We have a brand new updated website! Click here to check it out!

Man convicted of five murders in NW Kan. denied parole

Nemechek. KDOC photo

Nemechek. KDOC photo

Hays Post

WAKEENEY — A man serving five consecutive life sentences for the first-degree murders of five people in northwest Kansas has been denied parole.

According to the office of the Trego County Attorney, Francis Donald Nemechek was denied parole after a hearing in July in front of the parole board.

He will not be eligible for parole for another 10 years in 2027.

Nemechek was sentenced in March 1977 for the crimes, which included three separate incidents.

According to court documents, Sheryl Lynn Young, 21, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Diane Lynn Lovette, 19, Fort Madison, Iowa; and Guy William Young, 3, Colorado Springs, were picked up by defendant on Interstate 70 near Ogallah on Dec. 13, 1974, after experiencing car trouble. The two women were taken to an abandoned farmhouse in Graham County where the two women were shotgunned to death and Guy, a 3-year-old boy, was left to freeze. The bodies were found on Jan. 13, 1975.

Carla Baker, a college student, was abducted on the evening of June 30, 1976, as she rode her bicycle near the west edge of Hays. Her remains were recovered Sept. 21, 1976, in a deserted area at Cedar Bluff Reservoir in Trego County after Nemechek told police where to look for her body.

Paula Fabrizius, 16, WaKeeney, worked as a park ranger at Cedar Bluff State Park during the summer months. On Aug. 21, 1976, she was abducted from her duty post. After an extensive search, her body was found the next day near Castle Rock in Gove County.

Nemechek was arrested on Aug. 24, 1976. He is now 67 years old and has been an inmate of Lansing Correctional Facility since his sentencing, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

“The state introduced extensive evidence connecting defendant to the crimes, with the most damning evidence being defendant’s confession to the five crimes,” court documents stated.

Prior to the July parole hearing there were be three opportunities for friends and families of victims to appear in person and testify.

Enrollment ends today for USD 489

Today is the last day to enroll in person for Hays USD 489. 

As of this morning, Hays had 740 students that were still needing to be enrolled.  If you want to take advantage of centralized enrollment, school officials will be available until 5:30 pm today  at the Hays High School cafeteria. Enrollment is also available online.

Holy Family enrollment also will be today from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school’s cafeteria. Thomas More Prep-Marian students will enroll Tuesday and Wednesday in the TMP dining hall.

🎥 Duck Derby success for Big Brother Big Sisters; Zenda Weir wins car

About 5,300 toy ducks raced through the Hays Aquatic Park Wednesday night for one lucky duck sponsor’s chance to win a car.

The grand prize for winning the Duck Derby was a 2015 Chevrolet Spark, a collaboration between James Motor Co., Hays Chevrolet, Auto World, Car Zone, Lewis Automotive Group of Hays and Happy’s Auto.

The grand prize winner was Zenda Wier. She did not make herself known last night, but the winner did not have to be present to be awarded the prize.

The second-annual Hays Duck Derby benefited Ellis County Big Brothers Big Sisters. Jenny Bates, Big Brothers Big Sisters area director, said the event was a great success. They were still tabulating the final duck count and dollar amount raised Wednesday night, but Bates said the event was as successful as last year.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is mentoring organization. It has been in Ellis County since 2000. Children are matched one-on-one with a Big Brother, Big Sister, a couple, or family match. Volunteers are asked to meet with their match once a week to give encouragement.

You can learn more by visiting the Ellis Bigs Facebook here.

In addition to the Duck Derby, children 12 and younger were able to buy baby ducks for $2 each for the Duck Dash with kid-friendly prizes. The children were able to keep a duck if they wished.

Those winners are listed below:

April Escilman, Happy Meal every week for a year from by McDonald’s

Lakin Daugnerty and Annabell Barenberg, a bicycle each from Carrico Implement

Isabella Unrein, Toy combine, Case IH

Waylon Pray, one-year family membership to the Sternberg Museum from Sternberg Museum

Jaymeson Wickham, season pass to Hays Aquatic Park from Hays Aquatic Park

Laken Pasek, eight miniature golf passes from Precision Valley

Logan Schoenberger, free family night out bowling from Centennial Lanes

Catherine Caines, yellow duck alarm clock from Jim Huenergarde

Carter Graham, inflatable duck, Big Brothers Big Sisters

Other winners included: Josiah Grizzle, Vaida Randa, Taegan Shannon, Tavis Crawford, Jack McMurtrie, Lil Kingsley, Finn Nicholson-Crottg, Ryleigh Kuehl, Marina Valencia, Jacob Schaffer, Lexi Briton, Cooper Goodrow, Cadee Schmidt, Emersyn Copper, Lila Meinhardt, Logan Schoenberger, Wyatt Dobson, Callon Moeder, Emily McEwan and Nora Andrews

In between duck heats, three heats of the Hays ‘Merica Cardboard Regatta Challenge were raced in the aquatic park lap pool.

LDI won Best of Show for its boat in the design of an ag sprayer.

The Spirit Award was given to John O. Farmer.

The Titanic Award was given to Wal-Mart as their boat never was really successfully launched.

The winner of the first heat was Glassman, the second heat winner was John O. Farmer, Inc. and the third heat winner was Western Well.

Western Well won the regatta in a time of 41 seconds followed by John O. Farmer, Inc. in 44 seconds and Glassman in 56 seconds.

Midwestern Pipeworks sponsored hot dogs for a free-will donation to the Bigs program, and other volunteers ran free Quacktivities kids games.

This year’s presenting sponsor was Eagle Communications.

UPDATE: Hays school board receives four applications for vacant seat

Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board has received four applications for a vacant board seat.

Tina Zimmerman and attorney Greg Schwartz of Schwartz & Park, Kevin Daniels and Lori Hertel submitted applications by the deadline. The school district released it had a total of four applicants Wednesday afternoon.

Schwartz was elected to the Hays school board in 2007 and served three terms, according to his law practice website. He has also served as president of the USD 489 Foundation for Educational Excellence.

The school board will discuss the applications at its meeting Monday.

The seat was vacated in July by Sarah Rankin when she moved out of state. There are two and half years left on Rankins’ term.

Boyfriend fakes injury, pops the question when girlfriend comes to his aid

FHSU students Todd Kane and Brittnee Pingsterhaus’ video of their Hays gym proposal has gone viral.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Brittnee Pingsterhaus was alarmed when she saw her boyfriend go to the floor after attempting a squat at a Hays gym.

Todd Kane, her boyfriend, had an old basketball injury, and she was convinced he had re-injured his knee.

But Kane pulled himself up on his knees and popped a ring out of his pocket to propose.

The fake-injury proposal was videoed by friends at Munsch Gym, where Brittnee is a personal trainer.

The proposal was posted July 25, and since then the post has gone viral with 3,500 likes on Twitter and 24,000 Facebook views with likes coming from as far away as the UK.

“We were very mind blown about all the love that it received,” Brittnee said.

Brittnee, who is originally from Cimarron, and Todd, who is originally from Colby, met in an unusual way as well.

Brittnee was having a rather bad morning last September. She was in line at the drive-through at McDonald’s. She decided that if she did something nice for someone else, she might feel better — so she paid for the order for the person behind her.

Brittnee hoped her deed would be anonymous, but the drive-through line was a bit backed up that morning, which gave the person in the car behind her the opportunity to get out of his car and come up and say thank you.

Todd Kane and Brittnee Pingsterhaus are planning a fall 2018 wedding.

That person was Todd.

“I was having a bad day, but that definitely turned it into a good one,” Brittnee said.

Todd asked Brittnee out on a date and, as she said, “the rest is history.”

Todd, 23, and Brittnee, 21, quickly discovered they had much in common. Both are seniors in the Health and Human Performance Department at Fort Hays State University.

Todd is hoping to go into coaching, and Brittnee is seeking a career in health promotions.

They learned they were both Harry Potter fans and spend what time they are not in the gym or at school watching the Harry Potter movies.

They both love cool weather and are planning a fall 2018 wedding.

Many of their friends are regulars at the gym, so Todd knew asking Brittnee to marry him at the gym would allow friends to be in on the proposal.

Brittnee and Todd had talked about getting married, and Brittnee even knew Todd had a ring, but she didn’t know anything about the proposal.

When the big day arrived, Todd positioned himself at the squat station with a friend nearby to video the big event.

Todd let the squat bar fall, so Brittnee would hear, and one friend can be heard on the video talking about taking Todd to the ER.

“I really did think he hurt his knee,” she said.

When he presented the ring, Brittnee said she was speechless, her mouth dropped open and she immediately began crying.

“I didn’t know anything he said because I was just bawling I was so happy,” she said. “I actually asked him later that day what he said. I made sure I said yes. I nodded my head.”

So what did Todd say that day to Brittnee?

“I don’t think anybody deserves you, but if you say yes, I will spend the rest of my life trying as hard as I can to accomplish that.”

Todd said in an interview Tuesday, “She said yes, so it’s a mission.”

Todd and Brittnee’s cousin designed the engagement ring, which Brittnee said was exactly what she had imagined her ring would be.

Brittnee said she usually finds out about surprises, but this time she had no clue. She said she loved the proposal and that her friends at the gym could be there to share it with the couple.

“The girls were crying as much as I was,” she said, “and the boys were pretty hyped up too.”

Todd had already asked Brittnee’s father for permission to ask her to marry him, and the couple said their families have been supportive of their engagement.

The couple said they hope they are spreading a message of love with their viral proposal.

“There have been a lot of people who say they look up to our relationship. It really means a lot to us,” Brittnee said, “because we really try to love each other, and we really want to try to show that real love does exist.”

KASB: New school achievement standards coming

Mark Tallman, KASB associate executive director of advocacy, led discussion on state standard changes and school funding Tuesday in Hays.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Officials with the Kansas Association of School Boards were in Hays on Tuesday morning to talk about changing state standards and school funding.

Mark Tallman, KASB associate executive director of advocacy, led the discussion.

“We have never been as well educated as a society as we are now,” Tallman said. “We have never in a time in Kansas history had more people who have graduated from high school, who have gone on to some level of college, who have advanced degrees.

“We are doing better than we have ever been, and yet, all the evidence is we are going to have to get better.”

The state board of education has adopted new standards for education success in Kansas, which it has dubbed Kansans Can.

This includes kindergarten readiness, improving graduation rates, improving successful postsecondary completion, individual plans of study, and addressing social and emotional needs of students.

The Kansas Legislature has linked some of its funding to these goals and, for the first time in 10 years, has increased funding slightly over the rate of inflation.

After years of at best “treading water” and making cuts or losing positions, districts have the ability to start restoring and beginning thinking ahead, Tallman said.

The new accreditation system that starts this year based on the Kansans Can vision is the biggest change in accreditation since the early 1990s, he said.

Tallman said moving beyond standards that solely focus on reading and math seems to be what people are wanting, and educators see it as a step in the right direction.

The new accreditation model will include data on post-secondary success. Those baseline numbers were made public to the state board of education as of July.

Tallman noted during the question-and-answer period, the results of the investments and system changes schools are making today will take time to register. How well students have been prepared for success in college or how improved kindergarten readiness has improved success for elementary children may not be known for another four to five years.

Tallman noted there is a need to express to the public they are receiving a return on their investment in schools, and it is up to local administrators and boards to show the positive results of school changes as soon as possible.

During the question-and-answer period, Hays Superintendent John Thissen said Hays and many districts across the state will be using the increase in state funding to fill holes that were created during the last five to 10 years.

“We agree one of the items for emotional health is critical, but I also think most districts including Hays somewhere in the past five years cut counselors, so one of the items already is to hire back a counselor or two counselors. I don’t think that is uncommon across the state,” Thissen said. “Some people are going to view that as new money. … It’s not. It is getting them back to where we were five years ago. It is very difficult. I understand what you are saying of what are doing to make things better, but part of what we are trying to do right off the bat is we’re trying to put back together what had been dismantled.”

The state will be supporting 14 schools in seven districts to be innovative schools for improvement. Tallman said these schools will be public guinea pigs for the state’s school redesign plans.

“I know the state board and commissioner are very excited about this because they see it as a way to move more quickly into looking at how we need to change to better meet the needs of children who are not doing as well,” Tallman said. “At the same time, I keep stressing the challenge is how do we continue to serve well the kids who are doing well. I think sometimes that is the biggest thing we face when we talk about making changes in education.”

Thissen said the Hays district will not be making an application to participate in the program. He said the state is asking schools to participate in this program, but not necessarily providing additional funds to provide for the changes that will be necessary.

Tallman discussed a report released by KASB in July that looked at the return on investment for K-12 education.

The report indicated Kansas is projected to have among the highest percentages of jobs requiring post-secondary education by 2020 in the nation.

The report also said income went up and unemployment went down based on education level achieved. The median weekly wage for someone who graduates high school is $692, whereas the median weekly wage for someone with a bachelor’s degree is $1,156.

Based on 2015 numbers, the report estimated improved education levels have added $5.7 billion in salaries and wages for Kansas residents compared to 1990 levels.

The reported said this is more than double the increase in total K-12 funding since 1990, adjusted for inflation, and the increase in education levels also correlates to less spent on public assistance and prisons.

The states that have the highest rates of post-secondary education have the highest per capita incomes and the lowest rates of poverty.

The same data indicates these same states put more money into education. That specifically means more money into people — more teachers, more paras, more principals, more counselors and more administrative staff.

“When you look at states that do the best at preparing kids to be successful, they are states that have more people working to make kids be more successful,” Tallman said. “And that costs more money.”

The school funding formula passed this spring by the Legislature is supposed to be in place for the next two years, but the formula is currently under review by the Kansas Supreme Court.

Tallman said he did not know when the Supreme Court will have a decision on the funding formula, but suggested districts move forward using the current law as a basis for their budget planning.

“The court may say the money is not enough. I think our position is, and our position is up to what our members tell us, which means it is ultimately up to you, it is a good step, but it does not get a lot of indicators to where we need to be.”

After the current two-year budget, the funding formula would increase based on the Consumer Price Index.

“If we are really going to get class sizes where they need to be and counselors where we need to be, and social workers in places where they need to be, and we are really going to fund career tech ed where it needs to be,” Tallman said. “It is going to have to be more than just keeping up with the CPI.”

HaysMed takes final step in closure of Skilled Care Unit

Hays Post

HaysMed took its last steps in closing its Skilled Care Unit in late July.

The unit was closed March 1, and published its last notice to Medicare on July 21.

The decision to close the unit was made in February.

“HaysMed has an obligation to provide the best health care services to the patients we serve,” the hospital said in a news release. “A part of that duty is to run an efficient hospital and make necessary changes to meet the needs of our patients, therefore we have made the decision to close the skilled care unit effective March 1. We can more efficiently take better care of patients on one floor versus two floors.”

The Skilled Care Unit was opened in September 2013 when there was a greater need for short-term care after an initial hospital stay. There were 12 beds dedicated to the unit.

“The hospital and healthcare are undergoing many changes.“ said Shae Veach, vice president for regional operations and marketing. “We have a responsibility to continually examine all our services and focus on those that ensure that HaysMed is fiscally strong over the long term.”

Associates from this unit had the opportunity to transition to other departments in the hospital or apply for other open positions available.

HaysMed continues to engage the support of case management/social work to make arrangements for patients who may need continued care.

“HaysMed is making these changes to ensure that health care services not only survive but thrive to support our community into the future,” Veach noted in the news release.

Ellis Rec sets back-to-school bash for Aug. 11

ELLIS — The Ellis Recreation Commission has set a back-to-school bash for Aug. 11.

The event is free for all ages and is open to all Ellis residents.

The schedule is below:

6 p.m. — Start at the Ellis Municipal Swimming Pool with a free swim and Cardboard Boat Races to follow.
6:30 p.m. — Barbecue will provided for the first 200 attendees.
9:15 p.m. — Grab your blankets and lawn chairs for a free “Movie Under the Stars” showing “Sing.” This portion of the evening is sponsored by the Ellis Public Library.

Hays USD 489 seeking applicants for vacant board position

Hays USD 489 as of Monday morning had not received any interest in the vacant board member seat.

The seat was vacated by Sarah Rankin on July 14 after Rankin’s family moved out of state. About two and half years are left in Rankin’s term.

The deadline to apply for the open position is 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1.  Those interested in applying for the vacant position can contact Sarah Wasinger via email at [email protected] or by calling 785-623-2400 today or 785-623-2600 Tuesday.

Applications will be reviewed by the board, and then the board will decide on how to proceed with the selection process. The board will ultimately appoint Rankin’s replacement. The vacant position is set for an item on the Aug. 7 school board meeting agenda.

Summer arts schedule concludes; council sets fall events

Leo Hernandez, 12, solders as stained glass hot air balloon during a Hays Arts Council summer art class.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays Arts Council rounded out its series of art classes for children and adults last week and has already set a slate full of activities for fall.

One of the last classes offered this summer ran July 11-20. Youth participated in a stained glass course with the help of Mitch Sommers.

The students made small hot air balloons and birds using a Tiffany process, which includes soldering glass pieces together.

For all of the six students in the class, this was their first time making stained glass pieces.

The students learned how to cut and grind the glass as well as solder the pieces in place.

“I really like it. There is a lot more steps to it than I thought,” said Leo Hernandez, 12, Hays. “You have to cut the glass and clean it, then grind it, then clean it and then add the copper and then clean it and then solder it and polish it and then clean it some more.”

Sommers said the work is much like putting puzzle pieces together.

Stained glass is unique in its interaction with light.

“It lets light through, but it has its own shape and color,” he said. “It is like looking at a painting itself.”

Canon Meder, 11, said “My grandma said it would be a fun class. Most of the time I listen to her, because she says some things in life that are good.”

Avery Johnson, 11, wasn’t sure she would like the class, but took to her stain glass project.

Summer classes concluded July 27 with Art & Imagination, which explored drawing, collage, painting, printmaking and sculpture for children ages 5 to 12.

Brenda Meder, executive director of the Hays Arts Council, said she is currently working on a slate of activities for this fall.

The annual fall art walk is set for Friday, Aug. 25.

Sept. 25-29 Jay and Leslie Katie, an improv duo, will perform in Hays. The Katies perform a science assembly called “Juggling The Earth’s Resources.”

“We use juggling balls to illustrate how atoms combine to make molecules like H2O and CO2. We examine the carbon dioxide cycle and how the buildup of greenhouse gasses can cause global warming,” the couple said on their website.

Their presentation concludes with an introduction to recycling.

On Oct. 14, the arts council will celebrate its 50th anniversary with its annual meeting and a special screening of a Swedish film made about Hays in April 1976 called “A Quiet America.”

The arts council is hoping to have the narrative of the film translated into English.

The video takes the viewer inside a local wedding, into the old KAYS radio studio and into downtown churches. It also includes interviews with important Hays residents, such as Pete Felten.

“It is an incredible Valentine card to Hays in video,” Meder said.

On Friday, Nov. 17, the Dallas Theatre Company will perform “How I Became a Pirate.”

Meder said about 900 school-age children will see the performance.

On Dec. 1, The Hays Arts Council will host the Winter Art Walk.

O’Loughlin fourth grader to be published in ‘Treasured’

O’Loughlin fourth grader Grace Glover’s poem titled “Earth” will be featured in the America Library of Poetry book “Treasured” later this year.

Glover’s work was submitted by her teacher Kenda Leiker.

Fewer than 20 percent of the poems submitted were selected to be showcased in this publication. Students enrolled in grades three through 12 were eligible for submission.

“We are truly proud of Grace for her wonderful work. Thank you to Kenda for recognizing Grace’s talent and submitting the poem to the America Library of Poetry,” Superintendent John Thissen said during the School Spotlight at Monday’s school board meeting.

Gov. candidate Barnett talks ag, health care in Hays

By CRISTINA JANNEY

Hays Post

Republican candidate for governor Dr. Jim Barnett stopped in Hays on a statewide ag tour Friday to discuss the importance of agriculture to growing the state economy.

“You have to help to find ways to help the economy grow,” he said. “That has been one of our focuses. … It is obvious to us that the next governor has to understand and promote the value and importance of agriculture. It is a core of our state and the root of our economy. It actually represents the personality of Kansas as well.”

Aaron White, local farmer and director for the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development, brought several concerns to Barnett about improving the ag economy in Kansas.

White, who also worked for Cargill for a time, said there are issues with logistics in shipping and processing ag commodities in the state.

Some railroad spurs have closed, and the lines that are left have a minimum of 110 cars. This makes it difficult for small elevators to ship their commodities.

White told Barnett he would like to see the governor increase the maximum weight load for shipping by semi-truck during harvest. Colorado, Oklahoma and Nebraska all do this, and some carriers avoid Kansas because they are carrying heavier loads.

“This would help farmers and elevators get their products out faster,” he said.

The current system discourages farmers from diversifying their crops, White said.

Farmers who try to produce nontraditional crops have no local destinations to take their harvests. He gave the example of a state program that offered incentives for white wheat. Producers were offered 22 cents per bushel to produce the crop, but the farmers stopped using the program because the local elevators wouldn’t take it.

White also said he would like to see more opportunities for local commodity processing — whether that be local milling, ethanol production or other products.

Barnett said Kansas ag is crucial to the success of the state economy.

“That is why I am here today,” he said. “I understand how important agriculture and livestock is to Kansas. We can’t afford to lose a $5 billion industry from Kansas because we don’t have water or we don’t have roads …

“We put all our eggs in one basket, which was the zeroing out of taxes, and the rest went to the wayside. As a result, we got behind. We are behind. We are behind border states and the rest of states in economic growth, and we developed a huge budget shortfall.”

Barnett said he supports returning to the three-legged stool approach to taxes, which relies equally on property taxes, sales taxes and income taxes.

He is not supporting increases in taxes. He said stabilizing the state’s budget could take as much as 10 years.

“In my opinion, long-term, the only way to get out of it is through economic growth. I don’t think we can increase taxes enough to solve any of our budget issue long-term. We are going to have to build on the foundation we have now with the legislature,” he said.

One attendee asked Barnett about immigration. Barnett said legal immigration is necessary to farming in Kansas.

“The immigrant workforce, and we want those to be legal immigrants, are crucial to the ag economy,” Barnett said.

He added, “If the next governor of Kansas works in a restrictive way or gets too far into the issue of blaming our economy on illegal immigration, we are going to hurt ourselves.”

Barnett said the federal government’s attempt to pass comprehensive immigration reform had been a “maddening failure.”

Barnett, who has been a physician for 35 years, was asked several questions about health care.

Barnett said hospitals are going to need to stay open if the state is going to keep its communities alive. He said he supported the expansion of Medicaid in Kansas, but the real reform needs to come in reducing the high cost of medical care.

Dawn Berry of Hays said her mother, who is in nursing home care, is paying more on private pay than those who were on Medicaid. Barnett noted when Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for the full cost of care or someone is treated in an emergency room and can’t pay, those with insurance or private pay have to share the cost.

“Medicaid is a program with many, many problems, as our entire health care system is,” Barnett said. “Many people are caught in the intersection of higher and higher and higher health care costs, really out-of-control health care costs, and the intersection of low wages. It is not because they don’t want to work. They are working. Many of them are working two jobs, and they still can’t afford health care.”

Barnett said he favors a system known as value-based purchasing that rewards health care systems for keeping people healthy rather than running expensive tests and keeping hospital beds full.

Smallcakes to open new cupcake shop and creamery in Hays

Ashley Stroup, co-owner of Smallcakes, shows off a box of cupcakes outside of her future Hays store’s home in Tebo Village.

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

A franchisee of Smallcakes, a cupcake shop and creamery, signed lease papers Friday to open a shop in Hays.

Ashley Stroup and David Hart of Great Bend are co-owners in the venture. They just opened another franchise in Great Bend in February, which Stroup said has been very successful.

The Hays store will be in Tebo Village at the corner of 43rd and Vine streets. Construction will start on the new store in 30 days and is estimated to take three months.

The franchise was founded by Jeff Martin, whose cupcake recipes earned acclaim after he appeared on television shows including “Cupcake Wars” and “The View.” The franchise started in Kansas City and has spread to more than 160 stores in 20 states.

The shop offers up to 500 different flavors of cupcakes with 12 regular selections on the menu and two rotating flavors each day, in addition to several flavors of ice cream that can be combined into sweet treats.

A box of Smallcakes minicupcakes.

Smallcakes’s regular size cupcakes are larger than a standard cupcake. The store also will offer minicakes. The cupcakes can be purchased as singles or by the dozen. Smallcakes will cater large events, such as weddings or birthdays. Cost for a single standard cupcake will be $3.75, and cakes can be purchased for $38 per dozen.

Some of the flavors include red velvet with cream cheese icing, carrot cake, pink chocolate, pink vanilla with butter cream icing, chocolate cream with fudge icing, peanut butter cup with peanut butter icing, Oreo, strawberry rita, cheesecake and wedding cake.

Smallcakes offers cupcake shakes as well as a signature dessert called a cupcake smash. This is half of a cupcake, topped with two scoops of ice cream, which is topped with the other part of the cupcake.

All of Smallcakes’ ice cream and cupcakes are homemade fresh daily. The Great Bend store makes about 80 to 100 cakes per day.

Stroup said she and Hart chose the Tebo Village location because there were no other ice cream shops on the north side of Interstate 70 in Hays. There also were no other cupcake shops in the city.

“We think the Hays community is a great place to put a small business,” she said.

The business will employee eight to 10 people once it opens. Stroup said the hours for the business have not yet been set.

“We are very excited to be in the community,” she said.

Copyright Eagle Radio | FCC Public Files | EEO Public File