By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Lt. Gov. David Toland informed the Victoria Community Coalition Thursday morning that it will receive a $425,000 grant to build garages for the St. John's Place Senior Living apartments.

The community coalition renovated the  former nursing home, and it opened 12 apartments in 2025.

Brenda Dreiling, chairwoman of the coalition board, said many people have expressed interest in the apartment but want a garage for their vehicles. The garages will be built on the north side of the apartments.

The project is being funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The coalition had previously received an American Rescue Plan Act grant toward the apartment renovations.

The federal funds must be used by the end of the year, but Dreiling said she did not anticipate any issues meeting that deadline.

Toland said the state received hundreds of project applications, but St. John's Place scored very well.

"At the end of the day, I love to do small-town projects where there are a lot of volunteer efforts involved, where you have a mix of different uses," Toland said.

"Between the residential side, the historical society, the child care, when they get that launched, I think those models work, and I think that's where we can best invest these limited funds," he said.

The apartments are designed for independent living for moderate-income seniors.&nbsp;You must be 55 years old or older to apply for an apartment. Rates cover water, sewer, trash and gas.

The facility still has apartments available. If you are interested in learning more about renting an apartment, you visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.victoriakscommunity.com/">Victoria Community Coalition website</a>. You can also call 785-735-2204.

The apartments are only one phase of a multi-phase, multi-agency renovation of the former nursing home.

Other projects planned by the coalition include Airbnb rooms on the south side of the apartments, a senior center in the former nursing home chapel, a coffee shop, a child care center and a commercial kitchen.

Toland also toured a section of the building that the Ellis Historical Society is renovating.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b6454123-e1a4-446d-95f8-2a4870f81803">The society received a $35,000 grant from the Department of Commerce in May for the renovations.</a>

"As someone who evaluates grant applications and signs off at the end, I want to know if there is widespread community support," Toland said. "Are people willing to write checks, swing hammers, haul debris to the dump? That's what we have here."&nbsp;

In addition, the historical society has been selling plaques honoring local Volga German families that will hang inside the satellite location. That effort has already raised $150,000 for the project, Mary Kay Schippers, historical society board president, said.

Schippers said donations have come from 15 states from people who had family ties to Ellis County.

Toland said it's remarkable how much pride people have in the place they are from.

The south side of the building will have a gift shop, a gallery focusing on the Volga German heritage of Ellis County, exhibits on Ellis County oil and agriculture, and the Walker Air Force Base.&nbsp;

At the east end of the historical society wing, it plans to establish a children's discovery center and a lending library in cooperation with the Ellis County Library system.

Renovations on the second story of the historical society space are complete, and that space is being used for artifact storage.

Amanda Rupp, historical society executive director, said the society hopes to have a new HVAC system, new floor coverings, and restrooms installed by August, when the Annual International Convention of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia will be in Hays.

2026 is the 150th anniversary of Volga Germans settling in Ellis County, and a slate of activities has been scheduled throughout the year to celebrate.

The anniversary of Volga Germans arriving in Hays will be Feb. 14. Smaller Volga German communities were settled throughout the area after that first arrival.

The historical society and coalition are separate nonprofits with separate projects at St. John's Place. You can learn more about the historical society and how to donate to the Victoria project on its <a href="https://www.echshays.org/">website</a> or follow it on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ECHSHays">Facebook</a>.

"You've done something that is incredible," Toland told Dreiling. "I am just so pleased that we made the investments we did on the state end, and it's such a good project.

"It is so heartening to go from seeing a list, a spreadsheet with a name and a number, to be able to walk through here and be able to see that the funds have been so well used."

St. John's Place in Victoria to receive $425,000 to build garages

From the Office of Sen. Jerry Moran-R-Kansas

Pete Felten, limestone sculptor from Hays, who has been carving Kansas limestone for nearly 70 years, died this week in Hays. He was 92.

Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran issued a statement on Felten's passing.

“I’m saddened to hear of the passing of Pete Felten, a native of Hays and a talented artist and sculptor whose work captured the beauty and spirit of Kansas. Pete devoted his life to Kansas art and history, and he served our country in the United States Navy before returning to Hays. To many, Pete was a symbol of Kansas, and he was even depicted as a character in the Western novel, ‘The Last Cattle Drive,’ by Robert Day.

“At 24, he first began to sculpt, a skill he would continue for nearly 70 years, creating landmarks, statues and monuments to honor our special way of life in Kansas. Today, his work can be found across our state: in the Kansas State Capitol, home to his statues of famous Kansans, near historic Fort Hays where his iconic “Monarch of the Plains” monument can be seen and in numerous other locations throughout Kansas. In my office in Washington, D.C., I have one of his pieces – a sculpture of a Kansas bison.

“Pete will forever be a part of Hays history, and his legacy will live on in the sculptures he crafted to represent the state he loved. My prayers are with his loved ones and friends in this difficult time as we mourn the passing of a great Kansan.”

On Monday, Governor Laura Kelly and&nbsp;the&nbsp;Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) at the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Department of Commerce announced Felten as a Legacy winner of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/kansas-creative-arts-and-industries-commission-kcaic/governors-arts-awards/2026-governors-arts-award-recipients/">2026 Kansas Governor’s Arts Awards</a>&nbsp;at its&nbsp;annual&nbsp;ceremony at the Docking State Office&nbsp;Building in Topeka.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The governor's office described more about the amazing work of Pete Felten.

Felten first took hammer and chisel in hand in 1957 after serving in the U.S. Navy (1952-1956), where he visited art museums on the east and west coasts and Hawaii. After briefly attending an art league school in New York, he returned to Hays to pursue his career.&nbsp;

His most prominent work includes the eight-foot-tall, approximately 2,000-pound limestone portraits of Amelia Earhart, William Allen White, Arthur Capper, and Dwight Eisenhower that encircle the Kansas Capitol rotunda, installed in 1981. He won the competitive selection process by creating detailed models of each subject. He chose Silverdale limestone from southeastern Kansas for the Capitol work because he believed it to be “the finest Kansas limestone, uniform and excellent for statues.” Notably, he declined to sign the work, explaining “this is Kansas’ work, not mine.”&nbsp;

Ellis County alone contains more than 28 of his limestone sculptures, including well-known figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody. His first large commissioned piece was a bust of Buffalo Bill Cody at the Hays Public Library (1961). The “Monarch of the Plains” buffalo sculpture at Fort Hays State Historic Site (completed 1967) stands 8 feet high and 10 feet long on an 8-foot base, starting from a 24-ton stone. In 2024, bronze plaques were finally added next to his capitol sculptures to credit him for the work.&nbsp;

Senator Moran on the passing of artist, sculptor Pete Felten 

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman talks with Macey Pfeifer of First Call for Help in Hays.

🎥 Forward Ever: Macey Pfeifer of First Call for Help in Hays

FHSU daily crime log: Feb. 1-7, 2026

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/corrections-about-us">Click HERE for the Hays Post obituary policy.&nbsp;</a>

How to submit an obituary to the Hays Post

Please email obituaries to haysobits@eaglemedia.com.

Please allow up to 24 hours from the submission of the obituary for it to be posted on the Hays Post.&nbsp;

If you have questions, please contact Scarlett Deutscher at 785-301-2211.&nbsp;

If you have an issue outside of business hours or your obit has not been published within 24 hours, please email <a href="mailto:hayspost@eaglemedia.com" target="_blank">hayspost@eaglemedia.com</a> or call Cristina Janney, Hays Post editor, at 785-301-2077.&nbsp;

Recent obituaries, how to submit an obituary

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Thursday was a warm day in Hays and it set a record high for the date.

According to the official report from the K-State Agricultural Research Center, the temperature on Feb. 5 hit 71 degrees.&nbsp;

That surpassed the former high of 69 degrees set in 2009.&nbsp;

Above average temperatures continue in the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/53c46bfd-af16-4289-9644-e939645b46fa">three-day weather forecast</a>.&nbsp;

Thursday sets a record high temperature in Hays

A Hays High School senior is premiering his short documentary, "The Last Miles North," at 7:30 tonight at the Hays High School Performing Arts Center.

Connor Werth, 17, of Hays, documented the last trip to Canada with his grandfather, Evan Noll, before his graduation.

Werth wants to pursue a film career and completed the project independently of any high school coursework.

The 19-minute film focuses on the emotional trip as Werth grapples with growing up and decisions about his future, he said.

"The context for this is that our local theater shut down, and I wanted the community to celebrate local art," he said. "I do care about film, and I wanted to reach out through theater and celebrate the new Hays High Performing arts Center and share work from students."

Werth has not finalized his plans for after graduation. He is contemplating college and waiting on an acceptance letter, but is also considering moving to the West Coast to pursue freelance film work.

The event is free and open to the public. It will begin with a short presentation about he and his grandfather's trip. A Q&amp;A with Werth and his grandfather, who will be seeing the film for the first time Friday, will follow the film.

Refreshments will be served in the lobby after the premiere.

Hays High student to premier short documentary at HHS tonight

Ellis County Conservation District

ELLIS COUNTY — The Ellis County Conservation District has selected Lang Cattle &amp; Grain LLC for the 2025 Conservation Award.

Lang Cattle &amp; Grain LLC is jointly owned by Daren Lang and his son Taylor Lang who reside in Victoria.

Daren and Taylor utilize conservation practices such as rebuilding terraces and waterways, introducing cover crops, crop rotations, planting tree rows, and being predominantly no-till since 2004.

Valerian Lang, the grandfather of Taylor, received a conservation award in 1971 for planting the existing windbreak at the farmstead. In 2018, Taylor planted an additional two rows of trees to this windbreak.

The ancestry of the Lang family in the United States can be traced to Jacob and Susanna Lang, who immigrated to Ellis County, Kansas in 1875 from Kamenka, Russia which is located near the Volga River. They established a homestead three miles northwest of Victoria where they raised thirteen children on their farm. Jacob and Susanna were the parents of Johan J. Lang, who in turn had a son named Peter J. Lang. Peter is the grandfather of Daren Lang.

Peter farmed alongside his father Johan until the late 1940s. In 1931, Peter acquired his first parcel of land near Toulon.

The land where the current farmstead is located was acquired in 1951 by Peter, with the homestead constructed in the early 1960s. It is located two miles southwest of Victoria where Taylor and Danielle currently reside.

Ultimately, Peter deeded 480 acres to Valerian and his wife Marlene.

Valerian passed away in 1988. Shortly after his passing, his son Daren started farming on his own.

Daren and his son Taylor started their farming venture together in 2008. At that time Taylor was a senior in high school and purchased his first eight cows. They have expanded that number in the subsequent years as well as the acreage they own and operate.

In 2018, Taylor and Danielle purchased the farmstead from his grandmother Marlene. That same year, Taylor and Daren established Lang Cattle &amp; Grain LLC.

Daren was employed by United Ag Service, Inc. for 29 years and married Dana Dreiling in 1988. They are parents of three children, Taylor, Joslyn, and Katelyn.

Taylor graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Management. He spent a decade working at Kansas State University Agricultural Research Center and married Danielle Robben in 2013. Together, they have two children, Jentrie aged 10, and Hudson aged 7, both whom are students at Victoria Elementary School.

Daren started farming full-time in 2021, and Taylor soon joined him in 2023.

When asked about the future of Lang Cattle &amp; Grain LLC, Taylor stated, "I would like to assist Hudson and/or Jentrie in a career in agriculture, should they wish to pursue that path."

2025 Conservation Maintenance Award

The Ellis County Conservation District has chosen Jayme and Leann Zimmerman to receive the 2025 Conservation Maintenance award.

The land that Jayme farms has been in his family for over 100 years. His mother inherited four quarters of land from her aunts and uncles, and his father inherited one quarter of land from his family. His grandparents and father both spoke fluent German.

Jayme’s parents Connie and Fern Zimmerman met and married in 1948. Jayme helped his father with the family farm part-time.

Jayme remembers when he was less than five years old moving back and forth between the family farm in Rush County and California.

The family lived on the farm until 1964 when they moved to Hays. Connie was a fireman, a farmer, and took on odd jobs to make ends meet. He continued farming until 2014. Fern passed away in 2004, and Connie passed away in 2017.

Jayme graduated from Hays High School in 1977 and Fort Hays State University in 1981 with a Bachelors in Ag Crop Science. He met and married Leann in 1981. Leann is a nurse practitioner who manages the Wound Care Clinic at Rooks County Health Center in Plainville. Jayme’s first job was working at Lightner Welding Supply. He worked as a bus driver for a short while, hauling school kids from Schoenchen to Hays and back. In 1984 he started working at the KSU Ag Research Center with Soil Scientist Carlyle Thompson.

Jayme worked at KSU Ag Research Center until 2001 when he started farming full-time. He started his own operation by renting some ground and purchased some cows from a neighbor. Now, he has his own land.

Jayme utilizes conservation practices such as putting in new terraces and waterways, rebuilding terraces, introducing cover crops into crop rotations, planting tree rows, and turning back some of the land to grass.

Jayme and Leann have six children: Jesse, Casey, Riley, Harley, Bailey, and Wendy. There are 21 years between Jesse and Harley, and they all live in Hays. Riley and Harley help Jayme with the farm. Riley farms full-time and Harley is studying to be an electrician at Fort Hays Tech Northwest. The boys have their own cattle and help Jayme with his cow/ calf operation.

In 2022, the Zimmermans built <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2c958a52-9323-48ce-8bc2-8187560af347">Midnight Ranch</a>. The private home sits seven miles north of Hays and is becoming the area’s premier wedding venue. The Zimmermans manage Midnight Ranch as a family.

When not farming, working cattle, or managing Midnight Ranch, Leann and Jayme like to spend time with their fourteen grandchildren and traveling.

The Ellis County Conservation District has selected Marc and Kathyrn Zolnierz for the 2025 Conservation Windbreak award.

Marc and Kathyrn were married in 2003. In 2005 they bought land from Kathyrn’s grandfather, Marcellus Leiker. Marcellus planted trees on land adjacent to Marc and Kathyrn’s parcel and was teased about the tree rows he planted not surviving. Most of those trees are still there today. The land Marc and Kathyrn live on and care for has been in Kathyrn’s family for five generations.

One day in 2005, Marc picked up a pamphlet about windbreaks in Kansas. That first year Marc dug trees out of a pasture and moved them near the house. He had to haul water to the trees for them to survive.

After that first year, Marc started ordering tree seedlings from the Kansas Forest Service’s Conservation Tree Planting Program and he plants the trees himself. He plants 25-50 trees per year. Over the years, Marc has planted more than seven hundred trees consisting of Cedars, Burr Oaks, and Locust. The Cedar trees do the best. He has planted tree rows on all four sides of the property.

Marc battles problems with the trees just like other Kansas landowners. Insects (especially bagworms), animals, and drought are a few of the problems he fights for their trees to survive.

Marc has worked for Midwest Energy for twenty years and Kathyrn has been a paraeducator at Wilson Elementary School for eight years. They have two children. Joseph is 17 years old and Emily is 15 years old.

When their children were younger, they would help with watering the trees. Marc believes this helped their children appreciate that they are planting seeds now for future generations. Marc will continue to plant trees every year in Marcellus’s spirit and will continue to care for the trees for future generations.

2025 Conservation Awards presented to three Ellis County ranchers, farmers 

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/04/kansas-lawmakers-weigh-where-authority-lies-in-11-year-water-dispute/">Kansas Reflector&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/"></a>TOPEKA — Lawmakers are attempting to resolve a water dispute between two Kansas cities and a neighboring county that has spawned three lawsuits, one administrative case and, most recently, a piece of proposed legislation that could modify county authority.

The outcomes could determine what roles state officials and local governments will play in securing quality water supplies for future generations.

One lawsuit has been dismissed, another is making its way through the court system, and the administrative case before the state’s Water Transfer Panel is in a holding pattern. But a bill that advanced out of a House committee Tuesday would amend state law to forbid county authorities from regulating water appropriation in ways that may conflict with state authorities.

In 1995, the city of Hays bought the 6,700-acre R9 Ranch in Edwards County, three counties south of Hays. The city intended to use the ranch’s 30 water rights to provide a public water supply to itself and the neighboring city of Russell, which could sustain them for an estimated 75 years.

In 2015 and 2016, the cities applied to switch the ranch’s water use from irrigation to municipal use and transfer 2,000 acre-feet of water, or roughly 1,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, from southwestern Edwards County. The Kansas Division of Water initially approved the application, but it was challenged, and a final outcome is pending.

Since then, the ranch’s water — and the future of the cities’ water supply — has been uncertain.

“Eleven years. Almost $11 million. That’s how much these court cases have cost the (cities) of Hays and Russell,” said Rep. Barb Wasinger, a Republican business owner from Hays, at a Jan. 28 hearing before the House Local Government Committee.

Under&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2433/" target="_blank">House Bill 2433</a>, Kansas counties would neither be allowed to require any permits to transfer water through its rights of way nor impose any restrictions or fees on transferring water. If passed, the law would apply retroactively, affecting existing and future county resolutions.

Wasinger testified in support of the bill and said she wants to ensure counties don’t meddle with the state’s authority to settle water disputes. Simultaneously, she claimed it would not eliminate local control.

Wasinger and others repeatedly characterized the state as the owner of the water.

Water rights are property rights, said Earl Lewis, chief engineer for the Kansas Division of Water Resources, at the hearing.

“Once they’re established, they are a right that’s owned by some person or entity,” Lewis said, “and just like any property right — whether that’s land or whether that’s oil and gas rights — they can be sold.”

He said the question the state must answer in the case of Hays, Russell and Edwards County is whether it is in the state’s best interest to leave water where it’s always been or transfer it. It’s a public interest determination, said Lewis, who did not testify to the bill but answered committee members’ questions.

The bill ensures that determination remains with the state.

But it does modify county authority, said Micah Schwalb, a Colorado attorney whose firm represents a group of irrigators that go by the name Water Protection Association of Central Kansas, or Water PACK.

Attorneys for Water PACK, Edwards County, Hays and Russell argued before the Kansas Supreme Court in December.

Schwalb said by phone Tuesday that rural communities ought to “be able to determine their own destiny when it comes to use of their own rights of way.” He indicated the bill, if passed, could have implications for future data centers that may want to establish themselves in Kansas.

“If this legislation is allowed to pass, I think it’s fair to say that this will be one of many efforts to try to consolidate power in Topeka and remove local control in economic development decisions,” he said.

Russell city manager Kayla Schneider said a local business is ready and willing to expand, offering more employment and economic development in the area, but won’t because the city cannot guarantee an adequate water supply. The city has sought alternative water sources for years, Schneider said at a Jan. 28 hearing, but the R9 Ranch has been identified as their most viable solution long term.

“HB 2433 establishes clarity, provides stability, consistency, predictability, and respect for Kansas’ water governance structure,” she said.

Hays Mayor Mason Ruder said some of Edwards County’s actions, which include passing zoning restrictions on water transfers over a certain volume, duplicate existing state water law.

The county’s zoning changes, which passed in 2024, created a new requirement for municipal or industrial entities that want to move more than 500 acre-feet through a country right of way. It mandates they prove such a move won’t negatively impact the local economy, environment, cultural resources or public health before the county will issue a conditional use permit.

“The intent was clear,” Ruder said. “The goal was to force Hays and Russell to navigate a second regulatory process controlled entirely by the same county that is attempting to stop the project.”

Hays wants to build a pipeline to transmit water from the R9 Ranch’s aquifer to Hays. Despite the legal and administrative roadblocks, the city has applied for state and federal grants to fund $79 million of infrastructure to transfer the water. The state has vowed to contribute $15 million if the federal request for $63.2 million is approved.

HB 2433 would nullify the county’s zoning restrictions if passed, and, in theory, it would allow Hays to proceed with the water transfer, barring any judicial or administrative decisions to the contrary.

The bill was introduced in the House Water Committee in January, but it was assigned to the Local Government Committee. Eighteen people submitted testimony in support of the bill, including representatives from the Fort Hays State University Foundation, the Russell Regional Hospital, a local school district, utilities organizations and economic development groups.

Bob Rein, president of the Kansas Natural Resource Coalition and one of the two opponents, said the bill’s language presumed a conflict between state and county authorities and resolved that conflict in the state’s favor.

He called the bill dangerous, fearing unintended consequences of deleting an aspect of county home rule or the embedded authority to exercise self-governance.

Rep. Doug Blex, a wildlife biologist and farmer from Independence, said Monday the county’s actions border on overreach.&nbsp;

“You’re questioning the authority of the chief water engineer to regulate water, which I disagree with that statement,” he said to Rein.

The committee wouldn’t be hearing the issue if state rulings had been followed in the first place, he said.

Democratic Rep. Linda Featherston, a piano teacher from Overland Park, voted in favor of the bill.

“It’s very clear water belongs to the people of Kansas, not to any one county,” Featherston said. “It’s not about whether we think this is a good policy or a bad policy. It is just agreeing with the facts.”

Kansas lawmakers weigh where authority lies in R9 Ranch water dispute

By MONIQUE KOERNER Cottonwood Extension District

K-State Extension is pleased to announce the continued offering of Becoming a Mom®/Comenzando bien®, a comprehensive prenatal education program serving families in both Ellis County and Barton County. In Ellis County classes begin February 19, 2026. Classes in Barton County will begin April 1. These sessions are available free of charge to all area families.

The program is made possible through strong regional partnerships with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Family Health and March of Dimes In Ellis County toher partners include First Care Clinic, High Plains Mental Health, Early Childhood Connections, Hays Public Library, Feeding Hays, KidLink DSNWK, Jana’s Campaign, Prospectively Healthy, Ellis County Emergency Medical Services. Together, these partners are committed to supporting expectant parents and improving maternal and infant health outcomes across both counties.

Using the evidence-based March of Dimes Becoming a Mom®/Comenzando bien® curriculum, participants and their chosen support person(s) will receive education on physical and emotional health during pregnancy, labor and delivery, infant feeding, infant care, safe sleep, and other timely parenting topics. Each session also connects families with local resources and service providers who support expectant parents and families with young children, helping participants build relationships and awareness of available supports within their own communities.

“I’m incredibly excited about the dedicated instructors and community partners who have come together to bring Becoming a Mom to families in both Ellis and Barton counties,” said Monique Koerner with the Cottonwood Extension District. “Our goal is to create a welcoming space where parents can connect, learn from one another, and feel supported—not only during pregnancy, but well beyond.”

Discussions within the Ellis County Breastfeeding Coalition also helped shape the program’s focus on mentorship and relationship-building, while involvement from partners across both counties ensures families are personally introduced to the professionals and organizations available to support them. This collaborative approach is designed to make it easier for families to seek help when they need it most.

Becoming a Mom® has a strong track record of success across Kansas. Since 2010, program evaluations conducted through the Kansas Perinatal Community Collaborative model have shown significant improvements in pregnancy and birth outcomes, including reduced rates of preterm birth and low birth weight, higher breastfeeding initiation rates, and lower cesarean rates.

All pregnant women in Ellis and Barton counties are encouraged to attend, regardless of previous pregnancy or parenting experience. Mothers, fathers, and support people are welcome at each class. Participants may choose which sessions to attend, with larger incentives—examples may include a portable crib or infant playmat—available for those who attend at least four of the six classes. Incentives are provided through grants made available by KDHE.

In Ellis County, limited childcare will be available, and a free meal will be provided by Feeding Hays. Families interested in the Ellis County sessions can obtain a class schedule or register by contacting Monique Koerner at the Cottonwood Extension District at moniquek@ksu.edu or 785-628-9430. Additional information is available online at <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/becoming-a-mom/">https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/becoming-a-mom/</a> and on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KSREcottonwood">https://www.facebook.com/KSREcottonwood</a>.

Becoming a Mom® is also offered in Barton County through the Barton County Health Department. Parents in Barton County can call 620-793-1902 to learn more about class offerings and registration options

Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or MONIQUEK@KSU.EDU.

KOERNER: Becoming a Mom to be offered in Ellis, Barton counties

Check out more on Thirsty's, including their full menu. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/92011370-84fa-4d9a-a241-59c943c40fc1">CLICK HERE!</a>

It's 5 p.m., and you can't decide where in Hays to eat. The family needs a fun activity for the weekend or you need a new stylist or someone to look at your brakes.

The Hays Post is launching an exciting new product to help you find businesses in your community.

The Hays Place tab, which can be found as a dropdown menu on the Hays Post, is a new video directory of places to shop, play and find services in Hays and the surrounding area.

See videos on featured businesses, find links to websites and Facebook pages for your favorite Hays haunts, and find hours and other key information to connect with businesses.

Hays businesses that wish to purchase a listing on the directory can contact Jordan Schaeffer at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&amp;sca_esv=aebc663c531febdd&amp;rls=en&amp;sxsrf=AHTn8zrmZbrAzvKjxVChGRNtowTajxHLQA:1741210424019&amp;q=eagle+media+hays+phone+number&amp;spell=1&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj587Wm8vOLAxX6HDQIHU-zKIkQBSgAegQICxAB&amp;biw=1750&amp;bih=918&amp;dpr=1#">785-301-2211</a>&nbsp;or your local Eagle marketing representative.

Hays city commissioners to hold retreat in Lawrence Saturday

A Prescribed Burn meeting is scheduled to be held on Feb. 26 starting at 9 a.m. and running until 11. The program will be held at the Agriculture Research Station at 1232 240th&nbsp;Ave. in Hays.

1. Benefits of prescribed burning 2. Planning a safe burn 3. Burn Safely (PBA option) 4. Protect your homes and community

Speakers will include Keith Harmony, K-State Rangeland Specialist, Dennis Carlson, Hays Fire Chief Ryan Hagans, and Shawna Hartman.

Breakfast will be provided for program attendees. 

While this is a free program to attend an RSVP is requested by Monday, Feb. 23 for an accurate meal count. Please contact Alicia Boor at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aboor@ksu.edu">aboor@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;, or call her office at 620-793-1910 to RSVP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Prescribed burn meeting set for Feb. 26 in Hays 

&nbsp;Submit events to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>. Cover photo courtesy Pixabay

Special thanks to <a href="https://www.visithays.com/183/Events">The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> and<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/"> Fort Hays State University</a> for their contributions to the community calendar.

Community Calendar

To ensure the health and safety of our community, HaysMed is implementing visitor restrictions due to increased local spread of influenza, according to a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1476857071110421&amp;set=a.747486360714166">Facebook post</a>.

At this time, HaysMed kindly requests that visitors who are feeling unwell or are under the age of 12 refrain from visiting. To assist in safeguarding everyone, signage and stations with hand sanitizer and masks are available at all entrances.

Additionally, surgical masks must be worn by all visitors and associates in the following units: Intensive Care Unit (ICU), The Birth Center/NICU, and&nbsp; Dreiling/Schmidt Cancer Institute.

HaysMed is closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as necessary. Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to keeping our community safe.&nbsp; &nbsp;

HaysMed implements visitor restrictions due to local spread of flu

Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas

Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas will mark the one-year anniversary of its Hays Thrift Store with a community celebration on Wednesday, February 11, at 1011 Centennial Blvd. in Hays. The store will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the anniversary event.

The community is invited to stop by for free popcorn from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with 50 percent off all winter clothing and shoes throughout the day. Shoppers who make a $5 purchase will also receive a complimentary Catholic Charities Thrift Store tote bag. Popcorn and tote bags are available while supplies last.

Since opening in February 2025, the Hays Thrift Store has served as a reliable source of affordable, quality secondhand goods—from clothing and shoes to small appliances and home decor. The store also plays a vital role in sustaining Catholic Charities’ mission to serve&nbsp;all&nbsp;people in need across northern Kansas.&nbsp;

“Our goal is to make basic necessities more accessible to families who need a little extra help,” said Megan Robl, executive director of Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas. “The store provides an option that’s not only affordable but also dignified.”

Conveniently located on the same site as Catholic Charities’ Hays office, the thrift store allows clients who already visit for food boxes, diapers, or hygiene kits to access household goods without needing to travel elsewhere. Individuals and families who meet income guidelines can receive clothing vouchers—typically two pairs of pants and two shirts for each family member every other month—with additional support available for needs such as winter coats or work clothing.

“When you shop here, you’re shopping with a purpose,” said Shannon Werth, Hays Thrift Store manager. “Your money goes right back into helping people in need. No matter where you are in life, you are welcome here.”

&nbsp;The Hays Thrift Store is open to the public and offers a wide variety of gently used items at affordable prices. Donations are carefully sorted by volunteers to ensure only quality, gently used items are offered, with all items priced affordably. 

Every purchase helps fund essential Catholic Charities programs, including housing and utility assistance, food distribution, pregnancy and adoption services, and affordable mental health counseling—making a lasting impact.

&nbsp;The store is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.&nbsp;

For more information about Catholic Charities Hays Thrift Store, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.ccnks.org/haysthriftstore">www.ccnks.org/haysthriftstore</a>

Hays Thrift Store celebrates 1-year anniversary Feb. 11

Hays Community Theatre has announced auditions for “The Shady Caper at Golden Acres,” an original comedy written by HCT board member and Hays High School theatre director Bill Gasper.

The action of the play, which is scheduled to take place on Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25, and 2 p.m. on April 26, takes place in the retirement community of Golden Acres, where residents get tricked into a money-making scam dreamed up by the activities director and her inept boyfriend. In the end, they are caught, but not before a series of twists and turns.

To help people determine if the play is for them, a copy of the script can be found here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iiIe-mAIjZxFVZICy1NTm_wymLZQm5af/view">https://tinyurl.com/Shady-Caper-Golden-Acres-Final</a>

“It’s a fun play that I wrote quite a few years ago,” Gasper said. “When Hays Community Theatre expressed an interest in producing it, I pulled it off the shelf, reworked it, and presented it to a few people to read. It was met with positive reviews, so I’m excited to get things rolling.”

The cast is composed of eight women and six men. Eight people (three men, five women) will play Golden Acre residents. Four people (two men, two women) will play facility employees and the mother of a resident, and two teens (one male and one female) will play the grandchildren of one of the residents.

“With 14 people in the cast, it’s a great opportunity for people to get involved – whether they’ve been a part of productions in the past or want to get involved for the first time,” Gasper said.

Auditions have been scheduled for 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16, and Tuesday, Feb. 17. Auditions will consist of a cold read of a short monologue or “sides” provided at auditions. 

Interested actors can sign up for a 10-minute audition time here: <a href="https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/393379640036/false#/invitation">https://signup.com/go/JbOMrDu</a>.

Those with questions are encouraged to contact Gasper at bgasper56@gmail.com

Hays Community Theatre seeks actors for original comedy

What better way to begin celebrating Volga German heritage than around the table? The Ellis County community is invited to launch the sesquicentennial celebration with a series of cooking demonstrations highlighting treasured Volga German food traditions passed down through generations.&nbsp;

The Sesquicentennial Cooking Demo Series will be held on&nbsp;Feb. 4, Feb. 18, and Feb. 25, each beginning at&nbsp;6 p.m.&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Gallery Room at the Hays Public Library.&nbsp;

Food has always been at the heart of Volga German families, with recipes carefully shared, adapted, and loved over time. These demonstrations celebrate those traditions and the stories behind them.&nbsp;

The series begins on&nbsp;Feb. 4&nbsp;with&nbsp;Earl Legleiter, who will share his family’s recipe for&nbsp;Mahogany Cake, a longtime favorite. Recipes will be provided, and yes—there will be samples.&nbsp;

Each session offers a chance to learn, taste, and connect with the rich culinary heritage that helped shape Volga German communities in western Kansas.&nbsp;

All are welcome to attend and take part in this flavorful start to the Sesquicentennial celebration.&nbsp;

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