By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

WILSON — Kansas Originals, after 37 years of selling arts, crafts, books, and Kansas-made food products, is facing the demolition of its building and supporters thought it might be the end of the store and its mission.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/925f00e0-e00a-49cb-98b3-acfc1aeb3dd3">Although the building at exit 206 of Interstate 70 is still slated for demolition to make way for a new truck stop</a>, Kansas Originals has found a new home.

The store will close its off-interstate location on Sept. 30 and open on Oct. 1 at 2519 Ave. E in downtown Wilson.

Marge Lawson, Kansas Orginals CEO, said the new location will have a smaller showroom, but the nonprofit will have off-site storage to make up some of the difference.

The new location will have the same events as the former, including tastings of Kansas wines and events to meet local artisans.

"We're going to make it even better," Lawson said.

The nonprofit that operates the store owns its building, but not the land on which it sits. The building is set to be demolished on Nov. 30, Lawson said.

The Kansas Originals board is also pursuing satellite shops. The nonprofit is exploring a partnership with travel centers along the interstate. The organization had a satellite shop in the Topeka travel center until the pandemic hit in 2020.

Consumers can order some products from the store's website,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasoriginals.com/.">www.kansasoriginals.com.</a>&nbsp;Lawson said the board is considering revamping its website and using it to promote more of the products available through the store.

However, she said because many of the crafts are handmade, inventory is limited.

The store will also likely add new signage to direct people from the interstate to the new store in Wilson.

Lawson, who was a co-founder of the Kansas Orginals, said she is thrilled the mission of the shop will continue.

She explained that mission in a letter to the Hays Post in May, "Our mission is to provide marketplaces for the work of Kansas artists, craftsmen and food producers, especially those who are 62 or over, low-income, disabled, minorities or women in business."

According to&nbsp;Post Rock Opportunities Foundation, which is the nonprofit that supports Kansas Originals,  more than 1,000 corporations, businesses, and individuals have supported the nonprofit through grants, sponsorships and monetary donations since its founding.

The Smoky Hill Foundation, Merrill Foundation, Kansas Arts Commission and Dane G. Hansen Foundation are among the Kansas Originals' supporters, as well as the local artisans and craftspeople who donate their work to fundraisers.

Kansas Originals will join other tourist stops in Wilson, and Lawson said she hopes the store will draw more visitors to the community of about 800.

Wilson proudly promotes its Czech heritage, with the <a href="https://www.travelks.com/listing/worlds-largest-czech-egg/41977/">world's largest Czech egg</a> and an annual <a href="https://wilsonczechfest.com/">After Harvest Czech Festival</a> that was celebrated last weekend.

It is also the home of the historic <a href="https://www.midlandrailroadhotel.com/">Midland Railroad Hotel</a>, and t<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/faccd0a7-80dc-4f2f-99f8-e084f88cb981">he community has rallied to create an outdoor entertainment venue from its former historic opera house, which burned in 2009.</a>

That new venue will open later this month.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/67bee6b6-2d7a-42ac-b543-dad1b4c610e3">Wilson was also the location of filming of several scenes from the classic "Paper Moon," which draws film buffs to the area to see the locations where Tatum and Ryan O'Neal shot the movie.</a>

When the nonprofit was first notified of the developers' plans, Lawson said she was afraid Kansas Originals might be forced to close. Now, she's looking toward the future.

"Yes. I am happy," she said. "It's going to be challenging, but it gives us exciting new opportunities."

Kansas Originals has an active GoFundMe account to help with the transition.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/KansasOriginals" target="_blank">Click</a><a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/KansasOriginals">&nbsp;here to donate</a>.

You can still visit the Kansas Originals location 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays at 233 Highway 232, Wilson, KS, 67490 until the store moves at the end of September.

For more information, email info@kansasoriginals.com or call 785-658-2602.

<a href="http://Facebook.">You can also follow Kansas Originals on Facebook.</a>

Kansas Originals finds new home

BY&nbsp;RUSSELL ARBEN FOX&nbsp; Insight Kansas

When Vicki Schmidt, Kansas’s Insurance Commissioner, announced her run for the Republican nomination for governor with a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utFmRLrdtes">folksy campaign video</a>, some folks giggled at its earnestness.

For my part, I liked it, mostly because, with its emphasis on non-ideological practicality, it reminded me of another competent, accomplished, moderate Republican woman in Kansas politics—Jean Schodorf, whose path Schmidt hasn’t followed, but should probably keep in mind, nonetheless.

Many Kansans may miss that comparison; Schodorf—who served for 12 years in the Kansas Senate, became Majority Whip of the Republican caucus, and later ran unsuccessfully for Kansas Secretary of State as a Democrat—never moved beyond her Wichita base to state-wide office, and hasn’t been in the public eye for nearly a decade. 

But besides parallels both generational (Schodorf was born in 1950, Schmidt in 1955) and professional (both had careers in health care-adjacent fields, Schmidt as a pharmacist, Schodorf as a speech pathologist), there is a political one—both were targeted for defeat by their own party leadership, with very different consequences.

In 2012, when Governor Brownback was riding high on his tax-cut ideology (and years before his governorship’s deeply unpopular and embarrassing end was mostly memory-holed by his own party), he aimed to purge moderate Republicans from the Kansas GOP, and orchestrated large donations from Koch Industries and the Kansas Chamber to recruit conservative candidates to challenge multiple leading Republican members of the legislature in primary contests.

Most of those targeted couldn’t compete with the money and partisan momentum against them, Schodorf included. Schmidt, however, was one of the very few that survived that challenge, though only barely (in a primary election with over 11,000 votes cast, she won by 160).

Why were Schodorf and Schmidt both on Brownback’s hit list? Because they were Republicans who weren’t particularly fired up by his fiscally unsustainable ideological crusade, nor by his personality cult as an anti-government crusader. 

They were both, in the now mostly-forgotten sense, Bob Dole Republicans—Republicans who, as Schodorf once put it, “<a target="_blank" href="https://inmedias.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-kansas-gop-has-thought-itself-out.html">think in terms of moderation</a>,” or as Schmidt puts it repeatedly in her announcement video, “use common sense.”

In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/podcasts/vicki-schmidt-on-seeking-the-gop-nomination-for-governor/">a podcast with the&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/podcasts/vicki-schmidt-on-seeking-the-gop-nomination-for-governor/">Kansas Reflector</a>, Schmidt’s reputation was put on the spot, with such hot-button topics as abortion, vaccines, and Donald Trump’s cuts to state programs thrown at her. Without ever using the word “moderation”—a word that is, at least among some members of the Kansas GOP primary electorate, an insult—Schmidt stood her ground, insisting that in Kansas abortion is a “non-issue,” that vaccines “save lives,” that practical alternatives to Medicaid expansion have been needlessly undermined by “political games,” and more.

Fifteen years ago, Schodorf, then one of Schmidt’s colleagues in the Senate, was saying similar things, wanting to see the state align itself with the Affordable Care Act, preserve education funding, and more.

After the 2012 election, Schodorf felt the best way to continue to say the things she believed Kansans needed to hear was to run as a Democrat, a path that didn’t work out for her. 

Schmidt, for her part, left the Senate after one more term (she expresses regret to the&nbsp;Reflector&nbsp;over some of her Brownback-era votes there) and ran for Insurance Commissioner, where her unshowy, results-oriented approach has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansas.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/dion-lefler/article299105565.html">saved Kansans tens of millions of dollars</a>.

Patient, practical political work used to be the hallmark of a certain sort of Kansas conservative. Whether there remains an electoral path to the leadership of the state GOP for a Schodorfian-style, common sense Republican woman&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/25/an-early-report-on-the-kansas-governors-race-heavyweight-republicans-and-low-key-democrats/">is unlikely</a>—but Schmidt may provide a solid test.

Dr. Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.

Insight Kansas: Schmidt, Schodorf, fate of moderate Republican Kansas woman

<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

Family Worship: A Family Focused on Its Future - Hebrews 11:17-22

2025 Alton Jubilee set for Aug. 23-24

COLBY — The Colby Community College men's basketball team will host their 27th annual Golf Tournament and Sponsor Appreciation event on Friday, August 29 at Meadow Lake Golf Course. All proceeds will be used to support the program.

Registration for the four-person scramble begins at 8 a.m., with a tee time of 9 a.m. Participants are asked to make their own cart arrangements. The entry fee is $300 per team and includes a sack lunch on the course. After golfing, participants and season sponsors will have dinner and an opportunity to meet the 2025-26 men's basketball team.

For more information on being a season sponsor or to register for the golf tournament, scan the QR code or contact Coach Jerrod Stanford at 620-385-0273.

Colby Community College men's basketball team hosts golf tourney Aug. 29

BELOIT – Navarre	Plagmann,	a	welding	student	at	Fort	Hays	Tech	|	North&nbsp;Central in Beloit, has earned national recognition by winning Project Manufacturing&nbsp;National Welding League championship.

Originally	from	Sumner,	Nebraska,	Plagmann	competed	against	top	welding	students	from&nbsp;across the country at the national event held at Ferris State University in Big Rapids,&nbsp;Michigan.&nbsp;His instructor, Blake Schroeder, accompanied him to the competition.

Plagmann’s	final	project	involved	fabricating	a	model military Osprey	using	a	range	of	welding&nbsp;techniques, including MIG, TIG, Flux Core, and SMAW. The competition tested his skills in&nbsp;multiple areas, such as fit-up, joint preparation, and overall weld quality.

“I	really	enjoyed	the	experience	and	it	opened	a	lot	of	doors	for	me,”	said	Plagmann.&nbsp;“Winning the prize money, tools, and edge welding cups was absolutely amazing. I can now&nbsp;put everything to good use expanding my welding career.”

The	championship	drew	350	students	from	122	schools	across	the	country.	

Finalists	had&nbsp;just eight hours to complete a precision welding project—a detailed model of an aircraft&nbsp;carrier—using only the tools provided in a duffle bag at the start of the competition.

Eric	Burks,	president	of	Fort	Hays	Tech	North	Central, said	“We're	extremely	excited	for&nbsp;Navarre, he did an amazing job at Project Manufacturing, and I wish him the best as he&nbsp;moves into his career. I'm also very proud of our welding program and the continued&nbsp;success they have had in national competitions! It really illustrates the great work the&nbsp;instructors (Kyle Kopsa and Blake Schroeder) are doing with our students to prepare them&nbsp;to succeed, not just at competitions, but more importantly in the workforce.”

As	the	national	champion,	Plagmann	took	home	$10,000	in	cash,	a	new	set	of	tools,	and	top&nbsp;honors in the welding industry’s most prestigious student competition.

A	video	recap	of	the	event	can	be	found on Project MFG’s Youtube channel,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ProjectMFG">www.youtube.com/@ProjectMFG</a>.

Fort Hays Tech | North Central student wins national welding league championship  

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission will be asked during its 8:30 a.m. meeting Tuesday to approve a resolution that will set a public hearing for Big Creek Estates.

The public hearing would be set for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 16, allowing the community to give their input to the commission on the proposed Reinvestment Housing Incentive District before final decisions are made.

The incentive district covers 13 homes planned southeast of Hays,&nbsp;with construction costs estimated at $650,000.

Local Environmental Protection Program septic grant extension

The commission will discuss the extension of its Local Environmental Protection Program and a $50,000 grant awarded by the Kansas Department of Health for the 2026 state fiscal year.

The grant assists with the cost of repairing or replacing failing septic systems for low-income households, using the 2024 Federal Poverty Guidelines to determine eligibility:

• 200% or below the federal poverty level gets 100% coverage with grant funds •&nbsp;201 to 250% of the federal poverty level gets 85% of coverage with grant funds •&nbsp;251 to 300% of the federal poverty level gets 75% coverage with grant funds

Text-to-speech automated dispatch solution

The commission will be asked to approve the purchase of text-to-speech dispatch software that would automatically send radio alerts and broadcast incident information through a digital voice over dispatch radio channels.

The Emergency Communication Center currently relies on 911 dispatchers to manually notify emergency responders and give information over the radio.&nbsp;At times, this requires the dispatcher to pause communication with the 911 caller to complete the process.

The commission will consider two proposals, including one that fits within the allocated budget at $63,153 and an estimated annual service cost of $3,028 after the second year.

The commission is continuing its discussion on capital improvement projects, including the possibility of issuing a bond to fund more than $9.75 million in facility upgrades.

The projects would be funded mainly through sales tax and reserve funds. The commission will also review photos of the EMS and fire station facilities in the city of Ellis.

Other projects being considered include renovations to the Sheriff’s Office and Communications Department, replacement of fan coil units in the Administrative Building and an HVAC system upgrade at the courthouse.

Third draft of the 2026 Ellis County budget

The commission will review the third draft of the 2026 budget, which features updates to the general fund, capital, and road and bridge budgets.

Two changes include a $9,000 decrease in the appraiser's budget and any last-minute changes resulting from new personnel hires.

The current draft has a 1.84 mill levy increase, from 35.99 mills to 37.83. mills.

The mill levy increase includes the commissioners' request to add 1 mill ($542,695), which will replace the expected revenue decrease of the Oil and Gas Depletion fund ($425,865) in future years.

The proposed budget also includes a $200,000 increase in interest revenue. That will help reduce the overall mill levy by one-third of a mill for 2026.

Final changes can be made by Aug. 12, with the public hearing set for Sept. 9.

The commission will discuss potential dates for two upcoming meetings: a county work session and a joint meeting with the Hays City Commission.

You can view the full agenda <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08052025-689">here</a>.

Ellis County Commission to decide on housing development

SMITH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 5p.m. Friday in Smith County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Yamaha motorcycle driven by&nbsp; &nbsp; Mark&nbsp; Hollenbeck, 70, Parker, Nebraska, was eastbound on U.S. 36 just east of U.S. 281. The motorcycle struck a trailer pulled by a 2014 Chevy Silverado driven by Dale Herrington, 73, Holdrege, Nebraska, who had slowed to turn north into a cemetery.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Hollenbeck was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Simmons Rentschler Mortuary.&nbsp; Herrington and three passengers in the pickup were not injured. Hollenbeck was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Motorcyclist dies after crash into trailer on Kan. highway

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

This article is the third in a multi-week K-State agronomy series on wheat streak mosaic complex management to address the 2025 outbreak.

 In week 1, was the introduction of a Kansas Wheat-Free Windows recommendation and discussion on herbicide recommendations for volunteer wheat. 

In week 2, discussion of the role of alternate hosts in the landscape. 

This week, the discussion will be on variety selection as part of an integrated management program for wheat streak mosaic.

· Week 1: (<a href="https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/article/wheat-streat-mosaic-management-pay-attention-to-wheat-free-windows-650-1">https://bit.ly/4eSVKgP</a>) Wheat-free windows and herbicide recommendations · Week 2: (<a href="https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/article/wheat-streak-mosaic-management-the-role-of-other-hosts-in-the-landscape-651-1">https://bit.ly/3GIY2Ta</a>) The role of alternative host crops · Week 3: Variety selection for wheat streak complex management

In the first article of this series, the recommendation for wheat-free windows (Figure 1) was discussed. These windows include periods 30 days prior to the start of the optimal winter wheat planting window by zone in Kansas. 

As the wheat curl mite is a community pest, coordinated breaks in volunteer wheat and other cereals will have the highest likelihood of lowering local and statewide mite levels moving into our 2025 optimal winter wheat planting date periods.

 Volunteer wheat that emerges after the fall crop is already established poses a lower risk as a green bridge and can be thought of in a similar way as the fall crop. Fall wheat planted early, during wheat-free windows, risks bridging wheat curl mite to the fall-established crop.

Figure 1. Proposed wheat-free windows in different regions of Kansas to reduce the likelihood of a wheat streak mosaic complex outbreak during the subsequent season. Wheat-free windows are defined as the 30-day period prior to the start of the optimal winter wheat planting date for the region.

Here are some important considerations for achieving success with wheat-free windows:

· All volunteer wheat should be terminated and completely dead prior to the start of your regional wheat-free window.

· Where possible, the fall wheat crop should not be planted until the end of the wheat-free window.

· Other winter cereals (such as rye and triticale) should not be planted during this period as they can serve as a “bridge” for the curl mites to move to fall-established wheat.

· A regional “break” in the volunteer wheat green bridge will allow for wheat curl mites to die off prior to the start of the optimal wheat planting window.

· Volunteer wheat that emerges after this period is of less concern, as it will be emerging at a similar time as the fall-established winter wheat crop.

· Success is dependent on coordinated efforts in communities.

Management with genetic resistance: Another tool in the toolbox

In addition to controlling volunteer wheat, genetic resistance is also an important component of a good integrated pest management strategy for wheat streak mosaic complex control. It’s important to note that while some varieties provide partial protection against the wheat streak complex, there is no silver bullet variety that will work in all scenarios. That is, all commercial varieties will be symptomatic under some conditions, but the degree of yield loss to the virus complex will vary between varieties.

As a reminder, yield loss to wheat streak complex is highly influenced by. Timing of infection, composition of viruses, and variety choice.

We know that fall infections and infections that occur in earlier stages of wheat development (prior to jointing) can result in the highest levels of yield loss. Infections that occur after the flag leaf and booting growth stages generally result in lower levels of yield loss. It should be noted that infections can occur in the fall and remain “dormant” in the plants until the weather warms in the spring. This is why we can sometimes see symptoms come on suddenly when the weather warms in the spring.

In addition to the timing of infection, the composition of viruses in a given field can impact final yield losses. Infections with more than one virus (WSMV + TriMV, for example) can result in synergistic yield losses. It was common to see infections with two or more viruses in Kansas in 2025.

When we think about variety resistance in the context of wheat streak mosaic complex, there are two main types. Resistance to the virus and resistance to the mite.

When it comes to resistance to the virus, several genes have been described (wsm1, wsm2, and wsm3). The gene wsm2 is most widely available in Kansas varieties, including KS Territory (red), KS Mako (red), KS Bill Snyder (red), KS Dallas (red), KS Hamilton (red), Guardian (red),&nbsp;Oakley CL (red), Joe (white), and KS Big Bow (white). This resistance gene can help with severe wheat streak mosaic virus infections, but has key limitations. 

· This gene is effective against wheat streak mosaic virus but not against Triticum mosaic virus or High Plains wheat mosaic virus. In 2025, many mixed infections were detected with more than one of the viruses in the complex. So, it was not uncommon to see a variety with wsm2 appear symptomatic in the field. In many of these cases, Triticum mosaic virus was detected in the sample.

· The resistance conferred by wsm2 can also become less effective at high temperatures, although resistance in KS Dallas and KS Hamilton seems to endure greater temperatures before breaking down (~ 70º F). The resistance is much less effective if wheat is planted too early for grazing or if high temperatures persist into October. KS Silverado (white) also has temperature-sensitive resistance to wheat streak mosaic, although from a different source than wsm2.

In addition, there are a handful of varieties with resistance to the wheat curl mite (cmc4), including Guardian, Canvas, TAM 112, Byrd, Avery, Langin, Kivari AX, KS Western Star, Whistler, Crescent AX, Incline AX, Fortify SF, TAM 115, TAM 204, and T158. These varieties remain susceptible to viral diseases, but they generally slow the development of the mite populations in the fall. This resistance can help reduce the risk of severe disease, but will not provide enough protection if wheat is planted in close proximity to volunteer wheat or other hosts infested with large populations of the curl mites and virus.

Central versus western Kansas: Location matters Unfortunately, many of these varieties are adapted to western Kansas and may not be the best options for production systems in the central corridor.

Some central Kansas-adapted varieties, including Rockstar, AP Prolific, SY Wolverine, LCS Photon AX, LCS Helix AX, and LCS Julep, tolerate WSMV infection better than others. It should be noted that, for all the reasons mentioned above, these varieties will still appear symptomatic under high disease pressure. 

KS Mako is a new release out of the K-State Manhattan breeding program that is adapted for the central corridor of the state and carries the wsm2 gene. These varieties will still show symptoms of WSMV but may yield better than other varieties that are more susceptible.

More information on variety selection can be found here: MF991 KS. Wheat Variety Guide <a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/kansas-wheat-variety-guide-2024_MF991.pdf">https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF991.pdf</a>. A newer version of this publication will be released in the coming weeks.

Information provided by Kelsey Andersen Onofre, Extension Wheat Pathologist.

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&nbsp;scampbel@ksu.edu&nbsp;or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Variety selection for wheat streak complex management

&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

 3rd-annual women's self-defense workshop set in Hays

The Kansas Wetlands Education Center (KWEC) invites the public to join its staff for a free, family-friendly meteor shower watch party on Tuesday, Aug. 12, from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

This annual event celebrates the end of summer as the Earth passes through the dust and debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet, creating a spectacular display of meteors or “shooting stars” in the night sky. This year, our event will coincide with peak viewing dates, and stargazers may be able to spot 60-100 meteors per hour.

Located northeast of Great Bend on K-156 Highway, the KWEC offers an ideal location for comfortable sky-watching. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to relax on the KWEC lawn while enjoying the celestial show.

In addition to meteor watching, the evening will feature s’mores making and eating, and several space-themed learning stations inside the KWEC. Activities include a magnetic meteor hunt, spectroscope building, a space lander challenge, an asteroid belt art project, and using a blender bike to make galaxy smoothies. Planetarium shows will be offered in the inflatable planetarium, and we will have real meteorites on loan from the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.

The event will proceed rain or shine, but clear skies are necessary for optimal meteor shower viewing.

The Kansas Wetlands Education Center, affiliated with FHSU’s Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics, is located 10 miles northeast of Great Bend along Kansas Highway 156 at Cheyenne Bottoms, 592 NE K-156 Hwy., Great Bend.

For more information, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.7LNxDHQVpzCjONIZ4OYIqiohrCVEzT-2Bu22yVklcaqOvmZGt05-2BeOL3r-2Flc3NH2OV__SK_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfO9ovZePPueXoOYjqeKnABTqUprH1DWoHlNK6oTYNLIL3frrCD5Zg5SitaprItwmilgdkg5kTH2cnJHgTyIuGyaV55gXhnyd-2FCFT3UrSdSD-2FcMxcM2kdsRqnH-2BkYbAmtZFiEJ6vonVmM14WEb2q9YBjTV4-2F7BYHmfKaFspyhE1VKi04Pm3qE62wIGxnR71QrpNrNgwI0flpx9OW6CuX7sLAbSEkWvVzUzZLE1VJ8uFAGyAGE-2FgTubSuTlgLxMGVnTr">wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu</a>&nbsp;or call 1-877-243-9268.

Kansas Wetlands Education Center hosts Perseid meteor shower watch party

Kansas Interscholastic Cycling League mountain bike racing team forming in Hays

Become an instant finalist in the Miller Lite UTV Giveaway from A&amp;A Coors-Miller and Briney Motorsports of Hays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Discount Smokes,&nbsp;2504 Vine St., Hays.

Register for a 4-seat CF-Moto U-Force 1000 valued at $20,000.&nbsp;

Additional thanks to Advantage Glass Plus and Commercial Sign of Hays.

Keep listening and reading the Hays Post all summer long for your chance to become a finalist.

The UTV will be given away at a Fort Hays State University football game on Saturday, Sept. 13.

Become Miller Lite UTV giveaway finalist today at Discount Smokes in Hays!

WILSON&nbsp;STATE PARK — Lovegrass Music Festival FAQ and festival information. Please read!

Every motorized vehicle that enters Wilson State Park needs a daily vehicle permit ($5 per day). That can be obtained at the Park office, at the entrance of the park. The office closes at 6:00 p.m. -&nbsp; if you arrive later, please purchase a day pass at the self-pay station. You can pick up the pass in advance at any state park, or online.&nbsp;

Parking is extremely limited near the festival grounds so please carpool, walk, or bike to the festival area!&nbsp; Parking areas will be marked and staff will assist you to Day Parking. It is essential you do not obstruct the flow of traffic and be COMPLETELY pulled off of the pavement if you do park.&nbsp; Parking is permitted on any areas of grass that have been mowed.&nbsp; Please plan to walk a distance, as there is no parking directly on the festival grounds, except handicapped parking.&nbsp; Please have your handicap placard displayed for parking attendants to recognize and direct you accordingly.

Day Parking will not be allowed in the Buffalograss or Big Bluestem areas, as these are reserved for those who are camping in these areas.&nbsp; You will not be allowed in these areas without a Campground Vehicle Permit.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Everyone must enter and exit through the designated gate.&nbsp; Please stay out of areas fenced off in orange.&nbsp; We will have an increased presence of staff and security placed throughout the festival grounds, in CREW shirts to assist if you have questions or concerns.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If you are planning on bringing a new canopy, grill, or other apparatus, please leave the box at home or pack it back in the box to return home. The park dumpsters fill quickly, so please try to keep litter to a minimum.&nbsp; Kans for Kids, a fundraiser for childhood cancer, will have aluminum can recycling containers around the festival grounds.&nbsp; Please no glass or breakable containers in the festival grounds or near the water.&nbsp; Let’s all do our part to keep the park beautiful.&nbsp;

You may bring food and beverages into the festival area.&nbsp; Please no large coolers, as space is limited. We ask that you refrain from single-use plastic water bottles to minimize trash and promote sustainability.&nbsp; A filtered water station will be available to refill water bottles near the activity tent.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Food vendors will be available on the festival grounds on Friday and Saturday.&nbsp; The nearby marina offers snacks, beverages, and grocery items as does Knothead’s Baitshop, located just outside the park.&nbsp; Dining and grocery options can also be found in the nearby towns of Lucas, Wilson, and Dorrance.

Limited Lovegrass Festival merchandise will be available on-site for sale each evening from 5-11 p.m. (We accept Cash, Venmo and PayPal.&nbsp; We can also accept GooglePay, ApplePay, and Credit Cards ONLY if you have a smartphone to scan a QR code for checkout). &nbsp; We will also be hosting a 50/50 raffle which is CASH ONLY, so please plan accordingly, and GOOD LUCK!

Pets are NOT allowed in the festival area.&nbsp; Unless your animal meets the ADA definition of a SERVICE ANIMAL, do not bring them onto the festival grounds.&nbsp; Under Title II and Title III of the ADA, a service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pets are allowed in the other areas of Wilson State Park, but must be restrained by a camper, kennel, hand-held leash, or tether, no more than 10 feet in length.&nbsp;

Thank you in advance for reviewing all of the Wilson State Park and Lovegrass Music Festival Association rules and regulations on our website at <a target="_blank" href="https://lovegrassmusicfestival.com/so/4ePXDgVK7/c?w=PCAGl9XBnKQfWUr97REj0YeND1_GTkZ_uSq9LguzdvE.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cDovL3d3dy5sb3ZlZ3Jhc3NtdXNpY2Zlc3RpdmFsLmNvbSIsInIiOiIxMzM2N2I4NS0yNTQ2LTRkOTAtODM2NS05OWEyMzEzMWY5ODMiLCJtIjoibWFpbCIsImMiOiIwYjg3MTdiNC1kNWZlLTQzZjQtOWI4Ni1hODQzMDBiNDNlNGUifQ">www.lovegrassmusicfestival.com</a>/experience before attending. Be sure and follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lovegrassmusicfestival">Facebook</a> for updates as the festival nears.

<a href="https://www.lovegrassmusicfestival.com/register?utm_campaign=ed61931f-08e9-4fd0-8ff4-79d4c445824e&amp;utm_source=so&amp;utm_medium=mail&amp;cid=0b8717b4-d5fe-43f4-9b86-a84300b43e4e">Register here for tickets</a>.&nbsp;

Information for Lovegrass Music Festival Aug. 7-9 at Wilson State Park

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ELLSWORTH – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will host a free four-hour public tour of a wild horse off-range pasture in Ellsworth, Saturday, August 9.

The purpose of the tour is to allow public access to the private facility and learn more about BLM’s wild horse and burro management responsibilities. 

Tour attendees will have the opportunity to view more than 220 horses roaming approximately 1,700 acres of grassland in central Kansas. These animals were gathered from overpopulated herds on western public rangelands as part of BLM’s mission to protect and manage America’s wild horse and burro herds. 

The off-range pasture, known as Svaty Ranch, is a private ranch under contract with the government to feed and care for federally protected wild horses in a natural free-roaming environment. 

No registration is needed, and parking is available on site. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Cameras and video recorders are welcomed and encouraged. Other personal items may also be brought along, including non-alcoholic drinks in sealable containers. Attendees are advised to dress appropriately for the summer season. Restrooms will be available.

Event Details Tour time: 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Address and directions: Svaty Ranch, 1016 Avenue J, Ellsworth, KS 67439. From I-70 proceed south on Highway 14 into and through the town of Ellsworth (main street), cross the river bridge and take an immediate right onto Avenue K. Take Avenue K and proceed west for 3 miles, at the "T" intersection stay right at the intersection and go 1/2-mile north, bear left for 3/4 of a mile. Then, the corrals are on the left at 1016 Avenue J.

The BLM manages and protects wild horses and burros across 175 herd management areas spanning 25.5 million acres in 10 western states, aiming to maintain healthy herds and rangelands. With few natural predators, herds can double in size every four to five years, leading to overpopulation that threatens the land, wildlife and other authorized uses. 

As of March 2025, the on-range population was estimated at 73,130, far exceeding the appropriate management level of 25,556. To achieve balance on the range, BLM gathers and removes excess animals, placing many into private care through adoption or sale, while unadopted animals are provided space on contracted pastures like the Svaty Ranch for long-term care. Approximately 62,853 animals are in off-range corrals and pastures as of June 2025. 

For more information, please contact the Wild Horse and Burro Program National Information Center at 866-468-7826 or email wildhorse@blm.gov.&nbsp;

Free tour of wild horse off-range pasture in Ellsworth offered by Bureau of Land Management

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man who randoly shot at vehicles on a Kansas highway in 2024 is going to avoid any further jail time.

On Monday, Sedgwick County Judge Christopher Magana sentenced 21-year-old Kamil Lweno of Wichita to probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Lweno was charged with three counts of criminal discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault, and criminal damage to property, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In March of 2024, police&nbsp;responded to reports of a suspicious individual wielding a weapon in the vicinity of Interstate 235 and Central in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

Callers reported gunshots and observed a man walking along the median of the highway shooting a gun.

Simultaneously, officers were dispatched to an undisclosed accident scene near 1900 N Westdale, where they discovered a Gray Jeep Grand Cherokee involved in a single-vehicle collision, abandoned at the scene.

Upon arrival in the area, officers apprehended a man later identified as Kamil Lweno in the 1800 block of N. Interstate 235, matching the description of the suspected shooter.

Police took him into custody without resistance. Subsequent investigation revealed the shooting suspect as the registered owner of the abandoned vehicle.

Law enforcement officers recovered a firearm and multiple spent cartridge casings. During the investigation, officers identified three individuals who reported their vehicles being targets of gunfire during the incident. The victims, a 28-year-old man, an 18-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman, were unrelated to each other or the suspect. There were no reported injuries.

Surprise sentence for man who randomly shot at cars on Kan. highway

SALINE COUNTY — A small earthquake shook central Kansas on Saturday.

Just before 4:30p.m., a quake measuring a magnitude 3.4 rattled portions of rural Saline County approximately 4.3 miles east of Assaria, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

There are no reports of damage and no calls about the quake, according to the Saline County Sheriff's office.

Small earthquake reported in central Kansas

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 4:30p.m. Friday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 800 block of Benton on a reported shooting, according to Officer Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they were directed to the intersection of 8th and Benton, just to the east. There they located an adult male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.&nbsp; KCFD personnel responded and medics pronounced the victim deceased on scene. This is being investigated as a homicide, and a subject of interest was taken into custody pending further investigation.&nbsp;

 Preliminary information revealed there was an altercation between multiple people that led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. Police have not released the name of the victim.

KCPD: Person of interest in custody after fatal shooting

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-stobbe">MIKE STOBBE</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials have told more than a half-dozen of the nation’s top medical organizations that they will no longer help establish vaccination recommendations.

The government told the organizations on Thursday via email that their experts are being disinvited from the workgroups that have been the backbone of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

The organizations include the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

“I’m concerned and distressed,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert who for decades has been involved with ACIP and its workgroups.

He said the move will likely propel a confusing fragmentation of vaccine guidance, as patients may hear the government say one thing and hear their doctors say another.

One email said the organizations are “special interest groups and therefore are expected to have a ‘bias’ based on their constituency and/or population that they represent.”

A federal health official on Friday confirmed the action, which was first reported by Bloomberg.

The decision was the latest development in what has become a saga involving the ACIP. The committee, created in 1964, makes recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how vaccines that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration should be used.

CDC directors have traditionally almost always approved those recommendations, which are widely heeded by doctors and greenlight insurance coverage for shots.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was a leading voice in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-vaccine-trump-science-autism-9b99621b01f11b7f0bdc81e5a0b82d2b">anti-vaccine movement</a>&nbsp;before becoming the U.S. government’s top health official, and in June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">abruptly fired</a>&nbsp;the entire ACIP after accusing them of being too closely aligned with manufacturers. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-vaccine-committee-9f58e1f004075b081718ff078de88d76">handpicked replacements</a>&nbsp;that include several vaccine skeptics.

The workgroups typically include committee members and experts from medical and scientific organizations. At workgroup meetings, members evaluate data from vaccine manufacturers and the CDC, and formulate vaccination recommendation proposals to be presented to the full committee.

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