🌱 How Ellis County’s next big decisions could affect your roads and taxes

Coffee in hand, Hays? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• How Ellis County’s next big decisions could affect your roads and taxes
• Will Hays win its high-stakes Supreme Court water pipeline fight?
• How a roadside stop near Hays turned deadly on I-70

Also on today's calendar: Gabriel Rutledge and 2 more events.

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Hays? Post it to Hays photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Freezing fog in the morning, with a high of 58 and low of 26 degrees.
• Wednesday: Partly sunny, temps: high: 56, low: 35.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny; windy, cooler, with a high of 46 and low of 25 degrees.

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📰 News we're reading

• Ellis County Commission to review improvement district for Stonewood Estates North Addition (hayspost.com) — Ellis County commissioners will meet Tuesday morning to consider creating a road improvement district for the Stonewood Estates North Addition and to authorize bonding for major projects like a law enforcement center remodel and courthouse HVAC replacement. They’ll also weigh year-end budget transfers, higher dues for a statewide policy group, equipment purchases for Public Works and Noxious Weeds, and a wildfire grant and donation benefiting county fire services, with Rep. Barbara Wasinger of Hays providing a legislative update on property tax relief.
   

• Kansas Supreme Court examines roiling water dispute between crop irrigators and Hays, Russell (kansasreflector.com) — Hays’ long-term water future is on the line as the Kansas Supreme Court weighs whether irrigators in Edwards County can block the city’s plan, shared with Russell, to pipe water from the R9 Ranch aquifer. Justices heard arguments over water rights, environmental impacts, and local zoning moves that could determine if Hays can rely on this long-planned pipeline for growth and drought resilience.
   

• Fatal Interstate 70 Collision Claims WaKeeney Man Near Hays (sunflowerstateradio.com) — A WaKeeney man was killed Sunday when a semi-truck struck him along westbound I-70 just west of Hays, near the U.S. 183 Alternate interchange. Kansas Highway Patrol says he was securing a vehicle on a trailer’s highway side shoulder when the semi allegedly drifted from its lane, prompting a temporary closure of westbound I-70 for investigation and cleanup.
   

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📸 Around Hays

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Hays

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Friday December 19

• Ribbon Cutting/Chamber Chat - B Healthy
  BHealthy, 825 E 8th St, Hays
  9:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

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Other local events

Thursday December 18

• Boys Swim @ Garden City
  Hays High , 1224 Center St , Garden City
  4:00 pm
• V Basketball @ Rock Creek
  Rock Creek Jr/Sr High School , 9355 Flush Rd , St George
  4:00 pm

Friday December 19

• V Basketball @ Rock Creek
  Rock Creek Jr/Sr High School , 9355 Flush Rd , St George
  4:00 pm
• Gabriel Rutledge
  Fox Theatre , 1202 Main St , Hays
  7:30 pm

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📣 Hays Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 18

• V Basketball @ Rock Creek
  Rock Creek Jr/Sr High School , 9355 Flush Rd , St George
  4:00 pm
• Boys Swim @ Garden City
  Hays High , 1224 Center St , Garden City
  4:00 pm

Friday December 19

• RC / CC - B Healthy
  825 E 8th St , Hays
  3:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Kansas Staffing posted a job opening for Housekeeper in Hays. Apply here.
• Tractor Supply posted a job opening for Team Member in Hays. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Hays here.

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🗞 Nearby News

Russell

• Fire at Waudby's Extinguished Quickly by Russell FD (krsl.com)
• Donner's 100th Win Highlights Weekend for RHS Boys Wrestling (krsl.com)
• Obituaries - December 15, 2025 (salina311.com)

Great Bend

• Great Bend school board reviews snow days (gbtribune.com)
• Public invited to Great Charity Giveback Tuesday to celebrate Giving Tuesday (greatbendpost.com)
• Barton County Sheriff's Office Booking activity (12/12-12/14) (greatbendpost.com)

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Ok Hays! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don't know, but April May!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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