NORTON, Kan. (AP) – Round one of what could be a series of violent storms has moved north out of northwestern Kansas without any reported injuries or major damage.

The National Weather Service says law enforcement officers, trained spotters and storm chasers reported at least two tornadoes Monday afternoon in open country in Norton County. Another twister was spotted earlier in Sheridan County, just to the southeast.

Hail ranging in size from golf balls to baseballs hit neighboring Graham County. The violent weather struck as forecasters posted tornado watches into Monday evening for much of northern, central and eastern Kansas, from the Nebraska border to the Oklahoma state line.

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A 51-year-old Hays man was killed in a single vehicle accident in Trego County late Sunday evening.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Stephen Kenneth Schmeidler was eastbound on Trego County Road S, .7 mile east of Trego County Road 440 Ave.

Schmeidler’s vehicle entered the north ditch, striking a delineator post, then reentered the roadway and rolled several times before coming to rest on its top in the south ditch.

Schmeidler was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other injuries reported.

A variety of meetings discussing the Hays comprehensive plan will be held this week. The stakeholder groups will meet tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday. CVB Director Jana Jordan says a community-wide meeting will be held Tuesday night at 6:30 at the Robbins Center.

The stakeholder groups are residents who fit into a specific classification such as senior citizens, major employers, social services, transportation or education. There will be 14 stakeholder meetings over the next three days.

       The Kansas Division of Emergency Management has requested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency add five Kansas counties to a group slated for storm damage assessments. The counties are Ellis, Hamilton, Morton, Stanton and Washington.

      The assessment teams are looking for damage to public infrastructure from storms that began May 19th and have continued through this month. Twenty-four counties were included in the initial request.

            The state legislature passed a law this year requiring first and second class cities to issue business licenses for pawnbrokers and precious metal dealers. Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty Thursday night says the city doesn’t currently license businesses, but the city commission can implement that law or charter ordinance out of it.

            The city has two pawnbrokers, and Dougherty says there have been no problems with either. The commission will discuss both options next week.