The Sweetheart Crowning will be Tuesday, February 9, during halftime of the boys basketball game.
Queen Candidates:
Bailey Hageman – Greg Hageman and Judy Hageman
Taylor Gabel – Todd and Lisa Gabel
Taylor Dinkel – Curt and Donna Dinkel
Shelby Stouffer – Allen and Melissa Stouffer
Morgan Weber – Bill and Tiffany Weber
King Candidates:
Ricky Hockett – Collin and Kristie Hockett
Chase Romme – Galen and Cindy Romme
Peyton Hoffman – Jeff and Myrna Hoffman
John Drees – Tom and Patricia Drees
Nate Walters – Marty and Anita Walters
UPDATE: At 9 p.m., more outages were reported in northeast Ellis County. Cross arms were reported broken due to wind and ice load, according to Midwest Energy spokesman Mike Morley. Crews were expected to be working through the night, but prolonged outages are possible, he said.
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Just before 2 p.m. Midwest Energy reported power outages around Hays and Ellis as snow continued to fall in Hays — and winds picked up.
According to the outage viewer on the Midwest Energy’s website, at the peak outage, more than 6,000 customers were affected in various areas of both towns.
Courtesy Midwest Energy
Midwest spokesman Mike Morley said there were more than 80 outages across the area due to “galloping lines” touching tree branches.
The outages caused traffic lights throughout Hays to turn off. HPD was dispatched to control traffic at the busiest intersections while crews worked to restore power.
Just before 2 p.m., fire crews also were dispatched to the area of Sternberg Museum to a report of a blown transformer.
Jim Strine gets a sample of posole, a Mexican soup featuring hominy and pork, from Nicole Pfeifer at the Eagle Communications booth.
By BECKY KISER Hays Post
“It might be one of our biggest ever,” guessed one Humane Society of the High Plains board member as she wove her way through the crowd of soup and animal lovers Sunday.
Vehicles overflowed the Deutsche Fest Hall parking lot at the Ellis County Fairgrounds, prompting some attendees to ask if something else was going on besides the HSHP Soup’R Bowl.
Nope, nothing else.
Just the incredibly popular annual event that is the biggest fundraiser for the Humane Society with all proceeds going for care of the animals at the Virginia Miller Animal Shelter east of Hays on Highway 40.
Fourteen celebrity chefs each cooked up 10 gallons of their best homemade soup, all vying for the coveted “Golden Ladle.”
The soup samplers–many make it a tradition to stop in for lunch with family and friends after their Sunday church service–paid five dollars to try a couple sips of each soup. Then they voted for their favorite soup (or soups), placing one or more of their five blue tickets in the blue cans at each chef’s station, and enjoyed a full-size cup of the soup they deemed the best.
The top three soups voted the best this year were announced by HSHP Board Member Dana Schmidt.
In third place was Sunflower Bank with Creamy White Chili Soup; second place went to Lewis Chrysler and their Sausage and Sauerkraut Soup; and winning the Golden Ladle–by just three votes–Auto World with White Chili Soup.
Hays Animal Control Officer Nikki Hausler offers a sample of Grandma Leona’s Ham & Cabbage Soup.
Darrell Seibel, oversees operation of the Edward Jones booth and their Greenbean Dumpling Soup.
Gary Wentling (R), tops the Bank of Hays Cilantro Lime Chicken Soup with avocado.
Hays Girl Scout volunteers at the door prize table.
Lauren McAvoy (L) hands out Sausage & Sauerkraut Soup for Lewis Chrysler.
Ellis Co. Sheriff Ed Harbin (R) arranges plates of his homemade cherry pies.
Nicole Pfeifer, Eagle Communications, oversees the posole Mexican soup and homemade doggy and people desserts.
Mark Meier and K.C. at the Hays Veterinary Hospital booth and their She-Crab Soup.
UPDATED: US-36 is now closed at Phillipsburg west to the Colorado border as of 11:10 a.m. CST due to an accident and winter weather conditions.
I-70 from the Colorado border to Hays
K-25 from the Nebraska border to US-40
K-27 from the Nebraska border to Sharon Springs
K-161 from the Nebraska border to US-36
K-117 from the Nebraska border to US-36
US-83 from the Nebraska border to Scott City
US-283 from the Nebraska border to Wakeeney
K-383 from the Nebraska border to US-83
US-36 from the Colorado border to Norton
K-9 from US-283 to K-123
US-24 from Stockton to I-70
K-18 from Plainville to US-24
K-23 from Selden to Grainfield
For up-to-date information on road closures and road conditions, call 511 in Kansas or 866-511-5368 outside Kansas, or check travel information online at www.kandrive.org or https://511mm.ksdot.org on your mobile device.
KEARNEY, Neb. – Beth Bohuslavsky hit a layup off an inbounds pass with four seconds to play in overtime giving Fort Hays State a one-point lead. Paige Lunsford then deflected a pass preventing Nebraska-Kearney from getting off a potential game-winning shot and the Tigers beat the Lopers 82-81. It’s Fort Hays State’s (18-2, 12-2 MIAA) third overtime win this season and second straight over UNK (10-10, 6-8).
Tony Hobson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Tigers trailed by six with three minutes to play, but scored seven straight to take a 69-68 lead with 1:09 to play. Nicola Kacperska scored the final five points of the run with two free throws following a technical foul on the Loper bench followed by a 3-pointer.
FHSU scored the first eight to build their big lead. UNK scored the next seven and led by seven early in the second quarter.
Paige Lunsford led for Tigers in double-figures with 22 points and seven rebounds along with five assists. Jill Faxon added 16, Beth Boshuslavsky 13 and Chelsea Mason 11.
The Lopers were led by Alexa Hogberg who tied a career high with 21 points.
The Tigers shot 44-percent for the game including 11-of-24 from beyond the arc. There were 11-of-13 from the free throw line.
UNK shot 48-percent inlcuding 10-of-20 from 3-point range and 9-of-11 from the free throw line.
photo courtesy Joplin Globe Robert Troxel, U.S. Postal Service Maintenance Tech begins removal of the banner on Wednesday
PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — Residents in a southeast Kansas community are responding to a post office’s removal of a “God Bless America” banner by putting up similar banners.
The Pittsburg post office took the banner down Wednesday after hearing complaints about it from the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation. The organization said hanging the banner at the post office violated the principle of separation of church and state.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Post Office said the postal service removed the banner because postal policy prohibits the placement of notices on postal property unless they’re official government notices.
The Pittsburg Morning Sun reports that a similar banner appeared at a couple local businesses by Thursday, and a local sign company says requests for more signs have been pouring in.
What was once a bowling alley, then a thrift shop, the home of the Hays Community Theatre and now the Platinum Group – a new real estate agency – has found a home in the Chestnut Street District at 116 E. 11th. But getting the historic Hays building ready for modern use took vision and an almost unbelievable amount of work.
The building, along with the agency, are owned by real estate agent Adam Pray.
“We toured the building. There was plenty of space, and I just felt like it had a lot of potential,” Pray said.
After the tour, Pray knew this would be an ideal location for the agency.
“Downtown Hays, it is a very desirable place,” Pray said. “A lot of people enjoy being downtown. You’ve got just about anything you might want here in Hays.”
After touring the building, Pray began the process of trying to secure ownership of the building, a process completed just a few months later.
“We were fortunate enough to get it,” Pray said, noting there were several offers on the table for the building.
After the purchase, the HCT began working on the building, the first permanent home for the group. During the process HCT volunteer Stephen Brummer from SJB Designs came to Pray’s attention, a meeting that would shape the overall design of the building for both Pray and the Theatre.
“He introduced himself and said that he had the ability to do it,” Pray said, after talking to him more he found his ideas intriguing. “He had a lot of great ideas, that some of the other contractors didn’t have.”
“When it came down to it, he said, ‘Brummer, I think you’re the guy to do this,'” Brummer said.
And so the major work began.
The theatre group worked for months getting the larger open east side space ready — with a volunteer effort. During that process, a new wall was put in place to separate their space from the smaller offices that would be the home to the Platinum Group.
“They have a long-term contract with Adam to be able to be here,” Brummer said. “It will be a good start-up system for them.”
“Right away, we came in and started measuring out to depict how the theatre group could set up shop for them and, as I met Adam and we started talking about his possible uses for the building, right away I started conceptual plans for the whole building. And that’s when we started talking about the idea of creating seven offices,” he said.
The two sides are still somewhat joined as a sliding door opens up the office space to the theatre side, giving access to the only staircase leading downstairs. A separate stair system is planned to allow the HCT access.
The connection will allow Pray and his team to use the space, as well.
“Adam’s vision is to come in here and provide seminars or conferences. Now he’s got the space to incorporate that,” Brummer said.
The theatre side retained much of the same basic outline and openness from the ARC, but the transformation on the office side is much more significant.
“When they first bought it, it had the ugly vinyl floors and there was a glass atrium,” Brummer said, both of which were removed during construction.
One of the first major projects in the building was the replacing of the floors.
“Which helped the theatre side get their facility set up to where they could use it, but it made a little more work,” as the floor needed protected during construction, Brummer said.
To match the new floor, a much more dramatic ceiling was created.
“The original ceiling was about 10.5 feet tall. We came in and just started going by layer tearing out ceiling,” he said. The final ceiling is open to the top of the building, showing the original bracing from the building’s construction in the late 1930s.
Now that the major construction is complete, the building has a completely new feel, thanks to significant – but rewarding – effort.
“It’s a fun project, it’s neat to be able to see how it’s transformed from 1750 square feet of open space to 750 square feet of office space,” Brummer said.
Pray also shared the enthusiam after he has been able to relax in the new office space and reflect.
“It’s been one of the best construction experiences I’ve ever had.”
Ellis County District Court employees are moving back into their permanent home as a 13-month remodel project winds down at the Ellis County Courthouse.
Project site superintendent Mike Wilson of MW Builders, Kansas City, was on his hands and knees late Wednesday morning as he finished installing a vinyl runner at the base of the long counter in court clerk’s office. Other MW employees were installing the access controls for card readers on doors to various offices.
“We’re just fine-tuning now, finishing the small stuff, and cleaning up as we go,” Wilson said. Workers from other companies were busy in the courtrooms installing video and sound systems.
The courtroom of 23rd Judicial District Judge Glenn Braun underwent the most renovations, according to Wilson, who calls it his “favorite room.”
“We had to remove two-foot-thick limestone vault walls to make the jury box. Those were load-bearing walls holding up the third floor ceiling,” he explained. As a result, several ceiling beams had to be added. “We spent more time in here than anywhere else.”
Other major work included removal of the old heating and cooling system and installing a modern HVAC system.
“We had to cut through 18-inch thick limestone walls to install the air ducts. This is the biggest remodel project I’ve ever done,” Wilson said.
Wilson will be on hand for Monday’s ribbon cutting and open house. The project, started in Dec. 2014, has required many modifications along the way. Wilson has taken it all in stride, staying in constant contact with Ellis County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst, who became the volunteer construction liaison.
“I love Hays–the people and the weather,” claimed Wilson, a native of Long Beach, Mississippi. “It’s one of the better places I’ve worked.
“Dealing with Ellis County hasn’t felt like a chore. I felt like I was helping them get what they need in this building.”
Starting Monday, what has been the main entrance of the courthouse building since it was built–the west side facing Fort Street–will be permanently locked, and become an emergency exit only. The public as well as employees will now access the building from the 12th Street parking lot on the building’s south side.
Notification signs of the change are posted on the west doors, which have often been unlocked during the remodel process. “We’ve had people coming in those doors all along,” Wilson laughed, “even after they stood there and read the sign to go around the building.”
Kearney Movers, the company hired by the county to move most of the court’s equipment and furniture, began the process last week. Court staff are also working to finish the work of transferring everything from their temporary home at the former N.E. W. building on south Commerce Parkway back into the renovated courthouse at 1209 Fort Street.
Ellis County District Court Administrator Phil Fielder said Monday the court system will still hold hearings at N.E. W. through Thursday afternoon, but the courts’ calendars have been cleared and will be closed Friday.
Courts will also be closed Mon., Feb. 1, for the open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony which starts at 10 a.m. Building tours will continue until 8 p.m.
According to Fielder, the first jury trial in the courthouse is scheduled for Wed., Feb. 3.
The Hays Police Department and the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department will remain at the former N.E.W building until the jail portion of the remodel project is completed.
District Judge Glenn Braun will become Chief Judge of the 23rd Judicial District.
23rd Judicial Dist.
On January 21st, 2016, Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawton R. Nuss announced that the Honorable Glenn R. Braun, Hays, will become Chief Judge of the 23rd Judicial District for a two year term ending Dec. 31, 2017.
Chief Judge Edward Bouker, 23rd Judicial District
Judge Braun is succeeding the Honorable Edward Bouker who announced he is retiring from the bench at the end of his term in January 2017. The timing of this appointment will allow Judge Bouker to mentor Judge Braun in the duties and responsibilities of chief judge.
The 23rd judicial district includes Ellis, Rooks, Trego and Gove counties.
“I look forward to this new challenge and appreciate Judge Bouker’s advice and guidance during this transition. Our judicial district is blessed with excellent clerks and staff who will lend valuable assistance in the future,” said Braun.
Braun has been District Judge since 2012. Before becoming judge, he was in private practice for 31 years, having also served two terms as the Ellis County Attorney, the City of Hays prosecutor, and 7 years as a commissioner with the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission. Braun was previously elected by his fellow lawyers as President of the Kansas Bar Association and is admitted to the United States Supreme Court, Kansas and Federal courts.
Braun and his wife, Amy were both born in Hays and are the parents of 5 children.
Renovations at HaysMed Family Medicine Clinic added 12,381 square feet and a second entrance.
HaysMed
Even though the project is still a few months away from completion, visitors to the HaysMed Family Medicine Clinic , 2509 Canterbury, are noticing quite a few changes.
Patients and families are now seeing their health-care providers in the new addition, which has been completed.
Phase two of the project is an extensive reconstruction of the older part of the structure. Project completion is expected this summer at the facility, which Hays Medical Center owns and operates.
“We think the community will be impressed with what we have done so far, as well as the final result later this year,” said Leslie
HaysMed Family Medicine began seeing patients Monday in the completed phase one of a two phase project.
Dexter, office manager. “Visitors are enjoying a bigger and brighter lobby, and more privacy throughout the entire clinic. “We also anticipate the new configuration will offer a better flow of foot traffic,” she added. “This means that checking into and out of the clinic will be smooth sailing.”
The expansion project also will result in more exam and procedure rooms. A total of 29 exam rooms will be available, up from 22. And there will be three procedure rooms instead of two.
“In addition,” Dexter noted, “rooms will be larger and doorways will be wider. Patients will have easier access to more comfortable surroundings.”
The expansion project is scheduled to be completed this summer.
The renovations added 12,381 square feet to the clinic; 10,653 square feet are being remodeled to create a uniform look and feel in all areas of the facility.
Throughout the construction project, which started last April, the clinic has remained open full-time.
Shae Veach, HaysMed vice president of regional operations, noted the staff knew it was important to be available during the construction and they continue to make it work. “It is always challenging for associates when any remodeling project is under way,” Veach said. “But our staff at HaysMed Family Medicine have gone above and beyond. The noise and additional traffic has not distracted them from caring for their patients.”
Veach added that patients and families “will be thrilled with the spacious clinic. The registration area will be more private and allow staff to better serve patients. A fantastic option will be the convenience of dropping off patients at either of the two entrances.”
This two-phase project is just one example of the HaysMed commitment to investing in the hospital and its clinics, Veach commented. “We continually invest in maintaining our buildings, and the HaysMed Family Medicine addition and remodeling is another example of our commitment to a better patient experience,” Veach commented. “This will allow us to continue to expand the family-medicine practice to accommodate the changing needs of our community.”
Currently, the HaysMed Family Medicine Clinic staff includes Dr(s). Heather Harris, Jeffery Henry, Richard Rajewski, Andrea Sandoval and Nathan Smith, physician assistants Nichole Ganoung, and Jennifer Williams and advanced practice registered nurses Susan Amrein and Camille Suchi. The total number of staff members is 34.
The Ellis County District Court and court staff will begin moving back into their permanent home this week.
Last week, the moving company began moving office equipment from storage back into the courthouse and staff will finish moving office equipment from the former NEW building to the newly renovated courthouse Thursday and Friday.
Ellis County District Court Administrator Phil Fielder said the court system will still hold hearings through Thursday afternoon, but the courts’ calendars have been cleared and will be closed Friday.
The courts will also be closed Monday, Feb. 1, because of the open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The ribbon cutting will be at 10 a.m. with building tours running from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
According to Fielder, the first jury trial in the courthouse is scheduled for Wednesday of next week.
The Hays Police Department and the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department will remain at the former NEW building until the jail is complete.
At last week’s Ellis County Commission meeting, Commission Chairman Dean Haselhorst, who is also serving as the construction liaison, said they had received bids to seal the jail floor. They were also working to install security cameras.
Tim Chapman will step down as president and CEO of the Fort Hays State University Foundation on June 30.
“The opportunity I have had in 30 years of fundraising is indescribable. I have traveled the country and the world, meeting individuals who, through their own interests, passion and dedication to higher education, have left a legacy of success,” Chapman said. “We have not only built a team at the FHSU Foundation, but we have created a process, and the outcomes have been record-breaking. What a perfect time to step aside and allow new leadership to take the Foundation to that next level.”
Chapman joined the FHSU Foundation in 2006, and, although he’s stepping down from his current role, he will remain a member of the Foundation team for a period of time. He will support Fort Hays State throughout the transition of leadership and will serve as a leadership guide for the upcoming campaign, which is currently being outlined.
“It’s vital to the constituents of Fort Hays State, and to those I have worked with throughout the years, to understand the importance of our next campaign. I will help in outlining and evaluating those efforts,” Chapman said.
Chapman is someone who has always supported the growth of Fort Hays State. He believes that alumni and friends of the university play an integral part in making that growth a reality and that every gift makes a difference.
“Tim and I have forged a wonderful personal and professional relationship throughout the last 18 months,” said Dr. Mirta M. Martin, who assumed the FHSU presidency in July 2014. “Under his leadership the Foundation has grown at an impressive rate — not just in dollars, but in relationships. I am thankful he will be staying on to continue to provide leadership for our capital campaign while still pursuing his other passion of creating new art. He is and will always be part of the family of Fort Hays State.”
Jeff Peier, chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees, also spoke fondly of Chapman and his guiding role at the Foundation. “Tim’s visionary leadership during the past decade has elevated the foundation to new levels of excellence,” Peier said. “Tim and his dedicated staff have truly achieved incredible results during his tenure. His legacy of success will allow for a seamless transition as the next president and CEO assumes his or her duties. I look forward to working with Tim as he continues his relationship with the Foundation as president emeritus and CEO emeritus and fosters his numerous connections with the extended FHSU family of students, alumni, faculty, staff and community partners.”
“The FHSU Foundation has been a perfect fit,” Chapman said. “We have built a team of professionals who provide the necessary education on the benefits of giving back. The outcomes of these efforts have been a resounding success. Scholarship assistance has increased, faculty support has increased and the various areas of fund development have increased — all in a very volatile market through the past 10 years.”
In Chapman’s time as president and CEO of the FHSU Foundation, he launched the most ambitious fundraising effort in FHSU’s history — the Cornerstone Campaign. Halfway through this initiative, the nation’s economy dipped into a severe recession. At that time, Chapman asked, “If not now, when?” and it was decided to push forward to the $60 million campaign goal. His dedication and drive took the Cornerstone Campaign’s success beyond everyone’s expectations. More than $68 million was raised.
Another initiative that took place during Chapman’s tenure at Fort Hays State was the “Power of One” scholarship campaign. This campaign was announced in December 2013 with an ambitious goal of raising $8 million in 12 months — a goal that represented a 400-percent increase over normal fundraising expectations for the FHSU Foundation over a year’s time. Thanks to the support of FHSU alumni and friends, that original goal was surpassed and a much-needed $12 million was raised in support of scholarships for hard-working students at Fort Hays State.
Prior to joining Fort Hays State, Chapman graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University and worked in foundation offices there as well as at St. John’s Military School and Kansas State University.
For those who know Chapman, he is a fundraiser by day and an artist by night. He is a talented and world-renowned artist in both 2-D and 3-D mediums, and you can view some of his works by visiting https://timchapmanart.net/.
To learn more about the Fort Hays State University Foundation, please visit https://foundation.fhsu.edu or contact the Foundation office at 785-628-5620 or [email protected].
