By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Friday marks the first full month on the job for the new Ellis County Administrator.

After spending 15 years working in California – the past six as the Humboldt County Chief Administrative Officer – Phillip Smith-Hanes began working in Ellis County on March 1st.

The Marion, Kan., native says getting an opportunity to move back to Kansas and closer to his family means a lot.

“My folks are in their 80’s now and it is nice being able to come back and see them–spend more time with them, do some errands, do Walmart runs for mom–without having to get on an airplane,” said Smith-Hanes.

Smith-Hanes said there were a few similarities between Humboldt and Ellis County. Both feature division state universities, regional shopping centers and airport services by SkyWest Airlines.

He said that also fits with the commission’s current view and their outlook for Ellis County.

“The commissioners really look at Ellis County as a hub for northwest Kansas and (they) are really interested in strengthening the financial position of the county.”

One of the most important parts of the County Administrator job is helping the commission set the yearly budget. Smith-Hanes laid out a schedule for the 2017 budgeting process at a meeting last month. The commission will review the goals they laid out after adopting last year’s budget and set goals for 2017 during their meeting Monday, April 4.

Smith-Hanes’ first day on the job in Ellis County also happened to be the day of the trench collapse that killed two people in downtown Hays. He said got to see first-hand how the community was able to come together during a tragedy.

“It was just so horrible for the families involved. It was just great to see the way the community rallied.”

He also applauded the cooperation between the county first responders and the city and county working together.

“It’s always horrible when a tragedy like that happens but it also tends to bring out the best in the community,” said Hanes-Smith.

Ellis County hosted a meet-and-greet for Smith-Hanes Tuesday at the Ellis County Administration Center with refreshments provided by county employees.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT and BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawton Nuss was in Hays Wednesday afternoon as part of a two-day tour through western Kansas.

Nuss and Supreme Court Justice Marla Luckert, a Goodland native, were in Abilene and Salina before stopping in Hays and Colby yesterday.

While in Hays, the justices got an opportunity to tour the newly remodeled Ellis County Courthouse and meet with district court staff and law professionals.

Last year Nuss toured the NEW building south of Hays where the county had temporarily set up operations.   Nuss said he was impressed with the updated facility.

“I tip my hat to whoever was responsible for all this,” Nuss said “I doubt it was any one person. It’s usually a team effort.”

He also praised the cooperation between the county and city for working together to implement the sales tax.

“I thought that was a great example of cooperation between two governmental entities working together on a project for the benefit of their public,” said Nuss.

Nuss previously practiced law in Salina and said he worked in Hays a number of times where he always enjoyed the classic look of the courthouse.

During their tour, the justices are stopping at several courthouses in northwest Kansas to meet with court staff.

“When I was a lawyer many years ago, that was one of my favorite things to do, to go to as many courthouses in Kansas as I could just because I like the architecture,” said Nuss. “What’s more important to me now (as Chief Justice) are the people who work in the judicial branch in those courthouses.”

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

There were nearly 100 more entries this year in the Hays Water Quality Poster Contest than last year. The annual competition is sponsored by the city of Hays and KSU Big Creek Middle Smoky Hill River Watersheds.

The judges had to break several ties, according to organizer Stacie Minson, watershed specialist.

All students in Hays, from pre-K through 12th grade as well as Fort Hays State University students, were eligible to compete.

“We had 255 total posters submitted, up from 159 last year,” Minson said.

Themes for 2016, depending on the entrant’s grade level, were “Be Water Wi$e!” and “What’s In Your H2O?” First through third places were determined in each grade. “There are individual cash prizes, up to $250, and class parties for some of the winners,” Minson added.

“The ‘What’s in Your H20?’ posters focus on pollutants in our water that are undesirable and create the potential for unsafe drinking water supplies. Those pollutants could include sediment (soil), nitrogen, phosphorus, E.coli bacteria; household chemicals, and vehicle fluids,” she explained.  “The ‘Be Water Wi$e!’ posters focus on water conservation in the Hays community and include conservation efforts in the home, yard, garden, and landscaping.”

Judges used four criteria to select their favorites:

• Water Theme Message–50%
• Visual Effectiveness–30%
• Originality–10%
• Universal Appeal–10%

And these judges are very familiar with water quality and water quantity-themed messages.

The experts included City of Hays Water Conservation Specialist Jason Riegel, Fort Hays State University Assoc. Professors of Agriculture Dr. Bob Stephenson and Dr. Jean Gleichsner, KSU Ellis Co. Extension Horticulture Agent Holly Dickman, KSU Agriculture Research Station Ground Manager Joe Becker and Agricultural Technician Rich Windholz, former Ellis County Wellhead Protection Committee member James Leiker, and Minson.

The students, along with their teachers and parents, will be recognized by the Hays city commission at their April 14 meeting. The winners will first be announced in their classrooms tomorrow, April 1.

Northwestern Printers will scan images of the winning posters which will then be used either for 2017 calendars or placemats for local restaurants.

The poster images will also be published on the city of Hays website.

                           Video from Joe Shortino’s youtube channel

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

That Bible quote adorns the business card of Joe Shortino, a man who recently traveled to Hays from Cheyenne Wyo., bringing with him something that has caught the eye of many locals as he winds through the streets of the city  – a 12-foot, 150-pound cross with attached American and POW flags and a ram’s horn.

While in Hays, he is working to fulfill his mission by walking the streets, talking to locals and, most importantly, praying with anyone who asks.

That mission, he says, was given to him by God himself.

Relying solely on the generosity of others while criss-crossing the United States, Shortino has been walking since Feb. 13, 2013, traveling through 14 states so far.

“I walk with no money. I’ve never slept a day on the street. I’ve never gone hungry,” he said.

But as strange as his mission may seem, he claims it came directly from a higher power.

“The Lord told me in an audible voice, he said, ‘I’m gonna build a cross and you’re gonna carry it,’ and I looked around and nobody was there. So I prayed to make sure I wasn’t kookoo for Cocoa Puffs,” he said.

After hearing the message, he said he immediately gave up a six-figure income working in the North Dakota oil fields and began his trek.

“I’m not out here to push my faith,” Shortino said. “When I walk, I look at the ground and, if people stop me, I’ll talk and pray with them.”

Originally, Shortino carried the cross without the flags, but after picking up the American flag in Texas during a Fourth of July event, it became permanent.

“The next day, the Lord said not to take it off,” he said.

A year later, he added the POW/MIA flag in support of veterans across the nation.

“We need God to bless this country again and, without our vets, we wouldn’t have the freedom we have,” Shortino said. “I just love the Lord and love my country.”

As for his time in Hays, just like the rest of his travels, he is waiting to hear what comes next – and when.

“I will not leave the town until God says I’m done,” Shortino said. “I go as God leads me.”

While he is in Hays, he said he hopes to help others with their struggles.

“There is a lot of hungry people out here that need a touch,”  Shortino said. “I pray with them and encourage them.”

In order to follow Shortino’s travels, he has set up a Facebook page as well as a YouTube channel.

 

 

Hays Post

There is a new coffee shop opening in Hays in a few months. Breathe Coffee House is designed to provide the residents of Hays with a place to come together and not only have a quality cup of joe, but to get a better understanding of one another.

Patrick McGinnis, owner, recently spoke about his goals for the coffee shop, located in the former Brunswick Antique Mall in the 700 block of Main.

Video by Cooper Slough and Kaycee Beilman

 

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

In a brief meeting Monday morning, the Hays USD 489 Board of Education approved a resolution that allows a $94 million bond issue election to proceed on June 7.

Following the resolution, ballot language will be published and filed with the appropriate agencies in order to proceed with the election.

While the meeting was brief, the outcome could weigh heavily on voters in June.

During the meeting, the board split the bond into two propositions – one to fund the bulk of the bond and a second that would be used for gyms to be built at Hays High and Hays Middle Schools.

The proposition for the gyms is $8.9 million of the total $94 million bond. Voters can opt to vote for one, both or none of the propositions.

“I think my biggest concern that if we do a two-question (ballot), we are automatically cutting (the gyms) off,” said Luke Oborny, board member.

While the board wants to ensure voters have options in the bond issue, they recognize the need for the gyms and hope the public will support both propositions.

“I hate to keep calling them gyms as they are multi-purpose rooms, and we can use them for so many things,” Oborny said.

The board also argued the multi-purpose rooms would benefit more than USD 489, as they be used for regional activities that would bring revenue into Hays.

“Businesses and things like that, in my opinion, should really be on board with this, just due to the fact it’s going to help them,” said Lance Bickle, board president.

As the bond issue has progressed over recent months, many have questioned the need for the multi-purpose rooms, calling the bond issue too large in scope, but board members hopes, as information is presented to the community, voters will ultimately support both propositions.

“It all goes back to education,” Bickle said.

The likelihood of a successful bond was increased last week with the Hays City Commission approving, in a 2-1 vote, a sales tax question be put on the June ballot.

The board sought the sales tax question to help lower the impact on property owners who would otherwise pay for the entire project.

The board would likely set the bond term to 20 years if the sales tax is approved, shaving five years off the length of the bond — and saving millions in interest payments.

Now that the board passed the ballot resolution and the Hays City Commission scheduled the sales to question to coincide with the other propositions, educating the public about the bond will now be the biggest challenge the board faces — a task complicated by the three propositions on a single ballot.

With multiple questions, the election is required by law to be a walk-in election.

The board had hoped early on for a mail-in ballot, but the desire to give the public options was decided to be more important.

“Much like the sale tax, what I like offering with the two propositions is we’re giving people a choice,” said Sarah Rankin, board member.

The district will host two bond educational town hall meetings this week. The first is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hays High School, 2300 E. 13th. The second is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the 12th Street Auditorium, 334 W. 12th.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

At around 1:15 p.m Monday, Hays Police and Fire Departments, along with Ellis County Emergency Medical Services, responded to a multi-vehicle injury accident on 800 block of Elm.

As traffic slowed on Elm approaching the Eighth Street intersection from the north, a late-model sport utility vehicle reportedly was struck from behind by a late-model Toyota coupe. That vehicle was also struck from behind by a late-model Ford Mustang.

The intersection is a major entry point for Fort Hays State University and traffic on Eighth was backed up for blocks to the east as students and employees were attempting to enter the campus around the blocked section of Elm.

Traffic was being directed off of Elm from Eighth to 10th streets as responders worked to clean up the scene and investigate.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Younger performs his NSAI song entry, PatiOasis, after the announcement of his entry into the top 10.

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

There were 2,400 entries, but only one that had the had the hearts and minds of northwest Kansas – “PatiOasis” by Victoria native Blaine Younger.

The Nashville Songwriters Association International, in conjunction with Country Music Television, informed Younger Thursday he won the top prize in their 16th annual contest.

“I’m just trying to soak it all in. It’s unbelievable,” Younger said.

Younger had been promoted to the top 10 in February for his entry and was extremely grateful for supporters voting for the song in the last stage of the contest.

“I wrote the song, but I could not have done this without the supporters we gained through the Blaine Younger Band days or my huge family or all the friends spreading the word,” he said. “I got to the top 10, but that’s really what did it in the end.”

Younger had attributed the song to his time performing around Hays.

“It’s all about Hays, Kansas, if you ask me,” he said in an earlier interview. “It’s about making a Patio Oasis in your backyard, with your family and friends.”

Younger first joined NSAI a few years ago, after taking a break from music while living in the Kansas City area.

Before the move, he was a well known fixture of the northwest Kansas music scene, heading the Blaine Younger Band for about five years.

With the win under his belt, Younger plans to continue songwriting as he takes advantage of the perks of being the contest winner.

Among the prizes are a NSAI residency package, a $5,000 cash prize, a single song contract with EMI Records and mentoring sessions with CMT and Eric Paslay.

For more music, or to follow Younger’s musical endeavorers visit his facebook page.

For the full announcement from NSAI click here.

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

It was a full house for Thursday night’s Hays City Commission meeting.

Proponents of the USD 489 $94 million bond issue and an associated one-half cent special purpose retail sales tax sported bright yellow stickers that read “Support Our Future First. Vote Yes.” Several adults brought along their young children. Also in the audience were teachers, administrators, and current and former school board members.

Hays City Attorney John Bird again reviewed the consequences of a successful sales tax petition by supporters after the city rejected the request earlier this year.

“The state statute requires the city…to now notify the county clerk to conduct a sales tax election.  The city commission has to formally select the date for the city sales tax election. The school board does that for its own bond election.

“The question requires both elections to take place at the same time…otherwise, the sales tax would not be levied and would not be used to pay the school district bonds,” Bird explained, adding that a special purpose retail sales tax can be in effect up to 10 years.

June 7, 2016, is the date the school board wants to hold its bond election.  City commissioners voted two-one to approve a resolution calling for the city sales tax election on the same date–June 7.

Commissioner Lance Jones voted against the measure.  His earlier motion to set the election date for Nov. 8, 2016, died for lack of a second.  Commissioners Henry Schwaller and James Meier were absent.

All three commissioners expressed their support of the school district’s plan to take care of deferred maintenance, and safety and space issues.  “I don’t think any of us are against the school’s,” said Vice-Mayor Shaun Musil, noting he has “three kids soon to be in your school district.”

“But our sales taxes are down–six of the past seven months–and that’s a concern for us.”  He explained that Hays residents voted in 1995 for a sales tax to finance the city’s general fund.

Earlier in the meeting, City Attorney Bird clarified the current county-wide one-half cent sales tax will expire no later than October, 2018.  The city’s new one-half cent sales tax, if passed , would not go into effect until the county sales tax has expired.

“From the city’s side, I think that’s why we all voted against your request in January. Using the sales tax could hurt us in the future, especially for 10-years,” said Musil.

“What I do like…is it’s going to the voters and they’re going to make the decision, and to me, that’s the most important part of it.”

Hays school board members have scheduled a special meeting for 7 a.m. Monday, March 28, to vote on the USD 489 resolution for a June 7 bond election.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Ellis County continued its downward trend in the annual Kansas county health rankings.

Rankings released last week by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute ranked Ellis County 18th in overall health.

Ellis, which ranked as high as No. 4 in 2012, has fallen in the rankings in three of the last four years.

According to the study, the percentage of adults who smoke, fatal accidents involving alcohol and sexually transmitted infections are on the rise in Ellis County. Adult obesity and excessive drinking also continue to be negative factors.

Twenty-percent of Ellis County residents are current smokers, according to the study, which is tied with eight counties for the third-most in Kansas. In the 2013 and 2014 studies, 15 percent of people reported they smoked. The statewide average is 17 percent.

Ellis County saw an increase in the number of fatal accidents involving alcohol. According to the report, there were 28 driving deaths in Ellis County in 2014 — 15 of them involved alcohol. Fourteen of the 31 fatal accidents involved alcohol the year before.

The number of sexually transmitted infections reported in the county saw an increase. According to the most recent numbers, in 2013 there were 145 new chlamydia cases reported in Ellis County, an increase of 36 from the 109 reported in 2012.

The percentage of adults who are considered obese saw a slight decline in the most recent rankings to 29-percent, ranking Ellis County seventh lowest in Kansas. Ellis County has consistently reported between 29 and 30-percent adult obesity.

According to the study, Ellis County also ranked in the top 10 in the percentage of adults reporting binge or heavy drinking. Nineteen-percent of county residents reported consuming more than four, for women or five, for men alcoholic beverages on a single occasion in the past 30 days, or heavy drinking, defined as drinking more than one, women or two, men drinks per day on average. That ranks Ellis County sixth in Kansas.

Overall, Johnson County was No. 1 in the rankings while Wyandotte County, which is right next door, was ranked last of the 101 ranked counties.

Thomas County ranked second followed by Logan County. Trego County was No. 20, Gove ranked 38th, Rooks County was 40th and Rush was ranked No. 77.

UPDATE at 4:55 p.m.   The Hays Police Department has released the surveillance video of Tuesday morning’s break-in and burglary of an ATM at Cerv’s.

——————————————————————

HPD

On Tuesday, March 22, at 5:44 a.m. the Hays Police Department received a call that Cerv’s convenience store at 2722 Hall Street had been broken into and the ATM was stolen.

A window was broken out on the east entrance by a subject wearing a dark-colored jumpsuit with a hood and face mask. The subject placed a metal chain around the ATM machine and signaled to a vehicle outside.

The ATM was pulled over  using the vehicle and chain, breaking it free from the bolts in the floor. The subject in the dark jumpsuit, drug the ATM outside through the broken window. The ATM was removed in approximately 2-3 minutes.

The burglary took place around 1:30 a.m. on the 22nd.

If anyone saw anything suspicious, or has information about this burglary, please contact Investigator Jeff Ridgway at the Hays Police Department at (785) 625-1030.

 

 

 

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Contractors will be working around Hays this week to fix failing bicycle route markings.

According to Assistant Director of Public Works John Braun, there were approximately 50 bike lane symbols and about 200 feet of the lines that make up the bike lanes that have failed.

A portion of the markings the contractor is touching up are ones with some pieces that are deteriorating or peeling off.

Braun said the markings had a six-month guarantee and after the Kansas Department of Transportation had inspected the markings, KDOT found some issues and the contractor was called back to fix the markings.

The project was completed by KDOT and they have certain standards each project must meet. There is a 180-day observation period, according to Braun, where the contractor will have to come in and replace deficiencies or failures.

According to the city, areas of work include, but may not be limited to: Elm Street from 2nd to 12th, Main Street from 13th to 21st, Allen from 8th to 13th, 22nd Street from Vine to Canterbury, General Custer from 13th to 22nd, and the 32nd and 33rd and Vine area.

Some of the work will take place in the evening and into the night to avoid times when traffic is heavy in those areas.