Victoria High School has announced its 2016 Homecoming king and queen candidates. The Knights will face off against Otis-Bison at 7 p.m. Friday.

Pictured, from left, are king and queen candidates Hollie Reinhardt, daughter of Dilene Reinhardt; Bryant Karlin, son of Tom and Saundra Karlin; Julia Nowak, daughter of P.J. and Kim Nowak; Tanner Rome, son of Mike and Desiree Rome; Karly Oberle, daughter of Doug and Gina Oberle; and Isaac Housley, son of James and Shandra Housley.

Hays USD 489

On Sept. 12, the board and district administration outlined numerous steps that need to take place in order to address the facility needs that currently exist within the district. Four courses of action have been identified that will allow USD 489 to formulate a plan that Hays can endorse that also addresses the district’s aging infrastructure that has served past its normal life expectancy, as well as creating safer schools and providing space for educational programs that allow students to be college and career ready.

Recent mandates that are coming down the pike concerning the federally funded Head Start program will have an impact on what the district looks like in the future. The district currently has half-day Head Start. Space within the district does not currently support serving the same number of students as it does now for full day Head Start.

The following four action items will take place over the next several months in order for the board and administration to continue developing a plan that addresses the district’s facility needs.

1. Changing Architects
The board will meet with three separate architectural firms at an upcoming special meeting. All three firms have worked with school districts in western Kansas and are experienced in successfully completing bond-funded school building construction projects in this region.

2. Construction Management At-Risk
In recent surveys conducted by the district with staff and parents, feedback was received that the community is concerned with a bond issue being approved and the project going over budget. Construction Management At-Risk (CMAR) allows a firm to oversee the construction of all projects of a bond issue. The CMAR firm works for the district, and completes all bids for projects and is not allowed to go over budget once the contract is signed with the school district. CMAR firms for school districts are required to pay for any costs that exceed the set budget for the bond. All construction companies that submit bids to the CMAR are pre-qualified to ensure the highest integrity in performance.

3. Needs Assessment – Addressing Questions from the June 6, 2016 Election
The board has been working with Mike Walker, Assistant Director of the FHSU Docking Institute, to create an unbiased survey for district patrons. Survey questions will be focused on gathering valuable feedback from voters regarding the components of the June 6th bond issue election. The district values the opinions of all of its stakeholders and will use the information ascertained in that survey to make further long-range plans.

4. Building Systems Life Expectancy Software
The board and administration are in the process of reviewing software that determines the life expectancy of building systems. If purchased, this software would date the useful life cycle of all systems, allowing the district to better budget for the replacement of these systems. This purchase would further assist the district in its ongoing and transforming long-range plan.

Hays Post

On Thursday afternoon, the City of Hays, in partnership with local, regional, state and federal agencies, completed a required triennial full-scale exercise to test the emergency response of all the necessary agencies that would provide aid to the airport in the event of a major catastrophe.

During the training, members of the Hays Fire Department put out small fires on airport grounds, along with using life-saving equipment on a vehicle that would be used to rescue injured or trapped accident victims and extinguished another vehicle on site.

A short video of the training is below.

By ANNISTON WEBER
Hays High Guidon

For the second consecutive year, Hays High School’s yearbook, “The Indian Call,” earned the All-American rating from the National Scholastic Press Association.

The rating is one of the top awards a yearbook can receive at a national level, only exceeded by the Pacemaker Award which is awarded annually to a handful of publications.

“I’ve very excited to see that our book received an All-American rating for the second year in a row,” said Morgan Klaus, who served as assistant editor for the 2014-15 book and editor-in-chief for the 2015-16 book. “The staff put in a lot of hard work through this last year, and I’m very proud of all of their work to make this book a success.”

Yearbook adviser Bill Gasper said yearbooks are rated and awarded points in five areas: Essentials, Coverage, Writing and Editing, Design and Photography. To earn All-American, the book must earn a mark of distinction in at least five of the areas.  The Indian Call earned the highest mark in all by the Essentials category.

It’s a great reward for all of the hard work we put in during the last year,” said assistant editor Kylie Brown. “It’s something not many people can say they’ve done, and I’m really proud of the staff for putting in the work to earn this ward for the second year in a row.”

Echoing those sentiments was Taylor DeBoer, who also served as assistant editor.

“Everybody worked really hard to make this yearbook great, so it’s nice the work is recognized,” DeBoer said. “It also makes everyone keep working really hard towards the goal of receiving these awards in the future.”

Other staff members were Chelsey Augustine, Haley George, Taylor Groen-Younger, Tiana Lawson, Kirsten Prindle, Allison Rome, Brianna Brin, Sierra Eichman, Hannah Thomasson, Savannah Unsworth, Abby Balman and Alyssa Owens.

“I’ve really been blessed to have such good students during my time at Hays High,” Gasper said. “The last couple of year’s staffs have been really special. We’ve just had an excellent mix of talented designers, photographers and writers, and together, they have produced some outstanding yearbooks.”

Gasper said the next step is to send the book in for All-Kansas consideration, which will be announced later this fall. He will also send the book in Pacemaker judging, the winners of which are announced in the spring.

HAC

The Hays Arts Council and Cody Family invite the public to attend a reception and exhibition celebrating the life, artistry and achievements of Dr. John Cody.

The event is Sunday, Sept. 18, 4-6 p.m. in the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th Street.

To pay tribute to Dr. Cody, the HAC and Cody family will host an exhibition of his paintings, copies of his books, select awards and his family’s tribute in photographs.

Video by Gary Slough

THOMAS COUNTY -Strong storms rolled across portions of northwest Kansas on Thursday bringing heavy rain, large hail and damaging winds.

Tennis ball size hail and wind gusts of near 70 miles per hour were reported in Thomas County, according to the National Weather Service.

2″ hail and 70 mph winds were observed at NWS GLD Thurs evening w/ the storm moving east into Thomas county. #kswx pic.twitter.com/WEc5p5nJVs

— NWS Goodland (@NWSGoodland) September 16, 2016

The Weather Service also issued a flash flood warning for Norton and Sheridan County. There were no damage reports early Friday morning, according to a check with Sheriff’s Departments across the region.

Check Hays Post for additional details as they become available.

Picture of severe storm heading towards Goodland. 70 mph winds and 1.5″ hail possible. #kswx #cowx pic.twitter.com/GI3aJaFdP2 — NWS Goodland (@NWSGoodland) September 15, 2016

By RANDY GONZALES
FHSU University Relations and Marketing

Looking back, Spencer Stone said it feels like he was meant to be a passenger on a train to Paris on Aug. 21, 2015.

Stone, an Airman First Class at the time, and two of his friends, Anthony Sadler and Army Specialist Alec Skarlatos, were vacationing in Europe. They were headed from Amsterdam to Paris when they heard a commotion on the train. A terrorist with an AK-47 automatic rifle emerged from the bathroom.

Mark Moogolian, an American-born Frenchman, wrested the rifle from the terrorist, later identified as Ayoub El Khazzani. After the scuffle, the terrorist shot Moogolian in the back with a pistol. The bullet broke two ribs and nicked his carotid artery. Moogolian dropped the rifle, and the terrorist picked it up.

Then, Stone and his friends took action.

“I figured it was now or never,” said Stone, who was the guest speaker Tuesday night at Fort Hays State University’s Memorial Union’s Black and Gold Room. “I’m not going to die sitting down.”

Stone’s talk was part of the Quest Leadership curriculum, sponsored by FHSU’s Department of Leadership Studies and the Center for Student Involvement. Stone and his friends charged the terrorist, who attempted to shoot Stone, but his AK-47 misfired.

Stone, who had just recently taken up jujitsu, attempted to subdue the attacker with a choke hold. El Khazzani first attempted to shoot Stone with his pistol, then pulled out a box cutter and stabbed Stone in his back and his left hand, severing the tendon and nerve by his thumb.

Stone, with the aid of British businessman Chris Norman, eventually subdued the attacker. Stone’s choke hold rendered the terrorist unconscious.

“Even though it spanned all of two minutes, it seemed like an eternity,” said Stone.

After the attacker was tied up, Stone turned his attention to Moogolian. A medical technician in the Air Force, Stone knew he had to stop the bleeding. He found the carotid artery and applied pressure. He kept that pressure on for the next 30 minutes until the train reached Paris and medical help arrived.

Ironically, Stone wouldn’t have known what to do if he hadn’t been unsuccessful in the Air Force. He was disqualified from being a member of the Pararescuemen due to a difficulty in depth perception and was unsuccessful in a survival, evasion, resistance and escape program. That led to Stone becoming a medical technician instead.

“Throughout my military career I was kind of guided into this direction,” Stone said. “I almost feel like I was destined to be on that train. I had the skill to save Mark’s life.”

Stone said leadership and followership are both important, and failure is an important part of leadership.

“I’ve failed a ton in my life,” he said. “Failure is one of the most important experiences.”

Stone was promoted to staff sergeant shortly after the attack on the train, and he and his two friends received a phone call from President Obama, and later met him at the White House. Stone and his two friends were also presented with medals, France’s Legion d’Honneur.

Hays resident Sue Bickle heard Stone was coming to town, so she ordered a book, “The 15:17 to Paris: The True Story of a Terrorist, a Train, and Three American Heroes,” so he could sign it. Bickle’s younger sister, Paula Carlson, knew Stone when he was growing up in Sacramento, Calif., and Bickle wanted to meet him. Bickle was impressed with Stone’s talk.

“I think he’s got a really good message for people as far as the way we need to believe in ourselves and do what we need to do,” she said.

Looking ahead, Stone, 24, plans to leave the Air Force in the next few months and go to college at San Diego State University and major in international security and conflict resolution.

“I kind of live my life with a sense that I still have a lot to do,” he said. “I’m alive for a reason. I don’t know what that reason is. I guess I’m trying to find it. I’m on a journey.”

Hays Medical Center

HaysMed Medical recently welcomed three new physicians to their medical staff. Dr. David Lerner, Dr. Elizabeth Snyder and Dr. Wally Walstrom have all recently begun practicing at HaysMed.

Dr. Lerner, a radiologist, received his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, Kansas. He completed a residency in Radiology from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri and a fellowship in Abdominal Imaging from Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Snyder received her medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City and Wichita, Kansas. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Dr. Snyder is a hospitalist and will be joining the hospitalist group who provide full time inpatient care coordination at HaysMed.

Dr. Wally Walstrom is triple boarded in Allopathic Family Medicine, Osteopathic Family Medicine and Sports Medicine. He completed medical school at the Kansas City University of Medicine Biosciences, Kansas City, Missouri. He completed a Family Medicine Residency and sports medicine Fellowship at Via Christi in Wichita, Kansas. Walstrom will be seeing patients both at the HaysMed Orthopedic Institute and Family Medicine.

Video courtesy USD 489 News

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

During Monday night’s Hays USD 489 Board of Education work session and meeting, thoughts on long-term thinking about facility needs were presented to the board by the district’s administration.

While Superintendent John Thissen was ready to begin sharing information, he also told the board this is the very front end of the conversation that needs to be held between the board, community and administration.

But he also warned that the groups should not wait too long, telling board members they should begin to deliberate on a time frame for the next bond election and work to gather community input as well as let the community know – while not highly visible – the board is working on facility concerns.

As part of the next step, Thissen suggested to the board they look at an architecture firm that has a proven track record in guiding successful bond elections, suggesting there was some dissatisfaction with the last bond election and it might be prudent for the board to consider a change.

HTK architects worked with the board last year during an unsuccessful bond campaign and had been working with the district for the last eight years, according to Thissen.

Three firms were identified that Thissen found other districts cited in their successful bond elections.

“They’re the experts,” he said of the firms that could run a full bond election. “They know what’s going on.”

Thissen also suggested the board proceed with a construction manager at risk process, which would allow a professional to oversee the project.

“Under the circumstances, there is a great desire to do that,” he said.

While Thissen suggested the board begin thinking about the subject, he also said the board has time to consider the best way to proceed.

“We are still on the front end of this, we have options,” he said.

Outside of the direct bond issue planning, changes to Head Start could force the construction issue.

Thissen informed the board the program is expanding to a full-time program across the nation. This would create a situation where more students are under the district’s care at one time. Students in the program are currently in smaller blocks of time that rotate through the day.

The question now, Thissen said is, “do we have the room?”

Right now, the district can support the student load, but when students in the program go to a six-hour day, the district might be scrambling for space, unless facility space is found or created, or students are cut from Head Start.

Thissen told the board he felt the community would not be supportive of any cuts to the number of students enrolled in the program and, if planning begins now, a solution could be found before the programs changes in the next few years.

He also noted a successful bond issue may address that specific space concern.

In the same vein of building maintenance, Thissen brought to the board an idea that might help with aging equipment and how the district handles replacing systems.

“It’s very important for this district, with this board, to have a plan in place,” he said.

One of the biggest problems he identified is the way problems are identified as individuals may perceive problems directly in line with their building are more important than if viewed from an objective lens.

He suggested a software program to the board that may help create a more objective view. The software would keep a running tab on all district equipment, giving the board a long view of projects that need to be addressed, allowing for better planning to occur.

Thissen noted the software was similar to the plan implemented for district vehicles years ago.

As an example of the need to collect and analyze district equipment and be more proactive is the $1.3 million HVAC system replacement at Hays Middle School. He said it was “troublesome” that he believes the public was unaware that system was 50 years old at the time of its replacement.

“There is no irresponsibility as far as maintenance in the district,” Thissen said. “We are getting every bit out of these systems.”

If there were to be a critique of the district’s maintenance, he said, it would be that there is no plan to replace aging systems in an organized manner.

Implementing this software would also allow the district to make a better case for a future bond, as it would help demonstrate efficiencies that newer systems would create. It would also show the difference in price between new construction and system replacement over time.

For now, Thissen is asking for two or three board members to look at the software, before bringing to the whole board.

“The objectivity really is an important part of this,” Thissen said.

HFD

On Saturday, Sept. 10, a team of seven City of Hays firefighters participated in the Wichita 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. The 9/11 Stair Climb honors the 343 New York City firefighters who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center.

Held in the 22-story Epic Center, 343 firefighters climbed the stairs five times to equal the 110 stories of the WTC Twin Towers. The firefighters climbed wearing full firefighting gear and carrying hose and tools to replicate the climb of the NYC firefighters on that fateful day. Each participating firefighter is assigned to climb for a specific NYC firefighter killed in the attack. For more information on the Wichita 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, click HERE.

The City of Hays firefighters who participated included Captain Kirk Klein, Firefighter Brandon Zimmerman, Firefighter Tim Detrixhe, Firefighter Brandon Woods, Firefighter Greg May, Firefighter Allison Friesen and Firefighter Justin Choitz. Firefighter Detrixhe organized the Hays firefighters’ participation in this event. This is the second year Choitz and Detrixhe completed the Wichita Memorial climb.

On Sunday, Sept. 11, Choitz completed the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb in Denver. This is the fourth year that he has participated in this memorial as one of the 343 climbing firefighters.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Hays artist Dennis Schiel is working on another large historical mural.

This one, in collaboration with the Hays Arts Council, features the 2017 Sesquicentennial–the 150th anniversary–of Ellis County, and this mural will stay right in Hays.

It has to.

Schiel is painting his public art project on the north side of the downtown Fox Pavilion, 1202 Main. The colorful mural will be about 35-by-60 feet and will include images of Volga-German farmers, Fort Hays, Boot Hill, a buffalo and Fort Hays State University.

Originally, Schiel had planned to paint the mural on the abandoned grain elevators east of the Union Pacific Railroad Park, 10th and Main. But UPPR decided to tear down the dilapidated structure.

“So, I had to come up with another place to paint this,” Schiel said. “We looked around and found three spots. Midland Marketing gave us permission to use their elevator but it’s not quite the right location. Then we looked at the Fox Theatre and the city water tower out by Sternberg Museum–the bottom portion of it.

The Fox Theatre, also called the Fox Pavilion, was selected and Schiel started painting.

He hopes to also paint another mural on the east water tower next year. That depiction of “The Three Amigos”– Lt. Col. George Custer, Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody–would be a nod to the history of Hays.

“This is really fun,” claims Schiel. “A lot of times I work on just itty-bitty one-inch-by-three-inch painting that needs to be done for a historical mural or something like that. This is just sloppin’ paint on. It’s just kinda fun to take the strokes.”

The work is going faster than he thought it would.

“I figured it would take at least four months to do it. I might be able to get it done in two-and-a-half months.

Schiel started by gridding out his design so he would know where certain points are on the massive mural.

“I knew I needed to start three foot down and two feet over on that first panel with the Volga German (farmer) threshing wheat. The next panel will be a change. It’ll have (Hays limestone sculptor) Pete Felten’s buffalo and part of (historic) Fort Hays. But, it’s going to change a little from what I planned, so I’ll just find another point and start again,” he said with a chuckle.

Schiel has always wanted to be an artist.

“I tried the corporate world for about seven years, and then I got tired of that and decided I can do this on my own.”

In addition to his state mural displayed in the state capitol building in Topeka, Schiel recently finished a piece for Kansas State University as well as a historical mural for St. John’s Military School in Salina.

“It’s in my garage, weighs about 700 pounds. It’s just huge.”

Schiel has also painted historical murals for many families throughout Kansas.

He said he’s been working nearly every day since moving to Kansas from Colorado nine years ago. “I did a lot of construction work out there to pay the bills,” laughed Schiel. “But out here, it’s been almost non-stop.”

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

She was just two years old on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorist attacks hit America in New York City, Washington, D.C., and rural Shanksville, Pa. More than 3,000 people died.

Fifteen years later, Hays High School senior Alanna Hansen, 17, organized an all-school assembly in remembrance of that tragic day.

She knows most of the HHS students were only 3 years old or younger — or not even yet born then, “like my sister who is a freshman.” But Hansen says it’s important to learn about “something that was such an impact on America and was unexpected and it wasn’t about a certain race or religion. It was America as a whole. We were attacked and then during that time, we just kind of came together,” said Hansen.

It seems different today, she believes.

“Especially now, everybody’s kind of separating, and I think remembering days like this where we can be united again and be proud to be an American, is something that’s very important,” she said.

She also wanted to recognize and thank local first responders and military veterans for their service.

Hansen approached HHS Principal Marty Straub last December to ask permission to work on the 9/11 project. With Straub’s support, Hansen spent the past nine months planning the event.

“At first, I thought it was just gonna be something little — like a moment of silence after the announcements came on,” Hansen said. “And then I thought it was going to be maybe 20 minutes. But now, it’s come to be an hour,” she said while standing outside the school where a huge American flag was flying from Hess Crane Services in the parking lot and more U.S. flags, placed by Hays Kiwanis members, lined the sidewalks.

“It really became such a great thing and I’m so excited about today. I just want to thank everyone, especially my principal. It’s amazing what the community of Hays has brought to this,” she said with a big smile. “There’s no way I could have done this without them.”

Friday morning, HHS Gym A was filled with students and faculty, local first responders and military members, city dignitaries and state legislators who heard from guest speaker Seth Kastle, a Leadership Studies instructor at Fort Hays State University and a military veteran.

Kastle retired after 15 years from the Army Reserve as a First Sergeant in July 2014. He served substantial time in Germany, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, and spent 24 months in combat zones. He deals with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and has written two children’s books about PTSD for military families.

“When we talk about the word sacrifice, we usually just think of our men and women serving in the military. But that’s not all. Men and women in law enforcement, fire departments, emergency medical services, first responders — all of these people sacrifice on a daily basis to preserve our way of life. … They’re putting themselves in harm’s way for our safety and security,” Kastle said, looking directly at the large contingent of first responders sitting in front of him.

“I’m here today to tell you America is great because of one word — freedom.

“It’s because men and women in public service make it so. We get to live in a land that is free from oppression. If you don’t think so, I would challenge you to speak to someone who comes from a less fortunate country. I’m sure they would gladly tell you how much better their life is here,” Kastle said.

“My dad, Trent Hansen, works at Fort Hays with him (Kastle) and went to AIT (Advanced Individual Training) with him after basic training–we kind of have connections. I asked him if he would talk and he said ‘Sure,'” Hansen explained.

Hansen showed video interviews with people remembering where they were on that fateful day, including her grandfather Elden Hammerschmidt. He was the Hays Public Works Director at that time and attending a work-related conference in Philadelphia.

“There was a military presence on all street corners. All the planes were grounded. We had a rental car and drove it 24 hours straight from Philadelphia back home to Hays,” Hammerschmidt recalled.

Another video showed ABC’s Good Morning America live coverage as the news anchors scrambled to make sense of what they were seeing at the Twin Towers in New York City.

In the audience sat members of the Hays Police Department, Hays and Ellis Co. Rural Fire Departments, Ellis Co. Sheriff’s Dept., Ellis Co. Emergency Medical Services, and the Kansas Highway Patrol, along with local military personnel and veterans. As their names were called out by Hansen and Straub, each stood and was recognized by three quick claps from the crowd.

Military recruiters were also invited to the assembly and to speak to interested students afterwards. SSgt. Aaron Darden is a U.S. Air Force recruiter based in Salina and covers much of western Kansas, including Hays.

“Awesome,” is how he described the assembly afterwards.

“An amazing amount of effort, time and thought went into this, keeping the memories fresh in the minds of these young adults.” Darden was in an 8th grade PE class in Franklin, Va., on Sept. 11, 2001. “We knew something tragic had happened, but had no idea of its magnitude and how America changed.

“The terrorist attacks are one reason why I serve,” Darden said.

The assembly opened with a Hays VFW color guard posting the colors, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Hansen. It ended with the national anthem sang by Hays High School’s elite Chamber Singers under the direction of Johnny Matlock.

The guests of honor were invited to join HHS students and staff for spaghetti in the school lunch room. As people filed out of the gymnasium, they were offered colorful red, white and blue wrist bands that read “9-11-2001 Freedom Is Not Free.”

Alanna Hansen will be 18 in February and graduate from Hays High in May. She plans to attend FHSU where she will major in wildlife biology and minor in criminal justice. She wants to become a game warden.

“I’m in government class right now and we’ve talked about 9/11. I wasn’t even thinking about this project to get class credit or anything,” she laughed.

“I’ve been a proud American and patriotic since I was really little.

“I just like being able to show and share with my fellow classmates that we’re proud after 9/11, especially in Kansas,” Hansen said. “We’re not on one of the coasts. We’re right in the middle of the United States, showing people that we’re proud in tiny town Hays. It’s just awesome, I think. It’s incredible.”