Michael James Bird 1942-2024, a Hays, Kansas native and
long-time Grants Pass, Oregon lawyer, businessman, community leader, and
friend-to-many Michael J. Bird died peacefully at his home surrounded by family
on September 22, 2024.

Michael is survived by his
wife of 46 years, Katherine Bird; sons Sterling R. Bird and Ryal T. Bird;
stepsons Robert D. Christman and Ashlee R. Christman; siblings Martha Bird
Roberts; John T. Bird (Jo Ann Jennings), David (Lori); and Susan Bird; brother-in-law
Edmond Rodriguez (Giti), sisters-in-law Inez Doerter and Terry McDonald (Ed);
grandchildren Sterling Bird, Spencer Bird (Anabel), Sabrina Paton (Blake), Blue
Christman, Ali Christman, McKenna Christman, Abbie Christman, and Astrid
Ranneberg, in addition to several great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death
by former wife Janet Lorimor Bird, parents Mike and Agnes Bird; and his beloved
grandparents.

Michael had an enterprising
spirit since his youth—business owner, lawyer, Oregon rock and silica
entrepreneur, business strategy and planning, among other interests—but his
love has been his volunteer community activities and good citizenship. In
recent years his special interests have included the arts field and working in
the local arts with his wife. He was an active member of several community
organizations and special causes. He was a devoted member of his church, St.
Anne Catholic Church in Grants Pass. He was also an initial and continuing
supporter of St. Rita's Retreat Center in Rogue River. He was a long-time
photographer, sharing his work far and wide.

Michael was born in 1942 at
St. Anthony Hospital in Hays, Kansas—where in 1917 his father was born. He
graduated from Hays High School in 1960. He earned a degree In Business
Administration/Minor in Economics at Fort Hays Kansas State University in 1968 and
completed his law degree at the University of Oregon in 1971.

While Michael lived away from
Hays and the Bird Family Farm for most of his adult life, he retained his
birthplace as an essential, continuing part of his life, legacy, and spirit.

Funeral services will be at
St. Anne Catholic Church on Monday, October 14. Rosary recitation will be at 10
a.m., followed by a funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. Presiding will be Fr. Michael
Walker. A reception will follow at 12 noon at Si Casa Flores restaurant, 202 NE
Beacon Drive, Grants Pass.

His family will have a
memorial service at the Bird Family Farm in the Spring of 2025, date to be
announced later.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728692564863.jpeg" alt="Michael James Bird" />
 <figcaption>Michael James Bird</figcaption>
 </figure>Michael James Bird 1942-2024, a Hays, Kansas native and
long-time Grants Pass, Oregon lawyer, businessman, community leader, and
friend-to-many Michael J. Bird died peacefully at his home surrounded by family
on September 22, 2024.Michael is survived by his
wife of 46 years, Katherine Bird; sons Sterling R. Bird and Ryal T. Bird;
stepsons Robert D. Christman and Ashlee R. Christman; siblings Martha Bird
Roberts; John T. Bird (Jo Ann Jennings), David (Lori); and Susan Bird; brother-in-law
Edmond Rodriguez (Giti), sisters-in-law Inez Doerter and Terry McDonald (Ed);
grandchildren Sterling Bird, Spencer Bird (Anabel), Sabrina Paton (Blake), Blue
Christman, Ali Christman, McKenna Christman, Abbie Christman, and Astrid
Ranneberg, in addition to several great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death
by former wife Janet Lorimor Bird, parents Mike and Agnes Bird; and his beloved
grandparents.Michael had an enterprising
spirit since his youth—business owner, lawyer, Oregon rock and silica
entrepreneur, business strategy and planning, among other interests—but his
love has been his volunteer community activities and good citizenship. In
recent years his special interests have included the arts field and working in
the local arts with his wife. He was an active member of several community
organizations and special causes. He was a devoted member of his church, St.
Anne Catholic Church in Grants Pass. He was also an initial and continuing
supporter of St. Rita's Retreat Center in Rogue River. He was a long-time
photographer, sharing his work far and wide.Michael was born in 1942 at
St. Anthony Hospital in Hays, Kansas—where in 1917 his father was born. He
graduated from Hays High School in 1960. He earned a degree In Business
Administration/Minor in Economics at Fort Hays Kansas State University in 1968 and
completed his law degree at the University of Oregon in 1971.While Michael lived away from
Hays and the Bird Family Farm for most of his adult life, he retained his
birthplace as an essential, continuing part of his life, legacy, and spirit.Funeral services will be at
St. Anne Catholic Church on Monday, October 14. Rosary recitation will be at 10
a.m., followed by a funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. Presiding will be Fr. Michael
Walker. A reception will follow at 12 noon at Si Casa Flores restaurant, 202 NE
Beacon Drive, Grants Pass.His family will have a
memorial service at the Bird Family Farm in the Spring of 2025, date to be
announced later.

Michael James Bird

EMPORIA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State women's cross country team, currently ranked No. 21 in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA DII National Coaches' Poll, earned its third-consecutive victory Friday in dominating fashion, turning in a perfect score of 15 team points to win the Emporia State Invitational. The Tigers had seven runners in the top eight and eight in the top 10.

This is Fort Hays State's sixth-straight victory in a regular season race in Emporia dating back to 2014. The Tigers finished 41 points in front of second-place Emporia State. FHSU has yet to lose to a non-DI team in 2024.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/emily-diercks/8438">Emily Diercks</a>&nbsp;took home the individual title, completing the five-kilometer Jones Park Cross Country Course in 18:06.1. The win gave FHSU the individual champion at this race for a second year in a row after&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/regan-hodsden/7642">Regan Hodsden</a>&nbsp;picked up the victory in 2023.

An unattached runner finished second, while the next six runners to cross the line were all Tigers.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/jaycee-vath/8137">Jaycee Vath</a>&nbsp;placed third with a time of 18:33.8, finishing in the top three at this race for a second year in a row after placing second in 2023.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/emma-weiner/8147">Emma Weiner</a>&nbsp;was fourth in the field of 35 finishers, completing the race in 18:50.9.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/darian-hudgeons/8133">Darian Hudgeons</a>&nbsp;rounded out the top five, posting a time of 19:06.1.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/ashlyn-harbaugh/8132">Ashlyn Harbaugh</a>&nbsp;was close behind in sixth, traversing the course in 19:12.0.

The Tigers will next compete on Saturday, October 26 when they travel to St. Joseph, Mo. for the 2024 MIAA Championships. The women's six-kilometer championship is slated to begin at 11 a.m.

Full FHSU Results 1st - Fort Hays State - 15 points 1st -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/emily-diercks/8438">Emily Diercks</a>&nbsp;- 18:06.1 3rd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/jaycee-vath/8137">Jaycee Vath</a>&nbsp;- 18:33.8 4th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/emma-weiner/8147">Emma Weiner</a>&nbsp;- 18:50.9 5th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/darian-hudgeons/8133">Darian Hudgeons</a>&nbsp;- 19:06.1 6th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/ashlyn-harbaugh/8132">Ashlyn Harbaugh</a>&nbsp;- 19:12.0 7th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/makenzie-premer/8146">Makenzie Premer</a>&nbsp;- 19:29.5 8th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/madison-sutterfield/8136">Madison Sutterfield</a>&nbsp;- 19:45.7 10th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/abbye-hudson/8134">Abbye Hudson</a>&nbsp;- 20:01.1 12th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/brenna-murphy/8135">Brenna Murphy</a>&nbsp;- 20:12.6 13th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/arely-maldonado/8144">Arely Maldonado</a>&nbsp;- 20:13.9 14th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/morgan-beckwith/8140">Morgan Beckwith</a>&nbsp;- 20:25.2 20th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/keziah-bachman/8138">Keziah Bachman</a>&nbsp;- 21:09.7 21st -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/alayna-cossaart/8131">Alayna Cossaart</a>&nbsp;- 21:10.2 22nd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/kyra-nippert/8145">Kyra Nippert</a>&nbsp;- 21:11.0 <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/taylor-hoskinson/8143">Taylor Hoskinson</a>&nbsp;- DNF&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728701038905.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsEMPORIA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State women's cross country team, currently ranked No. 21 in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA DII National Coaches' Poll, earned its third-consecutive victory Friday in dominating fashion, turning in a perfect score of 15 team points to win the Emporia State Invitational. The Tigers had seven runners in the top eight and eight in the top 10.This is Fort Hays State's sixth-straight victory in a regular season race in Emporia dating back to 2014. The Tigers finished 41 points in front of second-place Emporia State. FHSU has yet to lose to a non-DI team in 2024.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/emily-diercks/8438">Emily Diercks</a>&nbsp;took home the individual title, completing the five-kilometer Jones Park Cross Country Course in 18:06.1. The win gave FHSU the individual champion at this race for a second year in a row after&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/regan-hodsden/7642">Regan Hodsden</a>&nbsp;picked up the victory in 2023.An unattached runner finished second, while the next six runners to cross the line were all Tigers.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/jaycee-vath/8137">Jaycee Vath</a>&nbsp;placed third with a time of 18:33.8, finishing in the top three at this race for a second year in a row after placing second in 2023.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/emma-weiner/8147">Emma Weiner</a>&nbsp;was fourth in the field of 35 finishers, completing the race in 18:50.9.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/darian-hudgeons/8133">Darian Hudgeons</a>&nbsp;rounded out the top five, posting a time of 19:06.1.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/ashlyn-harbaugh/8132">Ashlyn Harbaugh</a>&nbsp;was close behind in sixth, traversing the course in 19:12.0.UP NEXTThe Tigers will next compete on Saturday, October 26 when they travel to St. Joseph, Mo. for the 2024 MIAA Championships. The women's six-kilometer championship is slated to begin at 11 a.m.Full FHSU Results 1st - Fort Hays State - 15 points 1st -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/emily-diercks/8438">Emily Diercks</a>&nbsp;- 18:06.1 3rd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/jaycee-vath/8137">Jaycee Vath</a>&nbsp;- 18:33.8 4th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/emma-weiner/8147">Emma Weiner</a>&nbsp;- 18:50.9 5th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/darian-hudgeons/8133">Darian Hudgeons</a>&nbsp;- 19:06.1 6th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/ashlyn-harbaugh/8132">Ashlyn Harbaugh</a>&nbsp;- 19:12.0 7th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/makenzie-premer/8146">Makenzie Premer</a>&nbsp;- 19:29.5 8th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/madison-sutterfield/8136">Madison Sutterfield</a>&nbsp;- 19:45.7 10th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/abbye-hudson/8134">Abbye Hudson</a>&nbsp;- 20:01.1 12th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/brenna-murphy/8135">Brenna Murphy</a>&nbsp;- 20:12.6 13th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/arely-maldonado/8144">Arely Maldonado</a>&nbsp;- 20:13.9 14th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/morgan-beckwith/8140">Morgan Beckwith</a>&nbsp;- 20:25.2 20th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/keziah-bachman/8138">Keziah Bachman</a>&nbsp;- 21:09.7 21st -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/alayna-cossaart/8131">Alayna Cossaart</a>&nbsp;- 21:10.2 22nd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/kyra-nippert/8145">Kyra Nippert</a>&nbsp;- 21:11.0 <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-cross-country/roster/taylor-hoskinson/8143">Taylor Hoskinson</a>&nbsp;- DNF&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏃‍♀️ Tiger women post perfect score in Emporia, win third straight

EMPORIA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State men's cross country team placed five runners in the top seven Friday at the Emporia State Invitational, helping the Tigers to their second team victory of the season. FHSU racked up 18 team points in the process, 41 points in front of second-place Central Missouri.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/christian-darrah/8164">Christian Darrah</a>&nbsp;led the Tigers to the line, placing second with a time of 26:10.8 in the eight-kilometer race.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/jaret-pfizenmaier/8157">Jaret Pfizenmaier</a>&nbsp;placed third out of 48 finishers, crossing the line in 27:00.5.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/cole-krug/8165">Cole Krug</a>&nbsp;finished in fifth place, turning in a time of 27:23.8.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/brady-conway/8163">Brady Conway</a>&nbsp;completed the trek in 27:31.1, placing sixth, with&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/chayse-mccullough/8385">Chayse McCullough</a>&nbsp;close behind in seventh after traversing the course in 27:39.9.

Competing unattached, Siyabonga Mokgothu&nbsp;won the race in 25:42.2.

The Tigers will next compete on Saturday, October 26 when they travel to St. Joseph, Mo. for the 2024 MIAA Championships. The men's eight-kilometer championship is slated to begin at 10 a.m.

1st - Fort Hays State - 18 points 2nd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/christian-darrah/8164">Christian Darrah</a>&nbsp;- 26:10.8 3rd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/jaret-pfizenmaier/8157">Jaret Pfizenmaier</a>&nbsp;- 27:00.5 5th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/cole-krug/8165">Cole Krug</a>&nbsp;- 27:23.8 6th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/brady-conway/8163">Brady Conway</a>&nbsp;- 27:37.1 7th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/chayse-mccullough/8385">Chayse McCullough</a>&nbsp;- 27:39.9 9th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/noah-morenz/8156">Noah Morenz</a>&nbsp;- 27:50.0 10th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/daniel-bechle/8148">Daniel Bechle</a>&nbsp;- 27:55.3 11th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/kaiden-esfeld/8153">Kaiden Esfeld</a>&nbsp;- 28:02.7 13th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/ian-weich/8173">Ian Weich</a>&nbsp;- 28:06.3 17th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/brady-stegman/8159">Brady Stegman</a>&nbsp;- 28:29.3 19th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/ethan-fisher/8154">Ethan Fisher</a>&nbsp;- 28:46.5 24th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/emery-wolfe/8162">Emery Wolfe</a>&nbsp;- 29:16.4 25th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/ethan-emmons/8152">Ethan Emmons</a>&nbsp;- 29:18.1 27th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/lucas-cisneros/8150">Lucas Cisneros</a>&nbsp;- 29:28.3&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728700876138.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsEMPORIA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State men's cross country team placed five runners in the top seven Friday at the Emporia State Invitational, helping the Tigers to their second team victory of the season. FHSU racked up 18 team points in the process, 41 points in front of second-place Central Missouri.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/christian-darrah/8164">Christian Darrah</a>&nbsp;led the Tigers to the line, placing second with a time of 26:10.8 in the eight-kilometer race.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/jaret-pfizenmaier/8157">Jaret Pfizenmaier</a>&nbsp;placed third out of 48 finishers, crossing the line in 27:00.5.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/cole-krug/8165">Cole Krug</a>&nbsp;finished in fifth place, turning in a time of 27:23.8.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/brady-conway/8163">Brady Conway</a>&nbsp;completed the trek in 27:31.1, placing sixth, with&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/chayse-mccullough/8385">Chayse McCullough</a>&nbsp;close behind in seventh after traversing the course in 27:39.9.Competing unattached, Siyabonga Mokgothu&nbsp;won the race in 25:42.2.UP NEXTThe Tigers will next compete on Saturday, October 26 when they travel to St. Joseph, Mo. for the 2024 MIAA Championships. The men's eight-kilometer championship is slated to begin at 10 a.m.1st - Fort Hays State - 18 points 2nd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/christian-darrah/8164">Christian Darrah</a>&nbsp;- 26:10.8 3rd -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/jaret-pfizenmaier/8157">Jaret Pfizenmaier</a>&nbsp;- 27:00.5 5th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/cole-krug/8165">Cole Krug</a>&nbsp;- 27:23.8 6th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/brady-conway/8163">Brady Conway</a>&nbsp;- 27:37.1 7th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/chayse-mccullough/8385">Chayse McCullough</a>&nbsp;- 27:39.9 9th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/noah-morenz/8156">Noah Morenz</a>&nbsp;- 27:50.0 10th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/daniel-bechle/8148">Daniel Bechle</a>&nbsp;- 27:55.3 11th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/kaiden-esfeld/8153">Kaiden Esfeld</a>&nbsp;- 28:02.7 13th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/ian-weich/8173">Ian Weich</a>&nbsp;- 28:06.3 17th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/brady-stegman/8159">Brady Stegman</a>&nbsp;- 28:29.3 19th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/ethan-fisher/8154">Ethan Fisher</a>&nbsp;- 28:46.5 24th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/emery-wolfe/8162">Emery Wolfe</a>&nbsp;- 29:16.4 25th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/ethan-emmons/8152">Ethan Emmons</a>&nbsp;- 29:18.1 27th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-cross-country/roster/lucas-cisneros/8150">Lucas Cisneros</a>&nbsp;- 29:28.3&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏃‍♂️ FHSU men win Emporia State Invitational

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities investigating a fatal pedestrian accident have identified the victim as 34-year-old Marjorielle Evens of Wichita, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

Sedgwick County Sheriff Deputies were dispatched to a motor vehicle verse pedestrian accident in the 4900 block of South Meridian on October 10th, 2024 at approximately 7:26 pm.

Just before 7:30p.m. Thursday, a 2017 Hyundai Accent driven by Shilo D. McMurphy of Wichita was northbound in the 4900 Block of on South Meridian, according to Gibbs. The vehicle struck Evans who was crossing the roadway on foot.&nbsp; McMurphy did not see Evans, according to Gibbs. There were no indications of intoxication in either party.

EMS pronounced Evans deceased at the scene. McMurphy was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

The accident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728674855533.png" alt="First responders at the scene Thursday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene Thursday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities investigating a fatal pedestrian accident have identified the victim as 34-year-old Marjorielle Evens of Wichita, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.Sedgwick County Sheriff Deputies were dispatched to a motor vehicle verse pedestrian accident in the 4900 block of South Meridian on October 10th, 2024 at approximately 7:26 pm.Just before 7:30p.m. Thursday, a 2017 Hyundai Accent driven by Shilo D. McMurphy of Wichita was northbound in the 4900 Block of on South Meridian, according to Gibbs. The vehicle struck Evans who was crossing the roadway on foot.&nbsp; McMurphy did not see Evans, according to Gibbs. There were no indications of intoxication in either party.EMS pronounced Evans deceased at the scene. McMurphy was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.The accident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff IDs Kansas woman who died in pedestrian accident

Congratulations to Jordan Staab of Hays, who won $500 in the second week of the Cash Grab giveaway.

Listen at 9, 11, 1, and 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and enter the keyword on <a href="http://hayspost.com">hayspost.com</a>&nbsp;for a chance to win $500 on each Friday in October.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728670879288.jpeg" alt="Jordan&nbsp;Staab of Hays, right, receives a check for $500 in the second week of the Cash Grab giveaway." />
 <figcaption>Jordan&nbsp;Staab of Hays, right, receives a check for $500 in the second week of the Cash Grab giveaway.</figcaption>
 </figure>Congratulations to Jordan Staab of Hays, who won $500 in the second week of the Cash Grab giveaway.Listen at 9, 11, 1, and 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and enter the keyword on <a href="http://hayspost.com">hayspost.com</a>&nbsp;for a chance to win $500 on each Friday in October.&nbsp;

Week 2 Cash Grab winner selected

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas lecturer who suggested men who refuse to vote for a woman president solely because she is a woman should be shot resigned Friday after&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/09/kansas-lecturer-on-leave-after-inappropriate-reference-to-violence-during-class/">a video of his comments went viral</a>, inciting widespread backlash.

Barbara Bichelmeyer, KU provost and executive vice chancellor, announced Friday in a statement that the lecturer, Phillip Lowcock, “left the university.” The announcement came two days after a conservative pundit posted&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/nedryun/status/1843991931530993667" target="_blank">a video</a>&nbsp;to the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that showed Lowcock addressing a classroom of students and making what the university dubbed an “inappropriate reference to violence.”

“There are going to be some males in our society that will refuse to vote for a potential female president because they don’t think females are smart enough to be president,” Lowcock said in the video. “We could line all those guys up and shoot ‘em. They clearly don’t understand the way the world works.”

He continued: “Did I say that? Scratch that from the recording. I don’t want the deans hearing that I said that.”

The university met with Lowcock upon learning about the video and immediately placed him on administrative leave, Bichelmeyer said. She said Lowcock apologized to her and other university leaders, saying his intention was “to emphasize his advocacy for women’s rights and equality.” Bichelmeyer said the university is attempting to find another instructor to cover his classes. He was on staff in KU’s department of health, sport and exercise sciences.

The video on X has more than 3.5 million views. It was first posted Wednesday morning by Ned Ryun, the son of former Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun of Kansas. A slate of politicians, media personalities and X users condemned Lowcock’s comments and called for his resignation.&nbsp;

A national free speech organization, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, defended Lowcock’s comments, saying his speech was hyperbole and protected under the First Amendment.

Bichelmeyer condemned violent rhetoric, but she acknowledged the tangled nature of academic freedom and free expression.

“It’s no secret that higher education and, more broadly, our society continue to grapple with issues of free speech, care and respect for others, and civic engagement,” she said. “The world is what we make of it. Please use this unfortunate event as an opportunity to reflect on these topics and the role each of us plays in our academic community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728508235506.png" alt=" Strong Hall at the University of Kansas on August 22, 2020. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Strong Hall at the University of Kansas on August 22, 2020. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas lecturer who suggested men who refuse to vote for a woman president solely because she is a woman should be shot resigned Friday after&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/09/kansas-lecturer-on-leave-after-inappropriate-reference-to-violence-during-class/">a video of his comments went viral</a>, inciting widespread backlash.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Seriously ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/UnivOfKansas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnivOfKansas</a>⁩? You’re letting this be said in your classrooms? That men who won’t vote for Kamala Harris for President should be lined up and shot?? ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RogerMarshallMD</a>⁩ ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JerryMoran</a>⁩ <a href="https://t.co/7hHihxScEg">pic.twitter.com/7hHihxScEg</a>&mdash; Ned Ryun (@nedryun) <a href="https://twitter.com/nedryun/status/1843991931530993667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Barbara Bichelmeyer, KU provost and executive vice chancellor, announced Friday in a statement that the lecturer, Phillip Lowcock, “left the university.” The announcement came two days after a conservative pundit posted&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/nedryun/status/1843991931530993667" target="_blank">a video</a>&nbsp;to the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that showed Lowcock addressing a classroom of students and making what the university dubbed an “inappropriate reference to violence.”“There are going to be some males in our society that will refuse to vote for a potential female president because they don’t think females are smart enough to be president,” Lowcock said in the video. “We could line all those guys up and shoot ‘em. They clearly don’t understand the way the world works.”He continued: “Did I say that? Scratch that from the recording. I don’t want the deans hearing that I said that.”The university met with Lowcock upon learning about the video and immediately placed him on administrative leave, Bichelmeyer said. She said Lowcock apologized to her and other university leaders, saying his intention was “to emphasize his advocacy for women’s rights and equality.” Bichelmeyer said the university is attempting to find another instructor to cover his classes. He was on staff in KU’s department of health, sport and exercise sciences.The video on X has more than 3.5 million views. It was first posted Wednesday morning by Ned Ryun, the son of former Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun of Kansas. A slate of politicians, media personalities and X users condemned Lowcock’s comments and called for his resignation.&nbsp;A national free speech organization, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, defended Lowcock’s comments, saying his speech was hyperbole and protected under the First Amendment.Bichelmeyer condemned violent rhetoric, but she acknowledged the tangled nature of academic freedom and free expression.“It’s no secret that higher education and, more broadly, our society continue to grapple with issues of free speech, care and respect for others, and civic engagement,” she said. “The world is what we make of it. Please use this unfortunate event as an opportunity to reflect on these topics and the role each of us plays in our academic community.”

University of Kan. lecturer resigns after ‘inappropriate reference to violence’ in class

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tesla unveiled its long-awaited robotaxi at a Hollywood studio Thursday night, though fans of the electric vehicle maker will have to wait until at least 2026 before they are available.

CEO Elon Musk pulled up to a stage at the Warner Bros. studio lot in one of the company's “Cybercabs," telling the crowd that the sleek, AI-powered vehicles don't have steering wheels or pedals. He also expressed confidence in the progress the company has made on autonomous driving technology that makes it possible for vehicles to drive without human intervention.

Tesla began selling the software, which is called “Full Self-Driving,” nine years ago.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-musk-self-driving-analyst-automated-traffic-a4cc507d36bd28b6428143fea80278ce">But there are doubts about its reliability</a>.

“We’ll move from supervised Full Self-Driving to unsupervised Full Self-Driving. where you can fall asleep and wake up at your destination,” he said. "It’s going to be a glorious future.”

Tesla expects the Cybercabs to cost under $30,000, Musk said. He estimated that the vehicles would become available in 2026, then added “before 2027.”

The company also expects to make the Full Self-Driving technology available on its popular Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in Texas and California next year.

“If they’re going to eventually get to robotaxis, they first need to have success with the unsupervised FSD at the current lineup,” said Seth Goldstein, equity strategist at Morningstar Research. “Tonight’s event showed that they're ready to take that step forward.”

When Tesla will actually take that step, however, has led to more than a little anxiety for investors who see other automakers deploying similar technology right now. Shares of Tesla Inc. tumbled 9% at the opening bell Friday.

Waymo, the autonomous vehicle unit of Alphabet Inc.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/waymo-google-robotaxis-driverless-los-angeles-expansion-6f06b65b5ad14f3f19609190c64d131f">is carrying passengers</a>&nbsp;in vehicles without human safety drivers in Phoenix and other areas. General Motors’ Cruise self-driving unit had been running robotaxis in San Francisco until a crash last year involving one of its vehicles.

Also, Aurora Innovation said it will start hauling freight in fully autonomous semis on Texas freeways by year’s end. Another autonomous semi company, Gatik, plans to haul freight autonomously by the end of 2025.

“Tesla yet again claimed it is a year or two away from actual automated driving -- just as the company has been claiming for a decade. Indeed, Tesla’s whole event had a 2014 vibe, except that in 2014 there were no automated vehicles actually deployed on public roads,” Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor who studies automated vehicles, told The Associated Press in an email. “Now there are real AVs carrying real people on real roads, but none of those vehicles are Teslas. Tonight did not change this reality; it only made the irony more glaring.”

Tesla had 20 or so Cybercabs on hand and offered event attendees the opportunity to take rides inside the movie studio lot — not on Los Angeles' roads.

At the presentation, which was dubbed “We, Robot” and was streamed live on Tesla’s website and X, Musk also revealed a sleek minibus-looking vehicle that, like the Cybercab, would be self-driving and can carry up to 20 passengers.

The company also trotted out several of its black and white Optimus humanoid robots, which walked a few feet from the attendees before showing off dance moves in a futuristic-looking gazebo.

Musk estimated that the robots would cost between $28,000-$30,000 and would be able to babysit, mow lawns, fetch groceries, among other tasks.

“Whatever you can think of, it will do,” he said.

The unveiling of the Cybercab comes as Musk tries to persuade investors that his company is more about artificial intelligence and robotics as it labors to sell its core products, an aging lineup of electric vehicles.

Tesla’s model lineup is struggling and isn’t likely to be refreshed until late next year at the earliest, TD Cowen analyst Jeff Osborne wrote in a research note last week.

Osborne also noted that, in TD Cowen’s view, the “politicization of Elon” is tarnishing the Tesla brand among Democrat buyers in the U.S.

Musk has endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and has pushed many conservative causes. Last weekend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-rally-butler-election-f718967ec29431a2b9858b1121e70da1">he joined Trump</a>&nbsp;at a Pennsylvania rally.

Musk has been saying for more than five years that a fleet of robotaxis is near, allowing Tesla owners to make money by having their cars carry passengers while they’re not in use by the owners.

But he has acknowledged that past predictions for the use of autonomous driving proved too optimistic. In 2019, he promised the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-09894dee68d7496399f176a77a8bc98d">fleet of autonomous vehicles by the end of 2020</a>.

The announcement comes as U.S. safety regulators are investigating Full Self Driving and Autopilot based on evidence that it has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-autopilot-nhtsa-recall-069ab3341e0e724a60d91b82c9ef83a1">weak system for making sure human drivers pay attention</a>.

In addition, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-recalls-full-self-driving-cars-875b54d4b71e97d43a17e968d7b856ae">forced Tesla to recall</a>&nbsp;Full Self-Driving in February because it allowed speeding and violated other traffic laws, especially near intersections. Tesla was to fix the problems with an online software update.

Last April in Snohomish County, Washington, near Seattle, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-investigators-crash-seattle-self-driving-dbbe3d1cd887b5f936136adeb78a590a">Tesla using Full Self-Driving</a>&nbsp;hit and killed a motorcyclist, authorities said. The Tesla driver told authorities that he was using the system while looking at his phone when the car rear-ended the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

NHTSA says it’s evaluating information on the fatal crash from Tesla and law enforcement officials.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-investigations-justice-department-musk-self-driving-29a68864f75c9fabbd04f7a87d169444">Justice Department also has sought information</a>&nbsp;from Tesla about Full Self-Driving and Autopilot, as well as other items.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tesla unveiled its long-awaited robotaxi at a Hollywood studio Thursday night, though fans of the electric vehicle maker will have to wait until at least 2026 before they are available.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The future will be streamed live 10/10, 7pm PT <a href="https://t.co/YJEjZIYoTA">https://t.co/YJEjZIYoTA</a>&mdash; Tesla (@Tesla) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1843922599765590148?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>CEO Elon Musk pulled up to a stage at the Warner Bros. studio lot in one of the company's “Cybercabs," telling the crowd that the sleek, AI-powered vehicles don't have steering wheels or pedals. He also expressed confidence in the progress the company has made on autonomous driving technology that makes it possible for vehicles to drive without human intervention.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Robotaxi &amp; Robovan <a href="https://t.co/pI2neyJBSL">pic.twitter.com/pI2neyJBSL</a>&mdash; Tesla (@Tesla) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1844583703604772893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Tesla began selling the software, which is called “Full Self-Driving,” nine years ago.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-musk-self-driving-analyst-automated-traffic-a4cc507d36bd28b6428143fea80278ce">But there are doubts about its reliability</a>.“We’ll move from supervised Full Self-Driving to unsupervised Full Self-Driving. where you can fall asleep and wake up at your destination,” he said. "It’s going to be a glorious future.”Tesla expects the Cybercabs to cost under $30,000, Musk said. He estimated that the vehicles would become available in 2026, then added “before 2027.”The company also expects to make the Full Self-Driving technology available on its popular Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in Texas and California next year.“If they’re going to eventually get to robotaxis, they first need to have success with the unsupervised FSD at the current lineup,” said Seth Goldstein, equity strategist at Morningstar Research. “Tonight’s event showed that they're ready to take that step forward.”When Tesla will actually take that step, however, has led to more than a little anxiety for investors who see other automakers deploying similar technology right now. Shares of Tesla Inc. tumbled 9% at the opening bell Friday.Waymo, the autonomous vehicle unit of Alphabet Inc.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/waymo-google-robotaxis-driverless-los-angeles-expansion-6f06b65b5ad14f3f19609190c64d131f">is carrying passengers</a>&nbsp;in vehicles without human safety drivers in Phoenix and other areas. General Motors’ Cruise self-driving unit had been running robotaxis in San Francisco until a crash last year involving one of its vehicles.Also, Aurora Innovation said it will start hauling freight in fully autonomous semis on Texas freeways by year’s end. Another autonomous semi company, Gatik, plans to haul freight autonomously by the end of 2025.“Tesla yet again claimed it is a year or two away from actual automated driving -- just as the company has been claiming for a decade. Indeed, Tesla’s whole event had a 2014 vibe, except that in 2014 there were no automated vehicles actually deployed on public roads,” Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor who studies automated vehicles, told The Associated Press in an email. “Now there are real AVs carrying real people on real roads, but none of those vehicles are Teslas. Tonight did not change this reality; it only made the irony more glaring.”Tesla had 20 or so Cybercabs on hand and offered event attendees the opportunity to take rides inside the movie studio lot — not on Los Angeles' roads.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Futuristic Art Deco Bus <a href="https://t.co/4DDqJtGATU">pic.twitter.com/4DDqJtGATU</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1844612387237920949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>At the presentation, which was dubbed “We, Robot” and was streamed live on Tesla’s website and X, Musk also revealed a sleek minibus-looking vehicle that, like the Cybercab, would be self-driving and can carry up to 20 passengers.The company also trotted out several of its black and white Optimus humanoid robots, which walked a few feet from the attendees before showing off dance moves in a futuristic-looking gazebo.Musk estimated that the robots would cost between $28,000-$30,000 and would be able to babysit, mow lawns, fetch groceries, among other tasks.“Whatever you can think of, it will do,” he said.The unveiling of the Cybercab comes as Musk tries to persuade investors that his company is more about artificial intelligence and robotics as it labors to sell its core products, an aging lineup of electric vehicles.Tesla’s model lineup is struggling and isn’t likely to be refreshed until late next year at the earliest, TD Cowen analyst Jeff Osborne wrote in a research note last week.Osborne also noted that, in TD Cowen’s view, the “politicization of Elon” is tarnishing the Tesla brand among Democrat buyers in the U.S.Musk has endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and has pushed many conservative causes. Last weekend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-rally-butler-election-f718967ec29431a2b9858b1121e70da1">he joined Trump</a>&nbsp;at a Pennsylvania rally.Musk has been saying for more than five years that a fleet of robotaxis is near, allowing Tesla owners to make money by having their cars carry passengers while they’re not in use by the owners.But he has acknowledged that past predictions for the use of autonomous driving proved too optimistic. In 2019, he promised the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-09894dee68d7496399f176a77a8bc98d">fleet of autonomous vehicles by the end of 2020</a>.The announcement comes as U.S. safety regulators are investigating Full Self Driving and Autopilot based on evidence that it has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-autopilot-nhtsa-recall-069ab3341e0e724a60d91b82c9ef83a1">weak system for making sure human drivers pay attention</a>.In addition, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-recalls-full-self-driving-cars-875b54d4b71e97d43a17e968d7b856ae">forced Tesla to recall</a>&nbsp;Full Self-Driving in February because it allowed speeding and violated other traffic laws, especially near intersections. Tesla was to fix the problems with an online software update.Last April in Snohomish County, Washington, near Seattle, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-investigators-crash-seattle-self-driving-dbbe3d1cd887b5f936136adeb78a590a">Tesla using Full Self-Driving</a>&nbsp;hit and killed a motorcyclist, authorities said. The Tesla driver told authorities that he was using the system while looking at his phone when the car rear-ended the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.NHTSA says it’s evaluating information on the fatal crash from Tesla and law enforcement officials.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-investigations-justice-department-musk-self-driving-29a68864f75c9fabbd04f7a87d169444">Justice Department also has sought information</a>&nbsp;from Tesla about Full Self-Driving and Autopilot, as well as other items.

Elon Musk unveils Cybercab at Tesla robotaxi event

The 2024 Annual Fall Cleanup will consist of one and only one sweep through the City beginning October 21st. No set schedule has been established; however, residential curbside services will be first with residential regular alley services following.&nbsp;If you put your trash on the Curb, put your Fall Cleanup items on the Curb. &nbsp; If you put your trash in the Alley, put your Fall Cleanup&nbsp;items in the Alley. The city-wide general schedule for alley services will start after curbside collections are completed. The number of employees committed to the task may vary from day to day; therefore, crews are unable to predict when they will be by a residence. City crews have a 20-minute time limit per residence for regular collections and 10 minutes for tree collections. Any items remaining after 20 minutes of pickup will be the responsibility of the property owner.

As in years past, the City WILL NOT pick up tires and hazardous waste. Tires should be disposed of at the Ellis County Landfill, and hazardous waste items should be disposed of at the Ellis County Hazardous Waste Facility. Please call 628-9460 or 628-9449 for detailed information.

The Annual Fall Cleanup Program, set to begin October 21st, is an opportunity for residents to discard items that would not be picked up in normal trash collection.

Waste should be placed in four separate piles in preparation of the Fall Cleanup. The piles should be organized in the following manner:

1. Tree limbs and brush - Small Quantities Only! (no longer than 12 feet in length or 6 inches in diameter); bamboo bundled in 4’ lengths; all yard and garden waste MUST be bagged

2. Construction and Demolition Debris, i.e., lumber, drywall, bricks, sinks, wires, etc. (please pull or bend over nails and place small quantities of concrete, bricks, and plaster in containers)

3. White Goods/Metals, i.e., guttering, siding, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, metal swing sets, propane tanks for grills, lawn mowers, etc.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *Refrigerators and freezers must be empty of all items in order for them to be picked up.

4. Municipal Waste (all other items), i.e., furniture, carpet, tv’s, computers, etc.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *Exceptionally large items, such as hot tubs and swing sets, should be cut down into more manageable pieces in order for them to be picked up.

**TO AVOID WRONGFUL PICK UP, “TREASURED ITEMS” SHOULD BE TAGGED OR REMOVED FROM THE COLLECTION AREA**

Again, the Annual Fall Cleanup Program will begin on October 21st and will continue until one and only one complete sweep through the City has occurred. All items should be set out by this date, as crews cannot make any return trips. To avoid creating a nuisance, please DO NOT set any items out before October 1st. Remember, crews cannot predict when they will be by a residence, so HAVE ALL ITEMS OUT BY 7:00 am OCTOBER 21st, BUT NOT BEFORE OCTOBER 1ST. Maximum 20-minute time limit per residence for regular collections and 10 minutes for tree collections.

Help make the City of Hays clean and safe for all!

NOTE: Fall cleanup is for City of Hays residential customers paying for refuse services.

Free disposal of tree limbs is available for City of Hays residents at the Ellis County Sanitary Landfill, 1515 W 55th, Monday to Friday – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584473406560.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysThe 2024 Annual Fall Cleanup will consist of one and only one sweep through the City beginning October 21st. No set schedule has been established; however, residential curbside services will be first with residential regular alley services following.&nbsp;If you put your trash on the Curb, put your Fall Cleanup items on the Curb. &nbsp; If you put your trash in the Alley, put your Fall Cleanup&nbsp;items in the Alley. The city-wide general schedule for alley services will start after curbside collections are completed. The number of employees committed to the task may vary from day to day; therefore, crews are unable to predict when they will be by a residence. City crews have a 20-minute time limit per residence for regular collections and 10 minutes for tree collections. Any items remaining after 20 minutes of pickup will be the responsibility of the property owner.As in years past, the City WILL NOT pick up tires and hazardous waste. Tires should be disposed of at the Ellis County Landfill, and hazardous waste items should be disposed of at the Ellis County Hazardous Waste Facility. Please call 628-9460 or 628-9449 for detailed information.The Annual Fall Cleanup Program, set to begin October 21st, is an opportunity for residents to discard items that would not be picked up in normal trash collection.Waste should be placed in four separate piles in preparation of the Fall Cleanup. The piles should be organized in the following manner:1. Tree limbs and brush - Small Quantities Only! (no longer than 12 feet in length or 6 inches in diameter); bamboo bundled in 4’ lengths; all yard and garden waste MUST be bagged2. Construction and Demolition Debris, i.e., lumber, drywall, bricks, sinks, wires, etc. (please pull or bend over nails and place small quantities of concrete, bricks, and plaster in containers)3. White Goods/Metals, i.e., guttering, siding, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, metal swing sets, propane tanks for grills, lawn mowers, etc.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *Refrigerators and freezers must be empty of all items in order for them to be picked up.4. Municipal Waste (all other items), i.e., furniture, carpet, tv’s, computers, etc.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; *Exceptionally large items, such as hot tubs and swing sets, should be cut down into more manageable pieces in order for them to be picked up.**TO AVOID WRONGFUL PICK UP, “TREASURED ITEMS” SHOULD BE TAGGED OR REMOVED FROM THE COLLECTION AREA**Again, the Annual Fall Cleanup Program will begin on October 21st and will continue until one and only one complete sweep through the City has occurred. All items should be set out by this date, as crews cannot make any return trips. To avoid creating a nuisance, please DO NOT set any items out before October 1st. Remember, crews cannot predict when they will be by a residence, so HAVE ALL ITEMS OUT BY 7:00 am OCTOBER 21st, BUT NOT BEFORE OCTOBER 1ST. Maximum 20-minute time limit per residence for regular collections and 10 minutes for tree collections.Help make the City of Hays clean and safe for all!NOTE: Fall cleanup is for City of Hays residential customers paying for refuse services.TREE LIMB DISPOSAL REMINDER!!!Free disposal of tree limbs is available for City of Hays residents at the Ellis County Sanitary Landfill, 1515 W 55th, Monday to Friday – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Annual Fall Cleanup set for Oct. 21

Friday, October 11
 KKQY: Ness City FB at Trego, 6:15pm *
 KFIX: Hays High FB vs. Dodge City, 6:30pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB at Oakley, 6:30pm

Saturday, October 12
 KJLS: Fort Hays State FB vs. Washburn, 6:00pm
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals BSB vs. New York Yankees (If necessary), 6:30pm

Friday, October 11
 KKQY: Ness City FB at Trego, 6:15pm *
 KFIX: Hays High FB vs. Dodge City, 6:30pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB at Oakley, 6:30pmSaturday, October 12
 KJLS: Fort Hays State FB vs. Washburn, 6:00pm
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals BSB vs. New York Yankees (If necessary), 6:30pmSunday, October 13

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🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

A strong geomagnetic storm occurred Thursday night and brought views of the aurora as far south as northern Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728614836497.png" alt="View of the northern lights from central Kansas on Thursday" />
 <figcaption>View of the northern lights from central Kansas on Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>A strong geomagnetic storm occurred Thursday night and brought views of the aurora as far south as northern Kansas.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The northern lights are on full display across the Tri-State area. If you haven&#39;t made it out this evening don&#39;t worry the clear skies are forecast to continue throughout the night. For more information on the Aurora please visit <a href="https://t.co/H6I1XThxql">https://t.co/H6I1XThxql</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/newx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#newx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cowx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cowx</a> <a href="https://t.co/nIeX5iTcqd">pic.twitter.com/nIeX5iTcqd</a>&mdash; NWS Goodland (@NWSGoodland) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSGoodland/status/1844571365774590345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Beautiful display: Northern lights show off across Kansas

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Offering family fun and pumpkin picking for the season, Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Hays is open for the rest of October.&nbsp;

Pa's Pumpkin Patch, owned by Jeff Copper, is a seasonal agritourism destination at 978 250th Ave. with family-friendly activities.

Brett and Amy Denham have managed Pa's Pumpkin Patch during the fall season for three years.

"It's a long distance to get to any other pumpkin patches. We want to serve our community and have something affordable where you can go out and have fun as a family," Brett said.

The pumpkin patch is open&nbsp;from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays and&nbsp;from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays.

Weekend admission is $7 per person, while family nights, Tuesdays, is $15 per family.

The pumpkin patch operates for five weekends each season, beginning on the last Saturday of September and continuing through Halloween.

Activities at the patch include hayrack rides, a corn maze, train rides, an RC track course, interactions with alpacas and goats, and photo booths.

"We've got several different photo booths set up. We know moms like getting family pictures," Brett said.

The pumpkin patch also features a fire pit for making s'mores and other concessions.

Brett said Copper is the "Pa" behind Pa's Pumpkin Patch, as he and his grandkids take charge of planting and caring for the pumpkins.

Brett said this year's growing season was a great success, with their largest pumpkin weighing 108 pounds.

"This is the best pumpkin season we've ever had with the amount of pumpkins and size. They are big and healthy," he said. "We didn't do anything different. We were blessed this year."

Large pumpkins are 50 cents per pound, and smaller pumpkins and gourds are also available.

Pa's Pumpkin Patch hosts field trips throughout the fall for schools, including special needs students. These trips allow students to explore and learn about agriculture.

Brett said Pa's Pumpkin Patch supports agritourism by offering local, affordable pumpkins paired with outdoor fun.

"We want to bring joy to families through our agriculture by spending time outside, growing pumpkins and learning about pumpkins," Brett said.

You can follow Pa's Pumpkin Patch on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067533002537">Facebook</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728498211510.jpeg" alt="Group of kids in Pa's Pumpkin Patch's wagon in Hays. Courtesy Photo" />
 <figcaption>Group of kids in Pa's Pumpkin Patch's wagon in Hays. Courtesy Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostOffering family fun and pumpkin picking for the season, Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Hays is open for the rest of October.&nbsp;Pa's Pumpkin Patch, owned by Jeff Copper, is a seasonal agritourism destination at 978 250th Ave. with family-friendly activities.Brett and Amy Denham have managed Pa's Pumpkin Patch during the fall season for three years."It's a long distance to get to any other pumpkin patches. We want to serve our community and have something affordable where you can go out and have fun as a family," Brett said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728498248231.jpeg" alt="Three kids riding Pa's Pumpkin Patch wagon in Hays. Courtesy Photo" />
 <figcaption>Three kids riding Pa's Pumpkin Patch wagon in Hays. Courtesy Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The pumpkin patch is open&nbsp;from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays and&nbsp;from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays.Weekend admission is $7 per person, while family nights, Tuesdays, is $15 per family.The pumpkin patch operates for five weekends each season, beginning on the last Saturday of September and continuing through Halloween.Activities at the patch include hayrack rides, a corn maze, train rides, an RC track course, interactions with alpacas and goats, and photo booths.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728498582750.jpeg" alt="The entrance to Pa's Pumpkin Patch's corn maze in Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The entrance to Pa's Pumpkin Patch's corn maze in Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728498289632.jpeg" alt="A child interacting with an alpaca at Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>A child interacting with an alpaca at Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728498410138.jpeg" alt="A train with kids inside at Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Hays. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>A train with kids inside at Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Hays. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728498450030.jpeg" alt="Two kids in a scarecrow photo booth at Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Two kids in a scarecrow photo booth at Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"We've got several different photo booths set up. We know moms like getting family pictures," Brett said.The pumpkin patch also features a fire pit for making s'mores and other concessions.Brett said Copper is the "Pa" behind Pa's Pumpkin Patch, as he and his grandkids take charge of planting and caring for the pumpkins.Brett said this year's growing season was a great success, with their largest pumpkin weighing 108 pounds.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728498479655.jpeg" alt="Rows of pumpkins at Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Hays.&nbsp;at Pa's Pumpkin Patch. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rows of pumpkins at Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Hays.&nbsp;at Pa's Pumpkin Patch. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"This is the best pumpkin season we've ever had with the amount of pumpkins and size. They are big and healthy," he said. "We didn't do anything different. We were blessed this year."Large pumpkins are 50 cents per pound, and smaller pumpkins and gourds are also available.Pa's Pumpkin Patch hosts field trips throughout the fall for schools, including special needs students. These trips allow students to explore and learn about agriculture.Brett said Pa's Pumpkin Patch supports agritourism by offering local, affordable pumpkins paired with outdoor fun."We want to bring joy to families through our agriculture by spending time outside, growing pumpkins and learning about pumpkins," Brett said.You can follow Pa's Pumpkin Patch on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067533002537">Facebook</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728498622360.jpeg" alt="Pa's Pumpkin Patch's tractor and wagon in Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Pa's Pumpkin Patch's tractor and wagon in Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>

Pa's Pumpkin Patch open through Halloween for family nights

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/obama">Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;gave a blistering critique of his White House successor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and urged Black men to show up for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;as he campaigned in Pittsburgh on Thursday at the start of a swing-state tour for the Democratic ticket.

At a campaign field office to thank volunteers, Obama said he wanted to “speak some truths” after hearing reports on the ground that there was lower enthusiasm for Harris than there was for his own candidacy and that some Black men were thinking of sitting out the election.

“Part of it makes me think — and I’m speaking to men directly — part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that,” Obama said.

The former president said Trump’s penchant for putting people down was not real strength.

“You’re thinking about sitting out or supporting somebody who has a history of denigrating you, because you think that’s a sign of strength, because that’s what being a man is? Putting women down? That’s not acceptable,” Obama said.

The Democratic former president made the battleground state of Pennsylvania the first stop of his campaign tour with less than four weeks until Election Day and as voting is already underway. Speaking at a rally at the University of Pittsburgh, he painted Trump as out-of-touch and not the choice to lead the country to change, calling him a “bumbling” billionaire “who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.”

He said Harris is “a leader who has spent her life fighting on behalf of people who need a voice and a chance” and declared, “Kamala is as prepared for the job as any nominee for president has ever been.”

Obama, eight years out of power, has been one of the Democratic Party’s most reliable surrogates to galvanize voters. Until he was elected president in 2020, Joe Biden had also taken on that role for Democrats, but this year, since ending his reelection campaign and letting Harris ascend to the ticket, he’s yet to hit the trail.

Obama, who received a roaring welcome from the crowd, described Trump’s all-caps posts on social media and his “ranting and the raving about crazy conspiracy theories. The two-hour speeches, word salad, just — it’s like Fidel Castro. Just on and on. Constant attempts to sell you stuff. Who does that?”

Obama listed some of the products Trump has tried to sell during his third White House campaign, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sneakers-sneaker-con-philadelphia-4de093eda6f8d1c68baf8fe8095f777b">$399 gold sneakers</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-campaign-watches-c6000a9944a5e9116b99ca2fe8b95cb0">$100,000 watch</a>&nbsp;and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-god-bless-usa-bible-china-32a80611605d4052d8238064bbcace4c">“God Bless the USA” Bible for $59.99.</a>

“He wants you to buy the word of God: Donald Trump edition. Got his name right there next to Matthew and Luke,” Obama said, laughing. “You could not make this stuff up.”

As the nation’s first Black president, Obama’s appearance for Harris underscores the history-making nature of her own political career. Harris, the first woman, Black person or person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president, would be the first woman to serve as president if elected next month.

His old campaign rallying cry, “Yes, We Can,” was even refashioned for the event, with “Yes, She Can” beaming on a screen over the crowd.

Both Harris and Trump have been vying for support from Black Americans. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-election-black-voters-biden-78e344ddea4886dd23582f4a51eb0da6">recent poll from the  AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>&nbsp;found that about 7 in 10 Black voters have a somewhat or very favorable view of Harris, with few differences between Black male and female voters on how they view the Democratic candidate.

Black voters’ opinions of Trump, by contrast, were overwhelmingly negative, according to the poll, but the former president believes his message on the economy, immigration and traditional values can make inroads into the Democrats’ traditional base of support among Black voters, especially younger Black men.

Obama acknowledged that the last few years, starting with the pandemic, have been hard for Americans, with high prices and other impacts putting a squeeze on working families.

“I get it, why people are looking to shake things up. I mean, I am the hopey-changey guy. So I understand people feeling frustrated and feeling we can do better,” Obama said. “What I cannot understand is why anybody would think that Donald Trump will shake things up in a way that is good for you, Pennsylvania.”

He mocked Trump’s answer in the debate that he would replace Obama’s signature health care law, the Affordable Care Act, with “concepts of a plan,” and his running mate JD Vance’s recent comment that Trump worked to “salvage” the law.

“Donald Trump spent his entire presidency trying to tear it down. And by the way, he couldn’t even do that right.”

Obama also referenced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jack-smith-election-supreme-court-0b9969b480036bb1f7c61a73980d406c">new court filing in the federal election interference case</a>&nbsp;against Trump that said Trump told an aide, “So what?” after being told his vice president, Mike Pence, had been rushed to a safe location after a violent crowd of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“If Donald Trump does not care that a mob might attack his own vice president, do you think he cares about you?” he asked.

Glenda Ellison, a 71-year-old retired schoolteacher and Democrat from Pittsburgh, said she is feeling “a little nervous” about the election but “prayerful that it’s going to turn out in our favor.”

Ellison said she sees Obama as a party spokesperson with a large following who can hopefully sway voters that might be on the fence about voting for Harris.

“As a former president, and also as a Black president, I think that is something that might connect with the African American community, the fact that we do have our Black president supporting another Black candidate,” said Ellison, who is Black.

Obama was among the key Democrats who were part of a behind-the-scenes effort to encourage Biden, his former vice president, to drop out of the 2024 race.

Obama and Harris have been friends for two decades since he ran for Senate in Illinois. She campaigned for him when he sought the presidency in 2008.

Pennsylvania is a state Obama won in his 2008 and 2012 presidential races, but Trump won in 2016. Biden narrowly carried it in 2020 and the state is shaping up to be one of the most closely contested in this year’s race.

Trump was in the eastern part of the state Wednesday for back-to-back rallies in Scranton and Reading. He also campaigned in eastern Pennsylvania over the weekend when he returned to Butler, where he was shot in July as he survived an assassination attempt.

Obama’s appearance at the University of Pittsburgh was also aimed to bolster the reelection campaign of Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, who is being challenged by Trump-endorsed Republican David McCormick.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/obama">Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;gave a blistering critique of his White House successor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and urged Black men to show up for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;as he campaigned in Pittsburgh on Thursday at the start of a swing-state tour for the Democratic ticket.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Donald Trump is not thinking about you. He only sees power as a means to his ends. America is ready to turn the page. <a href="https://t.co/q80uODpUkZ">pic.twitter.com/q80uODpUkZ</a>&mdash; Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1844539876110119393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>At a campaign field office to thank volunteers, Obama said he wanted to “speak some truths” after hearing reports on the ground that there was lower enthusiasm for Harris than there was for his own candidacy and that some Black men were thinking of sitting out the election.“Part of it makes me think — and I’m speaking to men directly — part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that,” Obama said.The former president said Trump’s penchant for putting people down was not real strength.“You’re thinking about sitting out or supporting somebody who has a history of denigrating you, because you think that’s a sign of strength, because that’s what being a man is? Putting women down? That’s not acceptable,” Obama said.The Democratic former president made the battleground state of Pennsylvania the first stop of his campaign tour with less than four weeks until Election Day and as voting is already underway. Speaking at a rally at the University of Pittsburgh, he painted Trump as out-of-touch and not the choice to lead the country to change, calling him a “bumbling” billionaire “who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.”He said Harris is “a leader who has spent her life fighting on behalf of people who need a voice and a chance” and declared, “Kamala is as prepared for the job as any nominee for president has ever been.”Obama, eight years out of power, has been one of the Democratic Party’s most reliable surrogates to galvanize voters. Until he was elected president in 2020, Joe Biden had also taken on that role for Democrats, but this year, since ending his reelection campaign and letting Harris ascend to the ticket, he’s yet to hit the trail.Obama, who received a roaring welcome from the crowd, described Trump’s all-caps posts on social media and his “ranting and the raving about crazy conspiracy theories. The two-hour speeches, word salad, just — it’s like Fidel Castro. Just on and on. Constant attempts to sell you stuff. Who does that?”Obama listed some of the products Trump has tried to sell during his third White House campaign, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-sneakers-sneaker-con-philadelphia-4de093eda6f8d1c68baf8fe8095f777b">$399 gold sneakers</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-campaign-watches-c6000a9944a5e9116b99ca2fe8b95cb0">$100,000 watch</a>&nbsp;and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-god-bless-usa-bible-china-32a80611605d4052d8238064bbcace4c">“God Bless the USA” Bible for $59.99.</a>“He wants you to buy the word of God: Donald Trump edition. Got his name right there next to Matthew and Luke,” Obama said, laughing. “You could not make this stuff up.”As the nation’s first Black president, Obama’s appearance for Harris underscores the history-making nature of her own political career. Harris, the first woman, Black person or person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president, would be the first woman to serve as president if elected next month.His old campaign rallying cry, “Yes, We Can,” was even refashioned for the event, with “Yes, She Can” beaming on a screen over the crowd.Both Harris and Trump have been vying for support from Black Americans. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-election-black-voters-biden-78e344ddea4886dd23582f4a51eb0da6">recent poll from the  AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>&nbsp;found that about 7 in 10 Black voters have a somewhat or very favorable view of Harris, with few differences between Black male and female voters on how they view the Democratic candidate.Black voters’ opinions of Trump, by contrast, were overwhelmingly negative, according to the poll, but the former president believes his message on the economy, immigration and traditional values can make inroads into the Democrats’ traditional base of support among Black voters, especially younger Black men.Obama acknowledged that the last few years, starting with the pandemic, have been hard for Americans, with high prices and other impacts putting a squeeze on working families.“I get it, why people are looking to shake things up. I mean, I am the hopey-changey guy. So I understand people feeling frustrated and feeling we can do better,” Obama said. “What I cannot understand is why anybody would think that Donald Trump will shake things up in a way that is good for you, Pennsylvania.”He mocked Trump’s answer in the debate that he would replace Obama’s signature health care law, the Affordable Care Act, with “concepts of a plan,” and his running mate JD Vance’s recent comment that Trump worked to “salvage” the law.“Donald Trump spent his entire presidency trying to tear it down. And by the way, he couldn’t even do that right.”Obama also referenced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jack-smith-election-supreme-court-0b9969b480036bb1f7c61a73980d406c">new court filing in the federal election interference case</a>&nbsp;against Trump that said Trump told an aide, “So what?” after being told his vice president, Mike Pence, had been rushed to a safe location after a violent crowd of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.“If Donald Trump does not care that a mob might attack his own vice president, do you think he cares about you?” he asked.Glenda Ellison, a 71-year-old retired schoolteacher and Democrat from Pittsburgh, said she is feeling “a little nervous” about the election but “prayerful that it’s going to turn out in our favor.”Ellison said she sees Obama as a party spokesperson with a large following who can hopefully sway voters that might be on the fence about voting for Harris.“As a former president, and also as a Black president, I think that is something that might connect with the African American community, the fact that we do have our Black president supporting another Black candidate,” said Ellison, who is Black.Obama was among the key Democrats who were part of a behind-the-scenes effort to encourage Biden, his former vice president, to drop out of the 2024 race.Obama and Harris have been friends for two decades since he ran for Senate in Illinois. She campaigned for him when he sought the presidency in 2008.Pennsylvania is a state Obama won in his 2008 and 2012 presidential races, but Trump won in 2016. Biden narrowly carried it in 2020 and the state is shaping up to be one of the most closely contested in this year’s race.Trump was in the eastern part of the state Wednesday for back-to-back rallies in Scranton and Reading. He also campaigned in eastern Pennsylvania over the weekend when he returned to Butler, where he was shot in July as he survived an assassination attempt.Obama’s appearance at the University of Pittsburgh was also aimed to bolster the reelection campaign of Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, who is being challenged by Trump-endorsed Republican David McCormick.

🎥Obama makes first campaign rally appearance for Harris

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal shooting on October 3, have released the name of the victim as 21-year-old Jai'Marion Miller of Kansas City, Kansas.

Just after 7a.m. October 3, police responded to report of a shooting in the 4900 Block of Dickinson Road in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders found Miller on the road with apparent gunshot wounds.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or released suspect information.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal shooting on October 3, have released the name of the victim as 21-year-old Jai'Marion Miller of Kansas City, Kansas.Just after 7a.m. October 3, police responded to report of a shooting in the 4900 Block of Dickinson Road in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.First responders found Miller on the road with apparent gunshot wounds.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or released suspect information.

Homicide: Police ID Kan. man found with gunshot wound on the road

BOSTON, Mass. (AP) — Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, her family said. She was 96.

Kennedy had been hospitalized after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ethel-kennedy-stroke-robert-f-kennedy-camelot-d54fb65f161bee60e32d27049778f761">suffering a stroke</a>&nbsp;in her sleep on Oct. 3, her family said.

“It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our amazing grandmother,” Joe Kennedy III posted on X. “She died this morning from complications related to a stroke suffered last week.”

“Along with a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights, our mother leaves behind nine children, 34 grandchildren and 24 great-great grandchildren along with numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom love her dearly,” the family statement said.

The Kennedy matriarch, whose children were Kathleen, Joseph II, Robert Jr., David, Courtney, Michael, Kerry, Christopher, Max, Douglas and Rory, was one of the last remaining members of a generation that included President John F. Kennedy. Her family said she had recently enjoyed seeing many of her relatives, before falling ill.

A millionaire’s daughter who married the future senator and attorney general in 1950, Ethel Kennedy had endured more death by the age of 40, for the whole world to see, than most would in a lifetime.

She was by Robert F. Kennedy’s side when he was fatally shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, just after winning the Democratic presidential primary in California. Her brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, had been assassinated in Dallas less than five years earlier.

Her parents were killed in a plane crash in 1955, and her brother died in a 1966 crash. Her son David Kennedy later died of a drug overdose, son Michael Kennedy in a skiing accident and nephew John F. Kennedy Jr. in a plane crash. Another nephew, Michael Skakel, was found guilty of murder in 2002, although a judge in 2013 ordered a new trial and the Connecticut Supreme Court vacated his conviction in 2018.

In 2019, she was grieving again after granddaughter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0112adae889247ba897319279a696ae9">Saoirse Kennedy Hill died</a>&nbsp;of an apparent drug overdose.

“One wonders how much this family must be expected to absorb,” family friend Philip Johnson, founder of the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation, told the Boston Herald after Michael Kennedy’s death.

Ethel Kennedy sustained herself through her faith and devotion to family.

“She was a devout Catholic and a daily communicant, and we are comforted in knowing she is reunited with the love of her life, our father, Robert. F. Kennedy; her children David and Michael; her daughter-in-law Mary; her grandchildren Maeve and Saorise and her great-grandchildren Gideon and Josie. Please keep our mother in your hearts and prayers,” the family statement said.

Ethel's mother-in-law, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, initially worried about how she would handle so much tragedy.

“I knew how difficult it was going to be for her to raise that big family without the guiding role and influence that Bobby would have provided,” Rose recalled in her memoir, “Times to Remember.” “And, of course, she realized this too, fully and keenly. Yet she did not give way.”

She founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights soon after husband’s death and advocated for causes including gun control and human rights. She rarely spoke about her husband’s assassination. When her filmmaker daughter, Rory, brought it up in the 2012 HBO documentary, “Ethel,” she couldn't share her grief.

“When we lost Daddy ...” she began, then teared up and asked that her youngest daughter “talk about something else.”

In 2008, she joined brother-in-law Ted Kennedy and niece Caroline Kennedy in endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president, likening him to her late husband. She made several trips to the White House during the Obama years, receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014 and meeting Pope Francis in 2015.

Many of her progeny became well known. Daughter Kathleen became lieutenant governor of Maryland; Joseph represented Massachusetts in Congress; Courtney married Paul Hill, who had been wrongfully convicted of an IRA bombing; Kerry became a human rights activist and president of the RFK center; Christopher ran for governor of Illinois; Max served as a prosecutor in Philadelphia and Douglas reported for Fox News Channel.

Her Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also became a national figure, although not as a liberal in the family tradition. First known as an environmental lawyer, he evolved into a conspiracy theorist who spread false theories about vaccines. He ran for president as an independent after briefly challenging President Joe Biden, and his name remained on ballots in multiple states after he suspended his campaign and endorsed Donald Trump.

Ethel Kennedy did not comment publicly on her son's actions, although several other family members denounced him.

Decades earlier, she seemed to thrive on her in-laws’ rising power. She was an enthusiastic backer of JFK’s 1960 run and during the Kennedy administration hosted some of the era’s most well-attended parties at their Hickory Hill estate in McLean, Virginia, including one where historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. was pushed fully clothed into the swimming pool. In the Kennedy spirit, she also was known as an avid and highly competitive tennis player and a compulsive planner.

“Petite and peppy Ethel, who doesn’t look one bit the outdoorsy type, considers outdoor activity so important for the children that she has arranged her busy Cabinet-wife schedule so she can personally take them on two daily outings,” The Washington Post reported in 1962.

In February of that year, she accompanied her husband on a round-the-world goodwill tour, stopping in Japan, Hong Kong, Italy and other countries. She said it was important for Americans to meet ordinary people overseas.

“People have a distinct liking for Americans,” she told the Post. “But the Communists have been so vocal, it was a surprise for some Asians to hear America’s point of view. It is good for Americans to travel and get our viewpoint across.”

Kennedy was born Ethel Skakel on April 11, 1928, in Chicago, the sixth of seven children of coal magnate George Skakel and Ann Brannack Skakel, a devout Roman Catholic. She grew up in a 31-room English country manor house in Greenwich, Connecticut, and attended Greenwich Academy before graduating from the Convent of the Sacred Heart in the Bronx in 1945.

She met Robert Kennedy through his sister Jean, her roommate at Manhattanville College in New York. They moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where he finished his last year of law school at the University of Virginia, and then in 1957, they bought Hickory Hill from by John and Jacqueline Kennedy, who had bought it in 1953.

Robert Kennedy became chief counsel to the Senate Select Committee in 1957. He later was appointed attorney general by his brother, the newly elected President Kennedy.

She had supported her husband in his successful 1964 campaign for the U.S. Senate in New York and his subsequent presidential bid. Pregnant with their 11th child when he was gunned down by Sirhan Sirhan, her look of shock and horror was captured by photographers in images that remained indelible decades later.

The assassination traumatized the family, especially son David Kennedy, who watched the news in a hotel room. He was just days before his 13th birthday and never recovered, struggling with addiction problems for years and overdosing in 1984.

In 2021, she said Sirhan Sirhan should not be released from prison, a view not shared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-d5e12df9cc3c0241ab108bfc124dda1b">by some others in her family.</a>&nbsp;Two years later, a California panel denied him parole.

Although Ethel Kennedy was linked to several men after her husband’s death, most notably singer Andy Williams, she never remarried.

In April 2008, Ethel Kennedy visited Indianapolis on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. A monument there commemorated King’s death and the speech her husband had given that night in 1968, which was credited with averting rioting in the city.

“Of all the Kennedy women, she was the one I would end up admiring the most,” Harry Belafonte would write of her. “She wasn’t playacting. She looked at you and immediately got what you were about. Often in the coming years, when Bobby was balking at something we wanted him to do for the movement, I’d take my case to Ethel. ‘We have to talk to him,’ she’d say, and she would.”

Ethel Kennedy joined President Obama and former President Bill Clinton — each held one of her hands — as they climbed stairs to lay a wreath at President Kennedy’s gravesite during a November 2013 observance of the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death.

The nonprofit center she founded remains dedicated to advancing human rights through litigation, advocacy, education and inspiration, giving annual awards to journalists, authors and others who have made significant contributions to human rights.

She also was active in the Coalition of Gun Control, Special Olympics, and the Earth Conservation Corps. And she showed up in person, participating in a 2016 demonstration in support of higher pay for farmworkers in Florida and a 2018 hunger strike against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

Hickory Hill was sold in 2009 for $8.25 million, and Ethel Kennedy divided her time between homes in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and Palm Beach, Florida.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728495330718.png" alt="FILE - Ethel Kennedy, widow of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, watches a video about her late husband during the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights awards ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 5, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Ethel Kennedy, widow of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, watches a video about her late husband during the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights awards ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 5, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON, Mass. (AP) — Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, her family said. She was 96.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FRFKHumanRights%2Fvideos%2F1216503226075492%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=1" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Kennedy had been hospitalized after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ethel-kennedy-stroke-robert-f-kennedy-camelot-d54fb65f161bee60e32d27049778f761">suffering a stroke</a>&nbsp;in her sleep on Oct. 3, her family said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our mother, Ethel Kennedy. Please keep our mother in your hearts and prayers. <a href="https://t.co/bdIQFsC0CS">pic.twitter.com/bdIQFsC0CS</a>&mdash; Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) <a href="https://twitter.com/KerryKennedyRFK/status/1844397785065664700?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our amazing grandmother,” Joe Kennedy III posted on X. “She died this morning from complications related to a stroke suffered last week.”“Along with a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights, our mother leaves behind nine children, 34 grandchildren and 24 great-great grandchildren along with numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom love her dearly,” the family statement said.The Kennedy matriarch, whose children were Kathleen, Joseph II, Robert Jr., David, Courtney, Michael, Kerry, Christopher, Max, Douglas and Rory, was one of the last remaining members of a generation that included President John F. Kennedy. Her family said she had recently enjoyed seeing many of her relatives, before falling ill.A millionaire’s daughter who married the future senator and attorney general in 1950, Ethel Kennedy had endured more death by the age of 40, for the whole world to see, than most would in a lifetime.She was by Robert F. Kennedy’s side when he was fatally shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, just after winning the Democratic presidential primary in California. Her brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, had been assassinated in Dallas less than five years earlier.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Ethel Kennedy was a dear friend with a passion for justice, an irrepressible spirit, and a great sense of humor. She touched the lives of countless people around the world with her generosity and grace, and was an emblem of enduring faith and hope, even in the face of… <a href="https://t.co/lTukrEl9hI">pic.twitter.com/lTukrEl9hI</a>&mdash; Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1844421243644039471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Her parents were killed in a plane crash in 1955, and her brother died in a 1966 crash. Her son David Kennedy later died of a drug overdose, son Michael Kennedy in a skiing accident and nephew John F. Kennedy Jr. in a plane crash. Another nephew, Michael Skakel, was found guilty of murder in 2002, although a judge in 2013 ordered a new trial and the Connecticut Supreme Court vacated his conviction in 2018.In 2019, she was grieving again after granddaughter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0112adae889247ba897319279a696ae9">Saoirse Kennedy Hill died</a>&nbsp;of an apparent drug overdose.“One wonders how much this family must be expected to absorb,” family friend Philip Johnson, founder of the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation, told the Boston Herald after Michael Kennedy’s death.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">From 2014, Ethel Kennedy receives Presidential Medal of Freedom: &quot;She&#39;s an emblem of enduring faith and enduring hope, even in the face of unimaginable loss and unimaginable grief...she has touched the lives of countless people around the world with her generosity and her grace.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GiStGMP18Y">pic.twitter.com/GiStGMP18Y</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1844431442702631079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Ethel Kennedy sustained herself through her faith and devotion to family.“She was a devout Catholic and a daily communicant, and we are comforted in knowing she is reunited with the love of her life, our father, Robert. F. Kennedy; her children David and Michael; her daughter-in-law Mary; her grandchildren Maeve and Saorise and her great-grandchildren Gideon and Josie. Please keep our mother in your hearts and prayers,” the family statement said.Ethel's mother-in-law, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, initially worried about how she would handle so much tragedy.“I knew how difficult it was going to be for her to raise that big family without the guiding role and influence that Bobby would have provided,” Rose recalled in her memoir, “Times to Remember.” “And, of course, she realized this too, fully and keenly. Yet she did not give way.”She founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights soon after husband’s death and advocated for causes including gun control and human rights. She rarely spoke about her husband’s assassination. When her filmmaker daughter, Rory, brought it up in the 2012 HBO documentary, “Ethel,” she couldn't share her grief.“When we lost Daddy ...” she began, then teared up and asked that her youngest daughter “talk about something else.”In 2008, she joined brother-in-law Ted Kennedy and niece Caroline Kennedy in endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president, likening him to her late husband. She made several trips to the White House during the Obama years, receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014 and meeting Pope Francis in 2015.Many of her progeny became well known. Daughter Kathleen became lieutenant governor of Maryland; Joseph represented Massachusetts in Congress; Courtney married Paul Hill, who had been wrongfully convicted of an IRA bombing; Kerry became a human rights activist and president of the RFK center; Christopher ran for governor of Illinois; Max served as a prosecutor in Philadelphia and Douglas reported for Fox News Channel.Her Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also became a national figure, although not as a liberal in the family tradition. First known as an environmental lawyer, he evolved into a conspiracy theorist who spread false theories about vaccines. He ran for president as an independent after briefly challenging President Joe Biden, and his name remained on ballots in multiple states after he suspended his campaign and endorsed Donald Trump.Ethel Kennedy did not comment publicly on her son's actions, although several other family members denounced him.Decades earlier, she seemed to thrive on her in-laws’ rising power. She was an enthusiastic backer of JFK’s 1960 run and during the Kennedy administration hosted some of the era’s most well-attended parties at their Hickory Hill estate in McLean, Virginia, including one where historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. was pushed fully clothed into the swimming pool. In the Kennedy spirit, she also was known as an avid and highly competitive tennis player and a compulsive planner.“Petite and peppy Ethel, who doesn’t look one bit the outdoorsy type, considers outdoor activity so important for the children that she has arranged her busy Cabinet-wife schedule so she can personally take them on two daily outings,” The Washington Post reported in 1962.In February of that year, she accompanied her husband on a round-the-world goodwill tour, stopping in Japan, Hong Kong, Italy and other countries. She said it was important for Americans to meet ordinary people overseas.“People have a distinct liking for Americans,” she told the Post. “But the Communists have been so vocal, it was a surprise for some Asians to hear America’s point of view. It is good for Americans to travel and get our viewpoint across.”Kennedy was born Ethel Skakel on April 11, 1928, in Chicago, the sixth of seven children of coal magnate George Skakel and Ann Brannack Skakel, a devout Roman Catholic. She grew up in a 31-room English country manor house in Greenwich, Connecticut, and attended Greenwich Academy before graduating from the Convent of the Sacred Heart in the Bronx in 1945.She met Robert Kennedy through his sister Jean, her roommate at Manhattanville College in New York. They moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where he finished his last year of law school at the University of Virginia, and then in 1957, they bought Hickory Hill from by John and Jacqueline Kennedy, who had bought it in 1953.Robert Kennedy became chief counsel to the Senate Select Committee in 1957. He later was appointed attorney general by his brother, the newly elected President Kennedy.She had supported her husband in his successful 1964 campaign for the U.S. Senate in New York and his subsequent presidential bid. Pregnant with their 11th child when he was gunned down by Sirhan Sirhan, her look of shock and horror was captured by photographers in images that remained indelible decades later.The assassination traumatized the family, especially son David Kennedy, who watched the news in a hotel room. He was just days before his 13th birthday and never recovered, struggling with addiction problems for years and overdosing in 1984.In 2021, she said Sirhan Sirhan should not be released from prison, a view not shared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-d5e12df9cc3c0241ab108bfc124dda1b">by some others in her family.</a>&nbsp;Two years later, a California panel denied him parole.Although Ethel Kennedy was linked to several men after her husband’s death, most notably singer Andy Williams, she never remarried.In April 2008, Ethel Kennedy visited Indianapolis on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. A monument there commemorated King’s death and the speech her husband had given that night in 1968, which was credited with averting rioting in the city.“Of all the Kennedy women, she was the one I would end up admiring the most,” Harry Belafonte would write of her. “She wasn’t playacting. She looked at you and immediately got what you were about. Often in the coming years, when Bobby was balking at something we wanted him to do for the movement, I’d take my case to Ethel. ‘We have to talk to him,’ she’d say, and she would.”Ethel Kennedy joined President Obama and former President Bill Clinton — each held one of her hands — as they climbed stairs to lay a wreath at President Kennedy’s gravesite during a November 2013 observance of the 50th anniversary of JFK’s death.The nonprofit center she founded remains dedicated to advancing human rights through litigation, advocacy, education and inspiration, giving annual awards to journalists, authors and others who have made significant contributions to human rights.She also was active in the Coalition of Gun Control, Special Olympics, and the Earth Conservation Corps. And she showed up in person, participating in a 2016 demonstration in support of higher pay for farmworkers in Florida and a 2018 hunger strike against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.Hickory Hill was sold in 2009 for $8.25 million, and Ethel Kennedy divided her time between homes in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and Palm Beach, Florida.

Robert F. Kennedy widow Ethel Kennedy has died

Thursday, October 10
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals BSB vs. New York Yankees, 6:30pm

Thursday, October 10
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals BSB vs. New York Yankees, 6:30pmFriday, October 11
 KKQY: Ness City FB at Trego, 6:15pm *
 KFIX: Hays High FB vs. Dodge City, 6:30pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB at Oakley, 6:30pmSaturday, October 12
 KJLS: Fort Hays State FB vs. Washburn, 6:00pm
 KAYS: Kansas City Royals BSB vs. New York Yankees (If necessary), 6:30pmSunday, October 13

 none

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The <a href="https://womenwholead.org/">Women Who Lead</a> nonprofit has assembled a group of women attacking hunger in Ellis County on multiple fronts.

They call their committee the Women Who Feed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819199598.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead volunteer for Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The program is providing about 200 free meals every Thursday night in Hays.&nbsp;Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead volunteer for Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The program is providing about 200 free meals every Thursday night in Hays.&nbsp;Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe <a href="https://womenwholead.org/">Women Who Lead</a> nonprofit has assembled a group of women attacking hunger in Ellis County on multiple fronts.They call their committee the Women Who Feed.The effort resulted from a meeting of community resource leaders led by the Heartland Community Foundation about food insecurity in Ellis County.Women Who Feed cochairwoman Mary Ann Shorman said the group learned from that meeting Early Childhood Connections was no longer receiving food backpacks for its children.When Early Childhood Connections was part of a K-12 school, their students qualified for a food program through the Kansas Food Bank. However, that ended when it moved to the program's new location on 13th Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819417529.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead Cathy Van Doren and Mary Shorman present a check for $5,000 to the Hays USD 489 school district to provide weekend backpacks full of food for the children served by the Early Childhood Connections program. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead Cathy Van Doren and Mary Shorman present a check for $5,000 to the Hays USD 489 school district to provide weekend backpacks full of food for the children served by the Early Childhood Connections program. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Shorman said Early Childhood Connections initially identified 15 children who would benefit from having backpacks filled with simple meals and snacks to take home over the weekend.This included mac and cheese, applesauce, Vienna sausages or granola bars.Women Who Lead funded the food program for the spring 2024 semester and all of the 2024-25 school year.Westside students pack all the meals."We are just thrilled to have it back," said Donna Hudson-Hamilton, Early Childhood Connections director. "It's operating so smoothly with the help of the Westside students, and we're just glad we can provide that for those children who are food insecure over the weekend."Shorman said she thought about her grandchildren when she learned about the food needs in Hays."When I think about a kid being hungry, it really kind of breaks my heart," she said. "I think about my grandkids and they can go to my snack drawer anytime and eat something."I think about kids from families who don't have that luxury. It makes me feel good to be able to know that we're helping. We're not solving it. It's not going to go away. We're helping alleviate some of that stress."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819494244.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead prepare cookies for the Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The program is providing about 200 free meals every Thursday night in Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead prepare cookies for the Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The program is providing about 200 free meals every Thursday night in Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Feeding Hays</h2>The Women Who Lead has also partnered with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2047485065448690">Feeding Hays</a> through St. <a href="https://www.stmichaelshays.org">Michael's Episcopal Church</a>, 2900 Canal Blvd.The program offers free dinners from 6:30 to 7 p.m. every Thursday through a drive-through service based at the church. There are no income requirements for the meals. You can pre-order meals at&nbsp;785-259-1964, but pre-orders aren't necessary.Volunteers prepare and serve the meals, and much of the food is donated. Those who wish can donate cash to the project when they pick up meals. Those funds go toward paying off student lunch debt at Hays USD 489.Most of the meals are spaghetti dinners with a vegetable and cookies. However, it varies on occasion.Women Who Lead has already provided one meal in cooperation with Feeding Hays. The charity paid for all the ingredients for a loaded baked potato meal, and volunteers prepared, served and worked cleanup that Thursday night.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819553599.jpeg" alt="The Women Who Lead Women Who Feed Committee prepared free taco potato dinners for the Feeding Hays program earlier this year. Courtesy image." />
 <figcaption>The Women Who Lead Women Who Feed Committee prepared free taco potato dinners for the Feeding Hays program earlier this year. Courtesy image.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819841954.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead volunteer for the Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The meals are free, and guests do not need to meet income requirements to pick them up on Thursday nights. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead volunteer for the Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The meals are free, and guests do not need to meet income requirements to pick them up on Thursday nights. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The group served 200 meals that night. They cooked 57 pounds of hamburger the night they sponsored the meal.The Options domestic violence shelter, residents from the Schwaller Center and firefighters picks up meals on Thursday nights from Feeding Hays.Any leftover meals go to First Call for Help, another Hays nonprofit, to be picked up on a first-come-first-serve basis."I'm just amazed. It's for everybody. I really feel that way," Joslyn Brungardt, Women Who Feed cochairperson, said. "We feed all kinds. We feed the elderly. We feed families that are in need. We feed mothers that are behind and are trying to get to ball games and get their kids. We feed dads that had the kids that week."She said she was handing out meals one night, and an older gentleman just wanted someone to talk to. He said he hadn't seen anyone in three months."I grabbed his hand and said, 'Would you like a couple of extra meals to put in your fridge so you have something to warm up?' He said, "I haven't heard from my kids or anything in three months, and I was just kind of lonely.' He grabbed my hand and just wanted to know that someone saw him and cared about him."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819889151.jpeg" alt="Women Who Lead members volunteer to collect food for Feeding Hays and the First Call for Help food pantry this summer. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Women Who Lead members volunteer to collect food for Feeding Hays and the First Call for Help food pantry this summer. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Some busy moms are trying to pick up kids from sports and activities and they just need help with dinner one night a week, she said."You know what is amazing. Those people who probably have nothing, give Ben (Houchen) a $5 bill or a $2 bill," Brungardt said."There are people who take advantage of the system, but there are a lot of people who don't, and they just need a little bit of help," she said.The Women Who Feed committee plans to support a Feeding Hays meal once a quarter. This fall they are planning sloppy joes. Chicken and noodles is planned for this winter, Brungardt said.Brungardt said being involved in Women Who Feed and Feeding Hays was a way to become more involved in the community.&nbsp;"Food insecurity is a problem," she said. "But it's just being kind to someone who needs a helping hand."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819589510.jpeg" alt="Meal kits that the Women Who Feed Committee of Women Who Lead has provided to the First Call for Help food pantry." />
 <figcaption>Meal kits that the Women Who Feed Committee of Women Who Lead has provided to the First Call for Help food pantry.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Meal kits</h2>The committee has also created meal kits that are being distributed through <a href="https://www.firstcallelliscounty.com/">First Call for Help</a>."The cost of groceries has gone up so much," Macey Pfeifer, First Call for Help executive director, said. "That's hitting everyone, not just low-income families."Pfeifer, a Women Who Lead member, said First Call for Help is looking for ways to keep its pantries stocked.The kit includes everything needed to cook a hot meal, including a disposable baking pan and the recipe.&nbsp;Some meals include spaghetti, pizza, chicken enchiladas, tuna and noodles, taco soup, chicken alfredo, and ham and beans.The committee plans to donate 20 meal kits per month."The meal kits will be really nice because with the food boxes, we give out food, but there are not a lot of nice meals you can make out of that. Here's a box of macaroni. If you want, you can mix some tuna in that. It's random and sporadic. We don't always have everything."In addition, the committee has donated birthday boxes for both boys and girls.These kits include everything needed to bake a birthday cake, a happy birthday banner, candles, balloons, a birthday card and a small toy.These kits were inspired by a mother who had forgotten her child's birthday and didn't have the resources to buy or make a cake.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819644597.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead accept the First Call for Help Battle of Businesses trophy for donating the most food to the community food drive. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead accept the First Call for Help Battle of Businesses trophy for donating the most food to the community food drive. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819757570.jpeg" alt="The First Call for Help food pantry after the Battle of the Businesses food drive. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The First Call for Help food pantry after the Battle of the Businesses food drive. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Battle of the Businesses</h2>First Call for Help maintains a year-round food pantry at 607 E. 13th Street and sponsors an annual Battle of the Businesses community food drive.First Call for Help does not require food recipients to provide proof of income for food. However, they do need to show a valid government-issued ID or driver's license.The amount of food in a food box is based on the number of people in a household.People can come in for food, hygiene items and diapers once a month.This summer, Women Who Lead members surpassed the number of food items that were collectively donated through all of the businesses last year with&nbsp;2,481 items.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819673811.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead after with food collected for the First Call for Help food pantry. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead after with food collected for the First Call for Help food pantry. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"We were getting by, but I think with their contributions to us have really helped out. It'll really make a difference in people's lives that need it," Pfeifer said.Since the inception of the Women Who Lead, formerly the Wonder Women League, the group has donated numerous times to the school food pantries.The group also participated in the Delta Zeta food drive for the Fort Hays State University food pantry in August. It is collecting food items for the Ellis food pantry in October.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819707731.jpeg" alt="The meal warming bag that Women Who Lead purchased to add a route to the First Call for Help Meals on Wheels program. Courtesy image." />
 <figcaption>The meal warming bag that Women Who Lead purchased to add a route to the First Call for Help Meals on Wheels program. Courtesy image.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Expanding Meals on Wheels</h2>Women Who Lead also paid for an additional warming bag for the First Call for Help Meals on Wheels program.&nbsp;This allowed the program to add a route to serve 16 more people.Women Who Lead has also provided volunteers every quarter to deliver food for a week.Pfeifer said First Call for Help is always looking for volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels. You can call 785-623-2800&nbsp;for more information. Individuals or groups can sign up. Hours of delivery are 10:30 a.m. to noon. Pfeifer said she likes people to sign up for a week at a time or for a group to share a week of shifts."We don't see this as just one big project," Shorman said. "Food insecurity is not just going to go away. Honestly, there is more food insecurity than I was ever aware of."Brungradt wanted to ensure she acknowledged all the Women Who Lead members who make the projects the committee sponsors successful.&nbsp;Today, there are more than 160 women in Women Who Lead. You can learn more about the nonprofit on its <a href="https://womenwholead.org/">website</a> or follow the group on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/womenwholead.org">Facebook.</a>Editor's note: Cristina Janney is a member of Women Who Lead.