Year: 2016
Polls are open until 7 p.m. tonight; 20% early turnout in Ellis County
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The polls are open in Hays and across Kansas. Election Day 2016 is finally here.
The parking lot at the Hays American Legion, 1305 Canterbury, was nearly full just before 7 a.m. Tuesday morning with a line of voters extending down the hallway and out the door.
A lot of Ellis County residents cast their ballots early–20 percent–according to Ellis County Clerk/Election Officer Donna Maskus. Advance voting was available at the county clerk’s office in Hays until noon Monday. At 10:30 a.m., about 25 people were waiting in and just outside the office to vote at the Ellis Co. Administration Center, 718 Main.
Statewide, more than 468,000 Kansans voted early according to Secretary of State Kris Kobach. There are 1.8 million registered voters in Kansas. Kobach is predicting 1.3 Kansans will vote in the election for a 72 percent turnout.
In Ellis County, Democrat incumbent Ann Pfeifer faces Republican challenger Lisa Schlegel in the race for Ellis Co. Treasurer. In Ellis, there are seven candidates vying for three open seats on the city council.
In the 111th House district which covers most of Ellis County, incumbent Republican Sue Boldra is being challenged by Democrat Eber Phelps. Both are Hays residents.
For a preview of the races Ellis County residents will vote in, check out this interview with Ellis County Clerk and Election Officer Donna Maskus.
The polls remain open in Ellis County until 7 p.m. Be sure to check back with Hays Post for local election results tonight.
United Way Dine Out Day Wed. at Taco Shop
UWEC
Wed., Nov. 9, is Dine Out Day for the United Way of Ellis County at the Taco Shop, 333 W. 8th, Hays.
A portion of the day’s proceeds will be donated by the Taco Shop to the United Way of Ellis County.
The UWEC online auction continues through Tue., Nov. 15.
SCHLAGECK: Welcome to the land of opportunity
Nowhere on earth can you invest your money more safely or profitably than western Kansas. That was the marketing pitch back in 1905 from Wise & Stern dealers in farms, grazing lands and stock ranches.
Wise & Stern, located at 806 Grand Ave. in Kansas City, Mo., had already been selling land in western Kansas for several years; in addition to making money, this company was convinced western Kansas was the new heaven on earth and destined for greatness.
Crops that year were excellent and a feeling of prosperity prevailed across the western third to half of Kansas. Reports of wheat yields of more than 25 bushels per acre in the region of Lane, Finney, Kearney, Wichita, Greely, Hamilton and Scott counties were heralded as average with many farmers reporting even “better” yields. Wheat sold for a whopping 80 cents per bushel.
A decided change for the better in rainfall during the last few years steamrolled the excitement among those like Wise & Stern who marketed a 28-page pamphlet touting Western Kansas as the land of opportunity. They also provided rail trips to show off their holdings to anyone wishing to invest in land.
“The breaking up and cultivating of these prairies south of western Kansas (in Oklahoma and Texas) has changed these prairies and has changed these winds to more moisture-laden breezes, so that there is an appreciable increase in the rainfall on the plains of Western Kansas over the average of ten years ago,” according to Wise & Stern’s pamphlet.
A story in the Kansas City Journal, a western Kansan was quoted as saying, “we have found out how to farm Western Kansas now and the rainfall has changed. It used to rain all at once, and then stay dry – now we have gentle, soaking rains all over Western Kansas. Cloudbursts and floods no longer trouble us.”
Blessed with well-watered, fertile soil – rich, black loam ranging from two to four feet deep and a “mild” climate with short winters, cool nights in the summer and almost always a gentle breeze, western Kansas was touted as “God’s Country” at the beginning of the 20th Century.
During the nine-year period between 1897 and 1905, western Kansas averaged more than 20 inches of rainfall per year in Finney County, according to B.F. Stocks, a local observer with the U.S. Weather Bureau. Such a rosy rainfall record provided even more reason to invest in western Kansas land.
Another attribute that boded well for buying farm and ranch land in western Kansas 108 years ago was the cheap price.
Land in this region of Kansas could be purchased from $2.50 to $15 per acre. Individuals interested in buying land were encouraged to look around at the rich farmer neighbors from Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. They all became wealthy because they bought land when it was cheap, so the sales pitch went.
“The same opportunity is open to you, providing you choose to take advantage of it,” according to Wise & Stern. “This is probably your last opportunity for good, smooth and productive lands at $3 to $15 an acre.”
Yes, western Kansas was indeed the Promised Land back in 1905. Visions of this rich, smooth, fertile prairie becoming the breadbasket of the world were being heralded throughout the land.
Fields producing 20 to 45 bushels per acres with a test weight of 60 to 66 pounds per bushel were commonplace with never a thought given to extended periods of drought, blowing winds and soil. More than 100 years ago, western Kansas was indeed the new, undeveloped region where opportunities and advantages were limitless.
Examples of production costs including interest and taxes – but no mention of labor, toil and trial – totaled $874 to put in a wheat crop and harvest it on 160 acres. With a yield of 20 bushels per acre, at 60 cents per bushel, a farmer could gross $1,920. Net profit on 160 acres for one year and one wheat crop totaled $1,046. Quite a return in 1905.
This formula for success was sound. No need for argument. All that was required was for the farmer to till the soil properly and the elements would do the rest. However, no man should expect nature to do it all.
Welcome to the land of opportunity.
John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.
Another drizzle offers up moisture to northwest Kan.
A slow-falling drizzle offered up more moisture for Ellis County through the night, with about 0.17 inches in the gauge in Hays Tuesday morning.
Slightly more rain fell north of Hays, with reports of 0.23 inches near Ellis and 0.21 directly north of Hays. The Victoria area received between 0.1 and 0.16 inches.
Trego County also received between a tenth and 0.2 inches, while Rooks County had a report of 0.38 inches.
The skies cleared Tuesday morning, and Election Day is expected to be sunny and mild, with a high of 58 degrees.
Click HERE for the complete extended forecast.
Sunny, mild Election day
Today Sunny, with a high near 58. North wind 10 to 15 mph.
Tonight Patchy frost after 3am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 30. North northeast wind 3 to 8 mph.
Wednesday Areas of frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 63. Light and variable wind becoming south southwest 5 to 8 mph in the morning.
Wednesday NightPatchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 35. South southwest wind around 7 mph.
ThursdayPatchy frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 72. Southwest wind 7 to 11 mph.
Thursday NightMostly clear, with a low around 39.
Veterans DaySunny, with a high near 60.
Friday NightPatchy frost after 2am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 33.
SaturdayAreas of frost before 7am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 62.
KHP: Van hits, kills Kansas man on the Interstate
JOHNSON COUNTY- A Kansas man died in an accident just after 11:30 p.m. on Monday in Johnson County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Kia Sedona driven by Charles Lopez, 38, Overland Park, was northbound on Interstate 35 just north of 75th Street in Merriam.
The vehicle hit Phillip Nagorney, 62, who entered the roadway.
Nagorney was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics.
The accident remains under investigation.
Kan. man faces trial on 5 felony counts for fire while making explosives
HUTCHINSON— A Kansas man arrested by police in June after a fire and explosion at the Plaza Towers building, 17 East 2nd
Avenue, in Hutchinson will face trial on January 21, on five felony counts.
Chase Coble is accused of three counts of aggravated arson and two counts criminal use of explosives. The first three counts are level three felonies with a maximum sentence on each count of over 20 years in prison.
Police say Coble was experimenting with toxic, volatile chemicals to make black powder to use in explosives when it got out of hand.
The fire and explosion caused significant damage to the apartment on the 12th
floor of the Towers building and also some damage to the apartment below.
Police investigate Kansas shooting death
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police are investigating a homicide in Wichita.
KAKE-TV reports that the victim was shot Monday night in the northeast part of the city. Police say the victim was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The name of the victim wasn’t immediately released.
Federal officials to monitor polls in Kansas, 27 other states
The Justice Department announced Monday that its Civil Rights Division plans to deploy more than 500 personnel to 67 jurisdictions in 28 states for the Nov. 8, general election, according to a media release.
Although state and local governments have primary responsibility for administering elections, the Civil Rights Division is charged with enforcing the federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all citizens to access the ballot on Election Day. Since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the department has regularly monitored elections in the field in jurisdictions around the country to protect the rights of voters.
“The bedrock of our democracy is the right to vote, and the Department of Justice works tirelessly to uphold that right not only on Election Day, but every day,” said Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch. “We enforce federal statutes related to voting through a range of activities – including filing our own litigation when the facts warrant, submitting statements of interest in private lawsuits to help explain our understanding of these laws, and providing guidance to election officials and the general public about what these laws mean and what they require. On Election Day itself, lawyers in the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section will staff a hotline starting in the early hours of the morning, and just as we have sent election monitors in prior elections, we will continue to have a robust election monitors program in place on election day. As always, our personnel will perform these duties impartially, with one goal in mind: to see to it that every eligible voter can participate in our elections to the full extent that federal law provides. The department is deeply committed to the fair and unbiased application of our voting rights laws and we will work tirelessly to ensure that every eligible person that wants to do so is able to cast a ballot.”
Leading up to and throughout Election Day, Civil Rights Division staff members will be available by telephone to receive complaints related to possible violations of the federal voting rights laws (Toll free at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767 or TTY 202-305-0082). In addition, individuals may also report such complaints by fax to 202-307-3961, by email to [email protected] links icon and by a complaint form on the department’s website: www.justice.gov/crt/votercomplaint.
Allegations of election fraud are handled by the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country and the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. Complaints may be directed to any of the local U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the local FBI offices or the Public Integrity Section at 202-514-1412. A list of U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and their telephone numbers can be found at www.justice.gov/usao/find-your-united-states-attorney. A list of FBI offices and accompanying telephone numbers can be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us.
As always, complaints related to disruption at a polling place should always be reported immediately to local election officials (including officials in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. They should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.
On Election Day, the Civil Rights Division will monitor the election on the ground in 67 jurisdictions for compliance with the federal voting rights laws:
Finney County, Kansas;
Bethel Census Area, Alaska;
Dillingham Census Area, Alaska;
Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska;
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska;
Maricopa County, Arizona;
Navajo County, Arizona;
Alameda County, California;
Napa County, California;
Siskiyou County, California;
East Hartford, Connecticut;
Farmington, Connecticut;
Hartford, Connecticut;
Middletown, Connecticut;
New Britain, Connecticut;
Newington, Connecticut;
West Hartford, Connecticut;
Hillsborough County, Florida;
Lee County, Florida;
Miami-Dade County, Florida;
Orange County, Florida;
Palm Beach County, Florida;
Fulton County, Georgia;
Gwinnett County, Georgia;
Hancock County, Georgia;
Chicago, Illinois;
Cook County, Illinois;
Orleans Parish, Louisiana;
Quincy, Massachusetts;
Dearborn Heights, Michigan;
Detroit, Michigan;
Hamtramck, Michigan;
St. Louis, Missouri;
Douglas County, Nebraska;
Mineral County, Nevada;
Washoe County, Nevada;
Middlesex County, New Jersey;
Cibola County, New Mexico;
Kings County, New York;
Orange County, New York;
Queens County, New York;
Cumberland County, North Carolina;
Forsyth County, North Carolina;
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina;
Robeson County, North Carolina;
Wake County, North Carolina;
Benson County, North Dakota;
Rolette County, North Dakota;
Cuyahoga County, Ohio;
Franklin County, Ohio;
Hamilton County, Ohio;
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania;
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania;
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania;
Pawtucket, Rhode Island;
Providence, Rhode Island;
Bennett County, South Dakota;
Jackson County, South Dakota;
Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota;
Shelby County, Tennessee;
Dallas County, Texas;
Harris County, Texas;
Waller County, Texas;
San Juan County, Utah;
Fairfax County, Virginia;
Prince William County, Virginia, and
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The department will gather information on, among other things, whether voters are subject to different voting qualifications or procedures on the basis of race, color or membership in a language minority group; whether jurisdictions are complying with the minority language provisions of the Voting Rights Act; whether jurisdictions permit voters to receive assistance by a person of his or her choice if the voter is blind, has a disability or is unable to read or write; whether jurisdictions provide polling locations and voting systems allowing voters with disabilities to cast a private and independent ballot; whether jurisdictions comply with the voter registration list requirements of the National Voter Registration Act; and whether jurisdictions comply with the provisional ballot requirements of the Help America Vote Act. To assist in these inquiries, the department has deployed personnel who speak Spanish and a variety of Asian and Native American languages. Department personnel will also maintain contact with local election officials.
Last month, the Justice Department announced efforts to ensure that all qualified voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots and have their votes counted free of discrimination, intimidation or fraud in the election process. More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting rights laws is available on the Civil Rights Division’s website at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
Playwright’s new version of Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ at FHSU this weekend
FHSU University Relations and Marketing
The Department of Music and Theatre at Fort Hays State University will present a new theatrical take on a classic novel from Thursday through Sunday this week.
“Dracula,” Bram Stoker’s legendary novel, turns 120 this year and this new adaptation restores the suspense and seduction of the classic novel to the stage. Steven Dietz faithfully captures a thriller that mesmerizes and enchants.
Rich in fear and terror, Dietz paints a wickedly theatrical picture of Stoker’s seductive fanged beast, Count Dracula, that plays beautifully on the stage.
Tickets – $15 for the public and $10 for students and senior citizens – can be reserved online at https://webapps.fhsu.edu/theatreonlinereservations. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.
All performances are in the Felten-Start Theatre in Malloy Hall on the FHSU campus. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10, 11 and 12, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13.
Federal trial of 2 men puts Kansas gun law in spotlight
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas men accused of federal firearms violations are scheduled for trial this week in a case that indirectly involves a Kansas law seeking to prevent federal prosecution of anyone owning firearms made, sold and kept in the state. See the indictment here.
Shane Cox and Jeremy Kettler’s trial is scheduled to start Tuesday in federal court in Wichita. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Cox, owner of Tough Guys gun store in Chanute, is charged with illegally making and marketing firearms, specifically sound suppressors. Ketter bought a silencer from Cox.
The men’s attorneys argued the charges should be dismissed because the men believed their actions were legal under a state law. The Second Amendment Protection Act says firearms, accessories and ammunition manufactured and kept in Kansas are exempt from federal gun-control laws.
FHSU men’s soccer earns No. 1 seed in Central Region; will host NCAA Super Regional
INDIANAPOLIS –Fort Hays State Soccer Stadium will play host to the NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Tournament for the first time in history, November 18 and 20, as Fort Hays State earned the No. 1 seed in the Central Region on Monday . The Tigers are 13-4-1 overall, while Lindenwood enters at 13-3-2 overall.
FHSU will host No. 2 seed Lindenwood in the Central Regional Final on Friday, November 18. The Midwest Regional Final will also take place that day in Hays. The winners of each match will meet on Sunday, November 20 in the Super Regional Final in Hays for the right to move on to the NCAA Championship site as one of the final four teams. The national semifinal and final matches will be held in Kansas City at Swope Park.
Fort Hays State has won the Central Regional Final two years in a row to get to the national quarterfinals. Unfortunately, the Tigers fell by one goal in 2014 and on penalty kicks last year, stopped short of the championship site by the Midwest Region champ each year.
More details on the NCAA Super Regional in Hays will become available soon as game times are set and the teams representing the Midwest Region are determined this weekend.
FHSU Sports Information