<a href="https://www.kjccc.org/sports/wvball/2024-25/releases/2024_D1_Volleyball_POF">Via KJCCC</a>

COLBY, Kan. — Reigning Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference division one volleyball regular season champion Barton Community College has been picked to repeat as conference champions in the 2024 KJCCC Division 1 Volleyball preseason order of finish as voted on by the nine league head coaches.

Receiving a perfect score of 81 points with all nine first-place votes, Barton is coming off a 25-6 campaign and a 13-3 mark in the KJCCC after winning the regular-season title by two games last season before falling in the KJCCC Tournament semifinals to Butler Community College. Heading into the season under second-year head coach Megan Besecker, the Cougars return nine players from last year’s roster including KJCCC Freshman of the Year and NJCAA Second-Team All-American Phoebe Reyes as well as four other returning all-conference selections.

Picked to finish second behind Barton is last year’s NJCAA Region VI Tournament Champion Colby Community College who claimed their third NJCAA Region VI Championship in program history to compete in the NJCAA Volleyball National Tournament for the first time since 1978. The Trojans earned 64 points after receiving five of the nine second-place votes and will look to follow up last year’s 23-11 overall record under head coach Carey Jones.

Following Colby and picked to finish third was Dodge City with second-year head coach Erin Mellinger set to lead the Conquistadors again after taking DC3 to the KJCCC Tournament semifinal round last season where they saw their season come to an end at the hands of Colby. Dodge City was one of three conference schools to defeat Barton in the regular season last year by sweeping the Cougars at home on September 6th. The Conquistadors picked up 58 points in the poll to edge out fourth-place Butler who earned 55 points as the Grizzlies will look to bounce back from last year’s fourth-place finish in the KJCCC regular season after earning at least a share of both the 2021 and 2022 KJCCC regular season titles.&nbsp;

Rounding out the 2024 preseason order of finish are Hutchinson (53 points), Garden City (33 points), Cloud County 32 points, Seward County (19 points), and Pratt (10 points) as all nine teams will play a 16-match conference schedule that is set to get underway on Tuesday, August 27th. Hutchinson and Butler will kick off the conference schedule with a 6 PM tilt inside the Power Plant in El Dorado while the 2024 regular season will get underway on Thursday, August 22nd. Garden City will kick off the regular season for all nine schools when they play host to Eastern Wyoming College to kick off the Scooter’s Invitational with the remaining eight KJCCC schools all beginning their season the following day on Friday, August 23rd at various locations and tournaments.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723545909792.jpeg" alt="2024 Volleyball" />
 <figcaption>2024 Volleyball</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kjccc.org/sports/wvball/2024-25/releases/2024_D1_Volleyball_POF">Via KJCCC</a>COLBY, Kan. — Reigning Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference division one volleyball regular season champion Barton Community College has been picked to repeat as conference champions in the 2024 KJCCC Division 1 Volleyball preseason order of finish as voted on by the nine league head coaches.Receiving a perfect score of 81 points with all nine first-place votes, Barton is coming off a 25-6 campaign and a 13-3 mark in the KJCCC after winning the regular-season title by two games last season before falling in the KJCCC Tournament semifinals to Butler Community College. Heading into the season under second-year head coach Megan Besecker, the Cougars return nine players from last year’s roster including KJCCC Freshman of the Year and NJCAA Second-Team All-American Phoebe Reyes as well as four other returning all-conference selections.Picked to finish second behind Barton is last year’s NJCAA Region VI Tournament Champion Colby Community College who claimed their third NJCAA Region VI Championship in program history to compete in the NJCAA Volleyball National Tournament for the first time since 1978. The Trojans earned 64 points after receiving five of the nine second-place votes and will look to follow up last year’s 23-11 overall record under head coach Carey Jones.Following Colby and picked to finish third was Dodge City with second-year head coach Erin Mellinger set to lead the Conquistadors again after taking DC3 to the KJCCC Tournament semifinal round last season where they saw their season come to an end at the hands of Colby. Dodge City was one of three conference schools to defeat Barton in the regular season last year by sweeping the Cougars at home on September 6th. The Conquistadors picked up 58 points in the poll to edge out fourth-place Butler who earned 55 points as the Grizzlies will look to bounce back from last year’s fourth-place finish in the KJCCC regular season after earning at least a share of both the 2021 and 2022 KJCCC regular season titles.&nbsp;Rounding out the 2024 preseason order of finish are Hutchinson (53 points), Garden City (33 points), Cloud County 32 points, Seward County (19 points), and Pratt (10 points) as all nine teams will play a 16-match conference schedule that is set to get underway on Tuesday, August 27th. Hutchinson and Butler will kick off the conference schedule with a 6 PM tilt inside the Power Plant in El Dorado while the 2024 regular season will get underway on Thursday, August 22nd. Garden City will kick off the regular season for all nine schools when they play host to Eastern Wyoming College to kick off the Scooter’s Invitational with the remaining eight KJCCC schools all beginning their season the following day on Friday, August 23rd at various locations and tournaments.

🏐 Barton unanimously picked to win 2024 Jayhawk volleyball

Margaret “Yvonne” White, 89, went to be with her Savior on August 11, 2024, at Legend of Hutchinson. She was born November 17, 1934, in Eva, OK, to George Porter and Jewell (Havens) Twyman.

Yvonne graduated Yarborough High School, OK in 1952. She attended Salt City Business College in 1956. Yvonne was united in marriage to William Donald “Bill” White on June 29, 1957 in Hutchinson. They made their home and farm south of Nickerson. She was a farmer’s wife and homemaker. Yvonne was very active member at the First Church of God, where she loved to sing. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, collecting angels. Yvonne adored her grandchildren.

Yvonne is survived by: son, Terry (Julie) White of Newkirk, OK; grandson Joshua (Keri) of Arkansas City; granddaughter, Meagan (Chris) Blake of Hutchinson; six great grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by: her parents; husband, Bill White; daughter, Sherri White; brother, John (Velma) Henry Twyman; sisters, Iva Lee Palmer and Patricia (Mickey) Ohnick.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, August 16, 2024, at First Church of God, 704 N. Jefferson, Hutchinson, with Pastor Tim Kraft officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, at Elliott Mortuary. Family will greet friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, August 15, 2024, at Elliott Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to First Church of God, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723507477493.jpeg" alt="Margaret “Yvonne” White" />
 <figcaption>Margaret “Yvonne” White</figcaption>
 </figure>Margaret “Yvonne” White, 89, went to be with her Savior on August 11, 2024, at Legend of Hutchinson. She was born November 17, 1934, in Eva, OK, to George Porter and Jewell (Havens) Twyman.Yvonne graduated Yarborough High School, OK in 1952. She attended Salt City Business College in 1956. Yvonne was united in marriage to William Donald “Bill” White on June 29, 1957 in Hutchinson. They made their home and farm south of Nickerson. She was a farmer’s wife and homemaker. Yvonne was very active member at the First Church of God, where she loved to sing. She enjoyed cooking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, collecting angels. Yvonne adored her grandchildren.Yvonne is survived by: son, Terry (Julie) White of Newkirk, OK; grandson Joshua (Keri) of Arkansas City; granddaughter, Meagan (Chris) Blake of Hutchinson; six great grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.She was preceded in death by: her parents; husband, Bill White; daughter, Sherri White; brother, John (Velma) Henry Twyman; sisters, Iva Lee Palmer and Patricia (Mickey) Ohnick.Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, August 16, 2024, at First Church of God, 704 N. Jefferson, Hutchinson, with Pastor Tim Kraft officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, at Elliott Mortuary. Family will greet friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, August 15, 2024, at Elliott Mortuary.In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to First Church of God, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501

Margaret “Yvonne” White |1934-2024|

Norma Lea (Gaulding) Mitchell, 95, of Hutchinson, Kansas, died on August 10, 2024. &nbsp;She was born in Nottinghill, Missouri, on September 14, 1928, and grew up in Neosho Falls, Kansas. &nbsp;

Norma taught in a one-room schoolhouse at the early age of 16 on an emergency war teaching certificate. &nbsp;Her father drove her to Pittsburg State Teacher’s College each summer to have enough hours to keep her teaching certificate until what would be her senior year which she spent on campus. &nbsp;Upon graduating, Norma moved to Hutchinson and taught third grade at Avenue A Elementary School. &nbsp;She married Bill Mitchell in 1956.

Norma is preceded in death by her husband Bill, her parents Albert and Verda Gaulding, her two brothers Bernard and A. I. Gaulding, and her sister Jody Williams.

Norma is survived by two daughters, Derenda Mitchell (Seth Valerius) and Mollie Mitchell (John Wilson), four grandchildren (Will Valerius and Margaret, Madeline and Lawrence Meier), and many loving nieces and nephews.

Norma was a good teacher, a loving wife and mother, and a valued volunteer in the Hutchinson community. &nbsp;She was also an extraordinary gardener and homemaker. &nbsp;Many people have enjoyed her flowers, especially her red roses on her white picket fence.

Graveside service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 17, 2024, in Memorial Park Cemetery, 5905 West 4th Ave., Hutchinson. &nbsp;Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Elliott Mortuary. &nbsp;The casket will remain closed.&nbsp;

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Trinity’s Tiny Treasures or Salthawk Community Support, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS &nbsp;67501.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723507310070.jpeg" alt="Norma Lea (Gaulding) Mitchell" />
 <figcaption>Norma Lea (Gaulding) Mitchell</figcaption>
 </figure>Norma Lea (Gaulding) Mitchell, 95, of Hutchinson, Kansas, died on August 10, 2024. &nbsp;She was born in Nottinghill, Missouri, on September 14, 1928, and grew up in Neosho Falls, Kansas. &nbsp;Norma taught in a one-room schoolhouse at the early age of 16 on an emergency war teaching certificate. &nbsp;Her father drove her to Pittsburg State Teacher’s College each summer to have enough hours to keep her teaching certificate until what would be her senior year which she spent on campus. &nbsp;Upon graduating, Norma moved to Hutchinson and taught third grade at Avenue A Elementary School. &nbsp;She married Bill Mitchell in 1956.Norma is preceded in death by her husband Bill, her parents Albert and Verda Gaulding, her two brothers Bernard and A. I. Gaulding, and her sister Jody Williams.Norma is survived by two daughters, Derenda Mitchell (Seth Valerius) and Mollie Mitchell (John Wilson), four grandchildren (Will Valerius and Margaret, Madeline and Lawrence Meier), and many loving nieces and nephews.Norma was a good teacher, a loving wife and mother, and a valued volunteer in the Hutchinson community. &nbsp;She was also an extraordinary gardener and homemaker. &nbsp;Many people have enjoyed her flowers, especially her red roses on her white picket fence.Graveside service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 17, 2024, in Memorial Park Cemetery, 5905 West 4th Ave., Hutchinson. &nbsp;Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Elliott Mortuary. &nbsp;The casket will remain closed.&nbsp;In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Trinity’s Tiny Treasures or Salthawk Community Support, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS &nbsp;67501.&nbsp;

Norma Lea (Gaulding) Mitchell |1928-2024|

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Hutchinson Public Schools held their annual Convocation to welcome back all Salthawk staff for the 2024-2025 school year last week. Convocation is an annual event that celebrates the new school year with messages from district leaders, staff awards, and a keynote speech. The theme "We are Salthawks" was interwoven into the event, inspiring attendees to reinforce their connections with students, parents, guardians, and colleagues.

Salthawk staff relished the cool temperatures and a light breakfast offered by Heartland Credit Union, continuing a tradition that has lasted for over 30 years. The event kicked off with a warm welcome at the door from district leaders and Heartland Credit Union representatives, who also provided each staff member with a complimentary tote bag.

During the event, staff heard welcome messages from Superintendent Dr. Johnson, USD 308 Board of Education President, Laura Corey, HNEA President Lynnette Krieger-Zook and community partners. This year featured keynote speaker, Kristen Brown.

Davis Teacher of the Year Awards Announced

Each year, the James &amp; Juliet L. Foundation trustees select a group of outstanding teachers currently serving in USD 308 Hutchinson Public Schools to receive a cash award. Nominations are submitted in the spring and selected by committee. Since 1982, when the trustees established the Davis Teacher of the Year Award, $500,000 has been distributed to educators. Many of the trustees attended the event with Allen Fee and Sarah Liebl presenting the awards.

-Jessica Ray, 2nd Grade, Lincoln-McCandless Elementary

-Brooks Armstrong, 6th Grade, Morgan Elementary

-Lachelle Spann, 1st Grade, Wiley Elementary

-Brylee Soule, Special Education Inter-Relation Resource, HMS 7

-Jeremiah Harmon, Welding Technology, CTEA

-Sean Harper, Math, Hutchinson High School

The Davis Foundation also awards scholarships to USD 308 students each spring who will be attending a Kansas or Missouri college after graduation.

 Davis Foundation Teacher of the Year Awards

Teachers and Staff Honored for Tenure and Recognized for Awards

Classified Council President Kris Mayberry presented the Classified Employee of the Year Award. Nominations for this award were made during the spring of 2024 by staff, community members, parents and students. Classified employees make up approximately half of the staff population in USD 308. The term covers a variety of positions including paraeducators, secretaries, nurses, nutrition services, custodians, maintenance and more.

The nominations were reduced to a shortlist of ten, who were subsequently interviewed by the Classified Council, which narrowed the field down to three nominees before choosing a winner. The 2023-2024 Classified Employee Award was given to Alicia Trussell, Speech Language Paraeducator from Faris Elementary School.

            Deputy Superintendent Krystal Young presented the Certified Employee of the year. Nominations for this award were made during the spring of 2024 by staff, community members, parents and students. Certified employees make up approximately half of the staff population in USD 308. Certified staff are teachers, social workers, special education teachers and more. The Certified Employee of the Year was awarded to Glenna Burden, Government Teacher from Hutchinson High School.

            Young also presented awards to the Horizon Nominee Ethan Wedel, Music Teacher, from Lincoln-McCandless, and Horizon Recipient, Ashley Sharbutt, Physical Education Teacher from Hutchinson Middle School 7. The Kansas State Department of Education Horizon Award is intended to recognize exemplary first-year teachers in the elementary and secondary classrooms who perform in a way that distinguishes them as outstanding.

            Kansas Teacher of the Year awards were also presented. Leslie Specht, Third Grade Teacher at Lincoln-McCandless Elementary was recognized as a Kansas Elementary Teacher of the Year Nominee. Whitney Aves, was recognized as the Kansas Secondary Teacher of the Year Semifinalist. Specht and Aves represented Hutchinson Public Schools at the Region 1 dinner last spring. Aves was nominated as a Region 1 Finalist and will go on to compete in the next Kansas Teacher of the Year round, held in September.

            Last year, convocation planners revived an old tradition- recognizing Salthawk staff for their milestone anniversaries. More than half of the USD 308 staff has worked in the district for five years or longer. Staff were asked to stand and be recognized for their work anniversaries in five-year increments. As the Salthawk Service Awards closed, one staff member remained standing. Patricia Lillard, First Grade Teacher at Lincoln-McCandless Elementary, received a standing ovation as she was recognized for 45 years of service to Hutchinson Public Schools. She accepted a certificate and an engraved award from Dr. Johnson on stage. Not only have many Salthawk staff members worked alongside Mrs. Lillard, she has had many Salthawk staff as students in her own classroom. Her legacy extends far beyond her classroom and has touched many lives in the USD 308 and Hutchinson communities.

These Salthawk staff members will be recognized again at the September 13th home football game against Valley Center during the pre-game announcements.

Wrapping up the event was a keynote speech delivered by Kristen Brown, sponsored by the Davis Foundation. Kristen is known as The Energy Phoenix, and is a Certified Speaking Professional who reshapes leadership energy in today's workplace. Leveraging her journey as a young widow and 15 years of corporate leadership, Kristen has transformed workplace dynamics at major companies across various industries. She holds a Master's in Integral Theory and several wellness certifications, offering a comprehensive approach to impact, resilience, and results.

Kristen, decked out in Salthawk colors, brought with her an engaging and fun keynote speech. She guided the group through activities designed to explore their "7 energies of leadership" and shared both touching and humorous stories. One such activity, Energy Bingo, encouraged staff to engage with their colleagues in small groups, discussing conflict resolution strategies and methods to motivate themselves and one another. Participants were also reminded to dedicate time each day for setting intentions and building connections with students, guardians, and colleagues.

The group ended their day with laughter yoga before heading to their buildings for professional development.

The first day of school for USD 308 is Wednesday, August 14th for Kindergarten to 9th grades. Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors will begin on August 15th. Pre-K and Kindergarten classes have a staggered start date and should look for communication from their school regarding the first day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723472383166.png" alt="Photo Courtesy USD 308" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy USD 308</figcaption>
 </figure>STACY GOSS Hutchinson USD 308HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Hutchinson Public Schools held their annual Convocation to welcome back all Salthawk staff for the 2024-2025 school year last week. Convocation is an annual event that celebrates the new school year with messages from district leaders, staff awards, and a keynote speech. The theme "We are Salthawks" was interwoven into the event, inspiring attendees to reinforce their connections with students, parents, guardians, and colleagues.Salthawk staff relished the cool temperatures and a light breakfast offered by Heartland Credit Union, continuing a tradition that has lasted for over 30 years. The event kicked off with a warm welcome at the door from district leaders and Heartland Credit Union representatives, who also provided each staff member with a complimentary tote bag.During the event, staff heard welcome messages from Superintendent Dr. Johnson, USD 308 Board of Education President, Laura Corey, HNEA President Lynnette Krieger-Zook and community partners. This year featured keynote speaker, Kristen Brown.Davis Teacher of the Year Awards AnnouncedEach year, the James &amp; Juliet L. Foundation trustees select a group of outstanding teachers currently serving in USD 308 Hutchinson Public Schools to receive a cash award. Nominations are submitted in the spring and selected by committee. Since 1982, when the trustees established the Davis Teacher of the Year Award, $500,000 has been distributed to educators. Many of the trustees attended the event with Allen Fee and Sarah Liebl presenting the awards.The award winners are:-Jessica Ray, 2nd Grade, Lincoln-McCandless Elementary-Brooks Armstrong, 6th Grade, Morgan Elementary-Lachelle Spann, 1st Grade, Wiley Elementary-Brylee Soule, Special Education Inter-Relation Resource, HMS 7-Jeremiah Harmon, Welding Technology, CTEA-Sean Harper, Math, Hutchinson High SchoolThe Davis Foundation also awards scholarships to USD 308 students each spring who will be attending a Kansas or Missouri college after graduation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723472448628.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy USD 308" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy USD 308</figcaption>
 </figure> Davis Foundation Teacher of the Year AwardsTeachers and Staff Honored for Tenure and Recognized for AwardsClassified Council President Kris Mayberry presented the Classified Employee of the Year Award. Nominations for this award were made during the spring of 2024 by staff, community members, parents and students. Classified employees make up approximately half of the staff population in USD 308. The term covers a variety of positions including paraeducators, secretaries, nurses, nutrition services, custodians, maintenance and more.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723472522531.jpeg" alt="Alicia Trussell, Classified Employee of the Year" />
 <figcaption>Alicia Trussell, Classified Employee of the Year</figcaption>
 </figure>The nominations were reduced to a shortlist of ten, who were subsequently interviewed by the Classified Council, which narrowed the field down to three nominees before choosing a winner. The 2023-2024 Classified Employee Award was given to Alicia Trussell, Speech Language Paraeducator from Faris Elementary School. Deputy Superintendent Krystal Young presented the Certified Employee of the year. Nominations for this award were made during the spring of 2024 by staff, community members, parents and students. Certified employees make up approximately half of the staff population in USD 308. Certified staff are teachers, social workers, special education teachers and more. The Certified Employee of the Year was awarded to Glenna Burden, Government Teacher from Hutchinson High School.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723472563915.jpeg" alt="Glenna Burden, HHS Government Teacher, was awarded USD 308 Teacher of the Year." />
 <figcaption>Glenna Burden, HHS Government Teacher, was awarded USD 308 Teacher of the Year.</figcaption>
 </figure> Young also presented awards to the Horizon Nominee Ethan Wedel, Music Teacher, from Lincoln-McCandless, and Horizon Recipient, Ashley Sharbutt, Physical Education Teacher from Hutchinson Middle School 7. The Kansas State Department of Education Horizon Award is intended to recognize exemplary first-year teachers in the elementary and secondary classrooms who perform in a way that distinguishes them as outstanding.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723472674162.jpeg" alt="KSDE Horizon Award Nominee, Ethan Wedel, and KSDE Horizon Award Recipient Ashley Sharbutt." />
 <figcaption>KSDE Horizon Award Nominee, Ethan Wedel, and KSDE Horizon Award Recipient Ashley Sharbutt.</figcaption>
 </figure> Kansas Teacher of the Year awards were also presented. Leslie Specht, Third Grade Teacher at Lincoln-McCandless Elementary was recognized as a Kansas Elementary Teacher of the Year Nominee. Whitney Aves, was recognized as the Kansas Secondary Teacher of the Year Semifinalist. Specht and Aves represented Hutchinson Public Schools at the Region 1 dinner last spring. Aves was nominated as a Region 1 Finalist and will go on to compete in the next Kansas Teacher of the Year round, held in September.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723472791849.jpeg" alt="Leslie Specht, Third Grade Teacher at Lincoln-McCandless Elementary was recognized as a Kansas Elementary Teacher of the Year Nominee. Whitney Aves was recognized as the Kansas Secondary Teacher of the Year Semifinalist." />
 <figcaption>Leslie Specht, Third Grade Teacher at Lincoln-McCandless Elementary was recognized as a Kansas Elementary Teacher of the Year Nominee. Whitney Aves was recognized as the Kansas Secondary Teacher of the Year Semifinalist.</figcaption>
 </figure> Last year, convocation planners revived an old tradition- recognizing Salthawk staff for their milestone anniversaries. More than half of the USD 308 staff has worked in the district for five years or longer. Staff were asked to stand and be recognized for their work anniversaries in five-year increments. As the Salthawk Service Awards closed, one staff member remained standing. Patricia Lillard, First Grade Teacher at Lincoln-McCandless Elementary, received a standing ovation as she was recognized for 45 years of service to Hutchinson Public Schools. She accepted a certificate and an engraved award from Dr. Johnson on stage. Not only have many Salthawk staff members worked alongside Mrs. Lillard, she has had many Salthawk staff as students in her own classroom. Her legacy extends far beyond her classroom and has touched many lives in the USD 308 and Hutchinson communities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723475063342.png" alt="Patricia Lillard, First Grade Teacher at Lincoln-McCandless Elementary, received a standing ovation as she was recognized for 45 years of service to Hutchinson Public Schools." />
 <figcaption>Patricia Lillard, First Grade Teacher at Lincoln-McCandless Elementary, received a standing ovation as she was recognized for 45 years of service to Hutchinson Public Schools.</figcaption>
 </figure>These Salthawk staff members will be recognized again at the September 13th home football game against Valley Center during the pre-game announcements.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723473033940.jpeg" alt="Kristen Brown was the keynote speaker at the USD 308 Convocation. Image Courtesy USD 308." />
 <figcaption>Kristen Brown was the keynote speaker at the USD 308 Convocation. Image Courtesy USD 308.</figcaption>
 </figure>Wrapping up the event was a keynote speech delivered by Kristen Brown, sponsored by the Davis Foundation. Kristen is known as The Energy Phoenix, and is a Certified Speaking Professional who reshapes leadership energy in today's workplace. Leveraging her journey as a young widow and 15 years of corporate leadership, Kristen has transformed workplace dynamics at major companies across various industries. She holds a Master's in Integral Theory and several wellness certifications, offering a comprehensive approach to impact, resilience, and results.Kristen, decked out in Salthawk colors, brought with her an engaging and fun keynote speech. She guided the group through activities designed to explore their "7 energies of leadership" and shared both touching and humorous stories. One such activity, Energy Bingo, encouraged staff to engage with their colleagues in small groups, discussing conflict resolution strategies and methods to motivate themselves and one another. Participants were also reminded to dedicate time each day for setting intentions and building connections with students, guardians, and colleagues.The group ended their day with laughter yoga before heading to their buildings for professional development.The first day of school for USD 308 is Wednesday, August 14th for Kindergarten to 9th grades. Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors will begin on August 15th. Pre-K and Kindergarten classes have a staggered start date and should look for communication from their school regarding the first day.

USD 308 holds convocation

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College Cosmetology will be hosting its annual Back to School Haircut Day August 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the school’s center at 200 E. 3rd Ave., Hutchinson.

Children in pre-k through grade 12 are eligible for a free haircut to be performed by HutchCC cosmetology students and volunteer cosmetologists and barbers. No appointment is necessary; haircuts will be done on a first come, first served basis.

“This day is a highlight of the year for us and our students,” stated Alex Hass, HutchCC’s Cosmetology Program Coordinator. “We look forward to offering this each year and are excited to help those in our community prepare for the upcoming school year.”

For more information, or if you are a cosmetologist or barber interested in volunteering, contact Alex Hass at 620-669-4575 or email at <a href="mailto:hassa@hutchcc.edu">hassa@hutchcc.edu</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721660074855.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hutchinson Community CollegeHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College Cosmetology will be hosting its annual Back to School Haircut Day August 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the school’s center at 200 E. 3rd Ave., Hutchinson.Children in pre-k through grade 12 are eligible for a free haircut to be performed by HutchCC cosmetology students and volunteer cosmetologists and barbers. No appointment is necessary; haircuts will be done on a first come, first served basis.“This day is a highlight of the year for us and our students,” stated Alex Hass, HutchCC’s Cosmetology Program Coordinator. “We look forward to offering this each year and are excited to help those in our community prepare for the upcoming school year.”For more information, or if you are a cosmetologist or barber interested in volunteering, contact Alex Hass at 620-669-4575 or email at <a href="mailto:hassa@hutchcc.edu">hassa@hutchcc.edu</a>.

Back to school haircuts happening Monday

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A funeral for Firefighter Ty Voth, who died battling a fire, was held at 10 a.m. on Friday at Hartman Arena, 8151 N Hartman Arena Drive in Park City.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/wichitafiredepartment">Click here to watch a</a> replay of the service

Before the funeral, there was a public viewing at 9 a.m. at Hartman Arena.&nbsp;

Following the service, Voth was transported to Whitewater Cemetery in Whitewater, Kansas.

Official Procession Route from the Park City Arena:

Park City Arena, 8151 N Hartman Arena Dr, Park City, KS 67147 To Whitewater Cemetery, 10881-11579 SE 72nd St, Whitewater, KS 67154

Voth was a 2015 graduate of Newton High School and attended Hutchinson Community College, graduating from the Fire Science Program in 2017. He then went on to work at the Manhattan Fire Department until 2019. From there, he was hired on to the Wichita Fire Department, to be closer to his family.

From day one, Ty’s passion was to be a firefighter. He was a second generation firefighter, following in his father's and uncle’s footsteps. In his spare time, he was an avid outdoorsmen, spending most of his time out in the field hunting beside his grandpa, Jack; his brother, Nic; brother-in-law, Matt; cousin, Matthew; his best friends; along with his hunting dog, Mossy.

Ty’s life revolved around his family. He was always there to help when needed and made sure his mother and family were always taken care of. The help and care that he showed extended out to his buddies and their families.

Everyone has their kin family, but Ty was lucky enough to have a second family in Station Five B-Shift. Not only were they firefighters, they enjoyed time together outside of the station, taking vacations and making memories.

He was preceded in death by: his grandmother, Jeannie Belcher; his grandfather, Ray Voth; his uncle, Mike Belcher; his cousin, Ryan Booth; along with his hunting dog, Mossy Girl.

He is survived by: his mother, Angie Voth; his father, Chad Voth; his sister, Riley (Matt); his nephew, Mason; his brother, Nic (Leticia); his sister, Lindsey; his grandpa, Jack; his grandma, Sherry "Bud"; his aunts, Kathy (Tony) and Dana (Kent); his uncle, Kyle; his cousins, Matthew (Deana), Michael (Sydney), and Chad; along with his childhood buddies.

On behalf of the family, they would like to thank the Wichita Fire Department for their support and compassion during this difficult time.

There has been a memorial fund in honor of Ty Voth that may be designated to the Wichita Police and Fire Foundation, PO Box 782736, Wichita, Kansas 67278 or the Wichita Firefighters Charitable Fund, 428 N. St. Francis, Wichita, Kansas 67202.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722607741656.png" alt="Ty Voth courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Ty Voth courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A funeral for Firefighter Ty Voth, who died battling a fire, was held at 10 a.m. on Friday at Hartman Arena, 8151 N Hartman Arena Drive in Park City.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/wichitafiredepartment">Click here to watch a</a> replay of the service<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Below are the links for Firefighter Voth&#39;s obituary and for those who have asked, direct links to the memorials established in his honor. <a href="https://t.co/jFhklb01lI">https://t.co/jFhklb01lI</a><a href="https://t.co/dPD1epLuLB">https://t.co/dPD1epLuLB</a><a href="https://t.co/9s3dRb6YWk">https://t.co/9s3dRb6YWk</a> <a href="https://t.co/c4D8q8ZEwD">pic.twitter.com/c4D8q8ZEwD</a>&mdash; WichitaFireDept (@WichitaFireDept) <a href="https://twitter.com/WichitaFireDept/status/1821182072787968068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Before the funeral, there was a public viewing at 9 a.m. at Hartman Arena.&nbsp;Following the service, Voth was transported to Whitewater Cemetery in Whitewater, Kansas.Official Procession Route from the Park City Arena:Park City Arena, 8151 N Hartman Arena Dr, Park City, KS 67147 To Whitewater Cemetery, 10881-11579 SE 72nd St, Whitewater, KS 67154<ol>
 <li>Exit Park City Arena using the southwest exit (E. Briar Rose Ln.)</li><li>Turn right (west) on E. Briar Rose Ln. and proceed to Broadway</li><li>Turn right (north) on Broadway and proceed approximately 9 miles</li><li>Turn right (east) onto K-196/SE 72nd and proceed east for approximately 8 miles</li><li>Cross Harvest Hill Rd. and attendants will assist in parking in the appropriate location upon arrival to the cemetery</li>
 </ol>His obituary is belowVoth was a 2015 graduate of Newton High School and attended Hutchinson Community College, graduating from the Fire Science Program in 2017. He then went on to work at the Manhattan Fire Department until 2019. From there, he was hired on to the Wichita Fire Department, to be closer to his family.From day one, Ty’s passion was to be a firefighter. He was a second generation firefighter, following in his father's and uncle’s footsteps. In his spare time, he was an avid outdoorsmen, spending most of his time out in the field hunting beside his grandpa, Jack; his brother, Nic; brother-in-law, Matt; cousin, Matthew; his best friends; along with his hunting dog, Mossy.Ty’s life revolved around his family. He was always there to help when needed and made sure his mother and family were always taken care of. The help and care that he showed extended out to his buddies and their families.Everyone has their kin family, but Ty was lucky enough to have a second family in Station Five B-Shift. Not only were they firefighters, they enjoyed time together outside of the station, taking vacations and making memories.He was preceded in death by: his grandmother, Jeannie Belcher; his grandfather, Ray Voth; his uncle, Mike Belcher; his cousin, Ryan Booth; along with his hunting dog, Mossy Girl.He is survived by: his mother, Angie Voth; his father, Chad Voth; his sister, Riley (Matt); his nephew, Mason; his brother, Nic (Leticia); his sister, Lindsey; his grandpa, Jack; his grandma, Sherry "Bud"; his aunts, Kathy (Tony) and Dana (Kent); his uncle, Kyle; his cousins, Matthew (Deana), Michael (Sydney), and Chad; along with his childhood buddies.On behalf of the family, they would like to thank the Wichita Fire Department for their support and compassion during this difficult time.There has been a memorial fund in honor of Ty Voth that may be designated to the Wichita Police and Fire Foundation, PO Box 782736, Wichita, Kansas 67278 or the Wichita Firefighters Charitable Fund, 428 N. St. Francis, Wichita, Kansas 67202.

Funeral for fallen Kansas firefighter

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces dangerous levels of heat and people head out for final summer travel plans. Since July 1, the Red Cross national blood supply has fallen by more than 25%, and blood donors of all types, especially those with type O blood, are urged to give as soon as possible to help patients receive lifesaving medical care.

Heat impacted more than 100 blood drives in July in nearly every state where the Red Cross collects blood – compounding other seasonal obstacles to blood donation, such as travel and summer activities. Together these factors contributed to a shortfall of more than 19,000 blood donations in July. At the same time, hospital demand for blood products remains strong. Blood products are being sent to hospitals faster than donations are coming in. Right now, type O inventory is so low, distributions of this vital blood type are reduced below what hospitals count on.

“It’s critical hospitals have both type O positive and O negative blood ready to go for patients in the most life-threatening situations,” said Dr. Eric Gehrie, executive physician director for the Red Cross. “Type O is especially important for victims of accidents and other trauma who are receiving emergency treatment. Now is the time for donors of all blood types to give and ensure hospital shelves can be restocked before any impact to patient care.”

The Red Cross is working with hospitals around-the-clock to meet the blood needs of patients – but can’t do it alone. To make an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

As a thank-you, those who come give blood, platelets or plasma Aug. 1-31, 2024, will get a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. For details, visit <a href="http://RedCrossBlood.org/Help">RedCrossBlood.org/Help</a>.

Tiffany Davison with the Red Cross reminds Hutch Post that the August blood drive in Hutchinson is still going on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Chili dogs, chips &amp; ice cream sandwiches are available each day and cinnamon rolls will be served on Wednesday morning at First Presbyterian Church at 201 East Sherman.

Below are the Hutch Post area donation opportunities.

8/6/2024: 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 201 E Sherman

8/7/2024: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 201 E Sherman

8/28/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Hutchinson Community College Student Union, 1300 N Plum St

8/30/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, 1701 East 23rd

9/5/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Legend of Hutchinson, 2416 Brentwood

8/14/2024: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 612 S. Maple

8/28/2024: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Sterling High School, 308 E. Washington

9/6/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sterling College, 125 W. Cooper

8/16/2024: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Pratt Community Building, 619 N. Main

8/30/2024: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Burrton Community, 203 N. Burrton Ave

8/12/2024: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Catholic Parish, 414 Locust

8/21/2024: 12:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Gardenview School, 11626 NW 36th Street

8/15/2024: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Harvey County, 120 E 7th

8/19/2024: 11:45 a.m. - 6 p.m., First Church of the Nazarene, 1000 N. Main

8/20/2024: 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., First Church of the Nazarene, 1000 N. Main

9/6/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kingman Community Hospital, 750 W. Ave. D

8/9/2024: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Peters United Church of Christ, 111 N Pine

8/7/2024: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Joseph Catholic Church, 520 E. Northview

8/29/2024: 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Central Christian College, 1200 S. Maple

9/6/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., McPherson College, 1600 Euclid

8/14/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Prairieland Partners John Deere, 2401 E. Northview

8/16/2024: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., McPherson YMCA, 220 N. Walnut

8/8/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., MKC Learning Center, 221 W. Hirschler St.

8/23/2024: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Pine Village Wellness Center, 86 22nd Ave

8/29/2024: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Macksville High School, 417 N. Gilmore

8/22/2024: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Stafford County Annex, 210 E 3rd Ave

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686756346970.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>American Red CrossHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces dangerous levels of heat and people head out for final summer travel plans. Since July 1, the Red Cross national blood supply has fallen by more than 25%, and blood donors of all types, especially those with type O blood, are urged to give as soon as possible to help patients receive lifesaving medical care.Heat impacted more than 100 blood drives in July in nearly every state where the Red Cross collects blood – compounding other seasonal obstacles to blood donation, such as travel and summer activities. Together these factors contributed to a shortfall of more than 19,000 blood donations in July. At the same time, hospital demand for blood products remains strong. Blood products are being sent to hospitals faster than donations are coming in. Right now, type O inventory is so low, distributions of this vital blood type are reduced below what hospitals count on.“It’s critical hospitals have both type O positive and O negative blood ready to go for patients in the most life-threatening situations,” said Dr. Eric Gehrie, executive physician director for the Red Cross. “Type O is especially important for victims of accidents and other trauma who are receiving emergency treatment. Now is the time for donors of all blood types to give and ensure hospital shelves can be restocked before any impact to patient care.”The Red Cross is working with hospitals around-the-clock to meet the blood needs of patients – but can’t do it alone. To make an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).As a thank-you, those who come give blood, platelets or plasma Aug. 1-31, 2024, will get a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. For details, visit <a href="http://RedCrossBlood.org/Help">RedCrossBlood.org/Help</a>.Tiffany Davison with the Red Cross reminds Hutch Post that the August blood drive in Hutchinson is still going on Tuesday and Wednesday.Chili dogs, chips &amp; ice cream sandwiches are available each day and cinnamon rolls will be served on Wednesday morning at First Presbyterian Church at 201 East Sherman.Below are the Hutch Post area donation opportunities.Reno CountyHutchinson8/6/2024: 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 201 E Sherman8/7/2024: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 201 E Sherman8/28/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Hutchinson Community College Student Union, 1300 N Plum St8/30/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, 1701 East 23rd9/5/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Legend of Hutchinson, 2416 BrentwoodSouth Hutchinson8/14/2024: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 612 S. MapleRice CountySterling8/28/2024: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Sterling High School, 308 E. Washington9/6/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sterling College, 125 W. CooperPratt CountyPratt8/16/2024: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Pratt Community Building, 619 N. MainHarvey CountyBurrton8/30/2024: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Burrton Community, 203 N. Burrton AveHalstead8/12/2024: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Catholic Parish, 414 Locust8/21/2024: 12:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Gardenview School, 11626 NW 36th StreetNewton8/15/2024: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Harvey County, 120 E 7th8/19/2024: 11:45 a.m. - 6 p.m., First Church of the Nazarene, 1000 N. Main8/20/2024: 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., First Church of the Nazarene, 1000 N. MainKingman CountyKingman9/6/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Kingman Community Hospital, 750 W. Ave. DMcPherson CountyInman8/9/2024: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Peters United Church of Christ, 111 N PineMc Pherson8/7/2024: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Joseph Catholic Church, 520 E. Northview8/29/2024: 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Central Christian College, 1200 S. Maple9/6/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., McPherson College, 1600 EuclidMcPherson8/14/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Prairieland Partners John Deere, 2401 E. Northview8/16/2024: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., McPherson YMCA, 220 N. WalnutMoundridge8/8/2024: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., MKC Learning Center, 221 W. Hirschler St.8/23/2024: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Pine Village Wellness Center, 86 22nd AveStafford CountyMacksville8/29/2024: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Macksville High School, 417 N. GilmoreSt John8/22/2024: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Stafford County Annex, 210 E 3rd Ave

Red Cross: Emergency blood shortage, especially Type O

Adrienne G. Freeman, 72, died August 1, 2024, at Hutchinson Health and Rehab. She was born June 5, 1952 in Seattle, WA, to Floyd Hardin Freeman and Ann Frances Weatherill.

She was very independent, strong woman who spoke her mind. She had a great influence on the other young women in our family to be strong and independent.

She was the first woman union carpenter in Kansas.&nbsp;

The first woman to work at the oil refinery in McPherson, Kansas in a “man’s” job.&nbsp;

The first person in our family to get a college degree, at the University of Washington. &nbsp;Her degree was in teaching, and she taught underprivileged kids.

On August 14, 1994 she was in an accident and suffered a brain injury. Things took a dramatic turn at that time. I feel like we got blessed with another 30 years of her. We all thought, including the doctors, that was going to be the end. That stubborn streak in her came through and she prevailed.

She was loved and will be missed tremendously by family and friends.

She is survived by: her siblings, Larryann (Leonard) Barkman, Antonia (William) Ahlgrim, Germaine Cook, Matthew Freeman, Gerard Freeman, Ritchie Freeman, Monica (Ken) Kehlet, and Melanie Burges; 19 nieces and nephews; 28 great nieces and nephews; and 11 great-great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by: her husband, Thomas Gilmore; her parents, Ann Frances Weatherill and Floyd Freeman; and five siblings. &nbsp;

Graveside service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 17, 2024 in Laurel Cemetery. Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Elliott Mortuary. The family encourages people to wear blue jeans for the service. Cremation has taken place.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to The Reno County Food Bank, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS, 67501.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722935011170.png" alt="Adrienne G. Freeman" />
 <figcaption>Adrienne G. Freeman</figcaption>
 </figure>Adrienne G. Freeman, 72, died August 1, 2024, at Hutchinson Health and Rehab. She was born June 5, 1952 in Seattle, WA, to Floyd Hardin Freeman and Ann Frances Weatherill.She was very independent, strong woman who spoke her mind. She had a great influence on the other young women in our family to be strong and independent.She was the first woman union carpenter in Kansas.&nbsp;The first woman to work at the oil refinery in McPherson, Kansas in a “man’s” job.&nbsp;The first person in our family to get a college degree, at the University of Washington. &nbsp;Her degree was in teaching, and she taught underprivileged kids.On August 14, 1994 she was in an accident and suffered a brain injury. Things took a dramatic turn at that time. I feel like we got blessed with another 30 years of her. We all thought, including the doctors, that was going to be the end. That stubborn streak in her came through and she prevailed.She was loved and will be missed tremendously by family and friends.She is survived by: her siblings, Larryann (Leonard) Barkman, Antonia (William) Ahlgrim, Germaine Cook, Matthew Freeman, Gerard Freeman, Ritchie Freeman, Monica (Ken) Kehlet, and Melanie Burges; 19 nieces and nephews; 28 great nieces and nephews; and 11 great-great nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by: her husband, Thomas Gilmore; her parents, Ann Frances Weatherill and Floyd Freeman; and five siblings. &nbsp;Graveside service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 17, 2024 in Laurel Cemetery. Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Elliott Mortuary. The family encourages people to wear blue jeans for the service. Cremation has taken place.In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to The Reno County Food Bank, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS, 67501.

Adrienne G. Freeman |1952-2024|

Kansas may spend billions of dollars to lure pro sports teams from Missouri, just a few miles away

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/kevinhardy/">KEVIN HARDY</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

For decades, academic research has been clear: Taxpayers almost never get their money back on subsidized sports stadiums.

And yet, over and over again, U.S. cities and states find themselves locked in lopsided negotiations with beloved football, baseball and basketball teams, hoping to keep them from jumping to a new market.

In the newest bidding war, Kansas aims to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to lure the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs or MLB’s Royals from their side-by-side stadiums in Missouri just a few miles away. It could be one of the most expensive stadium deals yet, according to Victor Matheson, a researcher who studies stadium subsidies.

“This is wildly destructive,” he said. “This is in some ways significantly worse than intercity competition, because you’re just spending billions of dollars to just move economic activity from one point in the metro area to another.”

Matheson, an economics professor at College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, watched closely in June as lawmakers in Topeka, Kansas, approved an expansion of an often-criticized tax incentive program with the aim of subsidizing a new stadium for one or both teams.

The bidding war for the teams is being viewed as particularly irresponsible by those who hailed a 2019 compact between Kansas and Missouri that some had hoped would set a new model for states across the country to curb corporate tax incentives.

Five years ago, the Democratic governor of Kansas and the Republican governor of Missouri celebrated an end to the so-called economic Border War, a long-standing practice in which governments would offer lucrative subsidies to lure companies back and forth across state lines in the Kansas City area. People saw the practice as wasteful, since it paid companies to relocate without spurring new growth for the regional economy.

The truce was momentous for Kansas and Missouri, two states whose rivalry traces back to bloody Civil War days. But it also garnered national acclaim from both liberals and conservatives who saw the move as a blow to corporate welfare and the cynical practice of companies pitting governments against each other.

But more powerful than the bipartisan cross-border cease-fire, apparently, is the allure of a new professional sports venue.

“Literally every piece of public policy that people said was bad before is being seen here,” said Kansas City, Missouri, Democratic Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Across the country, professional sports teams are playing various local and state governments against each other — a trend that will likely accelerate as a wave of existing stadium leases begin to expire across the country.

It’s a page from the pro sports playbook: Teams often threaten to move to other markets — one without an NFL or NBA franchise, for example. But when those efforts don’t work, team owners often seek to spark competition among local jurisdictions, Matheson said.

New Jersey officials are currently in talks with the owner of the Philadelphia 76ers to get that NBA franchise to hop over to Camden, New Jersey. And the NFL’s Washington Commanders, whose current stadium is in Maryland, are in talks with officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia as they look to build a new facility.

“If there’s not a credible threat to relocate,” Matheson said, “the only way to really get the money out of people’s hands is to play localities against one another.”

Lucas said the bidding war between Kansas and Missouri — and local governments in each — gives more leverage to the Chiefs and Royals in negotiations. But it’s up to elected officials to keep from being outmatched.

“I do think some support is important,” Lucas said. “Giving away the farm is not.”

In Topeka, the GOP-controlled legislature expanded Kansas’ Sales Tax and Revenue Bond program, known as STAR, which would redirect sales tax generated at the stadiums and surrounding areas to pay off construction debt. If the teams were to hop the state line, they could benefit from an unprecedented level of taxpayer support: as much as 70% of the costs of two stadiums, which could amount to billions.

The law allows the state to strike stadium deals with little to no public involvement, doubles down on a state incentive program with a spotty track record of success and potentially puts the state’s finances at risk — all for the prospect of luring a sports team a few miles away.

“I do not like this. It feels gross,” Kansas state Rep. Jason Probst said during a caucus meeting of House Democrats in June. “This whole show that’s going on feels disgusting to me. And it’s still the right thing to do.”

In an interview, Probst, who is from Hutchinson in central Kansas, said the reality of professional sports requires governments “to play the game” and offer public assistance, lest they risk losing teams altogether.

“You can stand on your principles. … But if another state isn’t playing by the same set of rules you are, then they’re going to make that investment and they’re going to take that away,” he said.

On a hot summer day in 2019, hundreds of people gathered to celebrate an end to Missouri’s and Kansas’ practice of offering tax incentives to move companies and jobs from one state to the other.

<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article233725152.html" target="_blank">By one estimate</a>, the practice cost taxpayers more than $300 million over a decade and created almost no new jobs for the Kansas City metro area, which straddles both states.

“Sometimes common sense does prevail,” Missouri’s Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article233725152.html" target="_blank">Gov. Mike Parson said at the time.&nbsp;</a>“Because you don’t have to be a scientist to figure out this was a bad deal for both states.”

Parson’s office did not respond to requests for comment for this story. But in July, the governor said he was confident the NFL team would stay put at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri.

“I’m not too worried about Kansas at this point,” Parson said.

This spring,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2024-04-02/royals-chiefs-stadium-sales-tax-question-1-results-jackson-county-kansas-city-election" target="_blank">voters’ rejection of a 40-year sales tax</a>&nbsp;to help finance a new Royals stadium — and upgrades for Arrowhead — sparked a fear that the teams might leave if they don’t get new facilities. Claiming voters in the Chiefs’ and Royals’ home county had “dropped the ball,” Republican leaders in Kansas pushed to offer the teams a deal, worried they could leave the region altogether.

That fear was enough to reignite the dormant competition between officials in the two states.

“And then they said, ‘Oh, but this is sports, that doesn’t count,’” Matheson said. “Bad economics with sports teams seems to have few boundaries.”

While some&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/20/missouri-lawmakers-criticize-kansas-attempt-to-poach-royals-chiefs/" target="_blank">Missouri officials have criticized Kansas’ overtures</a>&nbsp;to the teams, Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said in June she made no promises about leaving the teams alone when she signed the Border War truce.

This week, Kelly’s office declined to comment on the legislation, referring questions to the Kansas Department of Commerce, which would oversee any stadium deals. That agency did not answer questions but provided a statement saying such projects “require discretion and confidentiality.”

“The department will not disclose any details regarding the activity surrounding negotiations or future agreements,” department spokesperson Patrick Lowry wrote in an email.

Missouri House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson, a Republican from Lee’s Summit in suburban Kansas City, likewise said the truce wasn’t meant to cover sports teams — and he wants his state to keep the teams. He expects the state to respond with an offer of its own.

“The sports teams are sort of in a special category of their own. I don’t think that’s what that legislation really was meant for,” Patterson said of the truce.

Kansas’ offer to the Chiefs and Royals enhances an often-criticized program meant to bring major tourist attractions to the state.

But in most cases, the STAR bond program, according to a state audit, failed at its goal of increasing tourism. There may have been some cases, the audit said, where certain projects kept Kansans spending money in Kansas rather than going to Missouri.

“But we think it’s more often that local visitors simply move existing economic activity from one part of Kansas to another,” the audit said.

Prairiefire, a sprawling development in the Kansas suburb of Overland Park,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/development/article283839588.html" target="_blank">defaulted on its STAR construction bonds</a>&nbsp;earlier this year because sales tax revenues from its restaurants, movie theater and museum came in far below projections.

The proposal for the stadiums would allow the Chiefs or Royals to pay off construction loans using the increased sales and liquor tax collections at the stadium. In pushing for the legislation, lawmakers noted that the money for the stadium would come from spending in and around the stadiums, not general taxpayers.

And they claimed that bond investors would be on the hook — not the state — if sales tax collections come up short.

But Geoffrey Propheter, an associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, said it’s unclear how interested investors will be in loaning huge sums for stadium projects, which typically do not create enough revenue to cover costs.

And if those state-issued bonds were ever at risk of failure, he said, lawmakers would feel implicit pressure to bail out the stadium.

“In the real world, there’s a huge risk to Kansas state taxpayers,” he said. “They’re going to have to decide to either bail out the project or do nothing. And if they do nothing, their credit, the state’s credit worthiness, will take a hit. And that will make all future borrowing more expensive.”

Experts viewed the Kansas-Missouri truce as a model that other states and cities could emulate.

“We were very interested in the Kansas and Missouri situation, because it gives a test as to whether this will work,” said Marc Joffe, a state policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute think tank. “And there have been some encouraging results since 2019 … but I think sports teams are just too big of a war, and they weren’t able to avoid the temptation.”

The institute&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cato.org/blog/how-kansas-city-chiefs-royals-restarted-subsidies-war" target="_blank">is studying</a>&nbsp;the Kansas-Missouri truce, in its larger effort to end bidding wars for factories and other major employers.

Joffe criticized such competition as wasteful, and said bidding for stadiums was no exception.

“It is at best a zero-sum game,” Joffe said, “and because of all the waste involved, it’s a really negative-sum game.”

Joffe pointed to the Coalition to Phase Out Corporate Tax Giveaways, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers that sponsored bills in more than a dozen legislatures between 2019 and 2021.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Christopher Rabb, a Democrat, has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2021&amp;sind=0&amp;body=H&amp;type=B&amp;bn=873" target="_blank">twice introduced legislation in Harrisburg</a>&nbsp;to end corporate subsidies. He said he was motivated by Amazon’s 2018 announcement that it was seeking a new corporate headquarters, a move that set off a national bidding war among cities.

He broadly believes corporate incentives are wasteful, especially for professional sports teams. Rabb views the Philadelphia 76ers talks of moving across the Delaware River to New Jersey as a ploy for public subsidies.

He noted most average people can’t afford to attend pro games and likened chasing the purported economic benefits of stadiums and arenas to hunting for “fool’s gold.”

“How does this really change the collective quality of opportunity for regular Philadelphians? It doesn’t,” he said. “Let’s be honest: This is the sandbox of billionaires.”

Rabb said elected leaders should be focused on policies that help marginalized people, not the “excessively wealthy,” such as team owners.

After talks stalled over a new arena for the 76ers in Philadelphia, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said&nbsp;<a href="https://6abc.com/post/new-jersey-officials-vying-philadelphia-76ers-open-new/15083409/" target="_blank">he proposed the team relocate</a>&nbsp;just a few miles to Camden.

Murphy’s office declined to comment, but the Democratic governor&nbsp;<a href="https://newjersey.news12.com/gov-murphy-answers-viewers-questions-on-ask-gov-murphy-program-july-25-2024" target="_blank">told a local television station&nbsp;</a>last week that the team’s interest was “legitimate.”

“We think we got an angle here. We’re taking it seriously. Where it lands? I can’t promise you,” he said. “I think they are taking it seriously as well — we shall see. I say this as a Boston Celtics fan — don’t get mad at me.”

But this sort of jockeying between states only benefits team owners, said Neil deMause, a journalist who has written a book about stadium subsidies. Taxpayers and fans, he said, stand to gain little, especially if game tickets become more expensive at new facilities.

“All the economists I know say the best thing you could do is reject it for your state and have the stadiums get built in the other state,” deMause said. “You still get to go drive across the border and see the games the same way as you would otherwise … but you don’t have to pay for building the thing.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669408667473.png" alt="A red-clad crowd packs Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)." />
 <figcaption>A red-clad crowd packs Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas may spend billions of dollars to lure pro sports teams from Missouri, just a few miles away</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/kevinhardy/">KEVIN HARDY</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>For decades, academic research has been clear: Taxpayers almost never get their money back on subsidized sports stadiums.And yet, over and over again, U.S. cities and states find themselves locked in lopsided negotiations with beloved football, baseball and basketball teams, hoping to keep them from jumping to a new market.In the newest bidding war, Kansas aims to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to lure the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs or MLB’s Royals from their side-by-side stadiums in Missouri just a few miles away. It could be one of the most expensive stadium deals yet, according to Victor Matheson, a researcher who studies stadium subsidies.“This is wildly destructive,” he said. “This is in some ways significantly worse than intercity competition, because you’re just spending billions of dollars to just move economic activity from one point in the metro area to another.”Matheson, an economics professor at College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, watched closely in June as lawmakers in Topeka, Kansas, approved an expansion of an often-criticized tax incentive program with the aim of subsidizing a new stadium for one or both teams.The bidding war for the teams is being viewed as particularly irresponsible by those who hailed a 2019 compact between Kansas and Missouri that some had hoped would set a new model for states across the country to curb corporate tax incentives.Five years ago, the Democratic governor of Kansas and the Republican governor of Missouri celebrated an end to the so-called economic Border War, a long-standing practice in which governments would offer lucrative subsidies to lure companies back and forth across state lines in the Kansas City area. People saw the practice as wasteful, since it paid companies to relocate without spurring new growth for the regional economy.The truce was momentous for Kansas and Missouri, two states whose rivalry traces back to bloody Civil War days. But it also garnered national acclaim from both liberals and conservatives who saw the move as a blow to corporate welfare and the cynical practice of companies pitting governments against each other.But more powerful than the bipartisan cross-border cease-fire, apparently, is the allure of a new professional sports venue.“Literally every piece of public policy that people said was bad before is being seen here,” said Kansas City, Missouri, Democratic Mayor Quinton Lucas.Across the country, professional sports teams are playing various local and state governments against each other — a trend that will likely accelerate as a wave of existing stadium leases begin to expire across the country.It’s a page from the pro sports playbook: Teams often threaten to move to other markets — one without an NFL or NBA franchise, for example. But when those efforts don’t work, team owners often seek to spark competition among local jurisdictions, Matheson said.New Jersey officials are currently in talks with the owner of the Philadelphia 76ers to get that NBA franchise to hop over to Camden, New Jersey. And the NFL’s Washington Commanders, whose current stadium is in Maryland, are in talks with officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia as they look to build a new facility.“If there’s not a credible threat to relocate,” Matheson said, “the only way to really get the money out of people’s hands is to play localities against one another.”Lucas said the bidding war between Kansas and Missouri — and local governments in each — gives more leverage to the Chiefs and Royals in negotiations. But it’s up to elected officials to keep from being outmatched.“I do think some support is important,” Lucas said. “Giving away the farm is not.”In Topeka, the GOP-controlled legislature expanded Kansas’ Sales Tax and Revenue Bond program, known as STAR, which would redirect sales tax generated at the stadiums and surrounding areas to pay off construction debt. If the teams were to hop the state line, they could benefit from an unprecedented level of taxpayer support: as much as 70% of the costs of two stadiums, which could amount to billions.The law allows the state to strike stadium deals with little to no public involvement, doubles down on a state incentive program with a spotty track record of success and potentially puts the state’s finances at risk — all for the prospect of luring a sports team a few miles away.“I do not like this. It feels gross,” Kansas state Rep. Jason Probst said during a caucus meeting of House Democrats in June. “This whole show that’s going on feels disgusting to me. And it’s still the right thing to do.”In an interview, Probst, who is from Hutchinson in central Kansas, said the reality of professional sports requires governments “to play the game” and offer public assistance, lest they risk losing teams altogether.“You can stand on your principles. … But if another state isn’t playing by the same set of rules you are, then they’re going to make that investment and they’re going to take that away,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722689139327.png" alt=" Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson at a 2019 event in Kansas City. (Missouri Governor’s Office)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson at a 2019 event in Kansas City. (Missouri Governor’s Office)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Reigniting the Border War</h2>On a hot summer day in 2019, hundreds of people gathered to celebrate an end to Missouri’s and Kansas’ practice of offering tax incentives to move companies and jobs from one state to the other.<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article233725152.html" target="_blank">By one estimate</a>, the practice cost taxpayers more than $300 million over a decade and created almost no new jobs for the Kansas City metro area, which straddles both states.“Sometimes common sense does prevail,” Missouri’s Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/article233725152.html" target="_blank">Gov. Mike Parson said at the time.&nbsp;</a>“Because you don’t have to be a scientist to figure out this was a bad deal for both states.”Parson’s office did not respond to requests for comment for this story. But in July, the governor said he was confident the NFL team would stay put at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri.“I’m not too worried about Kansas at this point,” Parson said.This spring,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2024-04-02/royals-chiefs-stadium-sales-tax-question-1-results-jackson-county-kansas-city-election" target="_blank">voters’ rejection of a 40-year sales tax</a>&nbsp;to help finance a new Royals stadium — and upgrades for Arrowhead — sparked a fear that the teams might leave if they don’t get new facilities. Claiming voters in the Chiefs’ and Royals’ home county had “dropped the ball,” Republican leaders in Kansas pushed to offer the teams a deal, worried they could leave the region altogether.That fear was enough to reignite the dormant competition between officials in the two states.“And then they said, ‘Oh, but this is sports, that doesn’t count,’” Matheson said. “Bad economics with sports teams seems to have few boundaries.”While some&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/20/missouri-lawmakers-criticize-kansas-attempt-to-poach-royals-chiefs/" target="_blank">Missouri officials have criticized Kansas’ overtures</a>&nbsp;to the teams, Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said in June she made no promises about leaving the teams alone when she signed the Border War truce.This week, Kelly’s office declined to comment on the legislation, referring questions to the Kansas Department of Commerce, which would oversee any stadium deals. That agency did not answer questions but provided a statement saying such projects “require discretion and confidentiality.”“The department will not disclose any details regarding the activity surrounding negotiations or future agreements,” department spokesperson Patrick Lowry wrote in an email.Missouri House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson, a Republican from Lee’s Summit in suburban Kansas City, likewise said the truce wasn’t meant to cover sports teams — and he wants his state to keep the teams. He expects the state to respond with an offer of its own.“The sports teams are sort of in a special category of their own. I don’t think that’s what that legislation really was meant for,” Patterson said of the truce.Kansas’ offer to the Chiefs and Royals enhances an often-criticized program meant to bring major tourist attractions to the state.But in most cases, the STAR bond program, according to a state audit, failed at its goal of increasing tourism. There may have been some cases, the audit said, where certain projects kept Kansans spending money in Kansas rather than going to Missouri.“But we think it’s more often that local visitors simply move existing economic activity from one part of Kansas to another,” the audit said.Prairiefire, a sprawling development in the Kansas suburb of Overland Park,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/development/article283839588.html" target="_blank">defaulted on its STAR construction bonds</a>&nbsp;earlier this year because sales tax revenues from its restaurants, movie theater and museum came in far below projections.The proposal for the stadiums would allow the Chiefs or Royals to pay off construction loans using the increased sales and liquor tax collections at the stadium. In pushing for the legislation, lawmakers noted that the money for the stadium would come from spending in and around the stadiums, not general taxpayers.And they claimed that bond investors would be on the hook — not the state — if sales tax collections come up short.But Geoffrey Propheter, an associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, said it’s unclear how interested investors will be in loaning huge sums for stadium projects, which typically do not create enough revenue to cover costs.And if those state-issued bonds were ever at risk of failure, he said, lawmakers would feel implicit pressure to bail out the stadium.“In the real world, there’s a huge risk to Kansas state taxpayers,” he said. “They’re going to have to decide to either bail out the project or do nothing. And if they do nothing, their credit, the state’s credit worthiness, will take a hit. And that will make all future borrowing more expensive.”<h2>‘Zero-sum’ game between states</h2>Experts viewed the Kansas-Missouri truce as a model that other states and cities could emulate.“We were very interested in the Kansas and Missouri situation, because it gives a test as to whether this will work,” said Marc Joffe, a state policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute think tank. “And there have been some encouraging results since 2019 … but I think sports teams are just too big of a war, and they weren’t able to avoid the temptation.”The institute&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cato.org/blog/how-kansas-city-chiefs-royals-restarted-subsidies-war" target="_blank">is studying</a>&nbsp;the Kansas-Missouri truce, in its larger effort to end bidding wars for factories and other major employers.Joffe criticized such competition as wasteful, and said bidding for stadiums was no exception.“It is at best a zero-sum game,” Joffe said, “and because of all the waste involved, it’s a really negative-sum game.”Joffe pointed to the Coalition to Phase Out Corporate Tax Giveaways, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers that sponsored bills in more than a dozen legislatures between 2019 and 2021.Pennsylvania state Rep. Christopher Rabb, a Democrat, has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2021&amp;sind=0&amp;body=H&amp;type=B&amp;bn=873" target="_blank">twice introduced legislation in Harrisburg</a>&nbsp;to end corporate subsidies. He said he was motivated by Amazon’s 2018 announcement that it was seeking a new corporate headquarters, a move that set off a national bidding war among cities.He broadly believes corporate incentives are wasteful, especially for professional sports teams. Rabb views the Philadelphia 76ers talks of moving across the Delaware River to New Jersey as a ploy for public subsidies.He noted most average people can’t afford to attend pro games and likened chasing the purported economic benefits of stadiums and arenas to hunting for “fool’s gold.”“How does this really change the collective quality of opportunity for regular Philadelphians? It doesn’t,” he said. “Let’s be honest: This is the sandbox of billionaires.”Rabb said elected leaders should be focused on policies that help marginalized people, not the “excessively wealthy,” such as team owners.After talks stalled over a new arena for the 76ers in Philadelphia, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said&nbsp;<a href="https://6abc.com/post/new-jersey-officials-vying-philadelphia-76ers-open-new/15083409/" target="_blank">he proposed the team relocate</a>&nbsp;just a few miles to Camden.Murphy’s office declined to comment, but the Democratic governor&nbsp;<a href="https://newjersey.news12.com/gov-murphy-answers-viewers-questions-on-ask-gov-murphy-program-july-25-2024" target="_blank">told a local television station&nbsp;</a>last week that the team’s interest was “legitimate.”“We think we got an angle here. We’re taking it seriously. Where it lands? I can’t promise you,” he said. “I think they are taking it seriously as well — we shall see. I say this as a Boston Celtics fan — don’t get mad at me.”But this sort of jockeying between states only benefits team owners, said Neil deMause, a journalist who has written a book about stadium subsidies. Taxpayers and fans, he said, stand to gain little, especially if game tickets become more expensive at new facilities.“All the economists I know say the best thing you could do is reject it for your state and have the stadiums get built in the other state,” deMause said. “You still get to go drive across the border and see the games the same way as you would otherwise … but you don’t have to pay for building the thing.”

Kansas v. Missouri stadium battle shows how states are reigniting border wars

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Rotary Club of Hutchinson will hold its next meeting Monday, August 5th at noon at the Stringer Fine Arts Center on the campus of Hutchinson Community College. The public is invited to attend.

Our speaker will be Elizabeth Vieyra.  She serves as the Missionary and US Administrator for Ripples from the Well, a non-profit organization dedicated to caring for vulnerable children and cultivating self-sufficient communities in Jinja, Uganda. Liz brings a wealth of experience from her background as an elementary school teacher in Hutchinson and her involvement in various non-profit initiatives.

Liz's journey is a testament to the power of divine calling and commitment. At just 13 years old, she felt a profound calling to serve in Africa. This dream became a reality in 2022 when she visited Uganda for the first time, two decades after her initial calling. Leaving behind a full-time teaching career, Liz embraced her vocation to serve God's purpose, focusing her efforts on the children in Uganda.

As a licensed foster parent and seasoned educator, Liz uses her skills to serve and empower children both locally and globally. She believes in teaching as a conduit for love and service, and she now applies these skills to stand in the gap for the most vulnerable in Uganda.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722525903943.jpeg" alt="Elizabeth Vieyra" />
 <figcaption>Elizabeth Vieyra</figcaption>
 </figure>Rotary Club of HutchinsonHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Rotary Club of Hutchinson will hold its next meeting Monday, August 5th at noon at the Stringer Fine Arts Center on the campus of Hutchinson Community College. The public is invited to attend.Our speaker will be Elizabeth Vieyra. She serves as the Missionary and US Administrator for Ripples from the Well, a non-profit organization dedicated to caring for vulnerable children and cultivating self-sufficient communities in Jinja, Uganda. Liz brings a wealth of experience from her background as an elementary school teacher in Hutchinson and her involvement in various non-profit initiatives.Liz's journey is a testament to the power of divine calling and commitment. At just 13 years old, she felt a profound calling to serve in Africa. This dream became a reality in 2022 when she visited Uganda for the first time, two decades after her initial calling. Leaving behind a full-time teaching career, Liz embraced her vocation to serve God's purpose, focusing her efforts on the children in Uganda.As a licensed foster parent and seasoned educator, Liz uses her skills to serve and empower children both locally and globally. She believes in teaching as a conduit for love and service, and she now applies these skills to stand in the gap for the most vulnerable in Uganda.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.</a>

Missionary to speak to Rotary

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The sound of whistles echoing through Gowans Stadium on Aug. 1 means one thing, football is back.

Hutchinson Community College held its first official practice of the 2024 season on Thursday morning.

"It's good to be back out here No. 1," head coach Drew Dallas said. "We put a lot of work into it this offseason, throughout the summer, so just getting back out, getting on the turf, kind of going at that next level of tempo and scheme and those kind of things has been really fun with this group of guys."

Dallas liked the pace and tempo his group showed on the first day.

"Very pleased with where we're at after day one," Dallas said. "I thought our guys were attentive, there was a lot of attention to detail, there was great effort and great attitudes. "I think it's a starting point and it's going to be fun to watch them continue to progress as we go."

The Blue Dragons look to defend their KJCCC title this fall after being selected as the preseason favorite last Friday.&nbsp;

HutchCC will open the season on Thursday, Aug. 29 at home against New Mexico Military Institute. The Blue Dragons and Broncos have met three previous times in program history, the last coming in the 2009 Salt City Bowl, a 22-14 Blue Dragon win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722532159392.jpeg" alt="Hutchinson Community College head football coach Drew Dallas addresses the team following its first practice on Thursday, August 1, at Gowans Stadium. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)" />
 <figcaption>Hutchinson Community College head football coach Drew Dallas addresses the team following its first practice on Thursday, August 1, at Gowans Stadium. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)</figcaption>
 </figure>SEAN BOSTON Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The sound of whistles echoing through Gowans Stadium on Aug. 1 means one thing, football is back.Hutchinson Community College held its first official practice of the 2024 season on Thursday morning."It's good to be back out here No. 1," head coach Drew Dallas said. "We put a lot of work into it this offseason, throughout the summer, so just getting back out, getting on the turf, kind of going at that next level of tempo and scheme and those kind of things has been really fun with this group of guys."Dallas liked the pace and tempo his group showed on the first day."Very pleased with where we're at after day one," Dallas said. "I thought our guys were attentive, there was a lot of attention to detail, there was great effort and great attitudes. "I think it's a starting point and it's going to be fun to watch them continue to progress as we go."The Blue Dragons look to defend their KJCCC title this fall after being selected as the preseason favorite last Friday.&nbsp;HutchCC will open the season on Thursday, Aug. 29 at home against New Mexico Military Institute. The Blue Dragons and Broncos have met three previous times in program history, the last coming in the 2009 Salt City Bowl, a 22-14 Blue Dragon win.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722532969420.jpeg" alt="Hutchinson Community College head football coach Drew Dallas following its first practice on Thursday, Aug. 1, at Gowans Stadium. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)" />
 <figcaption>Hutchinson Community College head football coach Drew Dallas following its first practice on Thursday, Aug. 1, at Gowans Stadium. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722533004368.jpeg" alt="Hutchinson Community College head football coach Drew Dallas addresses the team at its first practice on Thursday, Aug. 1, at Gowans Stadium. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)" />
 <figcaption>Hutchinson Community College head football coach Drew Dallas addresses the team at its first practice on Thursday, Aug. 1, at Gowans Stadium. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)</figcaption>
 </figure>