Robert Gene Hofer, 90, passed away Tuesday February 27, 2018 at Smith County Long Term Care in Smith Center, KS. He was a farmer/rancher.
Bob was born the son of Elmer & Anna (Steinman) Hofer on June 21, 1927 in Athol, KS. He attended Kansas State University until he joined the Navy. He married Shirley Cronn on June 11, 1949. Throughout his later years in life he enjoyed gardening and his cats.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Shirley after 59 years of marriage.
He is survived by his son Bill (Marge) Hofer of Cedar, KS; a daughter JoAnn (Bill) Guilfoyle of Colorado Springs, CO; 5 grandchildren, Elizabeth, Anna, Debra, Zane and Sean; 4 great grandchildren.
Wendy’s, 1800 Vine, recently underwent a 30-day remodel.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
The south Hays Wendy’s restaurant, 1800 Vine, has now been open nearly a week following a 4-week, 2-day closure for a major remodel.
“It’s required by the Wendy’s company, but it’s also something you commit to for a market,” said David Gallentine, district manager. “You want to keep your facilities up to date and that’s what we’re doing.”
Gallentine was busy last Tuesday morning, talking with the electric contractor and sign company whose employees were scrambling to meet Gallentine’s deadline for a “soft” re-opening the next day. A formal grand opening and ribbon cutting will be scheduled in the near future.
Booths and other seating still to be installed last week sit near the new fireplace and big screen TV.
New booths, tables and chairs were pushed into a corner of the dining area, still covered in plastic. The air was filled with the sounds of drills, hammers and buzzing saws as electrical workers perched on ladders worked above the ceiling tiles. Outdoors, the landscapers were moving decorative garden elements across the property, while finishing touches were added to signage.
Picnic tables have been placed on the patio in front of the building for alfresco dining during warm weather.
Multiple charging stations for electronic devices face the picture window.
The new interior features a cozy corner fireplace and big screen TV. A dining counter facing the large picture window has multiple charging stations and wi-fi.
“From ceiling to floor, everything inside is new, from the customer’s viewpoint, even the restrooms,” Gallentine said. The kitchen and back area remain the same.
“It’ll even be a whole different setup taking the customer’s order. You’ll be placing your order at one end of the cabinet and then you’ll be picking it up in another area,” he explained.
A double-lane drive through was added to the south Wendy’s restaurant in Hays.
Customer ordering is also different outside and now features a double-lane drive-through. Wendy’s has always been a “drive-through-driven eating establishment, getting our customers in and out quickly,” according to Gallentine, and he likes that. “I’m not a patient person. I enjoy it being fast.”
Many Wendy’s restaurants now use the new design, according to Gallentine. “It allows the customer flow to work much better.”
A landscaper works on the new design last week.
The entrance/exit area onto Vine Street has been widened “so getting in and out is a whole lot easier.”
One thing that hasn’t changed is the core menu of fresh beef hamburgers, chicken, wraps, salads, and of course, the famous Frosty®. Seasonal and promotional items will be rotated in and out. Right now, customers can also choose the Premium Cod Fillet Sandwich and the Smoky Mushroom Bacon Cheeseburger.
The south Wendy’s opened in 2002 and was remodeled once before in 2011.
The first few days of the current remodel the store was able to remain open for business.
Even when the restaurant closed, “we used a lot of our crew members to help with the construction. I wanted to keep everybody employed and maintain work hours for our managers and crew members,” Gallentine said. The morning before the reopening, crew members were busy cleaning the kitchen area.
A truck unloads picnic tables March 5.
Much of the remodeling was done by local contractors. “We didn’t go outside of the community unless we absolutely had to get the construction done. We bought as much as we could locally. These are the people buying our hamburgers, and I wanted to give them the opportunity to do the work.”
The updated Wendy’s logo is visible throughout the restaurant, on its exterior and especially on the new sign near the street.
“I work with very good people and Wendy’s is a great brand. I don’t think it matters what you’re selling, whether it be hamburgers or shoes, being able to work with these young kids and make a difference in their lives, is the main reason I do the job,” Gallentine said.
“They say they’re aren’t any good kids out there. I highly disagree. The good kids are out there. It’s just fun to see them flourish and develop.”
Among the restaurant employees, about a third are high school students and another third are college students. The remaining employees are older, senior-age people. Gallentine has found that “it works really well to have that mix of ages working here.” The restaurant employs between 30 and 40 workers, most of whom are part-time.
Gallentine, based in Hays, also operates Wendy’s restaurants with Sunset Equities, Inc./We-Kan Inc. in Dodge City, Garden City, Scott City, Liberal, Larned, Great Bend, McPherson, Newton, Clay Center, Hillsboro and Lyons.
“This south Hays store was the first one I ever opened. It’s always kind of been my baby,” he smiled. “This will always be my favorite.”
BUNKER HILL – Smoky Hills Public Television is throwing a birthday bash for The Cat in the Hat! This free family event will be at the Dream Theater in Russell on Wed., March 21 at 1:00 p.m.
Children are invited to meet and take pictures with The Cat in the Hat. Parents should bring their cameras. Following the meet and greet, everyone can settle into the theater to watch a The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That movie.
There will be treats and each kid will receive a gift bag.
SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an unusual phone scam involving a 19-year-old college student.
According to Salina police captain Paul Forrester, the Kansas Wesleyan student became involved last month with what he hoped was way to make some money with an online dating-companion service SeekingArrangement.com.
When the student signed up, the online firm would pay him $400 a month to act as a phone companion.
The suspect suddenly needed money for friends who were in need. The 19-year-old victim sent the scammer money orders totaling $3,384 to help before finally calling police.
With the increased fire danger due to extreme dry conditions and high winds Ellis County will once again implement a burn ban.
Ellis County Fire Chief and Emergency Manager Darin Myers said Monday that they will put the burn ban back into effect on Tuesday.
“I like to give people more of an advanced notice but with the projected continued dangerous wind, the humidity levels and the temperatures and there’s no place in the foreseeable future see where I can say, “well we’re going to implement it next week.”
Myers said officials with the National Weather Service told him this week they do not see any significant precipitation in the near feature.
Under a burn ban all outdoor burning in the unincorporated areas of Ellis County is prohibited.
The Hays Fire Department responded to three fires Monday and Ellis County crews were also called to a small grass fire Monday evening.
Russell, Rooks, Phillips and Ellsworth counties have all re-issued burn bans in recent days.
The Hays Police Department responded to 3 animal calls and conducted 19 traffic stops Thu., March 1, 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Suspicious Activity–400 block W 8th St, Hays; 1:53 AM
Abandoned Vehicle–100 block W 9th St, Hays; 2:17 AM
Driving While Suspended/Revoked–600 block E 13th St, Hays; 10:43 AM
Lost Animals ONLY–200 block Northridge Dr, Hays; 11:27 AM
Animal At Large–33rd and Hillcrest Dr, Hays; 12:36 PM
MV Accident-Private Property–100 block 7th St, Hays; 2:01 PM
MV Accident-Hit and Run–1200 block Maple St, Hays; 2/27 11 PM; 3/1 2 PM
Burglary/business–1300 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 1/30; 4:03 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–13th St and Allen St, Hays; 5:23 PM
MV Accident-Private Property–2800 block Vine St, Hays; 7:40 PM
MV Accident-Property Damage–2500 block Vine St, Hays; 7:59 PM
Drug Offenses–2400 block Vine St, Hays; 11:40 PM
The Hays Police Department responded to 8 animal calls and conducted 13 traffic stops Fri., March 2, 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Suspicious Person–500 block W 8th St, Hays–1:11 AM
Driving Under the Influence–100 block W 8th St, Hays; 1:54 AM
Counterfeit currency/documents–2700 block Vine St, Hays; 10:34 AM
Animal At Large–100 block W 21st St, Hays; 10:42 AM
Theft (general)–Hays; 11:17 AM
Violation of Restraining Order/PFA–Hays; 2/25; 2/27
Found/Lost Property–2900 block Vine St, Hays; 12:35 PM
Unattended Death–1700 block Donald Dr, Hays; 1:11 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–2600 block Vine St, Hays; 1:50 PM
Bicycle – Lost,Found,Stolen–400 block W 11th St, Hays; 3:21 PM
MV Accident-City Street/Alley–800 block Oak St, Hays; 8:05 AM
Burglary/vehicle–200 block W 10th St, Hays; 5 PM
Civil Dispute–500 block W 32nd St, Hays; 6:27 PM
Drug Offenses–2700 block Colonial St, Hays; 6:31 PM; 7:02 PM
Disorderly Conduct–3600 block Vine St, Hays; 7:10 PM
MV Accident-Personal Injury–1800 block Vine St, Hays; 7:56 PM
Theft (general)–500 block E 8th St, Hays; 3 PM; 9:06 PM
Lost Animals ONLY–2700 block W 37th St, Hays; 9:12 PM
Miscellaneous Investigation–3600 block Vine St, Hays; 10:18 PM
The Hays Police Department responded to 4 animal calls and conducted 19 traffic stops Sat., March 3, 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Driving Under the Influence–200 block E 8th St, Hays; 12:28 AM
Driving Under the Influence–U 183 Alt and Main St, Hays; 12:59 AM
Unwanted Person–1100 block Cody Ave, Hays; 1:42 AM
Driving Under the Influence–100 block E 8th St, Hays; 2:13 AM
Found/Lost Property–900 block Fort, Hays; 2:21 PM
Animal At Large–2400 block Gen Custer Rd, Hays; 3:44 PM
Suicidal Subject–500 block W 7th St, Hays; 3:44 PM
Civil Dispute–100 block W 6th St, Hays; 3:52 PM
Animal At Large–2400 block Walnut St, Hays; 4:42 PM
Water Use Violation–1800 block Ash St, Hays; 5:24 PM
Found/Lost Property–Hays; 7:01 PM
The Hays Police Department responded to 6 animal calls and conducted 23 traffic stops Sun., March 4, 2018, according to the HPD Activity Log.
Driving Under the Influence–400 block W 8th St, Hays; 12:19 AM
Found/Lost Property–400 block W 8th St, Hays; 12:30 AM
Battery – Domestic–700 block Elm St, Hays; 1:24 AM
Dead Animal Call–1700 block E 13th St, Hays; 9:50 AM
Criminal Damage to Property–300 block W 7th St, Hays; 3/3 9:45 PM; 3/4 10:24 AM
Disturbance – General–1100 block Canterbury Dr, Hays; 11 AM
MV Accident-Personal Injury–2100 block Vine St, Hays; 12:23 PM
Mental Health Call–400 block E 20th St, Hays; 1:37 PM
Abandoned Vehicle–1700 block Elm St, Hays; 3:10 PM
Abandoned Vehicle–1700 block Elm St, Hays; 3:21 PM
MV Accident-Hit and Run–2300 block E 13th St, Hays; 4:58 PM
Suicidal Subject–800 block Walnut St, Hays; 5:13 PM
Abandoned Vehicle–2700 block Canal Blvd, Hays; 5:58 PM
Disturbance – Noise–2300 block Walnut St, Hays; 6:44 PM
A teenager who had just received her learner’s permit offered to drive her parents to church. After a hair-raising ride, they finally reached their destination.
The mother got out of the car and said, “Thank you!”
“Anytime,” her daughter replied.
As the woman slammed the door, she said, “I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to God.”
The Midyear Meeting of the Kansas Independent Oil & Gas Association is scheduled April 18-20 in McPherson. Sponsorship forms and trade-show contracts are available at their website (www.kioga.org) and are due by next Thursday, March 15th. The event will feature a tour of the CHS Refinery, an educational outreach program called “Petro Pro Class,” some great food, plus sporting clays and golf tournaments.
The Kansas Geological Survey says the state’s energy operators produced nearly three million barrels of crude in November of last year. The total statewide for the year through November was 32.97 million barrels. Ellis County led the way with a total through November of 2.43 million barrels, adding 223,000. Haskell and Finney counties were next. Then Barton County with 1.562 million barrels through November, an additional 147,000 barrels. Russell County added 129,000 barrels for an 11-month total of 1.46 million. Stafford County added another 92,000 barrels to bring its cumulative total to 963,000 barrels.
Baker Hughes reported 981 active drilling rigs across the US last week, up three. The count in Canada fell by four to 302 active drilling rigs. Independent Oil & Gas Service reported a more than 21% drop in Kansas: seven east of Wichita, down five, and 22 in western Kansas, down three. Operators report drilling about to commence at one site in Barton County and three in Stafford County.
Operators filed 31 permits to drill at new locations across Kansas last week, 12 in the eastern half of the state and 19 west of Wichita. There are two new permits in Stafford County. Independent Oil & Gas Service reported 35 new well completions for the week, 15 east of Wichita and 20 in western Kansas, including one in Barton County, three in Ellis County and one in Stafford County.
The Kansas Corporation Commission reports 146 intent-to-drill notices filed across the state during the month of February, including four in Barton County, three in Ellis County and seven in Stafford County.
Oklahoma regulators hope to reduce the number of earthquakes, mostly too small to be felt, in the so-called SCOOP and STACK plays. They blame fracking for the smaller quakes in those areas, where wells produce much less wastewater than those in northern Oklahoma. Oklahoma Corporation Commission officials argue that the threat of induced quakes from fracking and other completion activity is much smaller than the threat linked to wastewater disposal. But, under the new rules, if a tremor of magnitude 2.0 or greater is detected, the producer must take action. If the tremor is over 2.5, they must pause fracking operations for at least six hours.
A new study by the energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie asserts that booming US shale oil production will soon overwhelm our current refining capacity, and suggests that within five years, three-fourths of our additional production will be exported to Europe and Asia. Reuters reported that the additional oil could also bottleneck at Gulf Coast ports unless new infrastructure is built.
Revised numbers from the government show the US set an all-time crude production record last November: 10.057 million barrels per day, beating out the prior record set in November of 1970.
Texas energy regulators say total crude oil production in the state last year topped 1 billion barrels and daily production in December was 5 percent higher year-on-year. The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reported the number of drilled, but uncompleted wells rose 4 percent in the Permian shale between December and January and more than doubled year-on-year, far outpacing the rest of the country.
A trade group in Texas reported the state’s oil and gas industry paid just over $11 billion in state and local taxes and royalties last year. The Texas Oil & Gas Association translates that into $30 million a day for the state’s schools, universities, roads, and first responders. Public school districts received $1.1 billion in property taxes for the fiscal year. TxOGA says counties received $336 million.
In Washington state, a project to build a massive oil-by-rail terminal officially ended last week when the project’s developers and the Port of Vancouver terminated the lease for a site along the Columbia River. Vancouver Energy said it would not appeal the Governor’s decision to reject a permit for the terminal, and said it would donate its $100,000 March lease payment to a fund that helps local nonprofits.
What’s billed as the biggest bribery trial in history opened briefly Monday, but has been postponed until May. Prosecutors in Italy charge oil majors Shell and Eni, and some of their executives, in connection with a $1.1 billion bribery scheme to win one of Nigeria’s most lucrative oil blocks.
According to Reuters, people were audibly gasping when Royal Dutch Shell bid more than $343 million for nine Mexican offshore oil blocks last month. What they didn’t know was that six months earlier, Shell had struck a giant oil reservoir in adjoining US waters. Shell didn’t tell anyone about the so-called “Whale” well until after the auction. The Whale could contain upwards of 700 million barrels of oil, about half of Shell’s production last year, and is likely one of the biggest discoveries in the industry in the last ten years.
John Schlageck writes for the Kansas Farm Bureau.Every seasoned Kansan knows we live in smack-dab in the middle of tornado alley. The Heartland of America boasts one of the most tornado active regions in the world.
If you’re like me, you’ll never forget May 4, 2007. On that fateful day the town of Greensburg, in Kiowa County, was all but wiped off the face of the earth. This EF5 tornado demolished the small Kansas community of 1,500 killing 11 people and injuring dozens more.
Ninety percent of the town was destroyed including 961 homes and businesses. Another 216 received major damage. Wind speeds more than 200 miles per hour accompanied this storm.
This killer tornado roared through Comanche and Kiowa counties for 26 miles and ranged nearly two miles wide at one time resulting in damage in $250 million worth of damage.
Other killer tornadoes occurred that day with a death in Pratt County and another in Stafford County. Eleven tornadoes occurred on May 4.
The next day another 36 tornadoes rampaged across Kansas, falling just short of the record of 39 tornadoes in one day set in June 1992.
The Sunflower State nailed down a record 137 twisters in 2007 with 137 tornadoes ripping through Kansas.
Sixty tornadoes occurred in Kansas in 2017. This is near the long-term average, but well below more recent 10 and 20-year averages.
Fortunately, no tornado-related fatalities occurred in Kansas last year, but two injuries were reported. Both injuries happened May 16 as an EF3 tornado tracked for 26.64 miles across Pawnee and Barton counties. This tornado was also the costliest at an estimated $658,000.
The most active month in 2017 transpired in May with 29 tornadoes observed. This is 98 tornadoes below the one-month record high (127 in May 2008). April, May, and June, typically the core of the tornado season, remained quiet last year.
As tornado season approaches, it’s important to remember to tune in, stay informed and keep an eye on the sky.
Remember, pay attention when you hear a tornado watch because this means severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are possible over a wide area. Tornado warnings are issued when Doppler radar indicates tornadoes are forming or a trained weather spotter has sighted a twister. This warning will tell the location, and if possible, movement, estimated speed and the towns in the tornado path.
Think ahead during this upcoming severe weather season. Listen to forecasts daily, key into local weather conditions in your area. Know where your nearest shelter is and remember when a tornado threatens, immediate action may save you and your loved ones’ lives.
John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.
The Kansas Supreme Court may…depending on when…inadvertently weigh in on the Democratic gubernatorial primary election with its decision on the constitutionality of an abortion restriction law.
That law, which prohibits dilation and evacuation abortion procedures, the most-used technique in second-and third-term abortions, essentially will define Kansas abortion law. And, though there will be scraps, and even a potential effort to put an anti-abortion constitutional amendment before voters this year or next, the high court’s ruling may well end the issue save for special interest groups.
How’s this a Democratic gubernatorial issue? Just one contestant for the party’s nomination has an anti-abortion voting record, from more than a decade ago—former State Rep./Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Josh Svaty, who held a House seat as a Democrat from Republican-weighted western Kansas.
While a strong candidate who gives good speeches, his previous anti-abortion votes have sprung to the surface again, and for many Democrats that issue is the bright yellow line that overshadows every other issue…at the primary election level. Whether that is the right issue to virtually abandon a candidate is one that Democrats will decide at their primary election.
But there’s more to operating the state than abortion, and that single disqualifier from party support may tilt the race and deny Democrats a candidate that is on board everywhere else and could potentially give the party a state government leader.
While Democrats support choice for women, this is still either an anti-abortion state or one in which abortion is seen as a woman’s decision, which can be broadened to other decisions women make. Or, maybe Republicans, even pro-choice Republicans, will vote for pro-life Republicans (and have in the past) to take the reins of state government for a broad list of other issues ranging from tax policy to highways to school funding and the other 99 percent of what Kansans expect from their government.
Democrats, of course, have several candidates for their party’s nomination for governor, and so far in the relatively collegial battle for the primary election, none has brought up the life issue. Look for that to come from pro-choice organizations within the party, and to be stirred further from anti-abortion partisans who aren’t party-based and will use Svaty’s record to eliminate a potential challenger to their favorite Republicans.
Now, abortion isn’t the only one that Democrats have in the past used to sink a candidate in intra-party primary election scraps. House Minority Leader Jim Ward, D-Wichita, has taken an early swing at Sen. Laura Kelly, D-Topeka, for some gun rights votes in her past. At some point, look for that to be used by outside-the-party interests to be targeted, though in her Senate district, she’s apparently weighed the effect of those votes and has been elected to four terms in a district which includes parts of rural Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties.
You gotta be elected to represent your district’s and party views…
So, there’s an interesting little issue here…do parties ditch candidates on one or two issues when they are on board with most of a party’s issues, or do you strain out candidates who have represented the party philosophy on most issues?
Is there a hole in that bright yellow line of party viewpoints…or does a party lose seats in the Legislature or the chance for a governorship for walking outside the line?
Is being elected better than being party-perfect?
We may see…
Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com
The city of Hays Fire Department will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants on Tue., March 6, 2018 in the area from Vine St. to Canterbury Dr. between 13th St. and 22nd St.
This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually.
