Rooks County has issued a burn ban.

Rooks County Emergency Manager Butch Post said the ban is effective immediately until further notice.

Post said all outside burning is prohibited such as the burning of trash and lawn debris.

The use of charcoal/propane barbeque grills and fully covered stoves is allowed.

The National Weather Service in Dodge City provides storm identification/spotter training sessions each spring. These sessions are done in cooperation with county Emergency Management agencies across the area.

All training is free, is open for anyone to attend, and is not designed for just storm spotters. Anyone with a desire to learn how to identify severe weather and to learn about the dangers from these storms is encouraged to attend. The programs last about 90 minutes.

The Hays meeting is Wednesday, March 18, at 7 p.m. in the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, 3000 Sternberg Dr.

RUSSELL–Russell County is in a burn ban effective immediately and until further notice.

Russell County Commissioners voted during their Monday morning meeting to pass the resolution.

The only exceptions to the burn ban are the use of fully covered and contained stoves, fireplaces and propane and charcoal barbeque grills.

All other burning is prohibited.

PLAINVILLE–Rooks County Health Center (RCH) offers counseling services to complete applications for private health insurance coverage during the new special enrollment period from March 15 to April 30.

This special enrollment period is for those who did not have health insurance in 2014 and have not enrolled in health insurance for 2015. Based on their income, many individuals risk paying a fee for not having health coverage, $95 per person or one percent of household income, whichever is greater. In 2015, this fee will increase to $325 per person or two percent of their household income if a person chooses to remain uninsured.

“Many households didn’t realize that the health care law required health care coverage if you could afford it. And they are just learning now how it would impact their taxes. Recognizing this may happen, a special enrollment period has been made available, March 15 to April 30, to help people avoid the tax in the future and take advantage of health care coverage,” said Cricket Rice, RCH’s Certified Application Counselor, in a news release.

Rice helps people complete the application process to enroll in the health insurance of their choice.

“The most important step someone can take to know what their health care options are is to simply complete the application. No one can be denied coverage and based on one’s income, many learn they qualify for premium tax credits and savings on out-of-pocket costs,” said Rice. According to healthcare.gov, eight out of ten people find coverage for $100 or less a month.

The special enrollment from March 15 to April 30 is reserved only for those uninsured in 2014 and 2015.

The next open enrollment period for the public will be in the fall. Enrolling in health insurance outside of the open enrollment period requires a life change such as getting married or divorced, becoming pregnant or a change in employment/income.

For more information regarding qualifying life change events or private health insurance, contact Cricket Rice at Rooks County Health Center (785) 688-4443 or 1210 N. Washington Street in Plainville.

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

The Hays Fire Department is repeating a weekend warning by the Ellis County Rural Fire Department to carefully dispose of cigarettes after HFD crews responded to a grass fire in front of O’Loughlin Elementary School, 1401 Hall St., shortly after 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

According to HFD Chief Gary Brown, the fire was quickly extinguished and the cause of the fire is unknown.

However, Brown warned recent high temperatures combined with high wind and low humidity cause what the National Weather Service  describes as  ‘Red Flag Days’ – days when conditions are ideal for grass fire combustion, and rapid spread.

Ellis County is included in a Red Flag Warning from noon until 7 p.m. today as issued by the Dodge City NWS office.

“It’s  just very dry, so even the lowest spark…something as simple as a cigarette flicked out the window could set grass fires on the side of the road,” he said.

Just as the HFD was responding to the grass fire at O’Loughlin, the Ellis County Rural Fire Department was called to  a ditch fire on U.S. 183 Bypass just north of 27th Street at 1:30 p.m, and a second late Saturday afternoon at 1300 Feedlot Road which was also contained to a ditch.

Rural firefighters also extinguished a small house fire in Schoenchen Saturday.

RELATED STORY: Structure Fire Grass Fires Lead to Advisory from Ellis Count Rural Fire

Trego County Commissioners have enacted a burn ban effective today until further notice.

Commissioners voted this morning to enact the burn ban, according to a notice from Trego County Emergency Manager Kathleen Fabrizius.

The ban also covers the sale and discharge of fireworks.

The only exception will be burning in a covered trash barrel.

Commissioners will revisit the fireworks ban closer to the July 4th holiday.

Trego County is in a Red Flag Warning from noon until 7 p.m. Monday as issued by the National Weather Service in Dodge City.