By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

VICTORIA- Victoria will double in size as Herzogfest draws crowds with the scent of bierocks and the spirit of German culture.

Brenton Hoffman, president of Herzogfest, said the two-day celebration, which will be Aug. 8-9, features traditional food, children’s activities, a car show and live music.

"It's our hometown's annual festival that represents our German heritage," he said.

The festival takes place Friday and Saturday on Main Street, offering more than a dozen activities and free entertainment:

Friday Food vendors open at 11 a.m. ZOG Olympics at 2 p.m. Drift Trikes at 3 p.m. Horsehsoes at 6 p.m. Matfield Green, music entertainment, at 7 p.m. 50/50 raffle at 8:45 p.m. Blaine Younger Band, music entertainment, at 9 p.m.

Saturday 5k run and walk at 8:30 a.m. Heritage Market at 9 a.m. Herzog Car Show, Jammin Randy, three-on-three basketball tournament, valve cover races and drift trikes at 10 a.m. Bingo at the VFW, 204 E. Main St., and a cornhole tournament at 11 a.m. Kids Steinhoist Competition and free swimming at noon Polka Mass at 4 p.m. Polka Dance at 5 p.m. Steinhoist Competition at 6 p.m. Wes Cossman Band at 7 p.m. 50/50 raffle at 8:45 p.m. Dylan Wheeler at 9 p.m.

"People from all of Ellis County come to our festival. ... It really helps. It keeps us thriving in Victoria,"&nbsp;Hoffman said. 

Herzogfest is free to attend, but some events require entry fees, including the 5K Run/Walk at $25 and the cornhole tournament at $40 per team.

You can find all registration information and forms <a href="https://theherzogfest.com/applications/">here</a>,&nbsp;with same-day registration also offered at the event.

Hoffman highlighted German dishes such as green bean dumpling soup, blackberry dumplings and bierocks.

He gives thanks to the sponsors, donors and committee members who make Herzogfest possible. You can follow the Herzogfest on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theherzogfest/events">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and visit its website <a href="https://theherzogfest.com/">here</a>.

Herzogfest set for Aug. 8-9 in Victoria

THOMAS COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after noon on Sunday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1991 Kawasaki driven by Duane D.&nbsp; Kriegshauser, 62, Colby, was northbound on Kansas 25 approximately one mile north of Interstate 70.

The motorcycle struck the right side of a 2006 Toyota Prius driven by Laura D. Kern, 32, Colby, who had slowed and was attempting a turn into a private drive.

&nbsp;Kriegshauser was pronounced deceased just before 1p.m. at Citizens Medical Center. Kern was properly restrained and not injured. Kriegshauser was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

NW Kansas man dies after motorcycle, car accident

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Police responded to the Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County ReStore, 2707 Broadway in Hays at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

The glass front door was broken. Officers cleared the building and found nothing immediately missing.

Habitat for Humanity rents the building. The nonprofit's landlord is checking with insurance to see if the vandalism will be covered.

The group is part of a global, nonprofit organization operated on Christian principles that works to eliminate substandard housing through construction, rehabilitation and advocacy for fair policies.

Habitat is fundraising to invest in another home for an Ellis County resident. The nonprofit earns money through the ReStore thrift store, which is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

Donations can also be made to the local chapter by writing checks payable to Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County and sending them to P.O. Box 444​, Hays, KS 67601.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HFHEC">Follow the ReStore on Facebook</a>.&nbsp;

Habitat for Humanity building in Hays vandalized during weekend

Become an instant finalist in the Miller Lite UTV Giveaway from A&amp;A Coors-Miller and Briney Motorsports of Hays.

Sign up from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday at Ol' 40 Express, 2020 E. Eighth St., Hays

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

Ol 40 will have free ice cream sandwiches, limit one per customer while supplies last. Stop by for breakfast or homemade lunch.

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

Keep listening to Eagle Radio 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 Monday at Ol' 40 Express in Hays!

I remember several years ago clamoring up over the dike of one pond in the McPherson Valley Wetlands to be greeted by what looked like something from an exotic Chinese water garden. I’ve always called them water lilies, but the public lands manager for the Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks who manages the McPherson Valley Wetlands system tells me their proper name is American Lotus, and says they are in fact native to Kansas.

 That reminded me of PePe Le Pew the skunk from cartoons of my generation. PePe fancied himself a ladies’ man, and his famous pickup line was “Ah, my little lotus flower.”

The year I first discovered them was a wet year, and they filled the shallow waters in the corners of the pond like a mat of immense green leaves dotted with bold, pale, yellowish-white flowers the size of cereal bowls. Most of the time these plants are shown with their enormous leaves floating on the water, but here where the water was shallow, they actually rise above the water’s surface. 

Most of the leaves on these plants were about a foot wide, give or take, and the flowers that were fully opened measured 6 inches across. Leaves on older American Lotus plants can reach 24 inches in diameter. An interesting phenomenon is that American Lotus leaves never get wet; water forms a droplet on them and just runs off.

Each flower has a bright, yellow, round center resembling a little double-layer cake. When the flower dies, that center swells into a seed pod 3 or 4 inches wide resembling a wasp nest with several individual seed compartments that each contain a single marble-sized seed. As it further dries the seed pod droops toward the water and the seeds eventually spill out and lay on the bottom of the pond. The seeds can lay dormant in the mud for several years before germinating, which occurs when the hard outer shell softens. 

The plants grow from tuberous roots called rhizomes which can become up to 50 feet long and can have dozens of plants growing from them. American Lotus plants will grow in the still water of any pond, lake or stream that is shallower than 3 feet.

Waterfowl and other wildlife will eat the seeds and tubers if they can get to them. Native Americans peeled and cooked the tubers to eat as vegetables or dried and stored them for winter food. They ate the seeds in soups and other dishes or roasted them like chestnuts. 

Many Great Plains tribes attributed mystic powers to the American Lotus plants. A poultice made from the pulp of the root was thought to relieve the pain of inflammatory ailments such as arthritis, and a mash made from the blossoms and leaves was said to have anti-fungal properties. Although little sound research exists concerning the medicinal properties of the American Lotus, a close cousin, the Indian or Sacred Lotus which is native to Asia and Australia, has been used medicinally for generations. It is known to relieve asthma, inflammation, headache and fatigue, and is said to promote good digestion.

When I first visited Kansas over 30 years ago, I either bought or was given a decorative seed pod of some sort that was brown and hard with numerous round compartments in it, each containing a round hard seed of some sort. I was told they were called “lake nuts.” That decorative object has long since disappeared, but at the time I remember no one seemed to know what the heck it really was. Guess what; after writing this column I now know it was an American Lotus seed pod! I never cease to be amazed at the wildlife and plants which flourish here in Kansas that common sense tells me shouldn’t be&nbsp;here in our prairie state at all.

Of the American Lotus someone has said, “Whenever you doubt your self-worth, remember the lotus flower. Even though it plunges to life beneath the mud, it does not allow the dirt that surrounds it to affect its growth or beauty.” Boy howdy, can we use a heapin’ portion of that today!

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Explore Kansas Outdoors: Ah, my little lotus flower!

Congregate care facilities house foster children in settings ranging from drop-in day programs to inpatient mental health care. Advocates say these buildings need more oversight to curb suspected abuse of children.

By&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/author/blaise-mesa/">BLAISE MESA</a> <a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/05/22/new-child-care-law-in-kansas-has-mixed-reviews/">The Beacon</a>

The license for Carla’s Youth Residential Center in Wichita was suspended in 2018 after suspected cases of sexual and physical abuse of foster kids.

There were other concerns about poor supervision, “prohibited punishments” and unqualified staff. State and federal officials concluded that children at the home were “at risk of ongoing physical and emotional harm,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article205636544.html" target="_blank">The Wichita Eagle reported at the time</a>.

Jump forward to 2025 and issues at group homes still exist today. They are bad enough that Kerrie Lonard, head of the state foster care oversight agency the Office of the Child Advocate, is calling for additional inspections of congregate care facilities.

A congregate care facility is a building that houses children. Some serve as inpatient mental health facilities where children stay for weeks. The facilities can also offer a drop-in day program that takes children when they are between foster homes.

Congregate care buildings are typically inspected around once a year, and that inspection is usually announced and planned ahead of time.

These facilities have drug use, violence between kids, excessive force among staff and property damage, Lonard said. There’s also lax oversight that makes it easier for children to run away.

Brenna Visocsky, Just Campaign director with Kansas Appleseed, said she’s heard about issues at these group settings, but added that children don’t feel listened to when they complain. Additional inspection can catch more problems, especially unannounced visits.

Visocsky said announcing when an inspection is planned could allow facilities to temporarily fix problems, then slide back into old habits once an auditor leaves.

“I worry that when there’s a little bit of preemption, there’s like an awareness someone’s coming,” she said. “Everybody’s ready to be on their best behavior.”

It isn’t clear how many individual issues happen at the placements each year.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://oig.hhs.gov/reports/all/2020/kansas-did-not-ensure-that-group-homes-for-children-in-foster-care-complied-with-all-state-health-and-safety-requirements/#:~:text=We%20conducted%20site%20visits%20at,with%20children%20in%20foster%20care." target="_blank">2020 investigation</a>&nbsp;by the federal Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General found that a vast majority of Kansas sites surveyed weren’t following the law. That audit only looked at the 31 facilities that hold between five and 24 foster children.

The report found facilities with rodent droppings, exposed wires and mold.

Twenty-four of the 31 group homes didn’t comply with state environmental requirements, and 29 of the 31 homes didn’t have background checks or fingerprinting of employees. One home even housed men and women together despite only being licensed to house women.

Lonard’s agency investigated 49 complaints about child safety in 2024. It isn’t clear how many of those were about congregate care facilities specifically.

Requiring regular inspections isn’t supposed to be the end-all solution, Lonard said. But it is a first step toward better understanding of what is happening behind closed doors.

Rep. Cyndi Howerton, a Wichita Republican, said by email that she’d rather not change state law to require more inspections. She hopes the agencies will amend their rules to require additional inspections without the legislature needing to step in.

“However, if necessary, I am open to further discussion when the committee reconvenes in January, and I will continue to advocate for thoughtful, common-sense solutions,” said Howerton, chair of the House Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care. “Ensuring the safety and well-being of children in these settings must remain a top priority.”

Kansas inspector wants more scrutiny of foster care group homes amid complaints

Aug. 9-10 Shady Bend 2-Day Golf Tournament;&nbsp;Shady Bend Golf Course, Osborne;&nbsp;9:00 a.m. 4-Man Scramble. To enter call or text Eric Mans at 785-346-4654

Aug. 12 Mommy &amp; Me Tea;&nbsp;Second Street Café, 715 N. 2nd St, Natoma; 6:00 p.m.; Come on in for an elegant, fun and fanciful tea party; Call 785-346-4772

Aug. 16 See You at the Library;&nbsp;Osborne Public Library, 325 W. Main St., Osborne; BRAVE Books See You at the Library Story Hour 11:00 a.m.

Families will gather in libraries across the country for this nationwide event to celebrate faith, freedom, and the power of storytelling. Together, we’ll rediscover what libraries are meant to be: places that spark imagination, shape character, and speak truth to the next generation. We’ll read books that inspire faith and conviction Spark meaningful conversations And build community with families who care about what really matters Bring your kids. Invite your friends. Let’s fill the library with stories and values that matter.

Aug. 20 Dinner Club at the Second Street Café;&nbsp;Second Street Café, 715 N. 2nd St., Natoma;&nbsp;Enjoy a 7-course meal every third Wednesday at 7:00 at the Second Street Cafe Dinner Club; For more information call 785-346-4772

A super fun day for the whole family in Alton. Starting at 7:00 a.m. at the Front Porch Event Center for coffee and rolls followed by a full day – car and bike shows, cake and pie contests, parade, free watermelon, money dig, food stands, Bull City Olympics, water balloon volleyball, bouncy houses, jam sessions, drawings, Jamie Campbell, comedian, Bull City Newlywed Game, cornhole tournament…it all ends with a free street dance featuring Kill Creek Rising! For more information, check out the Alton Jubilee Facebook page.

Aug. 24 Community Church Service in the Park;&nbsp;10:30 a.m. at the Alton City Park; Sponsored by Mt. Ayr Friends Church and Alton United Methodist Church

Aug. 24 2-Person Golf Tournament;&nbsp;Downs Golf Course, KS-181, Downs;&nbsp;9:00 a.m.; Hosted by Knights of Columbus; Contact Brady Cline at 785-545-6183

Aug. 30 Natoma City Wide Garage Sale, Natoma

August events for Osborne County

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

&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;

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

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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SALINE COUNTY — Small earthquakes shook central Kansas on over the weekend.

Just before 4:30p.m. Saturday, 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.&nbsp; A 2.7 magnitude quake shook the same area a short time later.

Just after 5:35p.m. Sunday the USGS reported a 3.3 magnitude quake approximately 4 miles southeast of Assaria.

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

USGS reports more earthquakes in central Kansas

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY – Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop. 

Just after 10:30p.. on July 27, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on U.S. Highway 75, near 134th Road for a traffic infraction, acording to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The traffic stop led to the arrest of the driver, 48-year-old Carl Thomas Ramsey, of Topeka.  Ramsey was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methampehtamine, criminal possession of a weapon by felon, possession of drug paraphernalia, distribute cocaine, criminal use of weapons; possession of firearm by person addicted/use controlled substance and no drug tax stamp.

Sheriff: Kansas felon accused of selling cocaine

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Loni Anderson, who played a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist on the hit TV comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati,” died Sunday, just days before her 80th birthday.

Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a “prolonged” illness, said her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan.

“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,” Anderson’s family said in a statement.

“WKRP in Cincinnati” aired from 1978-1982 and was set in a flagging Ohio radio station trying to reinvent itself with rock music. The cast included Gary Sandy, Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman, Frank Bonner and Jan Smithers, alongside Anderson as the sexy and smart Jennifer Marlowe.

As the station’s receptionist, the blonde and high-heeled Jennifer used her sex appeal to deflect unwanted business calls for her boss, Mr. Carlson. Her efficiency often kept the station running in the face of others’ incompetence.

The role earned Anderson two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations.

Anderson starred on the big screen alongside Burt Reynolds in the 1983 comedy “Stroker Ace” and the two later married and became tabloid fixtures before divorcing in 1994.

Anderson wrote a 1995 autobiography, “My Life in High Heels,” which she said was about “the growth of a woman, a woman who survives. It’s about my childhood, the death of my parents, my career, my divorces, and my children. Then of course, the trauma of my marriage to Burt.”

“I think if you’re going to write about yourself, you have to do it warts and all,” Anderson told The Associated Press. “You may not even tell the nicest things about yourself, because you’re telling the truth.”

Anderson is survived by her husband Bob Flick, daughter Deidra and son-in law Charlie Hoffman, son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, grandchildren McKenzie and Megan Hoffman, stepson Adam Flick and wife Helene, step-grandchildren Felix and Maximilian.

Loni Anderson, ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ star, has died

KANSAS CITY — A Kansas City woman has been found a guilty of embezzlement, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

“We are proud of last week’s conviction, which is exactly the kind of justice our community deserves,”&nbsp;said Prosecutor Johnson. “In this case, the defendant abused their position of trust to steal from their employer. We will never tolerate these kinds of crimes and pursuing anyone who preys on businesses, whether from the outside or within, remains one of our top priorities.”

During a jury trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2690/JUDGMENT---State-v-Kristen-Cannon_FINAL">Kristen Cannon was convicted</a>&nbsp;of one count of Stealing - $750 or more. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 23. Cannon faces up to seven years in prison.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2689/Kristen-Cannon-PC-Statement_Redacted">According to court records</a>, Cannon was employed at a business between the dates of May 1, 2022, and July 31, 2023, and had access to business finances. The business owner told detectives that the defendant had used the business card for more than $18,000 in personal expenses not related to the business.&nbsp;

Embezzlement: KC woman paid her taxes with company credit card

While the crypto machines can be used for legitimate reasons, they’ve become favored by scammers.

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">Kevin Hardy</a>

They may resemble other ATMs, but officials are increasingly warning about the potential for fraud with the expanding fleet of cryptocurrency ATMs popping up across the country.

The National Consumers League says the largely unregulated machines have become&nbsp;<a href="https://nclnet.org/ncl-supports-new-legislation-to-combat-crypto-atm-fraud/" target="_blank">favored by scammers</a>&nbsp;for their anonymity and irreversibility — once a user transfers or deposits funds, that money is essentially gone.

While officials say the machines can be used for legitimate purposes, red and blue states are increasingly imposing new regulations to protect consumers: AARP says 11 states have recently passed new laws or regulations of the machines.

“In state after state, AARP found lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and local law enforcement eager to work on commonsense rules that balance innovation and consumer safety,” Nancy LeaMond, AARP’s executive vice president and chief advocacy and engagement officer, said in a news release.

Last year, the FBI reported nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf" target="_blank">11,000 complaints</a>&nbsp;of cryptocurrency ATM fraud. Those cases disproportionately affected older Americans and cost victims $246.7 million.

<a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/cryptocurrency" target="_blank">Cryptocurrencies</a>&nbsp;are digital assets, including bitcoin, that offer an alternative payment or method without control of a central bank or government like other currencies.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en-us/posts/investigation-fraud-and-risk/cryptocurrency-atms/" target="_blank">Crypto ATMs</a>, sometimes called crypto kiosks, allow users to insert cash or use debit cards to convert currencies such as U.S. dollars into cryptocurrencies.

The Federal Trade Commission says crypto ATM scams&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/09/scammers-use-bitcoin-atms-steal-your-money" target="_blank">often start&nbsp;</a>with a call or text message warning of a supposed problem, such as unauthorized bank charges or suspicious activity on an Amazon account.

The FTC says consumers should contact banks or other institutions directly about any account issues. And it warns consumers not to believe anyone who says they must use a crypto ATM to address a financial problem.

“Real businesses and government agencies will never do that — anyone who does is a scammer,” the agency said.

After signing a bill with new regulations, Nebraska Republican Gov. Jim Pillen was clear that the state would continue to welcome cryptocurrency businesses as it aims to become a hub for the industry.

The Nebraska law requires ATM operators to acquire state licensure, warn customers of the potential for criminal exploitation and take “reasonable steps to detect and prevent fraud.” The law also limits transactions to $2,000 per day for new customers and $10,500 for existing customers, and requires operators to issue refunds for properly reported fraudulent transactions.

At least&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/financial-services/cryptocurrency-digital-or-virtual-currency-and-digital-assets-2025-legislation" target="_blank">40 states</a>&nbsp;have introduced legislation regarding cryptocurrency, digital or virtual currencies and other digital assets in the 2025 legislative session, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Those measures include ATM regulations, prohibiting the use of digital currencies by governments and allowing state investment in digital assets.

Federal lawmakers are also taking action on the issue. The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives declared the week of July 14&nbsp;<a href="https://financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=410793" target="_blank">“Crypto Week,”</a>&nbsp;when lawmakers considered several pieces of legislation.

At the end of that week, President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-signs-genius-act-crypto-bill/" target="_blank">signed</a>&nbsp;into law the GENIUS Act, the first major law governing digital currency. It establishes a regulatory framework for the industry.

Trump hopes the bill will instill confidence in the industry that spent heavily to strengthen its legitimacy and political might, The Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-stablecoins-congress-cryptocurrency-94fa3c85e32ec6fd5a55576cf46e58ea" target="_blank">reported</a>.

“This signing is a massive validation of your hard work and your pioneering spirit,” the president told crypto executives.

In state legislatures, new bills regulating crypto ATMS have enjoyed bipartisan support. AARP tracking shows new bills have been approved in Arkansas, Iowa and Oklahoma, as well as in more liberal states such as Maryland and Vermont.

In May, Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs&nbsp;<a href="https://azgovernor.gov/office-arizona-governor/news/2025/05/governor-katie-hobbs-legislative-action-update-2" target="_blank">signed</a>&nbsp;Republican-sponsored&nbsp;<a href="https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/1r/bills/hb2387h.htm" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;that sets daily transaction limits and mandates crypto ATM operators provide customers certain disclosures and warnings.

The legislation followed local news coverage of at least<a href="https://www.azfamily.com/2025/02/07/new-warning-after-arizonans-lose-millions-bitcoin-atm-scams/" target="_blank">&nbsp;two dozen crypto scams</a>, including one that cost an Arizonan $28,000.

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>.

Citing potential for fraud, blue and red states pass new crypto ATM laws

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/hillel-italie">HILLEL ITALIE</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;will have a memoir out in the fall on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-democratic-presidential-nomination-eb43b6b346cc644b2d195315cb2bfb20">her historic presidential run</a>.

The book is called “107 Days,” the length of her abbreviated campaign, and will be published by Simon &amp; Schuster on Sept. 23.

On Wednesday, she announced that she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-california-governor-2026-eeea5d7315d65cebb50692c5311379fb">will not run for California governor</a>&nbsp;in 2026, but she is still regarded as a potential presidential candidate for 2028. CBS Television announced that Harris will appear Thursday night on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” her first interview since the election.

Simon &amp; Schuster, where authors also include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward, is calling the Harris book a “page-turning account,” with ”surprising and revealing insights.”

“Kamala Harris is a singular American leader,” Karp said in a statement. “‘107 DAYS’ captures the drama of running for president better than just about anything I’ve read. It’s one of the best works of political nonfiction Simon &amp; Schuster has ever published. It’s an eyewitness contribution to history and an extraordinary story.”

Financial terms for “107 Days,” which is listed at 320 pages, were not disclosed. In 2019, Penguin Books published Harris’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9a8a5861627846f9b378bf86e9c27966">“The Truths We Hold: An American Journey</a>,” timed to coincide with her presidential run for the 2020 election. Harris&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-politics-election-2020-kamala-harris-9f15f9bae46c54de8d88ad3e8388e4be">dropped out before the first primary</a>&nbsp;but was eventually chosen by Biden to be his running mate.

“Just over a year ago, I launched my campaign for President of the United States,” Harris said in a video announcement on Thursday. “107 days traveling the country, fighting for our future — the shortest presidential campaign in modern history. Since leaving office, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on those days and with candor and reflection, I’ve written a behind-the-scenes account of that journey. I believe there’s value in sharing what I saw, what I learned, and what it will take to move forward.”

Simon &amp; Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp declined to offer any specifics on what Harris will write about, including her thoughts on questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-pardon-fitness-reelection-interview-eb84cf6c3e201fa6100419b9fe616f8a">President Joe Biden’s fitness for office</a>, but said Harris “addresses everything we would want her to address.”

Harris ended up heading the Democratic ticket after Biden dropped out last July in the wake of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-lawmakers-debate-2c426f98063ab30143a7675cba10a5b4">a disastrous debate performance</a>, and she was defeated last November by Republican Donald Trump. She would have been the first woman and first woman of color to become president.

🎥Kamala Harris memoir about presidential run a real 'page-turner'

HARVEY COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for the rest of his life for violent child sex crimes.

On July 25, Harvey County District Court Judge Llamas sentenced Christopher M. McAhren, age 32, of Newton, Kansas, to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 100 years, according to the Harvey County Attorney's office.

The sentencing follows McAhren’s guilty plea entered on April 24, 2025, to Aggravated Criminal Sodomy, Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child, Rape of a child under the age of 14, and Aggravated Internet Trading in Child Pornography. 

The victim was under the age of 8 at the time of the offenses.

During sentencing, Harvey County Attorney Heather Figger urged the Court to impose the maximum sentence, citing the severe nature of McAhren’s crimes. “McAhren stole the victims’ innocence, documented his offenses through images, involved others, and shared those images,” Figger told the Court.

“When his crimes were uncovered, he fled the state.”

Judge Llamas agreed with the prosecution, finding McAhren to be a danger to the community and stating his actions were unconscionable.

 McAhren was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences with a 100- year minimum before parole eligibility. If ever released, McAhren would be subject to lifetime parole supervision with electronic monitoring, and sex offender registration.

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