Ida Mary Smrcka, 93, passed away August 24, 2024 at Diversicare of Larned.

She was born March 28, 1931 in La Crosse, the daughter of Clarence and Anna Irish Morrison.

A lifetime Rush County resident, she was a homemaker. She loved cooking, sewing, gardening, and working alongside her husband on the farm. Her greatest joy was to be a grandma to Katie Ann and a great grandma GG to Brielle.

On October 15, 1955 she married Willard Dean Smrcka at La Crosse; he preceded her in death.

Survivors include: &nbsp;daughter, Vickie Sue (R.J.) Tammen, Timken; granddaughter, Katie Ann (Shawn) Doyle, Timken; great granddaughter, Brielle Maryn Doyle; brother, Victor Morrison, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, Robert Allen Smrcka; and her brothers and sisters.

Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday, August 26, 2024 with family present from 6-8 p.m. Burial will be in Bohemian National Cemetery, Timken. Private family service will be at a later date.

Memorials may be given to Bohemian National Cemetery in care of Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, Kansas 67550. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724621628269.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ida Mary Smrcka, 93, passed away August 24, 2024 at Diversicare of Larned.She was born March 28, 1931 in La Crosse, the daughter of Clarence and Anna Irish Morrison.A lifetime Rush County resident, she was a homemaker. She loved cooking, sewing, gardening, and working alongside her husband on the farm. Her greatest joy was to be a grandma to Katie Ann and a great grandma GG to Brielle.On October 15, 1955 she married Willard Dean Smrcka at La Crosse; he preceded her in death.Survivors include: &nbsp;daughter, Vickie Sue (R.J.) Tammen, Timken; granddaughter, Katie Ann (Shawn) Doyle, Timken; great granddaughter, Brielle Maryn Doyle; brother, Victor Morrison, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, Robert Allen Smrcka; and her brothers and sisters.Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday, August 26, 2024 with family present from 6-8 p.m. Burial will be in Bohemian National Cemetery, Timken. Private family service will be at a later date.Memorials may be given to Bohemian National Cemetery in care of Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, Kansas 67550. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

Ida Mary Smrcka

The Ellis County Board of Commissioners are requesting citizen interest in being apart of the new Ellis County Library Board. 

To be eligible for the appointment, the person must live within the new taxing district of the Ellis County Library, which is anyone who lives in Ellis County, but not within the city limits of Hays or Ellis.

 Initial appointment terms will vary, but appointments will have four-year terms after the initial appointment. 

This is an exciting time for the new board. Some examples of the initial work needing done for the new board are creating bylaws, board positions, meeting dates, times, and locations, budget, contractual work, and working with local public libraries. 

For anyone interested in serving on this board, please feel free to contact an Ellis County commissioner or the county administrator to gather more information. 

To be considered for the appointment, a Citizen Interest form must be filled out and turned in. It can be found on the Ellis County Clerks webpage at <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/494/Citizen-Interest---Volunteer">https://www.ellisco.net/494/Citizen-Interest---Volunteer</a>.

Forms need to be returned no later than October 1, 2024.

Ellis CountyThe Ellis County Board of Commissioners are requesting citizen interest in being apart of the new Ellis County Library Board. To be eligible for the appointment, the person must live within the new taxing district of the Ellis County Library, which is anyone who lives in Ellis County, but not within the city limits of Hays or Ellis. Initial appointment terms will vary, but appointments will have four-year terms after the initial appointment. This is an exciting time for the new board. Some examples of the initial work needing done for the new board are creating bylaws, board positions, meeting dates, times, and locations, budget, contractual work, and working with local public libraries. For anyone interested in serving on this board, please feel free to contact an Ellis County commissioner or the county administrator to gather more information. To be considered for the appointment, a Citizen Interest form must be filled out and turned in. It can be found on the Ellis County Clerks webpage at <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/494/Citizen-Interest---Volunteer">https://www.ellisco.net/494/Citizen-Interest---Volunteer</a>. Forms need to be returned no later than October 1, 2024.

Ellis County seeks members for new county library board

Optimism seems to be fading that a cease fire proposed by the United States will be accepted to pause the fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Kansas U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, says these are difficult negotiations between long-time enemies.

“Well, I don’t know, there have been lots of efforts at trying to put in place a cease fire. None of them have worked to date. And it seems both sides are difficult to deal with,” Moran tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post during a recent visit to Elwood.

Moran is doubtful this latest attempt by the United States to bring the two sides together will work.

“I hope that there can be some kind of coming together for peace or a better circumstance for people,” Moran says.

Still Moran holds out hope the United States can bring the two sides together this time.

“So, we hope and pray that there’s solution that protects the Israeli citizens and provides a safe and secure place for everyone.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the Middle East and had thought Israel and Hamas had agreed to terms for a pause in the fight and the release of hostages.

The conflict ignited after Hamas attacked Israeli citizens in October, killing more than a thousand, taking more than 100 hostage. Israel launched an all-out war against Hamas. It is estimated more than 40,000 have been killed in the war.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700064381613.jpeg" alt="U.S. Sen Jerry Moran visited Israel in November as part of a delegation that met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo courtesy Sen. Moran's office." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen Jerry Moran visited Israel in November as part of a delegation that met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo courtesy Sen. Moran's office.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostOptimism seems to be fading that a cease fire proposed by the United States will be accepted to pause the fighting between Israel and Hamas.Kansas U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, says these are difficult negotiations between long-time enemies.“Well, I don’t know, there have been lots of efforts at trying to put in place a cease fire. None of them have worked to date. And it seems both sides are difficult to deal with,” Moran tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post during a recent visit to Elwood.Moran is doubtful this latest attempt by the United States to bring the two sides together will work.“I hope that there can be some kind of coming together for peace or a better circumstance for people,” Moran says.Still Moran holds out hope the United States can bring the two sides together this time.“So, we hope and pray that there’s solution that protects the Israeli citizens and provides a safe and secure place for everyone.”Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the Middle East and had thought Israel and Hamas had agreed to terms for a pause in the fight and the release of hostages.The conflict ignited after Hamas attacked Israeli citizens in October, killing more than a thousand, taking more than 100 hostage. Israel launched an all-out war against Hamas. It is estimated more than 40,000 have been killed in the war.

Sen. Moran cautious on whether Israel, Hamas cease fire will be reached

Roberta Josephine “Tinker” Jacobs, 89, of Aurora, Colo., passed away on March 28, 2024. She was born July 23, 1934 to Simon and Ida Jacobs, in Hays, one of six children.

A 1952 graduate from Hays High School, Tinker helped blaze a trail for women while becoming a renowned biochemist after earning a B.A. degree at the Fort Hays Kansas State College (now FHSU) in 1956 with a major in biology and minor in zoology.

She spent her career researching immunology possibilities with a focus on finding ways to improve treatments for arthritis and lupus, among other health issues. While working at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation in the 1980s, at least three of her research papers were published in the Journal of Immunological Methods. She retired from her career as a research scientist from the University of Colorado Health Science Center in Denver.

Throughout her career, she continued to teach and learn while earning multiple post-graduate degrees. Beginning at the University of Buffalo with an M. Med in medicine (1962), continuing at the University of Kansas with an M. Arts in biology (1966), and concluding at the State University of New York-Buffalo with a Ph.D. in biochemistry (1980), Tinker was focused on helping others.

When not studying or working, Tinker spent time hiking and cycling, honing her photography skills, and caring for a collection of pets, including her beloved ‘Little Guy’ after retiring in the Denver area. While living in Oklahoma City, Okla., she became a handywoman as she worked through the process of fixing problems and making improvements as a homeowner.

She is survived by her sister, Stephanie Schumacher (Leon) of Hays, four nephews, seven nieces, and 12 great-nephews and great-nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, Simon and Ida (Linenberger) Jacobs, brothers David Jacobs, Leroy Jacobs and Norman Jacobs, sister Verna Lou (Jacobs) LaBan, and two nieces, Robin LaBan White and Stacey Schumacher Badger.

A memorial service has been scheduled for October 26, 2024 in Hays, Kansas. This obituary will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

In lieu of flowers or other gifts, please consider making a donation to the Aurora (Colo.) Animal Shelter. Donations can be sent by mail or made online. To donate by check payable to the Aurora Animal Shelter, mail it to: 15750 E. 32nd Ave., Aurora, CO 80011. To donate online, go to: https://licensepet.com/wl3/don/aurowd/457. Condolences and memories of Tinker may be shared with her family at www.haysmemorial.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724525954920.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Roberta Josephine “Tinker” Jacobs, 89, of Aurora, Colo., passed away on March 28, 2024. She was born July 23, 1934 to Simon and Ida Jacobs, in Hays, one of six children.A 1952 graduate from Hays High School, Tinker helped blaze a trail for women while becoming a renowned biochemist after earning a B.A. degree at the Fort Hays Kansas State College (now FHSU) in 1956 with a major in biology and minor in zoology.She spent her career researching immunology possibilities with a focus on finding ways to improve treatments for arthritis and lupus, among other health issues. While working at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation in the 1980s, at least three of her research papers were published in the Journal of Immunological Methods. She retired from her career as a research scientist from the University of Colorado Health Science Center in Denver.Throughout her career, she continued to teach and learn while earning multiple post-graduate degrees. Beginning at the University of Buffalo with an M. Med in medicine (1962), continuing at the University of Kansas with an M. Arts in biology (1966), and concluding at the State University of New York-Buffalo with a Ph.D. in biochemistry (1980), Tinker was focused on helping others.When not studying or working, Tinker spent time hiking and cycling, honing her photography skills, and caring for a collection of pets, including her beloved ‘Little Guy’ after retiring in the Denver area. While living in Oklahoma City, Okla., she became a handywoman as she worked through the process of fixing problems and making improvements as a homeowner.She is survived by her sister, Stephanie Schumacher (Leon) of Hays, four nephews, seven nieces, and 12 great-nephews and great-nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, Simon and Ida (Linenberger) Jacobs, brothers David Jacobs, Leroy Jacobs and Norman Jacobs, sister Verna Lou (Jacobs) LaBan, and two nieces, Robin LaBan White and Stacey Schumacher Badger.A memorial service has been scheduled for October 26, 2024 in Hays, Kansas. This obituary will be updated with more information as it becomes available.In lieu of flowers or other gifts, please consider making a donation to the Aurora (Colo.) Animal Shelter. Donations can be sent by mail or made online. To donate by check payable to the Aurora Animal Shelter, mail it to: 15750 E. 32nd Ave., Aurora, CO 80011. To donate online, go to: https://licensepet.com/wl3/don/aurowd/457. Condolences and memories of Tinker may be shared with her family at www.haysmemorial.com

Roberta Josephine “Tinker” Jacobs

The Heartland Community Foundation recently awarded over $6,800 to the Hays Public Library to assist with the project to remodel the Kansas Room.

The library’s grant request specifically targeted funds to purchase new tables for the Kansas Room. The update of furniture, flooring, lighting, and layout will improve the Kansas Room for presentations, group gatherings and research. The Kansas Room project is part of a larger remodel of the library’s basement.

The Hays Public Library Foundation is in the process of raising $150,000 to cover the cost of the Kansas Room portion of the basement remodel. The HPL Foundation is thankful for the generosity of the Heartland Community Foundation. To learn more or to donate to the project, visit hayslibrary.org/fundraiser/.

Proceeds from the HPL Foundation’s Annual Wine &amp; Cheese Fundraiser on October 19th also will benefit the Kansas Room project. Tickets are currently on sale at hayslibrary.org/event/.

Hays Public LibraryThe Heartland Community Foundation recently awarded over $6,800 to the Hays Public Library to assist with the project to remodel the Kansas Room.The library’s grant request specifically targeted funds to purchase new tables for the Kansas Room. The update of furniture, flooring, lighting, and layout will improve the Kansas Room for presentations, group gatherings and research. The Kansas Room project is part of a larger remodel of the library’s basement.The Hays Public Library Foundation is in the process of raising $150,000 to cover the cost of the Kansas Room portion of the basement remodel. The HPL Foundation is thankful for the generosity of the Heartland Community Foundation. To learn more or to donate to the project, visit hayslibrary.org/fundraiser/.Proceeds from the HPL Foundation’s Annual Wine &amp; Cheese Fundraiser on October 19th also will benefit the Kansas Room project. Tickets are currently on sale at hayslibrary.org/event/.

Heartland Community Foundation grant supports HPL Kansas Room remodel

Doris Bernice Jones, 101, died on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at the Main Street Manor in Russell, Kansas.

Doris was born on February 14, 1923, in Russell, Kansas, the daughter of Carl and Olinda (Krug) Kilian.&nbsp; She grew up in Russell and graduated from Russell High School in the class of 1941.&nbsp; She met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Cecil P. Jones on October 04, 1943, in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; From this union Doris and Cecil were blessed with two sons Doug and Roger.&nbsp; Doris worked as a dedicated wife, mother and homemaker as well as for the Russell County Treasurer and a waitress.&nbsp; She was a lifelong member of St. John Lutheran Church and was active in many ladies’ groups and church activities.&nbsp; She enjoyed bingo, playing cards and watching professional basketball and University of Kansas basketball.&nbsp; Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Surviving family include her sons Doug Jones and wife Penny of Ness City, Kansas, Roger Jones of Lincoln, Nebraska; brother Richard Kilian of Russell, Kansas; sisters Mary Parkhurst of Russell, Kansas and Karen Stafford of Scottsdale, Arizona; 3 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Frank Kilian.

A celebration of Doris’ life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, August 26, 2024, at St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Burial will follow at the St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Memorials may be given to St. John Lutheran Church and sent in care of the Mortuary.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas are in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724434391335.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Doris Bernice Jones, 101, died on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at the Main Street Manor in Russell, Kansas.Doris was born on February 14, 1923, in Russell, Kansas, the daughter of Carl and Olinda (Krug) Kilian.&nbsp; She grew up in Russell and graduated from Russell High School in the class of 1941.&nbsp; She met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Cecil P. Jones on October 04, 1943, in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; From this union Doris and Cecil were blessed with two sons Doug and Roger.&nbsp; Doris worked as a dedicated wife, mother and homemaker as well as for the Russell County Treasurer and a waitress.&nbsp; She was a lifelong member of St. John Lutheran Church and was active in many ladies’ groups and church activities.&nbsp; She enjoyed bingo, playing cards and watching professional basketball and University of Kansas basketball.&nbsp; Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.Surviving family include her sons Doug Jones and wife Penny of Ness City, Kansas, Roger Jones of Lincoln, Nebraska; brother Richard Kilian of Russell, Kansas; sisters Mary Parkhurst of Russell, Kansas and Karen Stafford of Scottsdale, Arizona; 3 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Frank Kilian.A celebration of Doris’ life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, August 26, 2024, at St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Burial will follow at the St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Memorials may be given to St. John Lutheran Church and sent in care of the Mortuary.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas are in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Doris Bernice Jones

Kay Ann McCracken, 70, passed away on August 21, 2024, at the Regent Assisted Living and Memory Care in Wichita, KS. She was born on October 19, 1953, in Hays, Kansas the daughter of Edward and Betty (Higgins) Beckmeyer.

Kay is survived by her sons; Christopher McCracken (Katie) and Philip McCracken (Lindsey); and four grandchildren; Mitchell, Emmett, Stewart, and Miles. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Clyde T.

Kay was a graduate of El Dorado High School in El Dorado, Kansas and then earned a bachelor’s degree from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas before earning her master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma. Kay and Clyde were married May 31, 1974, and began the next 48 years of their married life together in Ness City. Kay was a wife and mother to her family first and foremost. &nbsp;She was an accomplished musician and loved playing the organ, piano, and violin. It was this love of music that allowed her to teach piano and serve as the pianist and organist at First Baptist Church in Ness City, where she was a member.

It was Kay’s love for God and faith in Jesus Christ that brought her the greatest joy and hope. She now resides in the presence of her heavenly Father for eternity, no longer living by faith but seeing and experiencing that which was previously faith alone.

Words of sympathy and support may be left for the family at www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724434286550.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kay Ann McCracken, 70, passed away on August 21, 2024, at the Regent Assisted Living and Memory Care in Wichita, KS. She was born on October 19, 1953, in Hays, Kansas the daughter of Edward and Betty (Higgins) Beckmeyer.Kay is survived by her sons; Christopher McCracken (Katie) and Philip McCracken (Lindsey); and four grandchildren; Mitchell, Emmett, Stewart, and Miles. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Clyde T.Kay was a graduate of El Dorado High School in El Dorado, Kansas and then earned a bachelor’s degree from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas before earning her master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma. Kay and Clyde were married May 31, 1974, and began the next 48 years of their married life together in Ness City. Kay was a wife and mother to her family first and foremost. &nbsp;She was an accomplished musician and loved playing the organ, piano, and violin. It was this love of music that allowed her to teach piano and serve as the pianist and organist at First Baptist Church in Ness City, where she was a member.It was Kay’s love for God and faith in Jesus Christ that brought her the greatest joy and hope. She now resides in the presence of her heavenly Father for eternity, no longer living by faith but seeing and experiencing that which was previously faith alone.There are no memorial services planned.Words of sympathy and support may be left for the family at www.fitzgeraldfuneral.com

Kay Ann McCracken

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State volleyball team was picked 11th in the 2024 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, released Friday by the league office.

The Tigers accumulated 28 points in the voting process, seven behind 10th place Pittsburg State and 11 behind ninth-ranked Emporia State. Four teams received first-place votes, with Central Missouri topping the poll with five first-place votes and 113 points.

Fort Hays State returns seven players from last year's team that turned in a record of 11-18. Returners include honorable mention All-MIAA selection&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/gracie-rains/7948">Gracie Rains</a>, 2021 honorable mention All-MIAA pick&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/claire-olson/7947">Claire Olson</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/kirsten-evans/7943">Kirsten Evans</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/taytum-lovesee/7946">Taytum Lovesee</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/ashlyn-reeves/7949">Ashlyn Reeves</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/tallon-rentschler/7951">Tallon Rentschler</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/caiya-stucky/7954">Caiya Stucky</a>.

Rains led the team with 265 kills last season, while Reeves ranked second in the MIAA with an average of 1.04 blocks per set. Stucky ranked fifth in the league with 936 assists, while Evans led the team with 24 service aces and Olson enters her senior season with 500 career kills and 195 career blocks.

Head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/coaches/jessica-wood-atkins/1291">Jessica Wood-Atkins</a>, now in her seventh year at the helm at Fort Hays State, added nine newcomers to the roster in 2024, including eight freshman and one transfer.

The Tigers will begin the season at the 2024 Mountain Lion Classic in Colorado Springs, Colo. Sept. 6-7 where they will take on U-Mary, Colorado-Colorado Springs and Cameron.

Fort Hays State will then return home to host the 2024 Tiger Classic September 13-14 where they will again battle UCCS along with matches against Truman State and Northwestern Oklahoma State.

The Tigers will then play five consecutive home conference matches in early October before rounding out their home schedule November 1-2.

2024 MIAA VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL 1. Central Missouri [5] – 113 points 2. Central Oklahoma [3] – 110 points 3. Nebraska Kearney [3] – 106 points 4. Washburn [1] – 90 points 5. Missouri Western – 81 points 6. Northwest Missouri – 68 points 7. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 62 points 8. Missouri Southern – 49 points 9. Emporia State – 39 points 10. Pittsburg State – 35 points 11. Fort Hays State – 28 points 12. Newman – 11 points [#] - Number of First-Place Votes

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724429587701.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsKANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State volleyball team was picked 11th in the 2024 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, released Friday by the league office.The Tigers accumulated 28 points in the voting process, seven behind 10th place Pittsburg State and 11 behind ninth-ranked Emporia State. Four teams received first-place votes, with Central Missouri topping the poll with five first-place votes and 113 points.Fort Hays State returns seven players from last year's team that turned in a record of 11-18. Returners include honorable mention All-MIAA selection&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/gracie-rains/7948">Gracie Rains</a>, 2021 honorable mention All-MIAA pick&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/claire-olson/7947">Claire Olson</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/kirsten-evans/7943">Kirsten Evans</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/taytum-lovesee/7946">Taytum Lovesee</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/ashlyn-reeves/7949">Ashlyn Reeves</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/tallon-rentschler/7951">Tallon Rentschler</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/caiya-stucky/7954">Caiya Stucky</a>.Rains led the team with 265 kills last season, while Reeves ranked second in the MIAA with an average of 1.04 blocks per set. Stucky ranked fifth in the league with 936 assists, while Evans led the team with 24 service aces and Olson enters her senior season with 500 career kills and 195 career blocks.Head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/coaches/jessica-wood-atkins/1291">Jessica Wood-Atkins</a>, now in her seventh year at the helm at Fort Hays State, added nine newcomers to the roster in 2024, including eight freshman and one transfer.The Tigers will begin the season at the 2024 Mountain Lion Classic in Colorado Springs, Colo. Sept. 6-7 where they will take on U-Mary, Colorado-Colorado Springs and Cameron.Fort Hays State will then return home to host the 2024 Tiger Classic September 13-14 where they will again battle UCCS along with matches against Truman State and Northwestern Oklahoma State.The Tigers will then play five consecutive home conference matches in early October before rounding out their home schedule November 1-2.2024 MIAA VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL 1. Central Missouri [5] – 113 points 2. Central Oklahoma [3] – 110 points 3. Nebraska Kearney [3] – 106 points 4. Washburn [1] – 90 points 5. Missouri Western – 81 points 6. Northwest Missouri – 68 points 7. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 62 points 8. Missouri Southern – 49 points 9. Emporia State – 39 points 10. Pittsburg State – 35 points 11. Fort Hays State – 28 points 12. Newman – 11 points [#] - Number of First-Place Votes

🏐 MIAA releases coaches preseason poll, Tigers picked 11th

Fort Hays State University has been awarded a $74,446 CIVIC Innovation Planning Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). 

The grant, titled “<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0TBLz8pdrhQKavqD9iv7cmvL8t2dzRrt-2FuL0-2FFwxowtXvi-2FbW6tJjYvsTk-2B2iASWoOqPkMBxh5VzbDrQ8XIHZV8gdKdWtMSgWNGS9heaqdEsjMKI_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOZRwRk5tcunCivpCVDIipVGkxFrFGct-2FhcQSmvPyLycNnN-2FuOCkOCOJmN8gv5ODZ7D435ftXFRy76ssBB6CkKPD-2BlgYfGRkb-2BSDHLmxutYofTyOmgw2HSzTJh1mb3R9xQCmg0aY4lpk6n1pZk4eEz1KExOfWwjkBQ0Xiww1G9inZtfzfYEIqgeyMd36O8uY9vj1zTrfvntsHRB1hGg9cklNOERpIP3mfh2MDBVSigZIlwgDMfWTnfdLyjdb4TILTp" target="_blank">Advancing Health Equity in Western Kansas Rural Communities Affected by Gender-Based Violence: A Survivor-Centered Advocacy Approach,”</a>&nbsp;will fund a six-month research development project beginning October 2024. This project is a critical first step in preparing for a subsequent one-year implementation grant to address service gaps for underrepresented communities.

The interdisciplinary project team includes key faculty members Ziwei Qi from Criminal Justice, Rachel Dolechek from Applied Business Studies, Naishuo Sun from Social Work, and experts from the Docking Institute. 

They will collaborate with Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (Hays and Colby) to drive the project’s initial planning phase. During this stage, the team aims to expand partnerships with additional on-campus programs, academic departments, educational institutions, and community and public health organizations.

The primary objective of the project is to enhance health equity for survivors of gender-based violence in rural western Kansas. 

The team plans to develop initiatives to create an equitable and healthy community for survivors by addressing the adaptive challenges and systemic barriers posed by resource scarcity. 

This effort will involve connecting community organizations and volunteers and preparing community leaders to bridge existing service gaps while fostering a survivor-centered advocacy approach. 

The initiatives will help community members better strategize resources, introducing new approaches to address individual needs, such as emergency housing, and systemic challenges, such as building a trauma-informed and supportive community to facilitate healing and recovery.

The project team has identified service gaps in rural communities, particularly in lack of transportation, affordable services, and care, which are crucial for the healing and recovery of victims of sexual violence.

“It’s important to note that in rural Western Kansas, there are many community members, organizations, and criminal legal sectors providing essential services to those in need,” Qi said. “Some of these services effectively address individuals’ immediate needs. However, we must also focus on long-term sustainable ways of supporting victims by addressing structural and systemic challenges.”

“I’d like us to explore how we, as a community, can tackle adaptive challenges by building stronger, connected communities.”

The NSF has recognized the importance of this work by publishing a public-facing summary of the project, which is available upon request.

To request a copy of the NSF summary, please contact Sara Kiesler,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:skiesler@nsf.gov">skiesler@nsf.gov</a>.

For more information or to request to collaborate, please contact Ziwei Qi at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:z_qi5@fhsu.edu">z_qi5@fhsu.edu</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724268776863.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsFort Hays State University has been awarded a $74,446 CIVIC Innovation Planning Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant, titled “<a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0TBLz8pdrhQKavqD9iv7cmvL8t2dzRrt-2FuL0-2FFwxowtXvi-2FbW6tJjYvsTk-2B2iASWoOqPkMBxh5VzbDrQ8XIHZV8gdKdWtMSgWNGS9heaqdEsjMKI_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOZRwRk5tcunCivpCVDIipVGkxFrFGct-2FhcQSmvPyLycNnN-2FuOCkOCOJmN8gv5ODZ7D435ftXFRy76ssBB6CkKPD-2BlgYfGRkb-2BSDHLmxutYofTyOmgw2HSzTJh1mb3R9xQCmg0aY4lpk6n1pZk4eEz1KExOfWwjkBQ0Xiww1G9inZtfzfYEIqgeyMd36O8uY9vj1zTrfvntsHRB1hGg9cklNOERpIP3mfh2MDBVSigZIlwgDMfWTnfdLyjdb4TILTp" target="_blank">Advancing Health Equity in Western Kansas Rural Communities Affected by Gender-Based Violence: A Survivor-Centered Advocacy Approach,”</a>&nbsp;will fund a six-month research development project beginning October 2024. This project is a critical first step in preparing for a subsequent one-year implementation grant to address service gaps for underrepresented communities.The interdisciplinary project team includes key faculty members Ziwei Qi from Criminal Justice, Rachel Dolechek from Applied Business Studies, Naishuo Sun from Social Work, and experts from the Docking Institute. They will collaborate with Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services (Hays and Colby) to drive the project’s initial planning phase. During this stage, the team aims to expand partnerships with additional on-campus programs, academic departments, educational institutions, and community and public health organizations.The primary objective of the project is to enhance health equity for survivors of gender-based violence in rural western Kansas. The team plans to develop initiatives to create an equitable and healthy community for survivors by addressing the adaptive challenges and systemic barriers posed by resource scarcity. This effort will involve connecting community organizations and volunteers and preparing community leaders to bridge existing service gaps while fostering a survivor-centered advocacy approach. The initiatives will help community members better strategize resources, introducing new approaches to address individual needs, such as emergency housing, and systemic challenges, such as building a trauma-informed and supportive community to facilitate healing and recovery.The project team has identified service gaps in rural communities, particularly in lack of transportation, affordable services, and care, which are crucial for the healing and recovery of victims of sexual violence.“It’s important to note that in rural Western Kansas, there are many community members, organizations, and criminal legal sectors providing essential services to those in need,” Qi said. “Some of these services effectively address individuals’ immediate needs. However, we must also focus on long-term sustainable ways of supporting victims by addressing structural and systemic challenges.”“I’d like us to explore how we, as a community, can tackle adaptive challenges by building stronger, connected communities.”The NSF has recognized the importance of this work by publishing a public-facing summary of the project, which is available upon request.To request a copy of the NSF summary, please contact Sara Kiesler,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:skiesler@nsf.gov">skiesler@nsf.gov</a>.For more information or to request to collaborate, please contact Ziwei Qi at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:z_qi5@fhsu.edu">z_qi5@fhsu.edu</a>.

FHSU awarded grant for health equity of gender-based violence survivors in W Kansas

By <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/08/12/kansas-foster-child-drank-too-much-foster-care-didnt-help/?utm_source=WICHITA+BEACON+EMAIL+SIGNUPS&amp;utm_campaign=d1b25961c2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_01_08_02_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-f286a863ba-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D">BLAISE MESA</a> The Beacon

A high school junior based in Salina regularly came home at night drunk.

Sometimes he passed out in the front yard of his mother’s home. Other times, he’d sleep off a night of heavy drinking in the passenger’s seat of a car.

The teen’s mother didn’t know what to do. She’d lost the boy’s father, a drinker, to liver failure. The boy didn’t see much of a problem. After all, lots of high schoolers drink.&nbsp;

The minor, who isn’t being named to protect his privacy, was in therapy — something his mother initiated.&nbsp;

But then she got a call from police that he’d been busted for underage drinking. She didn’t come pick him up.

Under Kansas law, the teenager couldn’t be forced into a drug treatment program when he was living with his mother. But if he was a ward of the state, a foster kid, he could. She hoped a short stint in foster care would get him sober. She struggled to find resources in the community and hoped this desperate effort would turn the child’s life around.

But foster care is the wrong place, experts say — so the child’s life got turned upside down.&nbsp;

This story is common. On average, 10 children a month in Kansas get left at police stations or community treatment programs because their overwhelmed parents refuse to pick them up. These parents are told to pick up the kids, but they can’t handle the stress and don’t have the resources to help these children. So the parents leave them behind.

Those children who are left by their parents aren’t technically foster kids. At least not automatically. Once left behind, it’s the job of the Kansas Department for Children and Families to find them the help and stable housing they need.&nbsp;

But their numbers, some 120 cases a year, is equal 4% of the state’s foster population. That’s on par with the number of kids who land in foster care because of a parent’s drug abuse or because of sexual abuse. It exceeds the cases stemming from a parent going to jail, caregivers hooked on meth or domestic violence.

The Beacon isn’t using the full names of anyone involved in the case to protect participants’ identities. But we talked to the child, who’s 16 now and living in a group foster home. We spoke to his mother, to an aunt who had custody for a time and to an attorney representing the child’s interests in custody matters. And we looked at court records.

The boy first entered state custody in October 2023. That’s when he was booked for underage drinking when he was&nbsp; found in the passenger seat of the car.&nbsp;

The mother didn’t come pick the child up that night.&nbsp;

St. Francis Ministries, the foster care agency running his case, didn’t find an opening with a foster family at first. So the boy spent the first few weeks at a group home in Andover, Kansas.&nbsp;

That’s when the child’s aunt stepped in and the boy went to live with her in November 2023.&nbsp;

The first few months were rocky. At one point, the boy sent a letter to the judge overseeing his case complaining about his situation.&nbsp;

“I have been borrowing and using other people’s stuff since I don’t have anything of my own,” the boy said in the letter. “I could be a normal teenager if I had some of my belongings.”

The child was short on clothes. He needed a winter coat. He wanted to apply for a job and needed his Social Security card. Eventually, he got those and other crucial items. He wanted the family dog to come with him, but that didn’t happen.&nbsp;

His aunt provided his home from November through April 2024. She had raised three boys of her own and had a spare room for a teenager. She assumed her experience raising children would make life as a foster care placement easy, but it didn’t.&nbsp;

The teenager had a lot of appointments — random drug tests, therapy appointments and other visits required by the foster care system.&nbsp;

His aunt felt like she was in a no-win situation. She missed so much work because of all the random appointments that she found herself in danger of losing her job. Still, she failed to get him to so many appointments that she got at odds with caseworkers.&nbsp;

“I’ve been a working mom of three kids for a whole lot of years,” she said. “I thought it was something I could handle and knew how to do. I was completely unprepared for the amount of time that all of those things were going to require.”&nbsp;

The aunt asked St. Francis for help with transportation to appointments. She said the private nonprofit foster agency offered options to make transportation easier. But days later, the agency decided to move him out of her home.&nbsp;

St. Francis has systems to help families make those appointments and assists families regularly.

“We remain committed to continuous improvement and delivering quality care and services,” an agency spokesperson said in an email. “Our primary focus is always on the well-being and safety of the children and families we serve.”

Failed drug tests weren’t the boy’s only issue. His mother and aunt disagreed on what medications he should take.

A court ordered the teenager to counseling and various doctor’s appointments. Those doctors prescribed medication that the aunt gave him. That upset the child’s mother, who didn’t want him taking the medications.

Parents in such cases retain a right to determine what medicines their kid takes. That meant the aunt was told one thing by the boy’s mother while a court order sent him to therapy and a therapist put him on medication.&nbsp;

This back-and-forth eventually led to a safety plan, a written plan that said to follow the mother’s wishes on things like taking him off the medication.&nbsp;

The aunt accused St. Francis of failing her and refused to sign the safety plan without a commitment of more help. St. Francis contends it was helpful and needed the aunt to promise to get him to more appointments. The mother was mad at her sister for how she was taking care of the child in general.&nbsp;

Eventually, the case managers sent the child to a new home. That upset him and he ran away. The child was found and put into a new placement — a group home in Bel Aire, Kansas.&nbsp;

The child has missed around 40% of school since the arrest that led to him leaving his mother’s home. Regular tests for substance abuse have gone well, but he’s hours away from his friends.

The relationships between the boy and his mother, with his aunt and between those two sisters grew increasingly tense. As caseworkers tried to build a plan that might eventually put him back in his mother’s home, the lawyer in this case secured a court order blocking contact with his aunt.&nbsp;

The aunt said the system has failed. If the boy had gotten help in Salina for his drinking, she contends, his chaotic path through the foster system could have been avoided. Instead, he’s living in a group home and she hasn’t had so much as a phone call with him for months.

“They took him out of a very healthy family situation where there were obvious indicators that he was being successful, and put him in a terrible situation where his options at a future are incredibly limited,” she said.

The teenager has since been moved to live with his grandparents.&nbsp;

Foster care lacks additional resources&nbsp;

The Salina case started because a mother thought foster care could get her help she couldn’t find elsewhere. Matt Stephens, vice president of foster care at St. Francis Ministries, said he’s heard that a lot.&nbsp;

“Every time I hear it,” he said, “I make sure to try to educate people that that’s just not a reality of the situation.”

DCF and the private nonprofit agencies it works with couldn’t run the foster care system without help from community counseling centers and other social service organizations that couldn’t help that mother in Salina.

Foster agencies offer some of those services, but mostly for kids in the system. The state offers some services, counseling and the like, aimed at keeping them in their families’ homes. Those services are just in short supply.

For example, the Salina teenager got counseling 160 miles from home, through the Johnson County Mental Health Center.&nbsp;

Kristalle Hedrick, vice president of FosterAdopt Connect, said foster care doesn’t have enough money to deal with everything that’s thrown at it.&nbsp;

Years ago, the Kansas Legislature passed a law that made it much harder to put minors in jail. Lawmakers reasoned that correctional facilities can’t provide the therapeutic services minors needed. But the Legislature didn’t invest enough additional funds into community support.&nbsp;

Hedrick said she’s heard stories from caseworkers who call the state corrections department looking for resources to help high-needs kids and get turned away. Caseworkers hear:&nbsp;They’re foster care kids. They’re not our responsibility.

“It’s sort of a hot-potato kind of issue,” she said.&nbsp;

The state has made gains. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-31/kansas-might-tighten-criminal-penalties-for-kids-after-loosening-them-six-years-ago">passed a law last year</a>&nbsp;compelling the prison system to work more closely with foster agencies to address underlying problems children in the foster care system face.

State lawmakers are considering spending more on therapy and other services to&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/03/07/kansas-lawmakers-proposing-million-cut-down-medical-waitlist/">whittle down waitlists that can stretch on for years</a>.

Laura Howard, secretary for the Department for Children and Families, said her agency has expanded services aimed at preventing kids from falling into foster care, added crisis hotlines and tapped into some federal programs.

For instance, she said a child behavioral intervention program brings therapists to the homes of children to work on behavioral and emotional management.

That program is also now a Medicaid service, which means families don’t need to enter foster care to get it.&nbsp;

“We have filled a lot of gaps in the system. We have more to fill. I mean, we’re not there yet,” she said. “(But) I’m definitely more optimistic today.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724172288047.png" alt="The child's aunt looks through the teen's room after he left her home. Photo by Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon" />
 <figcaption>The child's aunt looks through the teen's room after he left her home. Photo by Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon</figcaption>
 </figure>By <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/08/12/kansas-foster-child-drank-too-much-foster-care-didnt-help/?utm_source=WICHITA+BEACON+EMAIL+SIGNUPS&amp;utm_campaign=d1b25961c2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_01_08_02_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-f286a863ba-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D">BLAISE MESA</a> The BeaconA high school junior based in Salina regularly came home at night drunk.Sometimes he passed out in the front yard of his mother’s home. Other times, he’d sleep off a night of heavy drinking in the passenger’s seat of a car.The teen’s mother didn’t know what to do. She’d lost the boy’s father, a drinker, to liver failure. The boy didn’t see much of a problem. After all, lots of high schoolers drink.&nbsp;The minor, who isn’t being named to protect his privacy, was in therapy — something his mother initiated.&nbsp;But then she got a call from police that he’d been busted for underage drinking. She didn’t come pick him up.Under Kansas law, the teenager couldn’t be forced into a drug treatment program when he was living with his mother. But if he was a ward of the state, a foster kid, he could. She hoped a short stint in foster care would get him sober. She struggled to find resources in the community and hoped this desperate effort would turn the child’s life around.But foster care is the wrong place, experts say — so the child’s life got turned upside down.&nbsp;This story is common. On average, 10 children a month in Kansas get left at police stations or community treatment programs because their overwhelmed parents refuse to pick them up. These parents are told to pick up the kids, but they can’t handle the stress and don’t have the resources to help these children. So the parents leave them behind.Those children who are left by their parents aren’t technically foster kids. At least not automatically. Once left behind, it’s the job of the Kansas Department for Children and Families to find them the help and stable housing they need.&nbsp;But their numbers, some 120 cases a year, is equal 4% of the state’s foster population. That’s on par with the number of kids who land in foster care because of a parent’s drug abuse or because of sexual abuse. It exceeds the cases stemming from a parent going to jail, caregivers hooked on meth or domestic violence.<h2>Details about the case</h2>The Beacon isn’t using the full names of anyone involved in the case to protect participants’ identities. But we talked to the child, who’s 16 now and living in a group foster home. We spoke to his mother, to an aunt who had custody for a time and to an attorney representing the child’s interests in custody matters. And we looked at court records.The boy first entered state custody in October 2023. That’s when he was booked for underage drinking when he was&nbsp; found in the passenger seat of the car.&nbsp;The mother didn’t come pick the child up that night.&nbsp;St. Francis Ministries, the foster care agency running his case, didn’t find an opening with a foster family at first. So the boy spent the first few weeks at a group home in Andover, Kansas.&nbsp;That’s when the child’s aunt stepped in and the boy went to live with her in November 2023.&nbsp;The first few months were rocky. At one point, the boy sent a letter to the judge overseeing his case complaining about his situation.&nbsp;“I have been borrowing and using other people’s stuff since I don’t have anything of my own,” the boy said in the letter. “I could be a normal teenager if I had some of my belongings.”The child was short on clothes. He needed a winter coat. He wanted to apply for a job and needed his Social Security card. Eventually, he got those and other crucial items. He wanted the family dog to come with him, but that didn’t happen.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724172728670.png" alt="The family dog that the teen was missing. Photo by Blaise Mesa/The Beacon" />
 <figcaption>The family dog that the teen was missing. Photo by Blaise Mesa/The Beacon</figcaption>
 </figure>His aunt provided his home from November through April 2024. She had raised three boys of her own and had a spare room for a teenager. She assumed her experience raising children would make life as a foster care placement easy, but it didn’t.&nbsp;The teenager had a lot of appointments — random drug tests, therapy appointments and other visits required by the foster care system.&nbsp;His aunt felt like she was in a no-win situation. She missed so much work because of all the random appointments that she found herself in danger of losing her job. Still, she failed to get him to so many appointments that she got at odds with caseworkers.&nbsp;“I’ve been a working mom of three kids for a whole lot of years,” she said. “I thought it was something I could handle and knew how to do. I was completely unprepared for the amount of time that all of those things were going to require.”&nbsp;The aunt asked St. Francis for help with transportation to appointments. She said the private nonprofit foster agency offered options to make transportation easier. But days later, the agency decided to move him out of her home.&nbsp;St. Francis has systems to help families make those appointments and assists families regularly.“We remain committed to continuous improvement and delivering quality care and services,” an agency spokesperson said in an email. “Our primary focus is always on the well-being and safety of the children and families we serve.”Failed drug tests weren’t the boy’s only issue. His mother and aunt disagreed on what medications he should take.A court ordered the teenager to counseling and various doctor’s appointments. Those doctors prescribed medication that the aunt gave him. That upset the child’s mother, who didn’t want him taking the medications.Parents in such cases retain a right to determine what medicines their kid takes. That meant the aunt was told one thing by the boy’s mother while a court order sent him to therapy and a therapist put him on medication.&nbsp;This back-and-forth eventually led to a safety plan, a written plan that said to follow the mother’s wishes on things like taking him off the medication.&nbsp;The aunt accused St. Francis of failing her and refused to sign the safety plan without a commitment of more help. St. Francis contends it was helpful and needed the aunt to promise to get him to more appointments. The mother was mad at her sister for how she was taking care of the child in general.&nbsp;Eventually, the case managers sent the child to a new home. That upset him and he ran away. The child was found and put into a new placement — a group home in Bel Aire, Kansas.&nbsp;The child has missed around 40% of school since the arrest that led to him leaving his mother’s home. Regular tests for substance abuse have gone well, but he’s hours away from his friends.The relationships between the boy and his mother, with his aunt and between those two sisters grew increasingly tense. As caseworkers tried to build a plan that might eventually put him back in his mother’s home, the lawyer in this case secured a court order blocking contact with his aunt.&nbsp;The aunt said the system has failed. If the boy had gotten help in Salina for his drinking, she contends, his chaotic path through the foster system could have been avoided. Instead, he’s living in a group home and she hasn’t had so much as a phone call with him for months.“They took him out of a very healthy family situation where there were obvious indicators that he was being successful, and put him in a terrible situation where his options at a future are incredibly limited,” she said.The teenager has since been moved to live with his grandparents.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724172613105.png" alt="The child’s room at his biological mothers house. Some clothes were left behind.&nbsp; Photo by Blaise Mesa/The Beacon" />
 <figcaption>The child’s room at his biological mothers house. Some clothes were left behind.&nbsp; Photo by Blaise Mesa/The Beacon</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Foster care lacks additional resources&nbsp;</h2>The Salina case started because a mother thought foster care could get her help she couldn’t find elsewhere. Matt Stephens, vice president of foster care at St. Francis Ministries, said he’s heard that a lot.&nbsp;“Every time I hear it,” he said, “I make sure to try to educate people that that’s just not a reality of the situation.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724172509979.png" alt="A sign outside the Department for Children and Families building. Courtesy the Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>A sign outside the Department for Children and Families building. Courtesy the Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>DCF and the private nonprofit agencies it works with couldn’t run the foster care system without help from community counseling centers and other social service organizations that couldn’t help that mother in Salina.Foster agencies offer some of those services, but mostly for kids in the system. The state offers some services, counseling and the like, aimed at keeping them in their families’ homes. Those services are just in short supply.For example, the Salina teenager got counseling 160 miles from home, through the Johnson County Mental Health Center.&nbsp;Kristalle Hedrick, vice president of FosterAdopt Connect, said foster care doesn’t have enough money to deal with everything that’s thrown at it.&nbsp;Years ago, the Kansas Legislature passed a law that made it much harder to put minors in jail. Lawmakers reasoned that correctional facilities can’t provide the therapeutic services minors needed. But the Legislature didn’t invest enough additional funds into community support.&nbsp;Hedrick said she’s heard stories from caseworkers who call the state corrections department looking for resources to help high-needs kids and get turned away. Caseworkers hear:&nbsp;They’re foster care kids. They’re not our responsibility.“It’s sort of a hot-potato kind of issue,” she said.&nbsp;<h2>Some possible fixes&nbsp;</h2>The state has made gains. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-31/kansas-might-tighten-criminal-penalties-for-kids-after-loosening-them-six-years-ago">passed a law last year</a>&nbsp;compelling the prison system to work more closely with foster agencies to address underlying problems children in the foster care system face.State lawmakers are considering spending more on therapy and other services to&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/03/07/kansas-lawmakers-proposing-million-cut-down-medical-waitlist/">whittle down waitlists that can stretch on for years</a>.Laura Howard, secretary for the Department for Children and Families, said her agency has expanded services aimed at preventing kids from falling into foster care, added crisis hotlines and tapped into some federal programs.For instance, she said a child behavioral intervention program brings therapists to the homes of children to work on behavioral and emotional management.That program is also now a Medicaid service, which means families don’t need to enter foster care to get it.&nbsp;“We have filled a lot of gaps in the system. We have more to fill. I mean, we’re not there yet,” she said. “(But) I’m definitely more optimistic today.”

Kansas teen handed over to state to get him sober. Now he’s in foster care

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of using online obituary postings to plan residential burglaries was convicted of all counts by a jury on Monday.

Gary Garrett, 50 of Wichita, was charged in three separate cases totaling 27 counts, including three residential burglaries, one attempted residential burglary, one business burglary and multiple counts of theft, forgery and identity theft,&nbsp;according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Victims reported losing financial documents, guns and electronics in the residential burglaries, some of which occurred while the families were at the funeral services for their deceased family members. 

Investigators from the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office worked together on the case, and more than 40 witnesses testified during the trial. At the time of Garrett’s arrest in November of last year in the parking lot of an East Wichita Walmart store, Garrett was found to be in possession of a driver’s license belonging to one of the deceased victims. A Wichita Police burglary detective testified at trial that a download of Garrett’s phone showed online searches of obituaries that corresponded to the burglary locations across the city from July to November of 2023.

Garrett also was convicted of using fake IDs to rent and purchase several vehicles during the same timeframe. One of the vehicles rented by Garrett had a GPS location device that placed the vehicle at the scene of several of the burglaries, according to testimony in the trial.

&nbsp;Sentencing is set for October 24, before Judge Bruce Brown, according to the district attorney's office

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724257794246.png" alt="Garrett photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Garrett photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of using online obituary postings to plan residential burglaries was convicted of all counts by a jury on Monday.Gary Garrett, 50 of Wichita, was charged in three separate cases totaling 27 counts, including three residential burglaries, one attempted residential burglary, one business burglary and multiple counts of theft, forgery and identity theft,&nbsp;according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Victims reported losing financial documents, guns and electronics in the residential burglaries, some of which occurred while the families were at the funeral services for their deceased family members. Investigators from the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office worked together on the case, and more than 40 witnesses testified during the trial. At the time of Garrett’s arrest in November of last year in the parking lot of an East Wichita Walmart store, Garrett was found to be in possession of a driver’s license belonging to one of the deceased victims. A Wichita Police burglary detective testified at trial that a download of Garrett’s phone showed online searches of obituaries that corresponded to the burglary locations across the city from July to November of 2023.Garrett also was convicted of using fake IDs to rent and purchase several vehicles during the same timeframe. One of the vehicles rented by Garrett had a GPS location device that placed the vehicle at the scene of several of the burglaries, according to testimony in the trial.&nbsp;Sentencing is set for October 24, before Judge Bruce Brown, according to the district attorney's office

Kan. man planned residential burglaries after reading obituaries

Danny “Dan” Lee Studebaker, 75, of Russell, Kansas, died on Monday, August 19, 2024, at his home surrounded by his loving wife and daughter.

Dan was born on October 18, 1948, in Garden City, Kansas, the son of Carl and Bernice L. (Selby) Studebaker. He grew up in Pratt, Kansas and Pryor, Oklahoma, and graduated from Pryor High School in the class of 1966. After high school he served his country and joined the United States Army. He met, fell in love, and was united in marriage to Phyllis Sidebottom on August 27, 1978, in Cope, Colorado. From this union, Dan and Phyllis were blessed with their daughter, Carlee. Dan worked as a Territory Sales Rep for Cards N’ Such for 19 years. They moved to Russell, Kansas in 2008, and attended Bible Baptist Church. He loved to play golf and was a member of the Russell Golf Course. He also enjoyed fishing, reading, watching Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma University football, and KC Royals baseball. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family and watching his grandchildren’s many sports activities.

Surviving family include his wife Phyllis of the home, daughter Carlee Johnson and husband Josh of Topeka, Kansas; sisters Linda Meier and husband Mike of Litchfield, Ohio and Pam Hunlock of Fenton, Michigan and four grandchildren Adam, Noah, Jax, and Ashlyn Johnson.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Gary Studebaker.

A memorial service to celebrate Dan’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, August 30, 2024, at the Bible Baptist Church in Russell, Kansas. Family will greet guests the day of the service at the church. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements. Memorials can be given to the Bible Baptist Church and sent in care of the mortuary.

Danny “Dan” Lee Studebaker, 75, of Russell, Kansas, died on Monday, August 19, 2024, at his home surrounded by his loving wife and daughter.Dan was born on October 18, 1948, in Garden City, Kansas, the son of Carl and Bernice L. (Selby) Studebaker. He grew up in Pratt, Kansas and Pryor, Oklahoma, and graduated from Pryor High School in the class of 1966. After high school he served his country and joined the United States Army. He met, fell in love, and was united in marriage to Phyllis Sidebottom on August 27, 1978, in Cope, Colorado. From this union, Dan and Phyllis were blessed with their daughter, Carlee. Dan worked as a Territory Sales Rep for Cards N’ Such for 19 years. They moved to Russell, Kansas in 2008, and attended Bible Baptist Church. He loved to play golf and was a member of the Russell Golf Course. He also enjoyed fishing, reading, watching Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma University football, and KC Royals baseball. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family and watching his grandchildren’s many sports activities.Surviving family include his wife Phyllis of the home, daughter Carlee Johnson and husband Josh of Topeka, Kansas; sisters Linda Meier and husband Mike of Litchfield, Ohio and Pam Hunlock of Fenton, Michigan and four grandchildren Adam, Noah, Jax, and Ashlyn Johnson.He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Gary Studebaker.A memorial service to celebrate Dan’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, August 30, 2024, at the Bible Baptist Church in Russell, Kansas. Family will greet guests the day of the service at the church. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements. Memorials can be given to the Bible Baptist Church and sent in care of the mortuary.

Danny Lee Studebaker

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid19-vaccinations-cdc-coronavirus-a785acb4aca8e69f21b6f1a41c021e2c">updated COVID-19 vaccines</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, shots designed to more closely target recent virus strains -- and hopefully whatever variants cause trouble this winter, too.

With the Food and Drug Administration’s clearance, Pfizer and Moderna are set to begin shipping millions of doses. A third U.S. manufacturer, Novavax, expects its updated vaccine version to be available a little later.

“We strongly encourage those who are eligible to consider receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants,” said FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks.

The agency’s decision came a bit earlier than last year’s rollout of updated COVID-19 vaccines, as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/flu-covid-19-respiratory-syncytial-virus-0000018de622d464a99fef7706610000">summer wave of the virus</a>&nbsp;continues in most of the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already has recommended this fall’s shot for everyone age 6 months and older. Vaccinations could be available within days.

While most Americans have some degree of immunity from prior infections or vaccinations or both, that protection wanes.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccines-shots-cdc-5bc4db844557120bcc50dc0838c0e044">Last fall’s shots</a>&nbsp;targeted a different part of the coronavirus family tree, a strain that’s no longer circulating -- and CDC data shows only about 22.5% of adults and 14% of children received it.

Skipping the new shot is “a hazardous way to go,” because even if your last infection was mild, your next might be worse or leave you with long COVID symptoms, said Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr. of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

This fall’s vaccine recipe is tailored to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccines-updated-moderna-pfizer-novavax-72c2c5fafc46ccc9f2fd89fcda5d99df">a newer branch of omicron descendants</a>. The Pfizer and Moderna shots target a subtype called KP.2 that was common earlier this year. While additional offshoots, particularly KP.3.1.1, now are spreading, they’re closely enough related that the vaccines promise cross-protection. A Pfizer spokesman said the company submitted data to FDA showing its updated vaccine “generates a substantially improved response” against multiple virus subtypes compared to last fall’s vaccine.

The big question: How soon to get vaccinated? This summer’s wave of COVID-19 isn’t over but the inevitable winter surges tend to be worse. And while COVID-19 vaccines do a good job preventing severe disease, hospitalization and death, protection against mild infection lasts only a few months.

People who are at high risk from the virus shouldn’t wait but instead schedule vaccinations once shots are available in their area, Hopkins advised.

That includes older adults, people with weak immune systems or other serious medical problems, nursing home residents and pregnant women.

Healthy younger adults and children “can get vaccinated anytime. I don’t think there’s a real reason to wait,” Hopkins said – although it’s OK to seek the shots in the fall, when plenty of doses will have arrived at pharmacies and doctor’s offices.

The exception: The CDC says anyone who recently had COVID-19 can wait three months after they recover before getting vaccinated, until immunity from that infection begins to wane.

Hopkins, who sees patients at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, calls it vital for more youngsters to get vaccinated this year – especially with schools starting as coronavirus levels are high around the country.

“COVID does not kill many children, thank goodness, but it kills far more children than influenza does,” Hopkins said, adding that teachers, too, should quickly get up to date with the vaccine.

Health authorities say it’s fine to get a COVID-19 and flu vaccination at the same time, a convenience so people don’t have to make two trips. But while many drugstores already are advertising flu shots, the prime time for that vaccination tends to be late September through October, just before flu typically starts its cold weather climb.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724349670448.png" alt="Photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;LAURAN NEERGAARDWASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid19-vaccinations-cdc-coronavirus-a785acb4aca8e69f21b6f1a41c021e2c">updated COVID-19 vaccines</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, shots designed to more closely target recent virus strains -- and hopefully whatever variants cause trouble this winter, too.With the Food and Drug Administration’s clearance, Pfizer and Moderna are set to begin shipping millions of doses. A third U.S. manufacturer, Novavax, expects its updated vaccine version to be available a little later.“We strongly encourage those who are eligible to consider receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants,” said FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks.The agency’s decision came a bit earlier than last year’s rollout of updated COVID-19 vaccines, as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/flu-covid-19-respiratory-syncytial-virus-0000018de622d464a99fef7706610000">summer wave of the virus</a>&nbsp;continues in most of the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already has recommended this fall’s shot for everyone age 6 months and older. Vaccinations could be available within days.While most Americans have some degree of immunity from prior infections or vaccinations or both, that protection wanes.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccines-shots-cdc-5bc4db844557120bcc50dc0838c0e044">Last fall’s shots</a>&nbsp;targeted a different part of the coronavirus family tree, a strain that’s no longer circulating -- and CDC data shows only about 22.5% of adults and 14% of children received it.Skipping the new shot is “a hazardous way to go,” because even if your last infection was mild, your next might be worse or leave you with long COVID symptoms, said Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr. of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.This fall’s vaccine recipe is tailored to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccines-updated-moderna-pfizer-novavax-72c2c5fafc46ccc9f2fd89fcda5d99df">a newer branch of omicron descendants</a>. The Pfizer and Moderna shots target a subtype called KP.2 that was common earlier this year. While additional offshoots, particularly KP.3.1.1, now are spreading, they’re closely enough related that the vaccines promise cross-protection. A Pfizer spokesman said the company submitted data to FDA showing its updated vaccine “generates a substantially improved response” against multiple virus subtypes compared to last fall’s vaccine.The big question: How soon to get vaccinated? This summer’s wave of COVID-19 isn’t over but the inevitable winter surges tend to be worse. And while COVID-19 vaccines do a good job preventing severe disease, hospitalization and death, protection against mild infection lasts only a few months.People who are at high risk from the virus shouldn’t wait but instead schedule vaccinations once shots are available in their area, Hopkins advised.That includes older adults, people with weak immune systems or other serious medical problems, nursing home residents and pregnant women.Healthy younger adults and children “can get vaccinated anytime. I don’t think there’s a real reason to wait,” Hopkins said – although it’s OK to seek the shots in the fall, when plenty of doses will have arrived at pharmacies and doctor’s offices.The exception: The CDC says anyone who recently had COVID-19 can wait three months after they recover before getting vaccinated, until immunity from that infection begins to wane.Hopkins, who sees patients at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, calls it vital for more youngsters to get vaccinated this year – especially with schools starting as coronavirus levels are high around the country.“COVID does not kill many children, thank goodness, but it kills far more children than influenza does,” Hopkins said, adding that teachers, too, should quickly get up to date with the vaccine.Health authorities say it’s fine to get a COVID-19 and flu vaccination at the same time, a convenience so people don’t have to make two trips. But while many drugstores already are advertising flu shots, the prime time for that vaccination tends to be late September through October, just before flu typically starts its cold weather climb.<h2>___</h2>The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

FDA approves updated COVID-19 vaccines

Deloris M. (Inderlied) Pianalto, 94, of Atwood, died Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at the Good Samaritan Society, Atwood. She was born on November 29, 1929, in DeWitt, NE, the third child of William and Mildred Inderlied. Deloris was baptized on December 22, 1929, and confirmed on May 9, 1943, at Trinity Lutheran Church, in DeWitt, NE. Deloris attended Country School near the family farm where she was raised. She graduated from DeWitt High School in 1948, then went to work at the Elgin Watch Factory in Lincoln, NE.

In 1952, Deloris moved to California and married a service man in the Marines. They moved to Baton Rouge, LA when he got out of the service. They were blessed in 1956, with son Glenn and another son Roy, in 1969. After they divorced in 1974, Deloris moved back to her hometown, DeWitt, NE.

Deloris met and married Lester Pianalto on May 7, 1982, in Lincoln, NE. They lived on a dairy farm in Atwood, KS until moving into the town of Atwood in 1997.

Deloris joined Sacred Heart Catholic Church, in Atwood, in October of 1994. She was a member of the Christian Mothers Altar Society, Homemakers Club, Coffee Club, Red hat Club and helped with many community projects. Deloris knew no stranger and always had a kind word and helped those in need. She loved watching football games, reading, dancing and many other hobbies.

She was preceded in death by her son Glenn in 1976; her parents; husband Lester Pianalto; sister Betty and brother Lowell.

Survivors include her son Roy Lee Harris and wife Jenn; three stepdaughters, Anita Squier, Diane Kostal and Teresa Clark; sisters, Meryl Hespin and Margie Aksamit; brother Bob Inderlied; five step-grandchildren; twelve great grandchildren and many relatives and friends.

Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m., with a Vigil at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, August 22, 2024, at Baalmann Mortuary, Atwood. Funeral Mass is 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 23, 2024, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Atwood, with burial in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Atwood. Memorials may be made to the Good Samaritan Society, Atwood or the Rawlins County Hospital and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit baalmannmortuary.com&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724434469625.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Deloris M. (Inderlied) Pianalto, 94, of Atwood, died Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at the Good Samaritan Society, Atwood. She was born on November 29, 1929, in DeWitt, NE, the third child of William and Mildred Inderlied. Deloris was baptized on December 22, 1929, and confirmed on May 9, 1943, at Trinity Lutheran Church, in DeWitt, NE. Deloris attended Country School near the family farm where she was raised. She graduated from DeWitt High School in 1948, then went to work at the Elgin Watch Factory in Lincoln, NE.In 1952, Deloris moved to California and married a service man in the Marines. They moved to Baton Rouge, LA when he got out of the service. They were blessed in 1956, with son Glenn and another son Roy, in 1969. After they divorced in 1974, Deloris moved back to her hometown, DeWitt, NE.Deloris met and married Lester Pianalto on May 7, 1982, in Lincoln, NE. They lived on a dairy farm in Atwood, KS until moving into the town of Atwood in 1997.Deloris joined Sacred Heart Catholic Church, in Atwood, in October of 1994. She was a member of the Christian Mothers Altar Society, Homemakers Club, Coffee Club, Red hat Club and helped with many community projects. Deloris knew no stranger and always had a kind word and helped those in need. She loved watching football games, reading, dancing and many other hobbies.She was preceded in death by her son Glenn in 1976; her parents; husband Lester Pianalto; sister Betty and brother Lowell.Survivors include her son Roy Lee Harris and wife Jenn; three stepdaughters, Anita Squier, Diane Kostal and Teresa Clark; sisters, Meryl Hespin and Margie Aksamit; brother Bob Inderlied; five step-grandchildren; twelve great grandchildren and many relatives and friends.Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m., with a Vigil at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, August 22, 2024, at Baalmann Mortuary, Atwood. Funeral Mass is 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 23, 2024, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Atwood, with burial in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Atwood. Memorials may be made to the Good Samaritan Society, Atwood or the Rawlins County Hospital and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit baalmannmortuary.com&nbsp;&nbsp;

Deloris M. (Inderlied) Pianalto

HAYS, Kan. - Meet the 2024 Fort Hays State Football team on Friday, August 23 at Big Creek Crossing in Hays. Coaches and&nbsp;players will be signing autographs and giving out 2024 schedule posters from 5 to 7 p.m.

Posters and sharpies for autographs will be provided. Members of the&nbsp;FHSU&nbsp;Cheer Squad and Victor E. Tiger will also be at the event. Fans can also bring their own Tiger gear to be signed.

Chance to Win Diamond Earrings from Riddle's Jewelry Attendees can enter a giveaway from Riddle's Jewelry for a pair of 1 CTW Diamond Earrings in 14 Kt Yellow Gold, a retail value of $3,285. You must be present to win and a mandatory picture will be required upon winning.

The Tigers open the season on Thursday, August 29 hosting No. 24 ranked Angelo State. The Tigers will be at home for their first two games of the season. Overall, Fort Hays State will be at home six times during its 11-game regular season schedule.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/schedule">2024 Football Schedule</a>

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/schedule"></a>2024 Home Games August 29 – Angelo State, 7 p.m. September 7 – Missouri Western, 7 p.m. September 21 – Northeastern State, 7 p.m. October 5 – Central Missouri (Homecoming), 7 p.m. October 12 – Washburn, 7 p.m. October 26 – Missouri Southern, 1 p.m.

Season Tickets Get your Tiger Football reserved season tickets by calling 785-628-4050 or by stopping by the FHSU Athletic Department (Cunningham Hall Rm 138). See season ticket packages for the 2024-25 athletic year at the following link...&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/news/2024/7/25/secure-your-2024-football-season-tickets-today.aspx">2024-25 Season Ticket Release</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724342029036.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHAYS, Kan. - Meet the 2024 Fort Hays State Football team on Friday, August 23 at Big Creek Crossing in Hays. Coaches and&nbsp;players will be signing autographs and giving out 2024 schedule posters from 5 to 7 p.m.Posters and sharpies for autographs will be provided. Members of the&nbsp;FHSU&nbsp;Cheer Squad and Victor E. Tiger will also be at the event. Fans can also bring their own Tiger gear to be signed.Chance to Win Diamond Earrings from Riddle's Jewelry Attendees can enter a giveaway from Riddle's Jewelry for a pair of 1 CTW Diamond Earrings in 14 Kt Yellow Gold, a retail value of $3,285. You must be present to win and a mandatory picture will be required upon winning.The Tigers open the season on Thursday, August 29 hosting No. 24 ranked Angelo State. The Tigers will be at home for their first two games of the season. Overall, Fort Hays State will be at home six times during its 11-game regular season schedule.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/schedule">2024 Football Schedule</a><a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/football/schedule"></a>2024 Home Games August 29 – Angelo State, 7 p.m. September 7 – Missouri Western, 7 p.m. September 21 – Northeastern State, 7 p.m. October 5 – Central Missouri (Homecoming), 7 p.m. October 12 – Washburn, 7 p.m. October 26 – Missouri Southern, 1 p.m.Season Tickets Get your Tiger Football reserved season tickets by calling 785-628-4050 or by stopping by the FHSU Athletic Department (Cunningham Hall Rm 138). See season ticket packages for the 2024-25 athletic year at the following link...&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/news/2024/7/25/secure-your-2024-football-season-tickets-today.aspx">2024-25 Season Ticket Release</a>

🏈 FHSU Autograph Day - Friday, August 23 - Big Creek Crossing in Hays

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Discover the creative realm of nature-inspired art at this year's Fall Art Walk featuring two artists, spanning multiple locations throughout downtown Hays.

Brenda Meder, director of the Hays Arts Council, said she is excited for Friday's annual art walk that starts at the Art Center, located at 112 E. 11th St.

"There are a lot of wonderful events and features that are part of this. We have a great lineup," she said.

The art center will showcase works by Glen Ediger from Wichita and Eric Stearns from Nebraska in this fall's exhibition that runs through October 11.

Ediger's innovative "Environmental Exposure" genre involves placing sheets of steel, copper, aluminum, or wood outdoors with materials on top, allowing them to weather for extended periods. This technique produces abstract landscapes through rust, dust and patina.

Stearns’ Raku fired ceramics draws on his interest in mathematics to create patterns that aim to evoke emotional responses. Each piece reflects his identity as both a person and an artist.

Titled "Element," the exhibit serves as the anchor of the art walk which Meder said is perfect for the works of Ediger and Stearns.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259676348.jpeg" alt="Small wood framed wall pieces by artist Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Small wood framed wall pieces by artist Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostDiscover the creative realm of nature-inspired art at this year's Fall Art Walk featuring two artists, spanning multiple locations throughout downtown Hays.Brenda Meder, director of the Hays Arts Council, said she is excited for Friday's annual art walk that starts at the Art Center, located at 112 E. 11th St."There are a lot of wonderful events and features that are part of this. We have a great lineup," she said.The art center will showcase works by Glen Ediger from Wichita and Eric Stearns from Nebraska in this fall's exhibition that runs through October 11.Ediger's innovative "Environmental Exposure" genre involves placing sheets of steel, copper, aluminum, or wood outdoors with materials on top, allowing them to weather for extended periods. This technique produces abstract landscapes through rust, dust and patina.Stearns’ Raku fired ceramics draws on his interest in mathematics to create patterns that aim to evoke emotional responses. Each piece reflects his identity as both a person and an artist.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259728522.jpeg" alt="Small vessels by artist&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Small vessels by artist&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259766433.jpeg" alt="Fractured Triptych by artist&nbsp;Glen Ediger. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Fractured Triptych by artist&nbsp;Glen Ediger. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259808985.jpeg" alt="A small vessel by Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A small vessel by Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Titled "Element," the exhibit serves as the anchor of the art walk which Meder said is perfect for the works of Ediger and Stearns."I derive that name from its meaning, which is 'wild and powerful,' like the forces of nature," she said. "Both of our artists represent that."Ediger is a retired Director of Design at<a href="https://www.vornado.com/"> Vornado Air LLC</a>, where he was involved in the design, engineering and development of Vornado products since 1985.Stearns is the chairman of the art department at Doane University and also earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Fort Hays State University.The opening reception for "Elemental" is from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Hays Art Center and the exhibit will be on display until October 11.You can learn more about <a href="https://stearnsceramics.com/">Eric Stearns</a> and <a href="https://www.glenedigerart.com/">Glen Ediger</a> on their websites.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259902255.jpeg" alt="A small vessel by&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A small vessel by&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259916781.jpeg" alt="A flared bowl by&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A flared bowl by&nbsp;Eric Stearns. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724259931072.jpeg" alt="The High Plains by artist Glen Ediger. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The High Plains by artist Glen Ediger. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The Fall Art Walk includes various downtown locations and the FHSU campus, featuring exhibitions at the Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art and the Taylor Gallery.The two campus exhibits showcase "Hypertopia" by graphic designer Sean Engler and "Base of Reasoning" sculptures by Dan Schluckbier, open from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m."One thing to remember is there's no order you have to follow things. We start campus a little early to give you a chance to catch that and make the evening even longer," Meder said.The Hays Public Library, 1205 Main St., features "Sorting out Race," a Kansas Humanities touring exhibition with live music by Forrest McCurren.Other locations you can explore on Friday include:<ol>
 <li>Ceena's Massage and Retail, 106 W. 12th St. for Crystal and Gemstone Jewelry and Suncatchers by Jessica Hughes</li><li>Catholic Charities Offices, 122 E. 12th St. for&nbsp;Painting and Collage Quilt&nbsp;by Emily Schoeppner</li><li>Custom Creations, 1107 Main St. for&nbsp;“I Want to go to Brookfield Zoo”&nbsp;creations by Lucas Albers </li><li>Paisley Pear Wine Bar &amp; Bistro, 1100 Main St. for Ink &amp; Colored Pencil Dimensional Art&nbsp;by Kari Haas with live music by Wade Richards from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.</li><li>Madd Matter Frame Shop &amp; Gallery, 112 E. 11th St. for&nbsp;“Beyond the Frame:&nbsp;Picture the Possibilities”</li><li>Fusion by Manuel, 700 Main St. for "Work by Jacob"</li><li>Ellis County Historical Society, 100 W. 7th St. for&nbsp;“Hitting the Road: 100 Years on&nbsp;the Victory Highway” touring exhibition</li>
 </ol>Victory Highway, now Highway 40, was constructed after World War I to connect the nation and honor returning veterans."It grew literally across the country," Meder said. "It's a touring exhibition that has been going around the state and region for quite some time. It's fascinating."You can find a complete list of locations and information about displays <a href="https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/916bb38b-09bf-4c28-bf9f-4da5a0b67707/downloads/Fall%20Walk%2024%20inside%208-19.pdf?ver=1724080593886">here</a>.The Hays Art Center is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.You can find more information on the Hays Art Council's&nbsp;<a href="https://haysartscouncil.org/">website&nbsp;</a>and follow them on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063746254684">Facebook</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;