FHSU crime log Oct. 4-10, 2024

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">By GRACE HILLS</a> Kansas Reflector

With the general election less than a month away, and the deadline to register to vote less than a week away, here are some steps to develop a plan to vote.&nbsp;

Kansans have until Tuesday, Oct. 15, to register to vote. Voter registration closes 21 days before Election Day.&nbsp;

Kansans can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdor.ks.gov/apps/voterreg/" target="_blank">register online</a>&nbsp;with the Secretary of State and Department of Revenue,&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.ks.gov/forms/elections/voterregistration.pdf" target="_blank">mail in their registration</a>&nbsp;in English or Spanish to their local county election office — as long as it’s postmarked by Oct. 15 — or register in person at their local county election office.&nbsp;

If already signed up, Kansas can check on their voter registration status at the&nbsp;<a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview" target="_blank">Secretary of State’s website</a>.&nbsp;

If a voter is currently 17 but will be 18 before the day of the general election, Nov. 5, they are able to register.&nbsp;

Anyone living in Kansas can register to vote in Kansas elections – regardless of how long they’ve lived in the state. Kansans with federal or state felony convictions are not allowed to vote and should not register.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kssos.org/forms/elections/av1.pdf" target="_blank">Mail-in ballots applications</a>&nbsp;should be postmarked and sent to county election officials by Nov. 5, Election Day. Voters must sign the outside of the envelope, so that voting officials can verify their signature. The deadline to submit an advance voting by mail application is Oct. 29. Mail-in ballots can be tracked on the&nbsp;<a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview" target="_blank">Secretary of State’s website</a>.&nbsp;

Any Kansas voters living out of state should request a mail-in ballot. Ballots will be sent to voters on Oct. 16. They should mail the filled out ballot back to their county election officials.&nbsp;

Check with your County Clerk to see when early voting begins. Saline County early voting begins Oct. 21.

In-person advance voting begins on Oct. 16 in select counties. All counties must offer advance in-person voting no later than Oct. 29, one week before Election Day.

Voters should contact their county election officials for details on where and when their county offers advance in person voting, and the Secretary of State’s office will release a list of all counties offering advance in person voting closer to Oct. 16.

Photo identification is required for all in-person voting. Advance voting will close at noon on Nov. 4.

Voters must vote at the polling location associated with their address on their registration. Voters can check their polling locations through&nbsp;<a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView" target="_blank">the Secretary of State website</a>.

Upon arrival, voters are expected to show photo identification. They can bring a driver’s license – which can be issued by another state as long as voters are registered in Kansas — a U.S. passport, military ID, Native American tribal ID card, a government employee badge, a student identification card from a postsecondary institution in Kansas, a concealed carry license – again, issued by any state as long as voters are registered in Kansas — or a public assistance identification card.

Voters can check what their ballot will look like through&nbsp;<a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView" target="_blank">the Secretary of State website</a>.&nbsp;

Many candidates and their policies have been covered by the Kansas Reflector, and can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/category/elections/election-2024/">election 2024 tab.</a>&nbsp;An updated candidate list, including their contact information, can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.ks.gov/elections/elections_upcoming_candidate.aspx" target="_blank">Secretary of State website</a>.

Voting locations are to be open as early as 6 a.m., and they may close as late as 8 p.m. All polling locations must be open for at least 12 consecutive hours. If a voter is in line before the polling location closes and there is a line, all voters in line when a polling location closes are entitled to vote.&nbsp;

Each polling place must be accessible for all voters with disabilities. Finney, Ford, Grant, Haskell and Seward Counties must all provide alternative language assistance.&nbsp;

The ACLU of Kansas will provide a statewide, nonpartisan election protection hotline. If a voter believes their voting rights have been violated, they can call the ACLU’s hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712114185032.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">By GRACE HILLS</a> Kansas ReflectorWith the general election less than a month away, and the deadline to register to vote less than a week away, here are some steps to develop a plan to vote.&nbsp;<h2>Registering to vote</h2>Kansans have until Tuesday, Oct. 15, to register to vote. Voter registration closes 21 days before Election Day.&nbsp;Kansans can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdor.ks.gov/apps/voterreg/" target="_blank">register online</a>&nbsp;with the Secretary of State and Department of Revenue,&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.ks.gov/forms/elections/voterregistration.pdf" target="_blank">mail in their registration</a>&nbsp;in English or Spanish to their local county election office — as long as it’s postmarked by Oct. 15 — or register in person at their local county election office.&nbsp;If already signed up, Kansas can check on their voter registration status at the&nbsp;<a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview" target="_blank">Secretary of State’s website</a>.&nbsp;If a voter is currently 17 but will be 18 before the day of the general election, Nov. 5, they are able to register.&nbsp;Anyone living in Kansas can register to vote in Kansas elections – regardless of how long they’ve lived in the state. Kansans with federal or state felony convictions are not allowed to vote and should not register.&nbsp;<h2>Mail-in, absentee and advance voting</h2><a href="https://www.kssos.org/forms/elections/av1.pdf" target="_blank">Mail-in ballots applications</a>&nbsp;should be postmarked and sent to county election officials by Nov. 5, Election Day. Voters must sign the outside of the envelope, so that voting officials can verify their signature. The deadline to submit an advance voting by mail application is Oct. 29. Mail-in ballots can be tracked on the&nbsp;<a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/voterview" target="_blank">Secretary of State’s website</a>.&nbsp;Any Kansas voters living out of state should request a mail-in ballot. Ballots will be sent to voters on Oct. 16. They should mail the filled out ballot back to their county election officials.&nbsp;Check with your County Clerk to see when early voting begins. Saline County early voting begins Oct. 21.In-person advance voting begins on Oct. 16 in select counties. All counties must offer advance in-person voting no later than Oct. 29, one week before Election Day.Voters should contact their county election officials for details on where and when their county offers advance in person voting, and the Secretary of State’s office will release a list of all counties offering advance in person voting closer to Oct. 16.Photo identification is required for all in-person voting. Advance voting will close at noon on Nov. 4.<h2>Election Day voting</h2>Voters must vote at the polling location associated with their address on their registration. Voters can check their polling locations through&nbsp;<a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView" target="_blank">the Secretary of State website</a>.Upon arrival, voters are expected to show photo identification. They can bring a driver’s license – which can be issued by another state as long as voters are registered in Kansas — a U.S. passport, military ID, Native American tribal ID card, a government employee badge, a student identification card from a postsecondary institution in Kansas, a concealed carry license – again, issued by any state as long as voters are registered in Kansas — or a public assistance identification card.<h2>Who’s on your ballot</h2>Voters can check what their ballot will look like through&nbsp;<a href="https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView" target="_blank">the Secretary of State website</a>.&nbsp;Many candidates and their policies have been covered by the Kansas Reflector, and can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/category/elections/election-2024/">election 2024 tab.</a>&nbsp;An updated candidate list, including their contact information, can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.ks.gov/elections/elections_upcoming_candidate.aspx" target="_blank">Secretary of State website</a>.<h2>Voters’ rights</h2>Voting locations are to be open as early as 6 a.m., and they may close as late as 8 p.m. All polling locations must be open for at least 12 consecutive hours. If a voter is in line before the polling location closes and there is a line, all voters in line when a polling location closes are entitled to vote.&nbsp;Each polling place must be accessible for all voters with disabilities. Finney, Ford, Grant, Haskell and Seward Counties must all provide alternative language assistance.&nbsp;The ACLU of Kansas will provide a statewide, nonpartisan election protection hotline. If a voter believes their voting rights have been violated, they can call the ACLU’s hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.

Know these steps if you plan to vote in Kansas this election season

🎥 Watch This Week's Tiger Talk

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The <a href="https://womenwholead.org/">Women Who Lead</a> nonprofit has assembled a group of women attacking hunger in Ellis County on multiple fronts.

They call their committee the Women Who Feed.

The effort resulted from a meeting of community resource leaders led by the Heartland Community Foundation about food insecurity in Ellis County.

Women Who Feed cochairwoman Mary Ann Shorman said the group learned from that meeting Early Childhood Connections was no longer receiving food backpacks for its children.

When Early Childhood Connections was part of a K-12 school, their students qualified for a food program through the Kansas Food Bank. However, that ended when it moved to the program's new location on 13th Street.

Shorman said Early Childhood Connections initially identified 15 children who would benefit from having backpacks filled with simple meals and snacks to take home over the weekend.

This included mac and cheese, applesauce, Vienna sausages or granola bars.

Women Who Lead funded the food program for the spring 2024 semester and all of the 2024-25 school year.

"We are just thrilled to have it back," said Donna Hudson-Hamilton, Early Childhood Connections director. "It's operating so smoothly with the help of the Westside students, and we're just glad we can provide that for those children who are food insecure over the weekend."

Shorman said she thought about her grandchildren when she learned about the food needs in Hays.

"When I think about a kid being hungry, it really kind of breaks my heart," she said. "I think about my grandkids and they can go to my snack drawer anytime and eat something.

"I think about kids from families who don't have that luxury. It makes me feel good to be able to know that we're helping. We're not solving it. It's not going to go away. We're helping alleviate some of that stress."

The Women Who Lead has also partnered with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2047485065448690">Feeding Hays</a> through St. <a href="https://www.stmichaelshays.org">Michael's Episcopal Church</a>, 2900 Canal Blvd.

The program offers free dinners from 6:30 to 7 p.m. every Thursday through a drive-through service based at the church. There are no income requirements for the meals. You can pre-order meals at&nbsp;785-259-1964, but pre-orders aren't necessary.

Volunteers prepare and serve the meals, and much of the food is donated. Those who wish can donate cash to the project when they pick up meals. Those funds go toward paying off student lunch debt at Hays USD 489.

Most of the meals are spaghetti dinners with a vegetable and cookies. However, it varies on occasion.

Women Who Lead has already provided one meal in cooperation with Feeding Hays. The charity paid for all the ingredients for a loaded baked potato meal, and volunteers prepared, served and worked cleanup that Thursday night.

The group served 200 meals that night. They cooked 57 pounds of hamburger the night they sponsored the meal.

The Options domestic violence shelter, residents from the Schwaller Center and firefighters picks up meals on Thursday nights from Feeding Hays.

Any leftover meals go to First Call for Help, another Hays nonprofit, to be picked up on a first-come-first-serve basis.

"I'm just amazed. It's for everybody. I really feel that way," Joslyn Brungardt, Women Who Feed cochairperson, said. "We feed all kinds. We feed the elderly. We feed families that are in need. We feed mothers that are behind and are trying to get to ball games and get their kids. We feed dads that had the kids that week."

She said she was handing out meals one night, and an older gentleman just wanted someone to talk to. He said he hadn't seen anyone in three months.

"I grabbed his hand and said, 'Would you like a couple of extra meals to put in your fridge so you have something to warm up?' He said, "I haven't heard from my kids or anything in three months, and I was just kind of lonely.' He grabbed my hand and just wanted to know that someone saw him and cared about him."

Some busy moms are trying to pick up kids from sports and activities and they just need help with dinner one night a week, she said.

"You know what is amazing. Those people who probably have nothing, give Ben (Houchen) a $5 bill or a $2 bill," Brungardt said.

"There are people who take advantage of the system, but there are a lot of people who don't, and they just need a little bit of help," she said.

The Women Who Feed committee plans to support a Feeding Hays meal once a quarter. This fall they are planning sloppy joes. Chicken and noodles is planned for this winter, Brungardt said.

Brungardt said being involved in Women Who Feed and Feeding Hays was a way to become more involved in the community.&nbsp;

"Food insecurity is a problem," she said. "But it's just being kind to someone who needs a helping hand."

The committee has also created meal kits that are being distributed through <a href="https://www.firstcallelliscounty.com/">First Call for Help</a>.

"The cost of groceries has gone up so much," Macey Pfeifer, First Call for Help executive director, said. "That's hitting everyone, not just low-income families."

Pfeifer, a Women Who Lead member, said First Call for Help is looking for ways to keep its pantries stocked.

The kit includes everything needed to cook a hot meal, including a disposable baking pan and the recipe.&nbsp;

Some meals include spaghetti, pizza, chicken enchiladas, tuna and noodles, taco soup, chicken alfredo, and ham and beans.

The committee plans to donate 20 meal kits per month.

"The meal kits will be really nice because with the food boxes, we give out food, but there are not a lot of nice meals you can make out of that. Here's a box of macaroni. If you want, you can mix some tuna in that. It's random and sporadic. We don't always have everything."

In addition, the committee has donated birthday boxes for both boys and girls.

These kits include everything needed to bake a birthday cake, a happy birthday banner, candles, balloons, a birthday card and a small toy.

These kits were inspired by a mother who had forgotten her child's birthday and didn't have the resources to buy or make a cake.

First Call for Help maintains a year-round food pantry at 607 E. 13th Street and sponsors an annual Battle of the Businesses community food drive.

First Call for Help does not require food recipients to provide proof of income for food. However, they do need to show a valid government-issued ID or driver's license.

The amount of food in a food box is based on the number of people in a household.

People can come in for food, hygiene items and diapers once a month.

This summer, Women Who Lead members surpassed the number of food items that were collectively donated through all of the businesses last year with&nbsp;2,481 items.

"We were getting by, but I think with their contributions to us have really helped out. It'll really make a difference in people's lives that need it," Pfeifer said.

Since the inception of the Women Who Lead, formerly the Wonder Women League, the group has donated numerous times to the school food pantries.

The group also participated in the Delta Zeta food drive for the Fort Hays State University food pantry in August. It is collecting food items for the Ellis food pantry in October.

Women Who Lead also paid for an additional warming bag for the First Call for Help Meals on Wheels program.&nbsp;

This allowed the program to add a route to serve 16 more people.

Women Who Lead has also provided volunteers every quarter to deliver food for a week.

Pfeifer said First Call for Help is always looking for volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels. You can call 785-623-2800&nbsp;for more information. Individuals or groups can sign up. Hours of delivery are 10:30 a.m. to noon. Pfeifer said she likes people to sign up for a week at a time or for a group to share a week of shifts.

"We don't see this as just one big project," Shorman said. "Food insecurity is not just going to go away. Honestly, there is more food insecurity than I was ever aware of."

Brungradt wanted to ensure she acknowledged all the Women Who Lead members who make the projects the committee sponsors successful.&nbsp;

Today, there are more than 160 women in Women Who Lead. You can learn more about the nonprofit on its <a href="https://womenwholead.org/">website</a> or follow the group on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/womenwholead.org">Facebook.</a>

Editor's note: Cristina Janney is a member of Women Who Lead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819199598.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead volunteer for Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The program is providing about 200 free meals every Thursday night in Hays.&nbsp;Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead volunteer for Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The program is providing about 200 free meals every Thursday night in Hays.&nbsp;Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe <a href="https://womenwholead.org/">Women Who Lead</a> nonprofit has assembled a group of women attacking hunger in Ellis County on multiple fronts.They call their committee the Women Who Feed.The effort resulted from a meeting of community resource leaders led by the Heartland Community Foundation about food insecurity in Ellis County.Women Who Feed cochairwoman Mary Ann Shorman said the group learned from that meeting Early Childhood Connections was no longer receiving food backpacks for its children.When Early Childhood Connections was part of a K-12 school, their students qualified for a food program through the Kansas Food Bank. However, that ended when it moved to the program's new location on 13th Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819417529.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead Cathy Van Doren and Mary Shorman present a check for $5,000 to the Hays USD 489 school district to provide weekend backpacks full of food for the children served by the Early Childhood Connections program. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead Cathy Van Doren and Mary Shorman present a check for $5,000 to the Hays USD 489 school district to provide weekend backpacks full of food for the children served by the Early Childhood Connections program. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Shorman said Early Childhood Connections initially identified 15 children who would benefit from having backpacks filled with simple meals and snacks to take home over the weekend.This included mac and cheese, applesauce, Vienna sausages or granola bars.Women Who Lead funded the food program for the spring 2024 semester and all of the 2024-25 school year.Westside students pack all the meals."We are just thrilled to have it back," said Donna Hudson-Hamilton, Early Childhood Connections director. "It's operating so smoothly with the help of the Westside students, and we're just glad we can provide that for those children who are food insecure over the weekend."Shorman said she thought about her grandchildren when she learned about the food needs in Hays."When I think about a kid being hungry, it really kind of breaks my heart," she said. "I think about my grandkids and they can go to my snack drawer anytime and eat something."I think about kids from families who don't have that luxury. It makes me feel good to be able to know that we're helping. We're not solving it. It's not going to go away. We're helping alleviate some of that stress."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819494244.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead prepare cookies for the Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The program is providing about 200 free meals every Thursday night in Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead prepare cookies for the Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The program is providing about 200 free meals every Thursday night in Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Feeding Hays</h2>The Women Who Lead has also partnered with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2047485065448690">Feeding Hays</a> through St. <a href="https://www.stmichaelshays.org">Michael's Episcopal Church</a>, 2900 Canal Blvd.The program offers free dinners from 6:30 to 7 p.m. every Thursday through a drive-through service based at the church. There are no income requirements for the meals. You can pre-order meals at&nbsp;785-259-1964, but pre-orders aren't necessary.Volunteers prepare and serve the meals, and much of the food is donated. Those who wish can donate cash to the project when they pick up meals. Those funds go toward paying off student lunch debt at Hays USD 489.Most of the meals are spaghetti dinners with a vegetable and cookies. However, it varies on occasion.Women Who Lead has already provided one meal in cooperation with Feeding Hays. The charity paid for all the ingredients for a loaded baked potato meal, and volunteers prepared, served and worked cleanup that Thursday night.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819553599.jpeg" alt="The Women Who Lead Women Who Feed Committee prepared free taco potato dinners for the Feeding Hays program earlier this year. Courtesy image." />
 <figcaption>The Women Who Lead Women Who Feed Committee prepared free taco potato dinners for the Feeding Hays program earlier this year. Courtesy image.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819841954.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead volunteer for the Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The meals are free, and guests do not need to meet income requirements to pick them up on Thursday nights. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead volunteer for the Feeding Hays program at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The meals are free, and guests do not need to meet income requirements to pick them up on Thursday nights. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The group served 200 meals that night. They cooked 57 pounds of hamburger the night they sponsored the meal.The Options domestic violence shelter, residents from the Schwaller Center and firefighters picks up meals on Thursday nights from Feeding Hays.Any leftover meals go to First Call for Help, another Hays nonprofit, to be picked up on a first-come-first-serve basis."I'm just amazed. It's for everybody. I really feel that way," Joslyn Brungardt, Women Who Feed cochairperson, said. "We feed all kinds. We feed the elderly. We feed families that are in need. We feed mothers that are behind and are trying to get to ball games and get their kids. We feed dads that had the kids that week."She said she was handing out meals one night, and an older gentleman just wanted someone to talk to. He said he hadn't seen anyone in three months."I grabbed his hand and said, 'Would you like a couple of extra meals to put in your fridge so you have something to warm up?' He said, "I haven't heard from my kids or anything in three months, and I was just kind of lonely.' He grabbed my hand and just wanted to know that someone saw him and cared about him."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819889151.jpeg" alt="Women Who Lead members volunteer to collect food for Feeding Hays and the First Call for Help food pantry this summer. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Women Who Lead members volunteer to collect food for Feeding Hays and the First Call for Help food pantry this summer. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Some busy moms are trying to pick up kids from sports and activities and they just need help with dinner one night a week, she said."You know what is amazing. Those people who probably have nothing, give Ben (Houchen) a $5 bill or a $2 bill," Brungardt said."There are people who take advantage of the system, but there are a lot of people who don't, and they just need a little bit of help," she said.The Women Who Feed committee plans to support a Feeding Hays meal once a quarter. This fall they are planning sloppy joes. Chicken and noodles is planned for this winter, Brungardt said.Brungardt said being involved in Women Who Feed and Feeding Hays was a way to become more involved in the community.&nbsp;"Food insecurity is a problem," she said. "But it's just being kind to someone who needs a helping hand."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819589510.jpeg" alt="Meal kits that the Women Who Feed Committee of Women Who Lead has provided to the First Call for Help food pantry." />
 <figcaption>Meal kits that the Women Who Feed Committee of Women Who Lead has provided to the First Call for Help food pantry.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Meal kits</h2>The committee has also created meal kits that are being distributed through <a href="https://www.firstcallelliscounty.com/">First Call for Help</a>."The cost of groceries has gone up so much," Macey Pfeifer, First Call for Help executive director, said. "That's hitting everyone, not just low-income families."Pfeifer, a Women Who Lead member, said First Call for Help is looking for ways to keep its pantries stocked.The kit includes everything needed to cook a hot meal, including a disposable baking pan and the recipe.&nbsp;Some meals include spaghetti, pizza, chicken enchiladas, tuna and noodles, taco soup, chicken alfredo, and ham and beans.The committee plans to donate 20 meal kits per month."The meal kits will be really nice because with the food boxes, we give out food, but there are not a lot of nice meals you can make out of that. Here's a box of macaroni. If you want, you can mix some tuna in that. It's random and sporadic. We don't always have everything."In addition, the committee has donated birthday boxes for both boys and girls.These kits include everything needed to bake a birthday cake, a happy birthday banner, candles, balloons, a birthday card and a small toy.These kits were inspired by a mother who had forgotten her child's birthday and didn't have the resources to buy or make a cake.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819644597.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead accept the First Call for Help Battle of Businesses trophy for donating the most food to the community food drive. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead accept the First Call for Help Battle of Businesses trophy for donating the most food to the community food drive. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819757570.jpeg" alt="The First Call for Help food pantry after the Battle of the Businesses food drive. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The First Call for Help food pantry after the Battle of the Businesses food drive. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Battle of the Businesses</h2>First Call for Help maintains a year-round food pantry at 607 E. 13th Street and sponsors an annual Battle of the Businesses community food drive.First Call for Help does not require food recipients to provide proof of income for food. However, they do need to show a valid government-issued ID or driver's license.The amount of food in a food box is based on the number of people in a household.People can come in for food, hygiene items and diapers once a month.This summer, Women Who Lead members surpassed the number of food items that were collectively donated through all of the businesses last year with&nbsp;2,481 items.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819673811.jpeg" alt="Members of Women Who Lead after with food collected for the First Call for Help food pantry. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of Women Who Lead after with food collected for the First Call for Help food pantry. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"We were getting by, but I think with their contributions to us have really helped out. It'll really make a difference in people's lives that need it," Pfeifer said.Since the inception of the Women Who Lead, formerly the Wonder Women League, the group has donated numerous times to the school food pantries.The group also participated in the Delta Zeta food drive for the Fort Hays State University food pantry in August. It is collecting food items for the Ellis food pantry in October.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727819707731.jpeg" alt="The meal warming bag that Women Who Lead purchased to add a route to the First Call for Help Meals on Wheels program. Courtesy image." />
 <figcaption>The meal warming bag that Women Who Lead purchased to add a route to the First Call for Help Meals on Wheels program. Courtesy image.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Expanding Meals on Wheels</h2>Women Who Lead also paid for an additional warming bag for the First Call for Help Meals on Wheels program.&nbsp;This allowed the program to add a route to serve 16 more people.Women Who Lead has also provided volunteers every quarter to deliver food for a week.Pfeifer said First Call for Help is always looking for volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels. You can call 785-623-2800&nbsp;for more information. Individuals or groups can sign up. Hours of delivery are 10:30 a.m. to noon. Pfeifer said she likes people to sign up for a week at a time or for a group to share a week of shifts."We don't see this as just one big project," Shorman said. "Food insecurity is not just going to go away. Honestly, there is more food insecurity than I was ever aware of."Brungradt wanted to ensure she acknowledged all the Women Who Lead members who make the projects the committee sponsors successful.&nbsp;Today, there are more than 160 women in Women Who Lead. You can learn more about the nonprofit on its <a href="https://womenwholead.org/">website</a> or follow the group on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/womenwholead.org">Facebook.</a>Editor's note: Cristina Janney is a member of Women Who Lead.

Women Who Feed battle hunger in Ellis County

Conservationists and cattle ranchers are working together to restore grassland for the lesser prairie chicken. The bird used to roam Kansas, but has lost most of its habitat to crop production

By CALEN MOORE <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/kansasnewsservice">Kansas News Service</a>

ASHLAND, Kansas —&nbsp;In the remaining grasslands in Kansas lives the lesser prairie chicken, a stocky, quail-like bird that used to roam the Great Plains. They once fed, nested, danced and mated in the vast grasslands that covered the middle of the country.

There used to be many birds making their unique cackling boom noises. That was before people transformed the prairie to produce food and make energy. Now the remaining prairie chickens are dispersed and disconnected.

The prairie chicken doesn’t have the historical prominence connecting it to the Plains that buffalo and pronghorn enjoy. It’s a less-visible animal that relies on the dwindling grasslands.

A conservation bank company and ranchers in southern Kansas are working to reverse that. They are combining business and conservation to create prairie chicken conservation credits that pay for restoring habitat and benefit the cattle ranchers that own the land.

Conservation group Common Ground Capital has made deals with ranchers across several southern Plains states, including Kansas. As part of one of those deals, Gardiner Ranch near Ashland has started the process of clearing out invasive salt cedars to restore the natural prairie.

The program is using something similar to the system of buying and selling carbon credits, but they’re chicken habitat credits. Companies pay for the lesser prairie chicken credits so they continue developing in other prairie chicken habitats. Common Ground Capital makes a profit selling these credits, and uses that money to pay ranchers to restore and maintain the habitat the prairie chickens need.

Afterward, Common Ground Capital is responsible for the long-term management plan to fund the conservation of the prairie chickens. The conservation plan is approved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

These long-term agreements with cattle ranchers are a way to not only conserve the prairie chicken, but also the grassland the ranchers need for cattle.

Wayne Walker, founder of Common Ground Capital, looks out on hundreds of acres of restored prairie.

“That’s what it all used to look like,” he said looking at acres of repaired grasslands where invasive trees had been removed. “These are some of the last remaining native grasslands in Kansas.”

The lesser prairie chicken used to populate the Plains in the hundreds of thousands. But due to habitat loss, invasive species like the salt cedars in western Kansas and grassland converted to cropland, their&nbsp;<a href="https://wafwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/LPC_RangeWidePopSize2012-2022.pdf" target="_blank">population has dwindled</a>&nbsp;to about 26,000. That’s about the same as the number of people in Dodge City but scattered across the entire southern Plains.

A critical piece of this program is trying to reconnect the scattered bird populations.

“We’ve got to reconnect habitat to bring back prairies in strategic ways, so that prairie chickens can have more habitat to populate on,” Walker said.

The strategy of Walker’s company is to pay ranchers to restore grassland, then sell conservation credits to companies who are causing damage to lesser prairie chicken habitat elsewhere.

It’s a way for companies to offset their impact on a threatened species or ecosystem, while continuing development in parts of the bird’s range.

Prairie birds like the lesser prairie chicken have an aversion to anything vertical. It’s their natural instinct to avoid predators like hawks that hide in trees.

That means the birds don’t really like wind turbines, and the conservation credits are appealing to companies building wind turbines in other parts of the prairie chicken's habitat.

Walker said this process may not be the most popular with environmentalists because there is compromise, but it’s a way to jumpstart conservation by combining industry and business with conservation efforts.

<a href="https://commongroundcapital.com/process/" target="_blank">Common Ground Capital sells conservation credits</a>&nbsp;to mostly renewable energy companies in Kansas and Colorado, for $2,500 per acre. That is how they are able to pay ranchers for conservation efforts like removing invasive trees to make habitat better for the birds.

On the Gardiner Ranch, Dillon Hilton stood on a bridge, one side covered with salt cedars, the other expansive grassland. This land was burned by&nbsp;<a href="https://media.kansas.com/static/interactive/wildfire/index.html" target="_blank">the Starbuck wildfire in 2017</a>, which cleared out a lot of invasive species and stopped at the bridge.

Hilton, who also works as a volunteer firefighter, said he remembers driving down the bridge on the ranch going 60 miles per hour, and the fire keeping up with him.

“It was devastating,” Hilton said. “We lost cattle, fences, structures.”

But if there was a bright side, he said it would be how much prairie the fire restored. The invasive trees were wiped out by the fire, but the grassland easily recovered.

Grasslands are disappearing fast,&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nwf.org/2024/08/grasslands-a-disappearing-ecosystem/" target="_blank">over half have already been lost</a>&nbsp;to crop production according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

And the grassland ecosystem is shriveling up with it. Grasslands also benefit the climate by sucking up the carbon in the air and storing it underground.

But the grasslands that remain are owned by ranchers like Mark Gardiner, owner of the Gardiner Ranch, which supplies cattle to National beef in Dodge City and Liberal.

“When I was first approached by Wayne, I told him, ‘you do know (the prairie chickens) are because of us not in spite of us,’” Gardiner said.

His 46,000 acres not only support the conservation of the lesser prairie chicken, but also his cattle, which supports his ranching lifestyle.

“If we don’t feed the world the ecosystem won’t make it, and any ecosystem you lose you don’t get it back,” Gardiner said.

Biologist and grassland conservationist Stephanie Manes said that to keep both humans and the birds thriving together, the prairies need to be maintained.

Invasive species like salt cedars have overtaken the grassland and have pushed out the prairie chicken, along with native grasses. It’s not good for the ecosystem or the soil. She said they came from Europe, most likely brought by white settlers to use as windbreaks and landscape decoration.

It’s a tough plant that is perennial and can come back from a lot of damage

“That is why the roller chopping and herbicide treatment to actually kill the plant is so essential,” Manes said. “But that's very expensive.”

That’s where a program like this one is helpful. It provides financial power to ranchers to get rid of trees they already wanted out of their ranchland.

The roller chopper with Hilton and his team mows down the salt cedars. They then spray with herbicide and routinely use prescribed burns.

So far, the program has been able to conserve 75,000 acres of grassland for the lesser prairie chicken. The goal is to continue the program and in ten years conserve 1 million acres, and hopefully see the lesser prairie chicken population bounce back from 26,000 to 67,000.

Last year, something that would help the conservation group was the federal relisting of the lesser prairie chicken as endangered. This gave the bird extra protection,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-ranchers-county-commissioners-take-federal-action-against-lesser-prairie-chicken-protections/" target="_blank">but was met with a lot of pushback</a>.

The oil and gas industry, cattle industry and state attorneys general from Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas filed lawsuits against the listing.

Common Ground Capital’s lawyers predict the court case should wrap up early in 2025.

Holding his horse, Mark Gardiner said that he’s grown up with the lesser prairie chickens all his life. They represent a healthy prairie that he has made a life and career out of.

“We are thankful to keep this ecosystem, because humans are part of that system too,” Gardiner said.

Calen Moore covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can email him at&nbsp;cmoore@hppr.org.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675290627669.png" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Conservationists and cattle ranchers are working together to restore grassland for the lesser prairie chicken. The bird used to roam Kansas, but has lost most of its habitat to crop production</h2>By CALEN MOORE <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/kansasnewsservice">Kansas News Service</a>ASHLAND, Kansas —&nbsp;In the remaining grasslands in Kansas lives the lesser prairie chicken, a stocky, quail-like bird that used to roam the Great Plains. They once fed, nested, danced and mated in the vast grasslands that covered the middle of the country.There used to be many birds making their unique cackling boom noises. That was before people transformed the prairie to produce food and make energy. Now the remaining prairie chickens are dispersed and disconnected.The prairie chicken doesn’t have the historical prominence connecting it to the Plains that buffalo and pronghorn enjoy. It’s a less-visible animal that relies on the dwindling grasslands.A conservation bank company and ranchers in southern Kansas are working to reverse that. They are combining business and conservation to create prairie chicken conservation credits that pay for restoring habitat and benefit the cattle ranchers that own the land.Conservation group Common Ground Capital has made deals with ranchers across several southern Plains states, including Kansas. As part of one of those deals, Gardiner Ranch near Ashland has started the process of clearing out invasive salt cedars to restore the natural prairie.The program is using something similar to the system of buying and selling carbon credits, but they’re chicken habitat credits. Companies pay for the lesser prairie chicken credits so they continue developing in other prairie chicken habitats. Common Ground Capital makes a profit selling these credits, and uses that money to pay ranchers to restore and maintain the habitat the prairie chickens need.Afterward, Common Ground Capital is responsible for the long-term management plan to fund the conservation of the prairie chickens. The conservation plan is approved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.These long-term agreements with cattle ranchers are a way to not only conserve the prairie chicken, but also the grassland the ranchers need for cattle.Wayne Walker, founder of Common Ground Capital, looks out on hundreds of acres of restored prairie.“That’s what it all used to look like,” he said looking at acres of repaired grasslands where invasive trees had been removed. “These are some of the last remaining native grasslands in Kansas.”The lesser prairie chicken used to populate the Plains in the hundreds of thousands. But due to habitat loss, invasive species like the salt cedars in western Kansas and grassland converted to cropland, their&nbsp;<a href="https://wafwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/LPC_RangeWidePopSize2012-2022.pdf" target="_blank">population has dwindled</a>&nbsp;to about 26,000. That’s about the same as the number of people in Dodge City but scattered across the entire southern Plains.A critical piece of this program is trying to reconnect the scattered bird populations.“We’ve got to reconnect habitat to bring back prairies in strategic ways, so that prairie chickens can have more habitat to populate on,” Walker said.The strategy of Walker’s company is to pay ranchers to restore grassland, then sell conservation credits to companies who are causing damage to lesser prairie chicken habitat elsewhere.It’s a way for companies to offset their impact on a threatened species or ecosystem, while continuing development in parts of the bird’s range.Prairie birds like the lesser prairie chicken have an aversion to anything vertical. It’s their natural instinct to avoid predators like hawks that hide in trees.That means the birds don’t really like wind turbines, and the conservation credits are appealing to companies building wind turbines in other parts of the prairie chicken's habitat.Walker said this process may not be the most popular with environmentalists because there is compromise, but it’s a way to jumpstart conservation by combining industry and business with conservation efforts.<a href="https://commongroundcapital.com/process/" target="_blank">Common Ground Capital sells conservation credits</a>&nbsp;to mostly renewable energy companies in Kansas and Colorado, for $2,500 per acre. That is how they are able to pay ranchers for conservation efforts like removing invasive trees to make habitat better for the birds.On the Gardiner Ranch, Dillon Hilton stood on a bridge, one side covered with salt cedars, the other expansive grassland. This land was burned by&nbsp;<a href="https://media.kansas.com/static/interactive/wildfire/index.html" target="_blank">the Starbuck wildfire in 2017</a>, which cleared out a lot of invasive species and stopped at the bridge.Hilton, who also works as a volunteer firefighter, said he remembers driving down the bridge on the ranch going 60 miles per hour, and the fire keeping up with him.“It was devastating,” Hilton said. “We lost cattle, fences, structures.”But if there was a bright side, he said it would be how much prairie the fire restored. The invasive trees were wiped out by the fire, but the grassland easily recovered.Grasslands disappearingGrasslands are disappearing fast,&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nwf.org/2024/08/grasslands-a-disappearing-ecosystem/" target="_blank">over half have already been lost</a>&nbsp;to crop production according to the U.S. Geological Survey.And the grassland ecosystem is shriveling up with it. Grasslands also benefit the climate by sucking up the carbon in the air and storing it underground.But the grasslands that remain are owned by ranchers like Mark Gardiner, owner of the Gardiner Ranch, which supplies cattle to National beef in Dodge City and Liberal.“When I was first approached by Wayne, I told him, ‘you do know (the prairie chickens) are because of us not in spite of us,’” Gardiner said.His 46,000 acres not only support the conservation of the lesser prairie chicken, but also his cattle, which supports his ranching lifestyle.“If we don’t feed the world the ecosystem won’t make it, and any ecosystem you lose you don’t get it back,” Gardiner said.Biologist and grassland conservationist Stephanie Manes said that to keep both humans and the birds thriving together, the prairies need to be maintained.Invasive species like salt cedars have overtaken the grassland and have pushed out the prairie chicken, along with native grasses. It’s not good for the ecosystem or the soil. She said they came from Europe, most likely brought by white settlers to use as windbreaks and landscape decoration.It’s a tough plant that is perennial and can come back from a lot of damage“That is why the roller chopping and herbicide treatment to actually kill the plant is so essential,” Manes said. “But that's very expensive.”That’s where a program like this one is helpful. It provides financial power to ranchers to get rid of trees they already wanted out of their ranchland.The roller chopper with Hilton and his team mows down the salt cedars. They then spray with herbicide and routinely use prescribed burns.So far, the program has been able to conserve 75,000 acres of grassland for the lesser prairie chicken. The goal is to continue the program and in ten years conserve 1 million acres, and hopefully see the lesser prairie chicken population bounce back from 26,000 to 67,000.Last year, something that would help the conservation group was the federal relisting of the lesser prairie chicken as endangered. This gave the bird extra protection,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-ranchers-county-commissioners-take-federal-action-against-lesser-prairie-chicken-protections/" target="_blank">but was met with a lot of pushback</a>.The oil and gas industry, cattle industry and state attorneys general from Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas filed lawsuits against the listing.Common Ground Capital’s lawyers predict the court case should wrap up early in 2025.Holding his horse, Mark Gardiner said that he’s grown up with the lesser prairie chickens all his life. They represent a healthy prairie that he has made a life and career out of.“We are thankful to keep this ecosystem, because humans are part of that system too,” Gardiner said.Calen Moore covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can email him at&nbsp;cmoore@hppr.org.The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

The lesser prairie chicken is disappearing in Kansas, can conservation credits save it?

The Chamber in Hays, Kansas, is
excited to present the "Enhancing Your Customer Service" seminar led
by national speaker and customer service expert Mike Henke. 

The seminar, aimed at local
businesses and professionals, will be hosted on October 24, at the Rose Garden
Banquet Hall &amp; Catering, located at 2350 E. 8th St., from 2 to 5 p.m.

Sponsored by Heartland Credit
Union, the event will combine a social networking opportunity from 2 p.m. to 4
p.m. with the informative seminar from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The session will address the
growing expectations of customers, and offer practical strategies for
delivering top-tier customer service that enhances satisfaction and loyalty.

Seminar
Focus: Rising Customer Expectations and Empowering Employees

During the seminar, Henke will
highlight key trends in customer service, including how customer expectations
have significantly risen in recent years.

He will explore how businesses
can tailor their services to meet the unique needs of individual customers and
ensure that employees are motivated to deliver exceptional experiences.

"This seminar will help our
local businesses understand the importance of meeting and exceeding customer
expectations in today’s competitive market,” said Sarah Wasinger, President and
CEO of The Chamber in Hays, Kansas. “We are thrilled to welcome Mike Henke to
Hays. His expertise and dynamic approach will provide invaluable insights on
how to enhance customer satisfaction while empowering employees to act
independently.”

Henke’s presentation will focus
on best practices in communication, conflict resolution, and strategies for
delivering customer-first experiences. 

Attendees will leave with
actionable insights they can implement immediately to improve service quality
and customer retention.

The Chamber is offering early
bird registration for members at a discounted price of $40 per person if
registered by October 10. 

Members of the Hays Young
Professionals (HYP) and Chamber Ambassadors can attend for a special rate of
$35. Non-members are welcome to attend for $60 per person.

Registration is now open and can
be completed through the Chamber's website or by contacting the Chamber staff
directly. 

Due to high demand, attendees are
encouraged to register early to secure their spots. 

However, please note that
cancellations made within 48 hours of the event will incur a charge to cover
the costs associated with pre-submitted RSVPs.

The "Enhancing Your Customer
Service" seminar will equip businesses with tools to navigate the evolving
landscape of customer service. 

Wasinger noted that customer
service is more than just meeting basic needs — it’s about creating memorable
experiences that differentiate businesses from competitors.

“Customer service is one of the
most crucial elements for business success,” Wasinger said. “Providing
exceptional service not only keeps customers coming back, but also turns them
into advocates for your brand. This seminar is designed to give our businesses
the tools they need to stay competitive and deliver unforgettable customer
experiences.”

For more information about the
event or to register, visit <a href="https://hayschamber.com">hayschamber.com</a> or contact The Chamber office at (785)
628-8201.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634743366242.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe Chamber in Hays, Kansas, is
excited to present the "Enhancing Your Customer Service" seminar led
by national speaker and customer service expert Mike Henke. The seminar, aimed at local
businesses and professionals, will be hosted on October 24, at the Rose Garden
Banquet Hall &amp; Catering, located at 2350 E. 8th St., from 2 to 5 p.m.Sponsored by Heartland Credit
Union, the event will combine a social networking opportunity from 2 p.m. to 4
p.m. with the informative seminar from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.The session will address the
growing expectations of customers, and offer practical strategies for
delivering top-tier customer service that enhances satisfaction and loyalty.Seminar
Focus: Rising Customer Expectations and Empowering EmployeesDuring the seminar, Henke will
highlight key trends in customer service, including how customer expectations
have significantly risen in recent years.He will explore how businesses
can tailor their services to meet the unique needs of individual customers and
ensure that employees are motivated to deliver exceptional experiences."This seminar will help our
local businesses understand the importance of meeting and exceeding customer
expectations in today’s competitive market,” said Sarah Wasinger, President and
CEO of The Chamber in Hays, Kansas. “We are thrilled to welcome Mike Henke to
Hays. His expertise and dynamic approach will provide invaluable insights on
how to enhance customer satisfaction while empowering employees to act
independently.”Henke’s presentation will focus
on best practices in communication, conflict resolution, and strategies for
delivering customer-first experiences. Attendees will leave with
actionable insights they can implement immediately to improve service quality
and customer retention.Registration
and PricingThe Chamber is offering early
bird registration for members at a discounted price of $40 per person if
registered by October 10. Members of the Hays Young
Professionals (HYP) and Chamber Ambassadors can attend for a special rate of
$35. Non-members are welcome to attend for $60 per person.Registration is now open and can
be completed through the Chamber's website or by contacting the Chamber staff
directly. Due to high demand, attendees are
encouraged to register early to secure their spots. However, please note that
cancellations made within 48 hours of the event will incur a charge to cover
the costs associated with pre-submitted RSVPs.Why Attend?The "Enhancing Your Customer
Service" seminar will equip businesses with tools to navigate the evolving
landscape of customer service. Participants will learn how to:<ul>
 <li>Recognize and respond to the rising
 expectations of today’s customers.</li><li>Customize services to accommodate the
 diverse needs of customers.</li><li>Empower employees with the motivation
 and independence to deliver top-tier service.</li><li>Improve communication skills and resolve
 conflicts effectively.</li><li>Create a customer-first culture that
 drives loyalty and repeat business.</li>
 </ul>Wasinger noted that customer
service is more than just meeting basic needs — it’s about creating memorable
experiences that differentiate businesses from competitors.“Customer service is one of the
most crucial elements for business success,” Wasinger said. “Providing
exceptional service not only keeps customers coming back, but also turns them
into advocates for your brand. This seminar is designed to give our businesses
the tools they need to stay competitive and deliver unforgettable customer
experiences.”Event
Details:<ul>
 <li>What: "Enhancing Your Customer Service" Seminar,
 featuring Mike Henke</li><li>When: Thursday, October 24, 2024</li><li>Time: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Social from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.;
 Seminar from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.)</li><li>Where: Rose Garden Banquet Hall &amp; Catering, 2350 E. 8th St.,
 Hays, Kansas</li><li>Cost: $40 for Chamber members (early bird by October 10); $35 for
 HYP and Chamber Ambassadors; $60 for non-members</li><li>Registration: Open now at <a href="https://hayschamber.com">hayschamber.com</a> or by
 contacting Chamber staff.</li>
 </ul>For more information about the
event or to register, visit <a href="https://hayschamber.com">hayschamber.com</a> or contact The Chamber office at (785)
628-8201.

The Chamber to host ‘Enhancing your Customer Service’ seminar with Mike Henke

As a gal who grew up bodysurfing every warm and sort of warm day of her teenage years, I love the ocean. Relocating to my birth state required readjusting until I realized I heard the reverberations of pounding waves when I stood atop windy Kansas hills. Adding sight to sound, high-ground overlooking windblown grainfields reveals that blowing wheat rolls like the Pacific waves of my childhood. After digging into Kansas geology, I realized an ancient seabed forms this landscape, offering OLD rocks and fossils to seekers of such.

The Western Inland Sea that split our land mass from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean during the late Cretaceous left treasures for the curious. During our early years of marriage, I’d find septarian nodules near Cedar Bluff. They were so common, I kept none. They’re harder to find now so I celebrated when a recent adventure delivered two weighty prizes to my house.

The first time I spotted a septarian nodule, I swore I’d found a petrified turtle. The segments of limestone and calcite or carbonate mineral look like turtle shell scutes. I’ve since learned no turtle created this stone. Anywhere from 144,000,000 to 65,000,000 years ago during the Cretaceous period, mud, limestone, or silt may or may not have compacted around a bit of organic matter, creating a round or oval conglomeration in that shallow seabed. Once dried, the orb cracked. Another wet cycle began and suspended minerals then collected in radiating fissures, creating eye-catching dividing lines to dazzle future collectors. Finding a septarian nodule is a journey across time. Listen for the sounds of lapping waves.

Speaking of dividing lines—that’s where these rocks got their name. That little flap of skin that divides nostrils is called a septum. Some Latin speaking scientist made the connection between his schnoz splitter and these rocks and named them septarian nodules. Tuck that tidbit into your trivia collection for future reference.

For those who love interesting looking rocks, these meet such criteria. Mixtures of colors, including hues of ochre, brown, yellow, orange, tan, white, and grey create geometric designs throughout the stone. Because the original mudstones split and filled with carbonates, calcites, or other minerals, these easily fracture which results in oddly shaped and sized stones. In fact, hounders often find parts instead of whole nodules. After millions of freeze and thaw cycles, it’s amazing we still discover intact specimens.

On that note, weathering takes its toll. Often times folks recognize septarian nodules because the outer crust or matrix covering the filled-in fractures erodes. I’m guessing more than one inexperienced nodule hunter walked right over a stone that recently emerged from protective soils and still has a limestone coating.

Because some nodules formed around organic matter, some collectors saw them in half to see what’s inside. It’s possible to find crystals or a small fossil. The ones I’ve found are just mudballs that cracked and filled with calcite or carbonate suspensions. When I want to see hidden treasure, I visit rock shops and museums.

When the day comes I can no longer find reminders that I live on an ancient seabed, I hope our daughters position my septarian nodules outside my window. I’ll see them and recall the thrill of finding rocks created millions of years ago by receding, shallow seas--a recollection that even beats body-surfing memories.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728330328251.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINAs a gal who grew up bodysurfing every warm and sort of warm day of her teenage years, I love the ocean. Relocating to my birth state required readjusting until I realized I heard the reverberations of pounding waves when I stood atop windy Kansas hills. Adding sight to sound, high-ground overlooking windblown grainfields reveals that blowing wheat rolls like the Pacific waves of my childhood. After digging into Kansas geology, I realized an ancient seabed forms this landscape, offering OLD rocks and fossils to seekers of such.The Western Inland Sea that split our land mass from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean during the late Cretaceous left treasures for the curious. During our early years of marriage, I’d find septarian nodules near Cedar Bluff. They were so common, I kept none. They’re harder to find now so I celebrated when a recent adventure delivered two weighty prizes to my house.The first time I spotted a septarian nodule, I swore I’d found a petrified turtle. The segments of limestone and calcite or carbonate mineral look like turtle shell scutes. I’ve since learned no turtle created this stone. Anywhere from 144,000,000 to 65,000,000 years ago during the Cretaceous period, mud, limestone, or silt may or may not have compacted around a bit of organic matter, creating a round or oval conglomeration in that shallow seabed. Once dried, the orb cracked. Another wet cycle began and suspended minerals then collected in radiating fissures, creating eye-catching dividing lines to dazzle future collectors. Finding a septarian nodule is a journey across time. Listen for the sounds of lapping waves.Speaking of dividing lines—that’s where these rocks got their name. That little flap of skin that divides nostrils is called a septum. Some Latin speaking scientist made the connection between his schnoz splitter and these rocks and named them septarian nodules. Tuck that tidbit into your trivia collection for future reference.For those who love interesting looking rocks, these meet such criteria. Mixtures of colors, including hues of ochre, brown, yellow, orange, tan, white, and grey create geometric designs throughout the stone. Because the original mudstones split and filled with carbonates, calcites, or other minerals, these easily fracture which results in oddly shaped and sized stones. In fact, hounders often find parts instead of whole nodules. After millions of freeze and thaw cycles, it’s amazing we still discover intact specimens.On that note, weathering takes its toll. Often times folks recognize septarian nodules because the outer crust or matrix covering the filled-in fractures erodes. I’m guessing more than one inexperienced nodule hunter walked right over a stone that recently emerged from protective soils and still has a limestone coating.Because some nodules formed around organic matter, some collectors saw them in half to see what’s inside. It’s possible to find crystals or a small fossil. The ones I’ve found are just mudballs that cracked and filled with calcite or carbonate suspensions. When I want to see hidden treasure, I visit rock shops and museums.When the day comes I can no longer find reminders that I live on an ancient seabed, I hope our daughters position my septarian nodules outside my window. I’ll see them and recall the thrill of finding rocks created millions of years ago by receding, shallow seas--a recollection that even beats body-surfing memories.

MADORIN: Don’t knock those nodules

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728494291021.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

LARNED—The grounds of the Santa Fe Trail Center Museum will soon be filled with the rumbling of the sounds of antique and vintage farm equipment.

Prepare for a carnival-like atmosphere, and join the crowd as everyone enjoys the weekend of farming, food and fun on October 12 and 13 for the 24th Annual Tired Iron Show.

This year’s event will highlight John Deere.

Upon arrival, visitors will enter through the Peddlers Market gateway to see the booths of various arts, crafts and collectibles. There will be several food concession trucks as well.

One of the many returning activities at this year’s event includes the ever-popular Anvil Shoot.

The Kansas Anvil Shooters will shoot the anvil three times each day.

On both Saturday and Sunday, there will be scheduled demonstrations of wheat threshing, corn shelling, and blacksmithing.There will also be a working miniature farm equipment display.The tractor pull will begin Sunday at 10:00 a.m.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/santafetrailcenter/">A full schedule can be found on Facebook.</a>

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/santafetrailcenter/"></a>Those interested in either a booth for the Peddlers Market or for exhibiting an antique tractor, gas engine, antique or classic vehicle may call (620) 285-2054 for more information.

The Santa Fe Trail Center is located 2 miles west of Larned on K-156.To reduce traffic, the main entrance is reserved for general admission, and all oversized vehicles are asked to use the new west entrance.



<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696962033604.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LARNED—The grounds of the Santa Fe Trail Center Museum will soon be filled with the rumbling of the sounds of antique and vintage farm equipment.Prepare for a carnival-like atmosphere, and join the crowd as everyone enjoys the weekend of farming, food and fun on October 12 and 13 for the 24th Annual Tired Iron Show.This year’s event will highlight John Deere.Upon arrival, visitors will enter through the Peddlers Market gateway to see the booths of various arts, crafts and collectibles. There will be several food concession trucks as well.One of the many returning activities at this year’s event includes the ever-popular Anvil Shoot.The Kansas Anvil Shooters will shoot the anvil three times each day.On both Saturday and Sunday, there will be scheduled demonstrations of wheat threshing, corn shelling, and blacksmithing.There will also be a working miniature farm equipment display.The tractor pull will begin Sunday at 10:00 a.m.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/santafetrailcenter/">A full schedule can be found on Facebook.</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/santafetrailcenter/"></a>Those interested in either a booth for the Peddlers Market or for exhibiting an antique tractor, gas engine, antique or classic vehicle may call (620) 285-2054 for more information.The Santa Fe Trail Center is located 2 miles west of Larned on K-156.To reduce traffic, the main entrance is reserved for general admission, and all oversized vehicles are asked to use the new west entrance.

Hays High makes counselors available for students after teen's death

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Hays City Commission will vote on Thursday on funding plans for a new police station and the redevelopment of a Cerv's location.

The city is proposing to design a new police station and municipal court facility, estimated to cost $8.9 million.

The city plans to issue about $1.39 million of the project cost through temporary notes.

The city will renovate the former Astra Bank building, 1100 Fort St., in downtown Hays.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c3ba539d-c919-451e-ad16-591c7dd52e76">SEE RELATED STORY: City to locate new police station municipal court in downtown Hays</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/838fe958-24ab-4afe-a463-4daa732a1c4f">SEE RELATED STORY: Astra Bank breaks ground on new building at 27th, Main in Hays</a>

Cervs and the Russell J. Pfannenstiel Trust, the developer, submitted an application to replace the Vine Street Phillip's 66 store and gas station, 3701 W. 41st St., Hays, with a new facility.

The developer requests a 1.5% community investment District (CID) sales tax to help fund the $4.7 million project. The tax will only apply within the district and not the entire city.

The developer plans to replace the existing store with a new convenience store and gas station, enhancing the gas station's layout and providing increased amenities.

In the proposed redevelopment, the facility will be built on the north side of the lot, with its entrance facing south. The existing building faces east. The gas pumps will be relocated to the south side of the lot.

The developer estimates the CID sales tax will generate $895,000 during the district's maximum term of 22 years.

Construction will begin in December, contingent on city approval.

The city plans to issue general obligation bonds and temporary notes to fund two projects.

The city will issue general obligation bonds to provide a grant of $2,565,000 to Heart of American Development Corporation for the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/bc26d31c-170f-4982-8534-088157e96e50">Tallgrass 2nd Addition</a> Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID) project.

Bids for these bonds will be received on Thursday, with the winning bid authorizing the bond issuance to be approved.

The city will also issue temporary notes to upgrade the city's public water system, with bids to be received on Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584721067731.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostThe Hays City Commission will vote on Thursday on funding plans for a new police station and the redevelopment of a Cerv's location.<h2>Police station</h2>The city is proposing to design a new police station and municipal court facility, estimated to cost $8.9 million.The city plans to issue about $1.39 million of the project cost through temporary notes.The city will renovate the former Astra Bank building, 1100 Fort St., in downtown Hays.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c3ba539d-c919-451e-ad16-591c7dd52e76">SEE RELATED STORY: City to locate new police station municipal court in downtown Hays</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/838fe958-24ab-4afe-a463-4daa732a1c4f">SEE RELATED STORY: Astra Bank breaks ground on new building at 27th, Main in Hays</a><h2>Cervs</h2>Cervs and the Russell J. Pfannenstiel Trust, the developer, submitted an application to replace the Vine Street Phillip's 66 store and gas station, 3701 W. 41st St., Hays, with a new facility.The developer requests a 1.5% community investment District (CID) sales tax to help fund the $4.7 million project. The tax will only apply within the district and not the entire city.The developer plans to replace the existing store with a new convenience store and gas station, enhancing the gas station's layout and providing increased amenities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728059197398.png" alt="Cervs convenience store facility site plan. City of Hays" />
 <figcaption>Cervs convenience store facility site plan. City of Hays</figcaption>
 </figure>In the proposed redevelopment, the facility will be built on the north side of the lot, with its entrance facing south. The existing building faces east. The gas pumps will be relocated to the south side of the lot.The developer estimates the CID sales tax will generate $895,000 during the district's maximum term of 22 years.Construction will begin in December, contingent on city approval.<h2>Tallgrass housing addition</h2>The city plans to issue general obligation bonds and temporary notes to fund two projects.The city will issue general obligation bonds to provide a grant of $2,565,000 to Heart of American Development Corporation for the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/bc26d31c-170f-4982-8534-088157e96e50">Tallgrass 2nd Addition</a> Reinvestment Housing Incentive District (RHID) project.Bids for these bonds will be received on Thursday, with the winning bid authorizing the bond issuance to be approved.The city will also issue temporary notes to upgrade the city's public water system, with bids to be received on Thursday.The complete Oct. 10 agenda is available&nbsp;<a href="https://ks-hays.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10102024-1506">here</a>.The meeting starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

Local