Photos captured by Hays Post readers of the storm that swept through the area Tuesday evening.
Photos can be submitted to [email protected].
Images from Ellis County storm
Month: August 2019
City to pick up storm-downed tree limbs at curbside next week
CITY OF HAYS
Please be advised that beginning Monday, August 19, Hays city crews will be doing a one-time collection of downed tree limbs as a result of the recent wind storm.
All limbs are to be placed curbside. Limbs will not be collected from alleys. Please do not pile limbs on sidewalks or streets.
Collection will start Monday, August 19 and continue until a sweep of the city is complete.
Crews will not come onto private property to collect limbs. If a resident has a large tree or limb on their property, they can utilize the services of a professional tree trimmer to either have the tree removed or moved to the curb.
As a reminder, city residents can haul their limbs to the Ellis County Sanitary Landfill for disposal free of charge. Limbs can’t be taken to the city compost site.
Landfill hours are Monday-Friday 8-5 and Saturday 9-4. Limbs CANNOT be taken to the city compost site.
Any questions should be directed to the City of Hays Public Works office at (785) 628-7350.
Trash pickup may be delayed due to storm
The City of Hays issued the following notice today “Due to the storm Tuesday night, regular collection of Wednesday’s refuse and recycling may be delayed. In the event your refuse and/or recycling is not collected today, it will be collected by the end of the week. Thursday’s refuse collection may also be collected later than usual. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause our customers.”
City of Hays customers who have any questions regarding this notice should contact the Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department at 628-7350.
Please make sure your polycarts are out by 7:00 AM and keep in mind the trucks have no set time schedule.
RELATED STORY: Hays High football team helping with cleanup efforts
RELATED STORY: Overnight winds equal to EF-0 tornado
RELATED STORY: 🎥 Fort Hays State weathers storm, open for business despite damage
Charges filed against suspect in Kansas chase with baby, guns
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Tennessee man faces several felonies after allegedly leading sheriff’s deputies on a 3.5-mile chase with a baby and loaded guns in his truck.
Kenneth Jeremy Leedom, 32, Woodbury, Tennessee was charged Monday with aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer, aggravated endangering of a child, attempting to elude a police officer and possession of stolen property.
His defense attorney did not immediately return a call Tuesday seeking comment.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says Leedom was arrested Sunday after driving off from a traffic stop. He allegedly rammed a patrol vehicle as deputies were trying to stop him.
The charges indicate the boy with him was 9 months old. A woman also was in the truck.
No one was injured.
🎥 Fort Hays State weathers storm, open for business despite damage
Tuesday night’s storm caused significant damage on campus and in Hays, but crews worked all night and Fort Hays State University is open today and ready to welcome new Tigers for move-in day at the residence halls.
Power was off on portions of campus for a short period of time before the university’s backup generators kicked in and restored power to campus until Midwest Energy repaired damage to the main feeder lines to campus, said University Police Chief Ed Howell.
The major damage was a wall at the university’s Akers Energy Center that was blown in, but by this morning the debris had been removed and cleanup was nearly complete.
Howell said campus personnel checked inside all buildings overnight but found no obvious damage. A more extensive check of campus facilities is under way.
— FHSU University Relations
Police: 12, 14-year-old arrested for alleged Kan. armed robbery
SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have two boys in custody.
Just after 11p.m. Monday, a 46-year-old woman contacted an off-duty Wichita police officer at the Quick Trip on South West Street who reported that while in West Douglas Park, in 3200 Block of West Douglas, two boys pointed hand guns and demanded property, according to officer Charley Davidson.
The suspects took three bags from her containing miscellaneous property and cash.
Investigators identified two suspects. One was located returning home on South Sheridan and was armed with a BB-gun. The second boy was located at his home in the 3800 Block of West 11th Street where officers also recovered some of the stolen property.
The 12-year-old and 14-year-old boys are being held in juvenile detention on requested charges of aggravated robbery.
William Robert ‘Bob’ Stutz
William Robert “Bob” Stutz, age 86, passed away Sunday, August 8, 2019.
Memorial service will be held at the First Christian Church, Utica, on Saturday, August 17, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.
Visitation will be held at the church before the service starting at 9:30 that morning.
KZ Country Cheesy Joke of the Day 8/14/19
Q: Why do bananas have to put on sunscreen before they go to the beach?
A: So they don’t peel!
Join fans of 99 KZ Country on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry
Man drowns in public pond in southwest Kansas
SYRACUSE, Kan. (AP) — The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office says a 23-year-old man drowned in a public pond near Syracuse.
The sheriff says the body of Joaquin Vazquez Hernandez, of Syracuse, was recovered from the pond Tuesday evening.
Emergency responders were called about 2 p.m. Tuesday after a man went underwater in the pond and didn’t resurface.
People near the pond tried unsuccessfully to rescue the man.
New hospitalist joins staff at HaysMed
Singh, a hospitalist, will join Drs. Patrick Atkinson, Kayla Gray, Erin Hemphill and Pramond Janga, and ARPNs Lindsey Broin, Susie Pfannenstiel, Anissa Sonntag and Brenda Weese, all part of the hospitalist team at HaysMed.
Hospitalists and their team specialize in the care of patients and their families while they are in the hospital — everything from coordinating care, organizing communication with clinical team members and answering questions or concerns.
Singh completed medical school at Hebei Medical University in China. She did her residency in internal medicine at Charleston Area Medical Center, Charleston.
For more information on hospitalist care, visit haysmed.com/hospitalists.
High Plains Mental Health announces Schmidt Foundation grant to aid outreach to farmers
High Plains Mental Health Center is pleased to announce receipt of a $25,000 grant from the Robert E. and Patricia A. Schmidt Family Foundation, based in Hays. The funding will be used to launch a year-long public education and outreach project geared toward rural Kansas and the agribusiness community.
It has long been recognized that farming and related industries are among the most stressful occupations nationwide and this concern has increased in recent years. This is largely due to many factors beyond the farmer’s control, such as commodity prices, weather and climate challenges, changing federal trade policies and high start-up costs, to name a few.
“We are deeply appreciative of this generous award, which will allow us to be more effective at reaching all of our communities with an important message of hope,” High Plains Executive Director Walt Hill said. “It’s important for folks to know there is help, and there is hope. There are local resources available, and no one has to suffer alone. We hope these efforts will help reduce stigma surrounding mental illness and let people know it’s OK to seek help if you need it. Brain pain is not a sign of personal weakness or failure; mental illness is real illness.”
The agribusiness outreach initiative will include a public awareness symposium, which will be announced in the near future. This event is intended to raise public awareness about challenges facing rural America and the link to cumulative stress and mental health concerns. Other projects included in the grant will include enhanced public outreach activities and media presence, and funding to support several Mental Health First Aid courses in rural areas. The grant also includes funding to assist in training a new regional Mental Health First Aid instructor.
Mental Health First Aid is an eight-hour, evidence-based training that teaches community members how to identify possible warning signs of a developing mental health problem or a crisis situation. The class offers a five-step action plan that helps de-escalate crisis situations in a safe and effective way, Hill said.
“Very often, it will not be a health care provider who first realizes an individual’s mental health might be declining. It is likely to be family members, friends or acquaintances, who often want to intervene but are hesitant because they might not know how to help or what to say,” Hill said. “Mental Health First Aid was developed to give our communities the tools they need to face these common challenges.”
As suicide rates continue to climb in rural, frontier areas of the Midwest, now is a critical time to further efforts to educate rural communities about the risks and warning signs of possible mental health challenges, Hill said.
Locally owned and operated since 1964, High Plains employs about 140 staff members throughout its 20-county service area in northwest Kansas. With a main office building in Hays, High Plains also has full-time branch offices in Colby, Goodland, Norton, Osborne and Phillipsburg, in addition to community outreach offices in 14 counties. Other specialized services include Schwaller Crisis Center, a 24-hour crisis hotline and community-based support services for adults and youth. To learn more about High Plains Mental Health Center, visit www.hpmhc.com or find the agency on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Three-day weather outlook
Hansen Arts & Crafts Fair Aug. 17
LOGAN – 
If you enjoy arts and crafts, come spend a fun Saturday in Logan, a farming community nestled in northwest Kansas, on Highway 9.
Logan is home to the Dane G. Hansen Museum which sponsors one of the best arts and crafts fairs in Kansas. Saturday, August 17, 2019, over fifty artists and crafters from Kansas and surrounding states will turn the Hansen Plaza into a shopper’s paradise. Family and friends rally together on Main Street in Logan for this annual event.
There is no admission charge.
Crafters check in before dawn in preparation for the fair’s 9:00 a.m. opening. Food vendors soon begin filling the air with tantalizing smells as they begin preparing delicious offerings such as hamburgers, bratwurst, chicken & noodles, pies, pulled pork sandwiches, sno-cones, kettle corn, and more. If you start the day hungry, you won’t be for long.
The day gets underway with a 5K Run/2 Mile Fun Walk. Registration and t-shirt pickup begin at 7:00 a.m. at the corner of Douglas and Main. The 5K run starts at 8:00 a.m. with the 2 mile walk to follow at 8:15 a.m. All registration fees are donated to Phillips County Hospice Services.
For your listening pleasure, live music on two stages can be enjoyed throughout the day. The south stage will show case the talents of “Lora McDonald” at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. and “Formerly Three” will entertain from the north stage at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Iowa chain saw artist, Blair Smith, will be on the grounds to astonish you with his chain saw artistry. Blair is scheduled to carve at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. Be sure to stop and watch his amazing talent. Two of his incredible sculptures will be given away in drawings at 10:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.
Artisans presenting their skills around the Plaza Square throughout the day include: fast draw shooting by the Deer Creek Regulators; “Fleece to Fabric” by Area Weavers & Spinners and The Shepherd’s Mill; black smith techniques with Brian Bethke; oil painting by National Oil Painters of America Signature Member, David Vollbracht; Joy of Painting instructors T.R. Matthews and Sandra Seamone; and wheel throwing techniques on the potter’s wheel with Chris Goedert.
After strolling around the Plaza, please step inside the museum and meander around the gallery. Our exhibit, “A Life In The Wild,” contains forty of world renown wildlife and nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen’s most prized photographs. While you are in the gallery, don’t forget to check out B Duh Junk’s amazing pressed tin art for sale in our Artist of the Month area.
Amble over to the Community Room where you can check out antique appraising, quilting demonstrations, and membership sales. From 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., antique appraiser Bob Jones will be available to give a free verbal approximation of value on two of your antiques. At 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. watch Janie Lowry’s Festive Table Topper demonstration.
Please stop by the membership table to purchase or renew your Dane G. Hansen Museum membership. Purchasing a membership during the Arts & Crafts Fair automatically enters you in the Hansen Bucks drawings. Five hundred dollars ($500) worth of Hansen Bucks will be given away in drawings held at 10:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. Remember to stick around because you must be present to win and spend these bucks!
At 9:00 a.m. Inflate-o-Fun will be ready to entertain the children with a jumper/slide combo and the new meltdown game. At 10:00 a.m. the Logan Medical Clinic will offer free face painting in the Kids Tent.
The highlight of the day will be the selection of 12 new winners (and two alternates) of the coveted “Artist of the Month” award. The crafters are judged for uniqueness, quality of craft, and display. Winners announced at 2:45 p.m. with prizes and photos to follow the fair’s 3:00 p.m. closing.
Join us for the 46th Annual Hansen Arts & Crafts Fair, Saturday, August 17, 2019, on the beautiful Hansen Plaza in downtown Logan, Kansas. Come hungry, bring your wallet, and wear your walking shoes. You’ll leave with a smile.
– SUBMITTED –
Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Back-to-school quandary
By KIM BALDWIN
McPherson County farmer and rancher
It’s that time of the year again when summertime store displays change, and parents begin filling shopping carts with glue bottles, wide-ruled paper, crayon boxes, flashy backpacks, trendy lunch boxes and a variety of specific items on school supply shopping lists.
In a nutshell, it’s back-to-school time!
For the past few weeks my husband and I have been planting little messages into our conversations with our kiddos to begin building excitement for the new school year.
Statements like, “I’m so excited you already know some of the kids in your class,” and, “I bet they’re going to have chocolate milk as an option during lunch again this year,” are ways we try to hype up the kids for a new school year.
We know that preparing our kids for a change in their schedules is ultimately helpful for the entire family.
While driving home from swim lessons recently, my son and I were reflecting on all of the fun this summer brought. From visiting local libraries and museums with the babysitter, road trips taken out of the state with grandparents, eating meals in the field with our harvest crew, swim time at the community pool, and freedom to do kid things on the farm, both of my children have had a memorable summer.
It was during this drive that my son said, “I don’t want to go back to school!”
It wasn’t one of those statements that sometimes falls out of a child’s mouth before fully thinking things through. This was delivered in a clear, matter-of-fact manner.
He repeated, “I DO NOT want to go back to school!”
As a former teacher, I was a bit taken aback.
Upon further questioning, my son confessed he didn’t want to go back to school because he didn’t want to miss anything going on at the farm.
Don’t get me wrong, my boy loves school. He loves learning and crafts and friends and lunch and recess and PE and chocolate milk and his teachers.
He also loves being home on the farm. He loves helping his daddy with irrigation duties, eating meals with everyone in the field, riding in tractors, playing with his pups and digging in the dirt.
It was clearly a difficult situation he had found himself in. It is this summer where my son’s understanding of the world has matured enough to know that when he heads back to school later this month, the day-to-day operations on the farm will not stop while he’s gone.
Although I’m a bit sad my boy is experiencing this internal turmoil, I’m also proud to know he takes his place on the farm seriously, and he feels like he has an important role within our family’s operation.
My husband and I have now had to modify our messaging approach to build the excitement for returning to school. And while we still mention the probability of chocolate milk as an option that will be served at lunch, we’re now also mentioning that going to school and getting a good education will ultimately help the farm — especially if our boy wants to farm full-time someday.
Time will tell if our family’s transition back to school will be a smooth one this year. Either way, we’ll continue to build excitement and support the value of learning which will ultimately benefit our family and our farm.
“Insight” is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.