TOPEKA – Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer and Lt. Governor Tracey Mann will be in northwest Kansas Wed., July 25 as part of their 105 county Get Out The Vote tour.
The public is invited to attend.
The schedule, which includes Hays, is below.
Wallace County 8:45-9:15 a.m.
Sharon Springs Senior Center
223 North Main St.
Sharon Springs, KS
Logan County 11:20-11:50 a.m.
Buffalo Bill Cultural Center
3083 US 83
Oakley, KS 67748
Gove County 12:30-1:00 p.m.
Dairy Queen
1307 Castle Rock St.
Quinter, KS 67752
Trego County 1:30-2:00 p.m.
Trego County Fair (Commercial Building)
13th and Russel Ave.
Wakeeney, KS 67672
Ellis County 2:45-3:15 p.m. Midland Marketing 219 E. 9th St. Hays, KS
Russell County 3:45-4:15 p.m.
Russell County Fairground (4-H Building)
702 Fairway Dr.
Russell, KS 67665
Lincoln County 4:55-5:25 p.m.
Lincoln County Fair
301 S. Main St.
Sylvan Grove, KS 67481
Ellsworth County 5:55-6:25 p.m.
Ellsworth County Fair (Main 4-H Exhibit Building)
S. Broadway St.
Ellsworth, KS 67439
Ottawa County 7:30-8:00 p.m.
Delphos Community Park
S. Washington St.
Delphos, KS 67436
Unfinished business and the support of voters are the driving forces behind Ellis County Commissioner Marcy McClelland’s re-election bid.
First District Commissioner McClelland was elected in 2014 and has been a part of a commission that has overseen more changes than almost all of the other commissions.
“I think we have made some progress and I wanted too see more of the projects through. That was my goal in 2014,” McClelland said, “and we are almost at the goal.”
Since 2014, Ellis County has completed construction of the Emergency Services building in Hays, completed remodels of the jail and Law Enforcement Center, the Administrative Center in Hays and purchased and remodeled the new Health Department building at 2507 Canterbury.
The county also combined the Health Department and Emergency Services into one department and Rural Fire and Emergency Management into another.
“This necessitated a lot of critical thinking, but I know it saved the county a lot of money,” McClelland said.
She said she would like to see the completion of the remodel at the Cottonwood Extension District office at 601 Main and a new or remodeled shop for Public Works completed if she were to win another term.
But her current term has not been without controversy.
With fellow Commissioner Barb Wasinger recused because of a conflict of interest, McClelland was the dissenting vote against the final plat for the Blue Sky Acres residential subdivision south of Hays.
That vote has McClelland and the county in a lawsuit with landowner Marcy Alice Unrein.
McClelland took the stand in May at a bench trial and defended her vote against the plat, citing potential water issues. She says she stands behind her vote.
“I still feel like it was a discretionary vote. I feel like I have the right to vote how I see things,” she said.
During the bench trial in May, Commissioner Dean Haselhorst claimed that development was being hindered by the lawsuit, but McClelland disagreed with that notion.
“The effect on development is the economy,” McClelland said. “Let’s face it, ag is down (and) oil is down.”
According to information presented each month to the Ellis County Commission, there has not been a noticeable change in the number of wastewater permits submitted to the environmental office in the 19 months since the lawsuit was filed.
“I know the state statues were met, but I was thinking of the 29,000 people of Ellis county,” McClelland said.
While she stands by her vote and will not change it, she said if the judge rules that the development can go forward she will accept that decision.
“But I don’t want anyone coming back on the county because of the decision that they made,” McClelland said, adding that she doesn’t want the county to have to buy seven homes if the water becomes polluted and no one can live in the Von Feldt Addition, which is next to the proposed Blue Sky Acres.
McClelland said she has had good support from Ellis County voters and has not had anyone say that would not vote for her because of the lawsuit.
“In fact, it’s the other direction,” McClelland said. “The support (on this issue) is another reason I decided to go ahead and run.”
She also understands that any criticism she faces is simply part of being a commissioner.
“You are on the hot seat when you’re up there, and I’m open to that,” McClelland said. “You have to make decisions of, by and for all of the people not just a few.”
If re-elected, McClelland said the budget will again need to be a focus.
She said as a taxpayer the goal is too keep the mill levy low but, “I desire services, so there’s two ways too look at it.”
McClelland applauded county employees for the efforts in keeping their budgets low.
“I don’t think they overspend. Just because its in the budget doesn’t mean they spend it,” said McClelland.
With the 0.5 cent sales tax that was used to pay for the remodeling of the Law Enforcement Center and jail and the construction of the Emergency Services building set to sunset later this year, McClelland said she would be open to the idea of keeping that tax in place to help pay for infrastructure.
“In some ways, I am in favor for keep that and putting that into a fund for roads and bridges because its almost time for bridge inspections and most of the bridges in Ellis County are over 75 years old,” McClelland said.
McClelland said she also aims to be a voice for the people of Ellis.
“The people of Ellis need to have a voice over here (in Hays), just like the other people, sometimes people forget that the county is the whole county and not just the city of Hays, and there is a lot of difference between the county and the city,” McClelland said.
McClelland faces Butch Schlyer in the Aug. 7 primary.
The Hays School District will be down about 30 students for the 2018-19 school year, according to current projections.
Assistant Superintendent Shanna Dinkel gave a report on the projections at the school board meeting on Monday.
A report in the board packet estimated total K-12 enrollment at 2,912. Kindergarten through fifth-grade enrollment is estimated at 1,409. Hays Middle School enrollment is projected at 674, and Hays High enrollment is projected to be 829 students.
Both the HHS and HMS are projected to have slightly higher enrollments with enrollment across the elementary schools projected to be down slightly.
Hays enrollment was 3,047 students on its official count day on Sept. 20, 2017. Hays enrollment was 3,070 in 2016. However, Dinkel noted the Sept. 20 numbers included students in special education who receive services from USD 489, but may not attend USD 489 schools.
Enrollment numbers are important because they become part of the formula the state uses for funding.
Online enrollment for district started last week. You can access a link to enroll online on the district website at https://www.usd489.com/?p=5559
Dinkel estimated about 22 percent of students have already been enrolled online, and the district hopes more parents take advantage of this option between now and Aug. 1 and 2 when in-person enrollment will take place at the HHS cafeteria.
Board member Paul Adams requested a comparison of enrollment from previous years, and board member Greg Schwartz asked Dinkel if she could present a projection for enrollment for up to five years into the future.
Special Education
New special education director Chris Hipp gave a report to the board on several aspects of the special education cooperative.
The district will use waivers and a new apprenticeship program to fill several special education spots in the district. The waiver program allows licensed teachers who are pursing their master’s degrees in special education to teach special education. The apprenticeship program allows someone with a bachelor’s degree, who has worked at least a year as a para and who enrolls in master’s program to teach special education.
To help these new special education teachers, the coop has developed a new teacher academy. Items that will be addressed will be socialized instruction, progress monitoring and writing quality individualized education programs, which are also known as IEPs. The district is applying for a grant to help pay for the academy training.
Wilson playground
The board approved the purchase of new playground equipment for Wilson Elementary School.
Wilson has received a $5,000 grant toward the purchase of playground equipment from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. The total cost of the equipment will be about $78,000. No district funds will be used to purchase the equipment. The Wilson Home and School Association has been saving for years toward the replacement of the aging equipment and will cover the rest of the cost.
Schwartz said he was not against the purchase of the equipment, but voted against the purchase saying he did not feel there was enough time to consider the item. This was the first meeting the item appeared on the agenda.
In other business, the board:
Heard a report on board goals. A list of completed and ongoing projects that are working toward the board’s goals are available on the district website. The board will meet on Aug. 8 to review its goals and consider new goals.
Approved Kansas Association of School Boards policy recommendations
Heard a report on the annual Lewis Field agreement with Fort Hays State University. FHSU has proposed a $100 per event increase in the fee from $2,400 per use to $2,500 per use.
Toby Flores, associate professor of art and design at Fort Hays State University, and Danielle Robinson, adjunct art faculty, were chosen by Codell to design and fabricate a 15-foot cyclone sculpture in honor of “Cyclone Day.”
“Danielle and I felt honored to be selected by the city of Codell,” said Flores. “We instantly connected with the people in charge of the project. They were easy to get along with and we were all passionate about the strange history of this event.”
For three consecutive years, in 1916, 1917 and 1918, Codell was struck by tornadoes on May 20, which community residents have now labeled “Cyclone Day.”
Codell, in Rooks County about 34 miles northeast of Hays, now has less than 100 residents.
The steel sculpture was dedicated on May 20.
Flores
“The dedication was awesome,” said Flores. “It really was a great feeling to have the project finished and to celebrate it with our families and the people of Codell.”
“It was also very emotional because this is a part of their families’ history. They lost family and friends on this day and we were also there to remember them,” he said.
About 150 people attended the dedication, which included a band, speeches by Merril Teller and Joel Russell and a cookout. People brought newspaper clippings and old photographs from the time of the original cyclones.
“It felt good to have the support of the people who live in that community or once lived there,” said Flores. “It was a great day.”
Flores and Robinson have created four local public sculptures together, including St. Nicholas at the St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, the golfers at the Smoky Hill Country Club and the historical door stops at the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau building.
“All of these projects have special meaning, but this one was my favorite,” he said. “The people of Codell made it a very special project from beginning to end.”
“It takes a certain amount of bravery to erect a public piece of art anywhere, but especially in a small western Kansas town.”
Martin HawverWell, there’s this election coming up for Republicans to choose their nominee for governor of Kansas, and so far, it appears to be not quite what we’ve come to expect for the last decade or two.
The standard GOP approach is for candidates to present themselves as “hard-right” conservatives on issues, and if they win the primary election, they tend to settle down a bit.
It’s hard-right in the primary, centrist conservative in the general election where the candidate faces a Democrat who virtually is assured to be more moderate—even liberal on occasion—on social issues, schools and the like than the Republican candidate.
Well…this year it looks a little different on the GOP side of the fence.
The top two candidates for the GOP crown are Secretary of State Kris Kobach and Gov. Jeff Colyer, the at-least-for-now most conservatives who have the standard patter down well.
But, then there’s Kansas Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer. He’s talking all business, efficiency in government, being a “full-time” governor, oh, and conservative. And then there’s former State Sen. Jim Barnett, who is the moderate among the top candidates, talking school funding, expanding Medicaid (KanCare) to allow more Kansans to have health-care coverage—and, incidentally, to likely keep some small rural Kansas hospitals alive.
There are some other GOP candidates who will be on the gubernatorial primary election ballot, Joseph Tutera and Tyler Ruzich, and Patrick Kucera, who are actually doing some campaigning, but basically, well, you hope they have a good time and maybe take photos to show their grandchildren at some point…
Will Republicans take the hint that the primary election isn’t just a scrap between factions of the party but also the selection of the candidate who will also face a Democrat who wants to grow up to be governor?
This might be a test of just what President Donald Trump has done to/for the GOP in Kansas. He’s popular, he carried the state over Democrat Hillary Clinton, but not in all legislative districts. The Trump campaign was the traditional far-right which, surprisingly, he didn’t have to moderate to more centrist issues to win the Electoral College which is where the president is ultimately chosen.
So, what happens in Kansas?
Count on Kobach, if he wins the primary, to not do a lot of back-tracking on his conservative stance on issues ranging from taxes to schools to immigration, and count on Colyer, should he be the nominee, to move just a dab to the center. Selzer? He’s going to talk business—he was the one at a recent debate who instead of promising to eliminate in-state tuition for foreign students noted that while that tuition cost the state about $3 million in lost revenues, it also generated about $10 million in revenues.
And Barnett? He’s continually talked about health care for the state’s poor, for fully funding public K-12 schools, for returning money to the state pension system and taking a look at infrastructure and its effect on the economy.
Just who winds up on the general election ballot from the GOP? And this year, with the effects of Trump’s tariff war just being felt at the grain elevator, and most Kansans not yet seeing the increase in price on imports, just how Trump-linked does a candidate headed for the general election want to be?
Now, there’s the chance that by fall, after the primary, Kansans will start thinking about taxes, about health care, about schools and roads and such, but then again, maybe not…
We might be able to tell after the GOP primary. Maybe…
Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com
Just as the sun rises each morning, Kansas farmers and ranchers begin each day dedicated to providing food and providing the best for their families. Simultaneously, and with each new generation, non-farm folks become further and further removed from the farm.
It’s easy to understand why so many people in our state, and this country, understand less and less about agriculture and where their food comes from. Most have forgotten, or may have never known, that individual farmers and ranchers supply the necessary food for their diets.
Many people believe there will never be a food shortage in our country just as long as the doors remain open on their neighborhood supermarket and quick shops. All the while, farmers and ranchers come under closer scrutiny and sometimes unfounded attacks.
Some of the most intense voices in this anti-agriculture movement are driven by questionable—and even extreme—personal and emotional beliefs. This is particularly true when it comes to the future role of food animals. The intent of some of these social media messages, campaigns and advertisements is ill-considered, unnecessarily divisive and, in some cases, unscientific.
Truth be known, today’s farmer or rancher is a planning specialist who understands marketing and using the incentives of free enterprise. To remain in business, our farmers reach deeper into their pockets to pay for crop and livestock inputs that continue to skyrocket, and machinery and other technology that allows them to remain competitive in today’s global economy.
In a recent visit with a young farmer from Haskell County, Hayes Kelman, I asked what inspires him about farming?
Hayes zeroed in on the experience and the satisfaction of building on his family heritage. He knows at the end of the day, everything that happens, and every good or bad change is his responsibility.
This young farmer cherishes the opportunity to make his own way – with support and input from his family. While numbers on a ledger sheet are important to him, farming is much more than this.
“I hope I never forget the thrill of the first truckload of wheat to go into the elevator,” Kelman says.
The sweet success of producing food for hungry people remains something the Haskell County farmer will never take for granted. Farmers farm because their vocation remains part of the divine magic of life that renews itself every year.
No matter how many times he’s done it, the young farmer still marvels that a seed planted in the earth can grow and produce food.
“Some people spend their whole lives in church and never see as much proof of the grace of God as I see every day,” Hayes says. “I can’t imagine walking through a field that I’ve prayed and sweated over, only to reduce this whole miracle to dollars and cents.”
Safeguarding agriculture as a necessary, noble profession remains in the best interests of farmers, ranchers, agribusiness and all of us. This is critical because the contribution agriculture makes to the health and prosperity of this country cannot be measured.
It’s key for consumers, along with farmers and ranchers to understand and respect one another. This country and the world cannot hope to feed its people sustainably without the support of the many thousands of family farms and ranches across the country.
Without this health in agriculture, there is no way to ensure prosperity in our economy and producers like Hayes Kelman will not be able to produce the food we take so much for granted in our lives each day.
John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.
I know all you K State fans love your “Royal Purple”, and KU fans adore your red and blue, and those colors are just the ticket to adorn T shirts, umbrellas and ball caps in support of your chosen team. But when the waters of your favorite lake take on those same hues, lookout!
Recent blurbs on the local evening news remind me its algae bloom season again in Kansas. This period of summer runs from May through October, the months sporting the longest days of sunlight and the warmest water temperatures, and unfortunately this time frame also encompasses the three holidays when our lakes are used the most, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Blue-Green Algae are bacteria with a scientific name as long as a yardstick, that exist naturally in rivers, lakes and ponds and all aquatic ecosystems here in Kansas. When certain conditions align, such as exceptionally high nutrient content in the water, and long hot days with lots of sunlight, those bacteria can reproduce more rapidly than usual, causing a dense growth of algae known as “a bloom.” Some algae blooms are harmless, but when the blooming organisms contain toxins, noxious chemicals or pathogens in levels harmful to humans and animals, it is declared to be a “Harmful Algae Bloom,” and warnings or advisories are issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, (KDHE.) These blue-green algae blooms can be blue, bright green, brown or even red, and may look like foam or a thick frothy slurry. Some blooms, however may not even affect the appearance of the water.
When KDHE receives notice from anyone that a harmful algae bloom is noticed or suspected, they take water samples at the most frequently used locations at the site, such as swim beaches and boat docks. The samples are analyzed, and according to the density of the algae found, either a Public Health Watch or a Public Health Warning is issued for that water impoundment.
A Public Health Watch
Notifies the public that a hazardous condition MAY exist
Signs MAY be posted at all public access locations
Water MAY be unsafe for humans/animals
Contact with the water is discouraged
There are no current public health watches for any Kansas lakes.
A Public Health Warning
Notifies the public that condition ARE unsafe
Signs WILL be posted at public access locations
Contact with the water SHOULD NOT OCCUR
There are currently no Public Health Watches issued for any Kansas lakes, but there are Public Health Warnings at the following lakes; Atchison County Park Lake, Carbondale West Lake (Osage County), Central Park Lake (Pond) and Clarion Woods Park Lake (Shawnee County), Jerry Ivey Pond (Saline County), Lake Afton (Sedgwick County), Melvern Outlet Pond and Swim Pond (Osage County), Rooks County State Fishing Lake and Webster Lake, both in Rooks County. Keep abreast of current algae watches and warnings on www.ksoutdoors.com.
Health effects can occur when surface scum or water containing high levels of blue-green algal toxins are swallowed or have contact with exposed skin, or when airborne droplets containing toxins are inhaled while swimming, boating or skiing. Most people report the effects as “allergic” type reactions like intestinal or respiratory problems or skin irritations. Animal reactions may range from general weakness and lethargy, to vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing or even convulsion. Algae blooms don’t usually envelope an entire lake,so places can still be found to fish on lakes underblue-green algae watches and warnings, and according to the folks in-the-know at the Kansas Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, fish caught from affected lakes can still be safely eaten, just wash the meat thoroughly.My friend used to say “Everybody always tells me – Cheer up, things could be worse. So I cheered up, and sure enough – things got worse!” Sorry to say that health warnings at area lakes because of toxic algae blooms will probably get more numerous before they get better. So I guess your options are to sell the boat, skis and fishing poles, or just drive a little farther to a lake where no warnings exist, and continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!
Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].
Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. East southeast wind 5 to 8 mph.
There is a good chance of t-storms Wednesday night through Saturday night. Highs will generally be cooler than average with the exception of pic.twitter.com/esrbNGZBxH
Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 66. East southeast wind 5 to 8 mph.
Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 94. South wind 7 to 14 mph.
Wednesday Night Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 7 to 13 mph becoming north northeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Thursday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Northeast wind 8 to 13 mph.
Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.
EDWARDS COUNTY — Four people were injured in an accident just before 8a.m. Monday in Edwards County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Dodge Durango driven by Sandra Oreuga, 29, Macksville, was westbound in the 300 Block of Q road eight miles south, south west of Macksville.
The driver lost control of the SUV. It traveled into the north ditch and rolled.
Oreuga and passengers Claudia Bautista, 28; Ma D. Nunez-Martinez, 35, St. John; Norma Garcia, 36, Macksville, were transported to Edwards County Hospital.
All four were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
For the first time, the government reports weekly crude production in the United States of 11 million barrels per day. Weekly totals from the Energy Information Administration, rounded to the nearest 100,000 barrels, have been hovering at 10.9 million barrels per day for several weeks.
Baker Hughes reported a dip in the national rig counts, dropping five oil rigs and two gas rigs to 1,046 nationwide. The counts were down three in Oklahoma and down five in Texas. Canada reports 211 active drilling rigs, up 14 over the last week. Independent Oil & Gas Service reports the statewide drilling rig count in Kansas was flat last week, 19 active rigs east of Wichita, down one, and 30 in western Kansas, up one. The total is more than two percent higher than a week ago, and nearly 29% higher than a year ago. Drilling is underway or about to begin at four sites in Barton and Stafford counties. Operators are moving in completion tools to four wells in Barton County and five in Ellis County.
Operators filed 21 new drilling permits last week across Kansas, 906 so far this year. There are 13 new permits in eastern Kansas and eight west of Wichita, including one in Ellis County. Independent Oil & Gas Service reported 37 newly-completed oil and gas wells across Kansas for the week, 20 of them east of Wichita and 17 in the western half of the state, including one in Ellis County. Operators have completed 853 wells so far this year.
Meridian Energy group moves forward with efforts to build a refinery situated in the heart of the Bakken Shale region of North Dakota but also about three miles from a national park. Meridian has let a contract for site, civil design and construction services for the first new refinery to a Bismarck, North Dakota firm. Earlier, three environmental groups filed another lawsuit, this time to block the air-quality permit granted by the state’s health department last year. Another lawsuit challenges the zoning decision.
The State of North Dakota set production records for oil and gas in May, but did not meet the state’s goals to reduce flaring. The state’s Oil and Gas Division reported production of 1.24 million barrels per day for the month of May, beating the previous record from December of 2014 by more than 17,000 barrels. The gas capture rate fell 2% short of the state’s goals, which are set to go up in November.
North Dakota on Friday demanded $38 million from the federal government to reimburse the state for costs associated with policing large-scale and prolonged protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline. An administrative claim against the Army Corps of Engineers contends the agency allowed protesters to illegally camp without a permit and failed to maintain law and order, which “…required North Dakota to provide a sustained, large-scale public safety response.”
A tanker is scheduled later this month to deliver the largest shipment of crude oil from Vancouver to China since January 2015. The Aframax tanker Serene Sea left a Kinder Morgan terminal in Vancouver July 4 with about 514,000 barrels of Canadian crude, and is expected to arrive in southern China July 26. Such shipments are rare, but Reuters reports they’ve picked up in recent months. For years, Canadian officials have pushed for an escalation in crude exports to rapidly growing Asian markets, but companies in oil-rich, and land-locked Alberta have limited capacity to move crude to the nation’s western coastline. Most of that winds up in the U.S.
Pipeline takeaway capacity in the Permian basin is tight and getting tighter. The US Energy Information Administration reported on one indicator, the number of drilled but uncompleted wells in the basin, which were up another 164 wells in June, following increases of 169 in May and 133 in April. Platts reports some experts are concerned that wells will need to be “banked,” held up for the next year or so, until new midstream pipeline capacity comes online late next year. Permian production is expected to add another 73,000 barrels per day in August, according to a government report. The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts production among the top seven shale basins will rise 143,000 barrels per day in August, the second highest jump on record.
Concho Energy completes its merger with rival RSP Permian in a $9.5 billion deal. Concho becomes the largest unconventional shale operator in the Permian Basin with more than 1.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent in proved reserves.
The US has urged Russia and China to clamp down on repeated breaches of the oil sanctions regime imposed on North Korea, saying America had evidence of at least 89 illegal ship-to-ship oil transfers this year. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made that call at the UN, the day after Russia and China rejected a call to step up sanctions.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Dollar Tree Inc.’s new store in Hays will have a soft opening on Thursday, Aug. 9th followed by a grand opening on Saturday, Aug. 11.
The grand opening from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 11 will include food, music, giveaways, and a show and shine car show.
“Dollar Tree is pleased to invite customers to experience our great value and broad assortment of merchandise all priced at $1 or less,” said a Dollar Tree spokesperson in a press release. “Our customers can discover new treasures every week ranging from seasonal decor, household products, party and craft supplies, dinnerware, food, teaching and school necessities, health and beauty essentials, toys, books and much more.”
Dollar Tree stores are open seven days a week and offer a value and convenient shopping experience. The Hays store will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The new store is 10,279 square feet and is located at 2918 Vine Street, Suite 149, at Big Creek Crossing. The store has an exterior entrance but no entrance from the interior of the mall.
A store of this size typically employs 12 to 20 associates. Interested applicants can apply online at www.DollarTree.comor in person at the store location. The company was still taking applications as of Monday for the Hays location.
“Dollar Tree continues to grow and we are proud to be part of the Hays community,” concluded the Dollar Tree spokesperson.
Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, now operates more than 15,000 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit www.DollarTree.com.
James Younger, Big Creek Crossing property manager, said he was eager to have a new store opening at the mall.
“We are excited about the pull the store front will have,” Younger said. “We think that the community is excited too. We are also excited Dollar Tree is creating 12 to 20 new jobs. We hope it will open the door to some growth in Hays and bring in additional tax revenue to the city. We like to be a part of bringing jobs to the community.”
Big Creek Crossing is also welcoming Gordmans to the Hays mall in August. The department store is set to open Aug. 16. It is taking the place of Stage on the north end of the mall. Both the Stage and Gordmans brands are owned by the same company.
