Phoebe Jane Jackson, 70, passed away on September 28, 2017 at Cedar Village Care Center in Ness City, Kansas. She was born on October 01, 1946 in Rushville, Illinois the daughter of Marcus and Henrietta (Campbell) Robinson.
Survivors include her daughter, Marce McGovern, Beeler.
Services are with Fitzgerald Funeral Home.
Trisha Ann Groom, 72, of Bennington, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, September 26th, at Holiday Resort, Salina, Kansas.
Trisha was born in Gove County, Kansas on May 17, 1945, a daughter of the late Ina Mae (Merrit) and Delmer Wilson.
On June 16, 1963, Trisha married Daryl Groom in Gove, Kansas.
Survivors include her husband Daryl of the home; son, Tim Groom and wife Amy, of Wellington, Kansas; daughter, Catherine Rush and her companion AJ Ward, of Hays, Kansas; sister, Delores Stineke, and husband Herb, of Gove, Kansas; brothers, Calvin Wilson and wife Jean, of Dighton, Kansas, Boyd Wilson and wife Margie, of Seldon, Kansas, Floyd Wilson and wife Vivian, of Crawfordsville, Indiana. She is also survived by 2 grandchildren, Ian Groom, Brody Groom, both of Wellington, Kansas.
She was preceded in death by her son, Jeff Groom; brothers, Delmer Wilson Jr., Lawrence Wilson, Lloyd Wilson; sister, Eva Flowers, and Candy Wildeman.
At the family’s request there will be no visitation as cremation has been chosen.
No services are planned at this time.
Family request donations to Tammy Walker Cancer Center 511 S. Santa Fe Salina, KS 67401.
John Henry Dillon, 58 of Litchfield Park, Arizona, died on September 27, 2017. John was born on January 1, 1959 to John and Katy Dillon in Rawlins, Wyo. John worked for The local Harley Davidson dealership in Hays from 1999 – 2014.
He was a proud veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and a life member of Free Tomorrow Motorcycle Club. John is survived by his brother, Jerry Dillon and wife Jill of Hays, Ks. Two daughters, Sherry Newacheck and husband Scott and Brittney Unrein and husband Jason all of Russell, Ks. Two nieces and 7 grandchildren. John was preceded in death by both parents.
FHSU University Relations
Seven alumni of Fort Hays State University will be honored at the Alumni Awards and Recognition Banquet Friday, Oct. 6, during Homecoming celebrations.
Five honorees will receive the Alumni Achievement Award, the association’s highest honor, established in 1959 to recognize graduates who have made outstanding and unselfish contributions in service to their community, state or nation as citizens, in chosen career fields or through philanthropic work.
This year’s recipients are Keith Ballard, Ed.D., a 1971 graduate, Claremore, Okla.; Kris Kuksi, 1998, Lawrence; Mary Ann Pfannenstiel, Ph.D., 1974, Lincoln, Neb.; Douglas “Doug” Richmond, J.D., 1980, Olathe; and Michael Staab, J.D., 1978, Winnetka, Ill.
One alumnus will receive the Young Alumni Award, which is granted to graduates of 10-through 15-year reunion classes to recognize those early in their career for significant business or professional accomplishments or for service to the university and the Alumni Association. This year’s recipient is Benjamin “Ben” Markley, D.M.A., 2005, Laramie, Wyo.
The Nita M. Landrum Award for alumni or friends who have provided sustained volunteer service for the betterment of the Alumni Association or FHSU, especially in their home communities or at any local level, will go to Brenda (Frazier) Reeve, 1979, Garden City.
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Keith Ballard, Ed.D., Claremore, Okla., is a professor and director of the Professional Development and Leadership Academy in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at the University of Oklahoma, Tulsa. He received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 1971 from Fort Hays State University. In 1974, he received a Master of Education, reading specialist, from Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Alva, followed by administrative certification from Tulsa University in 1977. Ballard completed his doctorate in educational administration in 1992 at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater.
He began his career teaching in the Coweta and Oologah Public Schools before beginning a career as an administrator, first as an assistant high school principal in Oologah in 1977, eventually working his way up to superintendent of Oologah schools in 1986. He was superintendent in the Claremore Public Schools from 1992 to 2000, when he became executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association, a position he held until 2008, when he was named superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools. In 2015, he accepted his current position in the Rainbolt College of Education.
Kris Kuksi, Lawrence, received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio painting in 1998 from Fort Hays State University. He then completed a seminar on studio painting at Santa Reparata International School of Art in Florence, Italy, in 2001, followed by a Master of Fine Arts in studio painting from FHSU in 2002. Kuksi also completed seminars in “Old Masters – New Visions” in Austria and Germany, in 2002 and 2005 respectively. He is a world-renowned American artist with works in exhibitions and private collections across the globe.
Kuksi’s inspiration comes from industry and machinery. His work encompasses 3D media as well as drawing and painting. He has exhibited from California to New York and on to Europe, Asia and Australia. His work is also featured in public and private collections around the world. Kuksi’s work has been recognized and celebrated in many publications including The New York Times, The Week, LA Weekly, and The Washington Post. He has recently published a book of his unique artworks through Rizzoli International.
Mary Ann Pfannenstiel, Ph.D., Lincoln, Neb., is the vice president of laboratory services and research at Benchmark Biolabs. She received a Bachelor of Science in biology from FHSU in 1974, followed by a Master of Science in plant pathology from Kansas State University, Manhattan, in 1976. She received her doctorate with a major in phytopathology and a minor in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in 1980.
She began her career as a senior scientist with ARMOS Corp. in South San Francisco, Calif. After that, she was a senior investigator for Smith Kline Beecham Animal Health in West Chester, Pa. She spent 1995 as a technical editor and scientific writer before becoming co-founder and co-owner of Benchmark Biolabs Inc. During her professional career, she developed and patented technology, manufacturing methods and processes for vaccines. She was a member of the team that developed the first worldwide vaccine manufactured in plant cells. Her company has received grants from the U.S. Department of Defense for emergency response vaccines and from the state of Nebraska to develop avian flu vaccines.
Douglas “Doug” Richmond, J.D., Olathe, received a Bachelor of Science in physical education from FHSU in 1980. He went on to earn a Master of Arts in education administration, curriculum and instruction from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in 1981, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, in 1989. He is managing director of the Global Professions Practice of Aon Risk Services, the world’s largest broker of insurance for professional services firms.
His career began in education, as a residence hall director and assistant football coach at Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln. After that he was assistant dean of students and director of residence life at Eureka College, Eureka, Ill., and an assistant director for residential and judicial affairs at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn. His legal career began in 1989, when he joined Armstrong Teasdale LLP, Kansas City, Mo., as an associate. He was elected a partner in 1995, when he was first eligible. In 2004 he joined Aon as senior vice president and became managing director in 2011.
Michael Staab, J.D., Winnetka, Ill., is co-CEO and co-founder of Innovative Rx Strategies, LLC, one of the premier pharmacy benefit management consulting firms in the United States. He received a Bachelor of Arts in history from FHSU in 1978; a Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School, Des Moines, Iowa, in 1981; and a Master of Laws degree in health law from DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, in 1993.
His legal career began in Boise, Idaho, litigating insurance defense cases and later representing contractors, suppliers, owners and developers in construction cases. He opened a private practice in Boise in 1983, taking personal injury, medical malpractice, family law and criminal cases. From 1985 to 1996, he practiced law in Salt Lake City and Chicago on a wide variety of cases. In 1996 he began specializing in health and medical law, first as a partner in a Chicago firm and then with CVS Caremark Inc. in Northbrook, Ill. In 2008 he founded Innovative Rx Strategies to help employers, health plans, governmental agencies and third-party administrators save money on prescription drug costs.
YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD
Benjamin “Ben” Markley, D.M.A., Laramie, Wyo., received a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from FHSU in 2005, a Master of Arts in jazz performance and composition from New York University in 2007, and a Doctor of Music Arts in jazz studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 2010. Markley is the director of jazz studies at the University of Wyoming. He is also a jazz pianist and composer. He has performed with internationally acclaimed jazz artists across the globe, released more than 15 commercial recordings and published a variety of vocal jazz and big band arrangements.
Markley has also written a book, A Practical Approach to Improvisation: The David Hazeltine Method, which is finding use as a textbook. His career as a teacher includes positions on the faculty of New York University, the University of Colorado and Colorado State University. He has also taught online classes for Fort Hays State and at FHSU’s summer Music Camp. Along with his career in education, he is still an active performer, playing several times a week in the Denver and Fort Collins area.
NITA M. LANDRUM AWARD
Brenda (Frazier) Reeve, Garden City, part owner of Reeve Cattle Company, graduated from FHSU in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in health, physical education and recreation. She taught physical education in Garden City USD 457 schools before becoming a business owner. She has been very active in numerous school, church and civic organizations but has always been ready to lend a hand, host or sponsor events, sometimes both, for FHSU Alumni events in the Garden City area. She has also been a hostess to visiting FHSU representatives. Reeve has been a proud volunteer, supporter and donor to Fort Hays State for more than 20 years.
She is a current member of the FHSU Foundation Board of Trustees, having served since 2004. Within the Foundation, she has served on numerous committees: Scholarship; Wooster Society; Leadership Circle; Tiger Club; and Difference Makers. Her work has helped provide international travel opportunities for students as well as send students to national conferences, and she has been a large part of creating, with her work and funding, the university’s southwest Kansas area scholarship programs.
Nominations are accepted each year for qualified candidates. Visit www.goforthaysstate.com/awards for more information.
The Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and 15 traffic stops Mon., Sept. 25, 2017, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Disorderly Conduct–500 block W 7th St, Hays; 2:11 AM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–2600 block Vine St, Hays; 7:30 AM
MV Accident-Private Property–2300 block E 13th St, Hays; 7:50 AM
Criminal Trespass–2500 block Vine St, Hays; 9:16 AM
Animal At Large–18th and Main St, Hays; 9:51 AM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–6th St and Oak St, Hays; 11:23 AM
Found/Lost Property–Hays; 12:03 PM
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)–1200 block Fort St, Hays; 1:32 PM
Harassment, Telephone/FAX–500 block E 8th St, Hays; 2:06 PM
Animal At Large–2100 block Commerce Pkwy, Hays; 2:22 PM
MV Accident-Co Road/St Hwy–43rd and Vine St, Hays; 4:45 PM
MV Accident-Hit and Run–2200 block Centennial Blvd, Hays; 4:51 PM; 4:50 PM
Driving Under the Influence–2000 block E 21st Dr, Hays; 5:43 PM
MV Accident-Private Property–2300 block E 13th St, Hays; 6:35 PM
Abandoned Vehicle–500 block Fort St, Hays; 7:32 PM
Overdose–400 block W 11th St, Hays; 8:53 PM
The Hays Police Department responded to 10 animal calls and 14 traffic stops Tue., Sept. 26, 2017, according to the HPD Activity Log.
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–1000 block E 27th St, Hays; 9/26 5:08 PM; 9/25 5:10 PM
Open Door/Window–400 block Oak St, Hays; 12:26 AM
Intoxicated Subject–300 block W 7th St, Hays; 12:56 AM
Theft (general)–500 block W 7th St, Hays; 9/24 12 AM; 1 AM
Animal At Large–1900 block Eisenhower Rd, Hays; 8:45 AM
Tethering Violation–200 block W 14th St, Hays; 10:57 AM
Animal At Large–1700 block Anthony Dr, Hays; 12:07 PM
Abandoned Vehicle–100 block E 19th St, Hays; 1:08 PM
Welfare Check–2700 block Epworth St, Hays; 1:35 PM
Civil Transport–1300 block Kansas Highway 264, Larned; 4:45 PM; 6 PM
Animal At Large–Enersys Rd, Hays; 3:12 PM
Animal Injured–200 block Northridge Dr, Hays; 3:22 PM
Sex Offense–Hays; 8/1/15; 9/11/16
Lost Animals ONLY–2200 block Walnut St, Hays; 6:45 PM
Mental Health Call–1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 6:49 PM
Burglary/vehicle–1200 block E 27th St, Hays; 12:15 PM; 12:30 PM
Mental Health Call–1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 8 PM; 8:05 PM
Criminal Trespass–1700 block Volga Dr, Hays; 9:04 PM
Suspicious Activity–3700 block Vine St, Hays; 9:14 PM
The Hays Police Department responded to 6 animal calls and 20 traffic stops Wed., Sept. 27, 2017, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Drug Offenses–1000 block E 41st St, Hays; 12:56 AM
44 – Traffic Stop–400 block E 8th St, Hays; 2:25 AM
Dead Animal Call–2500 block Virginia Dr, Hays; 7:19 AM
Mental Health Call–1400 block E 29th St, Hays; 7:25 AM
Dead Animal Call–2500 block General Lawton Rd, Hays; 8:11 AM
MV Accident-Hit and Run–300 block W 11th St, Hays; 9/26 9 PM; 9/27 8 AM
Drug Offenses–2700 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 12:02 PM; 12:20 PM
Civil Dispute–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 11:20 AM
Liquor Offense, sell, furnish, transport–1900 Vine St, Hays; 12:35 PM
Warrant Service (Fail to Appear)–300 block W 7th St, Hays; 1:40 PM
Suicidal Subject–600 block E 13th St, Hays; 2:10 PM
Found/Lost Property–100 block W 12th St, Hays; 3:57 PM
Found/Lost Property–4300 block Vine St, Hays; 4:22 PM
Juvenile Complaint–2600 block Donald Dr, Hays; 4:46 PM
Animal Call–400 block W 14th St, Hays; 7:08 PM
Search Warrant–1200 block Walker Ave, Walker; 7:58 PM
Domestic Disturbance–1200 block Haney Dr, Hays; 8:19 PM
Abandoned Vehicle–600 block Oak St, Hays; 11:26 PM
44 – Traffic Stop–700 block Elm St, Hays; 11:54 PM
By TROOPER TOD HILEMAN
KHP Troop D
It’s that time of year again Kansas, car/deer crash season!
Almost half of the car/deer crashes we work all year come within October, November & December so we need to be extra vigilant for the next few months.
The top number represents the total number of crashes for that county, the bottom number is how many of those crashes were injury crashes and if there is a number with an asterisk * beside it, that denotes car/deer fatality crash.
The other picture I added was to show just how high our fatalities are getting.
Remember, it’s generally considered safer to strike the animal than trying to swerve around it. The large majority of the serious car/deer crashes we work are when someone swerves to avoid the deer and looses control, or gets out of their vehicle after the crash and stands on or near the road.
Here are some tips to avoid a deer crash and what to do if you have one. Be safe!
1. Watch for the rest of the gang. Deer are pack animals, and rarely travel alone. If a deer crosses in front of you, chances are there are more nearby. Slow down and keep an eye out for more deer darting across the road.
2. Timing is everything. Deer are most active at dusk and dawn: periods when your vision is most compromised. To add to their terrible timing, deer are on the move during mating season (between October and January) when you’re more likely to travel after the sun sets. Slow down and stay alert, especially after dark.
3. Wear your seat belt. It may not prevent a collision, but if the inevitable happens a seat belt can reduce injuries. This is especially true if you lose control and collide with something bigger, and more stationary than a deer.
4. Stay the course. If you see a deer, brake firmly and calmly, and stay in your lane. Swerving could make you lose control of your vehicle and turn a bad situation much worse. Not to mention, deer are unpredictable, and you could swerve directly into their changed path.
5. Honk! Some experts recommend that one long blast of the horn will scare deer out of the road. Do not rely on hood whistles or other devices designed to scare off deer—studies have shown them to be largely ineffective at minimizing accidents.
If you strike a deer, turn on your hazard lights and pull your vehicle as far off the road as you can and call 911 or *47 to report the crash. Stay in your vehicle and don’t try to move the deer, it could still be alive and cause injury to you.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
“The African Menagerie: An Inquisition” is more than a painting. It is a culmination of Brian Jarvi’s career spent painting African wildlife.
The seven-panel piece depicts 209 species of mammals, birds and reptiles — 150 of which Jarvi had never painted before he took on this project.
An exhibit featuring the art piece opens Saturday at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays and runs through Dec. 21.
The piece took Jarvi 17 years to create and is 32 feet wide and 14 feet high. The Sternberg is first stop for the piece since its debut on Sept. 16 at The Reif Center for the Performing Arts, in Grand Rapids, Minn., Jarvi’s hometown. The piece is oil on Belgium linen that is mounted on Masonite.
Jarvi said this might be the most significant wildlife painting in history based on the size of the work and number of species represented.
Forty of the artist’s sketches, which range from drawings to large oil paintings, surround the final work.
He said his biggest challenge was scaling all the different species to each other and creating a consistent light source on all the subjects.
Among the sketches is a painting of a quagga, an extinct species of zebra. The animal has been extinct since the 1870s and only six known photos of the animal exist, all of which are black and white. Jarvi said recreating an image of this animal required the most research and study.
Jarvi, 61, is a self-taught artist. He said his love of wildlife started when he was a child, collecting frogs and fish out of the local ponds of northern Minnesota. He began his artistic career in Minnesota drawing and painting waterfowl.
He repeatedly entered the Minnesota Duck Stamp competition in the mid-80’s and finally won. This was soon followed by a win of the Minnesota Pheasant Stamp competition. This not only gave him notoriety but enough prize money to pursue his love of art and wildlife full time.
He was commissioned to paint his first pieces of African wildlife about 30 years ago. He, along with a group of other artists, were sent to Africa for a month to observe, sketch and photograph the continent’s wildlife. He has since traveled to Africa 12 more times.
“I sort of eat, sleep and breathe Africa,” he said. “The first thing I do in the morning is check the television for any African documentaries on that day. I do a lot of research beyond just the field research.”
The portraits in the “The African Menagerie” are somewhat of a departure from Jarvi’s typical paintings, which usually portray predator/prey interactions. He most loves depicting lions, and a male lion prominently appears in the “The African Menagerie.”
Other iconic species included in the work include hippo, elephant, giraffe, rhino and leopard. These are joined by lesser-known species, such as bongo, okapi and mandrill.
“The African Menagerie” portrays the plight of wildlife and the environment at the hands of man. Jarvi said the concept for the painting is all the species have come to judge man for his actions against the environment.
The snow on Mount Kilimanjaro in the background is receding, a nod to the effects of global warming. Although the piece is not meant to be seen in a wholly biblical context, there is religious symbolism in the work, including the lion lying down with the lamb near the human figure and the four zebra, which are symbols of Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the far left panel.
“I hope they get a better appreciation of the grand array of subject matter and the wildlife there is on the African continent, let alone across the world,” Jarvi said of those who view the “The African Menagerie.” “Certainly there is a message of conservation in this work.”
There are definitely species that most would recognize as under threat in the painting, including the elephant and the rhino, but Jarvi noted they are pieces in a larger ecosystem.
“We have a tendency to focus on the great icons of Africa and other species around the world in regards of the possibility of them going extinct, but it goes hand in hand. If these species are in trouble, these lesser-known species are in the same situation. Extinction is not that selective, especially the current one that is going on.
“I thought it was important to put some of these lesser-known species side by side with some of the icons of Africa,” he said.
Documenting the project will be a coffee-table book by Todd Wilkinson. The book also includes other images from Jarvi’s career and the tale of his rise as an artist. Preorders are now being taken for the book.
Now that Jarvi has completed “The African Menagerie,” he is looking back to his roots for his next project and hopes to complete a piece titled “The Ducks, Geese and Swans of North America.”
NOTICE OF BOND ELECTION
UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 489,
ELLIS COUNTY, KANSAS (HAYS)
The Board of Education of Unified School District No. 489, Ellis County, Kansas (Hays) (the “District”), has adopted a resolution declaring it advisable to: (a) construct, furnish, and equip a new 4-section elementary school; (b) construct, furnish, and equip a new 4-section elementary school at the existing Wilson Elementary School site; (c) construct, furnish, and equip improvements and additions to Roosevelt Elementary School including new classrooms, a new gymnasium, enhanced safety and security, storm shelter, and a renovated cafeteria/kitchen area; (d) construct, furnish, and equip improvements and additions to O’Loughlin Elementary School to provide for an elementary school, Early Childhood Center, Learning Center, and Westside program, including new classrooms, enhanced safety and security, storm shelter, and site improvements; (e) construct, furnish, and equip improvements and additions to Hays Middle School including a new auxiliary gymnasium, enhanced safety and security, and a renovated cafeteria/kitchen area; (f) construct, furnish, and equip improvements and additions to Hays High School including new renovated right sized classrooms, renovated career technical education and fine arts classrooms, a new auditorium, enhanced safety and security, storm shelter, and a renovated cafeteria/kitchen area; (g) renovate and make improvements to District facilities including HVAC, building structural improvements and demolition, and (h) make all other necessary improvements appurtenant thereto and pay costs of issuance and interest on the general obligation bonds during construction of the projects (the “Project”), at an estimated cost of $78,500,000, to be paid from general obligation bonds (the “Bonds”) of the District. Notice is hereby given to the qualified electors of the District that a bond election has been called and will be held on November 7, 2017, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of the District the following proposition:
Shall the following be adopted?
Shall Unified School District No. 489, Ellis County, Kansas (Hays), issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $78,500,000, to pay the costs to: (a) construct, furnish, and equip a new 4-section elementary school; (b) construct, furnish, and equip a new 4-section elementary school at the existing Wilson Elementary School site; (c) construct, furnish, and equip improvements and additions to Roosevelt Elementary School including new classrooms, a new gymnasium, enhanced safety and security, storm shelter, and a renovated cafeteria/kitchen area; (d) construct, furnish, and equip improvements and additions to O’Loughlin Elementary School to provide for an elementary school, Early Childhood Center, Learning Center, and Westside program, including new classrooms, enhanced safety and security, storm shelter, and site improvements; (e) construct, furnish, and equip improvements and additions to Hays Middle School including a new auxiliary gymnasium, enhanced safety and security, and a renovated cafeteria/kitchen area; (f) construct, furnish, and equip improvements and additions to Hays High School including new renovated right sized classrooms, renovated career technical education and fine arts classrooms, a new auditorium, enhanced safety and security, storm shelter, and a renovated cafeteria/kitchen area; (g) renovate and make improvements to District facilities including HVAC, building structural improvements and demolition, and (h) make all other necessary improvements appurtenant thereto and pay costs of issuance and interest on the general obligation bonds during construction of the projects; all pursuant to the provisions of K.S.A. 10-101 et seq., K.S.A. 25-2018(f), K.S.A. 72-6761, and K.S.A. 75-2315 et seq.?
To vote in favor of any question submitted on this ballot, press the word “Yes” on the voting machine or completely darken the oval to the left of the word “Yes” on the paper ballot. To vote against it, press the word “No” on the voting machine or completely darken the oval to the left of the word “No” on the paper ballot.
YES
NO
**********************
The polls will open at 7:00 o’clock A.M. and will close at 7:00 o’clock P.M., on November 7, 2017, the election day. Electors residing in the District, inside and outside the corporate limits of the City of Hays and within Ellis County, Kansas, shall vote at the usual voting places, to-wit:
Hays City – Ward 1, Precinct 1
Hays City – Ward 1, Precinct 2
Ellis County Meeting Room, 601 Main St. (Northwest door), Hays;
Hays City – Ward 2, Precinct 1
Hays City – Ward 2, Precinct 2
Hays City – Ward 2, Precinct 3
Hays City – Ward 2, Precinct 4
Hays City – Ward 2, Precinct 5
VFW Hall, 2106 Vine Street, Hays;
Hays City – Ward 3, Precinct 1
Hays City – Ward 3, Precinct 2
St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 2900 Canal Blvd., Hays;
Hays City – Ward 3, Precinct 3
Hays City – Ward 3, Precinct 4
Smoky Hill Country Club, 3303 Hall St., Hays;
Hays City – Ward 4, Precinct 1
Hays City – Ward 4, Precinct 3
Hays City – Ward 4, Precinct 5
Hays Recreation, 1105 Canterbury, Hays
Hays City – Ward 4, Precinct 2
Hays City – Ward 4, Precinct 4
Sternberg Museum, 3000 Sternberg Dr., Hays;
East Big Creek Township
North Big Creek Township
West Big Creek Township
Buckeye Township
Catherine Township
North Lookout Township
Wheatland Township
St. Nicholas Church, 2901 E. 13th St., Hays;
Ellis Township
VFW Hall, 813 Jefferson, Ellis;
Freedom Township
Herzog Township
Victoria Township
VFW Hall, 204 E. Main St., Victoria;
South Lookout Township
St. Anthony Community Center, 209 N. Front St., Schoenchen.
All electors residing within the District in Rush County, Kansas, shall vote at their usual places to-wit:
Big Timber Township
LaCrosse City Auditorium, 417 Main St., LaCrosse, Kansas;
Hampton-Fairview Township
McCracken Community Center, 401 W 1st St., McCracken, Kansas.
The election will be conducted by the officers and/or persons provided by law for holding elections, and the method of voting will be by ballot. Registered voters are eligible to vote by advance voting ballot upon application to the County Clerk at the address set forth below pursuant to K.S.A. 25-1117 et seq.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Capital Improvement Fund (“CIF”) has been established in the treasury of the State of Kansas to assist school districts with making principal and interest payments on voted general obligation bond issues. The amount of CIF funding each school district receives is based on a formula prescribed by statute and implemented by the State Board of Education (“Bond State Aid”). Based on the current formula, the District expects to receive Bond State Aid in the approximate amount set forth below to assist with making the principal and interest payments on the Bonds. No assurance can be given that Bond State Aid will continue at this or any amount in future years.
The following additional information is provided by the District with respect to compliance with the provisions of K.S.A. 10-120a and K.S.A. 12-6,122. This information has been obtained from sources deemed reliable by the District. Certain portions of this information are based upon projections. No assurances can be given that these projections will be accurate as of the date of issuance of the Bonds due to changing market conditions, any changes in assessed valuation of the District, changes in the amount of state financial aid received by the District and other matters unknown or unavailable at this time. The projected rates of property taxation to be used to pay the principal of and interest on the Bonds are based upon the current assessed valuation of the District, the assumed principal repayment schedule and the average interest rates from recent bond issues for similar types of financings and the current level of Bond State Aid the District would receive with respect to the Bonds, all as shown below.
DATED: August 23, 2017.The election officer conducting the election will be the County Clerk of Ellis County, Kansas, whose address is County Courthouse, 718 Main Street, P.O. Box 720, Hays, Kansas 67601.
Donna J. Maskus, County Clerk
Ellis County, Kansas
By KANDICE WRIGHT
Women’s Leadership Project
October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. To bring attention to this issue, the Women’s Leadership Project (WLP) is again bringing The Red Flag Campaign to Fort Hays State University.
This is a public awareness campaign designed to address domestic and dating violence and promote its prevention on college campuses. The campaign was created using a “bystander intervention” strategy, encouraging friends and other campus community members to “say something” when they see warning signs (“red flags”) for dating violence in a friend’s relationship.
Research indicates that abuse occurs in every 1 of 5 college dating relationships. 58% of college students say they don’t know how to help someone who is a victim of dating abuse, and 38% of college students say they would not know where to get help according to TheRedFlagCampaign.org.
Throughout the month of October, red flags will be visible on the grounds of the university to remind everyone to address “red flags” they may see with friends, family, or within themselves. Additionally, WLP will host several events to bring awareness to this important cause.
In the Memorial Union on Oct. 17th and 31st the Women’s Leadership Project will be selling t-shirts supporting The Red Flag Campaign. These T-shirts will also be available during the Women’s Volleyball Oct. 6th starting at 2:00 pm, Women’s Soccer games Oct. 13th starting at 5:30 pm, Men’s Football Oct. 14 starting at 2:00 pm, and the Men’s Soccer on Oct. 26th starting at 6:00 pm. Presentations will be given to all freshmen seminar classes on Oct. 9th and 10th about relationship violence, consent, and how to be an active bystander. On the 24th, WLP will host The Clothesline Project which gives students an opportunity to be creative and express their feelings of sexual assault and relationship violence issues.
For more information regarding the Red Flag Campaign, or what you can do if you see relationship red flags, contact the Women’s Leadership Project at [email protected] or 785-628-4312.
By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Members of the Kansas aviation industry arrived in Hays Thursday evening as part of the annual Kansas air tour designed to showcase aviation in the state.
The Fly Kansas Air Tour was established in the late 1920s as a way to highlight the aircraft industry but ended after just two years because of the Great Depression. In 2008, Ed Young, director of aviation in Kansas at the time, relaunched the tour in an effort to once again highlight aviation in Kansas. 
This year’s air tour began Thursday in Wellington and made stops in Liberal and Dodge City before stopping in Hays for the night.
Merrill Atwater, current director of aviation for the Kansas Department of Transportation, said there were 60 pilots signed up for the event and they expected about 50 pilots and 44 planes to take part in the Hays stop Thursday.
Atwater said aviation is a vital part of the Kansas economy. There are more than 750 manufacturing companies in Kansas that supply parts to aviation manufacturing companies. Kansas State Polytechnic at Salina is considered one of the top flight schools in the country, and Kansas is one of five aviation clusters in the world, according to Atwater.
“Kansas is very unique, because it represents 73 percent of all general aviation production in the world,” he said.
Atwater added the tours are a way to reach out to the community and attract people to the aviation industry.
“In the aviation industry there are two major problems that go on,” said Atwater “One, there’s a pilot shortage that’s happening and, two, is that we have a skilled workforce that needs to be replenished every few years.”
The air tour also is also a great way to get people to go to their local airport, according to Atwater.
“This airport, in this community, brings in millions of dollars worth of economic stimulus to this community and people don’t realize it,” he said.
Each stop is also another opportunity for those in the aviation industry to reach out to students and hopefully spark an interest in aviation.
In the four stops on Thursday members of the tour hosted more than 500 students. Many of the students got an up-close look at the aircraft, according to Atwater.
“It’s easy for me to talk until I’m blue in my face about how we need to educate kids on aviation,” Atwater said, “But whenever you have them out here with pilots showing them their personal plane and letting them in and climb up in there, that is the experience.
“Every pilot in the whole entire world has a time where they say, ‘that’s when I wanted to be a pilot,’ and most of the time it has to do with something dealing with aviation,” he added.
Ed Young now serves and the president of the Kansas Commission on Aerospace Education and the Fly Kansas Foundation and said the tour is another way to promote STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – education to Kansas students.
Young, who also works for an engineering firm, said, “I can tell you for a fact we need engineers. We need kids to still be interested.”
“Aviation provides an excellent example that people understand, that they can apply to their life and they can see how math is super important to what we do,” he said.
Young also said that there are aviation jobs available outside of pilots.
“In Kansas, you have to remember that there are a ton of aviation companies that have workers that are building aircraft as well,” he said.
According to Young, this year, there are air traffic controllers, an aviation insurance member and a member of the Flying Dentist Association all taking part in the air tour.
The younger generation of students, thanks to video games, come more prepared to learn to fly planes, according to Young, who is also a flight instructor.
“There’s a huge pilot shortage, so if we can grab those kids (and) they get the interest,” Young said “They go to a great state university like K-State to go through the professional pilot program, or one of the other four programs in the aviation school, we have a chance to really build solid education for our kids and jobs that earn more than the average.”
The tour continues Friday with stops in Concordia, Atchison and New Century. Saturday is the final day of the tour and there are scheduled stops in Pittsburg, Independence and Benton.
Those interested in bierocks and cookie dough have until October 19 to place an order.
Proceeds of the annual sale benefit the school’s transportation fund which provides for bus and suburban transport for our students to hundreds of activities over the span of a school year. Last year’s sale netted over $12,000 for the transportation fund.
These items make great gifts and last minute items for those holiday gatherings!
Volunteers will gather at the kitchen of TMP-Marian on Oct. 27 to fill orders that can be picked up later that afternoon.
The chocolate chip cookie dough — made ahead of time and frozen is $8 per tub, which makes 30 to 36 cookies. Bierocks will be freshly baked that day but can be frozen. Bierocks are $35 per dozen.
In order to accommodate the demand for more bierock orders, küchen will not be available this fall. Anyone interested in ordering can call Sandy Losey at 785-621-5414
KDWPT
TOPEKA – The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) has finalized permanent conservation agreements with three private landowners to conserve 3,682 acres of high-quality lesser prairie chicken habitat in northwest Kansas.
“These are the first easements obtained by WAFWA in the shortgrass ecoregion, as called for by the Lesser Prairie Chicken Rangewide Conservation Plan,” said Brad Odle, WAFWA’s regional wildlife biologist, who worked closely with the landowners to secure the easements.
“We applaud these visionary landowners who are protecting and conserving the landscape as working ranches, ensuring they will be enjoyed by future generations. These easements will protect habitat that benefits a whole host of wildlife species, including the lesser prairie chicken. This is another positive step toward establishing a stronghold for lesser prairie chickens in this area,” Odle added.
The complex of properties is located near Smoky Valley Ranch in Logan County, which is owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy.
The 17,290-acre ranch is identified in the rangewide plan as a potential target, around which a stronghold for lesser prairie chickens could be established. A stronghold is defined as a block of fairly contiguous grassland consisting of at least 25,000 acres that contains at least six active lek sites, which are mating areas for the birds. There must also be assurances that all the properties contributing to a stronghold will be protected from future development and managed in a way that is beneficial to lesser prairie chickens into the future. With additional easements like the ones just finalized, Smoky Valley Ranch and nearby permanently conserved properties could become a stronghold for the species.
The permanent conservation easements on the private properties were purchased by WAFWA and will be held and monitored by The Nature Conservancy. The easements restrict future development and activities that would be detrimental to the bird’s habitat. All other property rights associated with the land will be retained by the private landowners. WAFWA has also established an endowment that will provide the landowners with sufficient annual payments to implement a lesser prairie chicken conservation plan in perpetuity. The primary conservation practice that will be implemented is prescribed grazing, which will be used to maintain sufficient vegetative structure for every phase of the lesser prairie chicken life cycle. This transaction not only permanently protects key prairie habitat, but also ensures that the properties will remain a working ranch.
“There’s no better approach to long-term conservation than a mutually beneficial partnership,” said Matt Bain, western Kansas conservation program manager for The Nature Conservancy. “It’s been an honor for us to be a part of this and help these landowners achieve their long-term visions for their ranches.”
The rangewide plan is a collaborative effort of WAFWA; the state wildlife agencies of Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas; U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and many non-government conservation organizations. It was developed to conserve the lesser prairie chicken by providing another voluntary conservation program for landowner and industry cooperation and improving coordination between state and federal conservation agencies.
Funding for WAFWA’s conservation efforts comes from voluntary mitigation payments by industry partners that are enrolled in the plan. The plan provides certainty to participants that they will be able to continue operations without interruption, and when fully implemented produces a net conservation benefit to the lesser prairie chicken.
Contact Roger Wolfe at (785) 256-3737 for more information. The Lesser Prairie Chicken Rangewide Conservation Plan can be found at www.wafwa.org.
