New to Ellis County? Here's some useful tips
A new home means a host of other "new" things in life.
College students can continue to claim their parents' hometown as their permanent address. This exempts them from the need to change driver's licenses and voter's registrations.
Other newcomers, however, need to update the basics.
* Your driver's license needs to be updated within 10 days of an intrastate move or if your name changes. For newcomers moving from out of state, 90 days are allowed for a license change. You can do this at the Driver's License Examination Office, 1222 Canterbury. Office hours are 7 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. The phone number is (785) 625-6917.
* Voter registration also must be updated after a name or address change.
To vote, you must be a Kansas resident, 18 or older. You can register at the Ellis County clerk's office in the courthouse, 1204 Fort; at the city clerk offices in Hays, Ellis and Victoria; Forsyth Library at Fort Hays State University; Hays Public Library; Ellis Public Library; Living Independently in Northwest Kansas, 2401 E. 13th; the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, 2301 E. 13th; the Ellis County Health Department, 601-B Main; Northwest Kansas Childcare Resource & Referral Agency, 94 Lewis; ARC Thrift Shop, 116 E. 11th; Kansas Veterans Affairs Commission, 207-B E. Seventh; Hays area office of Social and Rehabilitation Services, 1105 E. 30th or 3000 Broadway; Kansas Driver's License Examination Office, 1222 Canterbury; Woodhaven, 1412 E. 29th; Schoenberger Nursing Agency, 106 W. 10th, Ellis; and SKIL of Western Kansas, 1011 A Centennial Blvd.
Registration closes 14 days prior to any election and reopens the day after the election. Party affiliation is optional. A registered voter can choose to affiliate with a party at the time of registration or at a later date. Party affiliation is required only for voting in the Republican Party primary elections. Democratic primary elections are open to Democrats and unaffiliated voters.
* If you moved from another state, you must register your vehicle within 30 days. It must be inspected by the Kansas Highway Patrol, 1821 W. Frontier Road. Take the inspection report, title and proof of insurance to the county treasurer, 1204 Fort, where a new tag and title will be issued.
If you moved from another Kansas county, you can wait until your current tag expires before registering the vehicle here.
* Within the city of Hays, fireworks sales for displays classified as "safe and sane" are legal from June 27 to July 5. Fireworks can be shot from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., except July 4, when they are allowed from 8 a.m. to midnight. In Ellis County, fireworks are permissible July 3 to 5, unless weather conditions are too dry. Fireworks can be discharged in Ellis and Victoria on July 4.
* Child care options are available by calling the Northwest Kansas Childcare Resource & Referral Agency at (877) 678-2548.
* If you own a cat or dog in Hays or a dog in Victoria or Ellis, it needs to be registered. Go to the city clerk's office, 1507 Main in Hays, 1005 Fourth in Victoria, or 815 Jefferson in Ellis. Fees vary by city.
*Hays ordinance prohibits loud music, noise from the repair or adjustment of motor vehicles, unlicensed or nonvehicular engines and electric tools or loud and continuing activities between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
* Ellis County is served by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio transmitter. A weather radio can be programmed to pick up weather reports and service weather alerts.
Subscribers of Eagle Cable TV in Hays and Ellis can rent a safety alert monitor that provides weather radio information throughout the television cable and emits an alarm, followed by information when a warning is issued.