum.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Blue Hill Shale shark now lives in the Sternberg Museum of Natural History collection because the Houghton family wanted it kept in Kansas. An event honoring the donors and participants will be held at the Sternberg Museum at a later date.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“It’s a great addition to the collection. We're grateful to the Houghton family for donating it to us,” said Everhart.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shimada and Everhart’s study is titled “A New Large Late Cretaceous Lamniform Shark from North America with Comments on Taxonomy, Paleoecology and Evolution of the Genus&nbsp;Cretodus.” It appears in the forthcoming issue of The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. It is available online <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2019.1673399">HERE</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;More pictures and information from this dig are posted online&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="http://oceansofkansas.com/Cretodus.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://oceansofkansas.com/Cretodus.html</a>.&nbsp;

Western Kansas shark, now at Sternberg, is new species

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574091484634.jpeg"> By GLENN BRUNKOWPottawatomie&nbsp;County farmer and rancher Happy Thanksgiving! The day we sit down to a feast that often includes turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, pumpkin pie and all the other trimmings. I would argue a good prime rib or pork loin are just as festive and make me every bit as thankful, but turkey is fine. The eating aspect of Thanksgiving is important, believe me. I value eating, but we also need to be sure we fully appreciate the giving thanks part of the day. We need to take time to recognize all we have been given and all we have. We live in a country where we often take for granted our blessings. I also would say this is the holiday when we celebrate our ag heritage in the United States, whether we know it or not. Thanksgiving is when we pause and express our gratitude for all we have, and the bedrock of our thankfulness is the abundant food supply we often fail to appreciate. Think about it; it’s a holiday where the main celebration is a feast. If that is not a celebration of agriculture, I don’t know what is. This very holiday is the one where the Pilgrims were said to have come together to have a feast to celebrate the bounty they had grown and harvested. Agriculture and food have always been the bedrock and foundation of our great nation, and Thanksgiving is where the American farmer and rancher should step forward and take a bow. Most nations in this world only dream of agriculture production like ours. We not only grow enough food for our own country, but we feed a large portion of a hungry world too. We live in a nation where we have an abundance of safe, wholesome, affordable food at our fingertips. We can go to about any grocery store and not only find any food we desire but often have choices between types and brands of the same food. I am quite sure that as a society we have forgotten what a tremendous blessing our agriculture is. Food security and an ample supply of nutrition is the first building block in any great society, and without it nothing else can be accomplished. My fellow farmers and ranchers, we are the ones who make that happen. Thanksgiving is a celebration of what we do. The holiday is nearly here, and I hope we will take a minute to take pride in all that we have accomplished in agriculture in the United States. We are the most progressive, productive and efficient in the world and because of it our country will be able to celebrate with a great feast. I know I will sit down to eat on Thanksgiving but before I dig in, I will take a minute to take it all in with a sense of pride. My fellow farmers and ranchers, without you, none of this would be possible."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Thankful for agriculture

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574204846021.jpeg">By BECKY KISERHays Post The city of Hays has asked the IRS to check into the nonprofit status of WaterPACK, the "only active opponent" in the long-term water supply project for Hays. The Water Protection Association of Central Kansas is opposed to triggering the state's Water Transfer Act in connection with the R9 Ranch in Edwards County, owned since 1995 by Hays and Russell as a 75-plus year water supply. "I would like to be able to explain what WaterPACK is, but I can't," City Manager Toby Dougherty told city commissioners last week. "They are a claimed non-profit but they're somewhat secretive and there's not a lot of information out there about them. I do know it's a membership organization comprised I believe mainly of irrigators that I think sort of reflects the <a href="https://gmd5.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64);">Groundwater Management District #5</a> footprint. But again there's nothing public known about WaterPACK." <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574197854018.jpeg"> A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hayspost.com/2019/03/28/chief-engineer-approves-hays-russell-r9-ranch-water-change-applications/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 119, 119); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">final master order was issued March 27</a>&nbsp;by David Barfield, chief engineer at the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s<a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/water-appropriation/change-applications/hays-change-and-water-transfer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(64, 64, 64);"> Division of Water Resources</a> (DWR, approving change applications to convert the irrigation rights of the R9 Ranch to municipal use for the cities. In June, WaterPACK filed a petition for judicial review with the court in Edwards County. It's a final check in the process before triggering the Water Transfer Act. The process has been delayed. "They have contracted an attorney to file the request for administrative review, and as attorneys do, they are doing their best to try to delay the procedure with every legal trick they can take right now." The judge had planned on having the scheduling hearing back in September, according to Dougherty. That would have set the schedule of events moving forward. "That hearing hasn't happened because of some antics by the Water PACK lawyer." The cities believe WaterPACK has staked out an illogical position. "They are asking the state essentially to treat Hays and Russell differently than all other water rights holders are treated."<iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7Jbp9kP0rzc" height="315" width="560"></iframe> When a water use right is changed, state law requires a certain process be followed. "It's regulatory, it's extremely straight forward and it's very formulaic." The R9 has approximately 8,000 acre feet of water rights. The consumptive use rights, or yield figured by the state, is 6,756 acre feet annually. The cities voluntarily committed to an average sustainable yield of 4,800 acre feet per year, 30 percent less than they're legally allowed to pump. WaterPACK claims its research shows the sustainable yield should be less than that. "They're looking at every trick in the book to stop Hays and Russell's development of the R9 Ranch even though we have the legal right to do this. They're ignoring the fact that the consequences could be enormous if they're successful." Dougherty says a review of publicly available water use reports shows neighboring landowners near the R9 are not cutting their own usage. "They are pumping every drop they can to grow crops but when it comes to us, [they say] we can't utilize even what's sustainable." There are only so many procedural delays that can be tried and the judicial review process will only last so long. "At some point we're going to get to a hearing," Dougherty assured commissioners. "At some point I'm certain that Russell's attorney, Hays's attorney and the state attorney will demonstrate to the judge that all the rules and regulations were followed, as they were. The judge is going to sign off on it. We'll start the transfer process, make it through that, and be successful after that." WaterPACK is federally registered as a 501 C (6) nonprofit organization. "However, when we ask for their filing documents to determine why they're a 501 C (6, they 'don't have them,' so we've requested them from the IRS because we'd like to know why they exist, what their reason for non-profit status is." "We think that it's questionable," said John Bird, city attorney, "and we're questioning it."

🎥 CITY: 'Only active opponent' in R9 water transfer delaying the process

<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/2019/11/1574191110513.jpeg">

Three-day weather outlook

&nbsp;<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141354634.png">Even though gardening season is over, gardeners themselves never stop learning, growing and giving.&nbsp;This is the essence of what it means to be a Master Gardener.&nbsp;If you enjoy learning and giving back as a volunteer, consider becoming a Master Gardener in 2020. Now is the time to apply and reserve your spot for the 2020 training course.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Master Gardener basic training classes will be held at the Hays Extension office beging January 29, 2020 and run Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through March 18th.&nbsp;Topics covered include: basic botany, soil fertility, insects, diseases, tree and shrub care, vegetables, fruit gardening, turf management, wildlife, landscape design and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Who are Master Gardeners?Master Gardeners are K-State Research &amp; Extension volunteers who enjoy cultivating their own plants and gardens while sharing their skills and knowledge with the community around them to help others grow.&nbsp;Master Gardening is a wonderful way to enrich your life and the lives of others.&nbsp;Why become a Master Gardener?The decision to become a Master Gardener can be very rewarding.&nbsp;It is a decision to take your horticulture knowledge to the next level, and it is also a commitment to find creative ways to make a difference in our community while sharing that knowledge with the people and places around you. Training is just one great benefit.&nbsp;Master Gardeners receive a 40-hour-plus horticulture training course from K-State Extension specialists and county Extension agents.&nbsp;The basic training provides a great starting point for those new to gardening, but is also in depth enough to apply to gardeners of any skill level.&nbsp;Other benefits of being a Master Gardener include the camaraderie of people who share similar passions, receiving ongoing horticulture support through K-State Research and Extension, and occasional visits to horticultural places of interest.&nbsp;What about volunteering?&nbsp;Once training is complete, Master Gardeners take their knowledge out to the community to share it with others in unique and meaningful ways.&nbsp;First year Master Gardeners volunteer 40 hours of time and during succeeding years have a commitment of just 20 hours to remain active.&nbsp;Master Gardeners are encouraged to find their creativity in looking for ways to impact the community.&nbsp;A few activities many Master Gardeners enjoy volunteering on include:&nbsp;the demonstration garden, county fairs, educational garden tours and events, and booths at public events.&nbsp;Use these two questions to help determine if the Master Gardener program is right for you: • Are you available for about 40 hours of daytime classes on Wednesdays from February through March?•&nbsp;Do you have the interest and the time to attend monthly Master Gardener meetings and donate 40 hours of horticultural service to our community during the first year?&nbsp;If you are interested in joining the program or have questions regarding any of this information call the K-State Research &amp; Extension office.&nbsp;We need notification of interest as soon as possible as space is limited.&nbsp;Applications can be filled out or downloaded online at&nbsp;cottonwood.k-state.edu&nbsp;or picked up at the Extension office and are due by January 8, 2020.&nbsp;The Great Bend office can be contacted at 620-793-1910 and the Ellis county office is 785-628-9430.&nbsp;We look forward to hearing from you! Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by email at <a href="mailto:aboor@ksu.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">aboor@ksu.edu</a> or calling 620-793-1910

BOOR: Master Gardener training course coming in 2020

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574107777483.jpeg">FHSU University Relations Dr. Nahid Kalbasi Anaraki, assistant professor in Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting at Fort Hays State University, presented her paper on the effects of Federal Reserve interest rate policy on capital reversal at the recent Academic and Business Research Institute Conference in Washington, D.C.&nbsp; Dr. Anaraki won the best paper award in the conference for the economics, finance and accounting track.

FHSU's Anaraki brings home the best paper award from conference

&nbsp;OFFICE OF GOVERNOR TOPEKA - Governor Laura Kelly met&nbsp;Thursday&nbsp;in Washington D.C.&nbsp;with&nbsp;delegates from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to discuss the impact of tariffs and what her administration could do to improve trade relations to benefit Kansas farmers, including support for the United States-Mexico-Canada&nbsp;Agreement (USMCA) on trade.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with some key trade representatives in Washington D.C. this week,” Kelly said. “Kansas&nbsp;farmers&nbsp;work hard&nbsp;every day&nbsp;to&nbsp;create&nbsp;some of&nbsp;the&nbsp;highest-quality&nbsp;products&nbsp;in the nation. It is&nbsp;important to me that we fight to ensure&nbsp;our state and our country maintain strong economic ties with our largest trading partners.”&nbsp;Governor Kelly also encouraged the USTR to continue work to resolve tariff and trade disputes as a way to restore access to the Chinese market for Kansas agricultural exports. In 2017, China imported $19.5 billion of U.S. agriculture products, which fell drastically to $9.1 billion in 2018.&nbsp;For the five years prior to 2019, the average value of Kansas’ annual agricultural exports to China was just over $281 million, which declined steadily from $539.4 million in 2014 to a low of $113.1 million in 2018.&nbsp;"While many factors are at play, our trade disputes with China have created additional hardships for Kansas farmers,” Kelly said. “I was encouraged to hear Ambassador Lighthizer state that he did not intend to 'give up on China,' and that efforts to resolve this dispute will continue."&nbsp;D.C. delegates who participated in this conversation with Governor Kelly included:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ambassador C.J. Mahoney, Deputy USTR&nbsp;and Russell, Kansas, native&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Joe&nbsp;Barloon, USTR General Counsel and Shawnee Mission, Kansas, native&nbsp;&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ambassador Robert&nbsp;Lighthizer, USTR&nbsp;and former staffer for Senator Bob Dole&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ambassador Gregg&nbsp;Doud, Chief Agricultural&nbsp;Negotiator and Mankato, Kansas, native&nbsp; Governor Kelly was proud to note that many top trade officials in our nation’s capital have ties to Kansas.&nbsp;“With agricultural&nbsp;exports&nbsp;being such&nbsp;an integral piece of our state’s economic health, it’s also good to know that&nbsp;we have&nbsp;some passionate Kansans engaged when it comes to trade&nbsp;matters in Washington D.C.,” Kelly said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Agriculture is one of the largest economic drivers in Kansas and employs 248,216 people through direct, indirect and induced effect careers – or 12.6 percent of the entire workforce in the state.&nbsp;The state&nbsp;exports nearly $3.8 billion in agricultural products&nbsp;each year.&nbsp;Aside from wheat, other&nbsp;leading exports&nbsp;include&nbsp;beef, soybeans and corn.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Russell, Mankato natives work with Gov. Kelly on tariffs at USTR

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574182103090.jpeg">Hays High School Principal Martin Straub talks about Levi Hickert at the Hays school board meeting Monday night. Hickert was honored with the USD 489 Student Spotlight Award for making repairs to the American Legion's Veterans Memorial Park. By CRISTINA JANNEYHays Post Hays High School senior Levi Hickert was honored with the USD 489 Student Spotlight Award at the school board meeting Monday night. As a community service project, he chose to update the American Legion's Veterans Memorial Park in Hays.&nbsp; He replaced unreadable plaques, and painted park benches and a well house.&nbsp; Hickert worked with several community businesses and the Hays Parks Department to leave Memorial Park a much better place, Superintendent Ron Wilson said. The driving force for his patriotism is his grandfather who served in the military.&nbsp;Hickert is planning to attend FHSU next year, working toward a degree in mechanical engineering. Principal Martin Straub also sang Hickert's praises. "Not only is Levi an exceptional student, he is a good citizen. I know he took advantage of Boy's State at about every opportunity. I think his mom and dad and older sisters have a lot of influence on him. "You are a good guy, and you really represent what we want at Hays High. We have 1,000 we could present, but tonight we are going to recognize you. Thank you for your patriotism." <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574183052843.jpeg">The Roosevelt Elementary School kitchen staff were honored by the school board Monday night. &nbsp;USD 489 Making a Difference AwardThe Roosevelt Elementary School Kitchen staff were honored with a Making a Difference Award at the school board meeting Monday night. The staff is comprised of Patty Kuhn, kitchen manager, Diem Quach, Adria Polson, Paulette Seib, Connie Pemberton and Margaret Kippes. These staff are being recognized for&nbsp;the effort and energy they have put into the breakfast program at Roosevelt.&nbsp; "There are many emotions that come to school in the morning with small children. The Nutrition staff work hard to meet their needs and get them off to a great start for the day," according to their nomination. "They are bringing their best every single day and being a champion for all kids! Thank you to the Roosevelt kitchen staff for&nbsp;driving the bus." Paula Rice, Roosevelt principal, said, "A lot of times our classified staff get overlooked for the contributions they make for our kids everyday and these ladies are a shining example of that. They are really proactive folks and they truly, truly come to work everyday for the kids. We couldn't do it without them, and I am so grateful to all of them." <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574184356025.jpeg">HHS ACHIEVE Team HHS Foundation Team ACHIEVE TeamThe Hays High School ACHIEVE Team was honored with a Making a Difference Award at the school board meeting Monday night. The team promotes a safe, civil and respectful school environment for all students and staff. It, with the help of other staff, identifies areas that need improvement and develops solutions to the problems. "These folks are leaders in really developing a positive culture in our school," Straub said. "We really focus on the positive interventions with our kids and our staff as well. Our culture at Hays High School is one where we treat each others with respect ... kids to teachers and teachers to kids. We are very proud of our culture." The current members of ACHIEVE members areBeth Schiel, scienceHaley Wolf, health-PEJayme Goetz, mathLisa Renz, EnglishLuke Lundmark, social studiesMatt Whitney, SpanishMichelle Thacker, family consumer scienceNichole Lind, school psychologistMartin Straub, principal&nbsp;

Hays student honored for work repairing Legion park

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574174044411.png">Courtesy photos By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDTHays Post The love of firefighting and adventure had two Hays spending most of the summer on the West Coast fighting fires on federal lands. Hays natives Russ Kohl and Dylan McKinney are good friends and have each served on the Ellis County Fire Department for than three years. McKinney, 24, said he always wanted to be a firefighter. Watching his stepdad respond to calls as a volunteer piqued his interest, so he started volunteering after he became an EMT. Kohl, 23, always had an interest in fires and also credits McKinney’s stepdad with helping him onto the Ellis County Fire Department and getting acclimated with the force. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574097989985.png"> Through their work with Ellis County, the two were able to attend a wildland firefighting academy in Nebraska and, after completing the training, the two begin looking for opportunities to work on federal lands. Both found openings and began applying through the site <a href="USAjobs.gov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">USAjobs.gov</a>. McKinney said he enjoys responding to grass fires in the region and so he started looking for other places where he could work as a fire fighter. “I really like (fighting) grass fires here, so I thought I’d look into doing it more often," McKinney said. “I like being outside, I really like mountains (and) I like hiking.” McKinney was hired on an engine crew working on the Mount Hood National Forest in the Hood River Ranger District. He began work on June 9 and worked through Oct. 12. McKinney said that was considered a short season and those positions are usually filled in the winter before but were left open, allowing him to get on with the crew. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574098012316.png"> There McKinney’s crew served as an initial attack engine. McKinney said if there was a report of smoke in their district, they would go look for it. If they found the fire, it was their duty to put it out. It was McKinney’s first time in Oregon and said, once he got into the forest, he realized he wasn’t in “flat country anymore.” “Out there, it is mountainous, it is steep, there are trees everywhere and everything grows out there,” McKinney said. He also said the fire culture is also very different. “I really didn’t know what to expect,” McKinney said. “I knew I was going to fight fire way different than we do here in Kansas. I knew I was going to learn a lot of different ways to do it.” <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574098172292.jpeg"> &nbsp;McKinney said he felt like they did everything with a purpose but they were non-emergent. He said if they were called to the report of a fire, they had two-hour window to respond to the station. “Out here, you get a fire, a report of smoke and you are going lights and sirens,” McKinney said. “Out there, I didn’t go lights and sirens, ever.” <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574098043737.png"> McKinney also said the work ethic of the firefighters in Oregon was extremely high. “We work hard here, but those guys, it’s a whole 'nother level,” McKinney said. “If you have to dig line for 16 hours, you put your head down and dig line.” McKinney’s engine crew stayed in the Mount Hood Forest the entire time and patrolled the forest. He said it was a quiet season and they only responded to three fires in their district, and two were on state property. “For me, fire-wise it was slower, but work-wise it was a lot,” McKinney said. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574098063078.png"> Kohl began working at the end of May and worked through the end of September. He spent about half the time in Lakeside, Arizona on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, where he was based. He also worked in the Kaibab National Forest, also in Arizona and the Payette National Forest in Idaho. He said they responded to three large fires but also worked several small fires around the region and helped to cover a fire that was at high-risk of wildfires.&nbsp; Kohl also said the fire fighting was different in the western U.S. as compared to Kansas. In the Kaibab National Forest, which both the north and south edges of the Grand Canyon, Kohl spent 14 days helping to manage the Castle Fire, which was started by natural causes. In Idaho, Kohl volunteered to be a on hand crew to help fight the Nethker Fire near McCall, Idaho. According to incident services, the Nethker Fire was started by lighting in August and burned most than 2,300 acres. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574098080696.png"> As a member of the hand crew, Kohl said they were an on-the-ground unit helping to fight the fire. “That one was going to be a pretty bad fire at first,” said Kohl. “But the day we got there, they got some rain and that helped a lot.” He said they still had to put out fires that developed throughout the region. “We still had to do a lot of spot fires, fire that got the past where we were trying to hold it,” Kohl said. He said about five days in the wind picked up and the fire started to spread and they went from holding the line to actually attacking the fire. “We had to dig line along the fire, so the fire can burn but it will run out of fuel (when it gets to the line,” Kohl said. Digging line is digging all the way to the mineral soil to prevent the spread of the fire. “That was something we were not prepared for but on a moment’s notice we completely change our direction of attack to do that,” Kohl said. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574098104457.png"> While working Castle Fire in Arizona he said they were called into help cut down dead trees while other crews were burning the area. He said while they were doing that the wind changed directions and they had to go to another part of the forest where didn’t want the fire to spread. “We had a helicopter spotting them for us so we immediately had to turn around and we’re chasing these fires,” Kohl said. “Some of them we had to hike a little bit just to get too.” Kohl also said they were leave the engine and work on the ground. “We’ve had moments where we left our engine and we’d go out and cut down trees, dig line, torching and backburning,” said Kohl. Kohl said not only was the work difficult but the conditions were a challenge as well. He said he slept in a sleeping bag under a tarp during each trip. On two of the trips, they also did not have cellphone service. Kohl said he was in areas where there was cell coverage a couple of times. “Other than that, you are completely cut off from the outside world. You have no idea what’s happening — you are just fighting that fire,” Kohl said. “I was not prepared for that at first.” He said it was initially difficult because most of the crew he was with included people from Arizona and he was the odd man out. But eventually they all became good friends and he visited some of their homes before he left Arizona. Both Kohl and McKinney said they had no regrets about taking the jobs — although both said if they are going to do it again, they would like to find something closer. “It was quite the adventure,” McKinney said. “If I could go back and do it again, I would.” <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574098129005.png">

Ellis Co. firefighters spend summer fighting West Coast wildfires

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574194012476.png">The unemployment rate in Ellis County was relatively flat in October, according to information released Tuesday by the state. The jobless rate rose from 1.9 percent in September to 2.0 percent in October, reported the Kansas Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.1 percent in October was down from 3.2 percent in September and down from 3.3 percent in October 2018. “Kansans can recognize two important milestones this month. The unemployment rate fell to 3.1 percent in October, the lowest rate in 40 years. April 1979 was the last month the unemployment rate was 3.1 percent," said Secretary Delía García. "Additionally, October established a record high level in the number of Kansans working." Unemployment rates across northwest Kansas remained extremely low, with Wichita, Scott, Gove, Wallace, Osborne and Norton counties all reporting rates below 2 percent. Graham County (2.9 percent) and Rooks County (2.8 percent) posted the highest unemployment in the region. Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs decreased by 500 from September. Private sector jobs, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, decreased by 700 from the previous month. “Total nonfarm jobs in Kansas have increased by 1.3 percent compared to last October. The state is continuing to show growth over the year, despite job declines over the month,” said Labor Economist, Emilie Doerksen. “The largest losses were concentrated in the manufacturing industry which was impacted by national strike activity." Since October 2018, Kansas gained 18,100 seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs and 13,600 private sector jobs. <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574194034628.png">

Several NW Kan. counties report jobless rates below 2 percent

🎤Holy Family celebrates Catholic schools appreciation week

<a href="https://www.coldwellbanker.com/offices/1001-main-street-hays-ks-67601" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.hayspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/ColdwellBankerLeaderboard.jpg" height="90" width="728"></a> FHSU Sports Information <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574186715137.jpeg">KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State Football had 15 players named to the All-MIAA Football Team for 2019. The Tigers received two first-team, four second-team, three third-team, and six honorable mention selections. Dante Brown repeated as the conference's Special Teams Player of the Year. First-team selections went to Brown at kicker and Harley Hazlett as an all-purpose back. Second-team members are Chance Fuller at quarterback, Tanner Hoekman at defensive back, Ted Hessing on the offensive line, and Javaris Sanders on the defensive line. Third-team selections went to Layne Bieberle at wide receiver, Amari Angram-Boldin on the offensive line, and Jordan Starks at defensive back. Honorable mention nods went to Charles Tigner (RB, Manny Ramsey (WR, Hayden Kreutzer (DB, Kolt Trachsel (LB, Sheldon Schmidt (DL) and Matt Wendelberger (TE). Brown, a senior from Mississauga, Ontario, is the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year and a first-team selection for a second-straight season. He finished the year with 109 points converting 19 field goals and 52 PAT attempts. He is the only Tiger kicker in history to score over 100 points in a season, and did it two years in a row. Added to a school record 123-point effort last year, Brown finishes his career at FHSU with 232 points in just two seasons as the team's placekicker. That total comes up just 12 points shy of career-points record holder Drew O'Brien, who kicked for four years. By regular season's end, Brown ranked fourth in Division II for field goals per game (1.73) and 11th in points per game (9.9). This is the third straight year a Tiger wins the Special Teams Player of the Year, all with the same surname. Brandon Brown was the team's placekicker in 2017, who also earned the distinction. Last year, Brown was an All-America First Team selection at kicker by two organizations and the Don Hansen Football Committee National Special Teams Player of the Year. Hazlett is now a three-time All-MIAA selection, receiving honors all three of his years on the field for the Tigers, and has been one of the most dynamic offensive players in the conference in that span. A senior from Abilene, Kansas, Hazlett finished the year with a team-best 1,095 all-purpose yards. Mainly utilized as a receiver, Hazlett led the MIAA in receptions per game (6.7, while ranking 13th in NCAA Division II. He ranked third in the conference in receiving yards with 861. He was also a threat rushing the ball with 128 yards, while also recording 106 kick return yards. Hazlett had 12 total touchdowns (9 receiving, 3 rushing) to lead the team. Hazlett even threw the ball one time for a 20-yard touchdown pass. Hazlett became the eighth receiver in FHSU history to reach 2,000 receiving yards, going past the mark in the final game of the season. He finished with 2,038 at FHSU, accounting for more than two-thirds of his 2,738 all-purpose yards. He owns the FHSU record for career receptions with 184. A sophomore from Arlington, Texas, Fuller put up big numbers in his first full year as a starter for the Tigers at quarterback. The MIAA featured three of the top five passers in the nation during the regular season, Fuller being one of the three by ranking fifth in the nation with 3,344 yards. MIAA Offensive Player of the Year Brook Bolles of Central Missouri was the nation's leader at 3,660 yards. Fuller broke the FHSU record for passing touchdowns in a season with 35, previously set by Shawn Behr in 1995 with 34, and he ranked fourth in the nation in passing touchdowns by the end of the regular season. He ranked 14th nationally in completion percentage (258-of-400) at 64.5 percent. Fuller has been consistent, completing 65 percent of his passes and throwing for 8.4 yards per pass two years in a row. Hoekman is now a three-time All-MIAA selection as a defensive back. He closed out his career as a Tiger with 294 tackles, finishing sixth on the career tackles list for the program's NCAA Division II era. The Abilene, Kansas senior started all 47 games he played at FHSU as one of the bandit backs on defense. This year he finished second on the team in tackles with 83, while tying for the team lead in interceptions with three. He added five pass breakups. Aside from nearly 300 career tackles, he added 15.5 tackles for loss, eight interceptions, 12 pass breakups, and five fumble recoveries over four seasons. Hessing, a native of Stuart, Florida, earns second team honors in his first year at FHSU. The Arizona Western Community College junior transfer was a key addition to the line this year at right tackle, helping the team produce a new record for points in a season (455). FHSU averaged 41.4 points per game, which ranked fourth among high-octane MIAA offenses but was still good enough to set a new school mark. Hessing helped the team produce 5,342 yards of total offense, averaging 485.6 yards per game. Sanders receives all-conference honors for the first time in his career at FHSU. The Largo, Florida junior started all 11 games at defensive tackle, producing 24 tackles. He helped FHSU limit opponents to 355.1 yards per game, which ranked third in the MIAA. A senior from Claflin, Kansas, Bieberle is now a four-time All-MIAA selection, this being his third selection as a receiver. He was both an all-conference receiver and punt returner last year, and earned an all-conference nod at receiver as a freshman. This year, he produced 40 catches for 741 yards and six touchdowns, while accumulating 208 punt return yards. He averaged a team-high 18.5 yards per catch. Bieberle etched his name in the FHSU record books, finishing second on the career receiving yards and receptions lists, and third in receiving touchdowns, while owning the career punt returns and punt return yards records. Early in the season, he became the seventh receiver in school history to attain 2,000 receiving yards in a career. Bieberle finished with 2,625 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns on 168 receptions over four years, while adding 808 punt return yards on 87 attempts. Bieberle had 3,433 all-purpose yards in his career, 10th most for a career in Tiger history. Angram-Boldin, a junior from Pahokee, Florida, picks up the second All-MIAA honor of his career at FHSU. A third-team selection this year, he received second-team honors in 2018. He started all 11 games at left guard, a position he has anchored the last two years. Like Hessing, Angram-Boldin helped the Tigers average 41.4 points and 485.6 yards per game this season. Serving as starting free safety, Starks put up solid numbers on defense to earn his first all-conference nod. The Tulsa, Oklahoma sophomore finished third on the team in tackles with 78, while leading FHSU in solo stops with 45. He tied for the team lead in interceptions with three. He reached double figures for tackles in a game three times this year. A senior from Glennville, Georgia, Tigner received the third All-MIAA honor of his career. He was a third-team selection in both 2017 and 2018. Tigner was the team leader in rushing yards this year with 740, while adding 290 receiving yards. He ranked second on the team in all-purpose yards with 1,030. Tigner ranks 10th on the career rushing yards list at FHSU with 2,327 and ninth in all-purpose yards with 3.473. Ramsey gave the Tigers quite the receiving trio this season, helping FHSU have three receivers finish with more than 700 yards this season. Ramsey was second on the team in receiving yards with 808, hauling in 47 passes and a team-high 10 receiving touchdowns to warrant the first all-conference honor of his career. He averaged 17.2 yards per catch, giving FHSU two receivers that averaged more than 15 yards per catch. The Canadian, Texas sophomore had over 100 receiving yards in three games this year. Kreutzer picked up the first all-conference honor of his career. The Hays senior was the counterpart of Hoekman at bandit back this year, ranking fifth on the team in tackles with 69. He also added in two interceptions and five pass breakups. Kreutzer finished with 102 tackles in his career, recording well over half of the total this year. He had three interceptions over his four years as a Tiger. Trachsel receives an All-MIAA Honorable Mention nod for the third straight year at linebacker. The Goodland, Kansas senior finished the 2019 season with 72 tackles, which including three tackles for loss. He finished with 191 tackles, including 13 for loss, five sacks, and two interceptions in his four years on the field at FHSU. Schmidt earns an All-MIAA nod for the first time in his career on the defensive line. Schmidt led FHSU defensive linemen in tackles this year with 43 and sacks with four. The La Crosse, Kansas senior recorded 126 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, and six fumble recoveries in his four years on the field for the Tigers. Wendelberger is now a four-time All-MIAA performer at tight end. Though he battled through injury for a good portion of the season, the Pewaukee, Wisconsin senior still managed to record 131 receiving yards on 15 catches with two touchdowns. Wendelberger's presence on the field was key for the Tiger offense, especially when throwing key blocks to spring free Tiger backs and receivers. He finished his career with 85 catches for 1,048 yards and eight touchdowns. The 2019 All-MIAA Football Teams are below. 2019 All-MIAA Postseason AwardsOffensive Player of the Year - Brook Bolles - Central MissouriDefensive Player of the Year - Spencer Phillips - Northwest Missouri StateSpecial Teams Player of the Year - Dante Brown - Fort Hays State Freshman of the Year - TJ Davis - Nebraska KearneyCoach of the Year - Jim Svoboda - Central Missouri First-Team Quarterback - Brook Bolles - Central MissouriRunning Back - Hosea Franklin - LincolnWide Receiver - Shae Wyatt - Central MissouriWide Receiver - Lorenzo West - Pittsburg StateTight End - Zach Davidson - Central MissouriAll-Purpose Back - Harley Hazlett - Fort Hays State Offensive Line - Jake Heckler - Central MissouriOffensive Line - Tyler Stilwell - Central OklahomaOffensive Line - Austin Unterreiner - Emporia StateOffensive Line - Hayden Eatinger - Missouri Western StateOffensive Line - Tanner Owen - Northwest Missouri StateOffensive Line - Kyle Hinton - WashburnDefensive Line -Ubong Udom - Central MissouriDefensive Line - Hinwa Allieu - Nebraska KearneyDefensive Line -Spencer Phillips - Northwest Missouri StateDefensive Line -Simanu'a Thomas - Pittsburg StateLinebacker - Kolesen Crane - Central MissouriLinebacker - Jace McDown - Emporia StateLinebacker - Sal Silvio - Nebraska KearneyDefensive Back- O'Shay Harris - Central OklahomaDefensive Back- Lawson Holbert - Emporia StateDefensive Back - Sam Webb - Missouri Western StateDefensive Back - Blake Bayer - Northwest Missouri StateDefensive Back - KiAnte Hardin - Pittsburg StateKicker - Dante Brown - Fort Hays State Punter - Zach Davidson - Central MissouriKick/Punter Returner - Trey Vaval - Missouri Western State Second-Team Quarterback - Chance Fuller - Fort Hays State Quarterback - Braden Wright - Northwest Missouri StateRunning Back - Justin Rankin - Northwest Missouri StateWide Receiver - James Letcher, Jr. - WashburnWide Receiver - Imoni Donadelle - Northwest Missouri StateTight End - Marqus Andrews - Northwest Missouri StateAll-Purpose Back - TJ Davis - Nebraska KearneyOffensive Line - Corey Hoelck - Nebraska KearneyOffensive Line - Ted Hessing - Fort Hays State Offensive Line - Shawn Rouse - Missouri Western StateOffensive Line - Josh Stoltenberg - Nebraska KearneyOffensive Line - Ben Sinclair - Pittsburg StateDefensive Line - Javaris Sanders - Fort Hays State Defensive Line - Parker Bass - Emporia StateDefensive Line - Jordan Ingraham - Nebraska KearneyDefensive Line - Zach Howard - Northwest Missouri StateDefensive Line - Sam Roberts - Northwest Missouri StateLinebacker - Richard Jordan, Jr. - Missouri Southern StateLinebacker - Anthony Williams - Missouri Western StateLinebacker - Jackson Barnes - Northwest Missouri StateDefensive Back- Codie Bell - Central MissouriDefensive Back- Gary Woods II - Emporia StateDefensive Back - Tanner Hoekman - Fort Hays State Defensive Back - Josh Wright - WashburnKicker - Parker Sampson - Northwest Missouri StatePunter - Lane Spiker - WashburnKick/Punt Returner - Lorenzo West - Pittsburg State Third-Team Quarterback - Wyatt Steigerwald - Missouri Western StateRunning Back - Devante Turner - Central MissouriRunning Back - David Goodwin - Nebraska KearneyWide Receiver - Layne Bieberle - Fort Hays State Wide Receiver - Dustin Basks - Central OklahomaWide Receiver - Sedarius Young - Nebraska KearneyTight End - Daunte McGee - Central OklahomaAll-Purpose Back - Shamar Griffith - Missouri Western STateOffensive Line - Dan Sunderman - Central MissouriOffensive Line - Amari Angram-Boldin - Fort Hays State Offensive Line - Nick George - Central OklahomaOffensive Line - Steve Williams - Emporia StateOffensive Line - Jacob Olson - Missouri Western StateOffensive Line - Ryan Spelhaug - Northwest Missouri StateOffensive Line - Cole Baughman - Pittsburg StateDefensive Line - Michael Rios - Central OklahomaDefensive Line - Dre'Quan Brown - Central OklahomaDefensive Line - Marek Thompson - Emporia StateDefensive Line - Zeke Wall - Pittsburg StateDefensive Line - Tyler Baska - Missouri Western StateDefensive Line - Cole Morris - Pittsburg StateLinebacker - Bryan Burns - Central OklahomaLinebacker - Sam Phillips - Northwest Missouri StateLinebacker - Chase Johnston - Pittsburg StateDefensive Back- Jordan Starks - Fort Hays State Defensive Back- Trey Washington - Northwest Missouri StateDefensive Back - Morgan Selemaea - Pittsburg StateDefensive Back - KJ Turner - WashburnKicker - Jared Vincent - Pittsburg StatePunter - Todd Morrow - Pittsburg StateKick/Punt Returner - Devante Turner - Central MissouriKick/Punt Returner - James Letcher, Jr. - Washburn Honorable MentionsCentral Missouri - Koby Wilkerson - RB, Cameron Saunders - WR, Dominick Puni - OL, Jacob Wiggins - DL, John Embrey - LB, Deven Smith - LB Central Oklahoma - Chandler Garrett - QB, TJ Roberts - RB, Seth Carmack - OL, Jakarri Hunt - DB, Kolby Underwood - DB, Alex Quevedo - K Emporia State - Carlos Grace - RB, Estevan Arana - OL, Tyler Banta - OL, Gee Stanley - LB, Dawson Hammes - LB, Jaedon Pool - DB, Kyle Rinck - DB Fort Hays State - Charles Tigner - RB, Manny Ramsey - WR, Matt Wendelberger - TE, Sheldon Schmidt - DL, Kolt Trachsel - LB, Hayden Kreutzer - DB Lincoln - Cyril Spells - OL, Elex Harris - TE, Jajuan Chambers - DL, JaQuan Mason - DL, Michael Smith - DL, Cody Alexander - DB Missouri Southern State - Jacob Park - QB, Brian Boyd - WR, Ben Phillips - WR, Keandre Bledsoe - TE, Charles West - APB, Colton Winder - LB Missouri Western State - Markel Smith - RB, Cam Grandy - TE, Isaiah Colbert - OL, Arnold Crayton - DL, Cameron Ravenell - DL, Evan Chohon - LB, DJ Stirgus - DB Nebraska Kearney - Dayton Sealey - RB, Darrius Webb - RB, Kolin Kenton - OL, Kooper Reece - OL, Zach Sullivan - LB, LaRoy James - DB Northeastern State - Kevin Jackson - RB, Caleb Hash - OL, Jason Staggs - OL, Ukoh Essang - DL, Lane Yoder - LB, Ty Nichols - DB Northwest Missouri State - Isaiah Strayhorn - RB, Gabe Bautz - OL, Mike Ehlke - DL, Andy Hessler - LB, Jacob Gassman - DB, Chama Pierre - DB Pittsburg State - Tyler Adkins - RB, Brenner Clemons - WR, Jackson Krull - TE, Ryan Dodd - OL, Anders Vance - OL, Kaden Roy - LB Washburn - Mitch Schurig - QB, Zach Willis - RB, Colin Wilson - WR, Marcus Meier - TE, Grant Bruner - LB, Marquise Manning - DB

FHSU lands 15 on All-MIAA Football team

RAWLINS COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30 a.m. Tuesday in Rawlins County. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 BMW driven by Nathan Daniel Schmidt, 32, Atwood, was southbound on Kansas 25 one mile south of Atwood when it hit a cow and traveled into the east ditch. EMS transported Schmidt to Rawlins County Health Center. ﻿He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Local