Fire crews from Ellis County Fire District No. 1 and Hays Fire Department are battling a large wildfire in the northeastern segment of Ellis County that has burned into Russell County.

Personnel from Ellis County Public Works and Ellis County EMS as well as various Russell County agencies are assisting with the operation. The American Red Cross is also providing support to firefighters.

“The ground is very rough, and it’s unsafe to send fire crews into significant portions of the area,” said Ellis County Director of Fire & Emergency Management Darin Myers. “The fire is completely uncontained at this point. We will likely be fighting the fire all night.”

The fire started in the 2500 block of Codell Avenue. It has moved in an easterly direction through approximately eight miles of Ellis County and into Russell County. It is approximately one mile in width. 370th Avenue is closed from the 2300 block north to Wiles Road. Crews from Midwest Energy are responding to protect electrical service in the area.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Thanks to Hays resident Lisa Chrisler-VanHorn who shared her pictures of the wild fire two miles north of Severin Road on 370th Ave. in northeast Ellis County.

The fire started about 4:30 p.m. near land and a farm owned by VanHorn’s family.

VanHorn reported seeing fire units at the scene from Paradise, Waldo, Natoma, Ellis County, Lucas, Russell, Victoria and Gorham.

The blaze was still burning at sunset.

HSO

We regret to announce that the Hays Symphony will not be presenting the previously announced concerts on March 11th or April 1st.

The May 6th concert will take place with some programming changes.

The symphony will be performing Dvorak’s 9th Symphony (“From The New World”) and “Nimrod”, from Elgar’s Enigma Variations, with Music Director Shah Sadikov conducting. In addition, the FHSU Choir under the direction of Terry Crull will present John Rutter’s Requiem.

Additional program details will follow in April.

(Video by Hays Post)

Fire crews are back to work today as high winds and dry conditions have led to more grass fires in the region.

Hays Post was near the scene of the Gorham area fire first reported about 2 p.m.

6:15 p.m. Firefighters from Russell, Ellis and Osborne counties are on the scene of blaze south of Fairport in far western Russell County. Fairport residents and area rural residents have been told to evacuate their homes.

6:13 p.m. Midwest Energy was notified of a number of power poles burned and downed in the area of 370th Ave. and Homestead Avenue in northeast Ellis Co. Strong northwesterly winds are blowing the the flames to the southeast.

Following a report from a resident of smoke near 250th Ave. and Locust Grove five miles north of Hays, another call went out to rural firefighters just before 5:30 p.m. At 5:43 p.m. fire crews determined there was no fire in that area, and was likely smoke from the fire at 370th Ave. and the Saline River Road.

Just after 5 p.m., all Ellis Co. rural fire resources were directed to another fire at 370th Ave. and the Saline River Road in northeast Ellis County. The Ellis County EMS Rehab Trailer was also called to the scene.

(Video by Hays Post)

At 3:20 p.m., two Ellis Co. Rural Fire Dept. crews responded to the report of a fire in the 2500 block of Codell Ave., north of Catherine.

Just before 2 p.m. Tuesday, crews were dispatched to a grass fire in the Gorham area.

Also, at 3 p.m., it was reported that a fire in the 230th Avenue and Hopewell Road area, which was ablaze Monday evening, had rekindled.

Check Hays Post for details as they become available.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

ELLIS — On Monday, the Ellis County Commission held its first joint meeting of 2017 with another governing body in the county when they met with the Ellis City Council.

During the meeting in Ellis, Bill Ring, Ellis County Public Works Director, updated the Ellis council on the road situation in the county. Ring said they continue to work to cleanup from the past year’s storms, which left a number of roads and bridges seriously damaged. He estimated they are 99-percent complete with bridge cleanup. Because of the lack of moisture, the county is having to pay for and haul in water to repair roads.

Alan Scheuerman, Ellis City Public Works Director, said he plans to ask for the county’s help with its annual chip seal projects. The city provides the materials to do the work in the city of Ellis, while the county helps with the labor when it can.

County Director of Fire and Emergency Management Darin Myers updated the city council on the current fire situation in and around the area. Myers said he wants the county to begin the process of implementing a burn ban as soon as next week.

He also told the group they will begin updating the new emergency radio system on April 3.

EMS and Health Administrator Kerry McCue told the boards they have gone through a lot of changes since he was put in charge of both departments and said they are evaluating all of the services they provide.

Sheriff’s Detective Chuck White was also on hand as a representative of the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department. He and Ellis Police Chief Taft Yates said they have a good working relationship and work together whenever they can.

The Ellis County Commission will hold a joint meeting with the Hays City Commission on April 25 at 6 p.m.

NPS

NICODEMUS – A proposed expansion of the existing Nicodemus National Historic Landmark (NHL) District is currently available for public review. The review period has been extended through April 16, 2017.

Copies of the document are available at a National Park Service website, https://parkplanning.nps.gov/NICONHL1-23-2017. Comments may be submitted on this same website. A few copies of the document are available at the Township Hall, in Nicodemus and at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site (1515 SE Monroe St., Topeka).

The NHL designation is an honorary designation. Nicodemus was first recognized as an NHL in 1976, as part of a national effort to acknowledge significant African American history during the United States Bicentennial. That 1976 NHL District includes the town site of Nicodemus, Kansas (160 acres), as platted by the Nicodemus Town Company in 1877. Nicodemus was recognized as the only remaining town of those established by African-Americans west of the Mississippi at the end of Reconstruction. The town is symbolic how Blacks participated in Western expansion as they sought personal freedom and opportunity in the West.

In 1996, Congress added a second layer of recognition when they designated individual five properties in town – the Township Hall, St. Francis Hotel, First Baptist Church, A.M.E. Church, and the Schoolhouse – as Nicodemus National Historic Site. The National Historic Site lies entirely within the current NHL and the Site is managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior/National Park Service in partnership with the landowners.

Research and oral histories conducted over 20 years has led to a better understanding of the connections and rich story of African American settlement that extended from the town into the entire Nicodemus Township and some outlying areas. The amendment under review proposed the current boundary to include these additional areas.

Under Federal law, National Historic Landmark (NHL) designation does not change the legal right of a private property owner to take any action with respect to a Landmark property that may otherwise legally be taken. It does not require the owner to allow any public access to their property. And it does not indicate an interest in acquisition of the property by the National Park Service (a federal agency).

A National Park Service representative, Superintendent Sherda Williams, will attend the Nicodemus Township Board Meeting on March 9, 2017 (5:00 pm, Nicodemus Villa) to answer questions on this proposed NHL amendment. Ms. Williams can also be contacted at (785) 354-4273 in Topeka.