By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Sheriff's Office logged almost 16,000 calls for service in 2025.

County Sheriff Scott Braun said it was a busy but typical year for the office, which operates across three main areas: patrol, courthouse security and detention.

"We had over 3,500 traffic stops. Those stops may have been warnings or a variety of other things. Our guys are pretty active out on the road trying to keep it safe," he said.

Braun said the detention facility is averaging about 63 inmates, a number that continues to increase. The jail housed about 1,200 inmates last year, most of them male.

The Sheriff’s Office served about 260 warrants in 2025.

Braun said the office logged more than 36,000 miles and about 600 hours transporting inmates across roughly 200 trips.

"We do a lot of transports across the state, meaning we either take them to other facilities for incarceration or we're picking them up. We travel out of our jurisdiction and just got one that came back from Texas the other day," he said.

Braun said deputies also logged about 383,000 patrol miles across the county’s 900 square miles for 2025. The county is covered by a lieutenant, two detectives, three sergeants, and 16 deputies.

The department received more than 3,000 patrol check requests, allowing deputies to monitor homes during vacations, court protection orders or other safety concerns.

You can call the Sheriff's Office to request a patrol check or do so on the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4de7954a-f04e-4832-9c84-46b4aaf24657">Ellis County Sheriff app</a>.

Courthouse security had 18,695 contacts in 2025. Braun added almost 220,000 people have been processed since security operations began in 2016.

Despite the busy year, Braun said the department is well-staffed and not struggling to find applicants, crediting department heads and county commissioners for a competitive pay and benefits plan.

"I have to say we're truly blessed," Braun said. "There are phases that we've gone through where we're having a hard time getting applicants. We are not having that issue."

🎙 Ellis County Sheriff reports over 15,000 calls in 2025

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A Hays man was found guilty of second-degree murder Friday in the death of his&nbsp;5-month-old son.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b82bb20e-49b1-41cf-bf36-fb0b29acf58a">Emergency personnel were dispatched at 12:15 p.m. on April 2, 2024, to Room 206 at the Rodeway Inn, 3404 Vine St., responding to a report</a> that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/obituaries/fernando-leon">Fernando Leon III</a>, an infant, was not breathing.

Abraham Duran Leon of Hays, Fernando's father,&nbsp;was also present in the motel room.

Ellis County Attorney Aaron Cunningham said drug paraphernalia was found in the hotel room. A toxicology report found methamphetamine in both Leon's and his son's bodies.

The coroner's report cited methamphetamine intoxication as the cause of the child's death.

Cunningham said further investigation revealed that&nbsp;Fernando&nbsp;had been left swaddled in a heavy blanket in a car seat on a bed near a heater set at 80 degrees for 12 and a half hours alone, Cunningham said.

Abraham Leon was alternately charged with first-degree murder with the underlying felony charge of aggravated endangering a child and first-degree murder with the underlying felony of possession of methamphetamine in the case. A jury found him not guilty on both of those charges.

Leon's criminal history is a level A, the highest level. Cunningham said the second-degree murder is a level 2 person felony, and Leon is facing a sentence of almost 39 years in prison.

Leon will qualify for two years of credit toward his sentence for time served, plus up to a 15% reduction for good-time credit, which would bring his time served with the Kansas Department of Corrections to about 31 years, with no eligibility for parole, Cunningham said.

Ironically, Leon would have qualified for parole after 25 years had he been found guilty of first-degree murder, Cunningham said.

Sentencing has yet to be set in this case.

Hays man charged in death of infant son guilty of second-degree murder

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is excited to announce the appointment of Brian Kitchen as manager of treasury services.

 Appointed to provide planning, management, and strategic direction for Sunflower’s treasury management services, Kitchen will oversee cash management, corporate credit, debt issuance and borrowing, and debt compliance and administration. He will also serve as a steward of Sunflower’s financial resources, advising management on financial matters through oversight of accounts payable and payroll functions, maintaining creditor relationships, and assisting with the planning and implementation of new borrowing initiatives.

Kitchen brings more than 14 years of experience working closely with financial institutions and regulatory agencies. He has extensive experience collaborating with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Federal Reserve Bank, providing guidance and regulatory correspondence to banking partners. Throughout his career, he reviewed policies and procedures for internal and regulatory compliance and ensured adherence to all regulatory guidelines. In addition, he has evaluated organizations’ financial condition, operational and lending functions, and risk management practices; conducted meetings with executive management; presented examination findings to boards of directors; and prepared formal written reports of examination.

A native of Hays Kan., Kitchen holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Fort Hays State University. Brian and his wife, Allison, reside in Hays with their children, Beckett, Bentley, and Bennett.

About Sunflower—Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is a regional wholesale power supplier operating a system of solar, wind, natural gas, and coal-based generating plants and approximately 2,400 miles of electric transmission infrastructure. The focus of Sunflower’s 450+ workforce is delivering reliable energy at the lowest possible cost to its seven members who serve electric consumers living in central and western Kansas. Visit Sunflower’s website at sunflower.net.

Sunflower’s member cooperatives include Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative, Dighton; Pioneer Electric Cooperative, Ulysses; Prairie Land Electric Cooperative, Norton; The Victory Electric Cooperative Association, Dodge City; Western Cooperative Electric Association, WaKeeney; and Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Scott City, Kansas. Southern Pioneer Electric Company is also a member of Sunflower.

Sunflower appoints new manager of treasury services

Every February, the Ellis County Commission recognizes county employees who reach five years of service. The Kansas Association of Counties also honors employees celebrating eight years with the county. The following is a list of those employees:

5 Years with Ellis County Jeremiah Brown (EMS) Lori Dreiling (IT) Lucas Everett (Fire) Sharon Honeyman (Deeds) Matthew Meagher (EMS) Wade Park (Sheriff’s Office) Michael Purvis (Sheriff’s Office) Jordan Silva (Public Works) Logan Unrein (Fire) Dustin Barnes (Sheriff’s Office) Lacey Woods (Treasury) Brandon Zimmerman (Fire)

10 Years with Ellis County Merrie Boucher (Treasurer) Monte Boydston (Fire) Shaun Burd (Fire) Eric Haas (Fire) Dennis Johnson (Public Works) Ronald Julian (Fire) John Kisner (Fire) Dylan Kuhn (Fire) Dustin Mattheyer (Fire) Charles McGinnis (Public Works) Darin Myers (Fire) Amanda Shannon (Treasury)" Eric Schmidt (Fire) Janet Schmidt (HR)

15 Years with Ellis County Brian Schmidt (Public Works)

20 Years with Ellis County Wesley James (Fire) Dustin Vine (Fire)

30 Years with Ellis County Dustin Shubert (EMS)

40 Years with Ellis County Kevin Bieker (Fire)

8 Year KAC Awards Mike Fields (EMS) Mike Freeman (Public Works) Jason Gerstner (Public Works) Kaiden Grieve (Public Works) Rosa Reese (Sheriff’s Office) Vern Ruder (Treasury) Ron Wiesner (Public Works)

16 Year KAC Awards David Fitzhugh (EMS)

24 Year KAC Awards Carla Hearld (Health), Randy Newton (Sheriff’s Office), Eugene Rupp (Appraiser)

32 Year KAC Awards Michaela Dreiling (Noxious Weed Jamie Summers (EMS)

44 Year KAC Awards Melvin Kinderknecht (Public Works)

Ellis County recognizes years of work with employee service awards

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

HaysMed will host the Healing Kids’ Heart Retreat on Saturday, March 28, 2026, offering a compassionate, supportive one-day program for children coping with the loss of a loved one. The retreat will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bob &amp; Pat Schmidt Community Center, 2510 Canterbury Drive in Hays.

The Healing Kids’ Heart Retreat provides a safe and confidential environment where children can learn healthy ways to understand and navigate grief. Participants will take part in hands-on activities, guided discussions, and meaningful projects designed specifically for their emotional and developmental needs.

“HaysMed is committed to caring for the whole person, and that includes supporting families and children through difficult emotional experiences,” said Sarah Dreiling, HaysMed director of clinical care. “Programs like the Healing Kids’ Heart Retreat help ensure that no child has to navigate grief alone.”

Throughout the day, trained volunteers will guide children through activities that honor the memory of their loved one, encourage healthy expression, and foster connection with peers who have gone through similar experiences. Each participant will be paired with a dedicated adult buddy for support and encouragement.

Lunch will be provided, and there is no cost for children to attend.

Participation is free, but registration is required and limited to the first 20 children. Forms must be submitted by March 1, 2026. Families interested in registering may contact the HaysMed Hospice Department, which can provide all registration details by phone or mail an application upon request.

For more information or to register, contact: Phone: 785-623-6200 Email: mjordan1@haysmed.com

HaysMed hosts Healing Kids’ Heart Retreat March 28 for children experiencing grief

Fort Hays State University hosted the annual regional Science Olympiad. Nearly 100 students from 11 Kansas schools, four middle and seven high schools, braved frigid weather to compete.

The top three finishers in each of the regional events received medals, and students achieving qualifying scores were invited to compete at the state event in April at Wichita State University.

The Science Olympiad is a competition involving a wide variety of science and technology competitions, coordinated by faculty and students from several departments at the university. This year, representatives from FHSU departments of mathematics, biological sciences, chemistry, geosciences, physics, and the College of Education came together to coordinate this event.

“Science Olympiad is not just about the robots or the hovercrafts, it’s really about the connection between students and teachers,” said Dr. Tara Phleps-Durr, professor and chair of biological science at FHSU. “Here in western Kansas, we have amazing mentors who pour everything into their students, and brilliant kids who are ready to take on any challenge. Seeing them work together makes it clear: the future of STEM is looking bright.”

Competitions are divided into two divisions (Division B for middle schools and Division C for high schools). This year’s school winners include:

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Third Place – Minneapolis

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Second Place – Hill City

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; First Place – Palco

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Third Place – Hill City

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Second Place – Sacred Heart

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; First Place – Goodland

Kansas middle, high school students compete in regional Science Olympiad at FHSU

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission approved a preliminary plat for the Big Creek Estates Third Addition during its Tuesday meeting.

The proposed project would be north of Reservation Road and include 14 residential lots and one stormwater retention lot.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ee851b27-fd93-4943-b1ba-e924696a0982">The item returned to the commission after additional review by the county planning and zoning board.</a>

Justin Craig, the county’s environmental services director, provided updates on the plat, including expanding the cul-de-sac to meet county standards and increasing all lot sizes to a minimum of 14,000 square feet.

Craig said the roadway would remain private and be maintained by developer Adam Pray. Multiple lots with double frontage would include restricted access areas to prevent entry from secondary roads.

The development will also use a centralized sanitary sewer, while water will come from individual private wells. Commissioner Neal Younger asked Pray what would happen if a well had to be moved because no water was found at the planned location.

"We've got flexibility," Pray said. "There's water down there. We wouldn't be so far along on this project if we didn't have high confidence in water."

Community improves district parameters

Commissioners discussed standards for future community improvement districts.

A community improvement district is a designated area where property owners agree to pay additional taxes or fees to fund road improvements. Subdivision roads in Ellis County are normally not maintained by the county.

State law requires signatures from at least 55% of landowners, but the commission agreed to require a two-thirds majority to ensure broader support for what would essentially be a taxing district.

Commissioners also agreed that at least 75% of parcels must be developed before approving a community improvement road project, which is intended to protect improved roads from damage caused by heavy construction traffic.

The commission reviewed three options for the minimum level of road improvements required for a community improvement district project.

In discussion with Public Works Director Brendan Mackay and Stonewood North resident Ty Wilson, commissioners weighed the options by considering cost, road quality and long-term county standards.

Myers clarified the three choices discussed:

1. An initial double seal coat, followed by two or possibly three additional maintenance seal coats over time 2. An initial double seal coat, followed by an asphalt lift with a seal coat, with future maintenance falling under the county's maintenance plan 3. Landowners work with a contractor for the road improvements

The commission approved the 2026 services agreement with DSNWK, formalizing previously approved funding levels.

In September 2025, the commission approved a $250,000 subsidy request for DSNWK, with additional funding of $120,000 for the child care program and $50,000 for ACCESS Transportation.

Other business • Commissioners were in agreement to refocus the county scholarship program as a recruitment and retention effort for county employees. The scholarship amount was reduced to $5,000 and would no longer be open to the general student population. • The commission reminded the public that there is a Joint Planning Commission vacancy, with the term ending on June 30, followed by a three-year term if reappointed. • From March 30 through Oct. 30, Ellis County Public Works, Road and Bridge and Noxious Weeds will operate on a four-day workweek, with employees working 10-hour days from 7 to 5:30 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays.

Ellis County Commission approves preliminary plat for Big Creek housing 

<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

The Second City Touring Company is coming to Hays!

Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center&nbsp;

For more information click here.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fhsu.edu/encore/second-city/second-city#second-city">https://www.fhsu.edu/encore/second-city/second-city#second-city</a>

For over fifty years, THE SECOND CITY has taken its act on the road performing at colleges, performing arts centers, clubs, theatres, fundraisers, festivals, conventions, and more.

Performing social satire in (2) 45-minute acts of scripted scenes, music, and improvisation, THE SECOND CITY TOURING COMPANY is always original, daring, and hilarious. Their alumni list is a veritable “Who’s Who” of comedy including Bill Murray, John &amp; Jim Belushi, Mike Myers, Steve Carell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, George Wendt, Tina Fey, Rachel Dratch, Horatio Sanz, Tim Meadows, Joan Rivers, John Candy, Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley, Harold Ramis, Jane Lynch, Aidy Bryant, Steven Yeun, Keegan-Michael Key, Jack McBrayer, Jason Sudeikis, and so many more.

Learn more about&nbsp;THE SECOND CITY TOURING COMPANY here:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bookece.com/artists/the-second-city-touring-company/">https://www.bookece.com/artists/the-second-city-touring-company/</a>

Grass fire near Hays City Sportsmen's Club, church contained

&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

Rose Garden to host Valentine's Day Buffet on Saturday

Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services&nbsp;

The Ellis County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and the Center for Empowering Victims of Gender-based Violence at Fort Hays State University invite the community to attend Surviving the I-70 Rapist: A Story of Strength and Healing on April 6 at 7:00 p.m. in the Beach Schmidt Auditorium on the FHSU campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The evening’s main speaker, Stacie Edgett-Minson, is a survivor of the serial sexual assaults committed by the individual known as the I-70 Rapist. In a powerful and rare public presentation, Edgett-Minson will share her journey of survival and healing, including how her faith, alongside the support of dedicated investigators and prosecutors, helped her reclaim a sense of strength and hope after trauma.

“Choosing to share such a deeply personal experience takes tremendous courage,” said Anniston Weber, community engagement and sexual violence response coordinator at Options. “Stacie’s story is not only one of survival, but of resilience and perseverance. Hearing directly from her reminds our community why believing and supporting survivors matters.”

Edgett-Minson will be joined by Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, and former Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent Mark Kendrick, both of whom were directly involved in the investigation and prosecution of the case. Their participation offers insight into how collaborative, survivor-centered responses can lead to accountability and justice.

Following the presentation, a panel of local professionals will be available to answer questions about sexual assault response and survivor services in Ellis County. Panelists will include representatives from Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, Hays Medical Center, the Hays Police Department, and the Ellis County Attorney’s Office.

“This event is an opportunity for our community to learn, reflect, and strengthen local response efforts,” said Jennifer Hecker, executive director at Options. “By bringing together survivors, advocates, healthcare providers, and law enforcement, we reinforce that healing looks different for everyone, and that survivors deserve support at every step.”

Content Notice: This event includes discussion of sexual violence and may be emotionally difficult for some attendees. Support resources will be available during and after the presentation, and community members are encouraged to care for their well-being when choosing to attend.

Organizers emphasize that the event is grounded in hope, healing, and community responsibility, and encourage anyone interested in understanding survivor experiences and local resources to attend.

For more information, please contact Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services at 785-625-4202.

Surviving the I-70 Rapist: Options to host speakers April 6

How the humanities shape understanding of race, justice, civic responsibility

Seventeen students, twelve faculty members, and two administrators from Fort Hays State University traveled to Overland Park for the 24th annual Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) Symposium, held on January 16-18. This event, led by the University of Kansas Medical Center, and funded through the National Institute of Health (NIH), aims to prepare and inspire promising students for careers in bioscience.

FHSU participants presented their research through oral and poster presentations over the course of the event. Four students received awards including:

Hazel Frans (Overland Park), an oral presentation award winner in Dr. Tara Phelps-Durr’s research group, Department of Biological Sciences. Title: Impact of one nucleotide on organ enumeration and phyllotaxy in Arabidopsis thaliana

Maggie Peterson, (Lebanon) in Dr. Eric Gillock’s research group, Department of Biological Sciences. Title: Analysis of Essential Oils Inhibiting Growth of Gram-Positive, Gram-Negative, and Fungal Pathogens&nbsp;

Jeyun Park (Seoul Korea) in Dr. Masa Watanabe’s research group, Academy of Mathematics and Science Program and Department of Chemistry. Title: Exploring Ancestral Enzymes through Sequence Reconstruction and Stability Prediction

Cody Pfaff, (Leonardville) in Dr. Eric Gillock’s research group, Department of Biological Sciences. Title: A&nbsp;Bacillus Pumilus&nbsp;Isolate with Promising Antimycobacterial Properties&nbsp;

K-INBRE is a multi-disciplinary network designed to inspire undergraduates to pursue careers in biomedical research, enhance research capacity through faculty development and retention, and expand the biomedical research infrastructure connecting several academic institutions. More information about the program can be found at www.k-inbre.org.

FHSU students recognized for research at 24th annual K-INBRE Symposium

On Feb. 15, the WPAA will present Magicians Pomeroy and Lamb at 3 p.m. at Oakley High School. &nbsp;

The Conjurors invite guests to the world of the impossible - a place where limitations have yet to be created and amazing memories are waiting to be made. From captivating stories, incredible magic, large illusions, and breathtaking demonstrations of mind control, this show guarantees an adventure that will amaze all ages.

Admission to this show is with a WPAA season ticket or an individual program ticket which may be purchased at the door. Thank you to the area sponsors especially the Logan County Community Foundation, Dane G Hansen Foundation. Sponsored in part by the state of Kansas through the Kansas Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

My earliest memories are being on and around a stage. I was mesmerized by every aspect and element of performing. Every show is a journey filled with magic, wonder, enchantment and story telling.

Magic allows us to experience the impossible. Together we will create moments and memories that will be remembered long after the lights dim and the curtains close.

Magicians Pomeroy, Lamb set for Oakley High School

Lions provide usable eyeglasses to Children and Adults throughout the World.

On Saturday, Feb. 14, we will be sorting used eyeglasses, determining their prescriptions and PREPARING THEM FOR MISSION TRIPS.

The Public is invited to attend to watch, learn or help.

We will be at STEM, (the old Hays Daily newspaper building, south side entrance), 507 Main, Ste D, from 10 to 4 on Saturday the 14th.

For more information, please call Lion Jim Huenergarde, Hays Lions Club, VP KLSF,

Hays lions club to host recycling used glasses Feb. 14

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

North Central and North West Extension Districts and counties of K-State Research and Extension again will be hosting an ONLINE agronomy series, “Crop Talk”, slated to begin Tuesday, February 10 through Tuesday, March 10, which will highlight several topics important to crop producers.  These will be on Tuesdays and each session will be held from Noon to 1:00 p.m. CST. 

In the NC and NW agronomy focused areas, the meetings will feature presentations and comments by K-State Extension faculty to enhance management strategies utilized by crop producers. 

Our KSU extension team has vast experience in crop production and we’re here to help solve and prevent production problems with reliable information. 

Planned topics of discussion include Understanding Flex Leases; Available Soil Water at Planting and Related Management; Wheat conditions and Breeding efforts on Mosaic Viruses; Fungicide Applications in Corn and Sorghum and Insects to watch for in the Field. 

There will also be time for questions between Kansas crop producers and extension specialists at each of the sessions. 

You register once and get information for all five webinars. The Zoom and YouTube links will be emailed out after you register and on the day of the webinar. Register online at <a href="https://www.wkrec.org/events/croptalk/">www.bit.ly/KSUCropTalk</a> or call your local Extension Office.&nbsp;Once you register, a link to the online sessions will be emailed to you.

&nbsp;CCA credits have been applied for with one credit for each session. 

For more information about the ONLINE KSU Extension NW and NC Agronomy Series, contact your local County or District Extension Office. The Cottonwood Extension District office in Great Bend can be reached at 620-793-1910 and in Hays at 7856-628-9430.

Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

'Crop Talk' sessions available online for area farmers in Feb., March

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 

NEW YORK (AP) — James Van Der Beek, a heartthrob who starred in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/television">coming-of-age dramas</a>&nbsp;at the dawn of the new millennium, shooting to fame playing the titular character in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/michelle-williams-comments-on-james-van-der-beeks-cancer-diagnosis-e444132cc5154efa973fba7251e04139">“Dawson’s Creek”</a>&nbsp;and in later years mocking his own hunky persona, has died. He was 48.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come,” a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/vanderjames/p/DUoR_x4EkTm/">statement from the actor's family</a>&nbsp;that was posted on Instagram said. “For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”

Van Der Beek revealed in 2024 that he was being treated for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cancer-breast-colon-early-onset-obesity-b0cab8f95dea65f15fa099132f16f8d6">colorectal cancer.</a>

Van Der Beek made a surprise video appearance in September at a “Dawson's Creek” reunion charity event in New York City after previously dropping out due to illness.

He appeared projected onstage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre during a live reading of the show’s pilot episode to benefit F Cancer and Van Der Beek. Lin-Manuel Miranda subbed for him on stage. "Thank you to every single person here,” Van Der Beek said.

A one-time theater kid, Van Der Beek would star in the movie “Varsity Blues” and on TV in “CSI: Cyber” as FBI Special Agent Elijah Mundo, but was forever connected to “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003 on The WB.

The series followed a high school group of friends as they learned about falling in love, creating real friendships and finding their footing in life. Van Der Beek, than 20, played 15-year-old Dawson Leery, who aspired to be a director of Steven Spielberg quality.

“Dawson’s Creek,” with the moody theme song Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want To Wait,” helped define The WB as a haven for teens and young adults who related to its hyper-articulate dialogue and frank talk about sexuality. And it made household names of Van Der Beek, Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams.

The show caused a stir when one of the teens embarked on a racy affair with a teacher 20 years his senior and when Holmes' character climbs through Dawson's bedroom window and they curl up together. Racier shows like “Euphoria” and “Sex Education” owe a debt to “Dawson's Creek.”

Van Der Beek sometimes struggled to get out from under the shadow of the show but eventually leaned into lampooning himself, like on Funny Or Die videos and on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFWX0hWCbng">Kesha's “Blow” music video,</a>&nbsp;which included his laser gun battle with the pop star in a nightclub and dead unicorns.

“It’s tough to compete with something that was the cultural phenomenon that ‘Dawson’s Creek’ was,” he told Vulture in 2013. “It ran for so long. That’s a lot of hours playing one character in front of people. So it’s natural that they associate you with that.”

More than a decade after the show went off the air, a scene at the end of the show’s third season became a GIF. Dawson was watching as his soul mate embarks on a love affair with his best friend and burst into tears.

“It wasn’t scripted that I was supposed to cry; it was just one of those things where it’s a magical moment and it just happens in the scene,” he told Vanity Fair. He seemed exasperated when he told the Los Angeles Times: “All of a sudden, six years of work was boiled down to one seven-second clip on loop.” (Van Der Beek himself recreated the GIF in 2011 for Funny or Die and gave it a second life.)

While still on “Dawson’s Creek,” Van Der Beek hosted “Saturday Night Live” — the musical guest was Everlast — and landed a plumb role in “Varsity Blues,” playing a second-string high school quarterback who leaps into the breach when the star suffers an injury.

Van Der Beek’s character, Mox, turns out to not be a football fanatic, preferring to read Kurt Vonnegut and yearning for the college education which will allow him to escape the jock mentality of his Texas town. “I don’t want your life,” he screams at one point. Critic Roger Ebert called him “convincing and likable.”

Some of his projects after “Dawson’s Creek” include co-creating and playing Wesley “Diplo” Pentz, a dull but likable music producer in the mockumentary satire on Viceland, “What Would Diplo Do?” In 2019, he made it to the semifinals of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and played a balding, out-of-shape ex-boyfriend on “How I Met Your Mother.”

“The more you make fun of yourself and don’t try to go for any kind of respect, the more people seem to respect you,” he told Vanity Fair in 2011. “I’ve always been a clown trapped in a leading man’s body.”

Between 2003 and 2013, he made appearances in shows like “Criminal Minds,” “One Tree Hill,” and “How I Met Your Mother.” He played himself with a crackpot intensity in the Krysten Ritter-led ABC drama “Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23,” and the short-lived “CSI” spinoff “CSI: Cyber” and CBS’ “Friends With Better Lives.”

He’s also appeared in a number of movies, such as Kevin Smith’s 2001 comedy “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” and its 2019 sequel, “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.” He also was in the Bret Easton Ellis adaptation of “The Rules of Attraction” in 2002 opposite Jessica Biel and Kate Bosworth.

In 2025, he was unmasked as Griffin on “The Masked Singer,” after singing a cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen.

Van Der Beek, who was raised in Cheshire, Connecticut, started acting at 13 after suffering a concussion playing football that prevented him from playing for a year on doctor’s orders. He landed the role of Danny Zuko in his school production of “Grease.”

He stuck with theater, landing at 16 in 1994 an off-Broadway role in “Finding the Sun” by Pulitzer Prize-winner Edward Albee and one of the sons in a revival of “Shenandoah” at the prestigious Goodspeed Opera House in his home state.

He earned a scholarship to New Jersey’s Drew University but left school early when he got “Dawson’s Creek.” In 2024, he returned to campus to accept an honorary degree for his “selfless service and exemplary commitment to the mission of Drew,” the university said.

Drew University President Hilary Link welcomed Van Der Beek with a popular quote from his “Dawson’s Creek” character: “Edge is fleeting,” she said, “but heart lasts forever. So on this morning, we pay tribute to that heart.”

He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and six children, Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.

'Dawson's Creek' star, who mocked his own hunky persona, has died at 48

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">Morgan Chilson</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — CoreCivic argued Tuesday for the right to begin holding prisoners in its closed Leavenworth facility, even as the company is working through a local permit process that could make the court case irrelevant.

CoreCivic challenged an injunction in the Kansas Court of Appeals that was made last year by the Leavenworth County District Court. The injunction kept the private prison from taking detainees from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement while CoreCivic and the City of Leavenworth fought in court about reopening the company’s prison facility.

Complicating the issue, the two are now working through the city’s planning process as CoreCivic has applied for a special use permit that would allow it to reopen.&nbsp;

“This is a difficult case because it feels like there are all of these slippery parts that are not part of the matter before us,” said Chief Judge Sarah Warner. “There’s a separate lawsuit. There are ongoing administrative proceedings.”&nbsp;

CoreCivic operated a private prison in Leavenworth until 2021 when it lost a contract with the U.S. Department of Justice. In 2025, the company announced it planned to reopen the prison as the Midwest Regional Detention Center and house ICE detainees.&nbsp;

The city required CoreCivic to obtain a special use permit through its planning and zoning process before reopening, which is where the court cases originated last year. The two entities have been fighting it out in court, with CoreCivic insisting it did not need a permit.&nbsp;

After losses in Kansas district court, CoreCivic bowed to the city’s demands and began the process of obtaining the permit. Last week, the city’s planning commission&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/03/corecivic-receives-leavenworth-planning-commission-approval-in-contentious-meeting/" target="_blank">approved the permit</a>&nbsp;and sent it to the city commission for a final determination.&nbsp;

Although one court case between the two ended and one remains open but inactive, the Nashville-based private prison company continued its appeal Tuesday to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/04/leavenworth-wins-restraining-order-barring-corecivic-from-taking-ice-detainees/" target="_blank">argue the injunction prohibiting</a>&nbsp;it from taking prisoners immediately should be reversed.

Sara Fevurly, an attorney for CoreCivic, said the district court didn’t properly grant the injunction, and even if the decision were rendered moot after the permit was approved, the company may be entitled to fees and damages associated with an improper temporary injunction.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the short hearing focused on legal technicalities of the case, both sides argued about the definition of “irreparable harm” and whether CoreCivic abandoned use of its property because it did not house prisoners there for about three years.&nbsp;

Joseph Hatley, an attorney for Leavenworth, told the court it was difficult to determine what “irreparable harm” would mean for the city, listing challenges the city had with CoreCivic during its operations before 2021. Those included not alerting local police to crimes at the facility and public works issues created by sewage.&nbsp;

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