By RANDY GONZALES Special to Hays Post

As the song goes, home on the range is where the buffalo roam. That is, unless it is Pete Felten’s creation, “Buffalo in Denim.”

Felten, the Hays sculptor famously known for his works of art using limestone, created a buffalo made out of denim patches in 1978. He made this particular buffalo for an exhibit at the Hays Public Library.

“I was having a buffalo show inside the library, little things,” Felten said. “I thought I would do something big for the opening.”

The buffalo later wound up in Dodge City, first at a school and later at a restaurant there. The story goes that there was one time when an intoxicated cowboy tried to ride it. When the restaurant changed ownership recently, Felten’s buffalo was destined for the scrap heap.

However, when Michael Jilg, a Hays artist and former art professor at Fort Hays State University, learned of the plan, he arranged for the buffalo to be relocated back to Hays.

“It just fell out of the sky,” Jilg said of the opportunity to save Felten’s creation. “I think there’s only one.”

Now, 47 years later, the buffalo has found a home at the Ellis County Historical Society’s renovated gallery. The buffalo, which is about 6.5 feet long and 5.5 feet high, was hauled from Dodge City to Hays earlier this month.

The buffalo has a base with wheels underneath it, which were inspected by Felten when it arrived back in Hays. Once it was carried from the van, up the front steps of the museum and into the gallery, the buffalo was easily wheeled into a corner.

“I never knew there was anything he did that wasn’t stone,” said Amanda Rupp, the executive director of the local historical society. “I’m really excited to show it this summer. It’s one of a kind.”

Rupp, who helped carry the buffalo inside the museum, said there was no comparison to how heavy it is in relation to a limestone buffalo of similar size. The denim buffalo has a wire frame with padding inside.

“That’s way lighter,” Rupp said. “It’s top-heavy. It’s not heavy. It’s just awkward.”

Felten, now 92, first started sculpting limestone in 1957. He worked long and hard that summer of ’78 on the buffalo, sewing blue denim patches on the iconic creature that represents the long-ago history of Hays and the American West.

“I had calluses on my fingertips I never had before,” Felten recalled. “I didn’t know what I was getting into.”

The Chamber of Hays had a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning at the gallery in the museum at 100 W. Seventh, in recognition of a successful fundraising campaign. Front and center was “Buffalo in Denim,” casting a wary eye at curious onlookers.

Leigh Purdy, vice-president of membership at the Chamber of Hays, saw the buffalo for the first time at Friday’s gathering.

Purdy remembered that when she worked at a local restaurant while in high school, she would come home smelling like kitchen grease, and was curious to see if Felten’s buffalo also had kitchen smells from being located in a restaurant all those many years. However, the denim buffalo passed the smell test.

“Honestly, he’s in pretty good shape for not being behind a glass panel,” all those years, Purdy said. “It’s a really unique piece.”

The ribbon-cutting, with more than 50 in attendance, kicked off the gallery’s grand re-opening. Felten’s buffalo, as well as a traveling exhibit from Salina’s Smoky Hill Museum – “A Place to Call Home,” which features a replica of a covered wagon – will be on display.

The museum’s summer hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The Smoky Hill exhibit will be on display in Hays until Sept. 28, and the gallery is open to the public at no charge.

Why he chose to create a textile rendition of a bison instead of carving another limestone sculpture is a mystery even to Felten himself.

“I don’t remember that at all, why I would do that,” Felten said, adding he would get material wherever he could find it.

Felten does remember other creatures who enjoyed the denim buffalo slowly coming to life in his studio in downtown Hays.

“My kittens in the studio, they loved it, climbing on it, in it,” Felten said. “I never realized I made a bed for them.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750445283623.jpeg" alt="Amanda Rupp, executive director of the Ellis County Historical Society, prepares to cut the ribbon at a Chamber of Hays event Friday morning at the museum’s renovated gallery, which is now open to the public. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Amanda Rupp, executive director of the Ellis County Historical Society, prepares to cut the ribbon at a Chamber of Hays event Friday morning at the museum’s renovated gallery, which is now open to the public. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750445331233.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RANDY GONZALES Special to Hays PostAs the song goes, home on the range is where the buffalo roam. That is, unless it is Pete Felten’s creation, “Buffalo in Denim.”Felten, the Hays sculptor famously known for his works of art using limestone, created a buffalo made out of denim patches in 1978. He made this particular buffalo for an exhibit at the Hays Public Library.“I was having a buffalo show inside the library, little things,” Felten said. “I thought I would do something big for the opening.”The buffalo later wound up in Dodge City, first at a school and later at a restaurant there. The story goes that there was one time when an intoxicated cowboy tried to ride it. When the restaurant changed ownership recently, Felten’s buffalo was destined for the scrap heap.However, when Michael Jilg, a Hays artist and former art professor at Fort Hays State University, learned of the plan, he arranged for the buffalo to be relocated back to Hays.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750445446095.jpeg" alt="Those in attendance at Friday’s ribbon cutting were able to get an up-close-and-personal look at Felten’s denim buffalo. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Those in attendance at Friday’s ribbon cutting were able to get an up-close-and-personal look at Felten’s denim buffalo. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“It just fell out of the sky,” Jilg said of the opportunity to save Felten’s creation. “I think there’s only one.”Now, 47 years later, the buffalo has found a home at the Ellis County Historical Society’s renovated gallery. The buffalo, which is about 6.5 feet long and 5.5 feet high, was hauled from Dodge City to Hays earlier this month.The buffalo has a base with wheels underneath it, which were inspected by Felten when it arrived back in Hays. Once it was carried from the van, up the front steps of the museum and into the gallery, the buffalo was easily wheeled into a corner.“I never knew there was anything he did that wasn’t stone,” said Amanda Rupp, the executive director of the local historical society. “I’m really excited to show it this summer. It’s one of a kind.”Rupp, who helped carry the buffalo inside the museum, said there was no comparison to how heavy it is in relation to a limestone buffalo of similar size. The denim buffalo has a wire frame with padding inside.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750445467438.jpeg" alt="Even at 92 years of age, Pete Felten gets down on his hands and knees to inspect the wheels attached to the base of one of his works of art before it is moved into the Ellis County Historical Society museum. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Even at 92 years of age, Pete Felten gets down on his hands and knees to inspect the wheels attached to the base of one of his works of art before it is moved into the Ellis County Historical Society museum. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“That’s way lighter,” Rupp said. “It’s top-heavy. It’s not heavy. It’s just awkward.”Felten, now 92, first started sculpting limestone in 1957. He worked long and hard that summer of ’78 on the buffalo, sewing blue denim patches on the iconic creature that represents the long-ago history of Hays and the American West.“I had calluses on my fingertips I never had before,” Felten recalled. “I didn’t know what I was getting into.”The Chamber of Hays had a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning at the gallery in the museum at 100 W. Seventh, in recognition of a successful fundraising campaign. Front and center was “Buffalo in Denim,” casting a wary eye at curious onlookers.Leigh Purdy, vice-president of membership at the Chamber of Hays, saw the buffalo for the first time at Friday’s gathering.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750445494533.jpeg" alt="Also on display at the gallery’s re-opening is an exhibit featuring a replica of a covered wagon. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Also on display at the gallery’s re-opening is an exhibit featuring a replica of a covered wagon. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Purdy remembered that when she worked at a local restaurant while in high school, she would come home smelling like kitchen grease, and was curious to see if Felten’s buffalo also had kitchen smells from being located in a restaurant all those many years. However, the denim buffalo passed the smell test.“Honestly, he’s in pretty good shape for not being behind a glass panel,” all those years, Purdy said. “It’s a really unique piece.”The ribbon-cutting, with more than 50 in attendance, kicked off the gallery’s grand re-opening. Felten’s buffalo, as well as a traveling exhibit from Salina’s Smoky Hill Museum – “A Place to Call Home,” which features a replica of a covered wagon – will be on display.The museum’s summer hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The Smoky Hill exhibit will be on display in Hays until Sept. 28, and the gallery is open to the public at no charge.Why he chose to create a textile rendition of a bison instead of carving another limestone sculpture is a mystery even to Felten himself.“I don’t remember that at all, why I would do that,” Felten said, adding he would get material wherever he could find it.Felten does remember other creatures who enjoyed the denim buffalo slowly coming to life in his studio in downtown Hays.“My kittens in the studio, they loved it, climbing on it, in it,” Felten said. “I never realized I made a bed for them.”

NWester: Another Felten buffalo roams in Hays museum

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The warm weather will perfectly complement the featured exhibit for Friday's annual <a href="https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/916bb38b-09bf-4c28-bf9f-4da5a0b67707/downloads/b594ecf6-0b8d-4ba8-bf27-2389a5841f20/summer%20walk%2025%20inside%20ltr.pdf?ver=1750042936043">Hays Arts Council Summer Art Walk</a>, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in downtown Hays.

"Vanishing Depths" is a collection of paintings and ceramics by Hays artist Diana Unrein, highlighting the nuances of ocean life, on view through Aug. 13 at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th.

Unrein is a native of Cyprus, the island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. She's lived in the United States for 40 years.&nbsp;

"The water figures so prominently in her life," said Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director. "It's always been a recurring element historically."

"You can imagine how difficult that would be to paint water. They're serene. They're beautiful," Meder said.

Unrein's figurative ceramics are also large, still telling the stories that arise from the water.&nbsp;

Unrein has won numerous awards and recognitions for her work, ranging from the local to the global level.&nbsp; This will be the largest single exhibition Unrein has ever presented anywhere.

Meder is excited about the wide variety of arts represented in the walk, which includes several hands-on interactions for children.

Drum making and playing by John Makings, along with a chalk arts station courtesy of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, will be set up in the Downtown Pavilion and Union Pacific Park, 10th and Main.

STEM Harvest, 507 Main, will offer AI creative art stations and a glimpse of the building's mural in process by The Brickmob of Wichita.

The musical arts will be featured by the First United Methodist Church's Spirit Ringers at Kat's Hallmark, 1003 Main. The group will perform three concerts at 7 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Live music will be performed by Martha Miller from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Paisley Pear Wine Bar &amp; Bistro, 1100 Main.&nbsp;

Attendees can get a sneak peek behind the scenes of the musical<a href="https://www.hctks.com/"> "Mama Mia" by the Hays Community Theatre</a>, 121 E. Eighth, which will be performed July 24-26. The group will also host a public karaoke open mic and competition at 8 p.m.&nbsp;

Mother Nature will show off her creations with a little help from K-State Agricultural Research and Cottonwood Extension Master Gardeners open houses.

Tours of the WaterSmart Garden, 601 Main, and the Backyard Family Garden and Perennial/Pollinator Garden, K-State Ag Research Center, 1232 240th Ave., will be conducted from 6 to 8 p.m.

Other exhibitions include etchings, jewelry, engraved mirrors, wood sculpture, a book signing of "Soon You Will Be Mine" by Hays author Jeanne Riedel, collaborative art banners by DSNWK arts and Fort Hays State University's community-engaged art program, and the MFA work of FHSU student Kelly Chapin-Hagen at the campus Moss Thorns Gallery of Art from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Ellis County Historical Society, Seventh and Main, will feature a traveling exhibit from the Smoky Hill Museum, Salina, titled "A Place to Call Home" as well as the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/889e1747-e8ab-4501-adf4-35e170981e29">blue denim buffalo sculpture by Hays artist Pete Felten</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750259191589.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe warm weather will perfectly complement the featured exhibit for Friday's annual <a href="https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/916bb38b-09bf-4c28-bf9f-4da5a0b67707/downloads/b594ecf6-0b8d-4ba8-bf27-2389a5841f20/summer%20walk%2025%20inside%20ltr.pdf?ver=1750042936043">Hays Arts Council Summer Art Walk</a>, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in downtown Hays."Vanishing Depths" is a collection of paintings and ceramics by Hays artist Diana Unrein, highlighting the nuances of ocean life, on view through Aug. 13 at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th.Unrein is a native of Cyprus, the island nation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. She's lived in the United States for 40 years.&nbsp;"The water figures so prominently in her life," said Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director. "It's always been a recurring element historically."The paintings are large."You can imagine how difficult that would be to paint water. They're serene. They're beautiful," Meder said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750261343584.png" alt="Painting by Diana Unrein, Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Painting by Diana Unrein, Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750261150152.jpeg" alt="Ceramics by Diana Unrein, Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Ceramics by Diana Unrein, Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Unrein's figurative ceramics are also large, still telling the stories that arise from the water.&nbsp;Unrein has won numerous awards and recognitions for her work, ranging from the local to the global level.&nbsp; This will be the largest single exhibition Unrein has ever presented anywhere.<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Hays Arts Council Summer Art Walk is Friday" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=6fx2p-18de89c-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Meder is excited about the wide variety of arts represented in the walk, which includes several hands-on interactions for children.Drum making and playing by John Makings, along with a chalk arts station courtesy of the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, will be set up in the Downtown Pavilion and Union Pacific Park, 10th and Main.STEM Harvest, 507 Main, will offer AI creative art stations and a glimpse of the building's mural in process by The Brickmob of Wichita.The musical arts will be featured by the First United Methodist Church's Spirit Ringers at Kat's Hallmark, 1003 Main. The group will perform three concerts at 7 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.Live music will be performed by Martha Miller from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Paisley Pear Wine Bar &amp; Bistro, 1100 Main.&nbsp;Attendees can get a sneak peek behind the scenes of the musical<a href="https://www.hctks.com/"> "Mama Mia" by the Hays Community Theatre</a>, 121 E. Eighth, which will be performed July 24-26. The group will also host a public karaoke open mic and competition at 8 p.m.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750262075463.png" alt="Ellis County Extension Master Gardeners&nbsp; perennial/pollinator garden to support butterflies, native bees, honeybees and other pollinators. Courtesy photos" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Extension Master Gardeners&nbsp; perennial/pollinator garden to support butterflies, native bees, honeybees and other pollinators. Courtesy photos</figcaption>
 </figure>Mother Nature will show off her creations with a little help from K-State Agricultural Research and Cottonwood Extension Master Gardeners open houses.Tours of the WaterSmart Garden, 601 Main, and the Backyard Family Garden and Perennial/Pollinator Garden, K-State Ag Research Center, 1232 240th Ave., will be conducted from 6 to 8 p.m.Other exhibitions include etchings, jewelry, engraved mirrors, wood sculpture, a book signing of "Soon You Will Be Mine" by Hays author Jeanne Riedel, collaborative art banners by DSNWK arts and Fort Hays State University's community-engaged art program, and the MFA work of FHSU student Kelly Chapin-Hagen at the campus Moss Thorns Gallery of Art from 6 to 8 p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750261665443.jpeg" alt="Hays sculptor Pete Felten and Amanda Rupp, director of the Ellis County Historical Society, welcome Felten’s “Buffalo in Denim” sculpture to the historical society. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hays sculptor Pete Felten and Amanda Rupp, director of the Ellis County Historical Society, welcome Felten’s “Buffalo in Denim” sculpture to the historical society. Photo by Randy Gonzales/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Historical Society, Seventh and Main, will feature a traveling exhibit from the Smoky Hill Museum, Salina, titled "A Place to Call Home" as well as the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/889e1747-e8ab-4501-adf4-35e170981e29">blue denim buffalo sculpture by Hays artist Pete Felten</a>.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750264064256.png" alt="Hays Arts Council&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Hays Arts Council&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750264136850.png" alt="Hays Arts Council&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Hays Arts Council&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>

 🎙 Hays Arts Council Summer Art Walk set for Friday

“Buffalo in Denim,” a unique work of art by renowned Hays sculptor Pete Felten, will be on display Friday at the Ellis County Historical Society’s renovated gallery at 100 W. Seventh.

Felten, famous for his stone sculptures, completed his work of art of a buffalo covered in blue denim in the summer 1978.

It will appear to the public in his hometown for the first time in a long time during a Chamber in Hays event. The 9 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony will recognize the successful completion of the historical society’s brick-by-brick fundraising campaign.

Felten’s denim buffalo was created for an event at the Hays Public Library and later relocated to a school in Dodge City, then to a restaurant in Dodge City. The restaurant recently changed owners, and the buffalo was going to be thrown away before it was rescued and moved back to Hays earlier this month.

Regular summer hours start Friday for the gallery, which is opening for the first time since the major renovation. Those hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

The buffalo will be joined on display Friday by a traveling exhibit from Smoky Hill Museum, “A Place to Call Home,” which features a replica of a covered wagon. The gallery also will be open Friday evening as part of the Hays Arts Council’s annual summer gallery walk.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750193667366.jpeg" alt="Hays sculptor Pete Felten, right, and Amanda Rupp, director of the Ellis County Historical Society, welcome Felten’s “Buffalo in Denim” sculpture back to Hays earlier this month. The buffalo is now on display at the historical society. Photo Randy Gonzales/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hays sculptor Pete Felten, right, and Amanda Rupp, director of the Ellis County Historical Society, welcome Felten’s “Buffalo in Denim” sculpture back to Hays earlier this month. The buffalo is now on display at the historical society. Photo Randy Gonzales/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Submitted“Buffalo in Denim,” a unique work of art by renowned Hays sculptor Pete Felten, will be on display Friday at the Ellis County Historical Society’s renovated gallery at 100 W. Seventh.Felten, famous for his stone sculptures, completed his work of art of a buffalo covered in blue denim in the summer 1978.It will appear to the public in his hometown for the first time in a long time during a Chamber in Hays event. The 9 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony will recognize the successful completion of the historical society’s brick-by-brick fundraising campaign.Felten’s denim buffalo was created for an event at the Hays Public Library and later relocated to a school in Dodge City, then to a restaurant in Dodge City. The restaurant recently changed owners, and the buffalo was going to be thrown away before it was rescued and moved back to Hays earlier this month.Regular summer hours start Friday for the gallery, which is opening for the first time since the major renovation. Those hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.The buffalo will be joined on display Friday by a traveling exhibit from Smoky Hill Museum, “A Place to Call Home,” which features a replica of a covered wagon. The gallery also will be open Friday evening as part of the Hays Arts Council’s annual summer gallery walk.

Felten's denim bison returns to Hays; museum ribbon cutting set for Friday

New bronze plaques were recently installed in the Rotunda of the Kansas Statehouse to give credit to Hays sculptor Pete Felten for his sculptures displayed there.

The Kansas Capitol Building displays many works of art, including murals depicting prominent moments in Kansas’ history. Felten’s native limestone sculptures were commissioned to honor four notable Kansans: former U.S. Senator and Governor of Kansas Arthur Capper, aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and journalist and politician William Allen White. The finished pieces were installed in 1981.

During a tour of the Statehouse, Hays Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau director Melissa Dixon noted there was no signage to let visitors know who created the sculptures.

“I felt that it was important for Hays’ most well-known artist to have recognition in such a prominent location in our state,” Dixon said.

With help from Kansas Representative Barb Wasinger and Kansas Senator Elaine Bowers, Dixon submitted a proposal to the Capitol Preservation Committee to add a bronze plaque next to each sculpture that gives Felten credit for his work. Representative Wasinger presented to the committee on April 4, 2024, and the committee voted to proceed.

“I was so honored to be able to help Melissa recognize Pete Felten and his amazing talent,” said Wasinger.

Over 40 years after the installation of the sculptures, the bronze plaques were added on June 28 with the assistance of AllSigns of Topeka. Wasinger, Bowers, and Dixon were present for the addition.

Ellis County is home to more than 25 of Felten’s limestone sculptures that are easily accessible to visitors. For a map of locations, visit the Hays Welcome Center at 2700 Vine St. or go to VisitHays.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722027052865.jpeg" alt="Rep. Barb Wasinger, Melissa Dixon, Sen. Elaine Bowers (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Barb Wasinger, Melissa Dixon, Sen. Elaine Bowers (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedNew bronze plaques were recently installed in the Rotunda of the Kansas Statehouse to give credit to Hays sculptor Pete Felten for his sculptures displayed there.The Kansas Capitol Building displays many works of art, including murals depicting prominent moments in Kansas’ history. Felten’s native limestone sculptures were commissioned to honor four notable Kansans: former U.S. Senator and Governor of Kansas Arthur Capper, aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and journalist and politician William Allen White. The finished pieces were installed in 1981.During a tour of the Statehouse, Hays Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau director Melissa Dixon noted there was no signage to let visitors know who created the sculptures.“I felt that it was important for Hays’ most well-known artist to have recognition in such a prominent location in our state,” Dixon said.With help from Kansas Representative Barb Wasinger and Kansas Senator Elaine Bowers, Dixon submitted a proposal to the Capitol Preservation Committee to add a bronze plaque next to each sculpture that gives Felten credit for his work. Representative Wasinger presented to the committee on April 4, 2024, and the committee voted to proceed.“I was so honored to be able to help Melissa recognize Pete Felten and his amazing talent,” said Wasinger.Over 40 years after the installation of the sculptures, the bronze plaques were added on June 28 with the assistance of AllSigns of Topeka. Wasinger, Bowers, and Dixon were present for the addition.Ellis County is home to more than 25 of Felten’s limestone sculptures that are easily accessible to visitors. For a map of locations, visit the Hays Welcome Center at 2700 Vine St. or go to VisitHays.com.

Felten plaques installed in Kansas Statehouse

Jeffrey Douglas Pratt&nbsp;was born in Hays, KS to Steve and Claudia (Parker) Pratt on September 24, 1966. He was the second of three children. Jeff attended Hays Public Schools through the 10th&nbsp;grade, and then attended Thomas More Prep, graduating in 1985. After high school graduation, he attended the University of Kansas, graduating in 1990 with a degree in accounting. While at the University, he met the love of his life, Patricia Janssen (hometown – Salina). They were married on April 6, 1991, and moved to Bellevue, Washington that summer. Jeff immediately found work in the world of accounting and landed a role at Microsoft where he worked for 26 years. In 2019, Jeff joined Core Scientific based in Austin, TX, which had him traveling all around the world.&nbsp;

In the summer of 2016 Jeff learned that his uncle, Don H. Pratt had decided to sell the real estate and self-storage business in Hays that he had owned for many years. &nbsp;Jeff and his family purchased the business from Don on 1-2-2017. They expanded it by purchasing the Havco location on W. 28th&nbsp;Street in 2018, and just a few weeks ago opened a third self-storage facility on Canterbury Rd. Even though Jeff had lived in the Seattle area for 25 years, he still had Hays in his heart and was very happy to purchase an entity that had been originated by his grandfather, Don E. Pratt, and Pete Felten in 1958, keeping it in the family.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jeff and Tricia were blessed with two children, Henry in 1998 and Stella in 2000.&nbsp;During his life,&nbsp;Jeff&nbsp;had many passions including Henry &amp; Stella’s youth sports,&nbsp;Mariners baseball,&nbsp;skiing,&nbsp;collecting baseball cards,&nbsp;and golf. Most of all,&nbsp;Jeff&nbsp;loved spending time with his family.&nbsp;Devotion to his family was Jeff’s highest priority in life.&nbsp;

He&nbsp;is survived by his wife, Tricia,&nbsp;his son, Henry,&nbsp;and daughter, Stella. Both Henry and Stella are graduates of the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, Seattle, with degrees in&nbsp;accounting,&nbsp;following in&nbsp;their father's footsteps.&nbsp;He is also survived by his parents, (Hays, KS), and his brother, Joe Pratt (Renton, WA), and his sister, Larisa Eichacker (Santa Monica, CA), and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;funeral Mass is scheduled for April 27, 2024 at 12PM noon&nbsp;at the Comeau Catholic Campus Center, 506 West 6th&nbsp;St., Hays, KS. An inurnment ceremony at the Hays Columbarium, for the family only, will follow the Mass.

&nbsp;A luncheon in memory of Jeff will be held at The Venue at Thirsty’s Restaurant from 2-4PM. Friends and family are all invited.&nbsp;

The family suggests memorial contributions be addressed to the Comeau Catholic Campus Center.&nbsp;

Memories and words of comfort may be shared on Jeff’s tribute page at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.comArrangements in care of Keithley Funeral Homes-Brock’s Chapel 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.&nbsp;



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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713300477701.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Jeffrey Douglas Pratt&nbsp;was born in Hays, KS to Steve and Claudia (Parker) Pratt on September 24, 1966. He was the second of three children. Jeff attended Hays Public Schools through the 10th&nbsp;grade, and then attended Thomas More Prep, graduating in 1985. After high school graduation, he attended the University of Kansas, graduating in 1990 with a degree in accounting. While at the University, he met the love of his life, Patricia Janssen (hometown – Salina). They were married on April 6, 1991, and moved to Bellevue, Washington that summer. Jeff immediately found work in the world of accounting and landed a role at Microsoft where he worked for 26 years. In 2019, Jeff joined Core Scientific based in Austin, TX, which had him traveling all around the world.&nbsp;In the summer of 2016 Jeff learned that his uncle, Don H. Pratt had decided to sell the real estate and self-storage business in Hays that he had owned for many years. &nbsp;Jeff and his family purchased the business from Don on 1-2-2017. They expanded it by purchasing the Havco location on W. 28th&nbsp;Street in 2018, and just a few weeks ago opened a third self-storage facility on Canterbury Rd. Even though Jeff had lived in the Seattle area for 25 years, he still had Hays in his heart and was very happy to purchase an entity that had been originated by his grandfather, Don E. Pratt, and Pete Felten in 1958, keeping it in the family.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jeff and Tricia were blessed with two children, Henry in 1998 and Stella in 2000.&nbsp;During his life,&nbsp;Jeff&nbsp;had many passions including Henry &amp; Stella’s youth sports,&nbsp;Mariners baseball,&nbsp;skiing,&nbsp;collecting baseball cards,&nbsp;and golf. Most of all,&nbsp;Jeff&nbsp;loved spending time with his family.&nbsp;Devotion to his family was Jeff’s highest priority in life.&nbsp;He&nbsp;is survived by his wife, Tricia,&nbsp;his son, Henry,&nbsp;and daughter, Stella. Both Henry and Stella are graduates of the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, Seattle, with degrees in&nbsp;accounting,&nbsp;following in&nbsp;their father's footsteps.&nbsp;He is also survived by his parents, (Hays, KS), and his brother, Joe Pratt (Renton, WA), and his sister, Larisa Eichacker (Santa Monica, CA), and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.&nbsp;A&nbsp;funeral Mass is scheduled for April 27, 2024 at 12PM noon&nbsp;at the Comeau Catholic Campus Center, 506 West 6th&nbsp;St., Hays, KS. An inurnment ceremony at the Hays Columbarium, for the family only, will follow the Mass.&nbsp;A luncheon in memory of Jeff will be held at The Venue at Thirsty’s Restaurant from 2-4PM. Friends and family are all invited.&nbsp;The family suggests memorial contributions be addressed to the Comeau Catholic Campus Center.&nbsp;Memories and words of comfort may be shared on Jeff’s tribute page at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.comArrangements in care of Keithley Funeral Homes-Brock’s Chapel 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.&nbsp;

Jeffrey Douglas Pratt 

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays&nbsp; USD 489 school board approved&nbsp;$1.6 million to make improvements to the Hays High School baseball field at its meeting Monday night.

The improvements will include new turf for the infield, conversion of the outfield to turf, conversion of the lights to LEDs, new bleachers and a larger backstop.

"Our baseball stadium is probably the best facility we have now. However, in three years, it will go from being our best facility to our worst facility," Superintendent Ron Wilson said.

The Hays school district is in the middle of a bond issue that will include a new high school and a conversion of the current high school into a middle school.

The turf at the HHS baseball field is 12 years old, which is two years past its expected lifespan.

The district is struggling to keep the outfield, which is still grass, watered. The sprinklers are not reaching all of the field, which is leaving dead spots.

State law prohibits the district from diverting more water from its wells to the field because of its location.

Lance Krannawitter, HHS activities director, said the heat has resulted in the grass surface becoming hard and dangerous to play on.

The new bleachers will be handicap accessible. The larger backstop will help keep foul balls from hitting windshields in the parking area.

"This will make our baseball facility on par with all other facilities and be a nice addition to our complex," Wilson said.

The district will pay for the improvements with capital outlay funds.

The project should be completed by March in time for the 2024 baseball season.

The board voted unanimously to name the district's new elementary school Felten Elementary School.

The current middle school will be remodeled into an elementary school as part of the ongoing bond improvements.

Felten was used as the name of the building from 1981 to 2012 when the school was a middle school.

The school was renamed in honor of Pete F. Felten, who played a key role in the development of Hays. Serving as mayor, he helped lay out and name the streets of Hays. He was the owner of Felten Truck Lines. Many people and organizations in the Hays community benefited from Pete Felten's generosity, the district said in its supporting materials.

Pete Felten Jr., Pete F. Felten's son, is an acclaimed limestone sculptor and still lives in Hays.

The new elementary school is set to open in fall 2026.

The district is beginning phase two of the Roosevelt Elementary School renovations that are also part of the bond work. Temporary walls are going up at the school and footings are being poured for the expansion of the school, Wilson said.

The construction company bought snow cones for the students at the school last week and took them on mini-tours of the changes, Wilson said.

The district's budget and revenue-neutral hearings will be during the next school board meeting on Sept. 11.

The district is proposing an $82 million budget with a slight decrease in the local option budget from 13.019 mills to 12.25 mills.&nbsp;

Because the Ellis County valuation has increased, the district will be taking in more money even though it has slightly decreased the mill levy.

That increase is why the district is required to have a revenue-neutral hearing. The notices on that increase, along with those for the city and county, went out to residents last week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690368412220.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays&nbsp; USD 489 school board approved&nbsp;$1.6 million to make improvements to the Hays High School baseball field at its meeting Monday night.The improvements will include new turf for the infield, conversion of the outfield to turf, conversion of the lights to LEDs, new bleachers and a larger backstop."Our baseball stadium is probably the best facility we have now. However, in three years, it will go from being our best facility to our worst facility," Superintendent Ron Wilson said.The Hays school district is in the middle of a bond issue that will include a new high school and a conversion of the current high school into a middle school.The turf at the HHS baseball field is 12 years old, which is two years past its expected lifespan.The district is struggling to keep the outfield, which is still grass, watered. The sprinklers are not reaching all of the field, which is leaving dead spots.State law prohibits the district from diverting more water from its wells to the field because of its location.Lance Krannawitter, HHS activities director, said the heat has resulted in the grass surface becoming hard and dangerous to play on.The new bleachers will be handicap accessible. The larger backstop will help keep foul balls from hitting windshields in the parking area."This will make our baseball facility on par with all other facilities and be a nice addition to our complex," Wilson said.The district will pay for the improvements with capital outlay funds.The project should be completed by March in time for the 2024 baseball season.<h2>Felten Elementary School</h2>The board voted unanimously to name the district's new elementary school Felten Elementary School.The current middle school will be remodeled into an elementary school as part of the ongoing bond improvements.Felten was used as the name of the building from 1981 to 2012 when the school was a middle school.The school was renamed in honor of Pete F. Felten, who played a key role in the development of Hays. Serving as mayor, he helped lay out and name the streets of Hays. He was the owner of Felten Truck Lines. Many people and organizations in the Hays community benefited from Pete Felten's generosity, the district said in its supporting materials.Pete Felten Jr., Pete F. Felten's son, is an acclaimed limestone sculptor and still lives in Hays.The new elementary school is set to open in fall 2026.The district is beginning phase two of the Roosevelt Elementary School renovations that are also part of the bond work. Temporary walls are going up at the school and footings are being poured for the expansion of the school, Wilson said.The construction company bought snow cones for the students at the school last week and took them on mini-tours of the changes, Wilson said.The district's budget and revenue-neutral hearings will be during the next school board meeting on Sept. 11.The district is proposing an $82 million budget with a slight decrease in the local option budget from 13.019 mills to 12.25 mills.&nbsp;Because the Ellis County valuation has increased, the district will be taking in more money even though it has slightly decreased the mill levy.That increase is why the district is required to have a revenue-neutral hearing. The notices on that increase, along with those for the city and county, went out to residents last week.

Hays USD 489 BOE approves improvements to baseball field

The Hays USD 489 school board will consider the name for the new elementary school at its regular meeting at 6:30 tonight at the Rockwell Administration Center.

&nbsp;Hays Middle School will be remodeled into an elementary school as part of the bond issue improvements.

A new high school is being built, and middle school students will be moved to the current high school, which will be remodeled.

School officials are proposing to name the school Felten Elementary School.&nbsp;

Felten was previously used as the name of the building from 1981 to 2012 when the school was a middle school.

The school was renamed in honor Pete F. Felten, who played a key role in the development of Hays. Serving as mayor, he helped lay out and name the streets of Hays. He was the owner of Felten Truck Lines. Many people and organizations in the Hays community benefited from Pete Felten's generosity.

Superintendent Ron Wilson also will give a report about ongoing renovations at Roosevelt Elementary School.

The board also will consider a request for improvements at the baseball facility, a policy update on the use of school facilities by community groups and handbook reviews.

The handbook reviews will include base wages for classified staff.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 school board will consider the name for the new elementary school at its regular meeting at 6:30 tonight at the Rockwell Administration Center.&nbsp;Hays Middle School will be remodeled into an elementary school as part of the bond issue improvements.A new high school is being built, and middle school students will be moved to the current high school, which will be remodeled.School officials are proposing to name the school Felten Elementary School.&nbsp;Felten was previously used as the name of the building from 1981 to 2012 when the school was a middle school.The school was renamed in honor Pete F. Felten, who played a key role in the development of Hays. Serving as mayor, he helped lay out and name the streets of Hays. He was the owner of Felten Truck Lines. Many people and organizations in the Hays community benefited from Pete Felten's generosity.The new elementary school is set to open in fall 2026.Superintendent Ron Wilson also will give a report about ongoing renovations at Roosevelt Elementary School.The board also will consider a request for improvements at the baseball facility, a policy update on the use of school facilities by community groups and handbook reviews.The handbook reviews will include base wages for classified staff.

Hays USD 489 school board to consider name of new elementary school

People crowded into the Hays Arts Center Annex on Friday to see a display honoring the 50th anniversary of the filming of "Paper Moon."

Most of the movie, starring Ryan and Tatum O'Neal was filmed within a 50-mile radius of Hays with Hays being the film crew's base of operations.

"Paper Moon" depicts the Depression era in Kansas and Missouri. It was shot in black and white by director Peter Bogdanovich and tells the story of drifter, Moze, and a little girl, Addie, as Moze takes Addie from rural Kansas to St. Joseph, Mo., to live with her aunt.

Tatum O'Neal won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film, becoming the youngest actress to do so.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0b548169-b02e-4e81-9b93-dab95fca9ef6">Local residents mingled around numerous newspaper clippings from the time pointing to photos of people they knew or landmarks they remembered.</a>

Many of the people the Hays Post spoke with were teenagers or young adults when the film was made and have vague memories of joining crowds of other locals to watch the rare spectacle in western Kansas.

Rhonda McCann, who was a teenager when the movie was filmed, said she remembered the crew filming in the 100 block of West 10th in Hays. One of the buildings, which is no longer standing, doubled as a dress shop in the movie.&nbsp;

Ryan O'Neal and Madelene Kahn were filmed coming out of the building. She also remembered driving to LaCrosse to watch the filming of the carnival scenes, but said she couldn't see much because it was dark. She said remembered being bored.

Randy Pfeifer was in high school when the filming came to Hays. He lived on a farm and couldn't make it into town to watch the filming.

However, he said. "It was a big thing when it hit Hays."

Leon Staab, who was in his 20s when the movie was filmed, also said he remembered the filming in Hays. He said there was much excitement around the filming, but many of the specific memories have faded over 50 years.

Many local residents were extras in the movie. Sue Schmidt, the daughter of Eagle Radio founder Bob Schmidt, was a stand-in for Tatum O'Neal during filming. She would take Tatum's place when the camera crews were setting up sound and lighting for shots.&nbsp;

In a newspaper story from the time, Sue talked about the long, boring hours of shooting and missing her friends from school. The movie was filmed in September and October of 1972, and Schmidt had a tutor because she had to miss school during the shooting.

Eight children from the Budke family of Hays were extras in the film.&nbsp;

The Budke family was in a scene during which Moze, played by Ryan O'Neal, and Addie, played by his daughter Tatum O'Neal, try to sell a Bible to a poor family.

The widow comes to the door and her many children, the Budke siblings, file in behind her. Addie turns to Moze and tells him the Bible is paid for.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/67bee6b6-2d7a-42ac-b543-dad1b4c610e3">Dennis, who still lives in Hays, and his brother, Chuck, now of Salina, swapped memories a few weeks ago in Wilson during that community's "Paper Moon" Festival. Dennis also made an appearance Friday night at the art center annex.</a>

The Midwest movie premier of "Paper Moon" was at the Fox Theatre in Hays. The event included a VIP champagne reception.

A newspaper clipping from the time said, "Inside the theatre lobby champagne corks ricocheted off the walls in resounding pops as the Hays Arts Council members served the wine and hors d'ouerves to ticketholders."

KAYS radio, which is owned by the parent company of the Hays Post, was also on hand to do live interviews of the local actors who appeared in the movie.

Tickets for the special showing were $3 for the actors and $4 for the general public.

The film's budget then was a whopping $2.6 million, which local officials touted at the time as having a significant impact on the local economy.

Although Hays seemed to love having the film crew in town, the director&nbsp;Peter Bogdanovich didn't have the same love for Hays.

In an interview, he would later call Hays "dreary and tacky."

 A couple of years after the movie premiered, ABC began filming a series by the same name, which started Jody Foster and Chris Connelly,&nbsp; also in Hays and Ellis County.

During the filming of "Paper Moon" the TV series Charlene Hamel of Hays was the stand-in for Jodi Foster.

Scenes from the TV series were filmed in the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority house.&nbsp;

During the 50th anniversary weekend, two free showings of "Paper Moon." the movie were offered at Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center. McCracken also opened its museum to visitors to view memorabilia from the movie and hosted a night of big band music.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687126160941.jpeg" alt="Visitors talk about memorabilia from the movie "Paper Moon" during the 50th-anniversary celebration of the movie's release at the Hays Arts Center annex on Friday. Most of the movie was filmed within a 50-mile radius of Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Visitors talk about memorabilia from the movie "Paper Moon" during the 50th-anniversary celebration of the movie's release at the Hays Arts Center annex on Friday. Most of the movie was filmed within a 50-mile radius of Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostPeople crowded into the Hays Arts Center Annex on Friday to see a display honoring the 50th anniversary of the filming of "Paper Moon."Most of the movie, starring Ryan and Tatum O'Neal was filmed within a 50-mile radius of Hays with Hays being the film crew's base of operations."Paper Moon" depicts the Depression era in Kansas and Missouri. It was shot in black and white by director Peter Bogdanovich and tells the story of drifter, Moze, and a little girl, Addie, as Moze takes Addie from rural Kansas to St. Joseph, Mo., to live with her aunt.Tatum O'Neal won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film, becoming the youngest actress to do so.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687124674300.jpeg" alt=""Paper Moon"&nbsp; filming on 10th Street in Hays in 1972. Photo courtesy of Pete Felten" />
 <figcaption>"Paper Moon"&nbsp; filming on 10th Street in Hays in 1972. Photo courtesy of Pete Felten</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0b548169-b02e-4e81-9b93-dab95fca9ef6">Local residents mingled around numerous newspaper clippings from the time pointing to photos of people they knew or landmarks they remembered.</a>Many of the people the Hays Post spoke with were teenagers or young adults when the film was made and have vague memories of joining crowds of other locals to watch the rare spectacle in western Kansas.Rhonda McCann, who was a teenager when the movie was filmed, said she remembered the crew filming in the 100 block of West 10th in Hays. One of the buildings, which is no longer standing, doubled as a dress shop in the movie.&nbsp;Ryan O'Neal and Madelene Kahn were filmed coming out of the building. She also remembered driving to LaCrosse to watch the filming of the carnival scenes, but said she couldn't see much because it was dark. She said remembered being bored.Randy Pfeifer was in high school when the filming came to Hays. He lived on a farm and couldn't make it into town to watch the filming.However, he said. "It was a big thing when it hit Hays."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687125050145.jpeg" alt="Tatum O'Neal, star of "Paper Moon" and her stand-in Sue Schmidt of Hays. Clippings courtesy of Hays Arts Council" />
 <figcaption>Tatum O'Neal, star of "Paper Moon" and her stand-in Sue Schmidt of Hays. Clippings courtesy of Hays Arts Council</figcaption>
 </figure>Leon Staab, who was in his 20s when the movie was filmed, also said he remembered the filming in Hays. He said there was much excitement around the filming, but many of the specific memories have faded over 50 years.Many local residents were extras in the movie. Sue Schmidt, the daughter of Eagle Radio founder Bob Schmidt, was a stand-in for Tatum O'Neal during filming. She would take Tatum's place when the camera crews were setting up sound and lighting for shots.&nbsp;In a newspaper story from the time, Sue talked about the long, boring hours of shooting and missing her friends from school. The movie was filmed in September and October of 1972, and Schmidt had a tutor because she had to miss school during the shooting.Eight children from the Budke family of Hays were extras in the film.&nbsp;The Budke family was in a scene during which Moze, played by Ryan O'Neal, and Addie, played by his daughter Tatum O'Neal, try to sell a Bible to a poor family.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687125216900.jpeg" alt="Eight children in the Budke family in Hays were extras in "Paper Moon." Clipping courtesy of Hays Arts Council" />
 <figcaption>Eight children in the Budke family in Hays were extras in "Paper Moon." Clipping courtesy of Hays Arts Council</figcaption>
 </figure>The widow comes to the door and her many children, the Budke siblings, file in behind her. Addie turns to Moze and tells him the Bible is paid for.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/67bee6b6-2d7a-42ac-b543-dad1b4c610e3">Dennis, who still lives in Hays, and his brother, Chuck, now of Salina, swapped memories a few weeks ago in Wilson during that community's "Paper Moon" Festival. Dennis also made an appearance Friday night at the art center annex.</a>The Midwest movie premier of "Paper Moon" was at the Fox Theatre in Hays. The event included a VIP champagne reception.A newspaper clipping from the time said, "Inside the theatre lobby champagne corks ricocheted off the walls in resounding pops as the Hays Arts Council members served the wine and hors d'ouerves to ticketholders."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687125451690.jpeg" alt="The carnival scene from "Paper Moon" was shot in LaCrosse. Clipping courtesy of the Hays Arts Council." />
 <figcaption>The carnival scene from "Paper Moon" was shot in LaCrosse. Clipping courtesy of the Hays Arts Council.</figcaption>
 </figure>KAYS radio, which is owned by the parent company of the Hays Post, was also on hand to do live interviews of the local actors who appeared in the movie.Tickets for the special showing were $3 for the actors and $4 for the general public.The film's budget then was a whopping $2.6 million, which local officials touted at the time as having a significant impact on the local economy.Although Hays seemed to love having the film crew in town, the director&nbsp;Peter Bogdanovich didn't have the same love for Hays.In an interview, he would later call Hays "dreary and tacky."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687125562723.jpeg" alt="Jodi Foster, center, starred in the "Paper Moon" TV series that was shot in Elis County. Photo courtesy of Hays Arts Council" />
 <figcaption>Jodi Foster, center, starred in the "Paper Moon" TV series that was shot in Elis County. Photo courtesy of Hays Arts Council</figcaption>
 </figure> A couple of years after the movie premiered, ABC began filming a series by the same name, which started Jody Foster and Chris Connelly,&nbsp; also in Hays and Ellis County.During the filming of "Paper Moon" the TV series Charlene Hamel of Hays was the stand-in for Jodi Foster.Scenes from the TV series were filmed in the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority house.&nbsp;During the 50th anniversary weekend, two free showings of "Paper Moon." the movie were offered at Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center. McCracken also opened its museum to visitors to view memorabilia from the movie and hosted a night of big band music.

Hays celebrates 50th anniversary of 'Paper Moon'

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Hays artist Dennis Schiel in October finished the last of the Brush the Bricks murals in downtown Hays. 

The last mural is on the north side of the Midland Marketing building, 219 E. Ninth. It depicts a farmer and horse team along with sunflowers, wheat and milo. The co-op helped choose the farm scene, Schiel said.

The mural is 38 feet at its tallest point by 32 feet.&nbsp; The height of the mural was a challenge, Schiel said. He had to use a lift to paint much of the mural.

The intent was that this piece would be a community mural, but Schiel struggled to find volunteers and ended up doing most of the painting on his own.

Schiel worked on the painting in September and October. 

Schiel helped raise $100,000 toward the Brush Bricks mural project, which included six murals: <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c249f967-7e8d-4a80-897e-25bccb78992e">• The three amigos mural on the S&amp;W building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/274e05fe-f437-4c8a-95f7-2d33bdfb4c44">• The Arc mural on the Arc Thrift Store building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6bb3bfe4-ed00-43eb-87ed-eee70888ac9a">• The buffalo dance mural on the State Glass Co. building by Matt Miller</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d8987c98-30c5-4304-8b88-cabf4ef0efb4">• The Hays postcard mural on the side of the Golden Q building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3f18a37-8dd4-4b1c-a934-490422d12346">• The dragon mural on the side of the Sake2Me building by Matt Miller</a> • The farmer mural on the side of the Midland Marketing building by Schiel

Schiel said he hopes people will stop in Hays not only to see the murals but also Pete Felten's statues. 

Schiel also hopes a local organization will produce a brochure that will highlight the Hays murals so visitors can tour the mural sites. Schiel also painted three other Hays murals that were not part of Brush the Bricks —&nbsp; a bison mural on the side of the Fox Theatre, a patriotic mural on the side of the Hays VFW and a small mural at the Hays Recreation Center.

How long the murals will last is highly dependent on how much sun and weather they receive. Murals on north walls tend to last longer — some as long as decades, Schiel said. However, he also had a mural that had to be touched up after a year. 

Schiel is planning another large mural on the grain elevator that sits across from the train depot in downtown Ellis. That mural will depict the Ellis High School mascot, the Railroaders. A train will be breaking through a rock wall with athletes from the different EHS sports riding on the train. 

Fundraising is ongoing for this project through the Ellis Foundation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669059521628.jpeg" alt="Hays Artist Dennis Schiel's latest mural graces the north side of the Midland Marketing building, 219 E. Ninth. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Hays Artist Dennis Schiel's latest mural graces the north side of the Midland Marketing building, 219 E. Ninth. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHays artist Dennis Schiel in October finished the last of the Brush the Bricks murals in downtown Hays. The last mural is on the north side of the Midland Marketing building, 219 E. Ninth. It depicts a farmer and horse team along with sunflowers, wheat and milo. The co-op helped choose the farm scene, Schiel said. The mural is 38 feet at its tallest point by 32 feet.&nbsp; The height of the mural was a challenge, Schiel said. He had to use a lift to paint much of the mural. The intent was that this piece would be a community mural, but Schiel struggled to find volunteers and ended up doing most of the painting on his own.Schiel worked on the painting in September and October. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669059703635.jpeg" alt="Dennis Schiel's painting on the side of the Midland Marketing building is the last of six murals in the downtown Hays Brush the Bricks project. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Dennis Schiel's painting on the side of the Midland Marketing building is the last of six murals in the downtown Hays Brush the Bricks project. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Schiel helped raise $100,000 toward the Brush Bricks mural project, which included six murals: <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c249f967-7e8d-4a80-897e-25bccb78992e">• The three amigos mural on the S&amp;W building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/274e05fe-f437-4c8a-95f7-2d33bdfb4c44">• The Arc mural on the Arc Thrift Store building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6bb3bfe4-ed00-43eb-87ed-eee70888ac9a">• The buffalo dance mural on the State Glass Co. building by Matt Miller</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d8987c98-30c5-4304-8b88-cabf4ef0efb4">• The Hays postcard mural on the side of the Golden Q building by Schiel</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3f18a37-8dd4-4b1c-a934-490422d12346">• The dragon mural on the side of the Sake2Me building by Matt Miller</a> • The farmer mural on the side of the Midland Marketing building by SchielSchiel said he hopes people will stop in Hays not only to see the murals but also Pete Felten's statues. Schiel also hopes a local organization will produce a brochure that will highlight the Hays murals so visitors can tour the mural sites. Schiel also painted three other Hays murals that were not part of Brush the Bricks —&nbsp; a bison mural on the side of the Fox Theatre, a patriotic mural on the side of the Hays VFW and a small mural at the Hays Recreation Center.How long the murals will last is highly dependent on how much sun and weather they receive. Murals on north walls tend to last longer — some as long as decades, Schiel said. However, he also had a mural that had to be touched up after a year. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669059738753.jpeg" alt="Hays artist Dennis Schiel said the murals that were painted for the Brush the Bricks project could last for decades, depending on weather exposure. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Hays artist Dennis Schiel said the murals that were painted for the Brush the Bricks project could last for decades, depending on weather exposure. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Schiel is planning another large mural on the grain elevator that sits across from the train depot in downtown Ellis. That mural will depict the Ellis High School mascot, the Railroaders. A train will be breaking through a rock wall with athletes from the different EHS sports riding on the train. Fundraising is ongoing for this project through the Ellis Foundation.

Midland Marketing mural last in Hays Brush the Bricks series

Joe Rholand Ward Jr., age 59 of Hays, Kansas passed away September 20, 2022, at Hays Medical Center. He was born April 14, 1963, in Hays to Joe Rholand Ward and Patricia (Felten) Ward. He was a 1981 Hays High School graduate and attended Fort Hays State University.

Joe spent numerous years in management with McDonald's in Russell, Kansas, and corporate McDonald's stores in Texas. Years later, Joe relocated to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to the Cherokee Indian Nation, a proud heritage he treasured, there he held the position as a adolescent counselor.

Joe's closest companions were his two dogs; Buddy and Baby Girl. Joe was exceptionally talented in the art of making flutes, bows/arrows, and Cherokee Indian beading. He enjoyed nature and the outdoors.

He is survived by a sister, Karen Munsch and husband Bob, Schoenchen, Kansas, one uncle, Pete (Fritz) Felten, Hays,&nbsp;a stepdaughter, Stephanie Jacobs and husband Anthony, Emporia, Kansas, two step grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister Terry Lee Stegman and stepson Jason Ickier.

Graveside services will be 1:00 pm&nbsp; Sunday, September 25, 2022, at Mt. Allen Cemetery, Hays, Kansas.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Hospice-Hays Medical Center and may be sent in care of Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory, 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601.&nbsp;

Condolences may be sent to the family by guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchaples.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchaples.com</a>&nbsp;or emailed to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com">keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663796622367.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Joe Rholand Ward Jr., age 59 of Hays, Kansas passed away September 20, 2022, at Hays Medical Center. He was born April 14, 1963, in Hays to Joe Rholand Ward and Patricia (Felten) Ward. He was a 1981 Hays High School graduate and attended Fort Hays State University.Joe spent numerous years in management with McDonald's in Russell, Kansas, and corporate McDonald's stores in Texas. Years later, Joe relocated to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to the Cherokee Indian Nation, a proud heritage he treasured, there he held the position as a adolescent counselor.Joe's closest companions were his two dogs; Buddy and Baby Girl. Joe was exceptionally talented in the art of making flutes, bows/arrows, and Cherokee Indian beading. He enjoyed nature and the outdoors.He is survived by a sister, Karen Munsch and husband Bob, Schoenchen, Kansas, one uncle, Pete (Fritz) Felten, Hays,&nbsp;a stepdaughter, Stephanie Jacobs and husband Anthony, Emporia, Kansas, two step grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister Terry Lee Stegman and stepson Jason Ickier.Graveside services will be 1:00 pm&nbsp; Sunday, September 25, 2022, at Mt. Allen Cemetery, Hays, Kansas.Memorial contributions are suggested to Hospice-Hays Medical Center and may be sent in care of Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory, 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601.&nbsp;Condolences may be sent to the family by guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchaples.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchaples.com</a>&nbsp;or emailed to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com">keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com</a>

Joe Rholand Ward Jr.

A film crew was in Hays this week working on a documentary about artist Pete Felten.

Blake Chaffin, a Hays native and country music song writer, has organized the documentary effort.

Five years ago, Chaffin bought his first Felten sculpture.

"I fell in love with concept that this guy was waking up everyday in the moment and going down to his studio and chiseling on this limestone," he said. 

"I found a lot of connection with how my life journey had taken me to Nashville to write songs and pursue that as a creative outlet I loved. I saw a lot of similarities of waking every morning and packing your lunchbox and going to work even though it was a creative endeavor."

Chaffin, 43, was in a band while attending college at Kansas State, moved to Nashville nine months after graduating and has been writing songs there ever since — about 19 years.

You might recognize a song he wrote for Brantley Giblert "The Ones That Like Me," Rodney Atkins' "Thank God for You," or Brett Combs' "Down Home."

As COVID brought Chaffin home for longer stays, it helped him reconnect with his roots and resparked an interest in Felten's work. Today, Chaffin owns a bison, an Adam and Eve, and woman with guitar sculptures — all works of art produced by Felten.

He said his favorite of the three is the woman with guitar because it reminds him of the "Street Singer," the limestone sculpture near the corner of Seventh and Main in Hays.

Mark Meckel originally commissioned that piece and owned a studio by the same name on that block. Chaffin visited the studio as a kid.

Chaffin visited Felten in his studio several times informally to chat about his work before beginning the documentary. 

For the project this week, Chaffin has recruited Logan Mize, Kansas singer from Clearwater, and videographer Jordan Horsch of Wichita. Chaffin has considered bringing in other Kansas singer/songwriters to produce music if it is needed for the film.

Chaffin has never done a video project before. The project comes on the heals of a long-term project with Mize — an album "Welcome to Prairieville," which is a compilation of small-town songs, Chaffin said.

"On the question 'Why?' Why not?" Chaffin said of the Felten film. "I just want to put this down. I know Pete's 89th birthday is coming up April 14."

Chaffin said he thought the concept of time is interesting in Felten's work. It took millions of years to form and bury the limestone Felten works with and the sculptures he has created will likely be around long after him.

Chaffin knew that Felten would be hard to nail down for a formal interview, but he worked with his friend and fellow artist Bruce Burkholder to schedule a sit-down interview.

Chaffin scheduled a reception for Felten at his studio Thursday so people could come and admire Felten's limestone wall, which is covered in carvings and also share stories about the artist.

Felten spent most of the event content to carve on a small bison sculpture in his studio, pausing occasionally to talk about the work or his two years observing bison when he was carving the large bison sculpture that is now on the grounds of Historic Fort Hays.

He spent a lot of time observing and studying their anatomy.

Felten laughed as he talked about hand feeding grass to the bison bull that was housed at the park across the street from the fort where he was working.

"Oh, that's what your nose looks like," he said as he recalled the bison sticking its head through the fence to take his grass.

Anyone who would like to contribute photos, comment or stories about Felten for the project can do so by emailing <a href="mailto:limestonepete@gmail.com">limestonepete@gmail.com</a>.

What the final film project will look like is yet to be determined. Chaffin said the length of the piece in part will be determined about the amount and quality of material the crew is able to gather this week.

"The hope for the end product is there is some kind of inspiring video of some kind that might trigger anyone like myself that grew up in a town like Hays, Kansas," Chaffin said.

"I didn't think I necessarily knew that I could go away to Nashville have my songs back in the Walmart or on the country radio or KAYS. I also don't think you necessarily need to leave where you are to make your art."

Chaffin said he hopes he can create something that tells the story of Felten, will inspire other artists to keep committed to their crafts and to show people what a lifetime of work can be.

You can follow the project on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/meetpetefelten">meetpetefelten</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646432747393.jpeg" alt="Hays artist Pete Felten carving a bison Thursday at his studio. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Hays artist Pete Felten carving a bison Thursday at his studio. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA film crew was in Hays this week working on a documentary about artist Pete Felten.Blake Chaffin, a Hays native and country music song writer, has organized the documentary effort.Five years ago, Chaffin bought his first Felten sculpture. "I fell in love with concept that this guy was waking up everyday in the moment and going down to his studio and chiseling on this limestone," he said. "I found a lot of connection with how my life journey had taken me to Nashville to write songs and pursue that as a creative outlet I loved. I saw a lot of similarities of waking every morning and packing your lunchbox and going to work even though it was a creative endeavor."Chaffin, 43, was in a band while attending college at Kansas State, moved to Nashville nine months after graduating and has been writing songs there ever since — about 19 years.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646432804610.jpeg" alt="Blake Chaffin, middle, and Jordan Horsch, right, interview Mick Jilg, Hays artist, about Pete Felten on Thursday for the "Meet Pete" documentary. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post. " />
 <figcaption>Blake Chaffin, middle, and Jordan Horsch, right, interview Mick Jilg, Hays artist, about Pete Felten on Thursday for the "Meet Pete" documentary. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post. </figcaption>
 </figure>You might recognize a song he wrote for Brantley Giblert "The Ones That Like Me," Rodney Atkins' "Thank God for You," or Brett Combs' "Down Home." As COVID brought Chaffin home for longer stays, it helped him reconnect with his roots and resparked an interest in Felten's work. Today, Chaffin owns a bison, an Adam and Eve, and woman with guitar sculptures — all works of art produced by Felten.He said his favorite of the three is the woman with guitar because it reminds him of the "Street Singer," the limestone sculpture near the corner of Seventh and Main in Hays.Mark Meckel originally commissioned that piece and owned a studio by the same name on that block. Chaffin visited the studio as a kid.Chaffin visited Felten in his studio several times informally to chat about his work before beginning the documentary. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646432937454.jpeg" alt="A limestone carving of pig is part of the limestone wall behind Pete Felten's home and studio on Sixth Street. Visitors at a reception on Thursday received a rare glimpse of the wall and it's many carvings. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>A limestone carving of pig is part of the limestone wall behind Pete Felten's home and studio on Sixth Street. Visitors at a reception on Thursday received a rare glimpse of the wall and it's many carvings. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>For the project this week, Chaffin has recruited Logan Mize, Kansas singer from Clearwater, and videographer Jordan Horsch of Wichita. Chaffin has considered bringing in other Kansas singer/songwriters to produce music if it is needed for the film.Chaffin has never done a video project before. The project comes on the heals of a long-term project with Mize — an album "Welcome to Prairieville," which is a compilation of small-town songs, Chaffin said. "On the question 'Why?' Why not?" Chaffin said of the Felten film. "I just want to put this down. I know Pete's 89th birthday is coming up April 14."Chaffin said he thought the concept of time is interesting in Felten's work. It took millions of years to form and bury the limestone Felten works with and the sculptures he has created will likely be around long after him.Chaffin knew that Felten would be hard to nail down for a formal interview, but he worked with his friend and fellow artist Bruce Burkholder to schedule a sit-down interview.Chaffin scheduled a reception for Felten at his studio Thursday so people could come and admire Felten's limestone wall, which is covered in carvings and also share stories about the artist.Felten spent most of the event content to carve on a small bison sculpture in his studio, pausing occasionally to talk about the work or his two years observing bison when he was carving the large bison sculpture that is now on the grounds of Historic Fort Hays.He spent a lot of time observing and studying their anatomy. Felten laughed as he talked about hand feeding grass to the bison bull that was housed at the park across the street from the fort where he was working."Oh, that's what your nose looks like," he said as he recalled the bison sticking its head through the fence to take his grass. Anyone who would like to contribute photos, comment or stories about Felten for the project can do so by emailing <a href="mailto:limestonepete@gmail.com">limestonepete@gmail.com</a>.What the final film project will look like is yet to be determined. Chaffin said the length of the piece in part will be determined about the amount and quality of material the crew is able to gather this week."The hope for the end product is there is some kind of inspiring video of some kind that might trigger anyone like myself that grew up in a town like Hays, Kansas," Chaffin said."I didn't think I necessarily knew that I could go away to Nashville have my songs back in the Walmart or on the country radio or KAYS. I also don't think you necessarily need to leave where you are to make your art."Chaffin said he hopes he can create something that tells the story of Felten, will inspire other artists to keep committed to their crafts and to show people what a lifetime of work can be.You can follow the project on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/meetpetefelten">meetpetefelten</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646432716242.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Film crew in Hays to produce 'Meet Pete' Felten documentary

Check Hays Post on Saturday morning for a closer look at Hays icon Pete Felten and the documentarians chronicling his life's work in "Meet Pete," by Hays Post's Cristina Janney.

Check out stories related to Pete Felten <a href="https://hayspost.com/search?search=pete+felten">HERE</a> or <a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/?s=pete+felten">HERE</a> (pre-2018).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635440669331.png" alt="Pete Felten is pictured with the statue in 2020 prior to its installation downtown. Hays Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>Pete Felten is pictured with the statue in 2020 prior to its installation downtown. Hays Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Check Hays Post on Saturday morning for a closer look at Hays icon Pete Felten and the documentarians chronicling his life's work in "Meet Pete," by Hays Post's Cristina Janney.Check out stories related to Pete Felten <a href="https://hayspost.com/search?search=pete+felten">HERE</a> or <a href="https://archive.hayspost.com/?s=pete+felten">HERE</a> (pre-2018).

Coming Saturday: 'Meet Pete' explored

There will be a reception for Hays artist Pete Felten from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Stone Gallery, 107 W. Sixth St.

A group is working on a documentary on Felten and his work and is inviting the community to admire his wall and work, and swap stories with others from the community to celebrate Felten.

There will be a reception for Hays artist Pete Felten from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Stone Gallery, 107 W. Sixth St.A group is working on a documentary on Felten and his work and is inviting the community to admire his wall and work, and swap stories with others from the community to celebrate Felten.The working title for the documentary is "Meet Pete." There will be appetizers and beverages provided by Gella's Diner.