By Becky Kiser
Hays Post

Hays Area Chamber of Commerce members have been at many local grand openings where they hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

This morning at the Hays Dog Park, it was a leash-cutting that marked its official grand opening at Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex.

It may have been a first for the HACC, and it’s certainly the first time the excited audience included dogs.

Following a a few remarks from Hays Animal Control Officer Nikki Hausler reminding owners “what could possibly go wrong with a bunch of dogs,” it was time to release the hounds, both big and small, all four-footed.

Grand opening activities continue until 2 p.m. and include educational booths and fun for pets and their humans.

Dog agility demonstrations will be given by Johanna Musgrove.

Dr. Brandon Weidenhaft, Big Creek Veterinary Clinic, will discuss diseases that can affect dogs at noon. Dr. Steve Mosier, Hays Veterinary Clinic, will talk abut “Doggy First Aid” at 1:30p.m. Certified dog trainer Raina Alm is on hand to talk about animal behavior.

Booths are selling Friends of the Hays Dog Park t-shirts; homemade dog treats, and the Girl Scouts are selling hot dogs.

Western Plains Animal Refuge has a booth as does Great Plains Animal Response Team with information about disaster preparedness for pets.

Dog photos are also available for purchase.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Kansas National Education Association officials say the union might consider a lawsuit to determine if the state can take away tenure rights of teachers.

Silent protesters supporting Kansas teachers rallied in Hays on Wednesday afternoon prior to public appearances by Gov. Sam Brownback and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer.

At issue is a provision in the school funding bill signed Monday by Brownback.  While increasing funding for public education, the measure also reduces the due process rights of teachers if they are fired by a school district.

Republican 40th District Sen. Ralph Ostmeyer, Grinnell, voted for the bill.

“I wish it (the tenure process) wasn’t tied to the funding package,” he said, “but I like that it puts it back on the local level — local school boards will make the decision. My experience has been, you better take the plan you’ve got because the next one may not be as good”:

Ostmeyer has two children and a daughter-in-law who are teachers.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The Hays Dog Park will host its grand opening Saturday morning with a “leash cutting” ceremony at 10 a.m.

There will be several education presentations, agility demonstrations and doggy games, according to Kim Perez, president of Friends of the Hays Dog Park:

People will be able to purchase Friends of the Hays Dog Park T-shirts for themselves, and homemade dog treats for their pets.

Ellis County Emergency Manager Bill Ring will talk about disaster preparedness for pets on behalf of the Great Plans Animal Response Team.

Activities will conclude at 2 p.m.

The Hays Dog Park is located north of the Fort Hays State University soccer stadium in the Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex.

 

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Last year was a record for the annual ACE auction at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays.

The fundraiser, which supports TMP and Holy Family Elementary schools, brought in more than $600,000, according to Advancement Director Jeff Brull. Half of the proceeds were used for the TMP elevator project, which is nearly complete.

This year is another kind of record, as the ACE auction will mark its 40^th year. Although tickets are sold out, donors still can participate in the live auction online at Hays Post and the TMP website:

The TMP ACE auction for Catholic Education is Saturday, April 26.

BY BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The sidewalks of downtown Hays will be bustling Friday evening as people stroll between 32 exhibits in the Hays Arts Council annual spring gallery walk.

Executive Director Brenda Meder says most of the installations are downtown; a handful  are spread across town.  A few will have extended hours and will also be open Saturday:

The art walk includes the 45^th annual Smoky Hill Art Exhibition, the Hays Arts Council’s annual state-wide, juried fine art competition.

A complete list of all the exhibit locations is available on the Hays Arts Council’s website.

For the first time, Hays City Hall will be one of exhibit locations.  Staff members will be on hand to talk about the “art” of planning a xeriscape garden, one of which is planted just in front of city hall.   The city will also giveaway 150 drought tolerant plants.

Inside city hall along the main hallway, gallery walkers will see traditional art, a photos of Hays sites commissioned by Thomas Zimmerman, Crossroads Photography.

By BECKY KISER AND NICK BUDD
Hays Post

Governor Sam Brownback and Lieutenant Governor Jeff Colyer were met by protesters in Hays Wednesday afternoon prior to two media appearances.

About a dozen people wearing red National Education Association t-shirts in support of teachers stood by silently with protest signs as Brownback entered Sternberg Museum for a ceremonial bill signing:

Brownback was also scheduled at Fort Hays State University for a news conference about education funding.  His airplane pilot made the decision to return to Topeka early because of threatening weather.

A larger group of protesters was in front of Sheridan Hall as Colyer entered the building without Brownback.  The president of the Hays NEA group, Kim Schneweis, explained their concerns:

Lieutenant governor Colyer supports the  legislature’s compromise school funding bill which governor Brownback signed Monday:

Brownback and Colyer were accompanied by area GOP legislators: Rep. Sue Boldra-Hays, Rep. Travis Couture-Lovelady-Palco, Rep. Done Hineman-Dighton, and Sen. Ralph Ostmeyer.

Couture-Lovelady and Ostmeyer voted in favor of the school funding bill; Boldra and Hineman voted against it.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback was at Sternberg Museum of Natural History on Wednesday afternoon for a ceremonial signing of the new law designating two state fossils:

The bill passed the Kansas House and Senate by large margins, thanks in part to the testimonies of Serena Colyer, daughter of Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, and Scott City High School senior Steven Fisher, who were both in Hays for the ceremony.

Fisher has been lobbying for official state fossils as part of his 4-H geology project:

The marine fossil Tylosaurus and the flying fossil Pteranodon are the two Kansas state fossils. Sternberg Museum features both fossils in its collection, along with replicas of both animals.

The complete Tylosaurus was collected and mounted by George Sternberg.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Gov. Sam Brownback is scheduled to be in Hays Wednesday afternoon for a ceremonial signing of the new law designating two state fossils.

The event is planned for 3:15 p.m. in the lobby of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, according to museum director Reese Barrick. The governor’s plane is scheduled to arrive at Hays Regional Airport at 3 p.m.

The bill, which passed both the Kansas House and Senate by a large margin, has already been signed into law. It designates the  marine fossil Tylosaurus and the flying fossil Pteranodon as the two official state fossils.

Barrick hopes to the governor will pose for a “photo-op” with the Sternberg display featuring the two Kansas fossils.

The museum features both the type specimen of Pteranodon sternbergi and a complete Tylosaurus collected and mounted by George Sternberg in the Cretaceous fossil gallery. Life-sized models of both are also prominent in  Cretaceous dioramas.

“We will get to keep the paper signed by Gov. Brownback and will add that to our display,” Barrick said.

Sternberg adjunct curator of paleontology Mike Everhart testified in favor of the bill and is expected to be present for the ceremonial signing.

 

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Ellis and Russell Counties are in an “extreme drought” according to the U.S Drought Monitor released April 17.

Hays is in a Water Warning while Russell remains under a Stage IV Water Emergency.

Earlier this week, city commissioners from both towns discussed the possible development of their jointly-owned R9 Ranch in Edwards County as a long-term water source for the region.

Conditions for the entire state of Kansas range from abnormally dry to extreme drought.

 

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

State Treasurer Ron Estes has been traveling throughout northwest Kansas this week, spending a couple of days in Hays.

Estes was guest speaker Tuesday at the Hays Lions Club meeting. 

He explained why Kansas has $260 million in unclaimed property and how the treasurer’s office works constantly to return it to the rightful owners. Estes has spearheaded several changes in state law that now make the complicated process much easier:

Unclaimed property historically has been the result of lost checks, undeliverable mail, or relatives being unaware of the holdings of a deceased family member. Estes said a more recent situation developed when the state mandated rural route addresses be changed for 911 emergency purposes.

You can check online at www.kansascash.com to see if you’re eligible for any unclaimed financial assets.

 

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

It’s typical spring weather for Kansas, warming up for a day and then the temperature plummets the next day with overnight lows below freezing.

That’s tough on the emerging wheat crop, but in Ellis County the bigger concern is lack of rain, according to K-State Research and Extension Agriculture Agent Stacy Campbell:

Campbell described the need for rain as “critical” for the wheat in Ellis County.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Ellis County has long been the number one oil-producing county in Kansas, an industry that’s grown 37 percent in the last ten years, according to the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association (KIOGA).

KIOGA, with 1,400 members, is holding its mid-year meeting this week in Hays at Fort Hays State University.

According to KIOGA president Ed Cross, oil is produced in 89 of the 105 Kansas counties, supporting 67,000 jobs.

Hydraulic fracturing, a technology that’s been in use since 1947, actually began in Kansas.

More than 1.2 million oil wells in the United States have been fracked, and “there’s been no documented evidence of harm to groundwater from fracking,” said Cross:

The average Kansas well pumps three barrels of oil a day, a “dependable, stable, longtime resource and important part of the state’s economy,” said Cross.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The K-State Agricultural Research Center in Hays celebrates 100 years of its  “Roundup” during a program Thursday, April 17, in the ARCH auditorium.  Roundup is the major beef cattle education and outreach event sponsored by the research center.

Registration and a commercial trade show kick off the event at 9 a.m.

Hays Research Center department head Bob Gillen will present a history of the Fort Hays Experiment Station/Agricultural Center at 10 a.m.

Beef cattle scientist John Jaeger reviewed the center’s significant beef research of the past 100 years and will discuss a chronology of highlights:

“Kansas is one of the top three cattle producers in the country”, said Jaeger, “although some ranchers are selling off  their herds because of the drought and subsequent feed shortage.”

The outlook for beef cattle, including domestic demand and export updates, will be discussed by Glynn Tonsor, KSU Agricultural Economics.

Records indicate the Roundup has been held each year since 1914 with the exception of 1945 when German prisoners of war were housed in the livestock research area.

“Roundup reports, with extensive records, have been published almost every year, making it one of the longest series published by any public research agency,” said Jaeger.

The 100th K-State ARCH Roundup is free and includes a noon meal.  The program concludes at 3 p.m.