By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A new greenhouse is nearing completion at Victoria Junior/Senior High School.

The 20-by-40-foot structure will be used by the school's FFA program.

The program has 55 students, but they have lacked a space to grow plants. To this point, they have been growing a limited number of vegetables and flowers in the windowsills of their agriculture teacher's classroom.

The greenhouse was paid for with funds from local sponsors and Grants for Growing funds.

It will allow the students to grow a variety of plants and vegetables year-round. They plan to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs sunflowers, petunias and other flowers.

The FFA students said they are looking forward to being able to have more hands-on growing experience.

Several of the FFA officers for next year said they intend to pursue agriculture careers, including farming and agribusiness.

The students hope to have a Mother's Day flower sale and a plant sale next spring. They also hope to grow vegetables that students can eat at school.

Funds raised through the sales will help fund FFA programs and travel. 

Jacy Klaus, FFA sponsor, said the school tries to take the students on at least one out-of-state trip each school year. This could include attending the FFA National Convention.

Klaus said the FFA chapter also hopes to involve some of the grade school children in their planting projects.

"It's really become not just an FFA project, but a community project," Klaus said. "We're looking forward in the spring working with the community and the community being able to use our plants in their gardens."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652219050008.jpeg" alt="A new greenhouse is nearing completion at Victoria Junior/Senior High School. The structure will be used by the school's FFA program. Photo by Cristina Janney " />
 <figcaption>A new greenhouse is nearing completion at Victoria Junior/Senior High School. The structure will be used by the school's FFA program. Photo by Cristina Janney </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post A new greenhouse is nearing completion at Victoria Junior/Senior High School.The 20-by-40-foot structure will be used by the school's FFA program.The program has 55 students, but they have lacked a space to grow plants. To this point, they have been growing a limited number of vegetables and flowers in the windowsills of their agriculture teacher's classroom.The greenhouse was paid for with funds from local sponsors and Grants for Growing funds.It will allow the students to grow a variety of plants and vegetables year-round. They plan to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs sunflowers, petunias and other flowers.The FFA students said they are looking forward to being able to have more hands-on growing experience.Several of the FFA officers for next year said they intend to pursue agriculture careers, including farming and agribusiness.The students hope to have a Mother's Day flower sale and a plant sale next spring. They also hope to grow vegetables that students can eat at school. Funds raised through the sales will help fund FFA programs and travel. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652219184595.jpeg" alt="(Not in order pictured ) Victoria Junior/Senior High School FFA officers: President Taylor Anderson, Vice President Jarret Riedel, Secretary EmmaRae Rupp, Treasurer: Lindsey Scheck, Reporter Callie Lane, Sentinel: Jadyn, Chaplain: Vance Hockersmith Peterson. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>(Not in order pictured ) Victoria Junior/Senior High School FFA officers: President Taylor Anderson, Vice President Jarret Riedel, Secretary EmmaRae Rupp, Treasurer: Lindsey Scheck, Reporter Callie Lane, Sentinel: Jadyn, Chaplain: Vance Hockersmith Peterson. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Jacy Klaus, FFA sponsor, said the school tries to take the students on at least one out-of-state trip each school year. This could include attending the FFA National Convention.Klaus said the FFA chapter also hopes to involve some of the grade school children in their planting projects."It's really become not just an FFA project, but a community project," Klaus said. "We're looking forward in the spring working with the community and the community being able to use our plants in their gardens."

Community helps sponsor new Victoria FFA greenhouse

VICTORIA - The Knights have a named Chainti Madkins as their new head girls' basketball coach.&nbsp;

VICTORIA - The Knights have a named Chainti Madkins as their new head girls' basketball coach.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pleased to Welcome… Chianti Madkins! <a href="https://twitter.com/vhsknights?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vhsknights</a> <a href="https://t.co/2c5nnXucN7">pic.twitter.com/2c5nnXucN7</a>&mdash; Victoria Jr/Sr HS (@vhsknights) <a href="https://twitter.com/vhsknights/status/1524359543232233474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Madkins comes to Victoria from Eureka.

🏀 Victoria names new girls' basketball coach

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589816434431.jpeg" alt="Victoria High School Class of 2022 / <a href="https://graduation.eagleradio.net/schools/victoria">Click HERE</a>" />
 <figcaption>Victoria High School Class of 2022 / <a href="https://graduation.eagleradio.net/schools/victoria">Click HERE</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Updated, 1:30 p.m. Thursday

Victoria High School Class of 2022

VICTORIA—Two years ago, the Ellis County Commission voted to
obstain from paying dues to the Northwest Kansas Planning and Development
Commission, ending access to their services for cities in the county.

But after last week's Victoria City Council meeting, two of
the three major cities in Ellis County – Ellis and Victoria have opted to
independently join the area economic development organization.

Executive director Randy Hrabe first shared with the council
the situation that has led to the group asking cities in the county to sign up
while the county remains a non-member.

We "ran into an issue two years ago when Ellis County
decided not to pay their dues," Hrabe said. "And so they didn't get
some of the services that were available."

He said the Ellis County Commission at the time questioned
the return on investment for Ellis County, while they were the group's largest
source of dues income. 

Along with those concerns, a tight budget led the county to
offer a smaller amount in terms of dues for the year.

The NWKPDC Board of Directors met that action by clarify to the
county that if full dues are not paid, a county would no longer receive voting
rights.

So, in turn, Ellis County paid no dues that year,
effectively ending their membership in the group.

With Ellis historically being by far the largest beneficiary
of the services of the NWKPDC, they worked with the board from the group over
several months to solidify their entry outside of the county membership.

The board decided that for a municipality to join the
membership would be a minimum of $3,500 annually.

Ellis signed up, citing many of the city's projects,
including a new city pool, that had been significantly subsidized by grants
obtained by the NWKPDC.

Hrabe noted even more recently as an example of the benefits of
membership that Ellis received a COVID grant for local businesses while
Victoria and Hays missed out.

"The city of Ellis got $150,000 because they paid
$3,500," Hrabe said.

One of the main reasons Ellis has been about to tap in to
NWKPDC services centers around an eligibility requirement for Community
Development Block Grants, Hrabe said.

A significant amount of grants funded through the NWKPDC are
CBDG Grants. Those grants often rely on income requirements. To get those
requirements, a survey – commonly referred to as an LMI survey must be
completed.

To quality for many of those grants, the majority of
recipients must be reside under an average income threshold for the area the
project will service.

Due to the average income reported for the cities being
higher than the threshold, in the past, Hays and Victoria have failed to
qualify for the bulk of the grants the NWKDPC could secure.

But Hrabe told the council event without the LMI, the city would
benefit from joining and would qualify for a variety of community improvement
projects.

"Victoria does qualify for certain aspects of it,"
Hrabe said. "If you do the whole city all at once, you may not qualify,
but you may qualify by doing an LMI survey and different things."

There is a national objective in low to moderate-income for
most projects, but there are some projects that you can do that do not require
it, said Corina Cox, NWKPDC economic development director.

For the full benefit, the surveys must be completed and
represent a majority of the city population. But that has been problematic in
Victoria, city council members shared with Hrabe.

"Our problem has never been where we're at, our problem
has always been getting surveys back. People here don't fill out surveys. No
matter what we've done," said city council member Zach Katzenbach.
"It doesn't work."

Cox suggested incentivizing participation as much as
possible, while Hrabe suggested letting residents know the potential benefit to
the city if just 51 percent of residents complete the survey.

Despite previous difficulty getting surveys completed,
council member Harland Rupp noted recent infrastructure projects in the city
may encourage participation.

"The only reason I think this time that we have a fair
chance is because we have done a lot last year," Rupp said. "People
are starting to see improvements."

Among the infrastructure development conversations
permeating the town, the potential of a multiuse facility taking root in the
former rest home in the heart of the city and a Greenway trail that would
provide a walking/riding path connecting the city's attractions has driven the
conversation for Victoria to take a similar path as Ellis and join
independently of the county.

Rest homeowner Jeff Pfeifer spoke at the meeting about the
necessity of grants to move those projects forward. A project Hrabe said his
organization could support if the city was a member of the NWKPDC.

"It looked like a good project to me," Hrabe said.
"I mean, it's a way of taking an old facility and turning it into
something for your community."

But without grants, Pfeifer said the project would likely
never come to fruition.

"We're not going to go to a bank to get a loan,"
he said. "We're not going to get investors. We have to have grants. The
whole concept that we're building on is to get some grant stacking, two or
three grants. … That's the only way it's going to happen. And these grants are
going to have to be sponsored or applied for, by the city.”

"So we're going to need help on that," he
continued. "We're gonna need letters of support from the city, because
that looks better on the grant that the city is supporting (it). That, and I
don't have that expertise these guys do."

&nbsp;Cox said plans for
the facility are in line with many of the funding avenues they facilitate, with
funding for multiple projects available as a part of the full plan.

And Pfeifer said he believes the community has shown support
for the effort.

"You've seen the people come into the meetings, this
community is interested in the rest home building," Pfeifer said.

With that interest, he said he believed the community, this
time, would fill out the LMI surveys and give Victoria the potential to receive
similar grants that have powered substantial development in Ellis in recent
years.

And the cost to make the attempt being so low, Rupp said it
was worth the cost.

"That's peanuts because we just said we're going to
match the city's club for $2,500, and they will come up with $2,500. So what is
another $1,000 a year," he said. "$3500 isn't going to break us. It
might give us time to study this and see how we can keep going forward as a
community in growing it and redeveloping."

And the council agreed, ultimately voting 3-2 to join the
NWKPDC, with dues totaling $3,500 for the year.

Before wrapping up, Cox told the council, now "you guys
just have to let me know what your highest priority is."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650769096232.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostVICTORIA—Two years ago, the Ellis County Commission voted to
obstain from paying dues to the Northwest Kansas Planning and Development
Commission, ending access to their services for cities in the county.But after last week's Victoria City Council meeting, two of
the three major cities in Ellis County – Ellis and Victoria have opted to
independently join the area economic development organization.Executive director Randy Hrabe first shared with the council
the situation that has led to the group asking cities in the county to sign up
while the county remains a non-member.We "ran into an issue two years ago when Ellis County
decided not to pay their dues," Hrabe said. "And so they didn't get
some of the services that were available."He said the Ellis County Commission at the time questioned
the return on investment for Ellis County, while they were the group's largest
source of dues income. Along with those concerns, a tight budget led the county to
offer a smaller amount in terms of dues for the year.The NWKPDC Board of Directors met that action by clarify to the
county that if full dues are not paid, a county would no longer receive voting
rights.So, in turn, Ellis County paid no dues that year,
effectively ending their membership in the group.<h2>BUT WHAT ABOUT ELLIS…</h2>With Ellis historically being by far the largest beneficiary
of the services of the NWKPDC, they worked with the board from the group over
several months to solidify their entry outside of the county membership.The board decided that for a municipality to join the
membership would be a minimum of $3,500 annually.Ellis signed up, citing many of the city's projects,
including a new city pool, that had been significantly subsidized by grants
obtained by the NWKPDC.Hrabe noted even more recently as an example of the benefits of
membership that Ellis received a COVID grant for local businesses while
Victoria and Hays missed out."The city of Ellis got $150,000 because they paid
$3,500," Hrabe said.One of the main reasons Ellis has been about to tap in to
NWKPDC services centers around an eligibility requirement for Community
Development Block Grants, Hrabe said.A significant amount of grants funded through the NWKPDC are
CBDG Grants. Those grants often rely on income requirements. To get those
requirements, a survey – commonly referred to as an LMI survey must be
completed.To quality for many of those grants, the majority of
recipients must be reside under an average income threshold for the area the
project will service.Due to the average income reported for the cities being
higher than the threshold, in the past, Hays and Victoria have failed to
qualify for the bulk of the grants the NWKDPC could secure.But Hrabe told the council event without the LMI, the city would
benefit from joining and would qualify for a variety of community improvement
projects."Victoria does qualify for certain aspects of it,"
Hrabe said. "If you do the whole city all at once, you may not qualify,
but you may qualify by doing an LMI survey and different things."There is a national objective in low to moderate-income for
most projects, but there are some projects that you can do that do not require
it, said Corina Cox, NWKPDC economic development director.For the full benefit, the surveys must be completed and
represent a majority of the city population. But that has been problematic in
Victoria, city council members shared with Hrabe."Our problem has never been where we're at, our problem
has always been getting surveys back. People here don't fill out surveys. No
matter what we've done," said city council member Zach Katzenbach.
"It doesn't work."Cox suggested incentivizing participation as much as
possible, while Hrabe suggested letting residents know the potential benefit to
the city if just 51 percent of residents complete the survey.Despite previous difficulty getting surveys completed,
council member Harland Rupp noted recent infrastructure projects in the city
may encourage participation."The only reason I think this time that we have a fair
chance is because we have done a lot last year," Rupp said. "People
are starting to see improvements."Among the infrastructure development conversations
permeating the town, the potential of a multiuse facility taking root in the
former rest home in the heart of the city and a Greenway trail that would
provide a walking/riding path connecting the city's attractions has driven the
conversation for Victoria to take a similar path as Ellis and join
independently of the county.Rest homeowner Jeff Pfeifer spoke at the meeting about the
necessity of grants to move those projects forward. A project Hrabe said his
organization could support if the city was a member of the NWKPDC."It looked like a good project to me," Hrabe said.
"I mean, it's a way of taking an old facility and turning it into
something for your community."But without grants, Pfeifer said the project would likely
never come to fruition."We're not going to go to a bank to get a loan,"
he said. "We're not going to get investors. We have to have grants. The
whole concept that we're building on is to get some grant stacking, two or
three grants. … That's the only way it's going to happen. And these grants are
going to have to be sponsored or applied for, by the city.”"So we're going to need help on that," he
continued. "We're gonna need letters of support from the city, because
that looks better on the grant that the city is supporting (it). That, and I
don't have that expertise these guys do."&nbsp;Cox said plans for
the facility are in line with many of the funding avenues they facilitate, with
funding for multiple projects available as a part of the full plan.And Pfeifer said he believes the community has shown support
for the effort."You've seen the people come into the meetings, this
community is interested in the rest home building," Pfeifer said.With that interest, he said he believed the community, this
time, would fill out the LMI surveys and give Victoria the potential to receive
similar grants that have powered substantial development in Ellis in recent
years.And the cost to make the attempt being so low, Rupp said it
was worth the cost."That's peanuts because we just said we're going to
match the city's club for $2,500, and they will come up with $2,500. So what is
another $1,000 a year," he said. "$3500 isn't going to break us. It
might give us time to study this and see how we can keep going forward as a
community in growing it and redeveloping."And the council agreed, ultimately voting 3-2 to join the
NWKPDC, with dues totaling $3,500 for the year.Before wrapping up, Cox told the council, now "you guys
just have to let me know what your highest priority is."

Two out of three ain't bad; Victoria follows Ellis' lead joining economic partnership

While the writing of the Pledge of Allegiance is most commonly attributed to Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister from New York, the New York Times recently delved into the possibility that the actual author was a schoolboy from Victoria, Kansas — Frank Bellamy.

Click <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/02/us/pledge-of-allegiance-francis-bellamy.html">HERE</a> to read the investigation by the NYT, published earlier this month.

<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96314797/pledge-of-allegiance-1892/">Cover image via newspapers.com</a>&nbsp;

While the writing of the Pledge of Allegiance is most commonly attributed to Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister from New York, the New York Times recently delved into the possibility that the actual author was a schoolboy from Victoria, Kansas — Frank Bellamy.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Pledge of Allegiance&quot; on April 30, 1892? Before Francis Bellamy published it in Youth&#39;s Companion on September 8, 1892? cc <a href="https://twitter.com/bgzimmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bgzimmer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EsnpcB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EsnpcB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/btaylorblake?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@btaylorblake</a> <a href="https://t.co/RC0eqZPjzH">https://t.co/RC0eqZPjzH</a>&mdash; Barry Popik (@barrypopik) <a href="https://twitter.com/barrypopik/status/1496783059756195841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>Click <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/02/us/pledge-of-allegiance-francis-bellamy.html">HERE</a> to read the investigation by the NYT, published earlier this month.<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96314797/pledge-of-allegiance-1892/">Cover image via newspapers.com</a>&nbsp;

Was the Pledge of Allegiance written by Victoria student? NYT examines

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

VICTORIA — The High Plains Barbershop Chorus will be supporting an all-women's Sweet Adelines chorus starting Thursday, April 21.

The new chorus and the men's barbershop group will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Hays.&nbsp;

The Hays men's group has about two dozen members from across western Kansas.

The chorus recently joined the Colby chorus for a show in Hays. The Hays chorus in turn performed with the Colby singers in Colby.

The High Plains Barbershop Chorus celebrated Barbershop Quartet Day at Victoria Elementary School on Monday.

Max Befort, High Plains Barbershop member, is the chorus teacher at the school.

"Music is something that's lifelong — that you can always do, even if you're just jamming out in your car," he said. "My theory on music is it should impact lives. As you can see, it's impacted all of our lives. The students can see this is something they can do their whole lives."

He said singing with a group also helps create lifelong friendships. 

Vance Chartier, barbershop member, said music helps teach students discipline and focus, which helps them in their other studies.

You can follow the group on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/Haysbarbershoppers/">Hays High Plains Barbershop Chorus.</a>

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qZLCZRz5teo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostVICTORIA — The High Plains Barbershop Chorus will be supporting an all-women's Sweet Adelines chorus starting Thursday, April 21.The new chorus and the men's barbershop group will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Hays.&nbsp; The Hays men's group has about two dozen members from across western Kansas. The chorus recently joined the Colby chorus for a show in Hays. The Hays chorus in turn performed with the Colby singers in Colby.The High Plains Barbershop Chorus celebrated Barbershop Quartet Day at Victoria Elementary School on Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649797741014.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Max Befort, High Plains Barbershop member, is the chorus teacher at the school."Music is something that's lifelong — that you can always do, even if you're just jamming out in your car," he said. "My theory on music is it should impact lives. As you can see, it's impacted all of our lives. The students can see this is something they can do their whole lives."He said singing with a group also helps create lifelong friendships. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649797885813.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Vance Chartier, barbershop member, said music helps teach students discipline and focus, which helps them in their other studies.You can follow the group on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/Haysbarbershoppers/">Hays High Plains Barbershop Chorus.</a>

🎥 High Plains Barbershop supporting women's chorus, performs at Victoria school

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

VICTORIA — It has been said,it's the little things that make all the
difference. That attitude was on full display during the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/265c36b5-eb2f-4dc4-b35a-642c5ace4d7b">second of three
Imagine Ellis County town hall events </a>that looked to explore the future of
Ellis County.

The meeting took place Thursday at the VFW Hall in Victoria,
<a href="https://imagineelliscounty.org/">giving area residents another opportunity to share, develop and discuss the
future of Ellis County and its municipalities.</a>

Participants, including local leaders and business owners,
shared their thoughts on life in Ellis County and in Victoria — from the good to the bad — with many small and relatively quick community
goals suggested along with more major projects, including the development of an
already proposed Greenway Trail and redevelopment of the former rest home in
the heart of the city.

While many of the typical topics that affect area economies,
such as lacking retail options, a shortage of child care and workforce concerns, were addressed, the
conversations cited a lack of organized communication methods and community
leadership, as specific concerns within the city.

After opening remarks from Hays City Commissioner Sandy Jacobs,
Heartland Community Foundation Executive Director Sarah Meitner and Grow Hays
Executive Director Doug Williams and Dane G. Hansen Foundation consultant Betty
Johnson began the event breaking the participants into four groups of eight to
10.

Each group then considered topics discussed during the event, with
a purposefully open dialogue.

“Whatever you want it to be is what we want to hear,” Johnson said. “Nothing’s off the table.

“We've had some amazing ideas come out of these kinds of
sessions and these kinds of processes,” she said. “So, you know, money is
always an issue down the road. But tonight, we're here for ideas and to really
see what we can come up with. It's your county. It's your community. It's
your part of the world. And whatever you want it to be is what we want to hear
tonight, whether you think it's crazy or insane, put it out there.”

The groups first considered what was going well in Ellis
County.

Events such as the Wild West Festival and Herzogfest were listed as beneficial
to area residents, along with parks, health care and educational organizations.

But a central location, safety, including above-average emergency
medical services and law enforcement agencies engaged in the county and communities, also were top benefits named.

Expanded affordable
shopping, including a grocery or dollar-type store in Victoria, county-wide public transportation,
and small business development were listed as needs by the groups. But community
communication was cited by several groups as a concern in the city.

“We have a city Facebook page, but a lot of people don't
know or use that,” said Victoria Utilities Clerk Nancy Piatt. “Our city
newsletter only comes out quarterly. If you don't go to church and get the bulletins,
which is a good resource of information, but if you're a Catholic, you don't
get that information.”

Along with large needs and proposed projects, the groups also
outlined a number of smaller desires that could be implemented fairly quickly and
easily.

One idea was a&nbsp; countywide trail that would connect Ellis County
communities.

Johnson said she has seen communities build trails a little bit
at a time, and said overall it could be “very, very doable.”

Another; more tree throughout the county.

“You could do a tree and honor and memory of somebody or in
honor of your family,” Johnson said.

Flower pots lining Main Street in Victoria, a community garden
and enhanced signs around town were also discussed.

“Those are things that can happen quickly and easily. Those
are things that we could ramp up pretty quickly,” Johnson said.

But she said ongoing projects, including the proposed
Greenway Trail and rest home redevelopment, and the engagement of the community
at the event shows the dedication to grow Victoria and Ellis County.

“I like it," Johnson said. "You're building community and getting people
together, and I think that's what's important and that's how you'll continue to
grow and make things happen."

The third Imagine Ellis County town hall is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 7 at Gigi's Cafe, 814 Washington, Ellis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648234194218.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostVICTORIA — It has been said,it's the little things that make all the
difference. That attitude was on full display during the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/265c36b5-eb2f-4dc4-b35a-642c5ace4d7b">second of three
Imagine Ellis County town hall events </a>that looked to explore the future of
Ellis County.The meeting took place Thursday at the VFW Hall in Victoria,
<a href="https://imagineelliscounty.org/">giving area residents another opportunity to share, develop and discuss the
future of Ellis County and its municipalities.</a>Participants, including local leaders and business owners,
shared their thoughts on life in Ellis County and in Victoria — from the good to the bad — with many small and relatively quick community
goals suggested along with more major projects, including the development of an
already proposed Greenway Trail and redevelopment of the former rest home in
the heart of the city.While many of the typical topics that affect area economies,
such as lacking retail options, a shortage of child care and workforce concerns, were addressed, the
conversations cited a lack of organized communication methods and community
leadership, as specific concerns within the city.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648234219803.jpeg" alt="Hays city commissioner Sandy Jacobs" />
 <figcaption>Hays city commissioner Sandy Jacobs</figcaption>
 </figure>After opening remarks from Hays City Commissioner Sandy Jacobs,
Heartland Community Foundation Executive Director Sarah Meitner and Grow Hays
Executive Director Doug Williams and Dane G. Hansen Foundation consultant Betty
Johnson began the event breaking the participants into four groups of eight to
10.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648234209135.jpeg" alt="Sarah Meitner, Heartland Community Foundation executive director" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Meitner, Heartland Community Foundation executive director</figcaption>
 </figure>Each group then considered topics discussed during the event, with
a purposefully open dialogue.“Whatever you want it to be is what we want to hear,” Johnson said. “Nothing’s off the table.“We've had some amazing ideas come out of these kinds of
sessions and these kinds of processes,” she said. “So, you know, money is
always an issue down the road. But tonight, we're here for ideas and to really
see what we can come up with. It's your county. It's your community. It's
your part of the world. And whatever you want it to be is what we want to hear
tonight, whether you think it's crazy or insane, put it out there.”The groups first considered what was going well in Ellis
County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648234163338.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Events such as the Wild West Festival and Herzogfest were listed as beneficial
to area residents, along with parks, health care and educational organizations.But a central location, safety, including above-average emergency
medical services and law enforcement agencies engaged in the county and communities, also were top benefits named.Expanded affordable
shopping, including a grocery or dollar-type store in Victoria, county-wide public transportation,
and small business development were listed as needs by the groups. But community
communication was cited by several groups as a concern in the city.“We have a city Facebook page, but a lot of people don't
know or use that,” said Victoria Utilities Clerk Nancy Piatt. “Our city
newsletter only comes out quarterly. If you don't go to church and get the bulletins,
which is a good resource of information, but if you're a Catholic, you don't
get that information.”Along with large needs and proposed projects, the groups also
outlined a number of smaller desires that could be implemented fairly quickly and
easily.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648234180079.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>One idea was a&nbsp; countywide trail that would connect Ellis County
communities.Johnson said she has seen communities build trails a little bit
at a time, and said overall it could be “very, very doable.”Another; more tree throughout the county.“You could do a tree and honor and memory of somebody or in
honor of your family,” Johnson said.Flower pots lining Main Street in Victoria, a community garden
and enhanced signs around town were also discussed.“Those are things that can happen quickly and easily. Those
are things that we could ramp up pretty quickly,” Johnson said.But she said ongoing projects, including the proposed
Greenway Trail and rest home redevelopment, and the engagement of the community
at the event shows the dedication to grow Victoria and Ellis County.“I like it," Johnson said. "You're building community and getting people
together, and I think that's what's important and that's how you'll continue to
grow and make things happen."The third Imagine Ellis County town hall is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 7 at Gigi's Cafe, 814 Washington, Ellis.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648234145811.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Small goals, big vision bubble up at Victoria Imagine Ellis County meeting

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

An Ellis County District Court judge sentenced a Victoria
man to life in prison this week for a pair of sex crimes involving two young girls
and the rape of an 18 year-old nearly six years ago.

On Tuesday, 33-year-old Cody Schultz was sentenced to life in
prison with the possibly of parole after 25 years for aggravated indecent liberties
with a child under the age of 14, 15 years and six months in prison for electronic solicitation
of a child under the age of 14, and an additional 15 years and six months in prison for raping
a woman in 2014.

Following <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/09511767-3e23-4f78-a871-885fb807f5ea">mediation in February</a>, Schultz was found guilty on
all three charges.

At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Schultz attempted to get Chief
Judge Glenn Braun to issue a shorter prison sentence than the one agreed upon
in the February mediation.

During the more than two-hour long hearing Tuesday, several family
members testified on Schultz’s behalf, insisting he was not a predator and
claimed he made a mistake. 

In handing down his sentence, Braun disagreed, saying, “this
defendant was a predator. The evidence in this case clearly evidences that.”

The almost six years between the rape and the solicitation of
the young girls also proved that, according to Braun.

Sentencing Schultz to the prison sentence was, according to
Braun, a public safety issue.

Braun called it, “one of the strangest sentencing I’ve been
involved in, from the defendant's perspective.”

According to Braun, in voluntary statements submitted to the
court by Schultz, he admitted to one of the three crimes he was convicted of
but also blamed the victims.

In the court filings, Schultz said he believes the two young victims, ages 12 and
13 at the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e010d1c57544d3fe90e82e3">time of the assaults</a>, should “be held accountable for lying.”

In another court filing, Schultz blamed one of the victims multiple
times.

“It’s a 12 year-old girl,"&nbsp;Braun said.

Braun presented court records showing the girls told
Schultz their ages before the crimes took place.

Charges in a similar incident involving Schultz messaging a 10-year-old
girl in Barton County were dropped as part of the mediation agreement. Ellis
County Attorney Robert Anderson said the state has evidence of dozensof other attempts by Schultz to solicit young girls for sex.

In a statement to Hays Post,&nbsp; Anderson said, “these two cases have been a top priority of mine since taking
office. A lot of time and effort was expended into the investigation and
prosecution. I know law enforcement is
pleased with the result, and they should be very proud of the work they did. Now
that these cases are over with at the trial court level, I hope the victims and
their families can begin to put this behind them and heal.”

During his allocution before his sentence was handed down, Schultz claimed to have a list of other offenders who have gotten lighter
prison sentences.

“I have never reduced
a sentence on a sex offender," he said.

Anderson said of those allegations, “The criminal justice
system simply does not have the time or resources to prosecute every case to
the fullest extent of the law. My job is to decide what cases and charges get
filed and how aggressively to pursue certain convictions and punishment. Any
leniency I give must be viewed in that context. I’ve never seen the court give
undeserved leniency. Since taking office last year, I have filed approximately
twenty sexual assault cases. No two cases are alike. The nuance of each case,
coupled with the wishes of the victims, dictates how aggressively I pursue a
given result.”

Both Braun and Anderson applauded the efforts of the Hays
Police Department for solving the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c0219c5e-6af1-4e74-a558-edac30586e8f">2014 rape case</a>. Schultz lived near the woman
at the time and DNA evidence proved that he attacked the woman, they said.

Anderson said, “This community should be very proud of all
of the agencies, organizations, and people who were part of the result achieved
today. Obviously, law enforcement, in particular the investigative unit for
Hays PD, did a stellar job in both of these cases, but I would be remiss if I
didn’t also praise the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners program at Hays Med; the
KBI forensic examiners; the forensic interviewer and advocates from the Western
Kansas Child Advocacy Center; the Department of Children &amp; Families; St.
Francis Ministries; and my office staff —if I’ve left anyone out, I apologize.
All of these people come together to make our community a better place to live.”

Schultz has already indicated that he plans to appeal the
sentencing. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648072335461.jpeg" alt="Schultz" />
 <figcaption>Schultz</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostAn Ellis County District Court judge sentenced a Victoria
man to life in prison this week for a pair of sex crimes involving two young girls
and the rape of an 18 year-old nearly six years ago.On Tuesday, 33-year-old Cody Schultz was sentenced to life in
prison with the possibly of parole after 25 years for aggravated indecent liberties
with a child under the age of 14, 15 years and six months in prison for electronic solicitation
of a child under the age of 14, and an additional 15 years and six months in prison for raping
a woman in 2014.Following <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/09511767-3e23-4f78-a871-885fb807f5ea">mediation in February</a>, Schultz was found guilty on
all three charges. At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Schultz attempted to get Chief
Judge Glenn Braun to issue a shorter prison sentence than the one agreed upon
in the February mediation.During the more than two-hour long hearing Tuesday, several family
members testified on Schultz’s behalf, insisting he was not a predator and
claimed he made a mistake. In handing down his sentence, Braun disagreed, saying, “this
defendant was a predator. The evidence in this case clearly evidences that.”The almost six years between the rape and the solicitation of
the young girls also proved that, according to Braun.Sentencing Schultz to the prison sentence was, according to
Braun, a public safety issue.Braun called it, “one of the strangest sentencing I’ve been
involved in, from the defendant's perspective.”According to Braun, in voluntary statements submitted to the
court by Schultz, he admitted to one of the three crimes he was convicted of
but also blamed the victims.In the court filings, Schultz said he believes the two young victims, ages 12 and
13 at the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e010d1c57544d3fe90e82e3">time of the assaults</a>, should “be held accountable for lying.” In another court filing, Schultz blamed one of the victims multiple
times.“It’s a 12 year-old girl,"&nbsp;Braun said.Braun presented court records showing the girls told
Schultz their ages before the crimes took place.Charges in a similar incident involving Schultz messaging a 10-year-old
girl in Barton County were dropped as part of the mediation agreement. Ellis
County Attorney Robert Anderson said the state has evidence of dozensof other attempts by Schultz to solicit young girls for sex.In a statement to Hays Post,&nbsp; Anderson said, “these two cases have been a top priority of mine since taking
office. A lot of time and effort was expended into the investigation and
prosecution. I know law enforcement is
pleased with the result, and they should be very proud of the work they did. Now
that these cases are over with at the trial court level, I hope the victims and
their families can begin to put this behind them and heal.”During his allocution before his sentence was handed down, Schultz claimed to have a list of other offenders who have gotten lighter
prison sentences.Braun dismissed the accusation.“I have never reduced
a sentence on a sex offender," he said.Anderson said of those allegations, “The criminal justice
system simply does not have the time or resources to prosecute every case to
the fullest extent of the law. My job is to decide what cases and charges get
filed and how aggressively to pursue certain convictions and punishment. Any
leniency I give must be viewed in that context. I’ve never seen the court give
undeserved leniency. Since taking office last year, I have filed approximately
twenty sexual assault cases. No two cases are alike. The nuance of each case,
coupled with the wishes of the victims, dictates how aggressively I pursue a
given result.”Both Braun and Anderson applauded the efforts of the Hays
Police Department for solving the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c0219c5e-6af1-4e74-a558-edac30586e8f">2014 rape case</a>. Schultz lived near the woman
at the time and DNA evidence proved that he attacked the woman, they said.Anderson said, “This community should be very proud of all
of the agencies, organizations, and people who were part of the result achieved
today. Obviously, law enforcement, in particular the investigative unit for
Hays PD, did a stellar job in both of these cases, but I would be remiss if I
didn’t also praise the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners program at Hays Med; the
KBI forensic examiners; the forensic interviewer and advocates from the Western
Kansas Child Advocacy Center; the Department of Children &amp; Families; St.
Francis Ministries; and my office staff —if I’ve left anyone out, I apologize.
All of these people come together to make our community a better place to live.”Schultz has already indicated that he plans to appeal the
sentencing.

Victoria man sentenced to life for multiple sex crimes

VICTORIA — Originally a small part of a much larger project,
a proposed multi-use Greenway Trail that would snake through the city of
Victoria — connecting the community’s parks, schools and landmarks — continues to
gain steam.

During the last city council meeting, Victoria Recreation
Commission board member Sean Rodger and the owner of the former Victoria rest
home, Jeff Pfeifer, shared the latest with the council and asked for its support
to continue pursuing the idea as they look to move forward, including sourcing potential grant funds for the project.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">The original trail idea
formed as Pfeifer looked to the community for ideas for the former rest home, a
building he purchased late last year.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b080d808-43af-444a-8095-942d3b344de1">One of
the most supported ideas was using at least part of the facility for a
community center through the rec commission.</a>

But as the plans and proposals were brought to Victoria
residents, the pathway plan took on a life of its own.

And with potential state
funding available for the city to begin the pathway project in the near future, Rodger and Pfeifer
asked the council to submit a Kansas Department of Transportation Transportation
Alternatives grant proposal that potential fund the bulk of the project, while
conversations about a community center and the rest home continue.

“With talking this through with members of the community,
this kind of picked up a little bit more steam,” Rodger said. “And with the
community center being slower moving, I feel like this could be something that
would be beneficial to the community.”

He said he was a fan of the idea after initially hearing it, as a part
of the proposals for the former rest home, but realized it could come to fruition
much sooner than other potential parts of either project.

“When Jeff pitched the idea, like four years down the road,
it's actually kind of comes more to the forefront of something that could be
seen sooner rather than later,” Rodger said.

"There has been
growing excitement, expressing the need for a multi-use pathway that would loop
around and through the town," Pfeifer said. "This loop would connect all the amenities Victoria
has to offer, such as Victoria's elementary school, junior and senior high
school, the St. Fidelis Basilica, two existing playgrounds, municipal pool,
outdoor recreational practice facilities, and central business district."

The rec commission voted in the fall of last year to propose the trail, and outlined their reasoning in the grant application.

"The intent was to substantially improve the ability of students to walk and bike to school using an exclusive multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trail separated from roadways," the application said. "Placing the trail in open space would eliminate many conflicts with vehicles, driveways, curbs, etc., providing a much safer route. In addition to student use, the pathways would be open to the general public, adding recreational, fitness, entertainment, relaxation and wellness opportunities."

The proposal also explains the reasoning behind aligning the trail project with the KDOT Safe Routes to Schools program.

"The decision to utilize open space for Safe
Routes to School was for several reasons, including:  1) much of the open space
in town is already in public ownership (City or USD 432), 2) it provides safe
separation from vehicle traffic, and 3) it encourages the exposure to
and interaction with nature and the outdoors," the application said.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

In an effort to push the trail plan forward, Rodger asked the
council to approve the submission of the grant proposal.

With the rec commission’s status as a nonprofit, he told the
council the application would need to be submitted by the city, but would
require no effort by the city government as the commission would complete all required work.

“They're just looking for proposals,” Rodger said. “At that
point, they approve it. They would give information and their feedback back to
us for an actual proposal. (Then) we'd have to get an engineer involved
to kind of go through layouts and all that stuff. But no money upfront, just a
plan.”

Prior to the city meeting, he said the school board had
already voted to support the measure.

Pfeifer said that through two community meetings about the
future of the rest home, and other planning meetings he has heard firsthand that
Victoria residents are “pretty excited” about the trail.

“This is something new,” he said. “This is like the
playground, the swimming pool, the school playground, the park playground. It's
bringing something new to town, something that is not even just single
generational.”

While the long-term planning remains flexible for the trail,
he said, to be considered for the Transportation Alternatives grant, the basic plan and
descriptions were needed to begin the grant application process.

If awarded to the city, the grant would cover 80 percent of the cost, with the community matching 20 percent.

And he said he feels like the grant has a good chance at
being awarded.

“They're pretty eager to do a project in western Kansas for
smaller communities under 5,000,” Pfeifer said, and he had confirmed the
project was eligible for receiving the funds according to KDOT.

While the application would open the potential for
funding for the project, it would also not lock the city into moving forward.

With two years before the next round of Transportation Alternatives grant applications
will begin, and no commitment required at the present time, the council agreed and the proposal was submitted.

Pfeifer said the city has yet
to hear back from KDOT, but if accepted the full Transportation Alternatives
grant application would be due on May 14.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647372909275.jpeg" alt="Jeff Pfeifer and Sean Rodger present the latest in the Greenway Trail plan to the Victoria City Council during their regular meeting in February." />
 <figcaption>Jeff Pfeifer and Sean Rodger present the latest in the Greenway Trail plan to the Victoria City Council during their regular meeting in February.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostVICTORIA — Originally a small part of a much larger project,
a proposed multi-use Greenway Trail that would snake through the city of
Victoria — connecting the community’s parks, schools and landmarks — continues to
gain steam.During the last city council meeting, Victoria Recreation
Commission board member Sean Rodger and the owner of the former Victoria rest
home, Jeff Pfeifer, shared the latest with the council and asked for its support
to continue pursuing the idea as they look to move forward, including sourcing potential grant funds for the project.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/20265d70-4cca-400e-9a7e-69323db9d166">The original trail idea
formed as Pfeifer looked to the community for ideas for the former rest home, a
building he purchased late last year.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b080d808-43af-444a-8095-942d3b344de1">One of
the most supported ideas was using at least part of the facility for a
community center through the rec commission.</a>But as the plans and proposals were brought to Victoria
residents, the pathway plan took on a life of its own.And with potential state
funding available for the city to begin the pathway project in the near future, Rodger and Pfeifer
asked the council to submit a Kansas Department of Transportation Transportation
Alternatives grant proposal that potential fund the bulk of the project, while
conversations about a community center and the rest home continue.“With talking this through with members of the community,
this kind of picked up a little bit more steam,” Rodger said. “And with the
community center being slower moving, I feel like this could be something that
would be beneficial to the community.”He said he was a fan of the idea after initially hearing it, as a part
of the proposals for the former rest home, but realized it could come to fruition
much sooner than other potential parts of either project.“When Jeff pitched the idea, like four years down the road,
it's actually kind of comes more to the forefront of something that could be
seen sooner rather than later,” Rodger said."There has been
growing excitement, expressing the need for a multi-use pathway that would loop
around and through the town," Pfeifer said. "This loop would connect all the amenities Victoria
has to offer, such as Victoria's elementary school, junior and senior high
school, the St. Fidelis Basilica, two existing playgrounds, municipal pool,
outdoor recreational practice facilities, and central business district."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647369011526.jpeg" alt="A map of the proposed Greenway Trail in Victoria shows how the project could be split into four sections, allowing for grant applications to be tailored to each piece of the trail's primary use. (Photo courtesy Jeff Pfeifer)" />
 <figcaption>A map of the proposed Greenway Trail in Victoria shows how the project could be split into four sections, allowing for grant applications to be tailored to each piece of the trail's primary use. (Photo courtesy Jeff Pfeifer)</figcaption>
 </figure>The rec commission voted in the fall of last year to propose the trail, and outlined their reasoning in the grant application."The intent was to substantially improve the ability of students to walk and bike to school using an exclusive multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trail separated from roadways," the application said. "Placing the trail in open space would eliminate many conflicts with vehicles, driveways, curbs, etc., providing a much safer route. In addition to student use, the pathways would be open to the general public, adding recreational, fitness, entertainment, relaxation and wellness opportunities."The proposal also explains the reasoning behind aligning the trail project with the KDOT Safe Routes to Schools program."The decision to utilize open space for Safe
Routes to School was for several reasons, including: 1) much of the open space
in town is already in public ownership (City or USD 432), 2) it provides safe
separation from vehicle traffic, and 3) it encourages the exposure to
and interaction with nature and the outdoors," the application said.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;In an effort to push the trail plan forward, Rodger asked the
council to approve the submission of the grant proposal.With the rec commission’s status as a nonprofit, he told the
council the application would need to be submitted by the city, but would
require no effort by the city government as the commission would complete all required work.“They're just looking for proposals,” Rodger said. “At that
point, they approve it. They would give information and their feedback back to
us for an actual proposal. (Then) we'd have to get an engineer involved
to kind of go through layouts and all that stuff. But no money upfront, just a
plan.”Prior to the city meeting, he said the school board had
already voted to support the measure.Pfeifer said that through two community meetings about the
future of the rest home, and other planning meetings he has heard firsthand that
Victoria residents are “pretty excited” about the trail.“This is something new,” he said. “This is like the
playground, the swimming pool, the school playground, the park playground. It's
bringing something new to town, something that is not even just single
generational.”While the long-term planning remains flexible for the trail,
he said, to be considered for the Transportation Alternatives grant, the basic plan and
descriptions were needed to begin the grant application process.If awarded to the city, the grant would cover 80 percent of the cost, with the community matching 20 percent.And he said he feels like the grant has a good chance at
being awarded.“They're pretty eager to do a project in western Kansas for
smaller communities under 5,000,” Pfeifer said, and he had confirmed the
project was eligible for receiving the funds according to KDOT.While the application would open the potential for
funding for the project, it would also not lock the city into moving forward.With two years before the next round of Transportation Alternatives grant applications
will begin, and no commitment required at the present time, the council agreed and the proposal was submitted.Pfeifer said the city has yet
to hear back from KDOT, but if accepted the full Transportation Alternatives
grant application would be due on May 14.

Victoria Greenway Trail proposal gains momentum

Recently,&nbsp;<a href="https://imagineelliscounty.org/">Imagine Ellis County&nbsp;</a>hosted representatives of various organizations from Ellis County&nbsp;as well as a Hays town hall meeting,&nbsp;to identify community needs&nbsp;that needed to be met for long-term growth and success of our&nbsp;county and region.&nbsp;

On March 24, the organization will host a Victoria town hall and facilitate small- and large-group discussions&nbsp;to learn more from community members. It is&nbsp;from&nbsp;5:30 to 8 p.m. at the&nbsp;Victoria VFW.&nbsp;Dinner&nbsp;will be provided by Fork That Bakery&nbsp;for those who attend.

While&nbsp;walk-ins are welcome, RSVPs are requested via the group's Facebook page&nbsp;or use a&nbsp;sign-up&nbsp;form&nbsp;at &nbsp;<a href="https://forms.gle/QfJgHZak8dFcrXQeA">https://forms.gle/QfJgHZak8dFcrXQeA</a>.&nbsp;See the&nbsp;<a href="https://fb.me/e/4y9Jp7sxP">Facebook&nbsp;event&nbsp;page</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;more information.&nbsp;

Imagine Ellis County is a committee comprised of over 30 community members from Ellis County. The committee exists to serve the long-term interests of Ellis County. We have representatives from Catharine, Ellis, Hays, and Victoria on our committee. Committee members include people who serve as local elected officials, local government employees, employees from various community businesses, and those who are involved with non-profits and charitable organizations.If you would like more information, contact&nbsp;Grow Hays Inc.&nbsp;at 785.628.3102 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:IEC@GrowHays.com">IEC@GrowHays.com</a>. Imagine Ellis County is a&nbsp;collaborative strategic vision for our community and region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642178166769.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseRecently,&nbsp;<a href="https://imagineelliscounty.org/">Imagine Ellis County&nbsp;</a>hosted representatives of various organizations from Ellis County&nbsp;as well as a Hays town hall meeting,&nbsp;to identify community needs&nbsp;that needed to be met for long-term growth and success of our&nbsp;county and region.&nbsp;On March 24, the organization will host a Victoria town hall and facilitate small- and large-group discussions&nbsp;to learn more from community members. It is&nbsp;from&nbsp;5:30 to 8 p.m. at the&nbsp;Victoria VFW.&nbsp;Dinner&nbsp;will be provided by Fork That Bakery&nbsp;for those who attend.While&nbsp;walk-ins are welcome, RSVPs are requested via the group's Facebook page&nbsp;or use a&nbsp;sign-up&nbsp;form&nbsp;at &nbsp;<a href="https://forms.gle/QfJgHZak8dFcrXQeA">https://forms.gle/QfJgHZak8dFcrXQeA</a>.&nbsp;See the&nbsp;<a href="https://fb.me/e/4y9Jp7sxP">Facebook&nbsp;event&nbsp;page</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;more information.&nbsp;Imagine Ellis County is a committee comprised of over 30 community members from Ellis County. The committee exists to serve the long-term interests of Ellis County. We have representatives from Catharine, Ellis, Hays, and Victoria on our committee. Committee members include people who serve as local elected officials, local government employees, employees from various community businesses, and those who are involved with non-profits and charitable organizations.If you would like more information, contact&nbsp;Grow Hays Inc.&nbsp;at 785.628.3102 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:IEC@GrowHays.com">IEC@GrowHays.com</a>. Imagine Ellis County is a&nbsp;collaborative strategic vision for our community and region.

Imagine Ellis County town hall scheduled in Victoria

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

Following criminal mediation, a Victoria resident was found
guilty Friday of charges including rape, stemming from an incident in a Hays
park in December 2019.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e010d1c57544d3fe90e82e3">Cody
Schultz was first arrested on December 20, following the report of a sexual assault
of a 14-year-old victim in Massey Park in Hays on Dec. 16.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c0219c5e-6af1-4e74-a558-edac30586e8f">That arrest
would then lead Hays police to identify him as a suspect in an earlier sexual assault
case, dating to March 2014, involving a different 14-year-old.</a>

Now Schultz faces life in prison after being found guilty
during a bench trial that began immediately after the conclusion of criminal
mediation.

Bruce Gatterman, 24th Judicial District judge in Pawnee
County, served as mediator.

“Through that process, we reached a mediated agreement,”
said Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson. “The essentials of that
agreement were that we would proceed on both cases, that day, to a bench trial
on stipulated facts.”

During a bench trial, facts are presented directly to a
judge, who then issues a ruling.

Chief Judge of the 23rd Judicial District Glen Braun presided
over the trial, finding Schultz guilty on all charges, including rape, aggravated
indecent liberties with a child and electronic solicitation of a child.

Going through the mediation process and bench trial created a
quicker — and less painful — outcome, Anderson said.

“From my perspective, it was a chance to clear those cases
in an efficient manner without needing to put the victims through the stress and
time of two jury trials,” he said. “It also avoids the time and costs that
would have come with trying these two cases, which puts a substantial burden on
the court and on the citizens called for jury duty. “

But the deal also limited sentencing options, Anderson said.

“In essence, the defendant agreed to waive his right to a
jury trial and waive his ability to challenge the evidence,” he said. “In
consideration for this, I am now bound at sentencing to request that the
sentences for non-primary offenses run concurrent to the primary offense.”

But even with the concurrent sentencing, Schultz could serve the
rest of his life behind bars.

“The primary offense has a statutory punishment of (a) life
sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years,” Anderson said. “So,
in other words, I’ve given up the ability to ask for years tacked on to the
back end of a life sentence.”

Sentencing is expected to be scheduled within the next 60
days.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577132104050.png" alt="Cody Schultz" />
 <figcaption>Cody Schultz</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostFollowing criminal mediation, a Victoria resident was found
guilty Friday of charges including rape, stemming from an incident in a Hays
park in December 2019.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e010d1c57544d3fe90e82e3">Cody
Schultz was first arrested on December 20, following the report of a sexual assault
of a 14-year-old victim in Massey Park in Hays on Dec. 16.</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c0219c5e-6af1-4e74-a558-edac30586e8f">That arrest
would then lead Hays police to identify him as a suspect in an earlier sexual assault
case, dating to March 2014, involving a different 14-year-old.</a>Now Schultz faces life in prison after being found guilty
during a bench trial that began immediately after the conclusion of criminal
mediation.Bruce Gatterman, 24th Judicial District judge in Pawnee
County, served as mediator.“Through that process, we reached a mediated agreement,”
said Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson. “The essentials of that
agreement were that we would proceed on both cases, that day, to a bench trial
on stipulated facts.”During a bench trial, facts are presented directly to a
judge, who then issues a ruling.Chief Judge of the 23rd Judicial District Glen Braun presided
over the trial, finding Schultz guilty on all charges, including rape, aggravated
indecent liberties with a child and electronic solicitation of a child.Going through the mediation process and bench trial created a
quicker — and less painful — outcome, Anderson said.“From my perspective, it was a chance to clear those cases
in an efficient manner without needing to put the victims through the stress and
time of two jury trials,” he said. “It also avoids the time and costs that
would have come with trying these two cases, which puts a substantial burden on
the court and on the citizens called for jury duty. “But the deal also limited sentencing options, Anderson said.“In essence, the defendant agreed to waive his right to a
jury trial and waive his ability to challenge the evidence,” he said. “In
consideration for this, I am now bound at sentencing to request that the
sentences for non-primary offenses run concurrent to the primary offense.”But even with the concurrent sentencing, Schultz could serve the
rest of his life behind bars.“The primary offense has a statutory punishment of (a) life
sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years,” Anderson said. “So,
in other words, I’ve given up the ability to ask for years tacked on to the
back end of a life sentence.”Sentencing is expected to be scheduled within the next 60
days.

Victoria man faces life in prison after child rape convictions