GRAY COUNTY -One man is in custody in Meade County following a standoff on Monday in Montezuma.

Just after 1a.m., on Monday law enforcement officials responded to a residence in Montezuma after a man threatened himself and others, according to KBI Special Agent Doug Younger.

Gray County officials asked the KBI High Risk Response team for assistance. After 3 hours of negotiations and the use of tear gas, the man threw a couple of rifles out the door and was arrested. He is being held in the Meade County Jail on two warrants in Gray County. No one was injured.

The Gray County Attorney is expected to release additional details on charges.

Due to the standoff, classes were canceled Monday in the Montezuma and Copeland school districts.

The residence is near the high school and elementary school in Montezuma. The two districts share a junior high and high school and busing services. They have a combined enrollment of about 240 students.

—————

GRAY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Gray County including the KBI Special Response team are working on resolving a situation with a subject in a residence in Montezuma, according a social media report from the Gray County Sheriff’s Office.

Classes at USD 371 Montezuma and USD 476 Copeland were initially delayed at least 2 hours due to the incident. Just after 9 a.m., administration cancelled classes for the day.

The Gray County Sheriff’s Office asked the public to please respect the perimeter they have established.

No additional details have been released. Montezuma is located on U.S. 56 thirty minutes southwest of Dodge City.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

In Ellis County District Court Monday, Shannon Geoffrey Smith, 26, Wilmer, Ala., and Jessie Dewayne Holland, 29, Saraland, Ala., were separately sentenced to 36 months for their involvement in an armed robbery of Casey’s General Store, 213 Washington, Ellis, on Dec. 29.

Following the robbery both men fled the scene, ultimately crashing a stolen vehicle in an attempt to enter Interstate 70 at exit 157, leading to an hours-long manhunt. Both men were captured in the area along with law enforcement finding weapons and cash in the area.

The sentence for both men was recommended as part of plea deals that were entered into last month.

Along with the 36-month sentence, both men were ordered to pay $19 restitution, $438 in court costs and a $400 KBI lab fee.

ALLIANCE, NEB. — Eagle Communications, Inc. of Hays, has announced Olivia Hasenauer has been promoted to General Manager of its Media Centers in Alliance and Chadron, Neb. Hasenauer has served as the local Sales Manager at Eagle’s North Platte market for the past two years.

As General Manager, she will oversee Eagle’s radio and digital operations in Alliance and Chadron, beginning July 1, 2016.

Hasenauer began her career with Eagle in 2011 as a Marketing Consultant, and was promoted to Sales Manager in June of 2014. She has received numerous awards with Eagle Communications including the 2014 Individual Performance Award, given annually to an employee-owner who exhibits exemplary leadership, ability and job performance.

Eagle Communications CEO Gary Shorman said in a news release, “Olivia has great energy and enthusiasm and has been very successful as Sales Manager in North Platte. As an employee-owned company, it is important to recognize positive team leaders and we know she will bring those same qualities to our leadership position in Alliance and Chadron.”

Shorman said Hasenauer will be replacing Jerome Gilg, the Nebraska Market Manager, who has been interim General Manager in Alliance for the past 18 months. Gilg will retire from a full-time role with Eagle at the end of July.

“This is an exciting time for Eagle, and I’m grateful for this opportunity to move forward in a company that is growing new ways to serve communities,” Hasenauer said. “The future is what we make it, and with an employee-owned company like Eagle, the future is very much in our hands.”

Hasenauer has served on the Board of Directors of the Connection Homeless Shelter in North Platte, as well as the Board of Trustees of the Mid Plains United Way. She is also a cofounder of You-Gen, a branch of the North Platte Chamber of Commerce whose mission is to help develop young leaders in a professional setting and retain young business professionals in the community. She is married to Neil Hasenauer, and has two children, Lillian and Damian.

Submitted

The Hays Beautification Committee in conjunction with the City of Hays is sponsoring a Water $mart Landscape Award program for 2016 with categories for both Residential and Commercial landscapes.

A Water $mart Landscape is a sustainable and drought-tolerant landscape with low-water use plants and turf to maximize water efficiency.

The goal of the award program is to increase awareness of water conservation in the Hays community by promoting creative low-water (Water $mart) Landscaping.

The Water $mart Landscape Award may be presented to a residential and a commercial Hays water customer with a Water $mart Landscape that exemplifies superior design and follows the seven principles of water smart landscape:

1. Planning and design
2. Low-water use plants
3. Practical turf areas
4. Efficient irrigation
5. Soil amendment
6. Mulches
7. Maintenance

1. Planning and design includes proper plant groupings and size. Slopes, exposure, soil amendments and water needs must also be taken into consideration.

2. Low-water use plants: Plants materials used should be the correct type for the Hays area.

3. Practical turf areas: Turf areas are to be properly laid out with warm season grasses being used in lieu of fescue/bluegrass.

4. Efficient irrigation: Does the landscape use driplines, high efficiency nozzles or subterranean irrigation.

5. Soil amendment: Soil was amended or tested in the proper manner to provide healthy establishment and healthy growth of drought-tolerant landscape and turf.

6. Mulches: Does the landscape plan have proper use of wood mulches and proper use of rock and gravel outside the planting zones.

7. Maintenance: Was the Water $mart Landscape properly maintained during establishment. At appropriate times, pruning, mowing, fertilizing, watering and insect/disease were completed to maintain a healthy Water $mart Landscape.

Requirements for nomination include that the nominee landscape area is within the city limits of Hays, the selected Water $mart Landscape must be visible to the public, and the Water $mart Landscape must have been installed at least one year prior to the nomination to demonstrate healthy establishment and proper care.

All are encouraged to submit nominations by June 1 to the Hays Parks Department or contact them at (785) 628-7375.

Nominations will be judged by the Hays Beautification Committee. Finalists will be contacted to schedule an on-site visit.

One winner will be chosen from each category, commercial and residential. Winners will be notified by June 30 and will receive an award and a certificate identifying them as a Water $mart Landscape winner. The winners will be presented their award during a regular scheduled Hays city commission meeting in July.

ELLIS–An update on the waterline improvement project will be presented at tonight’s Ellis City Council meeting by Buck Driggs, Driggs Design Group. Council members will also discuss funding of new water sources exploration.

In other business, approval of employee dental insurance renew rates will be considered.

The complete agenda follows.

AGENDA May 2, 2016 REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF ELLIS
City Hall – Council Meeting Room

BILLS ORDINANCE REVIEW WORK SESSION BEGINS AT 7:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL AND MEETING CALL TO ORDER AT 7:30 P.M.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA (if needed)
1) CONSENT AGENDA
a) Minutes from Regular Meeting on April 18, 2016
b) Bills Ordinance #1996
c) December 2015 Manual Journal Entries
(Council will review for approval under one motion under the consent agenda. By majority vote of the governing body, any item may be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately)
PUBLIC COMMENTS
(Each speaker will be limited to five minutes. If several people from the group wish to speak on same subject, the group must appoint a spokesperson. ALL comments from public on agenda items must be during Public Comment. Once council begins their business meeting, no more comments from public will be allowed.)
2) PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS, PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
a) Fort Hays State University Student Interns – Kristine Tippin and Nancy Patel
3) SPECIAL ORDER
a) Fort Hays State University Leadership 310 Team Presentation
4) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a) Update on Waterline Improvement Project – Buck Driggs, Driggs Design Group
5) NEW BUSINESS
a) Consider Approval of Fireworks Application
b) Consider Approval of Ordinance Levying One Cent Sales Tax
c) Consider Approval of 2017 Budget Contract
d) Consider Approval of Standard & Poors Engagement Contract for Bond Rating Services
e) Consider Approval of Bids for Sewer Sludge Auger Tube
f) Consider Approval of Employee Dental Insurance Renewal Rates
g) Discuss Water Exploration Funding
6) REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
a) Administrative
1) Public Works
(1) Update on Recent Training
(2) Department Update
2) Police
(1) Monthly Activity Report for April
(2) May Staff Calendar
(3) Department Update
3) City Clerk
(1) December 2015 Financial Statements
(2) Consider Tourism Task Force Request for Donations
(3) Department Update
4) Attorney
5) Mayor Update and Announcements
(1) Update from Mayor’s Conference
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
7) ADJOURNMENT

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission will continue its discussions on the 2017 budget at Monday night’s commission meeting.

At a meeting earlier this year, County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes asked the commission for direction in finding a way to close a budget shortfall for next year. The commission instead left it up to the department heads to find ways to cut within their departments.

Smith-Hanes will present the commission with three possible options for cutting the budget.

The commission will also discuss bids for replacing the bridge over the Saline River on Yocemento Avenue. At the commission’s last meeting in April, Interim Public Works Director Curt Hoffman presented the commission presented the commission with the four bids the county received for construction.

Monday’s meeting is at 5 p.m. Monday at the County Administrative Office.