Beginning next week sections of roads in Hays will be repaired, according to John Braun, assistant director of public works, announcing the project at Tuesday’s City of Hays news conference.
The repairs will be done using a process called microsurfacing.
Braun described the project as a “thin asphalt overlay project, that will be focused on Sixth St. and Seventh St. between Vine and Riley and Haney from 13th to 22nd St.”
Other areas of town will be completed later in select areas of town with concrete streets according to Braun.
The project is expected to take three or four days.
While the resurfacing is going on travelers will be directed around project areas, but an advantage of resurfacing is a quick time needed to reopen the road.
“The material goes down and needs about 45 minutes to an hour to dry,” Braun said and with the high temperatures expected, the material is expected to dry quickly.
Once specific times and locations are set for the project, Braun said a notification will be sent out by the city.
Intermountain Slurry Seal will complete the work for the city. This is the first time the company has done work for the city.
It might not be a new business, but a new location near one of the busiest intersections in Hays and a new partnership gives customers access to everything automotive, including performance parts and standard automotive care, in one location at 1240 Vine.
Mid-Kansas Auto Accessories owner Devin Jacques said he is happy to be back in Hays with his new partners after a stint in his hometown of Ellis and running the business for a little over three years.
“I started out over here in Hays, on 22nd Street, and I had an opportunity become available in Ellis,” he said.
Despite living and working in Ellis, he said many of his customers were coming from Hays.
“It just wasn’t working out,” Jacques said. After seeing the location on Vine, he knew it would be a good way to move the business back to Hays.
“We opened up just a little over a month ago … and we’ve kind of been going at it here ever since,” he said. “We’re still kinda in the beginning stages as far as getting things set up and figuring out how to make things work around here.”
But with so many customers from Hays driving the streets with vehicles the business has installed accessories on – including Midwest Energy fleet vehicles – he is happy to see those vehicles in action in Hays and invites residents to look into what they could do for their vehicle.
“In the aftermarket world, there’s not much we don’t cover,” he said. “We do anything from suspension lifts to wheel and tire packages.”
While Jacques and his brother – the other employee in the business – work on building business in the new location, a partnership with Gear Head Garage’s owners Ryan Benyshek and Jeff Zerr, creates a space where almost anything a car needs can be taken care of in one location.
“They were wanting to open up their own mechanic shop over here in Hays, and it just so happens that this building was available, and it’s probably more than I would want to take on by myself,” Jacques said.
So they teamed up.
“Now Gear Head Garage can cover the mechanical side of things, from oil changes to brakes all the way to complete engine swaps,” Jacques said. “Basically, you can come in here and get everything automotive covered, now matter what you want,”
For more on Mid-Kansas Auto Accessories click here, or for more on Gear Head Garage click here. Both businesses are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
On Thursday morning, members of the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce and Eagle Communications employees gathered at the new home of the company’s Customer Care Center at 1007 W. 27th for a ribbon-cutting celebrating the opening of the new space.
“On behalf all 290 Eagle Employee-Owners, we appreciate you coming out here to join us today,” said Travis Kohlrus, general manager of Eagle’s broadband division.
There were two main reasons for the move, Kohlrus told a large crowd – customer access and company expansion.
“We needed better access to our customers,” he said, noting the new location is more accessible with direct access to a major thoroughfare in Hays.
The location also gives the company the ability to showcase products and services.
“You can really enhance the experience,” Kohlrus said, by providing product demonstrations now available in the new location.
The new location also will allow Eagle to accommodate a growing number of services and a larger company footprint.
“When you have more products and a larger footprint, you got to have more employees,” Kohlrus said.
The location will be home to the company’s customer service and marketing departments.
“Those two groups work together immensely to communicate with our customers,” Kohlrus said.
There are currently 17 people that will work in the facility, with additional space for 10 more.
The location – in the Eagle Business Plaza near to the previous Customer Care Center, corporate office and Network Operations Center – was also a feature Kohlrus noted during the celebration.
“The other thing we liked about this building that was unique is that it is part of the Eagle campus,” he said.
Now that the location is open, he invited customers to take advantage of the new space.
“We invite you to come in, consult with us, if you have questions about your current packages or products that we offer, come in and see us. We’re happy to sit down and help.”
ELLIS — The 25th annual Ellis Riverfest is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Saturday at Walter P. Chrysler Park, offering a variety of events to participants throughout the day, in line with the throwback theme for this year’s festival.
“Everything is kind of popular with that throwback theme right now,” said Dena Patee, Ellis Alliance director.
When planning the festival, she said they looked back at previous years in order to bring back favorite events from years past.
One of the larger events returning is a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.
“We had several requests to bring back the 3-on-3 basketball tournament. We’ve got some of the young-at-heart kids that really wanted to see that come back,” Patee said.
A horseshoe tournament will also return for the third year in a row “to get some of that crowd in that maybe doesn’t have a whole lot of stuff to do at Riverfest. They really enjoy going and throwing shoes,” she said.
Every year, musical entertainment is a big part of the festival, but this year Patee said the band brought in is particularly special — but not before some locals take the stage.
During the afternoon, a karaoke contest will bring out area singers to the park’s main stage.
“We’ve got some really good singers in Ellis,” Patee said. “We’ve got a lot of people that really enjoy that, so we’re bringing that one out too.”
Later in the evening, participants will have the opportunity to hear a new act to the area.
“The band we’re pulling in this year is Jason Craig and the Wingman. They are out of the Kansas City area,” she said. “I think they’re gonna be a lot of fun.”
The band, she said, brings a different spin on country music, and something area resident don’t often hear.
One band member will also participate in something a little different this year as the Alliance was challenged to a kayak race on a flowing Big Creek.
“We’ve had a throw-down challenge from the Bukovina boys,” Patee said, who accepted the challenge on behalf of the Alliance and the Walter P. Chrysler Home.
“We’re gonna have fun with that.”
The race will be from the walking bridge to the 10th Street bridge and back.
“It should be a good time to watch,” Patee said.
Click the image above for a full schedule of events.
Around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Hays Police and Ellis County Emergency Medical Services responded to a rollover accident at the intersection of 23rd and Walnut streets.
A late-model Jeep collided with a late model Kia SUV in the intersection, causing the Kia to roll, where it came to rest upside down.
Both drivers sustained only minor injuries and did not require transportation for further medical care, according to HPD officers on the scene.
While responders worked to clear the scene, the intersection was closed for a short time.
ELLIS COUNTY – Three people were injured in an accident just after 1p.m. on Wednesday in Ellis County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a semi passed a 2006 Ford Expedition pulling a 1990 Chevy pickup on Interstate 70 just east of Ellis.
It created a wind gust and Brian P. Kruzelnick, 42, Aurora, CO., lost control of the SUV and it rolled into the median.
Passengers in the SUV Karen Kruzelnick, 33; Lataya Kruzelnick, 7 and Jahne Kruzelnick, 11, all of Aurora, CO., were transported to Hays Medical Center.
Brian P. Kruzelnick and a 6-year-old passenger were not transported for treatment.
All were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
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By JAMES BELL Hays Post
Emergency responders were called to a rollover accident involving two vehicles on Interstate 70 at the Feedlot Road overpass near Ellis around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
One person was transported for medical treatment for unknown injuries and five others refused medical treatment at the scene.
A pickup and a Ford Explorer both came to a rest in the meridian with the Explorer facing west and the pickup facing slightly to the east. Both vehicles showing damage indicated they had rolled but were resting on their wheels as responders arrived. The bed of the pickup was torn off during the accident .
Traffic around the accident was slowed, but moving freely in both lanes.
The cause of the accident is unknown at this time.
Check Hays Post for details as they become available.
Over 27 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in the vote for USD 489’s $94 million bond issue, but despite the turnout voters overwhelmingly voted against the measure.
Voters had three questions on the ballot, with all three questions failing to pass.
Proposition one called for a $85 million bond to be used for deferred maintenance, classroom expansion, renovations and safety and security upgrades. Proposition two called for a $8.9 million bond for new multi-purpose rooms at Hays High and Hays Middle Schools. Proposition three was a sales tax proposal that would help fund the bond issue through a half-cent sales tax within the city of Hays.
Unofficial advanced voting results came in at around 8:15 p.m., with voters rejecting all three propositions.
Unofficial advanced voting results:
Proposition 1: Yes 527 – No 846
Proposition 2: Yes 469 – No 903
Proposition 3: Yes 455 – No 750
Advanced voting closed at noon Monday, with 1,448 out of the 14,778 eligible voters casting ballots early.
When the unofficial result totals came in around 9 p.m. the results matched the advanced voting results, with Tuesday’s voters rejecting all three propositions as well.
Unofficial full voting results:
Proposition 1: Yes 1,749 – No 2,249
Proposition 2: Yes 1,557 – No 2,439
Proposition 3: Yes 1,551 – No 1,900
“Obviously it’s disappointing, obviously it’s not the results we are looking for,” said Lance Bickle, Board of Education president. “I think what we will do is go back, reach out to the public, get some feedback for what people want to support and move forward.”
Now that the election has passed a canvas is planned on June 13 by the Ellis County Clerk’s office to verify the results.
A steady stream of voters filed into the Hays American Legion 1305 Canterbury on Tuesday morning casting votes for a $94 million bond issue for Hays USD 489 building improvements.
Despite anecdotal evidence, including an informal poll conducted by Hays Post on Monday, suggesting supporters of the bond issue were facing an uphill battle, several voters who spoke with Hays Post at the polling site were giving the bond issue a 50/50 chance.
“I think it is going to be a close one,” said voter James Leiker, who previously served on the Hays USD 489 Board of Education and worked with the Fund Our Future First committee. “There’s a very large voter turnout. I’ve talked to hundreds of people, and it’s basically a 50/50 split.”
A high turnout today would coincide with the turnout for advanced voting in which 1,448 people cast ballots out of 14,778 eligible voters – a rate of almost 10 percent, according to Donna Maskus, Ellis County clerk.
Bond supporter Nicole Feyerherm, Hays, said she grew up in the district and has seen first-hand the facility needs over the last few years.
“I really believe the schools need the money,” she said. “I would like to say that I’m optimistic that it would pass,” but was also unsure the majority of Hays voters feels the same.
Another Hays voter, Rick Keltner — a Hays High teacher and coach — also supported all three questions of the bond issue but also said he knew there are other opinions out there and was supportive of everyone’s right to a different opinion.
“Everybody has reasons for the way they vote, and I respect that,” he said.
Polling sites will be open until 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Eligible voters will poll at one of two locations – one for qualified Hays voters and one for qualified voters from outside the city.
Hays voters will poll at the American Legion, and qualified voters from the district outside of the city will poll at St. Nicholas of Myra Parish, 2901 E. 13th.
Potential voters are asked to bring qualified identification in order to cast a ballot.
Ballots will have three questions: One totaling $8.9 million for new multi-purpose rooms at Hays High and Hays Middle Schools, one for $85 million to be used for deferred maintenance, classroom expansion, renovations and safety and security upgrades, and a sales tax proposal that would help fund the bond issue through a sales tax within the city of Hays.
The half-cent sales tax would only apply within the city of Hays, and if passed, would take effect next year after the expiration of a countywide sales tax that was used for county projects, including renovations at the Ellis County Courthouse and a new Emergency Services building.
The first two questions can be passed independently, but the sales tax question is contingent upon a successful bond election.
For residents interested in the outcome – or just wanting to socialize with fellow supporters – the district has planned a watch party at the Rockwell Administration Center, 323 W. 12th, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
After months of planning and campaigning, the $94 million Hays USD 489 bond issue will be decided by voters Tuesday.
Early voting closed at noon Monday, after almost 10 percent of eligible voters cast advanced ballots.
According to Donna Maskus, Ellis County clerk, at the end of advanced voting, 1,448 people cast ballots out of 14,778 eligible voters.
Now that advanced voting is closed, voters will decide the outcome of the bond Tuesday at polling places open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Eligible voters will poll at one of two locations – one for qualified Hays voters and one for qualified voters from outside the city.
Hays voters will poll at the American Legion, 1305 Canterbury, and qualified voters from the district outside of the city will poll at St. Nicholas of Myra Parish, 2901 E. 13th.
Potential voters are asked to bring qualified identification in order to cast a ballot.
Ballots will have three questions: One totaling $8.9 million for new multi-purpose rooms at Hays High and Hays Middle Schools, one for $85 million to be used for deferred maintenance, classroom expansion, renovations and safety and security upgrades, and a sales tax proposal that would help fund the bond issue through a sales tax within the city of Hays.
The half-cent sales tax would only apply within the city of Hays, and if passed, would take effect next year after the expiration of a countywide sales tax that was used for county projects, including renovations at the Ellis County Courthouse and a new Emergency Services building.
The first two questions can be passed independently, but the sales tax question is contingent upon a successful bond election.
Full election results are expected Tuesday night, but will not be official until a canvas can be completed.
“Those will be official after the canvas which will be on June 13,” Maskus said.
For residents interested in the outcome – or just wanting to socialize with fellow supporters – the district has planned a watch party at the Rockwell Administration Center, 323 W. 12th St., from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
At 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Toepfer Board Room, 323 W. 12th, the Hays USD 489 Board of Education will gather for a board meeting and work session to tackle a variety of issues facing the district.
Discussion topics for Monday’s meeting include:
Greenbush Presentation – Lori Carselowey will discuss district purchasing options through Greenbush.
Crisis Committee Update – Members of the Crisis Committee will provide an update to the board regarding the committee’s work during the 2015-2016 school year.
Hays Middle School iPad Usage from Home – The Hays Middle School Technology Committee will make a recommendation to the board concerning whether or not iPads should be taken home by students during the 2016-2017 school year.
K-8 Teacher Devices Scott Summers, Director of Technology, will update the board on K-8 teacher devices.
District Internet Usage Scott Summers, Directory of Technology, will present his findings to the board regarding district internet usage.
Milk Bid Jessica Younker, Director of Nutrition Services, will present the milk bid information to the board.
Handbook Revisions for 2016-2017 School Year – Administrative Handbook/Classified Handbook
Bond Issue – Superintendent Katt will discuss the three ballot questions for the bond issue election on June 7.
Health Insurance – The board will continue to discuss the district’s health insurance options.
ELA Curriculum Materials Shanna Dinkel, Director of Curriculum, will discuss purchasing ELA materials for the 2016-2017 school year.
Site Council Reports Superintendent Dean Katt will discuss the building site council reports for the 2015- 2016 school year.
Ramifications of Supreme Court Decision – The board will discuss the possible ramifications court’s decision regarding state funding of schools.
Certified Staff Half-Step Payment in June – The board will discuss the half-step payment of certified staff in June.
The full agenda for Monday’s meeting can be found here.
Every family has a story — the trick is finding it.
To aid in that search the Kansas Council of Genealogical Societies, in conjunction with the Ellis County Historical Society, 100 W. Seventh St., will host a genealogy conference at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 11, in the Whiskey Creek Wood Fire Grill Conference Center, 3203 Vine.
“It’s an annual conference that the Kansas Council of Genealogical Societies holds every year,” said Lee Dobratz, ECHS director. “It’s for anybody that’s interested in researching their family.”
The ECHS serves as a local contact for the genealogical society, helping spread information about the yearly event.
This year the conference will feature keynote speaker Annette Burke Lyttle, owner of Heritage Detective LLC, who has worked as a full-time genealogist since 2012.
While the official conference begins on Saturday, events have been planned for Friday as well, to give participants a taste of Hays history.
Friday’s events kick off at noon at Old Fort Hays, 1472 Hwy 183 Alt., followed by a presentation and tour at Fort Hays State University’s Forsyth Library at 2 p.m., a tour of the ECHS museum and archives at 3:30 p.m., dinner at Gella’s Diner, 117E. 11th St. at 5:30 p.m. and a narrated tour through Mt. Allen Cemetery at 7 p.m.
Each of the Friday’s events require admission to be paid at the corresponding locations and dinner is “on your own.”
Four sessions are planned for Saturday, including social history and why should a genealogist care; a path to your next research steps; prospecting for family history in unexpected places; and turn family history facts into stories you can share.
A mini-session covering the use of vintage cookbooks for geological history is also planned.
While the conference will have a research focus, Dobratz said the event is open to anyone interested in genealogy.
“Even if you’re not interested in learning more about your family, if you’re interested in learning about history this will help provide some skills and ideas on how to go about that,” she said. “It’s really just a weekend of history and research and commiserating with other people who enjoy research.”
For more on the event or to register for the conference, visit the KCGS conference page by clicking here.
That is the wording used to describe the writing of a codicil that would have shifted the bulk of the estate of Earl O. Field – estimated around $20 million – from the Fort Hays State University Foundation to longtime caretaker Wanda Oborny in a court ruling released Wednesday afternoon.
The Foundation argued the codicil was fake, and Field had continued with his desire for the estate to be given to the Foundation until his death Feb. 19, 2013.
Oborny argued Field had changed his mind writing a codicil to his will that gave Oborny 50 percent of the estate with another 25 percent willed to his longtime attorney Joe Jeter and the remainder to be given to the Foundation.
After hearing testimony in March and reviewing legal documents submitted by both sides in the case, Senior Judge William F. Lyle wholly sided with the Foundation.
“The Court must agree with the experts who concluded that not only did Earl not sign these letters/codicils, but that were not typed by him,” the ruling said.
Further, Lyle found differences in structure, punctuation, date placement, along with other inconsistencies lead the court to believe Field did not prepare, nor sign, the documents.
The court also cited timing issues with the development of the codicil, and the signatures of the witnesses, Steve and Kathy Little.
“The Court has struggled with the dates of the alleged codicils,” the ruling said. “The Court has concluded that the will/codicil signed by the Littles had to be dated prior to the unwitnessed will/codicil that was found earlier presented to and rejected by both Joe Jeter and Don Hoffman due to no witness or notarization of Earl’s signature.”
The court further questioned why a codicil formed on Jan. 22, 2013, would not have been mentioned in a letter the next day.
“The Court concludes that it was not mentioned by Earl in that letter because it did not happen,” the ruling said, noting both Earl and his wife, Nonie, had made changes to their wills several times during their lives and would have mentioned the change so that it would be known by the involved parties.
After finding the later codicil was invalid, the court concluded the only valid will in the case is the Aug. 12, 2010, will that gave the majority of the estate to the Foundation.
Turning what could have been a tragedy into an opportunity Bling – located in Big Creek Crossing – reopened Monday after completing a full remodel of the location that has been closed since the store suffered water damage from a section of roof that collapsed last month in neighboring Payless Shoe Source.
While others may have used the incident as an excuse to leave the shopping center or Hays altogether, Bling decided instead to use the opportunity to remodel the location.
“Since we had all of that going on we decided, since we have to do it, we might as well change a few things,” said Sammy Grollmes, district manager.
Damage to the store included a total loss of merchandise and damage to walls and the ceiling.
“With everything that happened, it was devastating,” Grollmes said, but they wanted to come back with as much positivity as possible, utilizing a color scheme and fixtures that match other locations within the small chain.
“Now with our new look, it is the same color scheme that we have in our new Wichita location and also our Manhattan store,” she said. “We had the opportunity to unify our look for this space.”
While completely overhauling the 900 square foot space was a lot of hard work, she said they are pleased with the outcome.
“We’re really really happy with the new look. It brightens everything up and opens up the space,” Grollmes said.
After being in Hays for five years, moving the location was not something the chain of six stores wanted to do.
“The thing about the mall in Hays is traffic wise, this is the most visible and the best location for us,” Grollmes said. “I know the mall has its controversial issues, but what is nice is what we get to see in this space and we’re right here in the center court, I believe that we get to see and help more people in this location. That’s why we came back.”
The chain has stores in Garden City, Salina, Manhattan, Wichita and their original location in Scott City, expanding quickly after opening in 2008.
“I believe we are the largest women’s boutique clothing company in the state that is privately owned,” Grollmes said.
The size of the chain meant tackling the remodel was a little more difficult than the larger retailers that have corporate support, but the chain’s and BCC insurance covered the cost of the damage.
It also allowed the staff to continue being paid during the down time.
“We want to be able to take care of the people that work for us. That was really important and we were happy we had the stuff in place to do that,” Grollmes said.
“It’s a lot of money to come back from something like that.”
After the closure, Grollmes said their number one concern was the safety of the space, but were informed there are no current safety concerns with the roof, but negativity towards the incident was disheartening.
“It was really hard to read all the comments on the articles after this happened.”
But now they are ready to once again serve the people of Hays.
“We’re happy to be back, and be able to serve our customers,” Grollmes said.
A grand-reopening celebration is planned for Saturday, including a contest for passes to Kansas City Schlitterbahn Water Park. For details, or to find out more about Bling follow them on facebook or instagram.
After months of planning and campaigning, the $94 million Hays USD 489 bond issue will be decided by voters Tuesday.
Every family has a story — the trick is finding it.
