HAYS – The Hays Larks used a pair of big innings to knock off the
Fort Collins Foxes Friday night in the first of two Rocky Mountain Baseball
League contests this weekend at Larks Park.

Hays got the scoring started in the bottom of the second
inning scoring five times.

The Larks loaded the bases to open the inning and then Kaleb
Duncan was hit by a pitch, driving in the first run of the game.

In the very next at bat Thomas Lyssy singled in a run making
it 2-0 Hays. The Larks added a third run on a passed ball and then Kaiden Ashton then capped
the five-run inning with a two-run single putting Hays up 5-0.

Will Carpenter’s solo homerun in the third made it 6-0
Larks.

The Foxes cut the deficit in half with a three-run homerun for
a 6-3 Hays lead through five and a half.

Carpenter got a run back for the Larks in the bottom of the six,
scoring on a passed ball with Hays leading 7-3.

In the seventh Lyssy was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded
driving in the Larks eighth run of the night. They added two more on a Trent
Baker double for a 10-3 lead.

Fort Collins scored a single run in the top of the eighth
and Hays answered with one of their own on a RBI triple by Houston Russell.

The Foxes scored another single run in the top of the ninth but
the Larks closed out the 11-5 victory.

Larks starter Nolan Wilson allowed three earned runs on five
hits with five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings for the win.

Ashton, Lyssy and Baker each drove in two runs. Russell
collected three hits.

Hays improves to 22-6 and 17-5 in the RMBL.

They will close out the two-game series with the Foxes Saturday
at Larks Park. 

Hays PostHAYS – The Hays Larks used a pair of big innings to knock off the
Fort Collins Foxes Friday night in the first of two Rocky Mountain Baseball
League contests this weekend at Larks Park.Hays got the scoring started in the bottom of the second
inning scoring five times.The Larks loaded the bases to open the inning and then Kaleb
Duncan was hit by a pitch, driving in the first run of the game.In the very next at bat Thomas Lyssy singled in a run making
it 2-0 Hays. The Larks added a third run on a passed ball and then Kaiden Ashton then capped
the five-run inning with a two-run single putting Hays up 5-0.Will Carpenter’s solo homerun in the third made it 6-0
Larks.The Foxes cut the deficit in half with a three-run homerun for
a 6-3 Hays lead through five and a half.Carpenter got a run back for the Larks in the bottom of the six,
scoring on a passed ball with Hays leading 7-3.In the seventh Lyssy was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded
driving in the Larks eighth run of the night. They added two more on a Trent
Baker double for a 10-3 lead.Fort Collins scored a single run in the top of the eighth
and Hays answered with one of their own on a RBI triple by Houston Russell.The Foxes scored another single run in the top of the ninth but
the Larks closed out the 11-5 victory.Larks starter Nolan Wilson allowed three earned runs on five
hits with five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings for the win.Ashton, Lyssy and Baker each drove in two runs. Russell
collected three hits.Hays improves to 22-6 and 17-5 in the RMBL.They will close out the two-game series with the Foxes Saturday
at Larks Park.

⚾Larks use big innings to take down Foxes

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement continue working to identify the body of a man found in the Arkansas River on Thursday.

Just after 4p.m., first responders were called to a location on the river near Pawnee and Broadway in south Wichita. The victim, described as possibly in his 30s, was pulled from the water and pronounced deceased.

On Friday afternoon, police investigators were still working with the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death and learn his identity, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720813873343.png" alt="Firs responders on the scene Thursday along the Arkansas River-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Firs responders on the scene Thursday along the Arkansas River-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement continue working to identify the body of a man found in the Arkansas River on Thursday.Just after 4p.m., first responders were called to a location on the river near Pawnee and Broadway in south Wichita. The victim, described as possibly in his 30s, was pulled from the water and pronounced deceased.On Friday afternoon, police investigators were still working with the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death and learn his identity, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Investigators working to ID body found in river in Kansas

BOSTON (AP) — A lawsuit was filed Thursday against Hershey, Walgreens and several others in the case of a Massachusetts teen who died after he participated in a spicy tortilla chip challenge that was widely promoted on social media.

Harris Wolobah, a 10th grader from the city of Worcester, died Sept. 1, 2023, after eating the Paqui chip as part of the manufacturer’s “One Chip Challenge.” An autopsy found Wolobah died after eating a large quantity of chile pepper extract and also had a congenital heart defect.

Harris died of cardiopulmonary arrest “in the setting of recent ingestion of food substance with high capsaicin concentration,” according to the autopsy from the Chief Office of the Medical Examiner. Capsaicin is the component that gives chile peppers their heat. The autopsy also said Harris had cardiomegaly, meaning an enlarged heart, and a congenital defect described as “myocardial bridging of the left anterior descending coronary artery.”

“Today we filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of this wonderful family for the loss of their beloved son, Harris,” said Douglas Sheff, one of the attorneys representing the family in the lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court. The lawsuit seeks a judgement determined by the court that would include punitive damages.

Sheff said the parties created “a perfect storm” that led to Wolobah's death that included Paqui producing the spicy chip and encouraging people to post videos of themselves eating the chip on social media while the lawsuit alleged Walgreens sold the “poisonous chip” to children.

“The defendants charged about $10 for each chip, $10 for the chip that killed Harris, $10 for his life,” Sheff said. “Isn’t it clear that these defendants knew full well that this chip was unreasonably dangerous? And isn’t this an obvious marketing campaign designed to attract kids to that very danger?”

Lois and Amos Wolobah, the parents of Harris, attended the news conference but did not speak. But at several points, Amos Wolobah appeared to become emotional and Lois seemed to blow a kiss to a photo that was shown of Harris.

The autopsy said Harris Wolobah had cardiomegaly, meaning an enlarged heart, and a congenital defect described as “myocardial bridging of the left anterior descending coronary artery.” But Sheff was adamant that had nothing to do with his death.

“The chip is what killed him,” he said.

Paqui, a Texas-based subsidiary of the Hershey Co., has expressed its sadness about Wolobah's death but also cited the chip’s “clear and prominent labeling highlighting that the product was not for children or anyone sensitive to spicy foods or with underlying health conditions.”

The Paqui chip, sold individually for about $10, came wrapped in foil in a coffin-shaped box containing the warning that it was intended for the “vengeful pleasure of intense heat and pain.” The warning noted that the chip was for adult consumption only, and should be kept out of the reach of children. After seeing reports of teens and others not heeding those warnings, the company said it worked with retailers to “voluntarily remove the product from shelves in September 2023, and the One Chip Challenge has been discontinued.”

A spokesperson for Walgreens said it had no comment on the lawsuit while Hershey's did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Despite the warning, children had no problem buying the chips, and there had been reports from around the country of teens who got sick after taking part in the chip-eating challenge. Among them were three California high school students who were taken to a hospital and seven students in Minnesota who were treated by paramedics after taking part in the challenge in 2022.

The challenge called for participants to eat the Paqui chip and then see how long they could go without consuming other food and water. Sales of the chip seemed largely driven by people posting videos on social media of them or their friends taking the challenge. They showed people, including children, unwrapping the packaging, eating the chips and then reacting to the heat. Some videos showed people gagging, coughing and begging for water and the lawsuit cites scores of examples of people becoming sick after eating the chip.

Harris Wolobah's death spurred warnings from Massachusetts authorities and physicians, who cautioned that eating such spicy foods can have unintended consequences. Since the chip fad emerged, poison control centers have warned that the concentrated amount could cause allergic reactions, trouble breathing, irregular heartbeats and even heart attacks or strokes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715872898677.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — A lawsuit was filed Thursday against Hershey, Walgreens and several others in the case of a Massachusetts teen who died after he participated in a spicy tortilla chip challenge that was widely promoted on social media.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/zQqfVwgTGD">pic.twitter.com/zQqfVwgTGD</a>&mdash; Paqui Chips (@paquichips) <a href="https://twitter.com/paquichips/status/1699875802941145473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Harris Wolobah, a 10th grader from the city of Worcester, died Sept. 1, 2023, after eating the Paqui chip as part of the manufacturer’s “One Chip Challenge.” An autopsy found Wolobah died after eating a large quantity of chile pepper extract and also had a congenital heart defect.Harris died of cardiopulmonary arrest “in the setting of recent ingestion of food substance with high capsaicin concentration,” according to the autopsy from the Chief Office of the Medical Examiner. Capsaicin is the component that gives chile peppers their heat. The autopsy also said Harris had cardiomegaly, meaning an enlarged heart, and a congenital defect described as “myocardial bridging of the left anterior descending coronary artery.”“Today we filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of this wonderful family for the loss of their beloved son, Harris,” said Douglas Sheff, one of the attorneys representing the family in the lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court. The lawsuit seeks a judgement determined by the court that would include punitive damages.Sheff said the parties created “a perfect storm” that led to Wolobah's death that included Paqui producing the spicy chip and encouraging people to post videos of themselves eating the chip on social media while the lawsuit alleged Walgreens sold the “poisonous chip” to children.“The defendants charged about $10 for each chip, $10 for the chip that killed Harris, $10 for his life,” Sheff said. “Isn’t it clear that these defendants knew full well that this chip was unreasonably dangerous? And isn’t this an obvious marketing campaign designed to attract kids to that very danger?”Lois and Amos Wolobah, the parents of Harris, attended the news conference but did not speak. But at several points, Amos Wolobah appeared to become emotional and Lois seemed to blow a kiss to a photo that was shown of Harris.The autopsy said Harris Wolobah had cardiomegaly, meaning an enlarged heart, and a congenital defect described as “myocardial bridging of the left anterior descending coronary artery.” But Sheff was adamant that had nothing to do with his death.“The chip is what killed him,” he said.Paqui, a Texas-based subsidiary of the Hershey Co., has expressed its sadness about Wolobah's death but also cited the chip’s “clear and prominent labeling highlighting that the product was not for children or anyone sensitive to spicy foods or with underlying health conditions.”The Paqui chip, sold individually for about $10, came wrapped in foil in a coffin-shaped box containing the warning that it was intended for the “vengeful pleasure of intense heat and pain.” The warning noted that the chip was for adult consumption only, and should be kept out of the reach of children. After seeing reports of teens and others not heeding those warnings, the company said it worked with retailers to “voluntarily remove the product from shelves in September 2023, and the One Chip Challenge has been discontinued.”A spokesperson for Walgreens said it had no comment on the lawsuit while Hershey's did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Despite the warning, children had no problem buying the chips, and there had been reports from around the country of teens who got sick after taking part in the chip-eating challenge. Among them were three California high school students who were taken to a hospital and seven students in Minnesota who were treated by paramedics after taking part in the challenge in 2022.The challenge called for participants to eat the Paqui chip and then see how long they could go without consuming other food and water. Sales of the chip seemed largely driven by people posting videos on social media of them or their friends taking the challenge. They showed people, including children, unwrapping the packaging, eating the chips and then reacting to the heat. Some videos showed people gagging, coughing and begging for water and the lawsuit cites scores of examples of people becoming sick after eating the chip.Harris Wolobah's death spurred warnings from Massachusetts authorities and physicians, who cautioned that eating such spicy foods can have unintended consequences. Since the chip fad emerged, poison control centers have warned that the concentrated amount could cause allergic reactions, trouble breathing, irregular heartbeats and even heart attacks or strokes.

Lawsuit filed: Teen died after eating spicy chip, part of online challenge

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Grow Hays broke ground on the Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center at the Grove housing development on Thursday.

The $6 million, 14,000-square-foot community center near 27th and Canterbury will house a child care center with 77 available slots, the Hays Senior Center and multi-purpose rooms for public use.

The Child Care Task Force of Ellis County helped Grow Hays apply for grants for child care in the community center.

When the child care task force was formed in 2021, Hays needed more than 700 childcare slots, according to Child Care Aware. The latest data shows the county needs 419 slots, and that does not count the 77 slots that will be created within the community center.

The Kansas Children's Cabinet and Trust Fund granted the project $3.5 million. The funds came from a tobacco settlement to the states and were designated for early childhood education by the Kansas Legislature in 1999.

The senior center will move from Old Highway 40 to the new center once it is complete.

"The seniors are here in force today, and that's awesome because this is going to be a new home to them," Doug Williams,&nbsp;Grow Hays executive director, said. "It's going to be a great improvement from what they have and something I think will have much better attendance and utilization. It's the home they deserve."

Sandy Jacobs, Hays city commissioner, said when she ran for office, she pledged to find a new home for the senior center, "a space that honors the generation who created this community."

"A year from now, we will not only open those doors to our seniors but to 77 kiddos who will have a new care center. Intergeneration is not just a catchphrase. It is a program that makes sure we don't lose sight of the community by learning from those who did."

Williams said HaysMed donated the land for the project and made special arrangements to purchase the rest of the property.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d4905ecc-aa45-4fce-af54-df4ccd0647cc">The Hays City Commission has agreed to issue industrial revenue bonds for the project</a>, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0e2413b0-9ec2-4838-9d17-37a8256fb7f2">Ellis County Commission</a> has pledged funds for the project.&nbsp;

The Robert and Bob Schmidt Foundation donated funds toward the community center project, for whom the center is named.

"When you talk about you make a life by what you give, I can't think of a better example than Bob Schmidt," Williams said. "You look around and see his name on buildings, but it is way more than that.

"He is a contributor as much in death as he was in life through his foundation."

<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2017/08/08/%f0%9f%8e%a5-generous-nature-and-leadership-of-bob-schmidt-will-be-greatly-missed/">Schmidt was born in LaCrosse and lived most of his life in Hays. Schmidt was the president/CEO of Eagle Communications and eventually sold the company to its employees&nbsp;through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan.</a>

"When we started looking at this community center as something that Bob and Pat would be interested in—something the other trustees and myself would be interested in supporting, it became very apparent that this would be the epicenter of what happens in our community," Gary Shorman, Schmidt Foundation president, said.

He said the community center is another special project in Hays.

"You don't have to drive very far to see the cranes, the new construction, the building and those things in the community that you don't see in any other place up and down the interstate," Shorman said. "We have something special here. ...

"This is something [Bob and Pat] would have been proud of because this is what community meant to them."

The property around the center, adjacent to HaysMed, will be developed into housing marketed to retirees.

Williams said Thursday he anticipates construction work will begin on the center in August and be completed by next summer.

The owners of Bright Minds Academy, who also operate the HaysMed child care center, will operate the child care in the new community center.

"The hard work is just now starting," Williams said. "The dollars raised is one thing. Actually executing and getting it done is another. Having gone through a couple of these, we know there are going to be challenges, but we are up to the task, and we'll make sure it happens."

Infrastructure development for the housing addition is also set to start soon. Williams said lots of homes should be available for development by next summer. Grow Hays already has had people express interest in purchasing those homes and has developed a waiting list.

For more information, you can contact Grow Hays at 785-628-3102.

Tessere is the architect of the project, and PWC is the contractor.

Editor's note: Gary Shorman is chairman of the board and chief development officer of Eagle Communications, which owns and operates the Hays Post.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720722882818.png" alt="Conceptual drawing of the Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center at the future Grove housing development. Courtesy image." />
 <figcaption>Conceptual drawing of the Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center at the future Grove housing development. Courtesy image.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostGrow Hays broke ground on the Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center at the Grove housing development on Thursday.The $6 million, 14,000-square-foot community center near 27th and Canterbury will house a child care center with 77 available slots, the Hays Senior Center and multi-purpose rooms for public use.The Child Care Task Force of Ellis County helped Grow Hays apply for grants for child care in the community center.When the child care task force was formed in 2021, Hays needed more than 700 childcare slots, according to Child Care Aware. The latest data shows the county needs 419 slots, and that does not count the 77 slots that will be created within the community center.The Kansas Children's Cabinet and Trust Fund granted the project $3.5 million. The funds came from a tobacco settlement to the states and were designated for early childhood education by the Kansas Legislature in 1999.The senior center will move from Old Highway 40 to the new center once it is complete."The seniors are here in force today, and that's awesome because this is going to be a new home to them," Doug Williams,&nbsp;Grow Hays executive director, said. "It's going to be a great improvement from what they have and something I think will have much better attendance and utilization. It's the home they deserve."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720726789183.jpeg" alt="Community center layout.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Community center layout.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Sandy Jacobs, Hays city commissioner, said when she ran for office, she pledged to find a new home for the senior center, "a space that honors the generation who created this community.""A year from now, we will not only open those doors to our seniors but to 77 kiddos who will have a new care center. Intergeneration is not just a catchphrase. It is a program that makes sure we don't lose sight of the community by learning from those who did."Williams said HaysMed donated the land for the project and made special arrangements to purchase the rest of the property.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d4905ecc-aa45-4fce-af54-df4ccd0647cc">The Hays City Commission has agreed to issue industrial revenue bonds for the project</a>, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0e2413b0-9ec2-4838-9d17-37a8256fb7f2">Ellis County Commission</a> has pledged funds for the project.&nbsp;The Robert and Bob Schmidt Foundation donated funds toward the community center project, for whom the center is named.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720727306389.jpeg" alt="Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams speaks to the group at the groundbreaking Thursday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Grow Hays Executive Director Doug Williams speaks to the group at the groundbreaking Thursday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"When you talk about you make a life by what you give, I can't think of a better example than Bob Schmidt," Williams said. "You look around and see his name on buildings, but it is way more than that."He is a contributor as much in death as he was in life through his foundation."<a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/2017/08/08/%f0%9f%8e%a5-generous-nature-and-leadership-of-bob-schmidt-will-be-greatly-missed/">Schmidt was born in LaCrosse and lived most of his life in Hays. Schmidt was the president/CEO of Eagle Communications and eventually sold the company to its employees&nbsp;through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan.</a>"When we started looking at this community center as something that Bob and Pat would be interested in—something the other trustees and myself would be interested in supporting, it became very apparent that this would be the epicenter of what happens in our community," Gary Shorman, Schmidt Foundation president, said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719410122678.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>He said the community center is another special project in Hays."You don't have to drive very far to see the cranes, the new construction, the building and those things in the community that you don't see in any other place up and down the interstate," Shorman said. "We have something special here. ..."This is something [Bob and Pat] would have been proud of because this is what community meant to them."The property around the center, adjacent to HaysMed, will be developed into housing marketed to retirees.Williams said Thursday he anticipates construction work will begin on the center in August and be completed by next summer.The owners of Bright Minds Academy, who also operate the HaysMed child care center, will operate the child care in the new community center.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720727698519.jpeg" alt="Ground was broken Thursday on the Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center at The Grove housing addition at Canterbury and 27th streets in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Ground was broken Thursday on the Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center at The Grove housing addition at Canterbury and 27th streets in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"The hard work is just now starting," Williams said. "The dollars raised is one thing. Actually executing and getting it done is another. Having gone through a couple of these, we know there are going to be challenges, but we are up to the task, and we'll make sure it happens."Infrastructure development for the housing addition is also set to start soon. Williams said lots of homes should be available for development by next summer. Grow Hays already has had people express interest in purchasing those homes and has developed a waiting list.For more information, you can contact Grow Hays at 785-628-3102.Tessere is the architect of the project, and PWC is the contractor.Editor's note: Gary Shorman is chairman of the board and chief development officer of Eagle Communications, which owns and operates the Hays Post.

Ground broken Thursday on Bob, Pat Schmidt Community Center at The Grove

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Pedal through Kansas history on Saturday with the Tour Die Kapellen bike ride, a journey through small towns that immerses you in rich culture.

The fifth-annual Tour of Chapels features stops at St. Catherine Church in Catharine, The Basilica on the Plains in Victoria, Holy Cross Church in Pfeifer and St. Francis Church in Munjor.

Kay Werth, president of the Hays Area Bicyclists, said the concept originated to showcase Ellis County's history and culture while promoting health.

"We thought Ellis County had so much to offer," she said. "It promotes wellness, geography, limestone structures and beautiful landscapes."

The Hays Area Bicyclists is a nonprofit that supports health through cycling. The Tour of the Chapels was created as a joint effort among four rural communities in Ellis County to celebrate Volga-German heritage.

Cyclists can choose from a 15-mile casual ride to a 100-mile journey that begins at Hays Municipal Park, 100 Main St. While most routes are on asphalt roads, the 54-mile mixed-surface route includes 27 miles of gravel.

Depending on the route chosen, cyclists can pedal to <a href="https://www.volgagerman.net/catharine-church">St. Catherine Church</a> in Catharine, <a href="https://www.stfidelischurch.com/">The Basilica on the Plains</a> in Victoria, <a href="http://www.kansastravel.org/holycrosschurch.htm">Holy Cross Church</a> in Pfeifer and <a href="http://www.kansastravel.org/stfrancischurchmunjor.htm">St. Francis Church</a> in Munjor.

Routes of 75 to 100 miles begin with a self-start between 6:45 a.m. and 7 a.m., while the 15-mile ride departs at 9 a.m. Saturday. You can view the Tour of the Chapels' schedule of events <a href="https://tourdiekapellen.com/2024-ride/#schedule2024">here</a>.

Werth said the 15-mile casual ride is ideal for first-timers. It is led by three experienced cyclists to ensure guidance and safety.

"We call that a beginner route because it gets people introduced to riding on the tour and how to communicate with others that they're cycling with," she said.

The Ellis County Sheriff's Department will patrol the routes, while the Hays Police Department will assist in escorting the convoy of bikes out of the city.

Registration costs $55 per person for the bike ride and $85 per person for the bus tour. On-site registration opens Saturday at 6:30 a.m.

Riders will receive a free shirt, an authentic German meal and drink tickets, which are required for the post-ride meal. The registration form is available <a href="https://tourdiekapellen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-Registration-Form.pdf">here</a>.

This year, the bus tour has been reduced from two buses to one with limited space and limited meal tickets available for purchase. You can contact haysareabicyclists@gmail.com to check availability.

"We're back to one bus, which is OK because of the amount of time it takes people to get on and off the bus. We want them to have as much time in the churches as they can," Werth said.

The bus tour, led by Jerry Braun, a descendant of the Volga Germans who arrived in Ellis County from Russia in 1876, will depart at 8:30 a.m. after the cyclists have left the area.

With help from the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau and the <a href="https://www.hayssymphony.org/">Hays Symphony</a>, most of the profits will go to the Hays Symphony this year. Next year, the ride will continue the tradition of distributing funds to a different church each year.

"We're going to put this on a five-year basis and donate the money to the four main churches," Werth said on how the concept came to be. "The fifth year, we're going to give the bulk of the money to the symphony."

Founded in 1914, the Hays Symphony Orchestra is the longest-running orchestra in Kansas. Its about 60 musicians include Fort Hays State University students and faculty, Hays area volunteers and guest musicians from throughout the state.

With 90 volunteers at each stop, attendees can enjoy snacks, water and music from the Hays Symphony at every church, except for the Basilica of the Plains, which will feature a local brass choir.

The after-ride party will feature music by Simply Tone from noon to 2 p.m. Adult beverages from <a href="https://www.defiancebeer.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3_YpogTbu4Jt_wmjMmKkK5fxJ-DwJwZJisOV35kCnTsA6YY_n488WKVHA_aem_12orRt0S62cUeBzj9KIxAg">Defiance Brewery Co.</a>,&nbsp;and non-alcoholic refreshments will be available.

German meals will be served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., but dishes will be boxed up for anyone who misses this time window. Some of the food offered will include cream potatoes, dumplings and green beans. Vegan options will be provided by <a href="https://www.lbbrewing.com/">Gella's Diner and LB Brewing Co</a>.

There are 50 registered participants on the bus tour, and about 230 people have signed up for the bike ride through Ellis County.

Werth said riders are likely to consider the weather conditions before signing up for the ride, with the expectation of a hot Saturday.

"We all believe in the power of prayer. We've had such great weather the last four years, but this year looks like it's going to be hot," she said.

Saturday's forecast predicts sunny skies with a high of 102 degrees, a low of 75 degrees and winds of 13 mph. For a detailed weather forecast, click <a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state">here</a>.

Werth said after completing the ride, participants feel satisfaction and enjoy getting to know the community.

"You meet a lot of new friends. You see areas of the county that maybe you haven't seen because even if you're on a bike, you see it up close as opposed to driving in a car," Werth said.

You can follow the Hays Area Bicyclists on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/haysareabicyclists">Facebook </a>and visit the Tour Die Kapellen's&nbsp;<a href="https://tourdiekapellen.com/about/#contactus">website</a>&nbsp;for more information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720809935819.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostPedal through Kansas history on Saturday with the Tour Die Kapellen bike ride, a journey through small towns that immerses you in rich culture.The fifth-annual Tour of Chapels features stops at St. Catherine Church in Catharine, The Basilica on the Plains in Victoria, Holy Cross Church in Pfeifer and St. Francis Church in Munjor.Kay Werth, president of the Hays Area Bicyclists, said the concept originated to showcase Ellis County's history and culture while promoting health."We thought Ellis County had so much to offer," she said. "It promotes wellness, geography, limestone structures and beautiful landscapes."The Hays Area Bicyclists is a nonprofit that supports health through cycling. The Tour of the Chapels was created as a joint effort among four rural communities in Ellis County to celebrate Volga-German heritage.Cyclists can choose from a 15-mile casual ride to a 100-mile journey that begins at Hays Municipal Park, 100 Main St. While most routes are on asphalt roads, the 54-mile mixed-surface route includes 27 miles of gravel.Depending on the route chosen, cyclists can pedal to <a href="https://www.volgagerman.net/catharine-church">St. Catherine Church</a> in Catharine, <a href="https://www.stfidelischurch.com/">The Basilica on the Plains</a> in Victoria, <a href="http://www.kansastravel.org/holycrosschurch.htm">Holy Cross Church</a> in Pfeifer and <a href="http://www.kansastravel.org/stfrancischurchmunjor.htm">St. Francis Church</a> in Munjor. Routes of 75 to 100 miles begin with a self-start between 6:45 a.m. and 7 a.m., while the 15-mile ride departs at 9 a.m. Saturday. You can view the Tour of the Chapels' schedule of events <a href="https://tourdiekapellen.com/2024-ride/#schedule2024">here</a>.Werth said the 15-mile casual ride is ideal for first-timers. It is led by three experienced cyclists to ensure guidance and safety."We call that a beginner route because it gets people introduced to riding on the tour and how to communicate with others that they're cycling with," she said.The Ellis County Sheriff's Department will patrol the routes, while the Hays Police Department will assist in escorting the convoy of bikes out of the city.Registration costs $55 per person for the bike ride and $85 per person for the bus tour. On-site registration opens Saturday at 6:30 a.m.Riders will receive a free shirt, an authentic German meal and drink tickets, which are required for the post-ride meal. The registration form is available <a href="https://tourdiekapellen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-Registration-Form.pdf">here</a>.This year, the bus tour has been reduced from two buses to one with limited space and limited meal tickets available for purchase. You can contact haysareabicyclists@gmail.com to check availability."We're back to one bus, which is OK because of the amount of time it takes people to get on and off the bus. We want them to have as much time in the churches as they can," Werth said.The bus tour, led by Jerry Braun, a descendant of the Volga Germans who arrived in Ellis County from Russia in 1876, will depart at 8:30 a.m. after the cyclists have left the area.With help from the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau and the <a href="https://www.hayssymphony.org/">Hays Symphony</a>, most of the profits will go to the Hays Symphony this year. Next year, the ride will continue the tradition of distributing funds to a different church each year."We're going to put this on a five-year basis and donate the money to the four main churches," Werth said on how the concept came to be. "The fifth year, we're going to give the bulk of the money to the symphony."Founded in 1914, the Hays Symphony Orchestra is the longest-running orchestra in Kansas. Its about 60 musicians include Fort Hays State University students and faculty, Hays area volunteers and guest musicians from throughout the state.With 90 volunteers at each stop, attendees can enjoy snacks, water and music from the Hays Symphony at every church, except for the Basilica of the Plains, which will feature a local brass choir.The after-ride party will feature music by Simply Tone from noon to 2 p.m. Adult beverages from <a href="https://www.defiancebeer.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3_YpogTbu4Jt_wmjMmKkK5fxJ-DwJwZJisOV35kCnTsA6YY_n488WKVHA_aem_12orRt0S62cUeBzj9KIxAg">Defiance Brewery Co.</a>,&nbsp;and non-alcoholic refreshments will be available.German meals will be served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., but dishes will be boxed up for anyone who misses this time window. Some of the food offered will include cream potatoes, dumplings and green beans. Vegan options will be provided by <a href="https://www.lbbrewing.com/">Gella's Diner and LB Brewing Co</a>.There are 50 registered participants on the bus tour, and about 230 people have signed up for the bike ride through Ellis County.Werth said riders are likely to consider the weather conditions before signing up for the ride, with the expectation of a hot Saturday."We all believe in the power of prayer. We've had such great weather the last four years, but this year looks like it's going to be hot," she said.Saturday's forecast predicts sunny skies with a high of 102 degrees, a low of 75 degrees and winds of 13 mph. For a detailed weather forecast, click <a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state">here</a>.Werth said after completing the ride, participants feel satisfaction and enjoy getting to know the community."You meet a lot of new friends. You see areas of the county that maybe you haven't seen because even if you're on a bike, you see it up close as opposed to driving in a car," Werth said.You can follow the Hays Area Bicyclists on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/haysareabicyclists">Facebook </a>and visit the Tour Die Kapellen's&nbsp;<a href="https://tourdiekapellen.com/about/#contactus">website</a>&nbsp;for more information.

Tour Die Kapellen ready to ride through Ellis County Saturday

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden used his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-press-conference-nato-campaign-f213c40509e35ed485ed3c57277ee911">highly anticipated news conference</a>&nbsp;Thursday to deliver a forceful defense of his foreign and domestic policies, and batted away questions about his ability to serve another four years even as he flubbed a reference to Donald Trump in one of his first answers.

(Click below to watch a replay of the news conferenc)

“I’m not in this for my legacy. I’m in this to complete the job I started,” Biden said as he insisted his support among the electorate was strong and he would stay in the race and would win.

Fumbles notwithstanding, the president pushed back at every suggestion that was slowing down or showing noticeable signs of decline, or that he was not in command of the job. But he was facing a growing chorus of calls from lawmakers, celebrities and other prominent Democrats to step aside from the 2024 race.

“My schedule has been full bore,” he declared. “So if I slow down and I cant get the job done, that’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing it. But there’s no indication of that yet — none.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-11-2024">Democrats are facing</a>&nbsp;an intractable problem. Top donors, supporters and key lawmakers are doubtful of Biden’s abilities to carry on his reelection bid after his disastrous June 27 debate performance, but the hard-fighting 81-year-old president refuses to give up as he prepares to take on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;in a rematch.

The first questioner of Biden’s press conference asked about him losing support among many of his fellow Democrats and unionists, and asked about Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden was at first defiant, saying the “UAW endorsed me, but go ahead,” meaning the United Auto Workers. But then he mixed up Harris and Trump, saying, “I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be Vice President if she wasn’t qualified."

As of Thursday evening, a dozen House Democrats had called for him to exit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the race</a>. The press conference was an effort to show he's up for another four years; voters are watching and elected officials are deciding whether to press for another choice.

Trump weighed in live on Biden’s news conference with a post on his social media network of a video clip of the president saying “Vice President Trump.”

Trump added sarcastically, “Great job, Joe!”

Earlier, Biden's campaign laid out what it sees as its path to keeping the White House in a new memo, saying that winning the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan is the “clearest pathway” to victory. And it declared no other Democrat would do better against Trump.

“There is also no indication that anyone else would outperform the president vs. Trump,” said the memo from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez that was obtained by The Associated Press.

The memo sought to brush back “hypothetical polling of alternative nominees ” as unreliable and it said such surveys “do not take into account the negative media environment that any Democratic nominee will encounter.”

Meanwhile, the campaign has been quietly surveying voters on Vice President Kamala Harris to determine how she’s viewed among the electorate, according to two people with knowledge of the campaign who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to talk about internal matters.

The people said the polling was not necessarily to show that she could be the nominee in Biden’s place, but rather to better understand how she’s viewed. The research came after Trump stepped up his attacks against Harris following the debate, according to another person familiar with the effort. The survey was first reported by The New York Times.

“I think I’m the best qualified person to do the job,” he said Thursday.

While Biden has expressed confidence in his chances, his campaign on Thursday acknowledged he is behind, and a growing number of the president’s aides in the White House and the campaign privately harbor doubts that he can turn things around.

But they’re taking their cues from Biden, expressing that he is in 100% unless and until he isn’t, and there appears to be no organized internal effort to persuade the president to step aside. His allies were well aware heading into the week there would be more calls for him to step down, and they were prepared for it.

But in announcing a compact that would bring together NATO countries to support Ukraine, Biden referred to the nation’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” to audible gasps in the room. He quickly returned to the microphone: “President Putin - he’s going to beat President Putin ... President Zelenskyy,” Biden said.

Then he said: “I’m so focused on beating Putin,” in an effort to explain the gaffe.

“I’m better” Zelenskyy replied. “You’re a hell of a lot better,” Biden said back.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer invited Biden’s team to meet with senators privately at the lunch hour to discuss concerns and the path forward, but some senators groused they would prefer to hear from the president himself. In the Senate, only Peter Welch of Vermont has so far called for Biden to step out of the race.

The 90-minute conversation with the president's team, which one person said included no new data, polling or game plan on how Biden would beat Trump, did not appear to change senators' minds. The person was granted anonymity to discuss the closed door session.

The meeting was frank, angry at times and also somewhat painful, since many in the room know and love Biden, said one senator who requested anonymity to discuss the private briefing. Senators confronted the advisers over Biden’s performance at the debate and the effect on Senate races this year

One Democrat, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, said afterward, “My belief is that the president can win, but he’s got to be able to go out and answer voters' concerns. He’s got to be able to talk to voters directly over the next few day."

At the same time, influential senators are standing strongly with Biden, leaving the party at an impasse.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, told AP he thinks Biden "is going to win this election. I think he has a chance to win it big.”

Sanders said he has been publicly critical of the campaign, and said Biden needs to talk more about the future and his plans for the country. “As we come closer to Election Day, the choices are very clear," he said.

__ Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo, Colleen Long, Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri and Linley Sanders contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720742007717.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden used his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-press-conference-nato-campaign-f213c40509e35ed485ed3c57277ee911">highly anticipated news conference</a>&nbsp;Thursday to deliver a forceful defense of his foreign and domestic policies, and batted away questions about his ability to serve another four years even as he flubbed a reference to Donald Trump in one of his first answers.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;What concerns do you have about Vice President Harris&#39; ability to beat Donald Trump if she were at the top of the ticket? President Biden: Look, I wouldn&#39;t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if I didn&#39;t think she was not qualified to be vice president. <a href="https://t.co/TqqSKBsyQu">pic.twitter.com/TqqSKBsyQu</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811546437567586658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>(Click below to watch a replay of the news conferenc)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4YF3ksozMBw?si=3XavzsHKEhlly8DY&amp;start=4321" 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>“I’m not in this for my legacy. I’m in this to complete the job I started,” Biden said as he insisted his support among the electorate was strong and he would stay in the race and would win.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;I always have an inclination...just to keep going. I just got to pace myself a bit more.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/vYsoeTip1J">pic.twitter.com/vYsoeTip1J</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811559314382868719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;I am not opposed if my doctors tell me I should have another neurological exam, I&#39;ll do it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/7glZeatRyP">pic.twitter.com/7glZeatRyP</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811559403511824708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden on <a href="https://twitter.com/NATO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NATO</a> Summit: &quot;I thought it was the most successful conference I&#39;ve attended in a long time and find me a world leader who didn&#39;t think it was.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/7rZDnwXhGv">pic.twitter.com/7rZDnwXhGv</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811549885809783207?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;I will not bow down to Putin. I will not walk away from Ukraine. I will keep NATO strong. That&#39;s exactly what we did and exactly what we will continue to do.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/LSDp2dPd7G">pic.twitter.com/LSDp2dPd7G</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811550403399463028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PeterAlexander?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeterAlexander</a>: &quot;You referred to Vice President Harris as Vice President Trump. Right now Donald Trump is using that to mock your age and your memory. How do you combat that criticism from tonight? President Biden: &quot;Listen to him.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hJPpXbvDFi">pic.twitter.com/hJPpXbvDFi</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1811560186022142094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Fumbles notwithstanding, the president pushed back at every suggestion that was slowing down or showing noticeable signs of decline, or that he was not in command of the job. But he was facing a growing chorus of calls from lawmakers, celebrities and other prominent Democrats to step aside from the 2024 race.“My schedule has been full bore,” he declared. “So if I slow down and I cant get the job done, that’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing it. But there’s no indication of that yet — none.”<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-11-2024">Democrats are facing</a>&nbsp;an intractable problem. Top donors, supporters and key lawmakers are doubtful of Biden’s abilities to carry on his reelection bid after his disastrous June 27 debate performance, but the hard-fighting 81-year-old president refuses to give up as he prepares to take on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;in a rematch.The first questioner of Biden’s press conference asked about him losing support among many of his fellow Democrats and unionists, and asked about Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden was at first defiant, saying the “UAW endorsed me, but go ahead,” meaning the United Auto Workers. But then he mixed up Harris and Trump, saying, “I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be Vice President if she wasn’t qualified."As of Thursday evening, a dozen House Democrats had called for him to exit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the race</a>. The press conference was an effort to show he's up for another four years; voters are watching and elected officials are deciding whether to press for another choice.Trump weighed in live on Biden’s news conference with a post on his social media network of a video clip of the president saying “Vice President Trump.”Trump added sarcastically, “Great job, Joe!”Earlier, Biden's campaign laid out what it sees as its path to keeping the White House in a new memo, saying that winning the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan is the “clearest pathway” to victory. And it declared no other Democrat would do better against Trump.“There is also no indication that anyone else would outperform the president vs. Trump,” said the memo from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez that was obtained by The Associated Press.The memo sought to brush back “hypothetical polling of alternative nominees ” as unreliable and it said such surveys “do not take into account the negative media environment that any Democratic nominee will encounter.”Meanwhile, the campaign has been quietly surveying voters on Vice President Kamala Harris to determine how she’s viewed among the electorate, according to two people with knowledge of the campaign who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to talk about internal matters.The people said the polling was not necessarily to show that she could be the nominee in Biden’s place, but rather to better understand how she’s viewed. The research came after Trump stepped up his attacks against Harris following the debate, according to another person familiar with the effort. The survey was first reported by The New York Times.“I think I’m the best qualified person to do the job,” he said Thursday.While Biden has expressed confidence in his chances, his campaign on Thursday acknowledged he is behind, and a growing number of the president’s aides in the White House and the campaign privately harbor doubts that he can turn things around.But they’re taking their cues from Biden, expressing that he is in 100% unless and until he isn’t, and there appears to be no organized internal effort to persuade the president to step aside. His allies were well aware heading into the week there would be more calls for him to step down, and they were prepared for it.But in announcing a compact that would bring together NATO countries to support Ukraine, Biden referred to the nation’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” to audible gasps in the room. He quickly returned to the microphone: “President Putin - he’s going to beat President Putin ... President Zelenskyy,” Biden said.Then he said: “I’m so focused on beating Putin,” in an effort to explain the gaffe.“I’m better” Zelenskyy replied. “You’re a hell of a lot better,” Biden said back.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer invited Biden’s team to meet with senators privately at the lunch hour to discuss concerns and the path forward, but some senators groused they would prefer to hear from the president himself. In the Senate, only Peter Welch of Vermont has so far called for Biden to step out of the race.The 90-minute conversation with the president's team, which one person said included no new data, polling or game plan on how Biden would beat Trump, did not appear to change senators' minds. The person was granted anonymity to discuss the closed door session.The meeting was frank, angry at times and also somewhat painful, since many in the room know and love Biden, said one senator who requested anonymity to discuss the private briefing. Senators confronted the advisers over Biden’s performance at the debate and the effect on Senate races this yearOne Democrat, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, said afterward, “My belief is that the president can win, but he’s got to be able to go out and answer voters' concerns. He’s got to be able to talk to voters directly over the next few day."At the same time, influential senators are standing strongly with Biden, leaving the party at an impasse.Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, told AP he thinks Biden "is going to win this election. I think he has a chance to win it big.”Sanders said he has been publicly critical of the campaign, and said Biden needs to talk more about the future and his plans for the country. “As we come closer to Election Day, the choices are very clear," he said.__ Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo, Colleen Long, Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri and Linley Sanders contributed to this report.

🎥Highlights from President Biden's first news conference in 8 months

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;was scheduled to hold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-press-conference-nato-campaign-f213c40509e35ed485ed3c57277ee911">a news conference</a>&nbsp; at 5:30p.m. CDT Thursday, the key event in a monumental week during which the Democratic incumbent is fending off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-white-house-election-e908d7e27c3baa6cfbbba1d391deec7f">calls for him to step aside as the party's presumptive nominee</a>&nbsp;following a shaky debate performance. The start of the press conference was delayed.

It's just the type of event that many political watchers have said Biden needs to pull off successfully to turn back demands — including from within his own party — that he withdraw from his reelection battle against presumptive Republican nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

Biden has argued that he had a singularly bad night in Atlanta and that it wasn't representative of his mental acuity. A strong performance Thursday could convince members of his party that he still has the ability both to win in November and to serve a second term. A weak effort — or stumbles similar to his debate performances — could make the calls for him to withdraw grow much louder.

Here are the details on what White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has referenced as Biden's “big boy” news conference:

Biden is scheduled to take questions from the White House press corps at 5:30 p.m. CDT Thursday. 

It had initially been slated for 6:30 p.m., but the White House moved the time to an hour later.

Biden will be speaking from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, a short distance from the White House, where many events of the ongoing NATO summit are being held.

Will Biden know the questions ahead of time?

Aside from some apparent exceptions — like incidents in which two radio hosts said Biden's campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-black-radio-questions-approval-ff92ebeff33df7ef5a87a59f776c981c">sent them planned questions</a>&nbsp;ahead of time — it's not standard practice for the president to know precisely what will come up during interviews or news conferences.

His aides prepare him for a host of possibilities based off the headlines of the day, so they’re prepping him for the likelihood that journalists will want to ask about his fitness for office, the NATO summit or other topics.

That's not set in stone, and there's not a ton of precedent.

Biden hasn’t held very many news conferences that aren’t tied to a foreign leader’s visit or trips abroad. Typically, those are what’s known in the business as a “2+2,” meaning two reporters from the U.S. and two foreign reporters ask questions.

Biden returns to the campaign trail with a trip to Michigan Friday. He will also do an interview with NBC on Monday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden used his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-press-conference-nato-campaign-f213c40509e35ed485ed3c57277ee911">highly anticipated news conference</a>&nbsp;Thursday to deliver a forceful defense of his foreign and domestic policies, and batted away questions about his ability to serve another four years even as he flubbed a reference to Donald Trump in one of his first answers.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4YF3ksozMBw?si=nlBcj3GuY9-xotbs&amp;start=4321" 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>“I’m not in this for my legacy. I’m in this to complete the job I started,” Biden said as he insisted his support among the electorate was strong and he would stay in the race and would win.Fumbles notwithstanding, the president pushed back at every suggestion that was slowing down or showing noticeable signs of decline, or that he was not in command of the job. But he was facing a growing chorus of calls from lawmakers, celebrities and other prominent Democrats to step aside from the 2024 race.“My schedule has been full bore,” he declared. “So if I slow down and I cant get the job done, that’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing it. But there’s no indication of that yet — none.”<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-11-2024">Democrats are facing</a>&nbsp;an intractable problem. Top donors, supporters and key lawmakers are doubtful of Biden’s abilities to carry on his reelection bid after his disastrous June 27 debate performance, but the hard-fighting 81-year-old president refuses to give up as he prepares to take on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;in a rematch.The first questioner of Biden’s press conference asked about him losing support among many of his fellow Democrats and unionists, and asked about Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden was at first defiant, saying the “UAW endorsed me, but go ahead,” meaning the United Auto Workers. But then he mixed up Harris and Trump, saying, “I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be Vice President if she wasn’t qualified."As of Thursday evening, a dozen House Democrats had called for him to exit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the race</a>. The press conference was an effort to show he's up for another four years; voters are watching and elected officials are deciding whether to press for another choice.Trump weighed in live on Biden’s news conference with a post on his social media network of a video clip of the president saying “Vice President Trump.”Trump added sarcastically, “Great job, Joe!”Earlier, Biden's campaign laid out what it sees as its path to keeping the White House in a new memo, saying that winning the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan is the “clearest pathway” to victory. And it declared no other Democrat would do better against Trump.“There is also no indication that anyone else would outperform the president vs. Trump,” said the memo from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez that was obtained by The Associated Press.The memo sought to brush back “hypothetical polling of alternative nominees ” as unreliable and it said such surveys “do not take into account the negative media environment that any Democratic nominee will encounter.”Meanwhile, the campaign has been quietly surveying voters on Vice President Kamala Harris to determine how she’s viewed among the electorate, according to two people with knowledge of the campaign who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to talk about internal matters.The people said the polling was not necessarily to show that she could be the nominee in Biden’s place, but rather to better understand how she’s viewed. The research came after Trump stepped up his attacks against Harris following the debate, according to another person familiar with the effort. The survey was first reported by The New York Times.“I think I’m the best qualified person to do the job,” he said Thursday.While Biden has expressed confidence in his chances, his campaign on Thursday acknowledged he is behind, and a growing number of the president’s aides in the White House and the campaign privately harbor doubts that he can turn things around.But they’re taking their cues from Biden, expressing that he is in 100% unless and until he isn’t, and there appears to be no organized internal effort to persuade the president to step aside. His allies were well aware heading into the week there would be more calls for him to step down, and they were prepared for it.But in announcing a compact that would bring together NATO countries to support Ukraine, Biden referred to the nation’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” to audible gasps in the room. He quickly returned to the microphone: “President Putin - he’s going to beat President Putin ... President Zelenskyy,” Biden said.Then he said: “I’m so focused on beating Putin,” in an effort to explain the gaffe.“I’m better” Zelenskyy replied. “You’re a hell of a lot better,” Biden said back.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer invited Biden’s team to meet with senators privately at the lunch hour to discuss concerns and the path forward, but some senators groused they would prefer to hear from the president himself. In the Senate, only Peter Welch of Vermont has so far called for Biden to step out of the race.The 90-minute conversation with the president's team, which one person said included no new data, polling or game plan on how Biden would beat Trump, did not appear to change senators' minds. The person was granted anonymity to discuss the closed door session.The meeting was frank, angry at times and also somewhat painful, since many in the room know and love Biden, said one senator who requested anonymity to discuss the private briefing. Senators confronted the advisers over Biden’s performance at the debate and the effect on Senate races this yearOne Democrat, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, said afterward, “My belief is that the president can win, but he’s got to be able to go out and answer voters' concerns. He’s got to be able to talk to voters directly over the next few day."At the same time, influential senators are standing strongly with Biden, leaving the party at an impasse.Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, told AP he thinks Biden "is going to win this election. I think he has a chance to win it big.”Sanders said he has been publicly critical of the campaign, and said Biden needs to talk more about the future and his plans for the country. “As we come closer to Election Day, the choices are very clear," he said.__ Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo, Colleen Long, Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri and Linley Sanders contributed to this report.------------President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;was scheduled to hold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-press-conference-nato-campaign-f213c40509e35ed485ed3c57277ee911">a news conference</a>&nbsp; at 5:30p.m. CDT Thursday, the key event in a monumental week during which the Democratic incumbent is fending off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-white-house-election-e908d7e27c3baa6cfbbba1d391deec7f">calls for him to step aside as the party's presumptive nominee</a>&nbsp;following a shaky debate performance. The start of the press conference was delayed.It's just the type of event that many political watchers have said Biden needs to pull off successfully to turn back demands — including from within his own party — that he withdraw from his reelection battle against presumptive Republican nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.Biden has argued that he had a singularly bad night in Atlanta and that it wasn't representative of his mental acuity. A strong performance Thursday could convince members of his party that he still has the ability both to win in November and to serve a second term. A weak effort — or stumbles similar to his debate performances — could make the calls for him to withdraw grow much louder.Here are the details on what White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has referenced as Biden's “big boy” news conference:<h2>When is the news conference?</h2>Biden is scheduled to take questions from the White House press corps at 5:30 p.m. CDT Thursday. It had initially been slated for 6:30 p.m., but the White House moved the time to an hour later.<h2>Where is Biden speaking?</h2>Biden will be speaking from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, a short distance from the White House, where many events of the ongoing NATO summit are being held.<h2>Will Biden know the questions ahead of time?</h2>Aside from some apparent exceptions — like incidents in which two radio hosts said Biden's campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-black-radio-questions-approval-ff92ebeff33df7ef5a87a59f776c981c">sent them planned questions</a>&nbsp;ahead of time — it's not standard practice for the president to know precisely what will come up during interviews or news conferences.His aides prepare him for a host of possibilities based off the headlines of the day, so they’re prepping him for the likelihood that journalists will want to ask about his fitness for office, the NATO summit or other topics.<h2>How many questions will he take?</h2>That's not set in stone, and there's not a ton of precedent.Biden hasn’t held very many news conferences that aren’t tied to a foreign leader’s visit or trips abroad. Typically, those are what’s known in the business as a “2+2,” meaning two reporters from the U.S. and two foreign reporters ask questions.<h2>What's up next?</h2>Biden returns to the campaign trail with a trip to Michigan Friday. He will also do an interview with NBC on Monday.

🎥 President Biden's first solo news conference since November

Astronaut Joe Engle, the first astronaut to fly in space aboard two different winged vehicles, died on July 10, at 91.

Engle was the commander of two&nbsp;Space Shuttle&nbsp;missions including&nbsp;STS-2&nbsp;in 1981, the program's second orbital flight. Engle also flew two flights in the Shuttle program's 1977&nbsp;Approach and Landing Tests. 

Engle, a Chapman, Kansas native, was one of just twelve pilots who flew the&nbsp;North American X-15, an experimental&nbsp;spaceplane&nbsp;jointly operated by the Air Force and NASA.

Joe Engle was born in Chapman, Kansas and attended the University of Kansas where he graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. Commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program, he earned his pilot's wings in 1958 and was assigned to fly F-100s for the 474th Fighter Day Squadron and, later, the 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron at George AFB, California.

Although in command of another squadron, then-Lt. Col. Chuck Yeager had frequent opportunities to fly with Engle -- and against him in mock dogfights -- and he was extremely impressed by the young fighter pilot's attitude and ability. When Engle applied for admission to the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards, Yeager recommended his selection. 

By the time he graduated from the school in 1962, Yeager had become the commandant and, because he considered Engle "one of the sharpest pilots we had in the program," he immediately selected him for admission to the new Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) which was being established at Edwards to train military astronauts. 

Engle graduated from ARPS in 1963 and was selected as a project pilot for the X-15 program. He completed 16 flights in the rocket-powered hypersonic airplane, exceeding Mach 5 on ten of those flights and attaining a top speed of Mach 5.71 (3,886 mph). In June of 1965, he also climbed to an altitude of 280,600 feet and became one of only eight pilots from the X-15 program-who have qualified for astronaut's wings by flying an airplane into space.

Engle went on to exceed the Air Force's 50-mile threshold for astronaut rating on two subsequent X-15 flights. At 32, he was the youngest man to become an astronaut. 

When NASA selected him as one of 19 new astronaut candidates in 1966, he was truly in an unusual position; he was the only one who had already engaged in spaceflight operations. First assigned to the Apollo program, he served on the support crew for Apollo X and then as backup lunar module pilot for Apollo XIV. In 1977, he was commander of one of two crews who were launched from atop a modified Boeing 747 in order to conduct approach and landing tests with the Space Shuttle Enterprise. 

Then in November 1981, he commanded the second flight of the Shuttle Columbia and manually flew the re-entry-performing 29 flight test maneuvers-from Mach 25 through landing roll out. This was the first and, so far, only time that a winged aerospace vehicle has been manually flown from orbit through landing. 

He accumulated the last of his 224 hours in space when he commanded the Shuttle Discovery during Mission 51-I in August of 1985.

In his retirement from NASA, the Air Force and the Kansas Air National Guard, he served as an engineering consultant and simulation evaluation pilot for Space Shuttle modifications and other advanced piloted re-entry vehicles.

Engle flew more than 180 different aircraft types and logged nearly 14,000 flight hours. His military decorations include the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, USAF Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster. 

Among his many honors, he was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and Space Flight Medal, as well as the Harmon International, Collier, Lawrence Sperry, Iven C. Kinchloe, Robert H. Goddard and Thomas D. White aviation and space trophies. 

In 1992, he was inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720720028168.jpeg" alt="Joe Engle in front of an X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft.&nbsp;Image Courtesy The Cosmosphere" />
 <figcaption>Joe Engle in front of an X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft.&nbsp;Image Courtesy The Cosmosphere</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTAstronaut Joe Engle, the first astronaut to fly in space aboard two different winged vehicles, died on July 10, at 91.Engle was the commander of two&nbsp;Space Shuttle&nbsp;missions including&nbsp;STS-2&nbsp;in 1981, the program's second orbital flight. Engle also flew two flights in the Shuttle program's 1977&nbsp;Approach and Landing Tests. Engle, a Chapman, Kansas native, was one of just twelve pilots who flew the&nbsp;North American X-15, an experimental&nbsp;spaceplane&nbsp;jointly operated by the Air Force and NASA.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720720547019.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Information courtesy of NASAJoe Engle was born in Chapman, Kansas and attended the University of Kansas where he graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. Commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program, he earned his pilot's wings in 1958 and was assigned to fly F-100s for the 474th Fighter Day Squadron and, later, the 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron at George AFB, California.Although in command of another squadron, then-Lt. Col. Chuck Yeager had frequent opportunities to fly with Engle -- and against him in mock dogfights -- and he was extremely impressed by the young fighter pilot's attitude and ability. When Engle applied for admission to the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards, Yeager recommended his selection. By the time he graduated from the school in 1962, Yeager had become the commandant and, because he considered Engle "one of the sharpest pilots we had in the program," he immediately selected him for admission to the new Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) which was being established at Edwards to train military astronauts. Engle graduated from ARPS in 1963 and was selected as a project pilot for the X-15 program. He completed 16 flights in the rocket-powered hypersonic airplane, exceeding Mach 5 on ten of those flights and attaining a top speed of Mach 5.71 (3,886 mph). In June of 1965, he also climbed to an altitude of 280,600 feet and became one of only eight pilots from the X-15 program-who have qualified for astronaut's wings by flying an airplane into space.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkscosmosphere%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02V1EWPeaWxHsBVsHeT9K3CYreFGiUDMVCi8hmu6tYppnp3qQAiuvBFSaKXVKGrAFNl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="250" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Engle went on to exceed the Air Force's 50-mile threshold for astronaut rating on two subsequent X-15 flights. At 32, he was the youngest man to become an astronaut. When NASA selected him as one of 19 new astronaut candidates in 1966, he was truly in an unusual position; he was the only one who had already engaged in spaceflight operations. First assigned to the Apollo program, he served on the support crew for Apollo X and then as backup lunar module pilot for Apollo XIV. In 1977, he was commander of one of two crews who were launched from atop a modified Boeing 747 in order to conduct approach and landing tests with the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Then in November 1981, he commanded the second flight of the Shuttle Columbia and manually flew the re-entry-performing 29 flight test maneuvers-from Mach 25 through landing roll out. This was the first and, so far, only time that a winged aerospace vehicle has been manually flown from orbit through landing. He accumulated the last of his 224 hours in space when he commanded the Shuttle Discovery during Mission 51-I in August of 1985.In his retirement from NASA, the Air Force and the Kansas Air National Guard, he served as an engineering consultant and simulation evaluation pilot for Space Shuttle modifications and other advanced piloted re-entry vehicles.Engle flew more than 180 different aircraft types and logged nearly 14,000 flight hours. His military decorations include the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, USAF Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster. Among his many honors, he was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and Space Flight Medal, as well as the Harmon International, Collier, Lawrence Sperry, Iven C. Kinchloe, Robert H. Goddard and Thomas D. White aviation and space trophies. In 1992, he was inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Astronaut Joe Engle, pioneer of winged spacecraft — Kansas native, dies at 91

BUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. —A four-year-old Wathena, Kansas boy has succumbed to injuries sustained while submerged in a backyard swimming pool.&nbsp; Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett reports the boy was pronounced dead Thursday morning at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

His name is not being released, because he is a juvenile.

The father and grandfather of the child pulled the boy from the pool at a residence on Southwest 36th Road the evening of an Independence Day party on the 4th. &nbsp;The two performed CPR until emergency workers arrived and rushed the boy to Mosaic Life Care. He then was transferred to Children’s Mercy.

By BRENT MARTIN, St. Joseph PostBUCHANAN COUNTY, Mo. —A four-year-old Wathena, Kansas boy has succumbed to injuries sustained while submerged in a backyard swimming pool.&nbsp; Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett reports the boy was pronounced dead Thursday morning at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.His name is not being released, because he is a juvenile.The father and grandfather of the child pulled the boy from the pool at a residence on Southwest 36th Road the evening of an Independence Day party on the 4th. &nbsp;The two performed CPR until emergency workers arrived and rushed the boy to Mosaic Life Care. He then was transferred to Children’s Mercy.

4-year-old Kansas boy dies week after falling into pool

Former TMP-Marian standout Carson Jacobs has been promoted to the to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers in the Chicago White Sox organization. The 6-9 right-handed pitcher had been in the Arizona Complex League since signing with the White Sox as an undrafted free agent last July.

Jacobs had a 1-1 record with one save and a 3.22 ERA in 18 relief appearances this season with the ACL White Sox. He allowed 10 runs (8 earned) on 15 hits with 30 strikeouts and 14 walks over 22 1/3 innings with opponents hitting .188 against him.

The Cannon Ballers (A) are in Kannapolis, North Carolina and&nbsp; play in the Low A League East.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Jacobs played his at Newman his freshman year of college then transferred to&nbsp;Gateway Community College in Phoenix, Ariz. He finished up his collegiate career at North Dakota State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720702556757.jpeg" alt="Courtesy MILB Central" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy MILB Central</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostFormer TMP-Marian standout Carson Jacobs has been promoted to the to the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers in the Chicago White Sox organization. The 6-9 right-handed pitcher had been in the Arizona Complex League since signing with the White Sox as an undrafted free agent last July.Jacobs had a 1-1 record with one save and a 3.22 ERA in 18 relief appearances this season with the ACL White Sox. He allowed 10 runs (8 earned) on 15 hits with 30 strikeouts and 14 walks over 22 1/3 innings with opponents hitting .188 against him.The Cannon Ballers (A) are in Kannapolis, North Carolina and&nbsp; play in the Low A League East.&nbsp; &nbsp;Jacobs played his at Newman his freshman year of college then transferred to&nbsp;Gateway Community College in Phoenix, Ariz. He finished up his collegiate career at North Dakota State.

⚾ Former Monarch Jacobs promoted to Single-A

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

The number of individuals being held in jails across Kansas has been on a downward trend recently, but Ellis County
Sheriff Scott Braun said it could just “be the calm before the storm.”

Braun spoke with the Ellis County Commission on Tuesday and
gave a brief preview of a jail assessment from Justice Planners. The commission approved the contract for the assessment last
year.

Representatives from Justice Planners were unable to attend
Tuesday’s meeting because of travel difficulties caused by Hurricane Beryl.
They now plan to present their more than 30-page assessment on Aug. 13.

According to the assessment, the Ellis County Jail has a
capacity of 72 and has had a daily average population in the upper 60s for the last two
and a half years.

Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers told the commission that Justice
Planners recommends a new facility for the county, which needs 95 beds by next year.

"The amount of space that's available, compared to the
amount of money that would be needed to add bed space, would not even get us to
the minimum bed space required," Myers said. "So, their recommendation is not
to invest any money into the current facility because it will not pay itself
off."

&nbsp;Justice Planners recommended housing
inmates out-of-county and setting money aside to build a new facility, Braun said.

He also cautioned the commissioners not to get used to
seeing the jail population remain at the current level in the mid-50s.

The current numbers are "unheard of, I don't know what's
going on," Braun said. 

"There must be a trend across the state because Sedgwick
County also is seeing low numbers. Ford County is seeing low numbers," Braun
said. "But I think this is the calm before the storm, and we're going to see our
numbers jump again."

As a result of the fall elections, Ellis County will have a
new county attorney as current attorney Robert Anderson has decided not to seek
reelection. There will also be a new judge on the bench in the 23rd Judicial
District. Chief Judge Glenn Braun is also not seeking reelection.

Sheriff Braun said with two new people in those roles there’s
also no way to tell how that will affect the jail population. 

"I've spoken with one of the judges, and he has stated he's
going to try to do what he can to keep people out of jail or to find a way to
do so, but that's a tough, tough thing to do," Braun said. He said he did not
talk to the incoming judge.

But Braun has talked with Assistant County Attorney Aaron
Cunningham, the only candidate who has filed for county attorney. Barring a successful write-in campaign against him, he will take over as the
county’s top prosecutor in January. 

"I think he's going to; how shall I say it? He's going to
be a little bit harder," Braun said. "So, we may have increased numbers, where
he feels that they need to stay in jail, not right or wrong. It's just his
opinion."

Braun said the previous study, done in 2013, recommended a 97-bed facility at a minimum, and a facility nearing 125 beds was recommended.

"I think commissioners know what we need to do, and we just
have to figure out how we can do it, how we can get by in the meantime, and how
we're going to work that strategically," Braun said. "It's probably not going
to be done in my time. Maybe it will, I don't know. At
some given point in time, it will have to be addressed."

Braun said there is no “quick fix” for the situation, and he anticipates developing a plan will take several meetings.

How to address inmate mental health issues will need to be part of the discussion, he said.

Braun estimated about 15% of the jail population suffers from serious mental health issues, and more than half deal with some mental health issues, but they can control them.

“We have some really sick individuals up there, and
unfortunately, there's not a place to send them,” Braun said. “We can send them
to Larned for X amount of days, but they ended up back within our facility.”

He suggested the county have a conversation with High Plains
Mental Health about how to address those issues, including the possibility of
connecting a mental health facility to the jail that can house the inmates and
still provide them the treatment they need.

The jail assessment from Justice Planners projected 25 years
into the future.

Braun said there is a lot of uncertainty and things that can
change.

Among those is the potential growth of the city of Hays due
to the expanded access to water due to the R-9 Ranch project.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720646460774.png" alt="Ellis County Jail. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Jail. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostThe number of individuals being held in jails across Kansas has been on a downward trend recently, but Ellis County
Sheriff Scott Braun said it could just “be the calm before the storm.”Braun spoke with the Ellis County Commission on Tuesday and
gave a brief preview of a jail assessment from Justice Planners. The commission approved the contract for the assessment last
year.Representatives from Justice Planners were unable to attend
Tuesday’s meeting because of travel difficulties caused by Hurricane Beryl.
They now plan to present their more than 30-page assessment on Aug. 13.According to the assessment, the Ellis County Jail has a
capacity of 72 and has had a daily average population in the upper 60s for the last two
and a half years.Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers told the commission that Justice
Planners recommends a new facility for the county, which needs 95 beds by next year."The amount of space that's available, compared to the
amount of money that would be needed to add bed space, would not even get us to
the minimum bed space required," Myers said. "So, their recommendation is not
to invest any money into the current facility because it will not pay itself
off."&nbsp;Justice Planners recommended housing
inmates out-of-county and setting money aside to build a new facility, Braun said.He also cautioned the commissioners not to get used to
seeing the jail population remain at the current level in the mid-50s.The current numbers are "unheard of, I don't know what's
going on," Braun said. "There must be a trend across the state because Sedgwick
County also is seeing low numbers. Ford County is seeing low numbers," Braun
said. "But I think this is the calm before the storm, and we're going to see our
numbers jump again."As a result of the fall elections, Ellis County will have a
new county attorney as current attorney Robert Anderson has decided not to seek
reelection. There will also be a new judge on the bench in the 23rd Judicial
District. Chief Judge Glenn Braun is also not seeking reelection.Sheriff Braun said with two new people in those roles there’s
also no way to tell how that will affect the jail population. "I've spoken with one of the judges, and he has stated he's
going to try to do what he can to keep people out of jail or to find a way to
do so, but that's a tough, tough thing to do," Braun said. He said he did not
talk to the incoming judge.But Braun has talked with Assistant County Attorney Aaron
Cunningham, the only candidate who has filed for county attorney. Barring a successful write-in campaign against him, he will take over as the
county’s top prosecutor in January. "I think he's going to; how shall I say it? He's going to
be a little bit harder," Braun said. "So, we may have increased numbers, where
he feels that they need to stay in jail, not right or wrong. It's just his
opinion."Braun said the previous study, done in 2013, recommended a 97-bed facility at a minimum, and a facility nearing 125 beds was recommended."I think commissioners know what we need to do, and we just
have to figure out how we can do it, how we can get by in the meantime, and how
we're going to work that strategically," Braun said. "It's probably not going
to be done in my time. Maybe it will, I don't know. At
some given point in time, it will have to be addressed."Braun said there is no “quick fix” for the situation, and he anticipates developing a plan will take several meetings.How to address inmate mental health issues will need to be part of the discussion, he said.Braun estimated about 15% of the jail population suffers from serious mental health issues, and more than half deal with some mental health issues, but they can control them.“We have some really sick individuals up there, and
unfortunately, there's not a place to send them,” Braun said. “We can send them
to Larned for X amount of days, but they ended up back within our facility.”He suggested the county have a conversation with High Plains
Mental Health about how to address those issues, including the possibility of
connecting a mental health facility to the jail that can house the inmates and
still provide them the treatment they need.The jail assessment from Justice Planners projected 25 years
into the future.Braun said there is a lot of uncertainty and things that can
change.Among those is the potential growth of the city of Hays due
to the expanded access to water due to the R-9 Ranch project."I'm talking millions of dollars. I know the public, if they're listening right now, they're probably saying the sheriff wants a new jail, but that is not true. We need a jail. I don't want it. We need it, and it's not going to be for me. It's for the public, so we can keep them safe," Braun said.