By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board discussed the five-year capital outlay plan during its work session on Monday.

Superintendent Ron Wilson said although the district has made significant investments in the bond, there are still regular capital needs and maintenance that will need to continue.

Wilson explained that the plan is revised frequently as needs change.

The district has an annual 8-mill capital improvement levy. The three-year revenue average is $4.7 million.

Chris Hipp, assistant superintendent of business services, said the district must keep reserves in the capital outlay fund. It can't spend the fund to zero.

The district receives half of its funding at the beginning of the year and the rest halfway through the fiscal year. The district must maintain cash on hand to continue paying lease payments and other expenses.

Hipp said of the five-year plan, "This is not a budget. It's an outlook and a map."

The district has three lease purchase agreements that it will continue to pay on through fiscal year 2029. These include Early Childhood Complex Renovation, which will be paid off in 2029, Roosevelt HVAC, and a lease agreement for turf, lighting, and past work at Wilson Elementary School.

The plan's operations line items include transportation and the annual technology replacement program.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/37908b9e-982b-42eb-becc-c7409b030396">The district contracted with Enterprise last fall to manage its nonbus vehicle fleet.</a> The fleet contract is budgeted at $125,000 for the upcoming fiscal year, with an estimated $295,000 in subsequent years.

Bus replacement is also on a rotation, but on a separate line item.&nbsp;

The district also has listed priorities broken down by building.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9c9d8521-815b-4f1d-8bf6-ddea11091306">O'Loughlin Elementary School is undergoing a renovation and expansion as part of the bond projects.</a>&nbsp;

From the capital outlay fund, the district has budgeted $45,000 for the removal of asbestos flooring from the building, $100,000 for furniture and equipment for fiscal year 2026 and $220,000 to replace the school's parking lot in FY27.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4c2d3e85-7231-4f36-a2e0-a75c7231637b">With the opening of the new Hays High School in August, the district is remodeling the former high school for use as the new middle school.</a>

Students and teachers are set to move into the renovated school in January.

HMS projects in the 2026 capital budget include: • Classroom/bathroom renovation-$200,000 • Grandstands and fencing at game field-$160,000 • Parking lot-$120,000 • Furniture and equipment-$120,000

The fiscal year '27 budget includes roof work and further classroom renovations, with even more classroom renovations in FY28. The district is also planning on parking lot work at that location in FY28 and FY29.

Work will begin in January to renovate what is now Hays Middle School into a new four-section elementary school, Felten Elementary School.

Wilson is set to close as an elementary school at the end of the school year.

Although $3.8 million in bond funds has been budgeted for the Felten renovations, additional work at the school will be funded with capital outlay money.

The following projects will be funded out of the FY26 capital outlay budget: •&nbsp;Asbestos removal-$175,000 •&nbsp;Signage update-$50,000 •&nbsp;Classroom renovation-$50,000 • Furniture and equipment-$300,000. Some of this funding will be used to add storage in classrooms. •&nbsp;Playground relocation upgrades-$150,000 • Change football field to buffalo grass-$10,000. The grass change is being made to eliminate the need to water that field, Wilson said.

Once Wilson is vacated as an elementary school, the district offices will move into that building.

The district has budgeted $750,000 in 2027 and 2028 to renovate the former classrooms into offices. An additional $150,000 is budgeted in FY27 to equip a new boardroom in that building with audio and visual capabilities.

The district has budgeted $90,000 for grass seeding around the new Hays High building this year.&nbsp;

Wilson said the district hopes to eventually add another storage building on the Hays High grounds, but the project may be moved if other needs arise.

The board discussed adding bleachers to the Hays High football stadium. The stadium was built for 2,500, but crowds have been exceptionally large this season, with attendance estimates as high as 5,000.

Wilson said additional bleachers are not included in the capital outlay plan at this time.

The district is considering selling property north of the current Hays Middle School football field. The district also plans to sell the Rockwell property once all of the bond projects are complete.

The school board will make the final decision on the properties' fate. The revenue from the sale of property would be placed in the capital outlay fund.

Wilson said if the district had additional revenue from property sales, it could be used to fund bleachers.

The turf on the new fields at the high school will need to be replaced in the next 10 years, and Wilson said administrators will begin working on a schedule to work that maintenance into the capital outlay plan.

As bond projects near completion, Hays board hears report on capital outlay plan

While it’s not a genetic trait, storytelling can be passed from father to son.

It’s possible that’s how Ted Harbin developed a passion for writing. Harbin, a longtime journalist who has focused his attention to rodeo stories for the past 20 years, has authored "World’s Toughest Rodeo: How One Cowboy Blazed a Trail for Western Sports."

 From W. Brand Publishing and set for release Nov. 11, the book explains how Steve Gander took his meager start in life to be one of the sport’s most successful entrepreneurs.

“Steve Gander’s story fascinates me,” said Harbin, originally from Leoti and a graduate of Trego Community High School in WaKeeney. 

He now operating TwisTed Rodeo in Maryville, Missouri. “Having spent time with Steve over the last few years, I love hearing his stories about creating World’s Toughest Rodeo and the things he was doing 40 years ago that nobody had even considered.”

Harbin collaborated with Gander over the last two years to pen the memoir. With it, he added another level of storytelling, an attribute he obtained from his father, Dean.

“My dad loved to tell jokes and connect with people that way,” Harbin said. “Sometimes his jokes weren’t the most appropriate, but that’s OK; sometimes the content of my stories wouldn’t be appropriate without a little self-editing.”

Harbin began his journalism career as a student at Pratt Community College, then carried that on to a degree in mass communication from Fort Hays State University. Over a 22-year span, he worked at newspapers in Smith Center, Atwood, Hays, Dodge City,&nbsp; Hutchinson, Stillwater, Oklahoma; Guymon, Oklahoma; Oklahoma City; and Maryville.

He developed TwisTed Rodeo in 2005 and directs most of his attention to producing content for and about the sport. He serves as media director for several events and travels the country doing so, from southeast Texas to southern Idaho. He is one of eight who has been recognized with media award from both of rodeo’s premier sanctioning bodies, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.

“In my lifetime, I have covered everything from school board meetings to murder trials to soccer games,” he said. “I believe every experience I’ve had in my career was instrumental in writing this book. Of course, the subject-matter helped. Steve is a storyteller, too, and that alone was intriguing to me. Allowing him and the others to help with details of his brand of rodeo was an incredible experience.”

When his parents needed help on their small, family farm in northeastern Iowa, Steve Gander was the first one to help. It comes with being the oldest of seven children raised on the rugged and hilly terrain in that part of the state. There were hogs to feed and crops to manage, and every helping hand was important to the family’s bottom line.

“We were poor, but we didn’t know we were poor,” Gander said in the memoir. “Everybody in northeastern Iowa was poor at the time.”

There may not have been much financially, but the rewards were plenty, which is how Gander became one of the most prolific promotors and producers in rodeo history. The biography details how Gander forged his own brand through work ethic and innovation.

Gander was raised in the 1950s and ’60s. Faith and family were foremost in the household, but there was work to be done. Whether he was slipping and sliding through the muck of a hog pen or driving the tractor – he first got behind the wheel of the family’s John Deere 50 at age 7 – Gander’s foundation was formed.

It carried him to extraordinary things. He produced hundreds of events, including the return of rodeo to Madison Square Garden in New York City and the Command Performance Rodeo, a special and spectacular event produced specifically for President Ronald Reagan and thousands of other dignitaries in 1983 near Washington, D.C.

“After two decades in newspaper and another two utilizing my journalism skills with TwisTed Rodeo, this book is like a dream come true,” Harbin said. “Steve gave me the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and create something that will outlive me, much like he did with World’s Toughest Rodeo. This is a work of passion, not only for the sport of rodeo, which Steve and I share, but also for the storytelling that I love so much.

“I have been able to tell some incredible stories in my lifetime. This one might just be my favorite.”

Former Hays newspaper writer pens 'World’s Toughest Rodeo' as memoir about success

LENORA —&nbsp;Nex-Generation Round Up for Youth, Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Janette Meis as its new Executive Director. Meis brings extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, higher education, and youth programming, with a career dedicated to advancing opportunities for young people and strengthening Kansas communities.

Prior to joining Nex-Generation, Meis spent 10 years at Fort Hays State University, including two and a half years with the FHSU Alumni Association and the remainder as Communications Specialist in the Office of the President. Before her time at the university, she served 15 years as the State Director for Kansas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), where she led statewide efforts supporting volunteers who advocate for children in the foster care system.

“I’m thrilled to join an organization that’s making such a tangible difference in the lives of rural youth,” said Meis. “Nex-Generation’s programs open doors for young people to explore careers, build real-world skills, and envision a future right here in Northwest and North Central Kansas. I’m excited to help strengthen and grow those opportunities.”

Nex-Generation Round Up for Youth continues to invest in the region’s future leaders through a variety of educational and career-based programs:

· Internship/Work Study Programs: Connecting high school and college students with local businesses to gain hands-on career experience. Business applications to host interns are currently open until December 1.

· Life$kills: In-person Interactive classroom sessions that teach students essential financial literacy and personal development skills. The deadline to apply is November 21.

· Virtual Career Fairs: Engaging online events that introduce students to regional employers and career pathways. Deadline for participating is October 30.

· Young AmeriTowne of Kansas: A hands-on learning experience designed for 4th – 8th grades, where students operate a simulated town, learning about entrepreneurship, civics, and economics. School enrollment deadline for Young AmeriTowne is October 31. To enroll go to: <a href="https://www.nex-generation.org/young-ameritowne">www.nex-generation.org/young-ameritowne</a>

Starting in 2013, Nex-Generation Round Up for Youth is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preparing and retaining youth for future careers in the 28 counties of Northwest and North Central. Through career exploration, leadership, and entrepreneurship programs, the organization helps young people envision their future close to home.

For more information about Nex-Generation’s programs or to apply/enroll in one of our programs, visit <a href="https://www.nex-generation.org/">www.nex-generation.org</a> or contact Janette Meis at jmeis@nex-generation.org.

Nex-Generation round up for youth welcomes new executive director

Wednesday, Oct. 29 Annual Fort Hays State University Agriculture Department Halloween Hoedown Trunk or Treat, 4 to 6 p.m., University Farm, Andrew D. Riegel Building. Free.

Trunk or Treat, 5:30 to 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 305 W. Seventh St. Free.

Thursday, Oct. 30 Sternberg Museum: Monster Mash, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.,&nbsp;3000 Sternberg Drive. $10 general admission, $8 for members, and children 2 and younger are free.

Friday, Oct. 31 Trick or Treat on the Bricks, 3 to 5 p.m., Main Street. Free.

Trick or Treating at The Northridge Plaza, 3 to 5 p.m., North Ridge Plaza.

Trick or Treat on the Bricks at Hays Public Library, 3 to 5 p.m.,&nbsp;1205 Main St.

Trick-R-Treating at Big Creek Crossing, 3 to 5 p.m., 2918 Vine St.&nbsp;

Trick or Treat at Centennial Towers, 3 to 7 p.m., 2502 Sherman Ave.

Trunk or Treat at North Oak Community Church, 5 to 7:30 p.m., 3000 Oak St.

Paisley Pear hosts: Dancin' Stew, 8 to 10 p.m.,&nbsp;1100 Main St.

Halloween events in Hays, starting tonight

<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 Hays Area Chapter of Ducks Unlimited invites the community to its annual fundraising banquet on Friday, Nov. 1, at the Ellis County Fairgrounds.

Doors open at 5 p.m. for an evening of fun, food, and fundraising for wetlands conservation.

This year's event features an amazing meal catered by Chubb’s Que and includes an open bar, social hour, raffle games, a silent auction, and a thrilling live auction.

Attendees will have the chance to win an incredible selection of prizes, including:

A special Ladies' Table will also feature its own set of amazing prizes.

Tickets are $60 per couple. This event is expected to sell out, so advance purchase is required.

To secure your tickets, please visit the link below:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://ducksunlimited.myeventscenter.com/event/Hays-Banquet-115190/purchase">https://ducksunlimited.myeventscenter.com/event/Hays-Banquet-115190/purchase</a>

Hays organizations receive 2026 Leadership Transformation Grant

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The Cold Weather Rule, designed to help Kansans who are behind on their utility payments avoid disconnection during the winter months, will begin on Saturday, November 1 and remain in effect through March 31.

While the Cold Weather Rule is in effect, utility companies cannot disconnect a customer's service when the local temperatures are forecast to drop below 35 degrees within the following 48-hour period. The Kansas Corporation Commission, the agency that regulates public utilities in the state, implemented the rule in 1983 to prevent utility companies from disconnecting a customer's natural gas, electric or water service during periods of extreme cold.

The Cold Weather Rule also requires utility companies to offer a 12-month payment plan to allow consumers to maintain or re-establish service. Any residential customer with a past due balance will qualify for payment arrangements; however, it is the customer's responsibility to contact the utility to make those arrangements.

Payment plan terms to maintain or restore service require that customers agree to pay 1/12th of the total amount owed, 1/12th of the current bill, the full amount of any disconnection or reconnection fee, plus any applicable deposit to the utility. The remaining balance must be paid in equal payments over the next 11 months, in addition to the current monthly bill.

The Cold Weather Rule applies only to residential customers of utility companies under the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kcc.ks.gov%2Fabout-us%2Fjurisdiction%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0101019a2b2604a9-f6a7259d-a238-4342-817a-a8b2bdf0fdd8-000000/ICa2swsBADbyMHC6Ahz3wX6mzo_3T4Lvnyi38RiMN68=428">KCC's jurisdiction</a>, however many municipal utilities and cooperatives have similar winter weather policies.

Information about the Cold Weather Rule is available on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kcc.ks.gov%2Fconsumer-information%2Fcold-weather-rule%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0101019a2b2604a9-f6a7259d-a238-4342-817a-a8b2bdf0fdd8-000000/dE6JZLddSVO2cTwiepzb8lIlZ6B8yZuYekimPxdSH3E=428">Commission’s website</a><a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Flinkprotect.cudasvc.com%2Furl%3Fa=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.kcc.ks.gov%252Fconsumer-information%252Fcold-weather-rule%253Futm_medium%253Demail%2526utm_source%253Dgovdelivery%26c=E%252C1%252CEFhPWc-npJHC7SLIDM6OMuVKUr3wX9Xg4C-2l1zFp6i2MFyzNb_qLElkJQELZugDIrGtLQMT5BD4XlfbuOEOM56KVuryQVxL6SMnhGA16QG8r25Q%26typo=1%26utm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0101019a2b2604a9-f6a7259d-a238-4342-817a-a8b2bdf0fdd8-000000/3Oz34MpIzAh2MQ-rohgr6rnjCvJD0DOzYw9a1dKCEmk=428">.&nbsp;</a>Kansans may also contact their local utility company or the KCC's Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at (800) 662-0027 or 785-271-3140 to learn more. A link to the Cold Weather Rule flyer appears below.

<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kcc.ks.gov%2Fimages%2FPress_Links%2FCold%2520Weather%2520Rule%2FCWR_Eng-Span_2025.pdf%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0101019a2b2604a9-f6a7259d-a238-4342-817a-a8b2bdf0fdd8-000000/B9VO4aBY_BYAw0JufMb5CZTjKDxk6AVvqIEYenXc1yc=428">Cold Weather Rule Flyer (English/Spanish)</a>

Kansas cold weather rule takes effect Nov. 1

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

By 9 a.m. this morning, Hays received .35 inches of rain. Hays has received 2.09 inches in the month of October, according to the K-State Ag Research Center.

The Eagle Media Center received .45 inches at the studios from overnight.

Hays has received 24.63 inches of moisture year-to-date.

On average, Hays receives 2.18 inches of rain in October and 22.50 inches of moisture year-to-date by the end of October.

The forecast for today is mostly sunny and windy, with a high of 57 and a low of 32. Sunny skies are expected for the rest of the week, with highs remaining in the 50s.

Hays receives rain; sunny skies expected this week

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

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

How to submit an obituary to the Hays Post

Please email obituaries to haysobits@eaglemedia.com.

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

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

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

Recent obituaries, how to submit an obituary

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Ellen Riedel of Ellis and her husband transformed a long-vacant building into an event venue to breathe new life into town, but now she says they were hit with a tax bill that almost quadrupled overnight.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DolceVitaEllis/">Dolce Vita</a>, 203 E. Second St., has become a modern venue for weddings, corporate events, reunions and other community gatherings.

"Rather than just driving by this eyesore day after day, we purchased and invested in the property to give this community some pride," Riedel said.

However, Riedel said after investing in repairs, including new wiring, plumbing and roofing, their property taxes increased from $3,510 to $20,810, about a 492% increase.

In addition, the venue has two wet bars, a catering kitchen, and a 15-by-50-foot state-of-the-art sound and lighting system.

Riedel said Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican, reached out to inform her about <a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li_2022/b2021_22/measures/sb13/">Senate Bill 13</a>. Ridel said she appealed the assessment to the county appraiser, who determined that her improvements did not qualify as maintenance. She added that the valuation dropped slightly before increasing again.

The bill states that it prohibits an increase in the appraised property value resulting from regular repair, replacement, or maintenance of existing structures, equipment, or other improvements on the property.

"Everything is supposed to remain revenue neutral, but our property taxes continue to skyrocket out of control," she said.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktnbjGVOf6k">On Oct. 13, Riedel addressed the Kansas Special Committee on Taxation</a>, saying she has heard from many Kansas taxpayers who feel overwhelmed by rising property taxes.

Riedel and her husband purchased the roughly 10,000-square-foot building in 2022 after it had remained empty for two decades, saying that she has not given up on the city of Ellis and its population of about 1,900.

"My husband turned it into a beautiful venue, and what was our reward? Massive tax increases," she said.

Riedel said commercial and residential properties should be distinguished, as both generate property tax revenue. However, commercial properties also generate sales and employment taxes. She suggested placing a lower cap on valuation increases for commercial properties.

Riedel told Hays Post property owners are caught in a game of finger-pointing between county officials and mill levies. She is pushing for a statewide 3% cap on property valuation increases.

Riedel also said Senate Bill 13 needs stronger enforcement and that counties should be held accountable for “breaking the law.”

"Protect community revitalization rather than punishing people for improving their properties," she said to the committee.

Riedel said that residential valuations in Ellis County increased, citing CEO Dave Trabert of the Kansas Policy Institute, a conservative-leaning think tank that provides non-profit research.

"I promise you the voters in your counties are going to be slapping you high fives, patting you on the back, and you are going to be heroes," Riedel said to the committee. "I know that you can change our lives by implementing tax reform."

Riedel referred to Oklahoma as evidence that limiting annual property valuation increases can be effective.

Oklahoma attorney Wayne Allison told Topeka lawmakers his state limits annual valuation increases to 3% for homestead and agricultural properties and 5% for commercial properties, with any revenue hikes requiring voter approval.

Allison said the caps did not hurt local funding and Oklahoma relies more on sales tax to fund operations.

Riedel also raised concerns with the committee that seniors are being taxed out of their homes because property taxes now exceed their former mortgage payments. She also pushed for a 100% exemption for qualifying veterans.

Sedgwick County Commissioner Jeff Blubaugh also testified that Kansas’s property valuation system is inconsistent and flawed, drawing on his own experiences to support his statement.

Ellis owner testifies in Topeka on steep property tax hike after revitalizing property

Submit your fall harvest photo until Oct 29th at 11:59pm. The photo with the most votes will win their choice of Asgrow Soybeans, or DeKalb Corn seed! Voting takes place Oct 30th-Nov 5th!

Midland Marketing Farmers of Fall 2025

&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

The deadline for letters to the editor about the upcoming local elections on Nov. 4 will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Letters can be sent to hayspost@eaglemedia.com. All letters must be typed and signed.

Letters must pertain&nbsp;to&nbsp;a local&nbsp;topic and be written by someone from&nbsp;the&nbsp;Hays&nbsp;Media Center&nbsp;coverage area.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Hays Post reserves&nbsp;the&nbsp;right&nbsp;to&nbsp;reject&nbsp;letters.&nbsp;

Election letter to the editor deadline

Annual Turkey Shoot at New Almelo on Nov. 9; pre-shoot on Nov. 2

October 30 is a fifth Thursday of the month; therefore, there won't be a Hays City Commission work session that day.&nbsp;

No Hays City Commission work session Thursday

The Ellis County Landfill will be closed on the following days for the holidays:

Tuesday, November 11th - Veterans Day Thursday, November 27th - Thanksgiving Day Friday, November 28th - Day after Thanksgiving Wednesday, December 24th - Christmas Eve Thursday, December 25th - Christmas Day Thursday, January 1, 2026 - New Years Day

Normal operating hours will remain the same for all other days that we are open.&nbsp; If you have any questions, please feel free to call the landfill at (785) 628-9460.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Upcoming holiday closures for Ellis County Landfill

DORRANCE — The Dorrance American Legion Post 334 will host a steak feed Saturday, Nov. 8.

Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. with the meal at 6 :30 p.m.

12 or 6-ounce ribeye steak with baked potato, corn, green beans, tea or water and a big selection of desserts will be served.&nbsp;

Cold beer and mixed drinks will be available.

Proceeds benefit the Dorrance American Legion Post 334.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Dorrance American Legion steak feed Nov. 8

"The Three Little Pigs" are coming to Hays on Tuesday, Oct. 28. It's a free production by the popular Wichita Children's Theatre in cooperation with the Hays Arts Council. The performance is at 6:30 p.m. in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center at Fort Hays State University.&nbsp;

On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks with Brenda Meder, director of school programming for the arts council. 

They also discuss the new Block Party on the Bricks on Saturday, Nov. 1. <a href="https://givebutter.com/c/HACblockpARTy">Tickets</a> for the fundraiser are on sale now.

🎙 Post Podcast: Free production of 'The Three Little Pigs' on Oct. 28 with Hays Arts Council  

The 2025 Annual Residential Fall Cleanup areas for trash and tree limb pickup have been completed.

The city of Hays thanks you for your cooperation.

If you have any questions, please contact the Public Works Department at (785) 628-7350.

Fall residential cleanup 2025 complete for Hays

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in a pedestrian accident just before 3:30a.m. Tuesday in Overland Park.

A vehicle was eastbound on Goddard Street just west of Switzer Road, according to Officer John Lacy. The vehicle initially struck a parked vehicle on the westbound side of the street.&nbsp; it continued eastbound and struck a pedestrian later identified as 68-year-old Janet Dam of Overland Park. She was walking westbound on the edge of the roadway.&nbsp; The vehicle eventually came to a stop after striking a tree. 

Dam was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of vehicle was transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.

&nbsp;Investigators say Dam is known to walk daily in the area around 4a.m. She was not carrying any identification at the time of the incident.&nbsp;

Kan. woman struck and killed by vehicle near her home

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rebecca-santana">REBECCA SANTANA</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/elliot-spagat">ELLIOT SPAGAT</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is reassigning at least half the top leadership at Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices around the country in a major shake-up of the agency responsible for carrying out the president’s vision for mass deportations, according to one current and one former U.S. government official.

The current official, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity, said 12 ICE field office directors — the officers who run the network of field offices around the country responsible for immigration enforcement — were being reassigned.

Half are to be replaced by existing or retired Customs and Border Protection staff, while the other half would be replaced by ICE officers, both the current and former officials said. The changes were initiated by the Homeland Security Department, the current official said, without specifying which cities were impacted.

The former official, who has direct knowledge of the changes and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss information that was not intended for public release, said on top of the 12 reassignments, leaders in another four cities were being swapped out through retirements or other circumstances. He said the cities include major immigration enforcement targets such as Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington.

He added that ICE leadership has been discussing the changes with other Trump administration officials for some time as part of a broad review of the agency.

The reason for the personnel changes wasn’t immediately clear. But they indicate a greater integration of Border Patrol agents in ICE at a time when Customs and Border Protection has been accused of using heavy-handed tactics in its immigration enforcement.

A major shakeup in Trump’s immigration enforcement leadership

With a total of 25 field offices around the country, the reassignments amount to turnover of about half or more of the top staffers carrying out the president’s hardline immigration enforcement plans, which has seen a major deployment of law enforcement in major American cities, thousands of arrests and surging fear among residents, especially in immigrant communities.

Homeland Security and the White House did not comment on the reassignments and each instead highlighted that all elements of immigration enforcement were working as one team.

Putting Customs and Border Protection officers into top positions within Immigration and Customs Enforcement would create an expanded role for an agency that is already at the forefront of many of the aggressive tactics seen in both Los Angeles and now in Chicago.

CBP officers — specifically Border Patrol agents — have carried out some of the most controversial operations as part of immigration crackdowns in both of those cities,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-immigration-raid-trump-crackdown-1472ec9dd297054a36925b06297aca2f" rel="nofollow">including a recent raid</a>&nbsp;in Chicago where officers rappelled down onto a building in an apartment complex from a helicopter. Border Patrol agents have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-los-angeles-trojan-horse-penske-1b86bc5f2ff716b89f4aba3320a96979" rel="nofollow">also popped out of a moving truck</a>&nbsp;and chased after people and conducted patrols through downtown Chicago.

Border Patrol agents protect the land and water between the official border crossings to prevent human trafficking, drug smuggling or other types of contraband from entering the U.S. ICE, since its creation in 2003, is the main agency responsible for immigration enforcement inside the country.

But during the Trump administration, Border Patrol agents have been taking part in immigration enforcement operations around the country, far from their more traditional duties.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gregory-bovino-immigration-takeaways-282bcb88d370a77e5188ef97931aff6e" rel="nofollow">Gregory Bovino</a>, the Border Patrol sector chief from California who has been heading the Border Patrol’s operations in both cities, is himself accused of throwing tear gas canisters at protesters and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-illinois-ice-border-patrol-immigration-bovino-d1cf9ce5309f0175a24fdd276f52f06c" rel="nofollow">took the stand</a>&nbsp;Tuesday as a defendant in a federal lawsuit about whether federal officials are using excessive force in Chicago.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement says its agents carry out “targeted enforcement operations,” which often&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-deportation-ice-chicago-arrest-fd6d049fcd293b62f85ffcd5b1a547ee" rel="nofollow">involve hours of time staking out</a>&nbsp;people they’re trying to remove from the country.

It’s the latest in a series of personnel changes

This is the third shake-up at ICE since Trump took office, reflecting the importance of the agency’s role in executing the president’s vision.

In February,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-ice-trump-deportation-4efd094b7b353e4350493986cd6975c2" rel="nofollow">Homeland Security reassigned Caleb Vitello</a>, the acting director of ICE, to another position. Todd Lyons, a veteran ICE agent, was later announced as the new acting head of the agency, a position he still holds.

Then in May, ICE announced the reassignment of the two top officials heading the agency’s main branches.

A spokesperson for Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, did not comment Tuesday on the personnel changes but said in a statement that the department remained “laser focused on RESULTS and we will deliver.”

“This is one team, one fight,” she said. “President (Donald) Trump has a brilliant, tenacious team led by Secretary (Kristi) Noem to deliver on the American people’s mandate to remove criminal illegal aliens from this country.”

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in an e-mailed statement: “The President’s entire team is working in lockstep to implement the President’s policy agenda, and the tremendous results from securing the border to deporting criminal illegal aliens speak for themselves.”

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