By James Bell
Hays Post

After an exhaustive search, Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine, has announced James Younger as their new director of marketing. He took over the role this month.

Being a Hays native, with fond memories of the shopping center, he was able to hit the ground running, already planning new events for the recently renovated facility.

“The biggest thing I was looking for was someone that was not afraid of being in the public eye, who can take the good and the bad and someone that truly wants to be in the community,” said Katie Dorzweiler, property manager.

“He fits all those requirements.”

Younger was born and raised in Hays, graduating from Hays High School in 2009 and Fort Hays State University in 2014 where he majored in communications.

With his experience and familiarity with Hays, he hopes to bring a unique take to the position.

“Being able to help create new and fresh events, I think that will really help revitalize the public opinion,” Younger said. “I feel my little bit younger perspective, but a mature perspective, will really play into this community.”

Having a male perspective in the position will also give Younger the ability to bring something different to the traditionally female role.

“James can implement different male and family oriented things,” Dorzweiler said and she wants Younger to find ways to give men more reasons to visit the mall, hopefully bringing family members along with them.

Within his position, Younger hopes to bring activities and events to the shopping center, similar to the ones he remembers from his youth when it was called the Hays Mall.

“A win for me, is honestly giving people a place to create memories,” he said, and to have locals “not only shop here, but have roots here, much in the way that I have roots in the community.”

He also hopes the mall can once again become a hub for the Hays community, that will in turn help bring in more tenants for the facility and shoppers for existing mall businesses.

“The more foot-traffic that we create, the more opportunities come our way,” Younger said. “I think that’s something the community of Hays could really benefit from.”

While the mall has received some bad publicity in recent years, Younger and Dorzweiler hope area residents will see changes in the facility’s culture and give the property the opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the Hays community to create a stronger shopping center for the region.

With more shopper traffic, more opportunities will arise for new business to come into the facility. With that in mind in his new role, Younger said he wants to “help increase people’s awareness about the mall, help get them in here,” to see the changes being made, and to feel the center’s new attitude.

The Hays Police Department responded to 11 animal calls and 12 traffic stops Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016, according to the HPD Activity Log.

Lost Animals ONLY–200 block E 16th St, Hays; 6:17 AM
Traffic Stop–2300 block E 13th St, Hays; 7:43 AM
Animal At Large–200 block E 23rd St, Hays; 10:057 AM
Animal At Large–21st and Fort St, Hays; 12:04 PM
Theft (general)–1900 block Main St, Hays; 1/25 2:30 PM; 1/26 5 AM
MV Accident-Private Property–1600 block E 27th St, Hays; 2:29 PM
Disturbance – Noise–300 block W 9th St, Hays; 3:26 PM
Animal At Large–2900 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 3:40 PM
Animal Bite Investigation–1000 block E 8th St, Hays; 5:27 PM
MV Accident-Hit and Run–1900 block Allen St, Hays; 7:34 PM
MV Accident-Private Property–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 7:54 PM
Lost Animals ONLY–100 block W 4th St, Hays; 8:02 PM
Disorderly Conduct–500 block W 37th St, Hays; 4 PM
Wildlife Incident–400 block W 13th St, Hays; 9:24 PM
Harassment (All Other)–300 block W 7th St, Hays; 9:30 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–21st and Golden Belt, Hays; 10:26 PM

By James Bell
Hays Post

A second meeting for residents interested in helping spread information about the Hays school district’s upcoming $94 million bond election will be held Wednesday evening. USD 489 administration will host the meeting which starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Hays High Lecture Hall, 2300 E. 13th.

In a message sent at the beginning of the year, the district outlined the following committees for which interested parties could volunteer:

• The Fundraising Committee will help identify the budget for the campaign and solicit donations.

• The Public Relations Committee will help brand the bond issue, provide materials for the website and social media outlets, and host community events.

• The Voter Participation Committee will assist others in registering to vote and encourage voter responsiveness.

• The Speakers Bureau Committee will seek opportunities to make public presentations to organizations and serve as an advocate in support of the bond.

• The Volunteer Committee will help generate volunteers to organize general educational materials for the bond election, as well as help the other committees when needed.

The bond election was originally planned for April.  But  it has been pushed back in order to collect approximately 1,200 signatures of eligible voters to put a proposed sales tax on the ballot, adding the funding component to help offset the cost of the bond issue.   Earlier this month, the Hays City Commission declined to support the USD 489 request for a sales tax ballot.

A series of town hall meetings, starting Thur., Feb.  4, has also been planned in order to give the public an opportunity to see individual building needs and ask questions about the bond.

Individuals interested in serving on a committee can contact USD 489 Board Clerk Sarah Wasinger at (785) 623-2400, Ext. 112, or by email at [email protected].

FHSU University Relations

Fort Hays State University’s Stripes for Hope will host its annual letter-writing event to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital on Tuesday, March 1.

The event, which raised more than $30,000 last spring, asks students to address letters to friends and family. The letters contain information about St. Jude and encourage donations to the hospital. Participants will compete in teams for prizes donated by community sponsors.

Non-profit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, founded by Danny Thomas, is devoted to finding cures for devastating childhood diseases. Patients are treated regardless of their financial situation and are given free treatment, travel and accommodations. These efforts are made possible by public contributions and donations raised by events such as the letter writing campaign.

Stripes for Hope was founded by a group of college students who wanted to raise awareness for the hospital and the childhood diseases that it helps research. Since it’s first year in 1998, the organization has spread to 330 campuses and has raised more than $34 million for St. Jude.

Highs today will top out in the upper 50s with a few reaching around 60 degrees across far southwestern Kansas.

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. West wind 7 to 11 mph.

Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. West northwest wind around 9 mph.

ThursdaySunny, with a high near 58. West northwest wind 6 to 10 mph.

Thursday NightMostly clear, with a low around 30. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph.

FridaySunny, with a high near 63. Southwest wind 7 to 10 mph becoming north northwest in the afternoon.

Friday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 33.

SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 60.

Saturday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 32.

SundayMostly sunny, with a high near 46.