An All American Breakfast will be held Sunday, December 1, from 7:30 am – 12:30 pm at the American Legion located at 13th and Canterbury in Hays.  Proceeds from tickets purchased in advance will go towards Hospice at HaysMed.

The all-you-can-eat menu includes pancakes, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, biscuits, gravy, toast, coffee and juice.

Tickets are $6.50 for Adults. $3.00 for children under 12 and children under 5 eat free.  Tickets at the door are $7.00.

Advance tickets are available from Hospice at 623-6200 or 1-800-248-0073 or by emailing [email protected] or [email protected].

In addition there will be bake sale items and special drawings.  Children will also receive special treats.

HaysMed Hospice focuses on comfort and quality of life when a cure is not possible, honoring the wishes of the person and their family. They provide services in Ellis, Rooks, Russell and Rush counties.

5 p.m. Friday   On Thursday the Kansas Highway Patrol provided information on Thursday morning’s fatal crash that indicated the driver was from Colorado Springs. The Hays Police Department is releasing different information on Gerad F. Madrid. This suggests he had a Rooks County address.

Late Friday, The Hays Police Department released the following information on the pursuit and fatality accident.

“On Thursday, November 28, 2013 at approximately 2:09 a.m. Hays Police Officers pursued a vehicle driving without its headlights the wrong way on a one way street. The pursuit started at 8th & Ash and wound up traveling east on 5th Street from Ash Street. A 34 year old Plainville resident, Gerad F. Madrid was driving the pursued vehicle, a 1991 Buick LeSabre which had been stolen from a Hays business.

The pursuit ended when Madrid drove the Buick into the canal just east of the 5th & Milner Street’s intersection. The vehicle struck the east bank and came to rest a few feet from the top of the canal. Madrid was not wearing a seatbelt and sustained fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene”

7 p.m. Thursday According to the Kansas Highway Patrol Gerad F. Madrid, age 34 of Colorado Springs died in Thursday morning’s crash at 5th and Milner in Hays. Madrid was fleeing the police and failed to stop at the dead end and struck an embankment.

10:40 a.m.  Thursday  Just after 2 a.m. on Thursday, Hays Police Officers observed a 1991 Buick Lesabre driving without headlights the wrong way on a one way street in the 800 Block of Ash Street. The officers attempted to stop the vehicle after it nearly struck one of the officer’s patrol cars.

Hays Police Officers pursued  the vehicle south bound on Ash Street with their lights and sirens on. The vehicle refused to stop and went east on 5th Street at a high rate of speed, running a stop sign at 5th and Main. The driver, who was still driving without headlights, apparently did not see the canal near 5th & Milner. Approximately one minute after the pursuit began the vehicle entered the canal at a high rate of speed and struck the east bank.

The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. It appears that he was not wearing his seatbelt. The investigation revealed that the vehicle involved in the pursuit was stolen. The investigation is ongoing and more information will be released Friday, November 29th.

The Kansas Highway Patrol, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department, the Ellis County Coroner’s Office, the Ellis County EMS (Emergency Medical Services), and the Hays Fire Department all assisted with this incident.

Nekoma State Bank of LaCrosse has reported that one of their former customers has been writing hot checks from a closed account.

Barry Burkhart with the bank at 801 Main Street in LaCrosse says the case with this woman is different than most similar instances of writing bad checks because “This instance of bad check writing has been ongoing. She can’t seem to get it through her head that it is illegal.”

Burkhart says it’s a good idea if a business has a question about a written check to contact the bank right away to see if there are sufficient funds to cover the amount.

For additional information about this fraud activity contact Nekoma State Bank at 785-222-2400.

The following from the National Finals Rodeo on Ellis County’s Rylee Werth and other big names performing at next month’s Rodeo in Las Vegas.

After a five-month promotion, four performers have been selected by fans to sing the national anthem at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The Wrangler NFR will kick off on Thursday, Dec. 5 and run through Saturday, Dec. 14.

The Wrangler NFR National Anthem Contest launched on May 15. PRCA-affiliated rodeo committees had the opportunity to nominate one performer for the contest. From there, a judging committee narrowed the list to the top 4 in each respective rodeo committee category (large, medium and small) and the youth category. From Oct. 15 – 30, fans voted on their selection of choice in each category.

Rylee Werth, representing the youth category and the Jayhawker Round Up Rodeo; Jackie Schmillen, representing the Dayton Championship Rodeo; Lexi Larsen, from the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo; and Emily Faith Wilson, affiliated with the Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo, will perform before a capacity crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Eleven-year-old Werth is the daughter of Rodney and Cristi Werth from Ellis, Kan. She is a sixth grader at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Ellis. Werth has been singing at church and local race tracks since she was 7. By the age of 9 she moved to a bigger stage singing the national anthem for many rodeos, concerts and sporting events in the area.

Born in Cherokee, Iowa, home of the Barnes PRCA Rodeo, Schmillen was quickly introduced to the excitement of professional rodeo. Pursuing a passion for the stage, she graduated high school from the Idyllwild Arts Academy in Idyllwild, Calif. and then received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Musical Theatre from the University of Miami. After performing in various theatres across the United States she once again found herself back in her home state. She is currently an on-air host of the Great Day morning show program on KCWI-23 HD in Des Moines. Besides singing and performing in shows, she also loves donating her time to various charities. In 2012, she was awarded the title of “Celebrity of the Year” by the Leukemia Lymphoma Society of Central Iowa.

Born and raised in western Nebraska and currently living in Nashville, Tenn., Larsen is a small-town girl with big city appeal. A singer, songwriter and avid fan of rodeo, she recorded her album Good Memories with songs like “Something About A Sunday” and her new single, “You Can Leave” that hits radio in January 2014. She has opened for Country Music Hall of Famer and music legend Ronnie Milsap and Warner Bros recording trio Gloriana. Other notable appearances include her stop at Sturgis, S.D. and the sold-out show in her hometown of Ogallala, Neb. at the famous Haythorn Land & Cattle Company.

A resident of Groesback, Texas, Wilson has had a passion for singing and performing since she was a young girl. A 2011 graduate of Groesback High School, she began entering singing and local talent competitions when she was in the fifth grade. Her dream is to inspire and reach others through music.

The full list of anthem performers include:
Thursday, Dec. 5 – Clay Walker
Friday, Dec. 6 – Susie Dobbs
Saturday, Dec. 7 – Rylee Werth
Sunday, Dec. 8 – Jackie Schmillen
Monday, Dec. 9 – Terry Fator
Tuesday, Dec. 10 – Neal McCoy
Wednesday, Dec. 11 – U.S. Marine Band
Thursday, Dec. 12 – Lexi Larsen
Friday, Dec. 13 – Daryle Singletary
Saturday, Dec. 14 – Emily Faith Wilson

The Wrangler NFR, known as the richest and most prestigious rodeo in the world, has sold out 270 consecutive performances and attracts the top 15 contestants in bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding as they compete for a share of the $6.25 million purse. Qualification is based on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association World Standings.

The Hays Area Chamber of Commerce recently accepted eight new elects to serve as Chamber Ambassadors. Each individual Ambassador contributes a one year term, promoting goodwill, understanding, and confidence among business men and women, farmers, and citizens of Hays and the surrounding area.
The Chamber would like to extend their congratulations and welcome the newest members:
Tim Chapman, FHSU Foundation
Jayne Inlow, HaysMed Foundation
Deb King, Emprise Bank
Kara Moore, Golden Belt Bank
Dustin Roths, Diamond R Jewelry
Laura Sadeghi, Heartland Realty
Jake Sanders, Covenant Builders
Lynn Schmeidler, Rose Garden Steak Haus & Catering
The Chamber would also like to recognize and thank these outgoing Ambassadors:
Joni Jackson, Insurance Planning, Inc. – Ag Pro and  Robert Readle, Heartland Realty

Each individual Ambassador fills a much appreciated role through their time and contributions to assist with the success and well-being of our community. There are currently 45 members serving as Chamber Ambassadors. For more information, visit www.discoverhays.com.

Thanksgiving week is set aside annually to recognize and appreciate families and to reinforce and encourage healthy family life and family values. This week as your family gathers for the holiday, take time to reflect on the benefits obtained by being a member of a family and consider ways that you can strengthen your family.
It is possible for every family to grow close, to develop more cohesiveness, to become stronger. According to research done by John DeFrain at the University of Nebraska, when people across the country and around the world describe the qualities that make their family strong, they list similar things.
Here is the list of characteristics of strong families identified by DeFrain’s research:
1. Appreciation and affection- caring for each other, friendship, playfulness, humor and respect for individuality.
2. Commitment- honesty, trust, faithfulness, dependability and sharing.
3. Positive communication- giving compliments, sharing feelings, avoiding blaming, being able to compromise and agreeing to disagree.
4. Managing stress and crisis effectively- adaptable, sees crises as challenges and opportunities, growing through crises together, open to change, able to bounce back from stress and crisis.
5. Spiritual well-being- hope, faith, compassion, shared ethical values.
6. Enjoyable time together- lots of quality time, enjoying each other’s company, sharing fun activities and simple good times.
Thanksgiving is a great time to let family members know how thankful you are for them. Fortunately, an appreciative attitude doesn’t cost anything, it takes very little time, it’s always available and it can last the whole year long! Here are a few quick suggestions to share your appreciation and gratitude at Thanksgiving time:
• Put a note under each person’s plate at the Thanksgiving table, mentioning a specific reason why you are thankful for them. For example, “I am thankful for Aunt Rosalee because she makes the best pies!” Or “I am thankful for the way Cousin Joe makes me laugh.” Before you pass the turkey, have each person peek under their plate to discover why they are appreciated.
• Set a jar and small slips of paper in an easily accessible place. Ask each person to note someone or something they are thankful for and drop it into the jar. After the family meal, designate someone to read aloud all the Thanksgiving thoughts in the jar.
• While lingering over the pumpkin pie, go around the table and have each person tell what they appreciate about their family or what they are thankful for this year. You’ll enjoy hearing what each person has to share.
• If family members are too shy or can’t think of anything on the spot, play “Thanksgiving From A to Z.” The person who starts says they are thankful for something that starts with the letter “A”, the next person the letter “B”, the next “C” and so on. In a small group, add a twist– where each person repeats what has been said before. For instance, “Dad is thankful for apple pie, Grandma is thankful for baking bread, Mary is thankful for her cat, and I’m thankful for daisies.”
• As the family gathers for Thanksgiving, promise yourself that you’ll give out at least three genuine compliments before the day ends. The nice thing about compliments is that they tend to be contagious. There’s no telling how the appreciation and affection will spread!
Happy Thanksgiving!

The Hays Regional Airport will host a Holiday Open House Sunday, December 1, from 4p.m. to 6p.m.

Special guest Santa Claus will arrive right at 4p.m. to share in cookies and refreshments, and visit with children.  Parents are encouraged to bring their camera to take photos of Santa with the youngsters.

At 6p.m., there will be a drawing for one free round-trip ticket to Denver.  You must be 18 to enter.

The free event is sponsored by Fly Hays.

Questions may be directed to the Hays Regional Airport at (785) 628-7370.