News
Aug. 27th Hays Commission / Russell Council Joint R9 Meeting
At 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, the Hays City Commission and the Russell City Council will hold a joint meeting to discuss the R9 project.
Unclear when USD489 BOE will discuss Golden Belt Bank's proposal to purchase the naming rights for new HHS football field
Golden Belt Bank met with the USD489 Board of Education (BOE) on August 4, 2024 to discuss the possibility of purchasing the naming rights of the new Hays High School (HHS) football stadium. Although the BOE August 4, 2025 Work Session minutes document a 30 minute meeting with Golden Belt, no details or comments of the conversation are provided.
Chronic school absenteeism can be predicted by days missed in first month
Chronic absenteeism, missing 10% or more school days in a year for any reason, can often be predicted by the number of a student’s absences in the first month. According to the national nonprofit organization Attendance Works, half the students who miss two-four days in September will go on to miss nearly a month of the school year.
HPD's Back to School Safety Tips
During the Aug. 19, 2025, City Press Briefing, Hays Police Department (HPD) Lieutenant Brandon Wright urged all residents to be mindful of the extra traffic in town now that all the local schools are back in session.
Kansas bishops urge compassion for immigrants after legislators urge support for Trump policies
An open letter from Kansas Catholic bishops urges people to approach immigration with compassion, and condemns portrayals of all immigrants as criminals — rhetoric President Donald Trump frequently uses.
Retired federal prosecutor in Kansas laments 'haters' who shame immigration enforcement
Leon Patton, a retired assistant U.S. attorney who once prosecuted immigrants for violent crimes, is tired of feeling shamed for supporting immigration enforcement efforts and referring to people as “aliens.”
Sunflower Elects New Board Leaders and Directors
Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is pleased to announce board leadership changes and new board appointments. Josh Young, representing Wheatland Electric Cooperative, and Nick Zerr, representing Western Cooperative Electric, were elected as directors on the Sunflower Board of Directors.
Boys State of Kansas Announces Awards, Highlights From 2025 Session
More than 220 high school students from across the State of Kansas participated in the 2025 session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas, held June 1-7 at Kansas State University in Manhattan. This was the program’s 33rd consecutive session at KSU and 87th overall.
Scooter Safety an issue in both Hays and Ellis
Both City Commissioner Alaina Cunnigham and Mayor Sandy Jacobs used a portion of their Commissioner Comment time on August 14th to ask the public to watch out for kids on scooters as school begins. And on August 18, 2025, an Ellis resident asked the Ellis City Council to address the same problem, kids on scooters darting out between cars, before someone gets hurt.