By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

ELLIS — The novelty of rain water rushing through Big Creek was too tempting for several Ellis residents who drove up to the creek to see it and then had to be rescued from their vehicle Wednesday night when it slid into the creek.

Ellis Police Chief Taft Yates said Thursday morning one person had exited the Toyota SUV and left the scene before emergency responders arrived about 10:45 p.m. Wednesday.

“They were looking at Big Creek, about 200 yards east of the dam, got too close to the muddy bank and took a ride into the river,” Yates said.

The Ellis Fire Department rescue squad, Ellis Police Department and Ellis County Sheriff’s Office responded, along with some local citizens.

It was still raining as four people were rescued from the SUV with no injuries, although responders were unable to recover the vehicle.

Police officers had to locate the one person who got out the Toyota earlier to make sure he was safe.

“Everybody did a good job, especially the rope rescuers with the fire department,” Yates said. “I told my guys earlier in the day to be on the lookout for this kind of thing.”

Yates offered this reminder for motorists.

“Don’t take for granted what you’re seeing. You don’t know how deep the water is or how fast it’s actually moving. It’s doesn’t take much water to move a vehicle off a road. If you see water running across a road, don’t drive through it.”

Yates estimated Ellis received at least another 4 inches of rain overnight.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

ELLIS — For the first time in several years, water actually will be flowing in Big Creek during the annual Ellis Riverfest in Walter P. Chrysler Park on the east side of the creek.

The 22nd annual event, Riverfest 2014: Battle on Big Creek, is Saturday and includes fun, food and music, said Ellis Alliance Executive Director Dena Patee.  

There are two new events this year that Patee “can’t wait to see”:

Other activities include a Fun Run/Walk and parade in the morning and a concert by Sister Whiskey at 8 p.m.

A professional skydiving exhibition by Team FASTRAX will also be performed with several area residents paying to experience a tandem jump. Proceeds will benefit the HALO for Freedom Warrior Foundation.

Ellis Police Chief Taft Yates, who plans to be one of the divers, has helped organize the event.  He says the demonstration will be at 12 noon at the Ellis High School football field.

“We have 27 people signed up to tandem jump with Team FASTRAX. “said Yates.  Each jump will take about 45 minutes to complete.”

There is no charge to attend the Riverfest.

 

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

It will certainly be much warmer today than it was Saturday, opening day for the Hays Downtown Market.

Market Manager Ashley Nease is new this year and it’s just the second season for the market. Nease was pleased with the turnout Saturday morning and said being open Wednesday nights can be especially convenient for people just getting off work.

“Our returning and new vendors come throughout the area with a variety of foods and handcrafted items. On Wednesdays, you’ll be able to pick up fresh produce and homemade breads and desserts just in time for dinner:”

The Downtown Hays Market is located in the parking lot at 10th and Main Streets. It’s open Wednesday evenings 5-7 p.m. and Saturday mornings 7:30-11 a.m. through the first week of October.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

With light rain still falling at mid-day in Hays, water levels are being monitored in the pond located north of 27th Street and adjacent to Cottonwood Lane, commonly called “Van Doren Pond.”

“It seems to be doing okay for now, as long as the rain stays steady like it has been,” said Nick Willis, Hays Assistant Director of Utilities. He had just finished walking the along the detention pond on the south end, next to 27th Street, about 2:30 p.m.

“It’s pretty full, but it hasn’t topped the overflow structure,” he said.

Willis and other city workers are paying close attention to the situation, but he said he won’t necessarily have to be on site all night:

Rainfall since midnight as measured at 4 p.m. at the Eagle Media Center, 2300 Hall, is 2.76 inches.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

A cool overcast morning greeted the ten or so vendors readying their booths at 7 a.m. for the opening of the Downtown Hays Market’s second season at 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

The temperature dropped to 58 degrees before the clouds began parting and the sun started to shine. Most of the vendors and the early attendees at the market wore jackets.

This is the first year Ashley Nease has managed the market, located in the parking lot at 10th and Main streets.

“We have four new vendors here today and it’s just so exciting to help them get started in their business,” she said.

Products for purchase ranged from hand-crafted flower pot boxes made of reclaimed wood by Red Dog Woodworkers to hot-house organic cucumbers grown by Resurrection Vineyard & Farms.

Lots of homemade foods, especially the artisan breads baked by Cathy Drabkin of Cathy’s Breads, sold out quickly. She was one of the returning vendors from last year.

“This has pretty much turned into a full-time endeavor for me,” Drabkin smiled.

Katyedge Farm near Catherine also sells homemade breads and bagels, and stickhorses:

The is the second year for the downtown market. It will be open Saturday mornings, 7:30 a.m.-11 a.m., and Wednesday evenings, 5 p.m.- 7p.m., through the first week of October.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The Downtown Hays Market opens for its second season Saturday, June 7,  at 7:30 a.m. in the parking lot at 10^th and Main.

Downtown Hays Development Corporation Executive Director Megan Colson says there will be lots of familiar vendors and products, a few new booths, and some new ideas:

The market will be open Saturday mornings 7:30 a.m.- 11 a.m. and Wednesday evenings 5 p.m.-7 p.m.through the first week of October.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

A heat burst at the Hays Regional Airport at about 9:40 p.m. Tuesday resulted in a high temperature for the day occurring well after dark, an unusual phenomenon.

“The high temperature at the airport was 97 degrees around 5 p.m. Tuesday,” said Larry Ruthi, meteorologist-in-charge at the National Weather Service in Dodge City.

“Then, the temperature dropped to 88 degrees by 9 p.m. At 10,000 feet, the temperature was still 70 degrees, extremely hot for that level. There were thunderstorms in Hamilton County, southern Ness County and in Rush County, and downbursts began just after 9:30 p.m.

“Strong west winds with gusts as high as 61 miles an hour arrived at the Hays airport, along with blowing dust that reduced visibility to 1.75 miles. That’s when the temperature rose to 99 degrees for a short time, the result of outflow from the high-based thunderstorms to the south and west of Hays.”

The precipitation evaporated before it hit the ground.

Conditions at the Hays airport are recorded by the Dodge City NWS office every 20 minutes.

Official weather records for Hays have been kept by the K-State Agricultural Research Center just south of town for more than 100 years. The official high for Tuesday was 96 degrees — well below the 104 degrees recorded in 1933.

“It’s not unusual for there to be significant differences in  rainfall amounts and temperatures between that location, which is surrounded by trees,  and the airport in an open location 3 or 4 miles to the east,” Ruthi said. “Hays residents will notice what we (NWS) report and what the research center reports can vary. It’s just a matter of different observation locations.”

Related story: Another round of thunderstorms could be on the way.

 

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The second season of the Downtown Hays Market opens Saturday morning and the new executive director of  the Downtown Hays Development Corporation is ready to go.

So are the vendors, according to Megan Colson.

“We had about 35 different vendors last year and most of them are returning,” said Colson.  “We’ll also have some new people and products.”

Despite the drought and water restrictions in the city of Hays, Colson said there should be plenty of fresh seasonal produce to purchase:

Last year, produce was brought to the market from as far away as Beloit and Rush and Russell counties.

Other items that will be available include live plants, baked goods, honey, jams and handcrafted items such as jewelry and soaps.

New vendors this year include Buffalo Creek Leather with hand-crafted leather items including holsters and cell phone cases and The Mustard Seed: Reclaimed Wood Designs.

Local musicians will be playing live music in the market each week, and Colson hopes to add some hands-on activities for the kids to enjoy while the adults shop.

Vendors can participate in the market any time throughout the season.  The fee is $25, which is used for advertising and promoting the market.

Each vendor selling homemade goods or garden-grown produce “must adhere to the ‘From the Land of Kansas’ rules and guidelines regulated by the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and collect sales taxes,” Colson explained.

“You can be confident in the quality and safety of the food items you purchase,” she added.

The Downtown Hays Market is located in the parking lot at 10th and Main Streets.  It will be open Saturdays 7:30 a.m.-11 a.m. until the first week of October, weather permitting, and also Wednesday evenings 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Hays resident James Leiker has filed to run on the Democratic ticket for the Kansas 111th district that includes Hays and Victoria.

“The past number of months, I’ve been approached about it by various people. I sat down and looked at it and it makes sense,” Leiker told Hays Post Friday.

He filed the paperwork in Topeka on Thursday, and it became official today. Rep. Sue Boldra, R-Hays, is the current 111th District representative.

Leiker, 31, has served as a USD 489 Hays school board member for nearly three years and is currently the vice president.

“So many of the school board issues have a lot to do with state funding and we have no local control over that,” Leiker said. “I want to bring state funding back to our schools.”

“I also have a strong water background, which is helpful,” said Leiker, who has worked as a Kansas State Research and Extension Watershed Project Technician.

Leiker and his wife, Tayrn — both employed by Genesis PURE Corp. — have two children, ages 9 and 5, who will both be attending Wilson School this fall.

If he is elected, Leiker said he would have to “give up his school board seat in January” when the Legislature convenes.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The upcoming mail-in election for USD 489 constituents requires a “strict procedure” for Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus.

“The process has to be approved by the secretary of state,” according to Maskus.

Her 86-page plan was submitted to Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach on April 27 and has been approved.

The “Mail Ballot Election for USD 489” will be held Friday, June 27. That’s the day mail-in ballots must be received in the county clerk’s office by noon.

The 13,660 ballots will be mailed to “active voters” in USD 489 June 10 and should arrive in local mailboxes June 11.

Ballots must be marked “Yes” or “No” to the question of whether the Hays USD 489 Local Option Budget should be increased 1 percent.

Maskus reminded voters they must also sign the ballot and include their permanent mailing address on the outside of the envelope:

Unlike an election at the polls, the votes can be counted as soon as they arrive in the county clerk’s office between June 11 and June 27.

Office staff will be hand-tallying the ballots during regular business hours.

“Because USD 489 is paying  for the election costs, we’re hoping to save them a little money by not having to hire any additional help,” Maskus said.

Maskus is unsure when the final results will be available.

“It’s possible we won’t be done until after June 27.”

 

 

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The Hays Dog Park continues to add improvements as donations are made to the third and final fundraising phase.

Four new benches, for humans, adorned with plaques honoring the donors, were installed Thursday.

City crews also removed the rules sign and kiosk outside of the park fence. Friends of the Hays Dog Park President Kim Perez said work will begin soon on installation of a sidewalk which will be paved with bricks purchased by donors.

“Hays Dog Park” has also been added to the “Maintenance” locator sign in the Bickle Schmidt Sports Complex, making it easier for patrons to find the dog park.

The Phase 3 fundraising goal is $33,866. Donation information is available on the Friends of the Hays Dog Park Facebook page.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

It was perfect weather at the ball park Wednesday night for the Opening Day celebration of Hays youth baseball and softball players participating in the Hays Recreation Commission summer leagues.

The first-time event, which HRC youth sports director Keith Smith hopes will become an annual tradition, invited 850 players, plus coaches, sponsors and families to the Bickle/Schmidt Sports Complex.

“We should have started cooking the hot dogs a day early,” Smith joked, as he checked out the long line at the concession stand.

All of the teams, coaches and sponsors took the field for introduction by Eagle Radio’s Dustin Armbruster, and then they recited the Sportsmanship Pledge:

“Although we have 10 fewer players this year than last summer,” according to Smith, “we’re up from two years ago.”

There are 850 kids playing on 72 teams — 29 baseball teams, 23 softball teams and 21 T-ball teams.

Smith said the event is a “fun way to also give back to the many sponsors and volunteers who help” with the Hays Rec summer leagues.

Other activities included a home run derby for the older boys, an accuracy throw for the girls and a speed-throw challenge from first to third base.

Attendees also had the chance to  win tickets to a Royals, Wingnuts or T-Bones game.

 

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

May 22, 1951, was a deadly day in Hays.

Heavy early morning rains 63 years ago today produced one of the worst flood disasters in Hays, according to records from the National Weather Service in Dodge City.

Six people were killed.

Fort Hays Kansas State College was flooded as well as the southern part of Hays when Big Creek erupted from its banks.  There is now a 1.8 mile levee between Big Creek and the campus, according to records at FHSU Forsyth Library.

Heavy rains had fallen earlier in the month and contributed to the May 22 flooding.

The rainfall amount for May and June, 1951, was 20.42 inches as recorded at the K-State University Agricultural Research Center just south of Hays.  

It was a record wet year for Hays with 43.34 inches of precipitation recorded in 1951.