By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Fair debuted one of its new grandstand events featuring Midget Wrestling Warriors.

Wrestling fans gathered at the Ellis County Fairgrounds on Friday to watch performers soar off the top rope and slam each other onto the mat.

The fair concluded on Saturday with the Moto Rodeo, marking the end of a week filled with family fun and nightly entertainment.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6fc57391-a497-4027-a3a0-77b377726ea9">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis County Fair 2025 RPM Speedway races</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d33f02a2-1e2c-4f82-996b-b558bd1360cd">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis County Fair 2025 KPRA Rodeo</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f53dc94a-5ff3-400b-b1a1-4ab7afed9ac7">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis County Fair 2025 Ranch Rodeo</a>

Midget wrestling shakes up 2025 Ellis County Fair

The Eagle Media Center in Hays will be hosting marketing workshops on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. 

 The workshops will be at the Eagle Media Center at 2300 Hall Street in Hays. 

 To book a time to attend or for more information, please call Scarlett at 785-301-2211.

Eagle Media marketing workshops set for Aug. 27

HOXIE – The Main Street Arts Council (MSAC) invites the public to join them this weekend as they continue their production schedule of the annual Main Street Summer Theater Festival with performances in Colby.

“Local youth from across northwest Kansas have been hard at work rehearsing for their performances of Disney’s Dare to Dream Jr., and we invite you to join us in celebrating their incredible talent!” said MSAC Executive Director Karl Pratt.

This year’s festival features the same production, Disney’s Dare to Dream Jr., performed by young actors from six different communities, each bringing its own interpretation to the musical revue. The show, which includes songs from Encanto, Coco, Frozen, and more, celebrates dreams, teamwork, and creativity.

Colby: Friday, July 18 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 19 at 3 p.m., Heartland Christian School, 1995 W 4th St., Colby.

Quinter: Friday, July 25 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 26 at 3 p.m., Quinter Elementary School, 601 Gove St., Quinter.

Oakley: Friday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 9 at 3 p.m., Oakley High School Auditorium, 118 W 7th St., Oakley.

“Each performance is an opportunity to support our talented youth performers who have poured their hearts into bringing this magical show to life. We invite everyone to attend and help us celebrate the creativity and passion that defines our community,” noted Pratt.

For more information about the festival, including additional performance details, tickets, and ways to support the event, visit <a href="https://www.mainstreetartscouncil.com/msstf2025">www.mainstreetartscouncil.com/msstf2025</a> or contact mainstreetartscouncil@gmail.com.

Learn more at <a href="https://www.mainstreetartscouncil.com/">www.mainstreetartscouncil.com</a>.

Main Street Summer Theater Festival continues with performances in Colby, Quinter, Oakley

The Hays Public Library will host a program about the creation of eight Catholic parishes in Ellis and Rush Counties in the late 1800s. Father Reggie Urban will give the presentation on Thursday, July 24 at 6 p.m.

In 1876, Father Valentine Sommereisen, a German-speaking priest from France, arrived in Hays just as waves of Volga-German immigrants were settling in the region. In only 19 months, he founded eight Catholic parishes within a half-hour of Hays, spanning Ellis and Rush counties. Join us as we explore his remarkable legacy, the growth of these early faith communities, and the enduring cultural impact of the Volga-German settlers in western Kansas.

Father Urban is a semi-retired priest of the Dodge City Diocese living in Hays. Both sides of his Volga-German ancestry settled in the Pfeifer area. Since living in Hays, he has learned some interesting things about the Catholic priest from France who founded parishes in Hays, Catherine, Victoria, Pfeifer, Liebenthal, Rush Center, Munjor, and Schoenchen.

You can find out more about this and other library programs at <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/">https://hayslibrary.org/&nbsp;</a>or by calling 785-625-9014.

Father Valentine, Eight Parishes presentation at Hays Public Library

The Women Who Lead still has raffle tickets left for its 31 Days of Cash drawing in August.&nbsp;

Tickets are $25 each. A maximum of 500 tickets will be sold.

A drawing will be conducted each day in August. 

Prizes will be $75 each day Aug. 1-15 $125 each day Aug. 16-28 $250 on Aug. 29 $500 on Aug. 30 $1,000 on Aug 31

All proceeds from the raffle will support scholarships for women in Ellis County pursuing post-secondary education.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/eb1eab34-3efe-439b-b038-a0dc1afb6465">This spring, Women Who Lead awarded eight $1,000 scholarships.</a> Help us continue to support women's education in 2026 with your generous donation and maybe win some cash in the process.

Tickets can be purchased from Renee Moritz at the Bank of Hays, by calling Moritz at 785-650-1095 or emailing rmoritz@bankofhays.com.

You can also purchase tickets at the Eagle Radio Media Center, 2300 Hall St., Hays. Ask for Scarlett Deutscher or Cristina Janney. You may also contact Janney at crisksu@gmail.com or 785-301-2077.

Tickets on sale for Women Who Lead raffle; funds support scholarships

&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

Volunteer needed for final cleanup at Grinnell

The Hays Youth Advisory Leadership Board is sponsoring a Cruise Main Street event Friday, June 18, beginning at 9 p.m. in the Chestnut Street District of downtown Hays.

There is no charge to participate or attend.

It's a nostalgic celebration of car culture for all ages!

For more information contact Mario Hernandez, board member, at 785-365-9216.

Cruise downtown Hays Main Street Friday with the Youth Leadership Advisory Board

Join our new Hays Post Newsletter and receive the top news stories from your community every morning in your email inbox plus one-click access to the latest obituaries.&nbsp;

Sign up for free Hays Post Newsletter

City of Hays The city of Hays will begin asphalt sealcoating work on select streets starting this month, weather permitting.

Sealcoating protects and extends the life of pavement while improving safety and appearance.

During the project, affected areas will be temporarily closed or reduced to one lane. All vehicles must be moved by the dates noted on contractor notices to avoid towing.

Residents are encouraged to follow all posted signage and use caution while the sealcoat cures. The full project map and details are available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haysusa.com/155/Project-Management">HaysUSA.com</a>.

Please note that weather conditions could delay the schedule.

This important preventative maintenance is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to maintain road quality.

The city appreciates the community’s patience and cooperation.

Questions may be directed to the City of Hays Public Works Department at 785-628-7350.

Sealcoating project set to begin as early as today

The Heartland Community Foundation invites all interested residents, leaders, and community stakeholders to two upcoming Strategic Doing meetings in Trego and Rooks counties. These collaborative gatherings are designed to bring people together to address local opportunities and challenges through a practical, action-oriented approach. 

Plainville Thursday, July 17 at 5:30 p.m. at Plainville Senior Center Topic: The Future of Redbud Village and Estates

 Redbud Village and Estates has served as a vital provider of long-term care and employment since 1963. As the facility undergoes a cultural and operational renewal, the time is right for the community to consider its future direction. This session will focus on sustaining and strengthening Redbud for future generations.

 “For decades, Redbud has provided essential services in our area,” said Deanna Hammerschmidt, Heartland’s Rooks County director. “We’re asking our neighbors to join us, share their ideas, and help shape a strong path forward.” 

WaKeeney Wednesday, July 23 at 7:00 p.m. at Western Kansas Electric Cooperative Community Room Topic: Exploring Opportunities for WaKeeney and Trego County

 This broader session will highlight current projects in the area and invite residents to contribute ideas and feedback.&nbsp;Participants will help identify actionable next steps to ensure continued community vitality.

&nbsp;“Strategic Doing goes beyond just sharing ideas—it’s focused on taking action,” said Savannah Downing, Heartland’s Trego County director. “We’re inviting our community members in WaKeeney to come together and be part of creating real solutions.”

Both meetings use the Strategic Doing model, a guided process that helps communities form collaborative groups, develop practical solutions, and build momentum through measurable steps. 

Participation is also part of the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, which encourages long-term, collaborative thinking by offering additional grant opportunities to communities that actively engage in this process. 

No RSVP is required. Refreshments will be provided at both events. All are welcome. 

For more information: Plainville meeting: Contact Deanna Hammerschmidt at 785-621-4090 or visit www.heartlandcf.org. WaKeeney meeting: Contact Savannah Downing at 785-743-3270 or email savannah@gscf.org.&nbsp;

Strategic Doings in Plainville, WaKeeney hosted by Heartland Community Foundation 

A rezoning request for the former Lincoln School property at 1906 Ash from public and institutional district to multi-family district will be presented during a Hays Area Planning Commission public hearing on Monday, July 21.

Hays developer Michael Graham plans to remodel the former school into  26 to 28 one- and two-bedroom apartments as well as building seven 4-plexes on the surrounding area east of the building.

The 100-year-old elementary school was closed in May as a part of the ongoing USD 489 bond projects.&nbsp;

The meeting begins at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

Public hearing Monday for rezoning of former Lincoln School into housing development

Hays USD 489 school district officials are requesting a variance in the sign height and square feet for a larger than normal monument sign at 2300 E. 13th. The new Hays High/Middle School buildings are set back further than typical from the street for institutional or commercial buildings.&nbsp;

A larger sign is necessary to maintain adequate visibility and scale for motorists approaching the site. 

Under current regulations for monument signs in public and institutional zoning district, the maximum allowable sign area is 36 square feet, and the maximum height is 12 feet. USD 489 is requesting a sign area of 81.75 square feet and a total height of 13 feet 10 inches.&nbsp;

A rezoning request will be held Monday, July 21 at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall by the Hays Area Board of Zoning Appeals.&nbsp;

Zoning appeal hearing Monday for Hays High/Middle schools new monument sign

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about the property taxes and ongoing building projects on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

Please submit your questions for Doug for future interviews to&nbsp;hayspost@eaglemedia.com.

🎙 Post Podcast: Doug Williams of Grow Hays on property taxes

The only reason I put up with summer in Kansas is… well, because I have to! My only alternatives are to move or die. The first takes too much energy, and the second, well, let’s just say I’ll put up with summer! (Although as I get older, door number 2 looks less ominous all the time.)

 The term “Dog Days of Summer” has always intrigued me. This term was long ago given to the hottest and muggiest part of the summer, which someone has determined to be between July 3 and August 11. So here is a little trivia on the “The Dog Days of Summer.”

Stars and constellations played a big part in the lives of the ancients. Two such constellations, Canis Major and Canis Minor, were said to resemble dogs.

 The brightest star in Canis Major is named Sirius, “the dog star,” and also happens to be the brightest star in the night sky. It is in fact so bright, that ancient Romans believed the earth received heat from it. During our summer, there is a period when Sirius rises and sets with the sun, and it was believed that during this period, the Dog Star actually added its heat to the sun, creating a period of extra hot and muggy weather now known as “The Dog Days.”

So, what can we “dog days haters,” who think it’s even too hot to fish, do to scratch our “outdoor sportsman’s itch” during this time?&nbsp;

 Frog season started here in Kansas July 1 and is a great nighttime sport. We hunted frogs a lot when I was a kid and thought nothing of walking a couple hundred yards across someone’s pasture in the middle of the night just to get to a pond full of frogs. Now days it’s not quite so much fun sloggin’ around a pond in pitch black darkness in soaking wet jeans and old sneakers, but the sweet taste of fried frog legs is still the same!

Now’s also a fine time to browse the Cabela’s and Bass Pro catalogs to get a jump on your fall hunting wish list. This begins by going over your equipment and clothing, looking for equipment needing repaired or replaced. You know how clothing seems to “shrink” a little each season! 

Also order that new equipment you want to experiment with this year. Mail-ordered merchandise can take considerable time to receive, and ordering early also gives you time to make returns and exchanges if needed. So, carry the catalogs from the bathroom to the easy chair and get started!

I guess when it’s 105 degrees in the shade, it’s hard to think about deer hunting, but The Dog Days are also a good time to begin garnering hunting and trapping permission. Unless you already have a standing agreement in place with landlords, hunting and trapping permission is often first come-first served. This can be done over the phone, but I prefer a more personal touch and like to drive to the owner’s home and talk to them in person. 

Remember, the early bird gets the worm (or the pheasant, the deer or&nbsp;the coyote.) Also, this is a great time to start gathering unwanted apples from under people’s trees to feed to the deer.

Now is also a great time to brush up on your hunting and trapping skills or learn new ones by reading “how to” books and magazine articles. Think back about the things that didn’t go as planned last season and search out the resources to correct them, be that books, magazine articles, tapes &amp; DVDs or fellow sportsmen.

So, pour a glass of iced tea, settle into your recliner, surround yourself with all your wish books, magazines, DVDs and the TV remote, and for these next few “dog-day” weeks, continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors, even if it’s from your living room!

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

Explore Kansas Outdoors: What to do when the Dogs of Summer howl

BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State University announces Nicholas Joe Schwien of Hays has graduated following the spring 2025 semester.

Schwien graduated with a Master of Mass Communication from SDSU's College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Almost 1,500 students completed all requirements for a degree and/or certificate program. Overall, students from 34 states and 28 nations graduated following the spring 2025 semester. Nearly 70 students received two or more degrees or certificates from a college

Hays student earns master's degree from South Dakota State University

Fort Hays State University Online is excited to announce its upcoming "Tiger Take Over" – a live SMS event designed to provide prospective students with direct access to Online Admissions Advisors.

The "Tiger Take Over" will be held on Tuesday, July 29, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. CST. During this three-hour window, participants can text their questions directly to FHSU's Online Admissions Advisors. This unique format allows for personalized, real-time guidance on a range of crucial topics, including:

• The Application Process: Step-by-step assistance for submitting a successful application. • Online Programs: Information on the diverse array of undergraduate degrees available online. • Financial Assistance: Guidance on understanding and applying for various forms of financial aid, including scholarships, grants, and loans. • Online Student Resources: An overview of the academic and support services designed specifically for FHSU's online learners.

Students who register early for the "Tiger Take Over" will receive free FHSU swag. Additionally, all attendees who participate in the live event will be entered into a drawing to win a scholarship to help fund their education.

To register, please visit:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.7LNxDHQVpzCjONIZ4OYIqu3cO1XpEFPuS1rEa-2BbkLfYkD3ENj3axddlMRMTB8WcWo9n7_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOk0Wl5q32uWVzhGtx0j1HlHaXCp-2FCT6OsOLKuW-2BLoKam8GfducifqPw2K7u50xwZu-2B4cPpKRVg7YZo4RBpsu7oDkbDpclclNHf-2FN8SF-2FNkRyb7kiC9F-2FucTGkHp1Uykh79HmjlYTDT5qAwdgNHHfsJpaOaW7llkkZ3SPYCf-2FtcOjhuZrdei3Kx4J3Rlcri1dpJo3GxkxfTa3s2jhHHX4Dti08H6Qw0-2F2-2F2cbp8hHbuAz3VYGvOxebTbNePhpuxRhn">www.fhsu.edu/online/events/</a>.

'Tiger Take Over' online event set for July 29

By BILL FIANDER Insight Kansas

Make no mistake. It’s coming. An invasive non-native species of podcasters, influencers, tech-bros, reality TV stars, and spurned college students aboard the disinformation train destroying a healthy democratic habitat faster than out of work loggers at a spotted owl convention.

While much focus is on the vanishing checks from Congress or Supreme Court on presidential powers under Trump 2.0, the most endangered check, or species, may be the professional bureaucrat. In the biggest reshaping of the federal workforce since the Gilded Age, coerced mass layoffs impacting 284,000 workers and presidential loyalty tests have burned wide swaths of their habitat.

To some that’s not a bad thing. Bureaucracy is typically a pejorative term. One that values processes over people and impersonalized service. Red tape. That’s fair. An old DMV comes to mind. But to others, vanishing professional bureaucrats is the proverbial canary in a coal mine.

Let’s take the curious tale of Kansas Department of Labor’s (KDOL) modernization project.

Since 2002, KDOL had been trying to modernize a Byzantine unemployment insurance IT system equivalent to Atari Pong technology. Governor Brownback officially pulled the plug in 2011 before it was complete. By the time Governor Kelly could re-start the project, Covid hit in 2020 with an avalanche of unemployment claims frying the archaic system. This perfect storm vastly delayed payments to angry laid off workers while fraudsters made off with $460 million in claims. Under a new Labor Secretary with a long career modernizing local government technology, the $43 million system finally launched last November. Score one for the professional bureaucrat.

Six months later, what’s left of the U.S. Department of Labor’s bureaucratic expertise absurdly decided to claw back $1 million of a $1.7 million grant intended to safeguard the new system from fraud because “equity” was in the grant description. Never mind “equity” would make software useable on ALL our devices and for rural Kansans without broadband. Now fraudsters have equitable access.

Downstream impacts to localities of exceedingly politicized and bonkers incompetency doesn’t stop there - birth rates tied to transportation funds, shutting down FEMA call centers amid horrific flooding, walking back diversity goals in the home of Brown v. Board. It will be endless. As a long-time public administrator, I see these as microcosms of graver concerns echoing the age of spoils.

In the 1830s, newly elected President Andrew Jackson ushered in an era of politicized civil service under his “to the victors belong the spoils of the enemy” philosophy swapping out non-partisan workers for his partisan loyalists regardless of aptitude. A philosophy Mark Twain would bluntly scorch decades later… “We will not hire a blacksmith who never lifted a sledge. We will not hire a teacher who does not know the alphabet…but when it comes to our civil service, we serenely fill great numbers of our minor public offices with ignoramuses.”

Thanks to Twain and rampant political corruption, Congress formalized a new era of merit-based hiring in 1883. A new discipline of public administration transformed government from the dark age of spoils to a professional bureaucracy of expertise that puts American people first using efficacy, efficiency, economy, and equity as guideposts.

As I’ve experienced, public administrators can be the only adults in the room “checking” the veracity, narcissism and sheer incompetence of politically tinged decision-making. Losing them is a harbinger for our democratic ecosystem.

There is no “I” in running government. Only ruining government.

Bill Fiander is a Washburn University lecturer specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government.

Insight Kansas: The vanishing professional bureaucrat

<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

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

HAYS – The Hays Larks built a big lead then held off a ninth
inning Denver rally and beat the Cougars 9-6 in the middle game of their three-game
series at Larks Park.

The Larks (27-4-1, 19-4 RMBL) ran their winning streak to 12
straight overall and 14 straight at home. The Cougars (10-20, 8-15 RMBL) drop
their third straight and are winless in five tries versus the Larks this season.

Paul Smith got the Larks on the board with a two-run homer
in the fourth. Lorenzo Rios added and RBI double and CJ Reid a run scoring
triple to push the lead to 4-0.

After Denver scored a run in the top of the fifth, the Larks
answered with two in the bottom of the inning on a pair of groundouts.

The Larks plated two in the sixth on a Kaleb Duncan RBI
double and Wilbert Espinal two-run home run to push the lead to 9-1.

The Cougars put together a rally in the ninth with a solo
and three-run homer. They then got a two-out, two-run double to pull within
three. Adrian Najar got a strikeout to end the rally and the game.

Trent Baker (3-1) allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts
and four walks over the first five innings and picked up the win. Brooks Jones followed
with two scoreless innings. Adrian Najar gave up five runs on six hits with
five strikeouts and two walks over the final two frames.

Lorenzo Rios had three of the Larks 15 hits. Wilbert Espinal
and Paul Smith both drove in three runs.

The Larks go for the season sweep of the Cougars Sunday night when they wrap up the series at 6:00 p.m. Admission
is free courtesy of Meier Electric, Ellis Estates and Bruckner Truck Sales. Fans are encouraged
to bring a non-perishable food item which will be donated to the Community
Assistance Center.

⚾ Larks hold off ninth inning rally to beat Cougars

MIAMI (AP) — Otto López hit a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning and the Miami Marlins beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Saturday.

Xavier Edwards tripled and doubled for the Marlins, who won their fourth straight and are 21-10 since June 13. Miami’s Kyle Stowers doubled and had two walks after hitting five homers in the last two games.

Salvador Pérez homered for the Royals’ run.

Graham Pauley drew a leadoff walk against Kansas City reliever Lucas Erceg (4-3) in the eighth before he advanced two bases on Edwards’ double. After Jesús Sánchez was intentionally walked, López hit a drive over left-fielder Nick Loftin to score Pauley and Edwards.

Anthony Bender closed with a perfect ninth for his third save.

Pérez hit a leadoff blast against Miami reliever Ronny Henriquez (6-1) in the eighth to tie it at 1-all. Pérez drove Henriquez’s fastball over the wall in center for his 14th homer of the season.

Miami starter Cal Quantrill allowed two hits and struck out three over six scoreless innings. Quantrill retired the last 10 batters he faced and was lifted after 69 pitches. He remains winless since May 18.

The Marlins struck quickly against Royals starter Michael Wacha on López’s RBI groundout in the first. Edwards tripled and sprinted home on López’s dribbler to third.

Wacha scattered three hits and struck out one in six innings.

Edwards had an automatic strike called against him for a clock violation before his double in the eighth.

Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was hitless in four at-bats, ending his road hitting streak at 27 games.

LHP Kris Bubic (7-6, 2.48) will start the series finale for the Royals on Sunday against Marlins RHP Janson Junk (4-1, 2.68).

⚾ Otto López's tie-breaking two-run double in 8th lifts Marlins to win over Royals

The Hays Larks host the Denver Cougars in the second game of a Rocky Mountain Baseball League series matchup at Larks Park Saturday night.

The first pitch is set for 7 p.m. from Larks Park.

You can catch on the action on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@hayslarksbaseball/streams">Larks YouTube channel.</a>

Hays Larks baseball on HaysPost.com is courtesy of the Hays
Larks. The broadcast is produced by the Hays Larks

⚾🎥 WATCH LIVE Hays Larks hosts Denver

🎥 Meet the Larks Trent Baker

🎥 Meet the Larks Thomas Lyssy

Saturday, July 19
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals at Miami Marlins, 2:30pm

HAYS – Lane Sparks and Brady Kreutzer each connect on eighth-inning
grand slams as the Larks knocked off the Denver Cougars 12-1 Friday night at
Larks Park.

The Larks (26-4-1, 18-4 RMBL) and the Cougars played an evenly
matched game for six inning with the Larks holding a 1-0 lead heading into the
bottom of the seventh inning.

Hays’ lone run coming on a Wilbert Espinal RBI single in the
fourth inning.

Leading 1-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning
the Larks added two more runs, scoring on back-to-back RBI singles by Trent
Baker and Jackson Babcock.

Denver got a run back in the top of the eighth inning but
with the Larks leading 3-1 Hays blew the game wide open in the bottom of the
inning.

The Larks offense exploded for nine runs in the inning.

The Larks loaded the bases with a single and back-to-back
walks and then after an out, Sparks homered to right field for a grand slam,
making it 7-1 Larks. 

After another walk, a Jackson Babcock singled home a run putting
Hays up 8-1.

Two batters later, after back-to-back walks, Kreutzer delivered
a grand slam to left, giving Hays the 12-1 walk-off run-rule victory.

Kreutzer finished one-for-one with two runs scored and a
grand slam. Four Larks collected a pair of hits and Kreutzer and Sparks each
drove in four runs.

Nick Gray earned the win for the Larks, allowing just two
hits with two strikeouts in five shutout innings.

Hays hosts Denver in the second of a three-game series
Saturday at Larks Park.

⚾Four RBI day for Sparks and Kreutzer leads Larks to win over Denver

MIAMI (AP) — Kyle Stowers hit a two-run walk-off homer in the 10th inning and finished with three hits as the Miami Marlins defeated the Kansas City Royals 8-7 on Friday night.

Stowers had already tied a Marlins franchise record with his fourth home run in two games when he hit a three-run shot in the first inning. After Miami had built — then squandered — a 5-0 lead, the first-time All-Star followed with the biggest swing of the game against Carlos Estévez (4-3) that sent the winning shot 394 feet to right field.

Stowers went 3 for 5 and reached base in his first two at-bats to extend his on-base streak to 10 plate appearances, also tying a club record.

Adam Frazier entered as a pinch-hitter in the 10th and drove in automatic runner Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr, who had reached on an infield single. Frazier doubled to right off Lake Bachar (5-0) to give Kansas City the lead entering the bottom half.

In the Marlins' 10th, Agustín Ramírez drove in automatic runner Derek Hill with a single before Stowers' walk-off.

Kansas City had erased a five-run deficit with a four-run fourth against Sandy Alcantara, the 2022 Cy Young Award winner who hasn’t quite returned to form since missing the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery.

Alcantara gave up hits to three of the first four batters he faced in the inning. John Rave then went deep off the Marlins veteran for his first major league home run, pulling his team within a run.

Rave hit the tying homer in the ninth off Calvin Faucher to send the game to extra innings.

Stowers' walk-off in the 10th was the second walk-off homer of his career.

Miami has seven walk-off victories this season.

RHP Michael Wacha (4-9, 3.74) starts the second game of the series for the Royals against Marlins RHP Cal Quantrill (3-8, 5.62).

⚾Kyle Stowers hits 2-run walk-off homer in 10th to give the Marlins an 8-7 win over the Royals

🎥 Meet the Larks Taber Stokes

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The federal government has renewed efforts to gather personal data of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients in Kansas, giving the state a July 30 deadline to respond.

The Kansas Department for Children and Families received the request on July 9, said spokeswoman Jenalea Randall.&nbsp;

“We are still reviewing the published notice in order to understand the intent behind this request and how the data will be used,” she said. “Our obligation to maintain these records in confidence is paramount, and they may only be disclosed to the USDA for specific program-related reasons.”&nbsp;

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/admin/database-letter" target="_blank">sent the letter to states</a>, once again demanding private information about SNAP recipients, including Social Security numbers and home addresses, to be turned over by July 30.&nbsp;

The information was necessary to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order that each federal agency access data from all state programs that receive federal funding, Rollins said in the letter.&nbsp;

Nationally, the demand is being challenged in court by students, SNAP recipients, the Electronic Privacy Information Center and MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. On Thursday, the group filed a motion asking for a restraining order to stop the latest attempt at data collection while the lawsuit is pending, according to a press release.&nbsp;

The Trump administration initially asked for the data in May, and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/05/22/kansas-denies-usda-request-for-personal-data-of-residents-receiving-food-assistance/">DCF denied it</a>. In a letter to a third-party data provider, DCF’s Carla Whiteside-Hicks, director of economic and employment services, said the agency has an obligation to maintain the records in confidence.&nbsp;

“At this time, we are unsure as to the reason for the USDA’s request. As such, we are unable to consent to your turning the information over,” she wrote.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit contend that in a sworn&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defendstudents.org/news/body/2025.05.30-Dkt-11-1-Corley-Decl..pdf" target="_blank">declaration</a>&nbsp;dated May 30, a top USDA official at the agency promised it would not move forward without following federal laws.

Instead, the agency made this new demand, which the plaintiffs in the case said violates the Privacy Act, Paperwork Reduction Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.

“This Administration is trying to work the system,” said Madeline Wiseman, counsel at the National Student Legal Defense Network, in a press release. “After promising in court to follow proper procedures, USDA’s actions out of the courtroom continue to demonstrate a disregard for the legal requirements that limit its ability to collect and use this data. This lawlessness must be stopped.”

Randall said a hearing in the lawsuit is set for July 23, 2025, to address the temporary restraining order the plaintiffs have requested.

The Trump administration, through the Department of Justice, also is attempting to access other sensitive data from voter registrations,&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/07/16/trumps-doj-wants-states-to-turn-over-voter-lists-election-info/" target="_blank">according to Stateline</a>.&nbsp;

So far, no requests have been made in Kansas, said Whitney Tempel, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Scott Schwab.&nbsp;

“While we’ve had discussions with the Department of Justice about general voter roll maintenance, they have not requested access to our voter data,” she said in an email. “We explained Kansas’ voter roll maintenance to DOJ, how we remove for death, non-citizen, felony, moving, etc.”

USDA again asks for Kansans’ personal data, as lawsuit seeks privacy protections

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department will release $1.3 billion in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-summer-school-english-language-grants-fac670e8f60fab397fbd68dfed866ea1">previously withheld grant money</a>&nbsp;for after-school programs, days after 10 Republican senators sent a letter imploring the Trump administration to allow frozen education money to be sent to states.

President Donald Trump’s administration on July 1 withheld more than $6 billion in federal grants for after-school and summer programs, adult literacy and English language instruction, part of a review to ensure spending aligned with the White House’s priorities.

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