Hays Post Fort Hays State Tiger football coach Chris Brown, quarterback Caleb Heavner and defensive back Trevion Mitchell spoke to the media Tuesday before the Tigers travel to Pittsburg on Saturday to take on the No. 7 Gorillas.&nbsp;

Hays Post Fort Hays State Tiger football coach Chris Brown, quarterback Caleb Heavner and defensive back Trevion Mitchell spoke to the media Tuesday before the Tigers travel to Pittsburg on Saturday to take on the No. 7 Gorillas.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eS0SMhF_f1E?si=axHDIxAe95P7oBO8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SDAnahoBhNo?si=CTHYEFi-mLUwFMRa" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BZ-amtconow?si=iawn6QewawNOsRO2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🏈📹 FHSU weekly press conference 

Charles John “Charlie” Dreiling, age
91, of Victoria, Kansas passed away on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at Via
Christi Village Care Center in Hays, Kansas.

He was born on September 17, 1933, in Victoria, Kansas to Alphonse J. and
Sophie (Sander) Dreiling.&nbsp; He was married to Nancy (Wheaton) for 23 years
and later separated.

&nbsp;He was a member of The Basilica of Saint Fidelis and Knights of Columbus both
of Victoria.&nbsp; He was a U S Army veteran and served during the Korean
Conflict. &nbsp;

Charles grew up in Victoria, and graduated from Victoria High School in 1951.
He then&nbsp;went to St. Benedict’s College in Atchison for a year before
joining the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. After serving, he returned
home and went to Fort Hays State University graduating in Business
Administration in 1959.

He moved to Denver, CO and worked for Shell Oil Co. where he met his former
wife, Nancy.&nbsp; He worked for Shell for many years and eventually took him
to Houston, Texas. While staying with the oil industry, he later moved to Dallas,
TX where he remained for 23 years before moving back to Victoria.

From a young age, Charlie was an athletic individual with a special love
for baseball. He loved to play, attend and watch many sporting events
throughout his life. He was a big supporter of his children’s sports from
coaching his sons’ baseball teams to cheering on his daughters in many sports
but specifically soccer.&nbsp; In Charlie’s later years, his pride and joy were
his three granddaughters, [Charlie’s Angels]. He especially loved attending
their sporting events and cheering them on, as well.

Charles is survived by his children, Tami Robben and husband, Jason “Jake”,
Hays, Ks; Debbie Dreiling and spouse, Adrienne Dreiling, Gardena, CA; his
grandchildren, Isabel Robben, Maggie Robben, and Caroline Robben; his brother, Jim
Dreiling, Parker, CO; his sister, Theresa Ellis and husband, Clark, Lafayette,
CO; brother-in-law, Will Dell, Littleton, CO ; his sisters-in-law, Dorothy
Dreiling, Hays, KS; Jeanette Dreiling, Victoria, KS; and several nieces and
nephews; great nieces and great nephews, great great nieces and great great
nephews.&nbsp; 

Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Alphonse and Sophie Dreiling; his
former wife, Nancy Dreiling-Mowery; his sons, Derek and Devin; his brothers,
Elmer Dreiling and wife, Mary Frances; Marvin Dreiling; Hubert Dreiling and
wife, Clemetine; Thomas Dreiling; Alfred Dreiling and wife, Myrna; his sisters,
Lucy Roth and husband, Bob; Mary Ellen Dell; Ruth Stephens and husband, Don;
and his sister-in-law, Linda Dreiling. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Friday, October 18, 2024, at
The Basilica of Saint Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas with Celebrant, Father James
Moster O.F.M. Cap.&nbsp; &nbsp;The burial will be in Saint Fidelis Cemetery,
Victoria, Kansas with military honors by the Victoria V.F.W. Post # 1751.

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Thursday, at Cline’s-Keithley
Mortuary, Victoria, Kansas and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Friday, at The Basilica
of Saint Fidelis.

A vigil service with a Knights of Columbus rosary will be at 7:00 P.M.
Thursday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, Victoria, Kansas.

In lieu of flowers the family would be grateful for memorials to The Basilica
of St. Fidelis in care of Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 Main Street, Victoria,
Kansas 67671.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Condolences can be sent via e-mail to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com" target="_blank">clineschapels@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;or
can be left at guestbook at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/" target="_blank">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728596065202.jpeg" alt="Charles John Dreiling" />
 <figcaption>Charles John Dreiling</figcaption>
 </figure>Charles John “Charlie” Dreiling, age
91, of Victoria, Kansas passed away on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at Via
Christi Village Care Center in Hays, Kansas.He was born on September 17, 1933, in Victoria, Kansas to Alphonse J. and
Sophie (Sander) Dreiling.&nbsp; He was married to Nancy (Wheaton) for 23 years
and later separated.&nbsp;He was a member of The Basilica of Saint Fidelis and Knights of Columbus both
of Victoria.&nbsp; He was a U S Army veteran and served during the Korean
Conflict. &nbsp;Charles grew up in Victoria, and graduated from Victoria High School in 1951.
He then&nbsp;went to St. Benedict’s College in Atchison for a year before
joining the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. After serving, he returned
home and went to Fort Hays State University graduating in Business
Administration in 1959.He moved to Denver, CO and worked for Shell Oil Co. where he met his former
wife, Nancy.&nbsp; He worked for Shell for many years and eventually took him
to Houston, Texas. While staying with the oil industry, he later moved to Dallas,
TX where he remained for 23 years before moving back to Victoria.From a young age, Charlie was an athletic individual with a special love
for baseball. He loved to play, attend and watch many sporting events
throughout his life. He was a big supporter of his children’s sports from
coaching his sons’ baseball teams to cheering on his daughters in many sports
but specifically soccer.&nbsp; In Charlie’s later years, his pride and joy were
his three granddaughters, [Charlie’s Angels]. He especially loved attending
their sporting events and cheering them on, as well.Charles is survived by his children, Tami Robben and husband, Jason “Jake”,
Hays, Ks; Debbie Dreiling and spouse, Adrienne Dreiling, Gardena, CA; his
grandchildren, Isabel Robben, Maggie Robben, and Caroline Robben; his brother, Jim
Dreiling, Parker, CO; his sister, Theresa Ellis and husband, Clark, Lafayette,
CO; brother-in-law, Will Dell, Littleton, CO ; his sisters-in-law, Dorothy
Dreiling, Hays, KS; Jeanette Dreiling, Victoria, KS; and several nieces and
nephews; great nieces and great nephews, great great nieces and great great
nephews.&nbsp; Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Alphonse and Sophie Dreiling; his
former wife, Nancy Dreiling-Mowery; his sons, Derek and Devin; his brothers,
Elmer Dreiling and wife, Mary Frances; Marvin Dreiling; Hubert Dreiling and
wife, Clemetine; Thomas Dreiling; Alfred Dreiling and wife, Myrna; his sisters,
Lucy Roth and husband, Bob; Mary Ellen Dell; Ruth Stephens and husband, Don;
and his sister-in-law, Linda Dreiling. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Friday, October 18, 2024, at
The Basilica of Saint Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas with Celebrant, Father James
Moster O.F.M. Cap.&nbsp; &nbsp;The burial will be in Saint Fidelis Cemetery,
Victoria, Kansas with military honors by the Victoria V.F.W. Post # 1751.Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Thursday, at Cline’s-Keithley
Mortuary, Victoria, Kansas and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Friday, at The Basilica
of Saint Fidelis.A vigil service with a Knights of Columbus rosary will be at 7:00 P.M.
Thursday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, Victoria, Kansas.In lieu of flowers the family would be grateful for memorials to The Basilica
of St. Fidelis in care of Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 Main Street, Victoria,
Kansas 67671.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Condolences can be sent via e-mail to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com" target="_blank">clineschapels@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;or
can be left at guestbook at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/" target="_blank">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

Charles John Dreiling

For the month of September 2024, the Ellis Police Department responded to 137 calls for service, conducted 35 traffic stops, and issued four traffic citations. Three of those citations were for speeding, with the average alleged speed being 16mph over the posted limit. 

The Ellis Police Department also conducted several felony and misdemeanor investigations, resulting in two adult arrests.

The following adults were arrested in September by the Ellis Police Department: On Sept. 20, Adrienne Gaschler was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery.

She was booked into the Ellis County Jail. On Sept. 20, Ryan Gaschler was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery. He was booked into the Ellis County Jail.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.

In September, the Ellis Police Department added a new police officer to its ranks. The department hired Officer Jonathan Turner in September after he successfully completed his background investigation and attended interviews. This recent hire brings the ranks of the Ellis Police Department back to full staffing. Officer Turner comes to Ellis from the Woodson County Sheriff’s Office and is already a certified law enforcement officer in Kansas.

Officer Turner began his field training on Oct. 7 and will be under the supervision of a field training officer while he learns the department's records systems, policy and procedures, as well as the general outlay of our town.

If you see him while you are in town, please feel free to introduce yourself.

"We are excited to have him join our team," Chief Avery Smith said.

 The Ellis Police Department has once again partnered with the Ellis Baptist Church to host Trunk-or-Treat! 

From 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31, come down to the parking lot at Ninth and Jefferson. All are welcome to attend and pass out candy to our local "Boos and Ghouls." 

The Ellis VFW is hosting a “Haunted VFW” during that same time frame. Don’t forget that many Ellis community members still hand out candy the good old-fashioned way and expect to see you on their doorsteps.

As always, the department is seeking photos to be used for these monthly reports.&nbsp;Please email them to asmith@cityofellisks.gov or message them on the department's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/EllisPoliceDepartment" target="_blank">Facebook&nbsp;</a>page.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729011468501.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis Police DepartmentFor the month of September 2024, the Ellis Police Department responded to 137 calls for service, conducted 35 traffic stops, and issued four traffic citations. Three of those citations were for speeding, with the average alleged speed being 16mph over the posted limit. The Ellis Police Department also conducted several felony and misdemeanor investigations, resulting in two adult arrests.The following adults were arrested in September by the Ellis Police Department: On Sept. 20, Adrienne Gaschler was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery.She was booked into the Ellis County Jail. On Sept. 20, Ryan Gaschler was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery. He was booked into the Ellis County Jail.All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.In September, the Ellis Police Department added a new police officer to its ranks. The department hired Officer Jonathan Turner in September after he successfully completed his background investigation and attended interviews. This recent hire brings the ranks of the Ellis Police Department back to full staffing. Officer Turner comes to Ellis from the Woodson County Sheriff’s Office and is already a certified law enforcement officer in Kansas.Officer Turner began his field training on Oct. 7 and will be under the supervision of a field training officer while he learns the department's records systems, policy and procedures, as well as the general outlay of our town.If you see him while you are in town, please feel free to introduce yourself."We are excited to have him join our team," Chief Avery Smith said. The Ellis Police Department has once again partnered with the Ellis Baptist Church to host Trunk-or-Treat! From 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 31, come down to the parking lot at Ninth and Jefferson. All are welcome to attend and pass out candy to our local "Boos and Ghouls." The Ellis VFW is hosting a “Haunted VFW” during that same time frame. Don’t forget that many Ellis community members still hand out candy the good old-fashioned way and expect to see you on their doorsteps. As always, the department is seeking photos to be used for these monthly reports.&nbsp;Please email them to asmith@cityofellisks.gov or message them on the department's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/EllisPoliceDepartment" target="_blank">Facebook&nbsp;</a>page.

City of Ellis Police report, September 2024

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/arrests">Click here for past Hays Police Department arrest logs.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/arrests">Click here for past Hays Police Department arrest logs.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724699319635.jpeg" alt="File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/arrests">Click here for past Hays Police Department arrest logs.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729010932161.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729010943241.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729010954585.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/category/arrests">Click here for past Hays Police Department arrest logs.</a>

Ellis County Jail bookings, Oct. 8-14, 2024

Zach Wendling <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/09/midwest-secretaries-of-state-host-election-security-and-integrity-summit-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA —&nbsp;Four secretaries of state and a federal agency director in cybersecurity described their work Wednesday as a line of defense in upholding election integrity and security ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, in explaining the reason for Wednesday’s summit, asked simply, “Why not?” He said the Midwest states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and South Dakota have demonstrated that elections can be safe, smooth and secure.

“Election security is not static. Election security is not a one-and-done deal. Election security is dynamic,” Evnen said at the news conference. “If you’re going to continue to address these dynamic challenges to elections, then you do so in a dynamic fashion.”

The ‘imperative’ of election confidence

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unomaha.edu/ncite/index.php" target="_blank">National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center</a>, or NCITE, headquartered at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, hosted the event.

Evnen’s three counterparts from Iowa (Paul Pate), Missouri (Jay Ashcroft) and South Dakota (Monae Johnson) joined the event, which Evnen said he expects to be repeated in future years. Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab participated in other summit events, including briefings on NCITE research, but was unable to attend the news conference, officials said.

Pate, who is in his fourth term as Iowa’s secretary of state, said he has seen elections evolve and become “more aggressive” in the past two decades, particularly through technology.

Yet election confidence remains essential, Pate said, and secretaries of state are doing everything they can to uphold integrity and security.

“It’s imperative that Americans, and Iowans, have confidence in those election results because the day after the election, if they don’t believe that that’s their governor or their senator or their president, our Republic has fallen without a single bullet being fired,” Pate said. “That’s not acceptable, so we’re going to continue to be vigilant and do what we can on our front.”

Director Jen Easterly of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2018/11/19/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency" target="_blank">U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency</a>, said CISA stands “shoulder to shoulder” with election officials nationwide. She said she has “tremendous confidence” in U.S. elections.

Easterly said CISA was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2018/11/19/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency" target="_blank">established in 2018</a>&nbsp;from a previous U.S. Department of Homeland Security agency in part due to foreign attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election and after election infrastructure was designated as “critical” infrastructure.

The agency helps state and local election officials to prepare for any threats, including ransomware,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nonhazardous-material-found-in-envelope-sent-to-ne-secretary-of-states-office-caution-urged/" target="_blank">physical threats</a>&nbsp;and threats from foreign adversaries (such as Russia, Iran and China). Some of the support the agency provides, Easterly said, are security assessments, hypothetical scenario training and training for de-escalation and anti-active shooter incidents.

“At the end of the day, we know that elections will be safe. They will be secure. They will be free. They will be fair. But there will be things that go wrong,” Easterly said. “The good news is these disruptions, while problematic, will not affect how votes are counted and how votes are cast.”

Evnen said some of the ways that Nebraska has partnered with CISA in the past two years have included weekly scans of all 93 Nebraska county election websites for vulnerabilities, giving local officials “.gov” emails and website addresses and setting up internal protocols for day-to-day security.

“These are important steps we’re taking across Nebraska to ensure that our cyberinfrastructure is protected,” Evnen said.

Pate said those steps are national standards as officials “plan for the worst and hope for the best.”

All five secretaries of state who partnered with NCITE this week are elected Republicans, and Ashcroft said the officials don’t serve just Republicans or Democrats or&nbsp; Libertarians or any other third parties in their respective states.

He said if officials do their job well, they are the basketball ref or linesman of a football game who “no one notices.”

The secretaries of state and Easterly invited more people to get involved in the election process, such as serving as poll workers or watchers, and for anyone who has questions to ask.

“We run elections for the people of the states,” Ashcroft explained. “We run elections for our government because it is how ‘we the people’ decide that our Republic will move forward.”

Ashcroft added that no matter who wins or loses, or which issues pass or fail, “at the end of the day, the American people can drink their beverage of choice and either celebrate or commiserate, but know that they were a part of the decision, that their votes counted and that the votes made a difference.”

The election officials noted that it is typical for “official” results not to be finalized for up to a week after Election Day, but they said that’s due in part due to the need to process provisional ballots, as well as conducting the “checks and balances” needed to ensure accurate results, particularly in close races, or possibly hand-count some ballots.

But for the most part, the secretaries of state said of their jurisdictions, most election results are typically available within a few hours of polls closing on Election Day.

“I believe in getting quick results out, my colleagues do, but we all believe in getting it right, and we believe in making sure that every American, no matter where Uncle Sam has sent them, has the right to participate in our elections,” Ashcroft said, indicating overseas voters.

Johnson, from South Dakota, said the “greatest unease” about the general election is the period between when polls close and when results are finalized. She said officials are workshopping scenarios with public safety teams to ensure that post-election events proceed smoothly and on time.

“Protecting the voting process and its facilitators is a collaborative process, and we have full faith in our state’s ability to overcome any disruptions,” Johnson said.

Gina Ligon, director of NCITE at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said the center, which includes 38 partner universities, is working on four projects, such as tracking threats to election workers through federal charges and possible threats from emerging technologies.

Ligon said the federal charges are the “tip of the iceberg” as federal charges are a “really high bar,” while other NCITE research includes threats or violence specifically against election officials in swing states, including Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia.

Those states have seen the largest spikes in data in recent years, Ligon said.

That project is extending to Nebraska, partially with the competitiveness of Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District for president. There are currently no federal charges, according to Ligon.

Other research, out of the University of Arkansas, includes interviews of election workers who have faced threats of violence. Initial research has indicated women don’t always report when they are victims of violence, Ligon said, and that people don’t understand when they cross First Amendment protections from anger to prohibited threats.

“As much as people say this is nothing new&nbsp;— ‘we’ve experienced this for a long time’ — our data just doesn’t support that,” Ligon said.

As of this time, Easterly said, there have been no specific election threats from terrorists, though she noted federal authorities thwarted the apparent plans of an&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahomavoice.com/briefs/oklahoma-city-man-faces-charges-related-to-planned-election-day-terrorist-attack-authorities-say/" target="_blank">Oklahoma City man</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday and charged him with allegedly plotting a terrorist attack on Election Day in support of ISIS.

“If there are other things that we are seeing from the terrorist landscape, we will ensure that election officials are apprised of that immediately,” Easterly said.

Easterly said the period between Election Day on Nov. 5 and the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20 will be critical. She said foreign adversaries will try to create a “wedge” and attempt to “shred our institutions” or sow discord as each milestone of certification and validation passes.

“That’s why it’s up to all of us as Americans — as the secretary (Ashcroft) said, ‘We the people’ — these elections are for us,” Easterly said. “It’s up to all of us to do our part in protecting and preserving our democracy.”

Nebraska Examiner, a States Newsroom affiliate,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/09/midwest-secretaries-of-state-host-election-security-and-integrity-summit-in-nebraska/" target="_blank">produced this story</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729007505031.png" alt=" Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, at podium, leads a news conference Oct. 9, 2024, in Omaha on election security and integrity. Behind him, from left, are Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson, Director Jen Easterly of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Director Gina Ligon of the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, at podium, leads a news conference Oct. 9, 2024, in Omaha on election security and integrity. Behind him, from left, are Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson, Director Jen Easterly of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and Director Gina Ligon of the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/09/midwest-secretaries-of-state-host-election-security-and-integrity-summit-in-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA —&nbsp;Four secretaries of state and a federal agency director in cybersecurity described their work Wednesday as a line of defense in upholding election integrity and security ahead of the Nov. 5 election.Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, in explaining the reason for Wednesday’s summit, asked simply, “Why not?” He said the Midwest states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and South Dakota have demonstrated that elections can be safe, smooth and secure.“Election security is not static. Election security is not a one-and-done deal. Election security is dynamic,” Evnen said at the news conference. “If you’re going to continue to address these dynamic challenges to elections, then you do so in a dynamic fashion.”<h2>The ‘imperative’ of election confidence</h2>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unomaha.edu/ncite/index.php" target="_blank">National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center</a>, or NCITE, headquartered at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, hosted the event.Evnen’s three counterparts from Iowa (Paul Pate), Missouri (Jay Ashcroft) and South Dakota (Monae Johnson) joined the event, which Evnen said he expects to be repeated in future years. Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab participated in other summit events, including briefings on NCITE research, but was unable to attend the news conference, officials said.Pate, who is in his fourth term as Iowa’s secretary of state, said he has seen elections evolve and become “more aggressive” in the past two decades, particularly through technology.Yet election confidence remains essential, Pate said, and secretaries of state are doing everything they can to uphold integrity and security.“It’s imperative that Americans, and Iowans, have confidence in those election results because the day after the election, if they don’t believe that that’s their governor or their senator or their president, our Republic has fallen without a single bullet being fired,” Pate said. “That’s not acceptable, so we’re going to continue to be vigilant and do what we can on our front.”Director Jen Easterly of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2018/11/19/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency" target="_blank">U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency</a>, said CISA stands “shoulder to shoulder” with election officials nationwide. She said she has “tremendous confidence” in U.S. elections.Easterly said CISA was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2018/11/19/cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency" target="_blank">established in 2018</a>&nbsp;from a previous U.S. Department of Homeland Security agency in part due to foreign attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election and after election infrastructure was designated as “critical” infrastructure.<h2>Security protocols and training</h2>The agency helps state and local election officials to prepare for any threats, including ransomware,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nonhazardous-material-found-in-envelope-sent-to-ne-secretary-of-states-office-caution-urged/" target="_blank">physical threats</a>&nbsp;and threats from foreign adversaries (such as Russia, Iran and China). Some of the support the agency provides, Easterly said, are security assessments, hypothetical scenario training and training for de-escalation and anti-active shooter incidents.“At the end of the day, we know that elections will be safe. They will be secure. They will be free. They will be fair. But there will be things that go wrong,” Easterly said. “The good news is these disruptions, while problematic, will not affect how votes are counted and how votes are cast.”Evnen said some of the ways that Nebraska has partnered with CISA in the past two years have included weekly scans of all 93 Nebraska county election websites for vulnerabilities, giving local officials “.gov” emails and website addresses and setting up internal protocols for day-to-day security.“These are important steps we’re taking across Nebraska to ensure that our cyberinfrastructure is protected,” Evnen said.Pate said those steps are national standards as officials “plan for the worst and hope for the best.”<h2>Elections for ‘we the people’</h2>All five secretaries of state who partnered with NCITE this week are elected Republicans, and Ashcroft said the officials don’t serve just Republicans or Democrats or&nbsp; Libertarians or any other third parties in their respective states.He said if officials do their job well, they are the basketball ref or linesman of a football game who “no one notices.”The secretaries of state and Easterly invited more people to get involved in the election process, such as serving as poll workers or watchers, and for anyone who has questions to ask.“We run elections for the people of the states,” Ashcroft explained. “We run elections for our government because it is how ‘we the people’ decide that our Republic will move forward.”Ashcroft added that no matter who wins or loses, or which issues pass or fail, “at the end of the day, the American people can drink their beverage of choice and either celebrate or commiserate, but know that they were a part of the decision, that their votes counted and that the votes made a difference.”The election officials noted that it is typical for “official” results not to be finalized for up to a week after Election Day, but they said that’s due in part due to the need to process provisional ballots, as well as conducting the “checks and balances” needed to ensure accurate results, particularly in close races, or possibly hand-count some ballots.But for the most part, the secretaries of state said of their jurisdictions, most election results are typically available within a few hours of polls closing on Election Day.“I believe in getting quick results out, my colleagues do, but we all believe in getting it right, and we believe in making sure that every American, no matter where Uncle Sam has sent them, has the right to participate in our elections,” Ashcroft said, indicating overseas voters.Johnson, from South Dakota, said the “greatest unease” about the general election is the period between when polls close and when results are finalized. She said officials are workshopping scenarios with public safety teams to ensure that post-election events proceed smoothly and on time.“Protecting the voting process and its facilitators is a collaborative process, and we have full faith in our state’s ability to overcome any disruptions,” Johnson said.<h2>NCITE research</h2>Gina Ligon, director of NCITE at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said the center, which includes 38 partner universities, is working on four projects, such as tracking threats to election workers through federal charges and possible threats from emerging technologies.Ligon said the federal charges are the “tip of the iceberg” as federal charges are a “really high bar,” while other NCITE research includes threats or violence specifically against election officials in swing states, including Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia.Those states have seen the largest spikes in data in recent years, Ligon said.That project is extending to Nebraska, partially with the competitiveness of Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District for president. There are currently no federal charges, according to Ligon.Other research, out of the University of Arkansas, includes interviews of election workers who have faced threats of violence. Initial research has indicated women don’t always report when they are victims of violence, Ligon said, and that people don’t understand when they cross First Amendment protections from anger to prohibited threats.“As much as people say this is nothing new&nbsp;— ‘we’ve experienced this for a long time’ — our data just doesn’t support that,” Ligon said.<h2>‘It’s up to all of us’</h2>As of this time, Easterly said, there have been no specific election threats from terrorists, though she noted federal authorities thwarted the apparent plans of an&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahomavoice.com/briefs/oklahoma-city-man-faces-charges-related-to-planned-election-day-terrorist-attack-authorities-say/" target="_blank">Oklahoma City man</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday and charged him with allegedly plotting a terrorist attack on Election Day in support of ISIS.“If there are other things that we are seeing from the terrorist landscape, we will ensure that election officials are apprised of that immediately,” Easterly said.Easterly said the period between Election Day on Nov. 5 and the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20 will be critical. She said foreign adversaries will try to create a “wedge” and attempt to “shred our institutions” or sow discord as each milestone of certification and validation passes.“That’s why it’s up to all of us as Americans — as the secretary (Ashcroft) said, ‘We the people’ — these elections are for us,” Easterly said. “It’s up to all of us to do our part in protecting and preserving our democracy.”Nebraska Examiner, a States Newsroom affiliate,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/09/midwest-secretaries-of-state-host-election-security-and-integrity-summit-in-nebraska/" target="_blank">produced this story</a>.

Midwest secretaries of state host election security and integrity summit

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/13PTidijNdn7z531/">You can watch the full forum on the Chamber in Hays's Facebook page HERE.</a>

BY CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Ellis County Clerk candidates agreed on several issues at a candidate forum on Monday night.&nbsp;

They sharply disagreed on the issue of creating a polling location on the Fort Hays State University campus.

Incumbent Republican Bobbi Dreiling has been under fire, including a campaign by the ACLU, for her decision not to open a polling location on campus.

"I'm not in favor of a polling location on the FHSU campus at this time," she said. "I do not think it's warranted."

Dreiling said according to FHSU, about 1,650 students live on campus. As of last week, 69 people who lived on campus were registered to vote in Ellis County.

Dreiling closed a polling location and combined the polling locations for Precinct One, Wards One and Two at Messiah Lutheran Church, 2000 Main

In those two precints, Dreiling said there are 429 registered voters who are 18 to 24 out of 1,420 registered voters.

"I don't want to inconvenience 900 voters," she said.

Dreiling cited issues with driving and parking on campus as barriers for elderly voters.

She said Messiah Lutheran Church is a central location.

Challenger Democrat Laura Allen, who lives in the ward in question, said she favors having a polling location on campus.

"When we talk about elections, they are not static. They are dynamic," Allen said.

She said the students living on campus are eligible to vote in Ellis County. She said if those students were encouraged to register to vote in Ellis County, they might be more likely to stay in Ellis County after they graduate.

As a voter in the affected ward, Allen said she would prefer to vote on campus.

"I think more can be done to make sure people are included and feel heard," she said.

The candidates were asked what they would do to encourage more FHSU students to register to vote in Ellis County.

Dreiling said she sent information on voting deadlines to the American Democracy Project student group. She said students had not contacted her to host a voter registration event.

Allen said she would host a voter registration drive and not wait for students to contact her.

The candidates were asked what duties would be their priorities as county clerk.&nbsp;

Dreiling said elections account for about 25% of her duties. However, she sets tax values in June and the mill levy in November.&nbsp;

"Those are top priorities that I make sure they are done correctly," she said.

She said she also values customer service and maintains an open-door policy for the public.

Allen said elections would be a priority as well being open to communication with the public.

The candidates were asked if they thought there was any fraud in elections.

Allen said she believed in the security and integrity of elections.

Dreiling said, "I don’t have any reason to believe there is fraud in elections. I don’t have proof.&nbsp;One thing I can promise everyone here sitting in this room and the citizens is that Ellis County has the most secure election process you can find."

The candidates were asked how they work with other county officials to meet statutory deadlines.&nbsp;

Allen said she would communicate with her counterparts and ensure she held herself accountable.

Dreiling said she works well with the current county treasurer.&nbsp;

Dreiling said she also has to work with the clerks of Russell, Rooks, Trego, and Rush counties to turn over the tax rolls to the county treasurer by Nov. 1.

Both candidates said they wished the county clerk was not a partisan position.

Dreiling said she would do her best to serve all of Ellis County's residents. Allen said she respects all people's beliefs.

The last day to register to vote for the 2024 general election is today. Advance voting will begin on Monday at the Ellis County Administration Center, 718 Main St., Hays. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728957051220.jpeg" alt="Incumbent Republican Ellis County Clerk Bobbi Dreiling and challenger Democrat Laura Allen faced off during an election forum Monday night at the Hays Public Library. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Incumbent Republican Ellis County Clerk Bobbi Dreiling and challenger Democrat Laura Allen faced off during an election forum Monday night at the Hays Public Library. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/13PTidijNdn7z531/">You can watch the full forum on the Chamber in Hays's Facebook page HERE.</a>BY CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Ellis County Clerk candidates agreed on several issues at a candidate forum on Monday night.&nbsp;They sharply disagreed on the issue of creating a polling location on the Fort Hays State University campus.Incumbent Republican Bobbi Dreiling has been under fire, including a campaign by the ACLU, for her decision not to open a polling location on campus."I'm not in favor of a polling location on the FHSU campus at this time," she said. "I do not think it's warranted."Dreiling said according to FHSU, about 1,650 students live on campus. As of last week, 69 people who lived on campus were registered to vote in Ellis County.Dreiling closed a polling location and combined the polling locations for Precinct One, Wards One and Two at Messiah Lutheran Church, 2000 MainIn those two precints, Dreiling said there are 429 registered voters who are 18 to 24 out of 1,420 registered voters."I don't want to inconvenience 900 voters," she said.Dreiling cited issues with driving and parking on campus as barriers for elderly voters.She said Messiah Lutheran Church is a central location.Challenger Democrat Laura Allen, who lives in the ward in question, said she favors having a polling location on campus."When we talk about elections, they are not static. They are dynamic," Allen said.She said the students living on campus are eligible to vote in Ellis County. She said if those students were encouraged to register to vote in Ellis County, they might be more likely to stay in Ellis County after they graduate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728957350254.jpeg" alt="A crowd gathered for the Ellis County Clerk forum sponsored by the Chamber in Hays on Monday at the Hays Public Library. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A crowd gathered for the Ellis County Clerk forum sponsored by the Chamber in Hays on Monday at the Hays Public Library. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>As a voter in the affected ward, Allen said she would prefer to vote on campus."I think more can be done to make sure people are included and feel heard," she said.The candidates were asked what they would do to encourage more FHSU students to register to vote in Ellis County.Dreiling said she sent information on voting deadlines to the American Democracy Project student group. She said students had not contacted her to host a voter registration event.Allen said she would host a voter registration drive and not wait for students to contact her.The candidates were asked what duties would be their priorities as county clerk.&nbsp;Dreiling said elections account for about 25% of her duties. However, she sets tax values in June and the mill levy in November.&nbsp;"Those are top priorities that I make sure they are done correctly," she said.She said she also values customer service and maintains an open-door policy for the public.Allen said elections would be a priority as well being open to communication with the public.The candidates were asked if they thought there was any fraud in elections.Allen said she believed in the security and integrity of elections.Dreiling said, "I don’t have any reason to believe there is fraud in elections. I don’t have proof.&nbsp;One thing I can promise everyone here sitting in this room and the citizens is that Ellis County has the most secure election process you can find."The candidates were asked how they work with other county officials to meet statutory deadlines.&nbsp;Allen said she would communicate with her counterparts and ensure she held herself accountable.Dreiling said she works well with the current county treasurer.&nbsp;Dreiling said she also has to work with the clerks of Russell, Rooks, Trego, and Rush counties to turn over the tax rolls to the county treasurer by Nov. 1.Both candidates said they wished the county clerk was not a partisan position.Dreiling said she would do her best to serve all of Ellis County's residents. Allen said she respects all people's beliefs.The last day to register to vote for the 2024 general election is today. Advance voting will begin on Monday at the Ellis County Administration Center, 718 Main St., Hays. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Ellis County Clerk candidates disagree on campus polling location

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Tickets are available for the Hays USD 489 Foundation for Education Excellence dinner and auction.

The event begins at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the Unrein Building, with dinner served at 6 p.m. Tickets are $65 each or $500 for a table of eight.

Foundation President Chrisy Crough said most of the foundation's funding comes from its annual auction, initially intended to help secure school entrances.

"Now that all of the schools have those safe and secure entrances, we are focused on making sure that all of the money raised at the auction goes directly into the classrooms to benefit the students and teachers in our district," Crough said.

Ticket purchases provide entry, dinner and drinks all evening long. You can buy tickets <a href="https://event.auctria.com/4d8d8d17-6c3d-4643-927d-8e85a16189b7/">online</a>&nbsp;or by calling 785-623-2400.

The auction will feature 40 live auction items and more than 100 silent auction items.

The auction items include spring break trips, sporting event tickets, season tickets to Fort Hays State University events, Hays High School events and various family-oriented experiences.

Interactive games, cash prizes and raffles have been added to provide fun for those who want to participate in the fundraiser but cannot afford large auction items.

"This is a fun way for them to be a part of the auction and give back to their education in the school district," Crough said.

Smokin' Co will provide catering, and Hays High culinary students will prepare desserts.

Crough said the money raised from the auction will support various academic projects and resources the school cannot provide, sparing teachers from paying out of pocket for ideas they want to implement in classrooms.

"We work directly with the district and the schools to provide students with educational opportunities that can allow them to be their best and learn in an environment that's conducive to high achievement," she said.

The funds raised to support various items include classroom seating, physical education equipment, playground equipment, books, scholarships, and social and emotional programs.

Crough said ticket sales are limited to 300. Due to strong community interest, the auction has sold out in previous years.

"The response from businesses when we ask them [for donations] is, 'Oh my gosh, yes, we would love to donate.' It's really awesome to see Hays come together," she said.

Crough also credits the Hays High football team for helping to step up chairs and tables, contributing to an evening filled with community spirit and fun.

The USD 489 Foundation accepts donations year-round. You can make donations <a href="https://www.usd489.com/page/foundation">online </a>or by mailing a check to the foundation at 323 W. 12th St., Hays.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728929608598.jpeg" alt="A previous USD 489 Foundation for Education Excellence dinner and auction. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>A previous USD 489 Foundation for Education Excellence dinner and auction. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostTickets are available for the Hays USD 489 Foundation for Education Excellence dinner and auction.The event begins at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the Unrein Building, with dinner served at 6 p.m. Tickets are $65 each or $500 for a table of eight.Foundation President Chrisy Crough said most of the foundation's funding comes from its annual auction, initially intended to help secure school entrances."Now that all of the schools have those safe and secure entrances, we are focused on making sure that all of the money raised at the auction goes directly into the classrooms to benefit the students and teachers in our district," Crough said.Ticket purchases provide entry, dinner and drinks all evening long. You can buy tickets <a href="https://event.auctria.com/4d8d8d17-6c3d-4643-927d-8e85a16189b7/">online</a>&nbsp;or by calling 785-623-2400.The auction will feature 40 live auction items and more than 100 silent auction items.The auction items include spring break trips, sporting event tickets, season tickets to Fort Hays State University events, Hays High School events and various family-oriented experiences.Interactive games, cash prizes and raffles have been added to provide fun for those who want to participate in the fundraiser but cannot afford large auction items."This is a fun way for them to be a part of the auction and give back to their education in the school district," Crough said.Smokin' Co will provide catering, and Hays High culinary students will prepare desserts.Crough said the money raised from the auction will support various academic projects and resources the school cannot provide, sparing teachers from paying out of pocket for ideas they want to implement in classrooms."We work directly with the district and the schools to provide students with educational opportunities that can allow them to be their best and learn in an environment that's conducive to high achievement," she said.The funds raised to support various items include classroom seating, physical education equipment, playground equipment, books, scholarships, and social and emotional programs.Crough said ticket sales are limited to 300. Due to strong community interest, the auction has sold out in previous years."The response from businesses when we ask them [for donations] is, 'Oh my gosh, yes, we would love to donate.' It's really awesome to see Hays come together," she said.Crough also credits the Hays High football team for helping to step up chairs and tables, contributing to an evening filled with community spirit and fun.The USD 489 Foundation accepts donations year-round. You can make donations <a href="https://www.usd489.com/page/foundation">online </a>or by mailing a check to the foundation at 323 W. 12th St., Hays.

USD 489 dinner, auction to fund classroom needs set for Oct. 26

HUTCHINSON -&nbsp;The streak continues for the Hays High girls' golf team. The Indians have qualified for the state tournament for a 19th straight year after winning the Hutchinson 5A regional yesterday at the Carey Park Golf Course.

Hays shot a 365, 25 strokes less than the host Salt Hawks. Salina South finished third with a 405.

 Jaycee Oakley shot a 5-over par 76 and led the Indians with a second&nbsp; place. Liz Dreiling placed fifth with
an 89 and Ava Erbert was eighth with a 97.

Newton's Naomi Koontz won the individual title with a 1-under par 70.

The 5A state tournament will be held at the Salina Municipal Golf Course on Monday, October 21st and Tuesday, October 22nd.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728988392041.jpeg" alt="The Hays High girls' golf team after winning the Hutchinson 5A regional on Monday, October 14, 2024. (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>The Hays High girls' golf team after winning the Hutchinson 5A regional on Monday, October 14, 2024. (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostHUTCHINSON -&nbsp;The streak continues for the Hays High girls' golf team. The Indians have qualified for the state tournament for a 19th straight year after winning the Hutchinson 5A regional yesterday at the Carey Park Golf Course.Hays shot a 365, 25 strokes less than the host Salt Hawks. Salina South finished third with a 405. Jaycee Oakley shot a 5-over par 76 and led the Indians with a second&nbsp; place. Liz Dreiling placed fifth with
an 89 and Ava Erbert was eighth with a 97.Newton's Naomi Koontz won the individual title with a 1-under par 70.The 5A state tournament will be held at the Salina Municipal Golf Course on Monday, October 21st and Tuesday, October 22nd.

⛳ HHS girls' continue streak, qualify for state

TOPEKA - Former Fort Hays State women's basketball standout and coach Annette Wiles was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Sunday evening.

Wiles was one of 12 inducted in the ceremony held at Hotel Topeka.

Click below to hear Gerard Wellbrock's visit with Wiles prior the the ceremony.

The 2024 inductees to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Wiles was a two-time NAIA All-America selection and the NAIA National Tournament MVP her senior year when she helped lead Fort Hays State to the 1991 NAIA Women's Basketball national title. Wiles is also the all-time leading scorer in Fort Hays State program history with 2,407 points and a scoring average of 20.4 points per game. She is the only player in the program's history to score 2,000 points in a career and only player with a career scoring average better than 16 points per game. Wiles still owns FHSU career records for the following categories – field goals made (993), field goals attempted (1,700), and field goal percentage (.584). She also owns the single-season records for points (880, 1990-91), scoring average (24.4 ppg), field goals made (358), field goals attempted (582), and rebounds (364).

Following her four-year playing career at Fort Hays State, Wiles went on to have a successful career as a women's collegiate basketball coach. She put together a career record 409-227 (.643). Her first head coaching position was at Bethany (Kan.) College (164-52 record) for seven years from 1994-2000 before leading her alma mater Fort Hays State (136-89 record) for eight years from 2000-2008. She moved on to become head coach for seven years at Minnesota Duluth (109-86 record) from 2008-2015. She was twice named Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year and twice named the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. She led three teams to NCAA Tournament appearances, which included Fort Hays State in 2005 and Minnesota Duluth in 2010 and 2012. She led Bethany College to four NAIA national tournament appearances. Following her time at Minnesota Duluth, Wiles returned to Kansas as athletic director at Topeka High School and then became the director of Hummer Sports Park in Topeka.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728929570235.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostTOPEKA - Former Fort Hays State women's basketball standout and coach Annette Wiles was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Sunday evening.Wiles was one of 12 inducted in the ceremony held at Hotel Topeka.Click below to hear Gerard Wellbrock's visit with Wiles prior the the ceremony.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1934923571&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/annette-wiles-kshof" title="Annette Wiles KSHOF" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Annette Wiles KSHOF</a></div></div>The 2024 inductees to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.<ul>
 <li>Dave Bingham&nbsp;- NAIA national champion baseball coach at Emporia State and head coach for College World Series participant Kansas</li><li>Erik Kynard&nbsp;– Olympic Gold Medalist High Jumper at Kansas State</li><li>Melvin Lister&nbsp;- National champion in the Long Jump at Leavenworth H.S., Butler County CC, and Arkansas</li><li>Mark Mangino&nbsp;- National Assistant Football Coach-of-the-Year at Oklahoma; and Head Coach for Orange Bowl Champion at Kansas</li><li>Ron Neugent&nbsp;- Swimming Gold Medalist in World University Games; and American Record-Holder at Kansas</li><li>Kelly Rankin&nbsp;- the only American to be the head starter for two Olympic Games</li><li>Scott Russell&nbsp;- NCAA champ and Olympic qualifier for Canada in the javelin at Kansas</li><li>Kevin Saunders&nbsp;- Bronze Medalist and Record-Holder for U.S. in Paralympic Games</li><li>Will Shields&nbsp;- Native Kansan, 14-year NFL veteran Kansas City Chiefs. Member, College &amp; NFL halls of fame</li><li>Sean Snyder&nbsp;- Consensus All-American punter and national special teams coach of the year at Kansas State</li><li>Mark Turgeon&nbsp;- All-State basketball player at Topeka Hayden, four-time NCAA Tournament qualifier at Kansas, Missouri Valley (Wichita State) and Big Ten Champion (Maryland) coach and conference Coach-of-the-Year.</li><li>Annette Wiles&nbsp;- Two-time NAIA Basketball All-American and NAIA Tournament MVP at Fort Hays State</li>
 </ul>Wiles was a two-time NAIA All-America selection and the NAIA National Tournament MVP her senior year when she helped lead Fort Hays State to the 1991 NAIA Women's Basketball national title. Wiles is also the all-time leading scorer in Fort Hays State program history with 2,407 points and a scoring average of 20.4 points per game. She is the only player in the program's history to score 2,000 points in a career and only player with a career scoring average better than 16 points per game. Wiles still owns FHSU career records for the following categories – field goals made (993), field goals attempted (1,700), and field goal percentage (.584). She also owns the single-season records for points (880, 1990-91), scoring average (24.4 ppg), field goals made (358), field goals attempted (582), and rebounds (364).Following her four-year playing career at Fort Hays State, Wiles went on to have a successful career as a women's collegiate basketball coach. She put together a career record 409-227 (.643). Her first head coaching position was at Bethany (Kan.) College (164-52 record) for seven years from 1994-2000 before leading her alma mater Fort Hays State (136-89 record) for eight years from 2000-2008. She moved on to become head coach for seven years at Minnesota Duluth (109-86 record) from 2008-2015. She was twice named Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year and twice named the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. She led three teams to NCAA Tournament appearances, which included Fort Hays State in 2005 and Minnesota Duluth in 2010 and 2012. She led Bethany College to four NAIA national tournament appearances. Following her time at Minnesota Duluth, Wiles returned to Kansas as athletic director at Topeka High School and then became the director of Hummer Sports Park in Topeka.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wiles inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A parent called Mindy Kuhn "the best of the best" when she nominated her for the September Child Care Champion award.

Katelyn Schmidt added, "We hit the jackpot when we found her to be our boys’ day care provider. She brings in so many community aspects to her day care.

"She is constantly teaching them something new every week and is always going above and beyond. I dread the day that my boys are out of day care, and that's something that you don't hear lately anymore. Everybody needs a Mindy in their families' lives!"

Schmidt also noted Kuhn's philanthropic activities with the children,&nbsp; such as the annual summer ARC Park lemonade stand and summer field trips.

She said Kuhn always finds the best opportunities to fill kids' time while parents work. 

"She's researched and implemented learning curriculums to get them ready for preschool and follow a learning schedule," Schmidt said. "My boys love every second of being at Mindy's, and it's such a heartwarming feeling knowing they spend their days with somebody who loves them like they are her own!"

Mindy&nbsp;Gabel also nominated Kuhn for the child care champion award.

"Mindy goes above and beyond for her day care kids," she said. "She truly treats them like her own children. She works hard with them on learning curriculum as well."&nbsp;

Kuhn, 36, of Hays, has been a child care provider for 12 years. She opened Little Explorers, her in-home child care when her son was young so she could stay home and spend time with him.

Kuhn's daughter is now 4 and is part of her day care.

"I just love to watch them grow," she said of her child care children. "You get to see a lot of their firsts. You get to be there for every milestone and share it with families. You are like their second home."

Kuhn said she focuses primarily on play at her child care.

However, the children have circle time during which the children learn colors, days of the week and the alphabet, or Kuhn reads the children books.

The children learn the "Pledge of Allegiance" as well as songs.

The 4-year-olds in her child care are trying to learn to write their names.

Every two weeks, Kuhn has a theme accompanied by experiments or crafts.

Last week, the kids were making fall-themed crafts, such as candy corn men and scarecrows.

"We just like to have fun all of the time," she said.

The children in her child care have also been fascinated with treasure maps. She draws maps for them and then hides items in the house or in the yard.

"We have chairs, and they make those into a ship. We have blankets for the babies, and they have me tie them around their heads so they get into full character," Kuhn said.

Kuhn said the most challenging aspect of operating in-home child care is balancing home and child care life.&nbsp;

"Over the years, I have been able to make my child care program fit better to our home life," she said.

She has a dedicated room for her child care, and she matches her calendar with the K-12 public school calendar.&nbsp;

Kuhn organizes field trips and activities involving parents. The child care children take a trip to the Salina zoo every summer.

Other activities have included trips to local museums, the pumpkin patch, the splash pad and Easter egg hunts.

The children also host a lemonade stand to raise funds for the ARC Park.&nbsp;

"That is their favorite activity. That is probably their favorite memory is serving lemonade," Kuhn said.

"They get so excited when people they know come, and they get to serve them," she said. "It is pretty fun to see their faces and interactions with friends and family members."

Miss May comes from the library once a month.

"Last month, they were pretending to be here. They would sit in the chair, and they would pretend taking turns reading stories. We would have to refer to them as Miss May," Kuhn said.

Monique Koerner from K-State Research and Extension also visits every other month to lead the children on story walks or in different activities.

"I like having the kids involved with community members and taking them out into the community because they get to learn," Kuhn said. "Kids learn by doing."

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1f8ff50b-eb8c-488a-be8f-aab306e98f26#//">Nominate your favorite child care provider for the monthly Child Care Champion award HERE.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728575972241.jpeg" alt="Mindy Kuhn, Hays child care provider, with her child care children at the Ellis Railroad Museum. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Mindy Kuhn, Hays child care provider, with her child care children at the Ellis Railroad Museum. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA parent called Mindy Kuhn "the best of the best" when she nominated her for the September Child Care Champion award.Katelyn Schmidt added, "We hit the jackpot when we found her to be our boys’ day care provider. She brings in so many community aspects to her day care."She is constantly teaching them something new every week and is always going above and beyond. I dread the day that my boys are out of day care, and that's something that you don't hear lately anymore. Everybody needs a Mindy in their families' lives!"Schmidt also noted Kuhn's philanthropic activities with the children,&nbsp; such as the annual summer ARC Park lemonade stand and summer field trips.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728577060327.jpeg" alt="The Mindy's Kuhn Little Explorers at their ARC Park lemonade stand. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The Mindy's Kuhn Little Explorers at their ARC Park lemonade stand. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>She said Kuhn always finds the best opportunities to fill kids' time while parents work. "She's researched and implemented learning curriculums to get them ready for preschool and follow a learning schedule," Schmidt said. "My boys love every second of being at Mindy's, and it's such a heartwarming feeling knowing they spend their days with somebody who loves them like they are her own!"Mindy&nbsp;Gabel also nominated Kuhn for the child care champion award."Mindy goes above and beyond for her day care kids," she said. "She truly treats them like her own children. She works hard with them on learning curriculum as well."&nbsp;Kuhn, 36, of Hays, has been a child care provider for 12 years. She opened Little Explorers, her in-home child care when her son was young so she could stay home and spend time with him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728577095757.jpeg" alt="The Little Explorers serving lemonade at their ARC Park lemonade stand. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The Little Explorers serving lemonade at their ARC Park lemonade stand. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Kuhn's daughter is now 4 and is part of her day care."I just love to watch them grow," she said of her child care children. "You get to see a lot of their firsts. You get to be there for every milestone and share it with families. You are like their second home."Kuhn said she focuses primarily on play at her child care.However, the children have circle time during which the children learn colors, days of the week and the alphabet, or Kuhn reads the children books.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728577134708.jpeg" alt="Kuhn and family at the ARC Park lemonade stand. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kuhn and family at the ARC Park lemonade stand. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The children learn the "Pledge of Allegiance" as well as songs.The 4-year-olds in her child care are trying to learn to write their names.Every two weeks, Kuhn has a theme accompanied by experiments or crafts.Last week, the kids were making fall-themed crafts, such as candy corn men and scarecrows."We just like to have fun all of the time," she said.The children in her child care have also been fascinated with treasure maps. She draws maps for them and then hides items in the house or in the yard."We have chairs, and they make those into a ship. We have blankets for the babies, and they have me tie them around their heads so they get into full character," Kuhn said.Kuhn said the most challenging aspect of operating in-home child care is balancing home and child care life.&nbsp;"Over the years, I have been able to make my child care program fit better to our home life," she said.She has a dedicated room for her child care, and she matches her calendar with the K-12 public school calendar.&nbsp;Kuhn organizes field trips and activities involving parents. The child care children take a trip to the Salina zoo every summer.Other activities have included trips to local museums, the pumpkin patch, the splash pad and Easter egg hunts.The children also host a lemonade stand to raise funds for the ARC Park.&nbsp;"That is their favorite activity. That is probably their favorite memory is serving lemonade," Kuhn said."They get so excited when people they know come, and they get to serve them," she said. "It is pretty fun to see their faces and interactions with friends and family members."Miss May comes from the library once a month."Last month, they were pretending to be here. They would sit in the chair, and they would pretend taking turns reading stories. We would have to refer to them as Miss May," Kuhn said.Monique Koerner from K-State Research and Extension also visits every other month to lead the children on story walks or in different activities."I like having the kids involved with community members and taking them out into the community because they get to learn," Kuhn said. "Kids learn by doing."<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1f8ff50b-eb8c-488a-be8f-aab306e98f26#//">Nominate your favorite child care provider for the monthly Child Care Champion award HERE.</a>

Parent: Child Care Champion best of the best

*Correction: Early voting begins Oct. 21 in Ellis County.

On this episode of The Post Podcast Hays Post reporter Jonathan Zweygardt speaks with Ellis County Deputy Clerk Ruth Mermis about the 2024 general election cycle.

<div><iframe title="Ellis Co. Deputy Clerk shares key election dates" allowtransparency="true" height="600" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:600px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=aqi4q-1705bce-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=600" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>*Correction: Early voting begins Oct. 21 in Ellis County.On this episode of The Post Podcast Hays Post reporter Jonathan Zweygardt speaks with Ellis County Deputy Clerk Ruth Mermis about the 2024 general election cycle.

🎙 Post Podcast: Ellis Co. Deputy Clerk shares key election dates

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates dipped last year and the proportion of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/schoolvaxview/data/index.html">federal data</a>&nbsp;posted Wednesday.

The share of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 3.3%, up from 3% the year before. Meanwhile, 92.7% of kindergartners got their required shots, which is a little lower than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccination-exemptions-children-cdc-951427e55b24c8e7eb3a23b26946f630">the previous two years</a>. Before the COVID-19 pandemic the vaccination rate was 95%, the coverage level that makes it unlikely that a single infection will spark a disease cluster or outbreak.

The changes may seem slight but are significant, translating to about 80,000 kids not getting vaccinated, health officials say.

The rates help explain a worrisome creep in cases of whooping cough, measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, said Dr. Raynard Washington, chair of the Big Cities Health Coalition, which represents 35 large metropolitan public health departments.

“We all have been challenged with emerging outbreaks ... across the country,” said Washington, the director of the health department serving Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that coverage with MMR, DTaP, polio and chickenpox vaccines decreased in more than 30 states among kindergartners for the 2023-2024 school year, Washington noted.

Public health officials focus on vaccination rates for kindergartners because schools can be cauldrons for germs and launching pads for community outbreaks.

For years, those rates were high, thanks largely to school attendance mandates that required key vaccinations. All U.S. states and territories require that children attending child care centers and schools be vaccinated against&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/by-age/years-4-6.html">a number of diseases</a>, including, measles, mumps, polio, tetanus, whooping cough and chickenpox.

All states allow exemptions for children with medical conditions that prevent them from receiving certain vaccines. And most&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/health/states-with-religious-and-philosophical-exemptions-from-school-immunization-requirements">also permit exemptions</a>&nbsp;for religious or other nonmedical reasons.

In the last decade, the percentage of kindergartners with medical exemptions has held steady, at about 0.2%. But the percentage with nonmedical exemptions has inched up, lifting the overall exemption rate from 1.6% in the 2011-2012 school year to more than twice that last year.

The rates can be influenced by state laws or policies that make it harder or easier to obtain exemptions, and by local attitudes among families and doctors about the need to get children vaccinated. For example, according to the CDC data, 14.3% of kindergartners had an exemption to one or more vaccines in Idaho. But fewer than 1% did in Connecticut and Mississippi.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates dipped last year and the proportion of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/schoolvaxview/data/index.html">federal data</a>&nbsp;posted Wednesday.The share of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 3.3%, up from 3% the year before. Meanwhile, 92.7% of kindergartners got their required shots, which is a little lower than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccination-exemptions-children-cdc-951427e55b24c8e7eb3a23b26946f630">the previous two years</a>. Before the COVID-19 pandemic the vaccination rate was 95%, the coverage level that makes it unlikely that a single infection will spark a disease cluster or outbreak.The changes may seem slight but are significant, translating to about 80,000 kids not getting vaccinated, health officials say.The rates help explain a worrisome creep in cases of whooping cough, measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, said Dr. Raynard Washington, chair of the Big Cities Health Coalition, which represents 35 large metropolitan public health departments.“We all have been challenged with emerging outbreaks ... across the country,” said Washington, the director of the health department serving Charlotte, North Carolina.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that coverage with MMR, DTaP, polio and chickenpox vaccines decreased in more than 30 states among kindergartners for the 2023-2024 school year, Washington noted.Public health officials focus on vaccination rates for kindergartners because schools can be cauldrons for germs and launching pads for community outbreaks.For years, those rates were high, thanks largely to school attendance mandates that required key vaccinations. All U.S. states and territories require that children attending child care centers and schools be vaccinated against&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/by-age/years-4-6.html">a number of diseases</a>, including, measles, mumps, polio, tetanus, whooping cough and chickenpox.All states allow exemptions for children with medical conditions that prevent them from receiving certain vaccines. And most&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/health/states-with-religious-and-philosophical-exemptions-from-school-immunization-requirements">also permit exemptions</a>&nbsp;for religious or other nonmedical reasons.In the last decade, the percentage of kindergartners with medical exemptions has held steady, at about 0.2%. But the percentage with nonmedical exemptions has inched up, lifting the overall exemption rate from 1.6% in the 2011-2012 school year to more than twice that last year.The rates can be influenced by state laws or policies that make it harder or easier to obtain exemptions, and by local attitudes among families and doctors about the need to get children vaccinated. For example, according to the CDC data, 14.3% of kindergartners had an exemption to one or more vaccines in Idaho. But fewer than 1% did in Connecticut and Mississippi.Within states, clustering of unvaccinated kids can be even more concentrated in particular communities or schools, said Noel Brewer, a University of North Carolina professor of health behavior.“People who are skeptical (about vaccinees) tend to live close to one another and create the conditions for a breakthrough of measles and other diseases,” he said.The slide in vaccination rates was not unexpected. Online misinformation and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-governor-hutchinson-covid-vaccine-hesitancy-09cadd2e75ddd5a4c0758b2cb1b6cbfd">the political schism</a>&nbsp;that emerged around COVID-19 vaccines have led more parents to question the routine childhood vaccinations that they used to automatically accept, experts say.A decrease has already been reported in Louisville, Kentucky — a city that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/children-vaccinated-cdc-louisville-630b05bcd3b319a1d1028ca34e65b532">celebrated</a>&nbsp;as a vaccination success story. And a CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7338a3.htm?s_cid=mm7338a3_w">report</a>&nbsp;last week noted a decline in vaccination rates for 2-year-olds.Measles and whooping cough cases are at their highest levels since 2019, and there are still three months left in the year. And 200 flu-associated pediatric deaths were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2024-week-38.html">reported</a>&nbsp;in the 2023-2024 season, the most since 2009.Charlotte's Mecklenburg County this year saw North Carolina's first measles case since 2018. Mecklenburg also saw 19 whooping cough infections and three people with mumps earlier this year, said Washington, who noted the county usually sees none.Increases in international travel and people moving to the Charlotte area from other countries raises the risk of introduction of vaccine-preventable diseases, “so it's concerning when you start to lose coverage of vaccines among your population,” Washington said.