By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

A new chapter of security is taking shape in Hays as the Kansas National Guard breaks ground on a facility to improve emergency response across western Kansas.

The ceremony celebrated the construction of a new readiness center Wednesday for a nearly 50,000-square-foot facility costing about $19.3 million which will replace the outdated 1963 armory. Gov. Laura Kelly said the site will serve as a mobilization hub during state and federal soldier deployments.

"The presence of a Kansas National Guard Armory in the heart of northwest Kansas is a strategic and necessary investment," Kelly said.

The two-story facility will provide long-term support for Kansas Army National Guard operations and serve as the home of the 997th Brigade Support Battalion. It will be fully equipped to accommodate individual and group training,&nbsp;Kelly said.

The center will accommodate 127 traditional soldiers and 20 full-time staff. It is located near the corner of 240th Avenue and W. 52nd Street, north of Interstate 70.

Several National Guard officials spoke on the facility’s significance during the ceremony, as well as Kansas U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran.

"It will change the landscape of Hays," Moran said. "The National Guard Armory has been a component of our community for as long as I can remember."

Moran said he is working to establish the <a href="https://dodstarbase.org/">Department of Defense’s Starbase program</a> at the facility, offering students hands-on STEM education and experience.

Kansas National Guard, Gov. Kelly break ground on new center in Hays

Eagle Media of Hays is hiring for the position of board operator during the 2025-26 sports season.

 You will be responsible for the studio production of Hays High, TMP, Area Game of the Week and Fort Hays State sports broadcasts. 

The position will consist of evening and weekend hours. The number of days and hours will vary weekly depending on the sports schedule. 

To apply for this position, to go eaglemedia.com and select the Careers tab.

Questions can be directed to Dustin Armbruster by calling 785-301-2211.

City commission to make final review of draft 2026 budget at Thursday work session 

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

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

Week 1 was the introduction of a Kansas wheat-free windows recommendation and discussion on herbicide recommendations for volunteer wheat.&nbsp; (<a href="https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/article/wheat-streat-mosaic-management-pay-attention-to-wheat-free-windows-650-1">https://bit.ly/4eSVKgP</a>)&nbsp;

Week 2 was discussion of the role of alternate hosts in the landscape. (<a href="https://eupdate.agronomy.ksu.edu/article/wheat-streak-mosaic-management-the-role-of-other-hosts-in-the-landscape-651-1">https://bit.ly/3GIY2Ta</a>)&nbsp;

Week 3 the discussion will be on variety selection as part of an integrated management program for wheat streak mosaic.

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

As the wheat curl mite is a community pest, coordinated breaks in volunteer wheat and other cereals will have the highest likelihood of lowering local and statewide mite levels moving into our 2025 optimal winter wheat planting date periods. Volunteer wheat that emerges after the fall crop is already established poses a lower risk as a green bridge and can be thought of in a similar way as the fall crop. Fall wheat planted early, during wheat-free windows, risks bridging wheat curl mite to the fall-established crop.

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

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

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

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

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

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

· Success is dependent on coordinated efforts in communities.

Management with genetic resistance: Another tool in the toolbox

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

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

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

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

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

When it comes to resistance to the virus, several genes have been described (wsm1, wsm2, and wsm3). The gene wsm2 is most widely available in Kansas varieties, including KS Territory (red), KS Mako (red), KS Bill Snyder (red), KS Dallas (red), KS Hamilton (red), Guardian (red),

Oakley CL (red), Joe (white), and KS Big Bow (white). This resistance gene can help with severe wheat streak mosaic virus infections, but has key limitations. 

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

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

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

Central versus western Kansas: Location matters

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

Some central Kansas-adapted varieties, including Rockstar, AP Prolific, SY Wolverine, LCS Photon AX, LCS Helix AX, and LCS Julep, tolerate WSMV infection better than others. It should be noted that, for all the reasons mentioned above, these varieties will still appear symptomatic under high disease pressure. KS Mako is a new release out of the K-State Manhattan breeding program that is adapted for the central corridor of the state and carries the wsm2 gene. These varieties will still show symptoms of WSMV but may yield better than other varieties that are more susceptible.

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

Information provided by Kelsey Andersen Onofre, Extension Wheat Pathologist.

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

CAMPBELL: Variety selection for wheat streak complex management 

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.

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Recent obituaries and service times

On this episode of the Hays&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/post-podcast" target="_blank">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;Hays Post reporter Cristina Janney talks with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipifinancialservices.com/" target="_blank">Insurance Planning, Inc.</a>&nbsp;account executive Gene Stramel about Medicare supplemental and drug plans and an upcoming free seminar on those plans offered by Insurance Planning.

🎙 Post Podcast: Insurance Planning on Medicare supplements, drug plans

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission approved a resolution for a public hearing for Big Creek Estates during its Tuesday meeting.

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

The commission discussed three lift station options with Adam Pray of the Platinum Group for the incentive district that covers 13 single-family homes planned southeast of Hays. Construction costs are estimated at $650,000.

Local Environmental Protection Program septic grant extension

The commission discussed the extension of its Local Environmental Protection Program and a $50,000 grant awarded by the Kansas Department of Health through June 30, 2026.

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

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

Justin Craig, county environmental services director, said anyone with questions on qualifying can reach out to the <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/166/Environmental-Office">Ellis County Environmental Office</a>.

Text-to-speech automated dispatch solution

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

Ellis County Communications Director Jeff Ridgway said the Emergency Communication Center currently relies on 911 dispatchers to notify emergency responders and provide information over the radio manually.

"This interface would allow a dispatcher from the time they take the 911 call to initiate a process without interrupting that 911 call to dispatch emergency responders," Ridgway said.

The commission purchased an alerting system from US Digital Designs for&nbsp;$63,153.60, with an estimated annual service cost of about $3,000. Ridgway said the software can possibly shorten response time.

The commission discussed potential dates for two upcoming meetings: a county work session and a joint meeting with the Hays City Commission. Darin Myers, county administrator, said the city will wait until after the November election for a joint meeting.

Ellis County is also seeking a volunteer to fill a vacancy on the Joint Planning Commission. The commission encourages residents to volunteer, especially from the eastern part of the county.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1c4d717c-c44b-4316-8acb-7de50b71df92">A water main break occurred on Sunday at the intersection of Sixth and Main streets, resulting in flooding of the Ellis County Administration building's basement.</a>&nbsp;

Myers thanked everyone involved in the cleanup, including staff who helped relocate departments, such as the IT department moving into the Sheriff's training room. The city offered its boardroom for Tuesday’s meeting.

Ellis County Commission sets hearing for housing development

United States Department of Agriculture

KANSAS — This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.fsa.usda.gov%2Fprograms-and-services%2Ffarm-loan-programs%2Femergency-farm-loans%2Findex%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0100019876a8bc4a-d7dd68b0-5f79-4675-809b-301723208110-000000/StDBgZAeQmF1i5er2xU1Tkp2awQ9D7D91S24wXn-5lo=416">emergency loans</a>.

Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

According to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/http:%2F%2Fdroughtmonitor.unl.edu%2F%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0100019876a8bc4a-d7dd68b0-5f79-4675-809b-301723208110-000000/zSIusa03Qb_KF4A7QFT0y1YmzlTHBgeouOaH0zHKmxo=416">U.S. Drought Monitor</a>, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional.

Triggering Disaster:&nbsp;Drought (Fast Track)

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

On&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://farmers.gov/">farmers.gov</a>, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.farmers.gov%2Fnode%2F28989%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0100019876a8bc4a-d7dd68b0-5f79-4675-809b-301723208110-000000/IGRVEUpOH9YIkQV1SociSar2cXXzO_2vw7z0Obqogc4=416">Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.farmers.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2F2021-09%2Ffsa-disasterassistance-at-a-glance-sept.-2021.pdf%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0100019876a8bc4a-d7dd68b0-5f79-4675-809b-301723208110-000000/5IwfgYkWfW2drkv9OvQj7cZewEPNbACuTyvVxgBNaTk=416">Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Flat.fpac.usda.gov%2F%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0100019876a8bc4a-d7dd68b0-5f79-4675-809b-301723208110-000000/NyJUS6DkxkzFIZJC7yjQLFXK1y8u8lHw9Kt4q6xjos4=416">Loan Assistance Tool</a>&nbsp;can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.farmers.gov%2Fservice-center-locator%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0100019876a8bc4a-d7dd68b0-5f79-4675-809b-301723208110-000000/-h3IboBqwauxKPCgVA07XUoOxd1_agATV6Vko6brtIM=416">&nbsp;USDA Service Center</a>.

USDA designates 2 NW Kansas counties as natural disaster areas due to drought

LAWRENCE — The names of more than 6,700 graduates at the University of Kansas for summer and fall 2024 and spring 2025 have been announced by the University Registrar. Many graduates and candidates for degree celebrated by participating in KU Commencement, which took place May 17.

Summer 2025 degrees are conferred in early fall.

Students from Kansas are listed below, sorted by county, then city.&nbsp;<a href="https://news.ku.edu/news/article/university-of-kansas-announces-summer-fall-2024-spring-2025-graduates">See a list of all University of Kansas graduates</a>.

Note:&nbsp;Not all graduates have made their name and hometown information publicly available.&nbsp;

Area students graduate from KU for summer, fall '24, spring '25

By MONIQUE KOERNER Cottonwood Extension District

As we continue to recognize August as National Breastfeeding Month, I wanted to share more articles focused on breastfeeding and highlight some of the key topics and challenges commonly discussed in the field of lactation.

 From access to lactation support to the social and cultural perceptions of breastfeeding, there’s a wide range of important conversations happening. By exploring these issues, we hope to raise awareness, provide support, and empower families in their infant feeding journeys.

In today’s modern parenting culture, breastfeeding beyond infancy often sparks debate—drawing praise, curiosity, and criticism in equal measure. 

Known as full-term breastfeeding or natural-term breastfeeding, this practice refers to nursing a child beyond the first year of life, often continuing until the child weans naturally, sometimes at age three, four, or even older. 

While it may seem unconventional in some societies, anthropology and biology tell a different story—one that suggests full-term breastfeeding is deeply rooted in human history and may offer real benefits worth reconsidering.

Anthropologists studying primate behavior and traditional human societies offer valuable insights into what constitutes a "biologically normal" duration of breastfeeding. By comparing nursing habits of closely related primates and examining skeletal development and immune markers in human infants, experts have estimated that the natural weaning age for humans may fall anywhere between 2.5 and 7 years of age.

Katherine Dettwyler, a biological anthropologist known for her research on breastfeeding, has famously argued that full-term breastfeeding is the evolutionary norm for humans. In her studies of various cultures around the world, breastfeeding into toddlerhood and beyond is not only common but expected. It’s only in more industrialized nations—particularly the U.S.—that early weaning has become the norm, largely due to social pressures, marketing of formula, and a lack of public breastfeeding support.

Benefits of Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy

From a health perspective, the benefits of breastfeeding do not expire at 12 months. Breast milk continues to provide vital nutrients, antibodies, and immune support for as long as a child nurses. In fact, research shows that the composition of breast milk changes over time to meet the evolving needs of a growing child.

Breastfeeding beyond infancy also offers emotional and psychological benefits. It provides comfort, security, and a continued attachment between parent and child. Having a primary attachment figure is essential for social emotional development. For toddlers and preschoolers, nursing can be a source of calm during emotional stress, illness, or developmental transitions.

Additionally, mothers who breastfeed for longer durations benefit from reduced risks of breast and ovarian cancers, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. These protective effects are dose specific which means the protective effect increases the longer a woman breastfeeds.

Despite its natural roots and health advantages, full-term breastfeeding is often misunderstood in Western society. Mothers who choose to breastfeed older children may face ridicule or concern, even though major health organizations like the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics support breastfeeding for two years or more, as long as it is mutually desired.

Much of the stigma arises from cultural discomfort with bodies and boundaries of the breast. But when viewed through an anthropological lens, full-term breastfeeding is not an act of indulgence or eccentricity—it is a return to a biologically and historically normal practice.

Choosing to breastfeed past infancy is deeply personal. But for parents exploring their options, full-term breastfeeding deserves serious consideration. Its roots in human evolution, documented health benefits, and emotional support for both child and mother make it a powerful, if often misunderstood, parenting choice. 

If you are looking for support for breastfeeding please reach out to the local La Leche League Group. La Leche League of the Western Plains offers a variety of services to support your breastfeeding journey.

Find them on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064626344476">https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064626344476</a>

Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 785-628-9430 or moniquek@ksu.edu

KOERNER: Full-term breastfeeding: An ancient practice worth reconsidering

Hays, KS — Nex-Tech Wireless is working to bring even better wireless service to communities across Kansas. The company has announced an agreement with US Cellular to acquire additional spectrum in the 700 MHz band. This agreement is about boosting network capacity. It does not involve any changes to customer accounts, phone numbers, or services and there is no action required by current Nex-Tech Wireless or US Cellular customers. This move means stronger signal, faster data speeds, and improved coverage across central Kansas.

“We’re proud to keep investing in the communities we call home,” said Jon Lightle, President and CEO of Nex-Tech Wireless. “This new spectrum is like adding more lanes to the highway. It helps us handle more traffic with quality connections, right were customers need it most.”

· Improved connectivity even in rural areas and inside buildings

· Faster connections for streaming, gaming, and video calls

· Room to grow as more devices and new tech hit the market

About Nex-Tech Wireless Nex-Tech Wireless, a subsidiary of Nex-Tech Inc./Rural Telephone, Golden Belt Telephone and Tri-County Telephone, is a premiere wireless carrier serving over 40 Kansas counties with a mission to provide an unrivaled customer experience by bringing trusted technology and superior service to their hometowns. To learn more about Nex-Tech Wireless, please visit <a href="http://www.nex-techwireless.com">www.nex-techwireless.com</a> or call 1-800-621-2600.

Community Calendar

Beginning Tuesday, 13th Street east of Canterbury Drive in Hays will return to one-way traffic - westbound ONLY - for a mill and overlay of roadway until further notice. 

We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Public Works office at 785-628-7350.

13th St. east of Canterbury in Hays returns to 1-way traffic Tuesday

HOXIE – The Main Street Arts Council is excited to announce the final performances of the 2025 Main Street Summer Theater Festival, which will take place in Oakley on August 8 and 9. 

These performances of Disney’s Dare to Dream Jr. will bring the festival’s incredible run to a close after an amazing summer of inspiring youth theater across northwest Kansas.

The Main Street Summer Theater Festival has been a celebration of local talent, with performances in six different towns, all showcasing the creativity and hard work of young performers. Oakley will host the last two performances, giving attendees one final chance to experience this magical production of Disney’s Dare to Dream Jr., featuring beloved songs from Encanto, Frozen II, Coco, and more.

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

In addition to the festival’s final performances, we are also thrilled to announce a special Broadway guest performance by Desi Oakley, a Wichita native and renowned Broadway performer. Desi will be performing live in Hoxie on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, as part of the festival’s 10th-anniversary celebration.

Desi Oakley has an extensive Broadway career, having starred in productions such as Wicked, Waitress, and Chicago. Her concert will offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the talent of this Broadway star in a local, intimate setting.

Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. Hoxie High School Auditorium, 1625 Queen Ave., Hoxie

We invite everyone to attend both the final festival performances in Oakley and Desi Oakley’s Broadway concert to celebrate the culmination of this incredible summer of youth theater and professional talent.

For more information about the festival, tickets for the remaining performances, or to reserve your seat for Desi Oakley’s concert, visit <a href="https://www.mainstreetartscouncil.com/msstf2025">www.mainstreetartscouncil.com/msstf2025</a>.

Final summer theater performances in Oakley, Broadway guest Desi Oakley in Hoxie

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kansas Wetlands Education Center hosts Perseid meteor shower watch party

Kansas Interscholastic Cycling League mountain bike racing team forming in Hays

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

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

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

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

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BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflecto</a>r

LENEXA — Melanie Arroyo lives in two worlds.

There’s the one where the Lenexa City Council member has to “assimilate and perform” like her white counterparts, she said. Then there’s the authentic world, where she is aware of how vulnerable she is in this country, “simply because I’m brown and because I have an accent.”

At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, which was packed with residents who were upset about last week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-07-31/released-immigration-raids-el-toro-loco-restaurant-lenexa-kansas-city-homeland-security" target="_blank">raid by federal authorities</a>&nbsp;at El Toro Loco restaurants in Lenexa and Kansas City, Kansas, Arroyo revealed that city police had recently investigated her citizenship status and required her to prove her citizenship.

It started with someone complaining to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation about testimony Arroyo submitted in February to a state Senate committee in opposition to a bill that would eliminate in-state tuition for immigrants. The individual — whom the KBI declined to identify — questioned whether Arroyo was a U.S. citizen and eligible to hold public office.

The KBI referred the complaint to Lenexa police, who questioned Arroyo. She hired an attorney and presented documentation from her 2018 naturalization. Police closed the case last week, two days before the El Toro Loco raids.

For Arroyo, the police inquiry was a painful reminder that a single disgruntled resident can disrupt her life by making a false allegation.

Arroyo told Kansas Reflector she decided to talk about her experience after the unrelated federal raid in Lenexa, which raised questions about whether agents had violated the rights of workers who were detained without regard for whether they had committed a crime, had a lawful immigration status, or were U.S. citizens.

Arroyo said the two situations were connected only by the underlying motive, “which is xenophobia.”

“I felt like I had this obligation to come forward with my story, to let people know in Kansas City that everybody needs to wake the f*** up,” Arroyo said. “You guys are still living in 2024, thinking that our judicial processes are intact, and they’re not. I’m living in the summer of 2025, being directly impacted by this, and so we need to adapt to the circumstances that we’re in. And I don’t know what that looks like. I don’t know what the solutions are.”

Those who attended Tuesday night’s council meeting gasped when Arroyo revealed the police inquiry. They responded to her remarks with a standing ovation that lasted 20 seconds before Mayor Julie Sayers restored order with her gavel.

Councilwoman Courtney Eiterich expressed solidarity with Arroyo. Eiterich said her husband is an immigrant and that they have had conversations about whether he needs to keep naturalization papers with him.

In Lenexa and across the country, Eiterich said, authorities carrying out President Donald Trump’s campaign promise of mass deportations are violating constitutional rights with the support of federal courts.

“I teach high school government, and this is really difficult for me to wrap my head around and try to explain to my students how this is happening and what is our role in trying to fix it. And I don’t have any answers,” Eiterich said.

Lenexa city attorney Sean McLaughlin defended the police investigation of Arroyo.

He said Arroyo’s testimony before the Legislature indicated she had overstayed her visa and didn’t acknowledge her naturalization. He pointed to a city ordinance that requires office holders to be citizens.

“We felt we had no choice but to investigate the matter because it is the city’s obligation to ensure compliance with our own ordinances,” McLaughlin told the council.

“We stand behind our actions,” he added.

Arroyo submitted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/committees/ctte_s_fed_st_1/documents/testimony/20250227_25.pdf" target="_blank">written testimony</a>&nbsp;in opposition to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb254/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 254</a>, which was supported by Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach. A Senate committee held&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/03/kansas-republicans-punt-immigration-bill-after-kicking-opponents-out-of-hearing/">a contentious hearing on the proposal</a>&nbsp;in February and advanced the bill in March, but the full Senate never gave it consideration.

The testimony describes her experience growing up as “an undocumented immigrant girl” in the Kansas City area who didn’t speak fluent English. She said she was able to enroll in Kansas universities “with the condition that I resolved my immigration status.” She studied studio art and psychology at the University of Saint Mary and Johnson County Community College, then earned master’s degrees in clinical counseling and art therapy at Emporia State University.

Melissa Underwood, a spokeswoman for the KBI, said a Johnson County resident referenced Arroyo’s testimony in a voicemail left at the agency’s Lenexa office. The KBI referred the matter to city police, Underwood said, because the state agency typically doesn’t investigate immigration-related matters. Underwood said the complaint didn’t come from Kobach.

“The information was sent to the Lenexa Police Department for follow-up as they deemed appropriate,” Underwood said.

In a brief interview after the city council meeting, McLaughlin acknowledged there was no evidence to support a complaint about Arroyo’s citizenship status.

But, he said, “just because evidence doesn’t exist doesn’t mean we don’t investigate.”

Two dozen community members voiced concerns to the council about the investigation of Arroyo and the raid on a local restaurant.

They included Kansas Rep. Susan Ruiz, LGBTQ+ activist Jae Moyer, immigration attorney Anne Parelkar, two pastors, and Roeland Park City Council member Jen Hill, who was Arroyo’s 8th grade English teacher in 2005.

Even then, Hill said, Arroyo’s “voice carried strength, clarity and purpose.”

“It’s because I know her so well that I’m both saddened and outraged by the recent false allegations questioning her citizenship,” Hill said. “These claims are not only entirely unfounded, they are a blatant attempt to discredit her based on her ethnicity, rather than recognizing the immense value of her service and her character.”

Sara Rohleder told the council this was the first local government meeting she had ever attended, and “that’s saying a lot.” She referenced the approximately 150 people who attended the meeting and pointed out that many of them were in the 18-25 age range.

“I’m very concerned,” Rohleder&nbsp; said. “I don’t know what future I have. I don’t know what future my cousins have, who are younger than me. I think this sets a very dangerous precedent. I think this is very, very serious, and I really strongly feel — I honestly feel comfort in knowing that it’s not just me who’s feeling this, because it’s a very isolating time. Look at all these people. Everyone’s here because they care about what’s going on.”

Muñeca Nieves described herself as a proud Afro-Caribbean woman who works for the federal government. She said she had lost 40 pounds by walking to work every day, but&nbsp;“I don’t do it anymore, because I’m brown.”

“Every time a black SUV comes by, I get scared,” Nieves said.

She also said she was “extremely disappointed” in the Lenexa city attorney’s insistence that police were just “following the rules” when they investigated Arroyo.

“Those rules equate to racial profiling,” Nieves said, “which is against the law.”

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