By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

Celebrating a year of bringing like-minded professionals together, local business leaders gathered at BriefSpace, 219 W. 10th, for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting that will kick off a week of free co-working at the location.

“We are celebrating a year in this incredible space that has done wonders for our community and gives so much opportunity,” said Sarah Wasinger, president and CEO of the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce.

“This whole venture started several years ago, actually,” said Doug Williams executive director of Grow Hays. “Through a whole lot of trials and tribulations, and a whole lot of gray hair, we got it done about a year ago and we moved in.

“It’s been very well utilized so far,” he said.

BriefSpace has “stunning workspaces to help you be productive, as well as functional meeting and training spaces for networking and collaboration,” according to its website. “We offer access to the professional services of Grow Hays and the vibrant, diverse local business community of Hays. BriefSpace was designed and built through a generous grant provided by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing opportunities for the people of northwest Kansas to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.”

BriefSpace has a variety of membership levels, Williams said, and also has meeting space available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We are pretty flexible if we don’t have anything else going on we are going to be very reasonable on somebody using it,” Williams said. “What we are really after is usage of the facility.”

Williams said he views the goal of the facility is not to make a profit but to be a valuable space for local business.

“Our entire goal here is not to make money, it’s to try and break-even,” he said. “We want usage more than anything else.

“If somebody has an event or something like that, call us and we’ll figure it out,” Williams said.

Features of the space include 1-gigabit WiFi, 24/7 building access, an on-site community manager, conference and training rooms, unique common areas, private phone booths, a copier/printer/scanner, a coffee bar, a kitchen, and the Proximity app.

More about Grow Hays and BriefSpace can be found on their website by clicking here.

Timeline for new pool construction likely to be moved up a year

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

ELLIS — The city of Ellis announced the permanent closure of its municipal pool about two weeks before the end of the season Wednesday after water loss at the facility became unacceptably high, but with the announcement comes a little light at the end of the tunnel; the city council is likely to move forward with the new pool construction a year ahead of schedule.

“The council will take action to move this forward quickly so we don’t lose a year’s worth of the pool,” Ellis Mayor David McDaniel said Wednesday.

The surprising ending of the existing pool caught many off guard in the community, but throughout the season staff at the pool had been fighting a losing battle against water loss that was also likely causing algae growth at one end of the pool.

RELATED: Hays to offer discounted admission to swimming pool for Ellis residents

Joe Kreutzer, a Kansas certified pool operator, gave the city council a report on the pool at its meeting on July 15, but at that time was hopeful the pool would be able to remain open through the current season and be repaired for one more year’s worth of use.

During the meeting, he reported algae growing on the pool liner was able to be contained by shocking the pool with chlorine, but several cracks had appeared during the season as well as a 3-foot depression in the bottom of the pool, where water was likely seeping through the liner and allowing algae to enter.

At that time, Kreutzer did not believe the pool was a health risk and was closely monitoring chlorine levels along with water loss and algae growth.

But even then, Kreutzer said he was getting frequent questions from the public about the constant filling of the pool and told the council the city had pumped almost 840,000 gallons of water into the pool including the initial 385,000 gallons for the initial fill.

It was estimated the pool was losing 30,000 gallons of water every two to three days.

“It’s gotten steadily worse since then,” McDaniel said. “There is water apparently leaking under the liner that is creating an issue with algae. They have been able to shock it and contain it up until the last week — now it is out of control.”

That led to the recommendation from Kreutzer to close the pool.

“We are just trying to cope with what we have to work with here, but we cannot tolerate that much water loss,” McDaniel said.

He did not have total water loss numbers available Wednesday, but said the more recent water loss was “massive.”

While McDaniel also said there was no chance the old pool would reopen, they were planning to remove the liner and try to determine what was causing the water loss.

Even with the possibility of moving the new pool construction ahead by one year, at the city council’s meeting on July 1, Amy Burton, speaking on behalf of the pool improvement committee, said through grants the cost of the new pool was almost covered. She was confident the remaining funds could be raised through other grants and direct fundraising efforts.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.85 million with the city council agreeing to fund $500,000 of the project.

Ellis received a Community Development Block Grant in June for $1 million and accepted another grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation at the city council’s meeting on July 1 that will cover another $300,000.

“We have now been awarded a total of $1.3 million to put toward the swimming pool improvement project,” Burton told the council at the meeting, noting that is over 70 percent of the funding needed for the project.

“Right now, we only lack $50,500 of the $500,000 benchmark that the council talked about in April,” she said.

The committee was working at that time to develop ideas for community involvement that would raise the remaining funds, including some area sports tournaments and a Splash Bash that would be held at the pool.

While the Bash will be impacted by the pool closing, organizers said on Wednesday the event would go on in some other form on Aug. 17.

“I think it is safe to say the pool committee is very eager to make this happen,” Burton said.

At that meeting, Burton also shared with the council some of the problems the pool had been facing this season.

Most notably, the liner in the baby pool had come off the bottom pool, causing it to close for two days in June.

“Essentially, we had a patch fail,” Burton said.

The facility also had to close sporadically during the season as chlorine levels were too high after treatment for the algae.

Burton told the council it was not a matter of if the pool will become unrepairable, but rather a matter of when.

“We know that this pool is on its last leg. We are 30 years over life expectancy,” she said.

Following her report, the council voted unanimously to approve fundraising efforts not to exceed $1,000 that would be used for materials to assist in the fundraising, such as food, raffle prizes and supplies for the Splash Bash.

While the fundraising will continue if the committee comes up short, McDaniel said Wednesday the city would cover the difference to make sure the city has a pool next summer

“Whatever is left, we will make up some way,” he said.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

KIRWIN — The 12-year-old boy missing from Kirwin Wednesday has been located and is safe according to the Phillips Country Sheriff’s office.

The search began after AJ Jensen was last seen between 6 p.m. and sunset Tuesday, according to the department.

Around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday the department said a subject matching Jensen’s description was seen walking on K9 west of Kirwin around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.

• The Kirwin Fire Department, REACT and Kansas Highway Patrol aircraft assisted in the search.

The department said it is believed that Jensen was a runaway.

The original release from the department can be seen below.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

As Harbor Freight took over a large portion of Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine, the facility offices and restrooms needed to be moved and, as the discount tool retailer prepares to open Tuesday, the new BCC facilities are almost ready as well.

Construction of the facilities is slightly behind, but for James Younger, Big Creek Crossing property manager, quality is more important than speed with the new construction.

“Obviously with a project as big as the buildout we are doing with Harbor Freight and construction on both ends, we were expecting a few hiccups and a few delays,” he said, “but we want to choose quality on this project over getting it done quicker.”

Delayed construction on the facilities, he said was mostly due to scheduling conflicts with subcontractors, but ensuring the construction was done correctly was more important than hiring sub-par contractors who would speed through the project, Younger said.

“We are using local subcontractors. We are talking about guys that are doing really good work, quality work,” he said. “If that involves us enduring a week or two extra in a temporary office, or a temporary restroom accommodation, that is something that we are definitely going to view as the lesser of two evils.”

The office will feature an open layout with large windows into the main hallway on the north end of the facility.

The new restrooms are near the north entrance with doors directly off of the hallway.

Construction should be completed this week, and Younger expects to begin moving into the offices over the weekend.

The restrooms’ fixture placement will begin after the new tile has had a chance to settle and the grout has completed drying and is expected to be opened in the next week.

“We definitely want to see a good finished product and a really nice new fresh look amenity for the public,” Younger said.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

The Trego County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information about a theft that occurred sometime between May 24 and June 12 that resulted in the loss of over $11,000 in rods and tubing.

The theft occurred at an oil operation at 380th and K Road in Trego County, according to the department.

A reward of $2,500 has been offered by the owner of the stolen property, MJT Oil, to anyone who provides information leading to the conviction of those responsible.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the department at (785) 743-5721.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

A high-speed chase that began in Ellis County early Tuesday evening led to a crash and arrest of a Denver resident in Russell County.

At 6:48 p.m. Tuesday, a 2015 Chevy Camaro SS driven by Jeremiah Mullins, 26, Denver, approached a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper on Interstate 70 at milepost 147 eastbound, passing the trooper at 127 mph, according to KHP Trooper Tod Hileman.

The trooper attempted to stop the vehicle and a pursuit ensued.

Mullins continued driving east, until the Gorham exit when the vehicle exited and began traveling south on the Gorham blacktop.

The vehicle traveled south for approximately 4 miles until turning west for a mile and then began turning randomly on county roads until he returned to the Gorham blacktop, heading back toward I-70.

He returned to I-70 and began traveling eastbound through Russell County, avoiding stop sticks placed by Russell Police and the KHP.

As the pursuit continued, Mullins approached speeds of 150 mph, Hileman said.

After passing east of the Wilson exit, the KHP forced the vehicle off the road, where it crashed into the south ditch.

“The subject then fled on foot southbound from I-70, making about half a mile and went down into a ravine and was hiding out there,” Hileman said.

A KHP airplane assisted in the search, along with a KHP K-9 unit.

At 9:19 p.m., the K-9 unit and handler located the suspect and he was arrested without further incident.

Mullins was arrested on suspicion of allegedly attempting to flee and elude law enforcement, avoiding spike strips, reckless driving, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

On Tuesday, Brenda Culbertson, NASA/JPL solar system ambassador, was at the Hays Public Library presenting highlights from the Apollo 11 mission that sent Americans to the surface of the moon 50 years ago.

A longtime observational astronomer, Culbertson ran the Washburn planetarium for over 20 years and has taught astrophotography.

She uses those skills in the ambassador program setting up observation sessions in locations across the state.

“That’s probably what I do most,” Culbertson said.

But while in Hays, she stepped away from the telescope to present three sessions at the Hays Public Library recapping the first manned lunar mission.

She believes sharing the story of the mission is important to get children interested in exploring their potential.

“When you are wondering ‘Can I really do this?’ and you look back and see other people have done harder things, I think that encourages them to try for it,” Culbertson said. “They learn from history and, if history is taught correctly and you are given a good taste of it, I think it will encourage them to go forward.”

She noted the tragedy of Apollo 1 as an example of how learning from history can be a powerful tool.

“NASA learned from it greatly,” she said. “From there, OK, we have to be more careful and more thorough.”

The lesson learned from that failure still resonates today.

“If they are taught and shown, I think it is important for them to learn this kind of thing,” Culbertson said. “You learn from failure.” she said.

With the knowledge of history, Culbertson hopes students can push forward and reach their potential.

“We give them a little bit of the tragedy as well as the success and maybe it will spark something in them to go forward.”

About the Solar System Ambassadors Program

“The Solar System Ambassadors Program is a public engagement effort that works with motivated volunteers across the nation to communicate the science and excitement of NASA’s space exploration missions and discoveries in their communities,” according to the program’s website. “The program — which started in 1997 — currently consists of 730 ambassadors who conduct approximately 2,400 annual events that, reach about 500,000 people directly, with millions reached via publications, social media, TV and radio.”

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

About 5:15 p.m. Saturday Hays emergency responders were dispatched to a structure fire in a residence in the 200 block of Ash St. in Hays.

The reporting party told Hays dispatch a fan had caught in on fire inside a bedroom and all occupants and pets were outside of the home according to scanner traffic.

Utilities were cut to the residence while emergency responders were on scene.

By 5:45 p.m. the fire was reported out after a check of the entire building was completed.

An investigation is ongoing.