By CRISTINA JANNEY

Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board will continue discussion Monday on a new wage schedule for classified staff.

The board will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Rockwell Administration Center.

At the board’s September work session, they heard from Keith Hall, interim director of finance and Faith Lochmann, HR coordinator.

The school board was first presented a classified wage study on June 16. It found several classes of USD 489 employees are not making as much as their peers. These included building secretaries, office assistants and clerical workers, and information technology assistants. The wages for information technology assistants have already been adjusted.

District officials hope to develop wage schedules for all classified staff, but Hall said the district can’t afford to make all the adjustments in one year. They hope to start with the secretarial staff.

The board will again discuss the naming of the new home for the Early Childhood Connections program. The former Oak Park Medical Complex on 13th Street was renovated with the help of a federal grant for the program. The board has a list of names that were submitted by the community.

The complex opened to students at the start of the fall semester.

In other business, the board will:

• Hear a vaping presentation by Smoky Hill Foundation for Chemical Dependency’s Alisha Dinges and Jobeth Haselhorst
• Hear a report on the Kansas STAR Recognition Program.

MCCRACKEN – The McCracken Public Library in McCracken will host “The Harvey Girls,” a presentation and discussion by Michaeline Chance-Reay on Sunday, September 29 at 3 p.m. at McCracken City Building, 402 1st Street.

Everyone is invited to attend the free program. The program is made possible by Humanities Kansas.

A delicious soup supper will follow the program with a free will donation.

The Harvey House chain of restaurants got its start in Topeka when Fred Harvey opened a café for people traveling the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. Preferring the term “Harvey Girl” to waitress, he recruited single women to work at his restaurants that gradually sprang up all the way to California and Texas. This presentation explores the job duties and working conditions of Harvey Girls from 1876 to the early 1950s.

Michaeline Chance-Reay teaches women’s studies and education at Kansas State University. Her current research focuses on the Harvey Girls and historic sites on the K-State campus, especially those related to women.

“Women in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who wanted jobs or careers outside of the home had few choices,” said Chance-Reay. “But the Harvey Company offered unique opportunities. It was demanding work but it provided a decent salary in a protected environment, in addition to travel and adventure.”

“The Harvey Girls” is part of Humanities Kansas’s Movement of Ideas Speakers Bureau, featuring presentations and workshops designed to share stories that inspire, spark conversations that inform, and generate insights that strengthen civic engagement.

For more information about “The Harvey Girls” in McCracken contact the McCracken Public Library at 785-394-2444.

About Humanities Kansas

Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit spearheading a movement of ideas to empower the people of Kansas to strengthen their communities and our democracy. Since 1972, our pioneering programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and generate insights. Together with our partners and supporters, we inspire all Kansans to draw on history, literature, ethics, and culture to enrich their lives and serve the communities and state we all proudly call home. Visit humanitieskansas.org.

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Ellis County Joint Planning Commission

The Ellis County Joint Planning Commission will hold its monthly meeting on Wednesday.

The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. at 718 Main Street in the Commission Chambers in Hays.

Please contact the Ellis County Zoning Office at 785-628-9449 for more information.

Union Pacific

Union Pacific will share life-saving messages reminding drivers and pedestrians to use caution every time they cross the tracks during national Rail Safety Week events scheduled across Union Pacific’s 23-state system, Sept. 22-28.

“Railroad crossing incidents involving drivers and pedestrians are preventable if people remain vigilant near the tracks and avoid risky behavior,” said Erin Batt, Union Pacific’s chief safety officer. “Rail Safety Week is a great opportunity for communities to raise awareness about how people can keep themselves and their families safe near rail lines.”

Trains hit a person or vehicle at railroad crossings every four hours in America, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration. Union Pacific hopes to reverse the trend by discouraging unsafe behavior such as ignoring railroad warnings and walking on tracks in areas that are not designated crossings. Designated crossings can be marked with x-shaped railroad signage or equipped with red flashing lights, bells and gates.

Union Pacific will share rail safety tips on social media during Rail Safety Week and collaborate with other organizations participating in the nationwide education effort. Events include supporting law enforcement observing motorist behavior in Superior, Wisconsin, Sept. 24. On Sept. 27, Union Pacific and Metra, Chicago’s commuter railroad, will host a rail safety education outreach effort with National Transportation Safety Board Member Jennifer Homendy, Safe Kids Worldwide, Clifford the Big Red Dog and the Village of Elmhurst.

It’s important to remember trains do not operate on set schedules and to expect a train at all times. Practicing the following rail safety tips throughout the year will help drivers and pedestrians stay safe near railroad tracks:

• Only cross the tracks at designated railroad crossings, located where the street intersects with the tracks.
  Never walk between the rails or in areas that are not designated crossings.
  Avoid distractions including loud music, texting or talking on cell phones when crossing the railroad tracks.
  Stay away from trains and other railroad property including bridges, yards and other equipment.
  Call the phone number posted at the crossing or 911 to report unsafe behavior on or around the tracks.
  More information is available at up.com/safety.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP). One of America’s most recognized companies, Union Pacific Railroad connects 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, providing a critical link in the global supply chain. The railroad’s diversified business mix is classified into its Agricultural Products, Energy, Industrial and Premium business groups. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers, operates from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada’s rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways. Union Pacific provides value to its roughly 10,000 customers by delivering products in a safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible manner.