Video courtesy Eagle Marketing Solutions
Video above courtesy of Jennie Anderson
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Hays is experiencing limited street flooding after two days of rain.
As of 1 p.m., a Flash Flood Watch for Ellis and Rush counties expired.
As of 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, 1.75 inches of rain had fallen in 24 hours in Hays, but it continued to rain throughout the morning.
More rain is in the forecast for the end of the week.
Video above courtesy of Jennie Anderson
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 school district is ahead of schedule on its Oak Park Medical Complex renovation.
Matt Allen from Paul-Wertenberger Construction provided an update on the project to the school board at its meeting on Monday.
The complex is being renovated for use by Early Childhood Connections.
The district hopes to have the facility open in the fall, and Allen said the project is on track to do that.
The demolition is done on all four buildings in the complex.
Dry wall work is being done. Cabinets are also being refurbished or built for the complex.
Allen said he did not think the construction crews would be in building four until the middle of June, but workers will finish dry wall next week in that building.
The board approved a project to re-key all the doors at Hays High School, Hays Middle School, Roosevelt Elementary and the new Early Childhood Connections building.
The district has received a $57,000 matching grant to replace interior door locks. The district’s match for the project will be $53,000.
Rusty Lindsay, buildings and grounds director, told the board at a previous meeting the current lock system is no longer secure because keys can be easily duplicated.
The board also approved a $96,600 bid from Brian’s Concrete Services of Hays for replacement of a portion of the concrete in the HHS parking lot. The district is scheduled to do a portion of the parking lot each year until all of the concrete has been replaced.
The board approved a revision to board policy that stipulated the board would be provided copies of administrators’ performance reviews before the board approved the administrators’ contracts. The section on vision and hearing screenings was also corrected.
An Administrative Handbook revision was approved to align with the number of crisis drills now required by the state.
In other business, the board
• Approved revisions to the Classified Handbook
• Approved the 2019-20 board meeting calendar
• Heard a report on workers compensation, cyber liability and property/casualty insurance
By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
After a person who could no longer keep her pet said on social media she intended to put her dog down if it was not adopted, a local animal advocate is speaking out about options for pet owners who can no longer keep their animals.
The dog was rehomed safely, but the post created a stir on social media after being featured on “Ellis County Fails.”
Lisa VanHorn, an animal advocate, provided assistance to the pet owner.
While VanHorn said the person who made the post was “very wrong” in the way she approached the situation, she hopes in the future others can try to get the whole story first.
“Instead of people going, ‘OK, let us get her the help she needs because they are on hard times,’ ” she said people were quick to post negative comments. “It got very out of hand.”
While the posting continued on Facebook and VanHorn was looking for a solution, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office investigated and ultimately found the pet was safe.
“The Facebook post was taken out of context,” said Ed Harbin, Ellis County sheriff. “They were trying to surrender the dog, and they were informed the dog would have to be put down because it had bitten someone.
“The dog is alive and well, and it wasn’t what it was portrayed to be,” he added.
VanHorn said, “She was at wit’s end, she was desperate.”
While VanHorn assisted in the final rehoming of the pet, others had also reached out to assist the family. However, they struggled to secure a meeting with the owner. This lead to commentary on social media that the pet was in danger.
VanHorn did not believe that was the case.
“I honestly feel that she did show up at these places and just chickened out because she did really love this dog,” she said.
While some in the community were quick to judge the family, VanHorn praised the community’s concern for the pet’s welfare.
“It just all fell into place. I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help,” she said.
VanHorn said people asking for money to save a pet is becoming more common, but can often be avoided.
“It seems to be a trend to pull at people’s heartstrings,” she said. “She is not the first, and unfortunately, she is probably not the last.”
VanHorn said in Hays there are options for people that are struggling to keep a pet.
“People fall on hard times. It happens to all of us, and we would rather see that animal stay in that home then go to the Humane Society or a rescue,” VanHorn said.
While this situation found a positive resolution, that is not always the case VanHorn said, especially when families fail to consider how a pet may fit into a new family.
“That’s a lot of the problem with the dogs we get in,” VanHorn said.
“We hold our breath every time an animal is showcased on a show, just like ‘101 Dalmatians,’ ” she said.
“Everybody went out and bought a Dalmatian for their kid, and then when they found out some Dalmatians are deaf, they have a certain temperament, then rescues and humane societies were flooded with Dalmatians.”
However, in situations when a pet must be moved out of a home, there are options in the area.
“In Ellis County, your best bet would be to call out to the Humane Society. There may be a waiting list, but … to find a home or go into a rescue, Betty [Hansen, animal shelter manager] is wonderful,” VanHorn said.
Local veterinarians might also assist a family in need.
“If they can’t take that animal in, and normally they don’t … they have phone numbers for all the rescues, so they will at least give you a phone number of where to go,” VanHorn said.
And, as seen in this case, the community can also assist.
“There is a group of us, you see us on Facebook, you know our names. We are the ones asking, ‘What do you need?’ ” VanHorn said. “We will help you with a bag of dog food until you get on your feet. … We will help you get its shots, or your license down at the city. Just reach out to us and say, ‘I just need help.’ ”
Animal Control in Hays can also be beneficial to families that may be struggling with a pet.
“I can’t say enough about Nikki Houser with animal control,” VanHorn said. “She will bend over backward to help you.”
In general, if anyone needs help VanHorn said the best option is to seek support.
“The help is out there. That’s what makes it so sad. You don’t need to threaten that you are going to shoot a dog or put a dog down if you don’t find a home for it,” she said. “Just ask for help. There are plenty of us out there.”
For families needing support, VanHorn said they should consider their approach in order to avoid negative feedback, especially in a small community like Hays.
“If she would have gone on any of the social media and said ‘Hey look, I’ve fallen on hard times. I really need placement for my dog. I would like to have this for a rehoming fee,’ people would have bent over backward for her,” VanHorn said.
Hays Post reached out to the author of the original Facebook post but did not receive a response.
A list of local veterinarians can be found by clicking here.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Downtown Hays Market is set to open Saturday, May 25 with much of your favorite produce and products.
The market will be open from 7:30 to 11 a.m. every Saturday through October in the Union Pacific Plaza Pavilion, 10th and Main, Hays.
Sara Bloom, Downtown Hays Development Corp. executive director, said the market set a record last year with almost 80 vendors and the market is hoping to exceed that this year.
“Last year was our biggest year to date for the market,” Bloom said. “We credit a lot of that to our wonderful new downtown pavilion. It has changed the whole atmosphere and feel of the event. It has really created that gathering place that we were striving for. We are excited for that to continue to play an integral part in the Downtown Hays Market and continue to see this program grow.”
About 40 percent of those vendors in 2018 were not local, but came from across the state.
“People can expect a wide variety of products at the Downtown Hays Market,” Bloom said. “A lot of people come looking for fresh produce, which we absolutely have, but I think they are surprised at the variety of vendors when they get there.
“You can purchase custom T-shirts. You can purchase leather earrings. You can purchase crocheted water balloons. We have people who are serving coffee and breakfast. We have cheesecakes, and every item you can possibly imagine can be found at the Downtown Hays Market.”
The market does not turn vendors away. There is no fee for vendors nor maximum or minimum markets in which vendors must participate. You can find more on becoming a vendor on the DHDC website.
The market again this year will have theme days, including opportunities for non-profits to interact with the public, Master Gardener events, and markets with activities for children. The Girl Scouts featured a booth with education about sex trafficking at a past market and another themed day featured photos with pets.
“We are looking for anything that will make the market stand out, make it a little bit more special and specifically make it a fun place for families to gather on any given Saturday,” Bloom said.
Coffee will be offered free again this year and will be provided by Hays business, Black Label.
Starting June 1, Downtown Hays Market will be offering an online store. Each vendor will be able to stock one item in the store, such as earrings, jam or an ornament. Customers can order online and have the product or products shipped directly to them or to someone as a gift. Gift boxes for multiple items will be available.
Customers will also be able to purchase market-branded items, such as T-shirts and bags.
“We really feel this will be a popular addition to the website,” Bloom said, “and it gives people the opportunity to give gifts to their loved ones from Kansas, from their home they love. We have a lot of visitors who come in, and they are only able to shop once and wish they could do more. Well, now they can.”
DHDC will handle shipping and handling for the online market store. The vendors will keep the proceeds from their items that are sold. For more information on this program, contact the DHDC. The online store will be a part of the new DHDC website.
DHDC will again sponsor the Bargains on the Bricks sidewalk sale. This year it will be Saturday, July 27.
Vendors do not have to be a Downtown Hays Market vendor or a downtown business to participate. Cost for a booth is $75. A reduced rate is available for market vendors. Non-profits can participate in Bargains on the Bricks free of charge.
By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Construction is finished and now NCK Technical College, 2205 Wheatland, is getting ready to sell a custom-built house at public auction at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 21, for the first time in four years.
The project was overseen by Doug Marrs, NCK instructor of construction and cabinet making, once again this year.
Almost all aspects of the custom-built home — from design to finishing — were completed by NCK Tech students under the watchful eye of Marrs, who served as the general contractor on the project.
“It is a pretty good-sized home,” he said.
With the two cantilevers, the three-bedroom, three-bath house measures 1,960 square feet and was built to specifications of the latest International Resident Code.
“This house could be moved anywhere in Kansas,” Marrs said, adding it likely would be able to be moved to other states by the winning bidders.
The house was built to be extremely energy efficient, with an abundance of insulation and low-wattage lighting.
Insulation installed in the walls and attic goes far beyond minimum requirements.
“So this house is super-insulated, with very little air infiltration,” Marrs said. “Turn on every light in this house on, let it run 24 hours, it might cost you a quarter. Half a breaker is all it takes to run the lights.”
The usage of the urethane foam was one of only two aspects of the build that were not completed by the students, due to the specialized equipment needed and time constraint.
The trusses were brought in from a local company as a way to save time on the project as well as allowing the project to skip the building certification process that would be required in Hays when building trusses.
With the completion of construction last Friday, the house is ready for the move and to be plugged into its new location, with power and water fully functional inside the house and heating and air conditioning duct work in place.
“This house is pressure checked,” Marrs said. “Everything on this level works.”
Completely ready to go, the house utilizes some of the best materials along with side high-tech touches.
“All the cabinetry is done in solid cherry. There are not too many houses that have solid cherry cabinetry,” Marrs said. “There is 1,300 square feet of solid cherry in this house.”
Several pieces of the kitchen cabinets are integrated in a way that could not be purchased and gives the area a unique design.
“It gives it a lot more character and is prettier that way,” Marrs said.
While he approves of the features put into the house, Marrs points out almost all aspects of the build are specified by his students.
“In essence, when it comes down to it, is not my house. It is their house, and they will take possession of it,” he said.
The project started with 14 students coming up with individual plans.
“From there, the students all get together and make a determination as to which plan they like,” Marrs said.
They then take all the elements from the plans they like and combine them into the final plan for the house.
“That is how we end up with a floor plan that is buildable and sellable,” Marrs said.
While the house was built using classic materials, giving it a unique look, the students included some high-tech features.
“We are a tech college, so we try to throw in some of the new and more innovative things that are out there in the industry today,” Marrs said.
Some of the features of the house included a fireplace integrated into the living room with a drop-down television mount above the mantel, another television mount in the ceiling of the master bedroom, Bluetooth connected bathroom lights and a ring doorbell.
(Story continues below)
Funds from the sale are used to cover the cost of the materials and taxes, with the intention of the project being, at minimum, revenue neutral.
Any profit from the sale will go back into the college.
“The whole intent is to sell this for what we have got into the materials, so we can go back next year and do the same thing over,” Marrs said.
Monetary concerns aside, the entire project must also fit into the academic school year, giving the students approximately eight months to complete the house.
“We don’t let any grass grow on our feet, because we do not have time,” Marrs said.
While the only reward for the fast and furious work is course credit, he believes it gives the students a leg up in the job market.
“A lot of businesses and business owners know that coming out of this school they have some background, they are not green off the street,” Marrs said.
That experience, he feels, is invaluable for his students as they enter the job market.
“Technical education is on the increase and has been for the last four or five years. It will continue, we are so far short on people,” Marrs said. “This is probably the best learning situation you can have when it comes to house building.”
There are not many schools left in the state that build a full house, he added, with most teaching individual construction elements on a modular basis.
“This is the real deal. You make a mistake, you will have to fix it, you will have to deal with it in the end, just like you would out there in the real world,” he said. “We feel there is nothing that compares to it.”
Pictures highlighting the progress of the construction can be found on the NCK Tech website.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
“It’s déjà vu all over again.” That was the welcome from City Commissioner Ron Mellick to new City Commissioner Eber Phelps Thursday night.
Phelps was sworn into office by City Clerk Brenda Kitchen prior to the work session.
He was unanimously appointed during last week’s meeting to fill the unexpired term of James Meier who resigned May 2 to take a job in Wichita. The seat is up for re-election in November.
“I’m glad we have your experience back here,” Mellick told Phelps. “We have budget coming up and a lot of decisions and I’m sure your input will be very well taken.”
Phelps joked that “first thing when I walked in” the door of city hall he was handed a copy of the 2020 budget.
Phelps has previously served twice as a Hays city commissioner. The first time was from 1990 to 1996 and then again from 2012 to 2016, when he was selected to fill a vacated seat.
Last November, Phelps was defeated in his bid for re-election to the Kansas 111th District House of Representatives by Hays resident Barb Wasinger. He had served 18 years in the state legislature.
Phelps is an employee of Glassman Corporation.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Fort Hays State University Nursing Associate Professor Kathleen Ward has been taking FHSU nursing students on overseas summer learning trips for 10 years, but after she took a group to Dominican Republic, she knew that is where she and her students were most needed.
“I needed to be taking these students to a third-world country where they can provide actual nursing care to people who really need it. There are people who are really in need,” Ward said.
Ward and 10 BSN students will be traveling to San José de las Matas, Dominican Republic June 8-22. The students have all taken a one-hour preparatory course for the trip this spring.
The students will be working with Medical Ministry International, a non-profit group that provides medical relief across the globe. Ward became acquainted with the group when one her students moved to the Dominican Republic to work with the group.
Physicians, specialists and dentists from across the United States also volunteer with the program. Ward’s husband is a dentist and has traveled with the nurses in the past, but will be unable to this year.
“That is another thing that is nice,” Ward said. “These people get to see how that interprofessional part of nursing [works]. … These physicians are very open. They are very willing to teach. They want to let the nursing students do whatever they can to get the best experience. It’s a fabulous experience.”
The students will rotate through a variety of duties during their time in the Dominican, including pre- and post-operative care, working in a traveling clinic, working in the pharmacy, providing medication education, and teaching health education and proper hygiene.
“It is a major need,” Ward said of health care in the Dominican. “Some of them are poor and so they have a larger need. Every year we have numerous people who come and need surgeries. One year we went, and there was this baby who had a cleft lip.”
Many of the procedures would be considered basic health care in the United States, Ward said. The surgical suite in the hospital at San José de las Matas is only open while the mission volunteers are there.
The students happened to be working at the hospital when a patient accidentally cut off his fingers. The clinic also regularly sees patients with major infections who have no other access to medical care.
Education and prevention is important as well, Ward said. The water is unsafe to drink, so the students teach residents how to purify their water. They teach youth how to brush their teeth and women about female hygiene.
“They teach how to prevent sexually transmitted infections, because that is rampant down there,” Ward said.
In addition to providing life-changing medical services, Ward said the students receive valuable training.
“I think it is important for those students because it give them a greater appreciation of what nursing really can do,” she said. “It gives you a gratification. These people are so appreciative. They are so happy for you to do anything for them. If you give them a Band-Aid, they’re happy, which is totally different than the health care in the United States. …
“It gives you that self-fulling feeling that you are really helping people.”
She said the trips also give students an opportunity to meet and work with people of different cultures.
“They just have a better understanding of how to care for people,” she said. “Even when they go out in their own practice when they graduate and move on, they are going to have a greater appreciation for somebody who comes in and is of a different nationality, who can’t speak our language, because most of these students don’t speak Spanish.”
The Spanish dialect spoken in the Dominican is unique to the region, and Medical Ministry International uses interpreters.
Meagan Karlin, 22, is graduating this weekend with her BSN. She went on the Dominican trip last summer.
“I learned so much about the therapeutic relationship. I did not speak the language, and we had to find other ways to communicate,” she said. “I see how fortunate and blessed we are. I think we take for granted running water. We have water to run to brush our teeth, but they have no access to clean water.”
The residents in the Dominican have to pay for water and haul it to their homes. They can’t get it out of sink. So they told Karlin they had to use their water sparingly.
“They said, ‘I have to make it as long as I can.’ It was very sad,” Karlin said.
She said working in pre- and post-op had a substantial effect on her.
“I think the biggest thing was when I was working in the hospital. A 22-year-old came in for breast reduction. She came by herself,” Karlin said. “She was the same age as me. She was surrounded by strangers. They tried to get a spinal epidural in for surgery three times.
“As they tried to get that in, I tried to gain her trust. We developed a relationship. I told her it was OK. We connected on a whole other level. I was with her through surgery and post-op until she was able to go home.”
Karlin said she learned much about the Dominican culture, which is based heavily on relationships with friends and family, and their religion, which is primarily Catholic.
“I talked to a woman who had lost her son. She had lost so many family members. I told her I was sorry to hear that. She said she was OK with it because he was with the Lord and that she would get there eventually,” Karlin said. “They are so thankful for the small things.”
The students are selling FHSU-branded nursing merchandise to raise funds for the trip. Each nurse has to raise $950 for airfare and another $1,400 to pay for lodging, transportation and food while they are in the Dominican.
They are also trying to collect medical supplies for the trip.
This includes over-the-counter basics, such as vitamins and ibuprofen. Prenatal vitamins are especially needed. Medications must be unexpired and unopened.
“They have a lot of problems with back aches because of working in the fields,” Ward said. “They have a lot of GI problems because of their diets. They don’t eat the healthiest, so we have a a lot of stomach problems and things like that.”
Donors can bring items to the FHSU Nursing Department office Stroup Hall 120B on the FHSU campus.
Below is a listed of the needed supplies.
VITAMINS
ANALGESICS
EYES
RESPIRATORY
GASTROINTESTINAL
GYN & UROLOGY
TOPICALS
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The ARC of the Central Plains is making a fundraising push in hopes of having enough money to break ground on the accessible Hays ARC Park by the end of the summer.
The ARC Park has raised $330,000 in less than a year toward its $1.77 million goal to build an accessible playground, splash pad and baseball field at what is now Seven Hills Park.
Sarah Meitner, parent and fundraiser, said the ARC Park group is trying to have $600,000 in cash and in-kind pledges by the end of May so they can write a grant request to the Dane G. Hansen Foundation for the the remainder of their funding.
The group recently was approached by Trey Moeder, a former Hays resident, who has agreed his company — Forever Lawn Mile High of Colorado Springs, Colo. — will donate the labor for installation of the turf for the baseball field. A dollar amount for that donation has yet to be determined.
The ARC Park group had originally planned to build the accessible complex in three phases with the playground going in first.
However, the group determined it could save money by doing the complete build at one time. The group also noted the longer they wait, the more construction costs are likely to increase.
The ARC Park is pushing to complete as much of its fundraising now because it is racing against the weather. If the group hopes to have at least the playground portion of the park finished by the end of the year, it needs to order equipment in July.
The rubber surface for the playground can’t be laid during cold weather, so it would have to be completed before the weather turns nasty this fall. This would mean construction in September.
The group anticipates even if construction is finished on the splash pad this year, it would not open to the public until summer 2020.
The baseball field, however, could be used for the Special Olympics season, which will be in October, if the diamond is completed in time.
Brent Kaiser, ARC activities director, said even if the full amount can’t be raised for all three parts of the complex in time for installation this year, the group would like to move forward with the playground portion.
Although the group has conceptual drawings, finalizing the design of the complex will be part of the group’s focus in the next month, Kaiser said.
The group has decided on an oil and ag theme for the park. A couple of items on the ARC Park’s wish list include accessible swings and a “We Go Round.” The equipment is like a merry-go-round, but it is even with the ground and is accessible to wheelchairs.
The volunteers who are coordinating the fundraising for this project have already put hours and hours into the project, but Kathy McAdoo, ARC executive director, said the project has been a labor of love.
Meitner’s 5-year-old son, Abe, has Down syndrome and was a major motivator for her to pursue a park at which Abe and other children with disabilities could play.
However, Meitner noted there are other benefits to the community.
“We know through talking to other parents how they seek out other parks like this,” she said. “So when they are road tripping they can stop at a park because maybe their child can’t handle a restaurant. We know that it is going to attract people from outside of our community, and that is going to bring dollars to Hays.”
The park is designed to be used by all children and all adults. This means a child who may have broken a leg and is temporary disabled still has an opportunity to play, Meitner said. Parents and grandparents who might be disabled can access the park and playground equipment and play with their children and grandchildren.
Meitner said she also saw this as a model park for other communities.
“It’s a showpiece facility for our community,” Meitner said. “It is something that sets Hays apart — something that other communities will want to mimic. We have already gotten calls from other communities that have said, ‘How did you get where you are? We want this too.’ ”
Kaiser said, “We don’t want to be the only place like this in Kansas. Our goal is more places see it and want to do the exact same thing.”
Meitner added, “I would like to see accessible equipment in every park.”
Although the ARC Park is pushing on toward its fundraising goal, Meitner wanted to thank those people who have already donated. The Schmidt Foundation donated $100,000 and HaysMed donated $40,000. However, the park has had more than 250 individual donors.
Meitner said she wanted to especially thank the children and youth of the community who donated their pennies and nickels to the project.
“I want to thank all the kids in this community who had the heart to build this park,” she said.
Children have brought in the contents of their piggy banks, lemonade stand proceeds and tooth fairy money. Girl Scout and Boy Scout groups have donated money. A four-member Daisy Girl Scout troop recently donated $500 of their cookie money. TMP-Marian, HHS, Holy Family, Roosevelt, Lincoln and O’Loughlin students have all made donations to the park.
“I think it is the kids speaking up and saying, ‘We want this,’ ” McAdoo said. “They are setting an excellent example for the adults in our community.”
FHSU student groups have also conducted many fundraisers for the park this school year.
“We really like how it has brought all different parts of the community together with a common goal,” Meitner said. “I can’t help think that is going to instill in those kids a sense of pride, so when they are playing there they will want to take good care of the park, they will want to visit a lot and take some ownership in it.”
You can donate to the ARC Park by dropping a check by or mailing a check to the ARC office at 600 Main St., Hays, KS 67601. Please note the donation is for the ARC Park on the check. Donations can also be made online. A small fee is charged to the ARC Park for each online donation, so checks are preferred.
You can also call 785-628-8831, email [email protected] or see the ARC Park’s Facebook page for more information.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Businesses in the L. Kuhn Addition 4 want Ellis County to start maintaining its roads again.
However, County Public Works Director Bill Ring said the county stopped maintaining the road about two years ago when he learned the property was not properly platted.
This means the roads legally are on private property. According to state statute, the county can’t work on private property. It also risks liability if it sends workers or equipment to the site.
Galen Romme, who represented the addition at the county commission meeting Monday, said it was the owners’ understanding the addition was properly platted by the City of Hays.
“We are just trying to figure out what we need to do to maintain [the roads] again and get back out there and help these businesses out,” Romme said.
Romme said there are about 45 people employed at businesses in the addition. Employers include the Frito-Lay distribution center, a FedEx facility and other businesses.
The addition lies within a three-mile zone in which both the city and county must approve the plat.
A final plat within the 3-mile Hays Extra-Territorial Zone is supposed to be approved by the Hays Planning Commission and then by the Ellis County Commission and finally by the Hays City Commission.
The final plat was approved by the city commission on Dec. 9, 2010, but it was never reviewed or approved by the county commission.
Ring with the assistance of the County Clerk’s office researched county records and found no reference to the plat in county commission records.
The city records indicated the city recommended the county commission approve the final plat contingent there would be a maintenance agreement with the county. No agreement was developed. The roads also were never inspected by the county, Ring said.
He questioned if the addition’s roads should be concrete or asphalt based on the amount of truck traffic in the addition. The addition also does not have a second entrance/exit to provide access for emergency vehicles.
“Some trucks have gotten stuck on the roadway going into the development, blocking other businesses access to their properties,” Ring said.
The addition has about 2,100 feet of roadway, not including a half roadway (285th Avenue) on the east side of the addition that was never fully developed.
“My position has to be protecting the best interest of Ellis County and keeping us out of any litigious situation,” Ring said. “Working on private property, again which is a violation of statute, is not in the best interest of Ellis County.”
Commissioner Butch Schlyer said he agreed with Ring, the county can’t work on private property because of liability issues.
County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes asked if the final plat could still come before the county commission for approval. Ring said it was his understanding that it could, but he would have some stipulations on maintenance for the roads.
Romme said, “Going back to what we were told was that the city was in charge of that 3-mile area. The county acted accordingly like it was an approved plat all these years. Actions also speak volumes of words.”
Commissioner Dustin Roths said, “I figure we readdress it and figure out what we can possibly do to take care of these businesses and [find] where there was a mix-up between the city and the county and the developer. [Let’s] figure out how we can take care of them, but it can’t be at our cost initially. We don’t have the funds to do this.”
Commission Chairman Dean Haselhorst said the county has no idea if the road was constructed to county specifications. He said he thought the road would have to be brought up to county specifications before he would agree to approve the final plat.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
A group of local high school sophomores were jolted forward Friday into their 26-year-old lives to learn about what it really takes to financially support a family.
RealityU was sponsored by the United Way of Ellis County and included students from Ellis, Victoria and Thomas More Prep-Marian. However, Sherry Dryden, United Way executive director, said United Way would like to expand the program to Hays High School in the fall.
The students took a survey before arriving Friday at TMP for the RealityU simulation. Their career interests determined their occupation and salary. Their GPA and other factors also figured into credit scores.
The students were assigned children. Some couples carried dolls that cried throughout the simulation.
The students visited stations to learn more about the expenses they faced, some of which included groceries, transportation, health and car insurance, child care, utilities, and communication.
Students were allowed to choose what kind of vehicle or housing they wanted. In other cases, students rolled dice to learn their fate. For example, students rolled a dice to learn what percentage of their health insurance their employers were going to pay.
Students could also be assigned to the chance station. Students rolled dice to see if they would receive an addition to their income, such as a bonus at work or a tax refund, or if they would end up with an additional expense, such as a flat tire or a trip to the emergency room.
Many students were surprised about the cost of basic living expenses, including Victoria students Morgan Dorzweiler and Justin Braun.
The students had to budget $645 for child care for their one child. Dorzweiler was a real estate agent, and Braun was an auto mechanic.
The couple learned they would not be able to eat out as much as they might want to.
“You can’t always pick the highest and most expensive option when you are limited on money,” Braun said.
Clay Shaw and Evalyn Miller were assigned the professions of veterinarian and cosmetologist respectively.
“It costs a lot of money to live,” Miller said.
Shaw said he was surprised at how much the couple spent on clothes and food. The students spent $538 on clothing and $193 on food.
James Younger of Big Creek Crossing volunteered during the simulation. He said many of the students chose the most expensive clothing on his list.
“There were cheaper options on the sheet,” he told the students. “Don’t be afraid to speak up about that. It is our job in retail to go ahead and sell you the highest prices item to make the most money. Don’t be afraid to try to negotiate.”
Ellis students Abigail North, who was a certified athletic trainer, and Toby Woodworth, a construction laborer, were thrown a curveball when they learned they had to pay a $275 traffic ticket. Woodworth said he was also surprised by the cost of family health insurance.
Marcie Mayo, volunteer with Advanced Property Management, worked the chance table, and said many students were shocked about some of the unexpected expenses they could be hit with.
“It makes them aware of what’s going on,” she said of the students. “Like utilities … you have to pay for the lights to be on. They are seeing that. I do think it is beneficial.”
Linda Riedel and Marcie Pray of Platinum Group volunteered to help students learn about housing.
“They are trying to learn the values of life, and they are having to make decisions on whether to rent an apartment or purchase a home based off of their income,” Riedel said.
The students learned they had to pay extra for pets if they rented and they had to rent or buy a bigger space if they had children. Several couples pursued second jobs after they visited the housing table. The students also learned their pre-assigned credit rating had a significant effect on what they paid for housing.
Riedel said many students had not given much thought to the decisions they will have to make as adults.
“They are just trying to balance right now which way is the best way,” Riedel said. “It is creating an awareness where they are trying to figure out what their options are and what’s best for them.”
Ken Schoenrock, VHS teacher, said RealityU is helping the students get ready for life.
“At this point, they are still going through life thinking you work, you get a paycheck and then you get to go play,” he said. “This brings a little bit of light to what it is like when you get out of school and enter the real world.”
In the wrap-up session, one student said she was going to go home and thank her parents because she realized how much money they spent to raise her.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
As the school year nears a close, administrators at Hays High School and Hays Middle School both said they have seen a spike this year in vaping referrals at the schools.
Neither HMS Principal Tom Albers nor HHS Assistant Principal John Linn had exact number of referrals they have received as a result of vaping, but both agreed the number of students using nicotine products at school has increased.
The 2017 Kansas Youth Risk Factors Survey shows one in three (or 34.8 percent) Kansas high school students have tried e-cigarettes and one in 10 (or 10.6 percent) were current users.
In light of the jump the Kansas State Board of Education will receive a presentation on vaping during its regular May meeting on Tuesday.
HHS is seeing very few referrals for traditional tobacco products, such as cigarettes or chewing tobacco, Linn said.
Linn said the most common devices he finds students using are Juuls, which is specific brand of vape device. The Juuls tend to be small, easy to conceal and sometimes resemble flash drives.
“I will be honest with you. I didn’t even know Juuls existed until the last couple of years,” he said, “and these things have just blown up.”
Albers said the vaping devices are easier for students to conceal than traditional tobacco.
“The one thing about cigarettes is that you can’t really do that without people seeing and smelling,” he said. … “Vape ends up being something that is easy to hide. It doesn’t produce smoke. It just produces a vape. It is really hard to see or find.”
Both administrators said despite information sent out to district patrons earlier this year about vaping as well as education in health classes, many students and parents are still not aware of the dangers of vaping.
“When I talk to our kids, it is more about trying to fit in,” Linn said. “I get very little about ‘I am trying to quit smoking so this is the best alternative to do that.’ You try to tell them no its not because it has the same amount of nicotine in those substances as a pack of cigarettes.”
Linn said he didn’t think students think about the addictive nature of nicotine when they vape.
“I think they think it is a safer alternative than smoking,” he said. “There has been multiple times this year that I have talked to students about vaping and these issues and asked them specifically, ‘Do you even know what you are sucking into your lungs? Do you even know what it is?’ You would be amazed about how many of them tell me no. They don’t know what it is. It just tastes good.”
Albers said companies are marketing to kids with sweet flavors. They also manipulate the amount of nicotine in vape pods. One pod can have the same amount of nicotine as three and half packs of cigarettes.
“Kids become addicted whether they realize it or not,” he said.
Most parents Linn said he has talked to are aware their children have tried vaping, but may not be aware they have a vaping device and are vaping on a regular basis.
“Again it comes back to education and letting them know it is the same issue as any type of tobacco product,”‘ Linn said. “It has nicotine, and that’s addictive. It is not good for students of this age whose brains are developing like they should.”
Dr. Michelle Pope, Hays pediatrician, spoke to TMP students last spring about the dangers of vaping.
Not only is the nicotine you can consume through vaping dangerous, but so are other chemicals and heavy metals you take into your lungs when you vape, she said.
Vaping liquids are loosely regulated by the federal government and 95 percent of the juices are made in China.
Vaping in teens can permanently stunt lung development. Nicotine, specifically, can cause cancer, is addictive and damaging, especially to the adolescent brain. It can also cause heart attack and stroke, Pope said.
The Hays USD 489 school board passed revisions to its tobacco policy at its April 29 meeting. Superintendent John Thissen said the changes clarify what nicotine products are banned at the school.
This includes “any device that can be used to deliver nicotine or nicotine salts to the person inhaling from the device. Such definition shall include, but may not be limited to, any electronic cigarette, cigar, cigarillo, pipe or personal vaporizer.”
Vaping is banned not only in schools during school hours, but in any district facility; in school vehicles; at school-sponsored activities, programs, or events; and on school owned or operated property. The policy is the same for both school employees and students.
For students, the policy goes on to discuss the consequences for students caught with nicotine or tobacco products.
According to the policy, “Student violations may result in parent/guardian notification, participating in tobacco education program, suspension and/or expulsion from school and/or extracurricular activities, community service, and/or notification of law enforcement.”
Linn said standard discipline at HHS for students caught with vaping devices or tobacco products is an automatic two-day in-school suspension. If the student is younger than 18, the police are contacted. If students are caught subsequent times, the disciplinary action can be heightened, Linn said.
“This is really frustrating, because the devices have changed so much. They are so difficult to detect,”Linn said. “I can search bags and all that kind of stuff, but if they hide it on themselves, it is very difficult to find sometimes. The companies have made it really easy for the students to use them and hide it.
“We do take it very seriously, and hopefully, we can get some kids to think before they do something like that.”
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The DAV Vintage Bike Show brought bikers from across the region to raise money for a new van for the DAV.
The organization needs to raise $15,000 toward the van and then the national DAV will supply the remaining funding for the van.
The van is used to bring veterans from outlying areas into Hays for appointments and to bring veterans from Hays and the surrounding region to the Bob Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita.
Doug Nichols of Palco is a Veterans of the Vietnam War. He was wounded in combat during the Tet Offensive and received the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. He has been a member of the DAV every since.
Nichols brought his 1977 Yamaha, which he bought new in 1977. He still rides the bike.
“It’s a nostalgia thing,” he said. “It is an older dirt bike. I had similar bikes when I was younger. In 1977, this was brand new — the ultimate bike. I bought it then and have enjoyed it every since.”
Nichols also has three other road bikes. He has ridden with the Run For the Wall group to Washington, D.C., every May since 2006, but will but will be sitting this year out.
“It is total freedom,” Nicholas said of riding. “You are on your own, and you have to use your own ingenuity if something goes wrong. It is nothing like being in the cage of a car. I like to call them cagers — people who drive cars. It’s the freedom of it and the adventure and being able to interact in the environment more than you do in a car.”
John Weber of Denver brought four bikes to the show — an 1947 Chief Indian, 1940 Sport Scout, 1938 Junior Scout and 1929 Henderson with a side car.
Weber said he married into a bike family. His father-in-law rode the Henderson until he was 84. His mother-in-law and father-in-law rode a 1928 Super X Excelsior while they were dating.
Weber’s favorite bike of the four is the Sport Scout, which was all in boxes when he bought it.
Weber rides all of his classic bikes.
“They’re different,” he said. “I get on a modern bike, and I’m bored.”
The Henderson has a manual spark advance. As the motor RPM goes up, the spark tends to lag, so you have to manually advance it.
Weber said he enjoys going to shows and has already been to more than a dozen this year. He is president of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. He also likes to go on club rides.
“You are in the space,” he said of riding. “When you are in a car, you’re in a box. Inside that box is your space. When you are on a motorcycle, you’re not restricted.”
Marty Patterson brought the van and 1926 Harley-Davidson JD that he and his brother, Pat, used to ride in the 3,500 mile Antique Motorcycle Club of America’s 2018 Cannonball. The brothers will not be participating this year, but they do plan to ride in the 2020 Cannonball.
The Patterson brothers bought the 1926 in Wichita from the original owner’s son, who was 83 at the time. The brothers rebuilt and restored the bike from the frame up.
He also brought to the show a 1946 Harley UL.
“I have been riding bikes since I was 8 or 9 years old, and every year they got bigger and faster and faster. I found myself seeing how fast I could make it to Sturgis. As I have gotten older now, I jus wanted to slow down. These bikes run about 45 or 55 miles per hour. You slow down and enjoy the day. You enjoy the environment. It is a whole different style than how quick can you get there.”
He said on the older bikes, you ride them for a couple of hours and then wrench on them for 30 minutes.
“It’s just more of a journey on the old bikes, and that’s what I enjoy doing right now,” he said.
Gary Shormam of Hays brought to the show his 1928 and 1940 Harley Davidsons. He started riding on his family’s farm when he was about 8 years old.
“It’s fun to ride. It is fun to find the old ones and bring back some history of how motorcycles got started,” he said.
Shorman said he likes to see how the motorcycle has progressed.
“The difference even between the ’40 and the ’28 is big,” he said. … “How they just advanced year, after year, after year to become better and now the new ones are like cars today.”
He said the 1928’s engine is fairly simple.
“When you look at that, it is a pretty simple single-cylinder motorcycle engine that runs that,” he said. “There’s not a lot to it. You have a battery, a spark plug. Put some oil in it and gas, kick it and away you go.”
Shorman said the appeal of riding is being outside.
“Many times you are in meetings all day long and you are working in different areas that are inside — being outside on the weekend and playing with these …” Shorman said was the reason why he owns the bikes.
“The other thing is you can take them apart. You can take them apart and put them back together. You can take the head off that and put it back on, clean it up. The new stuff you really have to take to a real professional. It is a real engine you can work on.”
All of the men said they enjoyed talking to other motorcycle owners, but the real reason they came was to help raise money for the DAV.
Editor’s note: Gary Shorman is the president and CEO of Eagle Communications, which owns and operates the Hays Post.
By James Bell
Hays Post
The Uptown Fox, 1202 Main St., has reopened, bringing with it something new to Hays while restoring the classic feel to the historic downtown building.
During the next two weekends, the establishment will be open for dinner reservations only, giving a taste of what is to come when the restaurant will open for regular hours later this month.
Reservations can be made directly on their Facebook page.
“We do an inspired menu,” said David Proffitt, owner. “We decided instead of trying to create a menu we just took all the best restaurants we had ever eaten at or ever heard of and we would bring them all into Hays.”
The menu will include recreations from notable restaurants from across the country, including a Philly Cheesesteak from Pat’s in Philadelphia and a Godfather sub from DiBella’s Subs in Rochester New York.
A Hofbräuhaus Pork Knuckle sandwich will also be served along with a selection of beer from the Munich, Germany, tourist spot.
“We’ll have that great German beer on tap,” Proffitt said.
The menu will continually change, bringing something new to repeat customers.
“You’ll be able to come here and have some of the best dishes and drinks from around the country, and we will be constantly be changing it,” he said.
Along with the re-creations, the restaurant will feature steak and seafood unique to the area.
“They are easily the greatest steaks you will ever have,” Proffitt said.
Fish served in the Fox will come from a market where the restaurant can look at what was caught and have them shipped in the next day.
“We will be able to bring in a lot of great fish dishes to the middle of Kansas,” he said.
But great food is only part of the appeal of the new location.
They offer memberships that include a personal locker with an included humidor, a $100 restaurant credit every month, first right to show tickets and access to the cigar and private lounge.
“We have a $50,000 in-house cigar inventory,” Proffitt said, along with extremely high-end liquors.
Service is also a part of Fox’s appeal.
“We want to provide a level of service that you would get a steak house in Chicago, Dallas or New York,” Proffitt said.
Proffitt said he plans to schedule acoustic musical sets in the location and hopes to bring in notable comedians.
While the old theater has been restored to its original look, the technology in the space is cutting edge, including integrated phone app door locks, new lighting and enhanced sound dampening.
The Fox also has the largest movie theater screen in Hays, Proffitt said, with access to first-run movies.
“We will be able to give some cool experiences,” he said. “That’s what it is really about.”
Restoration work to create the original look in an old building was a challenge, but important to Proffitt.
“We really wanted to keep that ’50’s vibe,” he said, calling the people that worked on the building “artists.”
Proffitt hopes this is just the first project that will help to establish downtown Hays as a regional destination.
“There is no reason Hays is not a shopping capital and restaurant capital of the area,” he said. “We have monster visions with what we want to do with downtown.”
“There is not any place to go nearby that can offer more than Hays can in such a safe, great community.”
If things go well Proffitt hopes the Fox will be a launching point to demonstrate the value of Hays to the area.
“It’s a place you can bring people from out of town and show them Hays can do it as well as anybody,” he said.
Following the limited dinner weekends, the Fox will be open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m and dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. with hours extended until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
The bar will remain open throughout the day.
