A Hays woman is now the new president of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL).

Lou Ann Kibbee manages the SKIL Independent Living office in Hays.

In Washington D-C last week for the annual NCIL conference and rally, Kibbee was elected president of the disability rights organization.  She had been serving as vice-president.

As the new president, Kibbee presented the National Advocacy Award to Kansas State Coordinator Shannon Jones.

The Americans with Disabilities Act was 23 years old Friday, July 26.

The law is aimed at eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities and ensuring equal opportunity for them “in employment … government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities and transportation,” as described on the website of the Department of Justice.

Although there’s a delay in when they’ll be turning, the Fort Hays State University wind turbines just southwest of Hays are ready and waiting.

Still to be installed are transformers to connect the 3.5 mile underground  transmission line running from the turbines to Akers Energy Center on campus:

President Ed Hammond anticipates the operation will be online in mid-to-late September.  FHSU  hired “Harvest The Wind Network” in Greensburg for the turnkey project, estimated to cost about 9 million dollars.

You can watch the entire interview about the FHSU wind turbines on an upcoming episode of Community Connection with host Mike Cooper on Eagle Community TV Channel 14.

Nope, you weren’t imagining things.

That really was a giant toaster on wheels heading south on Vine Street in Hays this afternoon.

It’s the official Kellog’s Pop-Tarts mobile.

The two guys who take turns towing the toaster/camper with a bright orange pickup, stopped for lunch about 1:15p.m.

On the menu, Taco Bell, not Pop-Tarts.

The Pop-Tarts mobile is criss-crossing the country, promoting its CrazyGoodSummer series.

From Hays, it’s destination Denver.

Reading to your child is one of the most important things a parents can do with their young child.  Through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, registered Ellis County children receive a free, age-appropriate book in the mail each month.

Tuesday morning, the 2013 Leadership Hays class  presented an over-sized check for $5,325 to Ellis County Imagination Library coordinator Rae Smith.

Class members raised the funds during last month’s first-ever Run for Reading in downtown Hays.  The Leadership class also documented how they organized and developed the race so the Dolly Parton Imagination Library can continue hosting the event in the future.

Smith says the Ellis County Imagination Library currently has 648 children signed up.

(AP) — Bishop George K. Fitzsimons, who led the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina from 1984 to 2004, has died at the age of 84.

The diocese announced that Fitzsimons died Sunday at his home in Ogden, where he had lived since retiring as bishop.

Fitzsimons served in several parishes and educational institutions in Missouri, where he was named auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in 1975.

He became bishop of the Salina diocese in May of 1984 and retired in December of 2004. After moving to Ogden, he continued to minister to people in that area.

A wake is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Salina, with a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Friday. Burial will be at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Salina.

7/30 – UPDATE: A great deal of work has been done at RPM speedway since yesterday at this time.  Races will be able to continue as scheduled.  Crews are in full force preparing the track and cars are pulling into the pits.  The standing water on the infield has been cleared, and the track is getting closer to racing condition, though there is still work to do.  Tonight’s race starts at 7pm with the pits opening at 4pm and the grandstand at 5pm.



Recent rainfall has made for much rejoicing for many area residents, even if it means more work to prepare for a big event.

RPM speedway is hosting Mod Mania, with NASCAR’s Clint Boyer joining a list of other drivers slated to compete Tuesday evening. As of this afternoon, the infield of the track had standing water and the track itself was still extremely wet.

Wade Porter was beyond optimistic about racing this week though.  Porter told Hays Post “We’re going to race. We’ll do whatever it takes. We’ve got some water standing in some places but tomorrow it’s supposed to be sunny, little bit of east wind. It’s going to be perfect.”

Porter stated that it’ll take around 6 or 7 hours to get the track back where it needs to be in time for racing. He added that usually a big part of the track’s prep work is adding enough water to the track to harden the surface, which obviously won’t need to happen in this case. It’s just a matter of getting some water out of it.

In preparation for this week’s races, workers have repainted and stenciled the inside wall and installed new monitors in the VIP lounge and concession area, which will play a feed from the track as the races go on.

Porter said the track will be close to optimal tomorrow evening. “With all the water I don’t think we’ll get it quite as hard as we’d like it, but it’ll be fast, there won’t be any dust. It’ll be a hammer-down race track.”

Make sure to check Hays Post and Eagle Radio for updates on the status of the track and the races.