Tariffs, deportations threaten economic damage in the still-thriving Southeast United States.

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Global clashes and trade wars hammered Midwestern states’ agricultural economies early this year, while a continuing boom in Southeastern states’ housing and tech jobs kept their economies humming along.

Some Southeastern states were seeing a strong agricultural economy because of still-rising poultry and egg prices, though small row-crop farmers there were still caught in the crunch of high costs and low profits, and many declared bankruptcy. And the area benefited from gains in real estate and tech.

Overall, 39 states and the District of Columbia saw drops in gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter of this year — well above the 22 states and the District of Columbia seeing drops during the same time in 2024, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state" target="_blank">statistics</a>&nbsp;released June 27.

National numbers released late last month show a rare decrease in economic output for the first quarter, the first since 2022, partly because of increased imports as suppliers sought to stock up on imported goods ahead of tariff increases. GDP is calculated by subtracting imported goods from national economic output.

There’s widespread agreement that row-crop farmers are suffering economic pain, especially in the Midwest where the industry dominates the economy. Meanwhile, the booming housing and tech sectors in the South are on a continued winning streak even as storm clouds gather over tariffs and immigrant labor.

Nationwide, more farms filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy from January through March than in any full year since 2021, driven by higher costs for supplies and lower prices paid for row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.

“Crop prices and commodity prices are significantly lower, and fertilizer and equipment prices are higher, so we’re seeing a bit of a struggle right now in the farm economy,” said Abygail Streff, an economist and policy analyst at the Nebraska Farm Bureau.

Meat prices are one of the few bright spots in Nebraska’s farm economy, Streff said. “For a lot of producers who have cattle, this has been a really good year for them.”

Still, Nebraska, along with Iowa, suffered the biggest drop in GDP, according to the analysis. Each state fell 6.1% from the same time a year ago.

The squeeze on farmers from high fertilizer prices and low grain prices means they must&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/crop-production/fertilizer-prices-vs-corn-prices-are-now-some-worst-history" target="_blank">produce more and more corn</a>&nbsp;just to pay their fertilizer costs, said Josh Linville, a fertilizer market analyst at StoneX.

Fertilizer supply has been disrupted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2023/september/global-fertilizer-market-challenged-by-russia-s-invasion-of-ukraine" target="_blank">by sanctions against Russia</a>, and it’s gotten worse this year with the bombing of Iran and the trade war with China, two countries that are also important fertilizer suppliers to American farmers, Linville said.

“We tend to think of the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz [a shipping channel under threat by conflict] from an oil-slash-energy perspective, but 1 out of every 2 tons of urea fertilizer that gets shipped to the United States comes from the Middle East,” Linville said.

Despite being a drain in the Midwest, agriculture was a positive driver of economies in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to Stateline’s analysis.

That’s because Southeastern agriculture includes more poultry and eggs, currently more profitable than the row crops that dominate in the Midwest, said Wendiam Sawadgo, an extension economist at Auburn University. The divergence is expected to last, he said, with row-crop prices continuing to fall and meat and egg prices continuing to rise this year.

But even in the Southeast, row-crop farmers suffered.

Arkansas saw a near-record number of farm bankruptcies this year, for example. And climate change has contributed to lower soybean prices as low water levels in the Mississippi River make barge transportation more difficult and expensive, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/6/907/files/2025/06/MS-River-Fryar-Article-Mitchell-and-Biram-2025.pdf" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;this year by the University of Arkansas’ Agricultural Economics &amp; Agribusiness Department.

Farm bankruptcies nationally came to 259 in the first three months of this year. That was more than any full year since 2021, when there were 276, according to cases compiled by Ryan Loy, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas saw 15 farm bankruptcies in the first quarter, almost as many as in all of 2024, when there were 16.

“We’ve already outpaced all of last year on a national scale,” he said.

Large farms can ride out struggles, but smaller farms are more likely to go bankrupt from increases in costs and lower market prices, a pattern that started in the early 2010s and got sharply worse in the past year, Loy said.

All five of the states with the fastest-growing economies were in the 12-state Southeast region defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Even there, though, the percentages were slight: South Carolina (up 1.7%), Florida (up 1.4%), Alabama (up 1%), North Carolina and Arkansas (each up .8%) had the largest increases in the nation.

The largest drivers in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina were real estate and tech, while increases in Alabama and Arkansas were mostly in agriculture.

The Carolinas have been magnets for new movers, said Matthew Martin, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based regional executive for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The influx has driven more housing and infrastructure work to supply newcomers, he said.

“Employment in South Carolina is on fire right now and North Carolina is doing well also. They’re places that people want to be,” Martin said. “Employers want to be there, too, and so there’s been population growth. Then you’ve got to have all the retail and health care. That has got to follow it.”

Business owners are uncertain about future federal policy in the Trump administration, Martin said, according to conversations he’s had.

They worry about tariffs, whether they’ll have to raise prices or accept lower profits, and eventually whether those factors could cause job growth to stall. And some businesses that depend on immigrant labor say they’ve lost workers despite using the national E-Verify system to make sure employees have legal status to work, Martin said.

Martin hasn’t heard of many workplace raids in the Carolinas, but there have been some federal audits of employee forms to check for false statements.

“Some of the workers won’t show up from that day forward,” Martin said.

Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenderson@stateline.org">thenderson@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751161934969.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Tariffs, deportations threaten economic damage in the still-thriving Southeast United States.</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">Tim Henderson</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>Global clashes and trade wars hammered Midwestern states’ agricultural economies early this year, while a continuing boom in Southeastern states’ housing and tech jobs kept their economies humming along.Some Southeastern states were seeing a strong agricultural economy because of still-rising poultry and egg prices, though small row-crop farmers there were still caught in the crunch of high costs and low profits, and many declared bankruptcy. And the area benefited from gains in real estate and tech.Overall, 39 states and the District of Columbia saw drops in gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter of this year — well above the 22 states and the District of Columbia seeing drops during the same time in 2024, according to a Stateline analysis of preliminary U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gdp-state" target="_blank">statistics</a>&nbsp;released June 27.National numbers released late last month show a rare decrease in economic output for the first quarter, the first since 2022, partly because of increased imports as suppliers sought to stock up on imported goods ahead of tariff increases. GDP is calculated by subtracting imported goods from national economic output.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752369967885.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>There’s widespread agreement that row-crop farmers are suffering economic pain, especially in the Midwest where the industry dominates the economy. Meanwhile, the booming housing and tech sectors in the South are on a continued winning streak even as storm clouds gather over tariffs and immigrant labor.Nationwide, more farms filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy from January through March than in any full year since 2021, driven by higher costs for supplies and lower prices paid for row crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.“Crop prices and commodity prices are significantly lower, and fertilizer and equipment prices are higher, so we’re seeing a bit of a struggle right now in the farm economy,” said Abygail Streff, an economist and policy analyst at the Nebraska Farm Bureau.Meat prices are one of the few bright spots in Nebraska’s farm economy, Streff said. “For a lot of producers who have cattle, this has been a really good year for them.”Still, Nebraska, along with Iowa, suffered the biggest drop in GDP, according to the analysis. Each state fell 6.1% from the same time a year ago.The squeeze on farmers from high fertilizer prices and low grain prices means they must&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/crop-production/fertilizer-prices-vs-corn-prices-are-now-some-worst-history" target="_blank">produce more and more corn</a>&nbsp;just to pay their fertilizer costs, said Josh Linville, a fertilizer market analyst at StoneX.Fertilizer supply has been disrupted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2023/september/global-fertilizer-market-challenged-by-russia-s-invasion-of-ukraine" target="_blank">by sanctions against Russia</a>, and it’s gotten worse this year with the bombing of Iran and the trade war with China, two countries that are also important fertilizer suppliers to American farmers, Linville said.“We tend to think of the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz [a shipping channel under threat by conflict] from an oil-slash-energy perspective, but 1 out of every 2 tons of urea fertilizer that gets shipped to the United States comes from the Middle East,” Linville said.Despite being a drain in the Midwest, agriculture was a positive driver of economies in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to Stateline’s analysis.That’s because Southeastern agriculture includes more poultry and eggs, currently more profitable than the row crops that dominate in the Midwest, said Wendiam Sawadgo, an extension economist at Auburn University. The divergence is expected to last, he said, with row-crop prices continuing to fall and meat and egg prices continuing to rise this year.But even in the Southeast, row-crop farmers suffered.Arkansas saw a near-record number of farm bankruptcies this year, for example. And climate change has contributed to lower soybean prices as low water levels in the Mississippi River make barge transportation more difficult and expensive, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/6/907/files/2025/06/MS-River-Fryar-Article-Mitchell-and-Biram-2025.pdf" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;this year by the University of Arkansas’ Agricultural Economics &amp; Agribusiness Department.Farm bankruptcies nationally came to 259 in the first three months of this year. That was more than any full year since 2021, when there were 276, according to cases compiled by Ryan Loy, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas saw 15 farm bankruptcies in the first quarter, almost as many as in all of 2024, when there were 16.“We’ve already outpaced all of last year on a national scale,” he said.Large farms can ride out struggles, but smaller farms are more likely to go bankrupt from increases in costs and lower market prices, a pattern that started in the early 2010s and got sharply worse in the past year, Loy said.All five of the states with the fastest-growing economies were in the 12-state Southeast region defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Even there, though, the percentages were slight: South Carolina (up 1.7%), Florida (up 1.4%), Alabama (up 1%), North Carolina and Arkansas (each up .8%) had the largest increases in the nation.The largest drivers in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina were real estate and tech, while increases in Alabama and Arkansas were mostly in agriculture.The Carolinas have been magnets for new movers, said Matthew Martin, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based regional executive for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The influx has driven more housing and infrastructure work to supply newcomers, he said.“Employment in South Carolina is on fire right now and North Carolina is doing well also. They’re places that people want to be,” Martin said. “Employers want to be there, too, and so there’s been population growth. Then you’ve got to have all the retail and health care. That has got to follow it.”Business owners are uncertain about future federal policy in the Trump administration, Martin said, according to conversations he’s had.They worry about tariffs, whether they’ll have to raise prices or accept lower profits, and eventually whether those factors could cause job growth to stall. And some businesses that depend on immigrant labor say they’ve lost workers despite using the national E-Verify system to make sure employees have legal status to work, Martin said.Martin hasn’t heard of many workplace raids in the Carolinas, but there have been some federal audits of employee forms to check for false statements.“Some of the workers won’t show up from that day forward,” Martin said.Stateline reporter Tim Henderson can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenderson@stateline.org">thenderson@stateline.org</a>.

Midwest farm economies suffered while some Sun Belt states kept rolling in early 2025

By RANDY GONZALES Special to Hays Post

There are big barns, and then there is the Cooper Barn.

The huge white structure boldly towers above the horizon just off Interstate 70’s Exit 54 at Colby. And it’s a must-see for travelers about midway between the city of Hays, the economic hub of northwest Kansas, and the Colorado state border.

The 150-ton barn, deemed one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Architecture, boasts of being the biggest one in the state with its massive measurements of 66 feet wide, 114 feet long and 48 feet high.

Built in 1936 at Breton, 16 miles northeast of Colby, the barn was donated to the Thomas County Historical Society by the Cooper family and moved to its current location in 1992.

The Prairie Museum of Art and History notes that more than 100 years of history, artifacts, exhibits and photos are on display inside the two-story barn in Colby, which features an expansive haymow upstairs.

The Cooper Barn and several other vintage buildings on the grounds of the Prairie Museum can take visitors back in what most would probably call a slower time in history.

The barn itself offers a lesson in history, with posters lining the outer walls that explain various cattle brands and the evolution of farming practices over the decades. Also on the bottom floor, one can view a covered wagon and a 1930s-era red Chevrolet pickup truck, dating back to the time the barn was built.

Visitors climbing the stairs to the second floor often are in awe as they gaze toward the trusses that span the width of the structure.

The hayloft has played host to numerous weddings, reunions and other activities through the years. There was a wedding there just last month.

It was also popular back in the day, too. Connie Smith Davis remembers that when she was a student at Colby Community College, in January 1967, the Economics club held a party in the hayloft. Chili was made, but it did not warm up the students.

“The weather was extremely cold and snowy, so despite the hot chili and some portable heaters in that large hay mow, we were all very cold and we all went home early,” Davis said.

Foster Farms built the barn nearly 90 years ago to hold its herd of prize-winning cattle.

In the 1960s, the barn was sold to a partnership known as O.C.K. Farms. The partnership dissolved in 1969 and Willard Cooper retained ownership of the company. The barn was used for the community college’s horse production program in the 1970s.

Jim Malcolm, who grew up in Almena but has been a Colby resident since 1970, remembered attending a livestock judging contest at Cooper Barn while in high school in the mid-1950s. When he was a high school teacher in Colby, Malcolm had his physics class watch the barn move to Colby.

“The first time I saw this barn, I was awed,” said Malcom, the current president of the board for the museum. “I thought, ‘Gee whiz, that’s some barn.’ It was the biggest barn I had ever seen.”

Bruce Frahm, a Colby native who graduated from high school there in 1970, remembered being in a livestock judging contest at the barn when he was an underclassman. He took note of the building material, which was made of the finest quality of wood.

The barn was built using lumber from Foster Lumber Company, and house siding was used on the outside instead of barn siding to give it a more attractive appearance.

The lumber company’s owner had the barn built to house a nationally known herd of registered Hereford cattle; at one time, the herd consisted of 731 animals, according to The Fence Post News, an agricultural digital newspaper.

Frahm also was part of the caravan that moved the barn to the museum grounds. Hydraulic lifts raised the barn, and eight-wheel dollies were put in place in preparation for the move.

“There must have been four or five police cars along with the moving truck,” Frahm said. “At certain points there were fairly good-sized crowds. They had to cut out small panels in the side of the barn to run big I-beams through it to support it.”

In 1991, the barn was donated to the local historical society by Gary and Elfriede Cooper and Mary Jo Cooper Pawlus. In May of 1992, the barn was moved to the museum in a three-day trek from Breton to Colby.

Frahm said the Cooper Barn had a rival for being billed as the largest barn in Kansas. He said a barn in Rooks County also claimed the title. The Thomas Big Barn, built in 1912 between Woodston and Alton, was 100 feet long, 64 feet wide and 54 feet tall.

“Turns out we both were right,” Frahm said. “We have the biggest cubic footage barn and the other barn had the biggest square footage barn.”

Frahm added that since the other barn was struck by lightning and burned, Cooper Barn has ever since can lay claim to the title all by itself.

The Eller House features vintage furniture depicting a 1930s homestead.

The old white Nicol School is complete with a wood-burning stove and desks common to one-room schoolhouses. Step outside the school, and one can imagine the laughter of children as they literally flew down the slippery slide and squeals from girls wanting off the moving-too-fast merry-go-round.

One can sit in a pew in the Lone State Church, built in 1915 north of Gem by a group of Danish settlers, and almost hear the preacher giving a Sunday morning message.

The grounds also include the Vacin red barn, built in 1916, and the Western Prairie Educational Site, located on 10 acres south of the museum and providing a natural habitat for wildlife.

“In my opinion, all of these buildings need to be maintained for people here now who have never seen them,” Malcolm said.

The 21,500 square-foot museum features numerous exhibits and artifacts. An earth berm planted with native buffalo grass encircles the building. The museum at 1905 S. Franklin Ave. is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Jim Severs and his wife, Jan, visited the Cooper Barn and the other buildings one day last month. The couple from Conway, Arkansas, stopped in Colby a year ago and wanted to visit the museum, only to find it had closed for the day. They made sure to check out this time around on their way to Denver.

“It’s beautiful; I love the architecture,” Jim said of Cooper Barn. “The fact that it’s preserved is amazing. Since it’s billed as (one of the eight) architectural wonders of Kansas, I kind of had to see it.”

Jan Severs was impressed by the size of the hayloft.

“Upstairs, it was beautiful,” she said. “It was wonderful to see how people lived.”

Jan added that Arkansas has nothing like Cooper Barn.

“We have a lot of barns,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t know of any this large.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752173319169.jpeg" alt="A group of 16 windows run along each side of the Cooper Barn, a 114-foot long building in Colby deemed as the largest barn in Kansas. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien" />
 <figcaption>A group of 16 windows run along each side of the Cooper Barn, a 114-foot long building in Colby deemed as the largest barn in Kansas. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752174451190.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By RANDY GONZALES Special to Hays PostThere are big barns, and then there is the Cooper Barn.The huge white structure boldly towers above the horizon just off Interstate 70’s Exit 54 at Colby. And it’s a must-see for travelers about midway between the city of Hays, the economic hub of northwest Kansas, and the Colorado state border.The 150-ton barn, deemed one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Architecture, boasts of being the biggest one in the state with its massive measurements of 66 feet wide, 114 feet long and 48 feet high.Built in 1936 at Breton, 16 miles northeast of Colby, the barn was donated to the Thomas County Historical Society by the Cooper family and moved to its current location in 1992.The Prairie Museum of Art and History notes that more than 100 years of history, artifacts, exhibits and photos are on display inside the two-story barn in Colby, which features an expansive haymow upstairs.The Cooper Barn and several other vintage buildings on the grounds of the Prairie Museum can take visitors back in what most would probably call a slower time in history.The barn itself offers a lesson in history, with posters lining the outer walls that explain various cattle brands and the evolution of farming practices over the decades. Also on the bottom floor, one can view a covered wagon and a 1930s-era red Chevrolet pickup truck, dating back to the time the barn was built.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752173371897.jpeg" alt="The massive hayloft of the Cooper Barn has been the site of numerous special occasions over the years, including weddings and reunions of all sorts. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien" />
 <figcaption>The massive hayloft of the Cooper Barn has been the site of numerous special occasions over the years, including weddings and reunions of all sorts. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien</figcaption>
 </figure>Visitors climbing the stairs to the second floor often are in awe as they gaze toward the trusses that span the width of the structure.The hayloft has played host to numerous weddings, reunions and other activities through the years. There was a wedding there just last month.It was also popular back in the day, too. Connie Smith Davis remembers that when she was a student at Colby Community College, in January 1967, the Economics club held a party in the hayloft. Chili was made, but it did not warm up the students.“The weather was extremely cold and snowy, so despite the hot chili and some portable heaters in that large hay mow, we were all very cold and we all went home early,” Davis said.<h2>Building and moving the barn</h2>Foster Farms built the barn nearly 90 years ago to hold its herd of prize-winning cattle.In the 1960s, the barn was sold to a partnership known as O.C.K. Farms. The partnership dissolved in 1969 and Willard Cooper retained ownership of the company. The barn was used for the community college’s horse production program in the 1970s.Jim Malcolm, who grew up in Almena but has been a Colby resident since 1970, remembered attending a livestock judging contest at Cooper Barn while in high school in the mid-1950s. When he was a high school teacher in Colby, Malcolm had his physics class watch the barn move to Colby.“The first time I saw this barn, I was awed,” said Malcom, the current president of the board for the museum. “I thought, ‘Gee whiz, that’s some barn.’ It was the biggest barn I had ever seen.”Bruce Frahm, a Colby native who graduated from high school there in 1970, remembered being in a livestock judging contest at the barn when he was an underclassman. He took note of the building material, which was made of the finest quality of wood.The barn was built using lumber from Foster Lumber Company, and house siding was used on the outside instead of barn siding to give it a more attractive appearance.The lumber company’s owner had the barn built to house a nationally known herd of registered Hereford cattle; at one time, the herd consisted of 731 animals, according to The Fence Post News, an agricultural digital newspaper.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752173458364.jpeg" alt="After it was donated to the local historical society, the Cooper Barn was moved from 16 miles outside Colby to its current location at the Prairie Museum of Art and History. The 1992 trek to Colby took three days to complete. Photo courtesy of Prairie Museum of Art and History" />
 <figcaption>After it was donated to the local historical society, the Cooper Barn was moved from 16 miles outside Colby to its current location at the Prairie Museum of Art and History. The 1992 trek to Colby took three days to complete. Photo courtesy of Prairie Museum of Art and History</figcaption>
 </figure>Frahm also was part of the caravan that moved the barn to the museum grounds. Hydraulic lifts raised the barn, and eight-wheel dollies were put in place in preparation for the move.“There must have been four or five police cars along with the moving truck,” Frahm said. “At certain points there were fairly good-sized crowds. They had to cut out small panels in the side of the barn to run big I-beams through it to support it.”In 1991, the barn was donated to the local historical society by Gary and Elfriede Cooper and Mary Jo Cooper Pawlus. In May of 1992, the barn was moved to the museum in a three-day trek from Breton to Colby.<h2>The biggest barn?</h2>Frahm said the Cooper Barn had a rival for being billed as the largest barn in Kansas. He said a barn in Rooks County also claimed the title. The Thomas Big Barn, built in 1912 between Woodston and Alton, was 100 feet long, 64 feet wide and 54 feet tall.“Turns out we both were right,” Frahm said. “We have the biggest cubic footage barn and the other barn had the biggest square footage barn.”Frahm added that since the other barn was struck by lightning and burned, Cooper Barn has ever since can lay claim to the title all by itself.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752173410678.jpeg" alt="The massive hayloft of the Cooper Barn has been the site of numerous special occasions over the years, including weddings and reunions of all sorts. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien" />
 <figcaption>The massive hayloft of the Cooper Barn has been the site of numerous special occasions over the years, including weddings and reunions of all sorts. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Other museum attractions</h2>The Eller House features vintage furniture depicting a 1930s homestead.The old white Nicol School is complete with a wood-burning stove and desks common to one-room schoolhouses. Step outside the school, and one can imagine the laughter of children as they literally flew down the slippery slide and squeals from girls wanting off the moving-too-fast merry-go-round.One can sit in a pew in the Lone State Church, built in 1915 north of Gem by a group of Danish settlers, and almost hear the preacher giving a Sunday morning message.The grounds also include the Vacin red barn, built in 1916, and the Western Prairie Educational Site, located on 10 acres south of the museum and providing a natural habitat for wildlife.“In my opinion, all of these buildings need to be maintained for people here now who have never seen them,” Malcolm said.The 21,500 square-foot museum features numerous exhibits and artifacts. An earth berm planted with native buffalo grass encircles the building. The museum at 1905 S. Franklin Ave. is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.Jim Severs and his wife, Jan, visited the Cooper Barn and the other buildings one day last month. The couple from Conway, Arkansas, stopped in Colby a year ago and wanted to visit the museum, only to find it had closed for the day. They made sure to check out this time around on their way to Denver.“It’s beautiful; I love the architecture,” Jim said of Cooper Barn. “The fact that it’s preserved is amazing. Since it’s billed as (one of the eight) architectural wonders of Kansas, I kind of had to see it.”Jan Severs was impressed by the size of the hayloft.“Upstairs, it was beautiful,” she said. “It was wonderful to see how people lived.”Jan added that Arkansas has nothing like Cooper Barn.“We have a lot of barns,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t know of any this large.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752173597504.jpeg" alt="After it was donated to the local historical society, the Cooper Barn was moved from 16 miles outside Colby to its current location at the Prairie Museum of Art and History. The 1992 trek to Colby took three days to complete. Photo courtesy of Prairie Museum of Art and History" />
 <figcaption>After it was donated to the local historical society, the Cooper Barn was moved from 16 miles outside Colby to its current location at the Prairie Museum of Art and History. The 1992 trek to Colby took three days to complete. Photo courtesy of Prairie Museum of Art and History</figcaption>
 </figure>

NWester: Colby’s Cooper Barn one of a kind

On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks with Monique Koerner, Cottonwood Extension District&nbsp; Family and Community Wellness agent, about upcoming programs for new babysitters ages 10 and older, and the prenatal education program Becoming A Mom.

<div><iframe title="K-State Research and Extension Cottonwood District Prenatal Education Program and Babysitting Clinic" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=jhcpx-18ff4ab-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks with Monique Koerner, Cottonwood Extension District&nbsp; Family and Community Wellness agent, about upcoming programs for new babysitters ages 10 and older, and the prenatal education program Becoming A Mom.

🎙Post Podcast: Extension programs for new babysitters and for moms-to-be

HAYS – The Hays Larks ran their winning streak to seven
games and picked up the series win over the Collegiate Roughriders with a 10-0 win
Saturday night at Larks Park. 

The Larks (22-4-1,&nbsp; 15-4 RMBL) scored four in the first and four in the
seventh for the run rule win. 

Dylan LaRue drove in the first run of the game on a
groundout. Wilbert Espinal followed with an RBI double then scored on Kaleb Duncan’s
triple who later scored on a wild pitch.

Brady Kreutzer entered as a courtesy runner in the third and
stole second and third before scoring on an Espinal groundout which pushed the lead to 5-0.

Duncan scored on Paul Smith’s grounder to center in the sixth
to give the Larks a 6-0 lead. They ended the night early with four in the seventh.
LaRue drove in the first run with a single to left. Kreutzer scored on a Duncan
groundout then Thomas Lyssy hit a two-run homer to end the game.

Taber Stokes, Dylan LaRue and Kaleb Duncan all had two hits.
LaRue, Wilbert Espinal, Duncan, and Thomas Lyssy all drove in two runs.

Nick Gray (5-0) allowed one hit with seven strikeouts and
one walk over five scoreless innings and picked up the win. Julio Ramos closed
out the game with two scoreless innings of relief with seven strikeouts and no
walks. The two combined to strikeout 12 and walk only one.

The Larks and Roughriders close out the four-game series with
a non-league game Sunday at 6:00 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717183089670.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post SportsHAYS – The Hays Larks ran their winning streak to seven
games and picked up the series win over the Collegiate Roughriders with a 10-0 win
Saturday night at Larks Park. The Larks (22-4-1,&nbsp; 15-4 RMBL) scored four in the first and four in the
seventh for the run rule win. Dylan LaRue drove in the first run of the game on a
groundout. Wilbert Espinal followed with an RBI double then scored on Kaleb Duncan’s
triple who later scored on a wild pitch.Brady Kreutzer entered as a courtesy runner in the third and
stole second and third before scoring on an Espinal groundout which pushed the lead to 5-0.Duncan scored on Paul Smith’s grounder to center in the sixth
to give the Larks a 6-0 lead. They ended the night early with four in the seventh.
LaRue drove in the first run with a single to left. Kreutzer scored on a Duncan
groundout then Thomas Lyssy hit a two-run homer to end the game.Taber Stokes, Dylan LaRue and Kaleb Duncan all had two hits.
LaRue, Wilbert Espinal, Duncan, and Thomas Lyssy all drove in two runs.Nick Gray (5-0) allowed one hit with seven strikeouts and
one walk over five scoreless innings and picked up the win. Julio Ramos closed
out the game with two scoreless innings of relief with seven strikeouts and no
walks. The two combined to strikeout 12 and walk only one.UP NEXTThe Larks and Roughriders close out the four-game series with
a non-league game Sunday at 6:00 p.m.

⚾ Larks cruise to run-rule win over Roughriders

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;says he is considering “taking away” the U.S. citizenship of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-celebrity-united-states-government-national-c5f56e37a8b84379aea0328f9aafa126">longtime rival</a>, actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell, despite a decades-old Supreme Court ruling that expressly prohibits such an action by the government.

“Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Saturday. He added that O’Donnell, who moved to Ireland in January, should stay in Ireland “if they want her.”

The two have criticized each other publicly for years, an often bitter back-and-forth that predates Trump’s involvement in politics. In recent days, O’Donnell on social media denounced Trump and recent moves by his administration, including the signing of a massive GOP-backed tax breaks and spending cuts plan.

It’s just the latest threat by Trump to revoke the citizenship of people with whom he has publicly disagreed, most recently his former adviser and one-time ally,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-their-own-words-c0108037881469f0b5bdd8df87eba6b4">Elon Musk</a>.

But O’Donnell’s situation is notably different from Musk, who was born in South Africa. O’Donnell was born in the United States and has a constitutional right to U.S. citizenship. The U.S. State Department notes&nbsp;<a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/us-citizenship.html" target="_blank">on its website</a>&nbsp;that U.S. citizens by birth or naturalization may relinquish U.S. nationality by taking certain steps – but only if the act is performed voluntary and with the intention of relinquishing U.S. citizenship.

Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, noted the Supreme Court ruled in a 1967 case that the Fourteen Amendment of the Constitution prevents the government from taking away citizenship.

“The president has no authority to take away the citizenship of a native-born U.S. citizen,” Frost said in an email Saturday. “In short, we are nation founded on the principle that the people choose the government; the government cannot choose the people.”

O’Donnell moved to Ireland after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris to win his second term. She has said she’s in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship based on family lineage.

Responding to Trump Saturday, O’Donnell wrote on social media that she had upset the president and “add me to the list of people who oppose him at every turn.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752358358385.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;says he is considering “taking away” the U.S. citizenship of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-celebrity-united-states-government-national-c5f56e37a8b84379aea0328f9aafa126">longtime rival</a>, actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell, despite a decades-old Supreme Court ruling that expressly prohibits such an action by the government.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/e59bPvaJNK">pic.twitter.com/e59bPvaJNK</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1944030354983075963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Saturday. He added that O’Donnell, who moved to Ireland in January, should stay in Ireland “if they want her.”The two have criticized each other publicly for years, an often bitter back-and-forth that predates Trump’s involvement in politics. In recent days, O’Donnell on social media denounced Trump and recent moves by his administration, including the signing of a massive GOP-backed tax breaks and spending cuts plan.It’s just the latest threat by Trump to revoke the citizenship of people with whom he has publicly disagreed, most recently his former adviser and one-time ally,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-their-own-words-c0108037881469f0b5bdd8df87eba6b4">Elon Musk</a>.But O’Donnell’s situation is notably different from Musk, who was born in South Africa. O’Donnell was born in the United States and has a constitutional right to U.S. citizenship. The U.S. State Department notes&nbsp;<a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/us-citizenship.html" target="_blank">on its website</a>&nbsp;that U.S. citizens by birth or naturalization may relinquish U.S. nationality by taking certain steps – but only if the act is performed voluntary and with the intention of relinquishing U.S. citizenship.Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, noted the Supreme Court ruled in a 1967 case that the Fourteen Amendment of the Constitution prevents the government from taking away citizenship.“The president has no authority to take away the citizenship of a native-born U.S. citizen,” Frost said in an email Saturday. “In short, we are nation founded on the principle that the people choose the government; the government cannot choose the people.”O’Donnell moved to Ireland after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris to win his second term. She has said she’s in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship based on family lineage.Responding to Trump Saturday, O’Donnell wrote on social media that she had upset the president and “add me to the list of people who oppose him at every turn.”

Read President Trump's threat about Rosie O’Donnell’s US citizenship

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Fair kicked off with races at the RPM Speedway in Hays.

Spectators cheered as approximately 80 cars competed across several races into the night at the Ellis County Fairgrounds. The show continues tonight with more races at 7 p.m. at the Speedway.

Tickets for the fair can be purchased in advance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/36944/ellis-county-fair?fbclid=IwY2xjawKujTRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF6VFdJNnVTa0NYYk82ZUp4AR44_gw2XjWFjbazSFQJZE4y3MXwLLePpTZO8DU_vIYc0eKGGESB4xXlYUunwA_aem_v9FbcbBjuUHs1yaGOY1NgA">here</a>&nbsp;or at the gate. A pass covering seven events costs $40, and a single-night admission costs $20. Children age 5 and younger get in free.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/dd373ce5-e23f-4a60-bc72-6a6ffb27d422">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis County Fair offers week of family fun</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/52d736e5-de04-4b4b-a988-277667123f6a">SEE RELATED STORY: Midget wrestling set to shake up Ellis County Fair</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5b14a780-50e1-4795-b899-9800bd00a9d7">SEE RELATED STORY: Engines to roar as Moto Rodeo races into Ellis County Fair</a>

You can follow the Ellis County Fair on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063657276403">Facebook</a>.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ydIXQ5lpmis?si=YN41zKfC4xnlxQtn" 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>Music courtesy of PixabayBy TONY GUERRERO Hays PostThe Ellis County Fair kicked off with races at the RPM Speedway in Hays.Spectators cheered as approximately 80 cars competed across several races into the night at the Ellis County Fairgrounds. The show continues tonight with more races at 7 p.m. at the Speedway.Tickets for the fair can be purchased in advance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/36944/ellis-county-fair?fbclid=IwY2xjawKujTRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF6VFdJNnVTa0NYYk82ZUp4AR44_gw2XjWFjbazSFQJZE4y3MXwLLePpTZO8DU_vIYc0eKGGESB4xXlYUunwA_aem_v9FbcbBjuUHs1yaGOY1NgA">here</a>&nbsp;or at the gate. A pass covering seven events costs $40, and a single-night admission costs $20. Children age 5 and younger get in free.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/dd373ce5-e23f-4a60-bc72-6a6ffb27d422">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis County Fair offers week of family fun</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/52d736e5-de04-4b4b-a988-277667123f6a">SEE RELATED STORY: Midget wrestling set to shake up Ellis County Fair</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5b14a780-50e1-4795-b899-9800bd00a9d7">SEE RELATED STORY: Engines to roar as Moto Rodeo races into Ellis County Fair</a>You can follow the Ellis County Fair on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063657276403">Facebook</a>.

Ellis County Fair 2025 RPM Speedway races

HAYS – The Hays Larks scored double-digit runs for a 12th
time this season in a 17-5 run-rule victory over the Colorado Collegiate Roughriders
Friday night at Larks Park.

While the Larks (21-4-1) ran their win streak to six straight,
with a blowout victory Friday night, it wasn’t an easy victory for the home
team. 

Colorado jumped out to a 5-0 lead through an inning and a
half, but the Larks answered in a big way, scoring 17 unanswered runs. 

The Larks used a hit by pitch and back-to-back walks to load
the bases. Kaleb Duncan followed that with a two-run double, cutting the
Colorado lead to 5-2. 

CJ Reid added a two-run triple in the next at-bat,
pulling the Larks within a run at 5-4.

Two batters later, Lane Sparks connected on a two-run home
run to right field, putting the Larks up 6-5.

Later in the inning, Brady Kreutzer singled home the seventh
run of the inning, giving the Larks the 7-5 lead.

The Larks continued to pile on the lead in the bottom of the
third inning, scoring three more times.

Reid homered, Sparks doubled and scored on a wild pitch,
making it 10-5 Larks through three innings.

Following on their second scoreless inning of the game, Hays’
offensive outburst continued in the bottom of the fifth, scoring five times.

Tabor Stokes led off the inning with a solo home run. After
a Sparks triple, Jackson Babcock drove him home with an RBI single for a 12-5
Hays lead.

A sacrifice fly made it 13-5, Hays and then Kreutzer hit a
two-run home run to left, making it 15-5.

In the bottom of the sixth, Hays plated a pair of runs on
RBI groundouts for a 17-5 lead, and they went on to secure that run-rule
victory in the seventh. 

Lane Sparks hit for the cycle. He finished 4-for-5 with a
home run, triple, double and single. He also scored four times and drove in
three runs. 

Brady Kreutzer homered and drove in four runs. Jackson Babcock
was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored.

Trent Baker was awarded with victory for Hays. 

He allowed five runs in four innings with five strikeouts
and one walk. 

Hays and the Roughriders play game three Saturday at 7 p.m.

Hays Post SportsHAYS – The Hays Larks scored double-digit runs for a 12th
time this season in a 17-5 run-rule victory over the Colorado Collegiate Roughriders
Friday night at Larks Park.While the Larks (21-4-1) ran their win streak to six straight,
with a blowout victory Friday night, it wasn’t an easy victory for the home
team. Colorado jumped out to a 5-0 lead through an inning and a
half, but the Larks answered in a big way, scoring 17 unanswered runs. The Larks used a hit by pitch and back-to-back walks to load
the bases. Kaleb Duncan followed that with a two-run double, cutting the
Colorado lead to 5-2. CJ Reid added a two-run triple in the next at-bat,
pulling the Larks within a run at 5-4.Two batters later, Lane Sparks connected on a two-run home
run to right field, putting the Larks up 6-5.Later in the inning, Brady Kreutzer singled home the seventh
run of the inning, giving the Larks the 7-5 lead.The Larks continued to pile on the lead in the bottom of the
third inning, scoring three more times.Reid homered, Sparks doubled and scored on a wild pitch,
making it 10-5 Larks through three innings.Following on their second scoreless inning of the game, Hays’
offensive outburst continued in the bottom of the fifth, scoring five times.Tabor Stokes led off the inning with a solo home run. After
a Sparks triple, Jackson Babcock drove him home with an RBI single for a 12-5
Hays lead.A sacrifice fly made it 13-5, Hays and then Kreutzer hit a
two-run home run to left, making it 15-5.In the bottom of the sixth, Hays plated a pair of runs on
RBI groundouts for a 17-5 lead, and they went on to secure that run-rule
victory in the seventh. Lane Sparks hit for the cycle. He finished 4-for-5 with a
home run, triple, double and single. He also scored four times and drove in
three runs. Brady Kreutzer homered and drove in four runs. Jackson Babcock
was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored.Trent Baker was awarded with victory for Hays. He allowed five runs in four innings with five strikeouts
and one walk. Hays and the Roughriders play game three Saturday at 7 p.m.

⚾ Larks homer four times, Sparks hits for cycle in win over Roughriders

A portable generator outside a building in Hays caused structural damage and left one person injured Tuesday.

Hays Deputy Fire Chief Shane Preston said the generator at Wheelchairs of Kansas, 500 Commerce Parkway, sparked a fire around 4:15 p.m., damaging the building’s exterior.

Preston said vapors from the generator ignited, sending one person to the hospital. The incident did not significantly impact the business operations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751902451563.jpg" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA portable generator outside a building in Hays caused structural damage and left one person injured Tuesday.Hays Deputy Fire Chief Shane Preston said the generator at Wheelchairs of Kansas, 500 Commerce Parkway, sparked a fire around 4:15 p.m., damaging the building’s exterior.Preston said vapors from the generator ignited, sending one person to the hospital. The incident did not significantly impact the business operations.

Portable generator sparks fire in Hays, one injured

With boots on their feet and passion in their hearts, young contestants are saddling up to represent Ellis County as the next rodeo royalty.

The competition crowns three titleholders: Queen, Princess and Little Miss, judged on their horsemanship, rodeo knowledge, public speaking and overall presentation.

Ellis County Rodeo Pageant Coordinator April Pfeifer said the fair event goes beyond a beauty pageant, emphasizing leadership and a strong connection to the rodeo lifestyle.

"We want them to be good role models for all the little kids that are looking up to them," she said.

Winners are required to attend rodeos and community events throughout the year. Two Queen contestants, two Princess contestants and one Little Miss contestant have been announced.

Seventeen-year-old Amelia Marten of Cheney attends Bishop Carroll Catholic High School. She competes in rodeos, plays the saxophone and volunteers at her local humane society.

Seventeen-year-old Adeline Robinson of Dodge City attends Dodge City High School, where she competes in varsity track and forensics. She serves as secretary of her FFA  chapter and leads the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Fourteen-year-old Lily Basagall of Hays is an incoming freshman at Hays High School and participates in wrestling and track.

Thirteen-year-old Kendre Randa of Ellis is homeschooled and enjoys jewelry-making, riding and caring for her horse, and spending time with her farm animals and family.

Eight-year-old Brooke Broeckelman of Norton will enter third grade at Eisenhower Elementary this fall. She loves riding her horse, swimming, reading and is also working on 4-H projects for the fair.

The pageant begins with horsemanship at 8 a.m. July 12 at the Rodeo Arena before moving to the Unrien building for speeches and modeling. Winners will be announced at 7:45 p.m. July 15, the first night of the rodeo.

You can follow the Ellic County Rodeo Pageant on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EllisCountyRodeoRoyalty">Facebook</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751305994830.jpg" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostWith boots on their feet and passion in their hearts, young contestants are saddling up to represent Ellis County as the next rodeo royalty.The competition crowns three titleholders: Queen, Princess and Little Miss, judged on their horsemanship, rodeo knowledge, public speaking and overall presentation.Ellis County Rodeo Pageant Coordinator April Pfeifer said the fair event goes beyond a beauty pageant, emphasizing leadership and a strong connection to the rodeo lifestyle."We want them to be good role models for all the little kids that are looking up to them," she said.Winners are required to attend rodeos and community events throughout the year. Two Queen contestants, two Princess contestants and one Little Miss contestant have been announced.Seventeen-year-old Amelia Marten of Cheney attends Bishop Carroll Catholic High School. She competes in rodeos, plays the saxophone and volunteers at her local humane society.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751312810724.jpeg" alt="17-year-old Amelia Marten of Cheney (left) and&nbsp;17-year-old Adeline Robinson of Dodge City (right). Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>17-year-old Amelia Marten of Cheney (left) and&nbsp;17-year-old Adeline Robinson of Dodge City (right). Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Seventeen-year-old Adeline Robinson of Dodge City attends Dodge City High School, where she competes in varsity track and forensics. She serves as secretary of her FFA chapter and leads the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.Fourteen-year-old Lily Basagall of Hays is an incoming freshman at Hays High School and participates in wrestling and track.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751312836081.jpeg" alt="14-year-old Lily Basagall of Hays (left) and&nbsp;13-year-old Kendre Randa of Ellis (right). Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>14-year-old Lily Basagall of Hays (left) and&nbsp;13-year-old Kendre Randa of Ellis (right). Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Thirteen-year-old Kendre Randa of Ellis is homeschooled and enjoys jewelry-making, riding and caring for her horse, and spending time with her farm animals and family.Eight-year-old Brooke Broeckelman of Norton will enter third grade at Eisenhower Elementary this fall. She loves riding her horse, swimming, reading and is also working on 4-H projects for the fair.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751312869125.jpeg" alt="8-year-old Brooke Broeckelman of Norton. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>8-year-old Brooke Broeckelman of Norton. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The pageant begins with horsemanship at 8 a.m. July 12 at the Rodeo Arena before moving to the Unrien building for speeches and modeling. Winners will be announced at 7:45 p.m. July 15, the first night of the rodeo.You can follow the Ellic County Rodeo Pageant on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EllisCountyRodeoRoyalty">Facebook</a>.

Contestants announced for Ellis County Fair Rodeo Pageant

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Ellis County is introducing a new mass notification system to improve emergency communication.

The Ellis County Commission discussed the Everbridge system during its Tuesday meeting. It is set to replace the previous CivicPlus system, which had low public engagement due to requiring users to opt in.

Jeffrey Ridgway, county communications director, gave an overview of the system and said that one advantage of Everbridge is its ability to send alerts based on a person's location, rather than relying on users to opt in.

"This system will help bridge a gap that we currently have," Ridgeway said.

Ridgway said alerts remain active until they are manually deactivated and anyone entering the affected area while an alert is active will also receive the notification. He refers back to the 2021 four-county fire that swept through Ellis, Osborne, Rooks and Russell counties.

"The City of Ellis was recommended to evacuate due to that fire threat; the only way we could get that notification out was through media and social media," Ridgway said.

Emergency alerts will be sent automatically by using FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert &amp; Warning System. The system also supports sending a single alert simultaneously to multiple platforms.

However, Ridgway said residents will need to opt in to receive non-emergency messages, such as event notices or public announcements.

The commission supports the Everbridge system, as it can also send notifications to county employees. Ridgway said the system can be customized for use by individual departments, allowing them to send their own notifications among staff or the public when needed.

"We've been trying to go through the onboarding process in the last month and hopefully in the next month or so, we will be completely live on it," Ridgway said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752001899764.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostEllis County is introducing a new mass notification system to improve emergency communication.The Ellis County Commission discussed the Everbridge system during its Tuesday meeting. It is set to replace the previous CivicPlus system, which had low public engagement due to requiring users to opt in.Jeffrey Ridgway, county communications director, gave an overview of the system and said that one advantage of Everbridge is its ability to send alerts based on a person's location, rather than relying on users to opt in."This system will help bridge a gap that we currently have," Ridgeway said.Ridgway said alerts remain active until they are manually deactivated and anyone entering the affected area while an alert is active will also receive the notification. He refers back to the 2021 four-county fire that swept through Ellis, Osborne, Rooks and Russell counties."The City of Ellis was recommended to evacuate due to that fire threat; the only way we could get that notification out was through media and social media," Ridgway said.Emergency alerts will be sent automatically by using FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert &amp; Warning System. The system also supports sending a single alert simultaneously to multiple platforms.However, Ridgway said residents will need to opt in to receive non-emergency messages, such as event notices or public announcements.The commission supports the Everbridge system, as it can also send notifications to county employees. Ridgway said the system can be customized for use by individual departments, allowing them to send their own notifications among staff or the public when needed."We've been trying to go through the onboarding process in the last month and hopefully in the next month or so, we will be completely live on it," Ridgway said.

Ellis County to launch new geo-targeted alert system

Sign up Saturday at&nbsp;Malay’s Market in WaKeeney to become a finalist for a&nbsp;Yuengling Flight Golf Cart from our friends at A &amp; A in Hays. 

The Yuengling Flight Golf Cart, which is worth $10,000, will be given away at this year’s OKTOBERFEST 2025!

Special thanks to our sponsors: High Plains Roofing and A &amp; A Coors Yuengling.

Keep listening to Eagle Radio and reading the Hays Post all summer long for your chance to become a finalist.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751402885859.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Sign up Saturday at&nbsp;Malay’s Market in WaKeeney to become a finalist for a&nbsp;Yuengling Flight Golf Cart from our friends at A &amp; A in Hays. The Yuengling Flight Golf Cart, which is worth $10,000, will be given away at this year’s OKTOBERFEST 2025!Special thanks to our sponsors: High Plains Roofing and A &amp; A Coors Yuengling.Keep listening to Eagle Radio and reading the Hays Post all summer long for your chance to become a finalist.

Enter to be finalist for Yuengling Flight Golf Cart Saturday at Malay’s Market in WaKeeney

HAYS
– The Hays Larks scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to break open a
one-run game and beat the Collegiate Roughriders in the opening game of a four-game
series at Larks Park.

The
Larks (20-4-1, 13-4 RMBL) have won five straight and 10 of their last 11 and increased
their lead to five games over Liberal in the Rocky Mountain Baseball League.

Lane
Sparks walked, advanced to second on a groundout then scored on a wild pitch to
give the Larks a 4-2 lead in the seventh. Jackson Babcock singled and Wilbert
Espinal doubled, both scored on a Paul Smith single to round out the scoring.

Trent
Baker scored on a groundout in the bottom of the fifth to give the Larks a 3-2
lead.

The
Larks grabbed the lead in the third when they scored a pair of runs with two
outs off a couple of Roughriders errors. The Roughriders (8-13, 4-6 RMBL) answered
with two runs in the fifth.

Brooks
Jones and Nolan Wilson combine to pitch 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to
close out the game. Jones didn’t allow a hit with five strikeouts and two walks
over 3 2/3 innings. Wilson gave up a hit but struck out the side in the ninth. 

Starter
Dalton Campbell (4-1) allowed one earned run on five hits with four strikeouts and
four walks over 4 1/3 innings and was awarded the win.

Taber
Stokes had three of the Larks nine hits.

The
Larks pitchers combined to strikeout out 12 Roughrider batters. It’s the 10th
consecutive game and 19th game overall this season in which they’ve fanned 10 or
more opponent batters.

The Larks and Roughriders play game two of their
four-game series Friday night at 7:00 p.m. It’s Educators Night with free
admission courtesy of the First United Methodist Church, First Care Clinic,
Werth Eye Group and Adams Brown.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717183089670.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post SportsHAYS
– The Hays Larks scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to break open a
one-run game and beat the Collegiate Roughriders in the opening game of a four-game
series at Larks Park.The
Larks (20-4-1, 13-4 RMBL) have won five straight and 10 of their last 11 and increased
their lead to five games over Liberal in the Rocky Mountain Baseball League.Lane
Sparks walked, advanced to second on a groundout then scored on a wild pitch to
give the Larks a 4-2 lead in the seventh. Jackson Babcock singled and Wilbert
Espinal doubled, both scored on a Paul Smith single to round out the scoring.Trent
Baker scored on a groundout in the bottom of the fifth to give the Larks a 3-2
lead.The
Larks grabbed the lead in the third when they scored a pair of runs with two
outs off a couple of Roughriders errors. The Roughriders (8-13, 4-6 RMBL) answered
with two runs in the fifth.Brooks
Jones and Nolan Wilson combine to pitch 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to
close out the game. Jones didn’t allow a hit with five strikeouts and two walks
over 3 2/3 innings. Wilson gave up a hit but struck out the side in the ninth. Starter
Dalton Campbell (4-1) allowed one earned run on five hits with four strikeouts and
four walks over 4 1/3 innings and was awarded the win.Taber
Stokes had three of the Larks nine hits.DOUBLE
DIGIT STRIKEOUTSThe
Larks pitchers combined to strikeout out 12 Roughrider batters. It’s the 10th
consecutive game and 19th game overall this season in which they’ve fanned 10 or
more opponent batters.UP
NEXTThe Larks and Roughriders play game two of their
four-game series Friday night at 7:00 p.m. It’s Educators Night with free
admission courtesy of the First United Methodist Church, First Care Clinic,
Werth Eye Group and Adams Brown.

⚾ Larks take series opener with Roughriders

Tryyaki Asian Cuisine &amp; TeaHouse,&nbsp;located at 2814 Vine St., sustained fire and smoke damage Wednesday morning.

Hays Fire Chief Ryan Hagans said the fire was caused by the spontaneous combustion of cleaning rags in the restaurant’s storage area.

Hagans said that around 6:30 a.m., when the restaurant was closed and empty, a passerby noticed smoke coming from the building. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire had already burned itself out.

Hagans said  there was smoke damage throughout the building. No injuries were reported.

Tryyaki Asian Cuisine &amp; TeaHouse, located at 2814 Vine St., announced on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AtrsUPt3i/">Facebook</a>&nbsp;that it experienced a fire on Wednesday morning and will remain closed until further notice.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1751902451563.jpg" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostTryyaki Asian Cuisine &amp; TeaHouse,&nbsp;located at 2814 Vine St., sustained fire and smoke damage Wednesday morning.Hays Fire Chief Ryan Hagans said the fire was caused by the spontaneous combustion of cleaning rags in the restaurant’s storage area.Hagans said that around 6:30 a.m., when the restaurant was closed and empty, a passerby noticed smoke coming from the building. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire had already burned itself out.Hagans said there was smoke damage throughout the building. No injuries were reported.----------Tryyaki Asian Cuisine &amp; TeaHouse, located at 2814 Vine St., announced on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AtrsUPt3i/">Facebook</a>&nbsp;that it experienced a fire on Wednesday morning and will remain closed until further notice.

Update: Tryyaki Asian Cuisine in Hays sustains fire Wednesday morning

Hays city commissioners will hear a status report about the operations of Hays Regional Airport and its carrier SkyWest/United from consultant&nbsp;Gary Foss of The ArkStar Group during&nbsp; their meeting this afternoon.

The draft 2026 city budget calls for a one mill increase allocated to the airport, from 1.5 to 2.5 mills. The total mill levy for the city would remain at 25 mills.

Also on the agenda are two resolutions regarding bond sales for infrastructure at city-owned Interstate 70 Exit 161 and public infrastructure improvements at The Grove, 27th and Canterbury.

The complete June 10 agenda is available <a href="https://ks-hays.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07102025-1557">here</a>. The meeting starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.&nbsp;

Hays PostHays city commissioners will hear a status report about the operations of Hays Regional Airport and its carrier SkyWest/United from consultant&nbsp;Gary Foss of The ArkStar Group during&nbsp; their meeting this afternoon.The draft 2026 city budget calls for a one mill increase allocated to the airport, from 1.5 to 2.5 mills. The total mill levy for the city would remain at 25 mills.Also on the agenda are two resolutions regarding bond sales for infrastructure at city-owned Interstate 70 Exit 161 and public infrastructure improvements at The Grove, 27th and Canterbury.The complete June 10 agenda is available <a href="https://ks-hays.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07102025-1557">here</a>. The meeting starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.&nbsp;&nbsp;

City commission to hear status report about Hays Regional Airport, SkyWest passenger service

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly was in Hays Wednesday morning to ceremonially sign&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fhb2172%2F/1/01010197f074f5af-249c87b1-c6c5-4769-a0f7-0caf1a577791-000000/ttwrjcu9dwmlz8zOLDRjK5dseHfAlXmSaIdT8vAh9uI=413">Senate Substitute for House Bill 2172</a>&nbsp;which establishes the state's new bipartisan water program task force.&nbsp;

 The group is charged with evaluating the state's water program and its funding and will establish a water planning work group to submit reports to the legislature and the governor in 2026 and 2027.

“Kansas’ water challenges require us to act now to secure this essential, nonrenewable resource,” Gov. Kelly said. “Kansas’ agriculture industry, economy, and communities must have a secure water supply to thrive, now and into the future. This bill is a significant step forward in protecting our water quality and quantity for generations to come.”

The report will include recommendations on the water program’s long-term structure to address Kansas’ current and future water needs, the roles and responsibilities of the state, municipalities, and regional entities, and identify a dedicated funding source for the State Water Plan fund.

The co-chairs of the task force, Sen. Kenny Titus (R-Wamego)&nbsp; and Rep. Jim Minnix (R-Scott City) and several task force members were also on hand at the signing ceremony held at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History. Also attending were representatives from other Kansas water authorities along with local state representatives Barb Wasinger (R-Hays) and Ken Rahjes (R-Agra) and city of Hays officials.&nbsp;

Sandy Jacobs, mayor, welcomed the crowd and talked about Hays' leadership in water conservation programs since the 1990s.

"Any time that we can show off the things we're doing in this community from a conservation standpoint and all our efforts in securing our water in Edwards County, it's important," Jacobs said after the ceremony. "If we can get the governor listening, we can get other people listening, too."

Sen. Titus talked about the 100-plus years of history in Kansas regarding its water issues.&nbsp;

 “If we want to continue to make progress with our state’s water issues, we must develop clear priorities for investment and make sure we have the necessary accountability measures in place to create a sustainable water supply for future Kansans," Titus said.

“The livelihood of our state is dependent upon the actions we take now to ensure Kansas has the water it needs to prosper in the coming decades,” said Rep. Minnix. “The task force’s work will be crucial to support our farmers and ranchers, economy, and every corner of Kansas that must have access to a reliable, clean water supply.”

The task force includes 16 voting members spearheaded by a bipartisan group of legislators. Of those 13 voting members, six members were Kansans appointed by legislative leadership. The task force also includes a five-member water planning work group, which is tasked with reviewing and modernizing the State Water Resources Planning Act.

The governor also posed for pictures with some of the young artists who had their work selected in the 2025 water poster contest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752152612390.jpeg" alt="Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly ceremonially signs Senate Substitute for House Bill 2172 Wednesday at Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays. The bill establishes the state's new bipartisan water program task force. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly ceremonially signs Senate Substitute for House Bill 2172 Wednesday at Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays. The bill establishes the state's new bipartisan water program task force. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostDemocratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly was in Hays Wednesday morning to ceremonially sign&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kslegislature.gov%2Fli%2Fb2025_26%2Fmeasures%2Fhb2172%2F/1/01010197f074f5af-249c87b1-c6c5-4769-a0f7-0caf1a577791-000000/ttwrjcu9dwmlz8zOLDRjK5dseHfAlXmSaIdT8vAh9uI=413">Senate Substitute for House Bill 2172</a>&nbsp;which establishes the state's new bipartisan water program task force.&nbsp; The group is charged with evaluating the state's water program and its funding and will establish a water planning work group to submit reports to the legislature and the governor in 2026 and 2027.“Kansas’ water challenges require us to act now to secure this essential, nonrenewable resource,” Gov. Kelly said. “Kansas’ agriculture industry, economy, and communities must have a secure water supply to thrive, now and into the future. This bill is a significant step forward in protecting our water quality and quantity for generations to come.”The report will include recommendations on the water program’s long-term structure to address Kansas’ current and future water needs, the roles and responsibilities of the state, municipalities, and regional entities, and identify a dedicated funding source for the State Water Plan fund.The co-chairs of the task force, Sen. Kenny Titus (R-Wamego)&nbsp; and Rep. Jim Minnix (R-Scott City) and several task force members were also on hand at the signing ceremony held at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History. Also attending were representatives from other Kansas water authorities along with local state representatives Barb Wasinger (R-Hays) and Ken Rahjes (R-Agra) and city of Hays officials.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fmwg2DlCc-Y" title="mason sandy 1" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Sandy Jacobs, mayor, welcomed the crowd and talked about Hays' leadership in water conservation programs since the 1990s."Any time that we can show off the things we're doing in this community from a conservation standpoint and all our efforts in securing our water in Edwards County, it's important," Jacobs said after the ceremony. "If we can get the governor listening, we can get other people listening, too."Sen. Titus talked about the 100-plus years of history in Kansas regarding its water issues.&nbsp; “If we want to continue to make progress with our state’s water issues, we must develop clear priorities for investment and make sure we have the necessary accountability measures in place to create a sustainable water supply for future Kansans," Titus said.“The livelihood of our state is dependent upon the actions we take now to ensure Kansas has the water it needs to prosper in the coming decades,” said Rep. Minnix. “The task force’s work will be crucial to support our farmers and ranchers, economy, and every corner of Kansas that must have access to a reliable, clean water supply.”The task force includes 16 voting members spearheaded by a bipartisan group of legislators. Of those 13 voting members, six members were Kansans appointed by legislative leadership. The task force also includes a five-member water planning work group, which is tasked with reviewing and modernizing the State Water Resources Planning Act.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752088296396.jpeg" alt="Gov. Kelly looks at some of the winning submissions to the annual water poster contest sponsored by the City of Hays and KSU Watersheds. Photo by Office of the Governor" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Kelly looks at some of the winning submissions to the annual water poster contest sponsored by the City of Hays and KSU Watersheds. Photo by Office of the Governor</figcaption>
 </figure>The governor also posed for pictures with some of the young artists who had their work selected in the 2025 water poster contest."I'm a product of those water conservation education programs," said Vice-Mayor Mason Ruder afterwards, "....because we understood the situation when it happened. The people who came before us knew what the issue was and decided to go after it and find real, reasonable solutions to tackle this crisis."&nbsp;