By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle Media

The OPEC-Plus export alliance last week postponed its plans to increase crude oil production, but that was not enough to forestall a big drop in prices. The group kept in place its long-term plans to resume production increases, but pushed back the completion date by two months.

October NYMEX crude settled Friday at $67.67 per barrel, the lowest closing price since June of 2023, down $1.48 on the day and a weekly loss of nearly six dollars a barrel. Prices were a few cents higher in morning trading on Monday. 

The average for the month of August was a fraction over $65.62 per barrel. The average for August last year was over $71.

Kansas Common Crude dropped a dollar and a half to start the week at $58 per barrel, down $5.75 in seven days and ten dollars less than the average price so far this year at CHS in McPherson.

The Kansas Corporation Commission reports 89 new intent-to-drill notices last month.&nbsp;After updating totals from March and April, the total for the year stands at 742 intents statewide, compared to 901 by the end of August last year.

Barton County reports six new intents, 23 so far this year. That's down from 29 a year ago but up from 13 through August of 2022. Ellis County notches two new ones, nine so far this year, compared to 24 a year ago and 16 the year before that. In Russell County there are eight new notices so far this year, which is double the tally by this time last year, but down one from 2022. Stafford County reports eleven new intents through August of this year, compared to 21 a year ago and 12 two years ago.

Rig counts are down across the country and across Kansas. 

Baker Hughes reported 582 active rigs nationwide, down one gas rig from last week, with declines in Colorado, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania, and increases in West Virginia and New Mexico. 

Independent Oil and Gas Service reports ten active rigs in eastern Kansas, down one, and 15 rigs west of Wichita, which is unchanged. The statewide total is down 17% from a month ago and 31% lower than a year ago.

Independent Oil and Gas Service reports six new well completions across the state last week, 907 so far this year, which is down 145 completions from a year ago.

Kansas regulators report two new drilling permits in Barton County out of five in western Kansas and 21 statewide. With 685 so far this year, the statewide total lags behind last year by 149 permits.

The U.S. added 1.8 million barrels of crude to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the biggest weekly increase since DOE began refilling the reserves. Our refills are $16 a barrel cheaper than the original sales price, for a profit of nearly $29 million in the last week, and over $246 million since April. 

EIA says commercial stockpiles dropped 6.9 million barrels to just over 418 million, their lowest level in eleven months.

U.S. crude production held steady at 13.3 million barrels per day. The four-week average is up four percent from the same four weeks last year. Cumulative production so far this year is up nearly seven percent from a year ago.

The U.S. imports more crude than we export by about two million barrels per day. We export more petroleum products than we import by about 5.5 million barrels a day. Thus, we are a net petroleum exporter by just under 3.5 million barrels per day.

Crude exports averaged 3.7 million barrels a day. Four-week average crude exports are up nearly a million barrels a day over last year.&nbsp; Petroleum product exports averaged 7.3 million barrels a day.

U.S. crude imports were down 768,000 daily barrels to 5.8 million last week. Over the last four weeks, crude imports averaged 6.3 million barrels a day, down eight percent from a year ago. Product imports averaged 1.8 million barrels a day.

U.S. operators produced nearly 2.4 billion barrels of crude oil in the first six months of the year. That's just over 13 million barrels a day. The tally in Kansas for January through June is 72,846 barrels per day. The government's monthly production report shows U.S. output rose to 13.2 million barrels per day in June, the latest data available. That's the second best monthly average this year.&nbsp; 

Production in the Sunflower State averaged 77,000 barrels a day in June. Output here rose two percent from May but was down slightly from June of last year. Operators in Texas pumped nearly 5.6 million barrels a day, or more than 42% of the national total.

Exxon Mobil recently joined with Pioneer Natural Resources in a $60 billion merger. Now they're selling off producing conventional wells in the Permian's Central Basin in what could be a billion dollar offering. According to Bloomberg, the value of mergers and acquisitions in the oil and gas sector this year has doubled to over $210 billion.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684775008059.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle MediaThe OPEC-Plus export alliance last week postponed its plans to increase crude oil production, but that was not enough to forestall a big drop in prices. The group kept in place its long-term plans to resume production increases, but pushed back the completion date by two months.October NYMEX crude settled Friday at $67.67 per barrel, the lowest closing price since June of 2023, down $1.48 on the day and a weekly loss of nearly six dollars a barrel. Prices were a few cents higher in morning trading on Monday. The average for the month of August was a fraction over $65.62 per barrel. The average for August last year was over $71.Kansas Common Crude dropped a dollar and a half to start the week at $58 per barrel, down $5.75 in seven days and ten dollars less than the average price so far this year at CHS in McPherson.The Kansas Corporation Commission reports 89 new intent-to-drill notices last month.&nbsp;After updating totals from March and April, the total for the year stands at 742 intents statewide, compared to 901 by the end of August last year.Barton County reports six new intents, 23 so far this year. That's down from 29 a year ago but up from 13 through August of 2022. Ellis County notches two new ones, nine so far this year, compared to 24 a year ago and 16 the year before that. In Russell County there are eight new notices so far this year, which is double the tally by this time last year, but down one from 2022. Stafford County reports eleven new intents through August of this year, compared to 21 a year ago and 12 two years ago.Rig counts are down across the country and across Kansas. Baker Hughes reported 582 active rigs nationwide, down one gas rig from last week, with declines in Colorado, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania, and increases in West Virginia and New Mexico. Independent Oil and Gas Service reports ten active rigs in eastern Kansas, down one, and 15 rigs west of Wichita, which is unchanged. The statewide total is down 17% from a month ago and 31% lower than a year ago.Independent Oil and Gas Service reports six new well completions across the state last week, 907 so far this year, which is down 145 completions from a year ago.Kansas regulators report two new drilling permits in Barton County out of five in western Kansas and 21 statewide. With 685 so far this year, the statewide total lags behind last year by 149 permits.The U.S. added 1.8 million barrels of crude to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the biggest weekly increase since DOE began refilling the reserves. Our refills are $16 a barrel cheaper than the original sales price, for a profit of nearly $29 million in the last week, and over $246 million since April. EIA says commercial stockpiles dropped 6.9 million barrels to just over 418 million, their lowest level in eleven months.U.S. crude production held steady at 13.3 million barrels per day. The four-week average is up four percent from the same four weeks last year. Cumulative production so far this year is up nearly seven percent from a year ago.The U.S. imports more crude than we export by about two million barrels per day. We export more petroleum products than we import by about 5.5 million barrels a day. Thus, we are a net petroleum exporter by just under 3.5 million barrels per day.Crude exports averaged 3.7 million barrels a day. Four-week average crude exports are up nearly a million barrels a day over last year.&nbsp; Petroleum product exports averaged 7.3 million barrels a day.U.S. crude imports were down 768,000 daily barrels to 5.8 million last week. Over the last four weeks, crude imports averaged 6.3 million barrels a day, down eight percent from a year ago. Product imports averaged 1.8 million barrels a day.U.S. operators produced nearly 2.4 billion barrels of crude oil in the first six months of the year. That's just over 13 million barrels a day. The tally in Kansas for January through June is 72,846 barrels per day. The government's monthly production report shows U.S. output rose to 13.2 million barrels per day in June, the latest data available. That's the second best monthly average this year.&nbsp; Production in the Sunflower State averaged 77,000 barrels a day in June. Output here rose two percent from May but was down slightly from June of last year. Operators in Texas pumped nearly 5.6 million barrels a day, or more than 42% of the national total.Exxon Mobil recently joined with Pioneer Natural Resources in a $60 billion merger. Now they're selling off producing conventional wells in the Permian's Central Basin in what could be a billion dollar offering. According to Bloomberg, the value of mergers and acquisitions in the oil and gas sector this year has doubled to over $210 billion.&nbsp;&nbsp;

News From the Oil Patch: Crude prices drop to 15-month lows

🎥🏈 Redeem Designs Plays of the Week HHS vs Derby

🎥🏈 Redeem Designs Plays of the Week TMP vs Russell

The Hays Police Department responded to 94 incidents Aug. 24-31, 2024, according to the HPD activity log.

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 </figure>Hays Police DepartmentThe Hays Police Department responded to 94 incidents Aug. 24-31, 2024, according to the HPD activity log.<figure>
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Hays Police Department activity log, Aug. 24-31, 2024

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Hays Police Department arrest log, Aug. 25-31, 2024

The Ellis County Sheriff's Office responded to 265&nbsp; incidents Sept. 1-7, 2024, according to the activity report.

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 </figure>ECSOThe Ellis County Sheriff's Office responded to 265&nbsp; incidents Sept. 1-7, 2024, according to the activity report.<figure>
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Ellis County Sheriff activity report, Sept. 1-7, 2024

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Ellis County Jail bookings, Sept. 2-9, 2024

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Bikers are taking to the streets in Hays to combat bullying and teach children the importance of living in a society built on mutual respect.

Bikers Against Bullies USA, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Flash Van de Perre in Montana, has chapters nationwide, including Kansas.

Liaison Josh Seirer is passionate about riding motorcycles and educating children, founding the Bikers Against Bullies USA-Great Plains Chapter after connecting with Van de Perre earlier this year.

"My ultimate dream is that we have a bunch of motorcycles roll up to a school because kids love motorcycles and have a conversation with kids," Seirer said.

With a background in cybersecurity, Seier aims to educate children about in-person bullying and cyberbullying, as kids spend a significant amount of time on digital platforms.

Bikers Against Bullies&nbsp;USA's website provides&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bikersagainstbulliesusa.com/copy-of-liason" target="_blank">resources</a>&nbsp;such as steps to follow if you're being bullied, safety guides for children and parents, and contact information for emergencies and immediate assistance.

Seirer said many people are unaware of what bullying looks like, what signs to watch for in children or which apps they use.

"I don't think parents, adults or even educators fully understand what cyberbullying is because it's something that snuck up on us," he said.

The&nbsp;Bikers Against Bullies chapter was established in June, and the Fort Hays State University cybersecurity club is working with them to make worksheets for parents.

While&nbsp;Bikers Against Bullies USA provides resources for preventing online bullying, Seier is going a step further to help Hays better understand technology.

"If you're not mildly tech-savvy, you're not gonna know how to [recognize apps and use phones]," he said. "I'm working to fill that gap on the parents' side because it's not just about kids but educating parents too."

The new chapter has connected with various school districts, from Hays to Russell, to offer presentations to students while Seier works to recruit new members to join him on rides.

The organization is not a motorcycle club and welcomes anyone to join the fight against bullying and raising awareness in the local area.

Seirer spoke with counselors, psychiatrists, therapists and resource officers for insights into what bullying looks like today.

"I'm doing my best to come up with good material based on research done by experts," Seier said. "But at the same time, I want it to be relevant to our community and solve specific problems."

The&nbsp;Bikers Against Bullies Great Plains chapter will have a booth at Oktoberfest on Oct. 4 and 5 to talk with kids about bullying and raise awareness about its initiatives.

You can join&nbsp;Bikers Against Bullies by contacting Seirer at&nbsp;roebuck45bab@gmail.com or 785-656-2834.

You can also follow Bikers Against Bullies USA-Great Plains Chapter on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560821265149">Facebook</a> and visit the Bikers Against Bullies USA <a href="https://www.bikersagainstbulliesusa.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFH_T9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfItUCK9p7MgBQPx6rsI35FhSAq7TWoSmzG4WtU0FQQ7KOeSa0XcpmJTTg_aem_fV_3qOHNzY6F_0Acj-yUIQ">website</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725640396470.jpeg" alt="Motorcycle at the Miles for Mason Memorial Ride 2024. Courtesy Photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Motorcycle at the Miles for Mason Memorial Ride 2024. Courtesy Photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostBikers are taking to the streets in Hays to combat bullying and teach children the importance of living in a society built on mutual respect.Bikers Against Bullies USA, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Flash Van de Perre in Montana, has chapters nationwide, including Kansas.Liaison Josh Seirer is passionate about riding motorcycles and educating children, founding the Bikers Against Bullies USA-Great Plains Chapter after connecting with Van de Perre earlier this year."My ultimate dream is that we have a bunch of motorcycles roll up to a school because kids love motorcycles and have a conversation with kids," Seirer said.With a background in cybersecurity, Seier aims to educate children about in-person bullying and cyberbullying, as kids spend a significant amount of time on digital platforms.Bikers Against Bullies&nbsp;USA's website provides&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bikersagainstbulliesusa.com/copy-of-liason" target="_blank">resources</a>&nbsp;such as steps to follow if you're being bullied, safety guides for children and parents, and contact information for emergencies and immediate assistance.Seirer said many people are unaware of what bullying looks like, what signs to watch for in children or which apps they use."I don't think parents, adults or even educators fully understand what cyberbullying is because it's something that snuck up on us," he said.The&nbsp;Bikers Against Bullies chapter was established in June, and the Fort Hays State University cybersecurity club is working with them to make worksheets for parents.While&nbsp;Bikers Against Bullies USA provides resources for preventing online bullying, Seier is going a step further to help Hays better understand technology."If you're not mildly tech-savvy, you're not gonna know how to [recognize apps and use phones]," he said. "I'm working to fill that gap on the parents' side because it's not just about kids but educating parents too."The new chapter has connected with various school districts, from Hays to Russell, to offer presentations to students while Seier works to recruit new members to join him on rides.The organization is not a motorcycle club and welcomes anyone to join the fight against bullying and raising awareness in the local area.Seirer spoke with counselors, psychiatrists, therapists and resource officers for insights into what bullying looks like today."I'm doing my best to come up with good material based on research done by experts," Seier said. "But at the same time, I want it to be relevant to our community and solve specific problems."The&nbsp;Bikers Against Bullies Great Plains chapter will have a booth at Oktoberfest on Oct. 4 and 5 to talk with kids about bullying and raise awareness about its initiatives.You can join&nbsp;Bikers Against Bullies by contacting Seirer at&nbsp;roebuck45bab@gmail.com or 785-656-2834.You can also follow Bikers Against Bullies USA-Great Plains Chapter on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560821265149">Facebook</a> and visit the Bikers Against Bullies USA <a href="https://www.bikersagainstbulliesusa.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFH_T9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfItUCK9p7MgBQPx6rsI35FhSAq7TWoSmzG4WtU0FQQ7KOeSa0XcpmJTTg_aem_fV_3qOHNzY6F_0Acj-yUIQ">website</a>.

Bikers Against Bullies USA arrives in Hays, seeks new members

HaysMed is pleased to announce the addition of two highly skilled heart specialists to its Cardiology Department at the DeBakey Heart Institute. With Dr. Travis Haneke and Dr. Jacob Morgan, HaysMed continues its mission to offer the best possible care for patients, ensuring access to advanced and specialized treatments in western Kansas.

Haneke grew up in Sylvia, completed his undergraduate studies at Kansas State University and earned his medical degree from The University of Kansas School of Medicine.

Haneke trained in internal medicine and cardiology at Baylor Scott &amp; White in Texas and specialized in interventional cardiology at the University of Nebraska.

Morgan is a board-certified cardiologist specializing in heart rhythm disorders (electrophysiology). He completed his internal medicine and cardiology training at The University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City. Morgan then pursued advanced training in electrophysiology at Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

For a complete list of HaysMed services, visit the hospital's website, <a href="http://haysmed.com">haysmed.com</a>.

<figure>
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 </figure>HaysMedHaysMed is pleased to announce the addition of two highly skilled heart specialists to its Cardiology Department at the DeBakey Heart Institute. With Dr. Travis Haneke and Dr. Jacob Morgan, HaysMed continues its mission to offer the best possible care for patients, ensuring access to advanced and specialized treatments in western Kansas.Haneke grew up in Sylvia, completed his undergraduate studies at Kansas State University and earned his medical degree from The University of Kansas School of Medicine.Haneke trained in internal medicine and cardiology at Baylor Scott &amp; White in Texas and specialized in interventional cardiology at the University of Nebraska.Morgan is a board-certified cardiologist specializing in heart rhythm disorders (electrophysiology). He completed his internal medicine and cardiology training at The University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City. Morgan then pursued advanced training in electrophysiology at Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.For a complete list of HaysMed services, visit the hospital's website, <a href="http://haysmed.com">haysmed.com</a>.

HaysMed welcomes 2 heart specialists to Cardiology Department

TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislative Budget Committee conducted its first meeting of the interim on Wednesday.&nbsp; 

Rep. Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, serves as vice-chairman of the committee and requested the Kansas Corporation Commission present on the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/099d982a-98ff-4352-8a78-a592e5b71d28">National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor</a>.&nbsp;

Waymaster questioned the United State Department of Energy’s authority of the language they are using to produce this proposed corridor in counties within the 109th Kansas House District, represented by Waymaster.&nbsp;

“It appears to me that the language added to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a clear violation of states' rights, that this is a violation of the 10th Amendment,” Waymaster challenged.&nbsp; He continued, “it is also apparent by this clause that they are also circumventing the [Kansas Corporation Commission]’s authority, as well.”&nbsp;

Waymaster expressed to Paul Owings,&nbsp;Kansas Corporation Commission deputy chief engineer, “We have citizens in our state, constituents in my district, that are concerned, and I’m concerned.&nbsp; They could lose their agricultural land, oil production, homes and way of life.”&nbsp;

Owings did share with the&nbsp;Legislative Budget Committee that the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f10501d0-213e-46c5-9eb0-55f8cacc9e0b">Grain Belt Express</a>, which was approved by the&nbsp;Kansas Corporation Commission on Dec. 7, 2011, follows the Midwest-Plains Corridor of the transmission line.&nbsp;

He also advised the committee that Grain Belt Express plans to formally request to the United States Department of Energy to narrow the corridor from the proposed five-mile preliminary corridor to just half-mile wide.&nbsp;

Waymaster expressed concern to the&nbsp;Kansas Corporation Commission about the five-mile corridor with the Midwest-Plains Corridor of the transmission line and said, “this is what prompted me to meet with the Legislative Revisors Office in August to have a bill drafted to protect our citizens, the state of Kansas, and our rights under the 10th Amendment of the United States Constitution.”&nbsp; Waymaster continued, “we are also formalizing a meeting in Russell County, and I am personally inviting the [Kansas Corporation Commission] to attend.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The 109th Kansas House District consists of the entire counties of Ellsworth, Lincoln, Osborne, Russell and Smith.&nbsp;Waymaster has served the 109th District in the Kansas House of Representatives since 2013.

Please contact Rep.Waymaster regarding the transmission line at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633970422056.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislative Budget Committee conducted its first meeting of the interim on Wednesday.&nbsp; Rep. Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, serves as vice-chairman of the committee and requested the Kansas Corporation Commission present on the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/099d982a-98ff-4352-8a78-a592e5b71d28">National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor</a>.&nbsp; Waymaster questioned the United State Department of Energy’s authority of the language they are using to produce this proposed corridor in counties within the 109th Kansas House District, represented by Waymaster.&nbsp;“It appears to me that the language added to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a clear violation of states' rights, that this is a violation of the 10th Amendment,” Waymaster challenged.&nbsp; He continued, “it is also apparent by this clause that they are also circumventing the [Kansas Corporation Commission]’s authority, as well.”&nbsp;Waymaster expressed to Paul Owings,&nbsp;Kansas Corporation Commission deputy chief engineer, “We have citizens in our state, constituents in my district, that are concerned, and I’m concerned.&nbsp; They could lose their agricultural land, oil production, homes and way of life.”&nbsp;Owings did share with the&nbsp;Legislative Budget Committee that the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f10501d0-213e-46c5-9eb0-55f8cacc9e0b">Grain Belt Express</a>, which was approved by the&nbsp;Kansas Corporation Commission on Dec. 7, 2011, follows the Midwest-Plains Corridor of the transmission line.&nbsp; He also advised the committee that Grain Belt Express plans to formally request to the United States Department of Energy to narrow the corridor from the proposed five-mile preliminary corridor to just half-mile wide.&nbsp;Waymaster expressed concern to the&nbsp;Kansas Corporation Commission about the five-mile corridor with the Midwest-Plains Corridor of the transmission line and said, “this is what prompted me to meet with the Legislative Revisors Office in August to have a bill drafted to protect our citizens, the state of Kansas, and our rights under the 10th Amendment of the United States Constitution.”&nbsp; Waymaster continued, “we are also formalizing a meeting in Russell County, and I am personally inviting the [Kansas Corporation Commission] to attend.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The 109th Kansas House District consists of the entire counties of Ellsworth, Lincoln, Osborne, Russell and Smith.&nbsp;Waymaster has served the 109th District in the Kansas House of Representatives since 2013.Please contact Rep.Waymaster regarding the transmission line at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.&nbsp;

'Clear violation of states' rights': Rep. Waymaster fights transmission line

By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District

Did you know that 48 million cases of foodborne diseases cause Americans to become ill every year?

On the bright side, the U.S. is among the safest food supply systems in the world, and to keep food safe, we recognize September as Food Safety Education Month. So, let's take a few minutes to review food handling techniques to keep you safe and decrease the number of foodborne illnesses each year.

There are four easy steps to remember when preparing food: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.

1. Clean. Wash hands and surfaces often. Make sure to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before handling food or changing tasks. Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes, and, countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each item.

2. Separate. Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from other foods. Items that require the highest cooking temperature should be put on the bottom of the fridge. Use color-coded cutting boards to prevent cross-contamination between raw meats and ready-to-eat foods.

3. Cook. Color and texture don’t tell the whole story regarding safety. A thermometer is the only way to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria.

4. Chill. Refrigerate foods within 2 hours of cooking or purchasing, and divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers to cool quickly. Never thaw food at room temperature; only defrost food in the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave.

Symptoms of foodborne illnesses can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and headache. These symptoms usually occur within 1 to 3 days of eating contaminated food.

Most healthy people will recover from foodborne illness quickly while others can develop chronic, life-threatening health conditions. People at great risk include those with a weakened immune system, pregnant women, young children, and older adults. To keep you and your loved ones safe, remember to practice safe food handling this September and all year long.

Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

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 </figure>By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension DistrictDid you know that 48 million cases of foodborne diseases cause Americans to become ill every year?On the bright side, the U.S. is among the safest food supply systems in the world, and to keep food safe, we recognize September as Food Safety Education Month. So, let's take a few minutes to review food handling techniques to keep you safe and decrease the number of foodborne illnesses each year.There are four easy steps to remember when preparing food: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.1. Clean. Wash hands and surfaces often. Make sure to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before handling food or changing tasks. Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes, and, countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each item.2. Separate. Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from other foods. Items that require the highest cooking temperature should be put on the bottom of the fridge. Use color-coded cutting boards to prevent cross-contamination between raw meats and ready-to-eat foods.3. Cook. Color and texture don’t tell the whole story regarding safety. A thermometer is the only way to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria.4. Chill. Refrigerate foods within 2 hours of cooking or purchasing, and divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers to cool quickly. Never thaw food at room temperature; only defrost food in the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave.Symptoms of foodborne illnesses can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and headache. These symptoms usually occur within 1 to 3 days of eating contaminated food.Most healthy people will recover from foodborne illness quickly while others can develop chronic, life-threatening health conditions. People at great risk include those with a weakened immune system, pregnant women, young children, and older adults. To keep you and your loved ones safe, remember to practice safe food handling this September and all year long.Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu.

WINKEL: National Food Safety month

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725831137913.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board will consider the budget for bond work at O'Loughlin Elementary School at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Rockwell Administration Center.

The maximum price for the work is proposed at $14.493 million.

<a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/ks/usd489/Board.nsf/files/D8UMHL5B55A6/$file/O'Loughlin_Bond%20Scope.pdf">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays BOE sees design for O'Loughlin Elementary addition/renovation</a>

The O'Loughlin Elementary project is part of a slate of $148 million in bond projects, which also includes the construction of a new high school, renovation of the current high school into a middle school, renovation of the current middle school into an elementary school and expansion of Roosevelt Elementary School.

The O'Loughlin project will include two additions on the southwest and northeast sides of the school, totaling 12,000 additional square feet. The current building is about 46,000 square feet.

O'Loughlin will remain a three-section school. That means it will have three classrooms for every grade, kindergarten through fifth. The square footage of the kindergarten rooms will be expanded.

The southwest addition will include a new cafeteria, commercial kitchen, art room and secure entrance.

The administrative offices will be moved to the southwest portion of the school to the new entrance, and those spaces will be expanded.

The parking and traffic circulation will be reconfigured as part of the bond project.&nbsp;

A new road will run from the school to 12th Street. This will allow parents to drop off children via the current circle drive off of Hall Street and through the new parking area off 12th Street.

The east addition will include three new classrooms, one of which will be a collaborative classroom. The entire east addition will serve as a storm shelter and will be able to accommodate the full student body and staff. The windows will be bullet- and high-wind-rated.

The stage in the gym will be enclosed to create a music room, which will be wheelchair accessible by a new concrete ramp. The current music room will be turned into a STEM lab.

All the classrooms will have new flooring, paint and ceilings where needed.

The board will also have a hearing on closing Lincoln Elementary School. This year, the school is celebrating its 100th year and is the oldest operating school in the district.

The district plans to close the school at the end of this school year.

Students from Lincoln will move to Roosevelt, O'Loughlin or Wilson.

Wilson is also set to close as an elementary school. However, the bond projects include the renovation of the current middle school into a new elementary school.

Nabholz Construction will also give bond updates during the meeting on the Roosevelt and Hays High projects, which are under construction.

The board also will conduct its annual budget and revenue-neutral rate hearings and hear an update on the school resource officer program.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 school board will consider the budget for bond work at O'Loughlin Elementary School at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Rockwell Administration Center.The maximum price for the work is proposed at $14.493 million.<a href="https://go.boarddocs.com/ks/usd489/Board.nsf/files/D8UMHL5B55A6/$file/O'Loughlin_Bond%20Scope.pdf">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays BOE sees design for O'Loughlin Elementary addition/renovation</a>The O'Loughlin Elementary project is part of a slate of $148 million in bond projects, which also includes the construction of a new high school, renovation of the current high school into a middle school, renovation of the current middle school into an elementary school and expansion of Roosevelt Elementary School.The O'Loughlin project will include two additions on the southwest and northeast sides of the school, totaling 12,000 additional square feet. The current building is about 46,000 square feet.O'Loughlin will remain a three-section school. That means it will have three classrooms for every grade, kindergarten through fifth. The square footage of the kindergarten rooms will be expanded.The southwest addition will include a new cafeteria, commercial kitchen, art room and secure entrance.The administrative offices will be moved to the southwest portion of the school to the new entrance, and those spaces will be expanded.The parking and traffic circulation will be reconfigured as part of the bond project.&nbsp;A new road will run from the school to 12th Street. This will allow parents to drop off children via the current circle drive off of Hall Street and through the new parking area off 12th Street.The east addition will include three new classrooms, one of which will be a collaborative classroom. The entire east addition will serve as a storm shelter and will be able to accommodate the full student body and staff. The windows will be bullet- and high-wind-rated.The stage in the gym will be enclosed to create a music room, which will be wheelchair accessible by a new concrete ramp. The current music room will be turned into a STEM lab.All the classrooms will have new flooring, paint and ceilings where needed.<h2>Lincoln Elementary School closing</h2>The board will also have a hearing on closing Lincoln Elementary School. This year, the school is celebrating its 100th year and is the oldest operating school in the district.The district plans to close the school at the end of this school year.Students from Lincoln will move to Roosevelt, O'Loughlin or Wilson.Wilson is also set to close as an elementary school. However, the bond projects include the renovation of the current middle school into a new elementary school.Nabholz Construction will also give bond updates during the meeting on the Roosevelt and Hays High projects, which are under construction.<h2>Other business</h2>The board also will conduct its annual budget and revenue-neutral rate hearings and hear an update on the school resource officer program.

Hays BOE to consider O'Loughlin budget, Lincoln closure

According to Postal Regulatory Commission data, roughly 83% of first-class mail arrived on time in Kansas and Missouri in the first three months of 2024. That rate was the sixth worst of the 50 postal districts in the country.

By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/kavahn-mansouri">Kavahn Mansouri</a> St. Louis Public Radio |&nbsp;

For days, Amy Gholson tracked a shipment of baby turkeys she ordered from an Ohio hatchery. She kept tabs online as the birds began the more than 500-mile trip to her home near St. Charles, Missouri, via the U.S. Postal Service.

The 10 birds needed to arrive in two days to ensure they’d survive the trip. It was late March and temperatures were still low, making the speed of the delivery more crucial than usual. But the baby turkeys, or poults, hadn’t even left Ohio when progress halted.

“I was going to be able to watch these babies digitally, basically, and they went to the Cleveland distribution warehouse, and they stayed there and stayed there,” Gholson said.

Postal Service delays have become more persistent in the years following the pandemic and a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/usps-mail-slowdown-postmaster-louis-dejoy/" target="_blank">10-year plan was put in place by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy</a>&nbsp;aimed at ending losses in the billions of dollars a year. Slowing delivery is integral to the plan.

For days, the poults Gholson ordered remained at the Cleveland warehouse. By the time the shipment arrived, three days overdue, she knew what to expect inside the package marked “live birds.”

“I had already assumed they were dead. Our beloved mail lady just set a box of dead birds outside of our garage,” Gholson said. “I got home. I mean, you know what the situation was. A silent box is a dead box.”

Gholson said that inside the package, the fledgling turkeys were as “stiff as rocks.”

This wasn’t the first time that Gholson and her family received a Postal Service shipment of dead or dying birds. Once, after a delivery arrived during a cold spell, they warmed towels in the microwave, bundling the chicks inside the heated towels in hopes of saving them. Only four of the 10 in that shipment survived, and the chicks now roam the Gholsons’ backyard farm.

The Gholsons are a 4-H family, having participating in agricultural programs for years. They have a tradition of showing animals at the St. Charles County Fair, where Evie, now 18, planned to show the turkeys in that doomed March delivery. In the 4-H community, families talk about receiving shipments with dead birds all the time, said&nbsp;Amy Gholson.

In 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-20/thousands-of-baby-chicks-die-in-mail-in-latest-postal-imbroglio" target="_blank">more than 4,800 chicks died in a single Postal Service shipment to a Maine customer.</a>&nbsp;And the problem has persisted far past the height of the pandemic as concerns mounted about the future of the Postal Service and its performance since DeJoy’s plan kicked off in 2021.

The Midwest Newsroom interviewed four hatchery owners and four backyard farmers in different parts of the U.S. who all say they’ve seen a marked increase in deaths while baby birds are in transit with the Postal Service over the past year.

One hatchery owner described 2024 as “hell” for shipping birds and said customer complaints over shipments arriving with more dead birds than usual are on the rise.

It is hard to know just how many Postal Service shipments of birds arrive at their destinations too late for survival.

In response to a records request from the Midwest Newsroom, the Postal Service said that after a “diligent search,” it could not locate any documents referring to the total number of animals that die while in transit with the Postal Service. The response stated the agency does not compile or track that sort of information.

Delivering birds through the mail is a longstanding practice in the U.S., and hatchers who spoke to the Midwest Newsroom said it’s an effective way for hatcheries to make money, with customers ranging from large-scale operations to backyard farmers.

A hatchery can make anywhere from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000 per shipment, depending on the breed and number of birds.

In an email to the Midwest Newsroom, communications specialist Mark Inglett said the Postal Service has worked for more than 100 years with hatcheries to “safely transport mail-order chicks seamlessly.”

“The U.S. Postal Service is one of just a few carriers that ship live animals, and we have established procedures for the safe handling of live animals,” the email read. “When properly packaged and labeled, these live parcels are given special handling outside of our normal automated process.”

The hatcheries and buyers interviewed by the Midwest Newsroom said that special handling hasn’t saved their animals.

The Postal Service declined a request for an interview.

Kelly Warren owns and operates Cocktown Funky Orpingtons in Lillington, North Carolina. She breeds Orpington chickens, which are popular as show birds. The small business relies heavily on shipping birds.

Warren estimates she’s lost at least a third of the birds she’s shipped this year to delays and other problems. A recent shipment saw her lose 80 chicks worth about $800. When birds die in transit, Warren has to refund her customers’ money.

“One box last week arrived three days late,” Warren said. “The whole box was dead. All I could do was get my shipping costs back. I lost the rest of it out of pocket.”

Warren said the Postal Service shipping delays greatly impact her business, which relies mainly on customers far from her rural North Carolina location.

“Some breeders are lucky enough to have enough (local customers) to get by. I don't,” Warren said. “All of mine are everywhere: California, Maine, New York, Nevada, Wisconsin, Washington. You name it, I ship there. So it kind of kills me.”

Not all bird deaths happen during transit, Warren said. One shipment arrived in time at a customer's local post office. But, she said, the customer reported the box of chicks had been left out on a loading dock during a thunderstorm. By the time the customer arrived to pick up the shipment, the chicks were dead.

“The babies were drenched,” she said, while sharing photos with a Midwest Newsroom reporter. “They were dead. The box was soaked. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

A statement from the Postal Service said its guidelines require delivery of poultry within 72 hours of hatching. All birds must be shipped using Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail services, which are designed to meet specific timing standards.

Tracy Brown Kelly owns a small hatchery near Warren's called Satin and Silk Ranch. She said she’s completely stopped shipping her chicks because of Postal Service problems. Now she relies only on local buyers to sustain her hatchery.

“We've been shipping for a very long time, and we rarely have any death or loss when we ship chicks,” she said. “But this year has been a nightmare, and it's not just me and Kelly; it's everybody.”

Hatcheries that rely on shipping chicks, poults and other live baby birds to customers have no choice but to use the Postal Service. Neither FedEx or UPS offers the service. However, FedEx planes are used to transport live birds across the country when needed as part of an agreement between the Postal Service and FedEx.

Blaze Baxter, who operates Bad Baxter Farms in Pottawatomie County, Okla., stopped ordering animals through the mail in 2017 after boxes full of ducks showed up at her farm looking like they were “used as pinatas.”

Of the 200 birds in the box, only 20 survived the journey. She remembers her mail carrier crying as she delivered the package.

Baxter decided she and her family would hatch and raise their own chickens to avoid more birds dying while in Postal Service transit. But in early August, roughly eight years after the failed shipment, she took a chance, placing an order for 10 ducks from a hatchery in August. She said she’s still beating herself up about it.

“I made the mistake and decided to try and trust the Postal Service one more time and completely regretted it,” Baxter said.

On the second day of tracking her shipment, she saw the package had made its way to California and stalled. From there, she knew what she would find when her shipment arrived. Only two of the eight ducks survived the trip.

“I told my post office lady last week that that would be the last time she’ll see me picking up birds from her,” she said.

Baxter isn’t the only person raising ethical concerns about the shipment of baby birds. Animal safety advocacy group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.upc-online.org/" target="_blank">United Poultry Concerns</a>&nbsp;and other organizations have called for the end of the long-standing tradition, calling it a cruelty to the animals.

In a 2020 post on its website, United Poultry Concerns said newborn chicks&nbsp;<a href="https://www.upc-online.org/pp/winter2020/urge_usps_to_stop_shipping_baby_chicks_and_other_animals.html" target="_blank">“quietly” die while in transit with the Postal Service.&nbsp;</a>

“Recent postal service changes have caused many thousands more baby chicks to suffer and die in transit,” a post by the group read. “Shipment of live birds and other animals through the Postal Service is one of the many hidden cruelties inflicted on chickens and other animals.

In July, the Postal Service inspector general’s office conducted an audit in the Kansas City region. The audit concluded that mail delays have been caused by a lack of management oversight and staffing shortages.

The audit also found that employees were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article290342734.html" target="_blank">skipping important steps in the processing and transportation</a>&nbsp;of mail and that management allowed such practices to persist.

Further mail delays may be ahead for rural communities as a new Postal Service plan announced in late August aims to shave even more costs from its operations.

<a href="https://about.usps.com/newsroom/usps-operational-improvements-08-21-2024.pdf" target="_blank">Part of that plan includes overhauling logistics,</a>&nbsp;a move DeJoy said could increase slowdowns in mail deliveries, especially in rural areas where delivery could take an additional 12 to 24 hours.

It’s a decision that’s drawn the ire of customers and lawmakers.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri said complaints about the mail are a top concern for his constituents in the northern third of the state, which is largely rural. He told the Midwest Newsroom that mail delays and delivery problems are among the most common complaints his office receives, especially from rural communities and farmers.

“Other members of Congress all over the country are getting the same sort of complaint,” Graves said. ”It is something that the government should do, and should do well. And right now, it's not being done well at all.”

Graves blamed management at all levels of the Postal Service, noting that local mail carriers are caught in a system that’s working against them.

“It's just a huge management problem,” Graves said. “(Postal Service management) is not doing the job when it comes to doing what it is that they do, and that is getting the mail out to the post offices so it could be delivered on time.”

Graves, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, also of Missouri,&nbsp;<a href="https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-graves-alford-introduce-pony-act-hold-usps-accountable" target="_blank">introduced the Pony Up Act to Congress to offer consumers protection from mail delays</a>. If passed, the act would require the Postal Service to pay late fees incurred due to delayed delivery service.

The Gholsons’ story didn’t end with a package of dead turkeys. The Ohio-based breeder they ordered from sent a new package that arrived on time and with all 10 birds alive and well.

Evie Gholson can’t forget the dead turkeys that arrived in March.

“It’s not fun,” she said. “You have to sort through the box and see which ones are stiff and which ones are floppy, essentially. There’s only so much you can do.”

Evie Gholson showed one of the replacement turkeys at the St. Charles County Fair in July.

“It makes me very happy,” she said of her nameless bird. “She’s not too big. She’s just the right age. She can walk around well and I can pick her up. It’s perfect.”

Isa Luzarraga contributed to this report.

This story comes from the Midwest Newsroom, an investigative journalism collaboration that includes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iowapublicradio.org/" target="_blank">Iowa Public Radio</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/" target="_blank">KCUR</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/" target="_blank">Nebraska Public Media</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/" target="_blank">St. Louis Public Radio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/" target="_blank">NPR</a>.

<h2>According to Postal Regulatory Commission data, roughly 83% of first-class mail arrived on time in Kansas and Missouri in the first three months of 2024. That rate was the sixth worst of the 50 postal districts in the country.</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725638081548.png" alt="Evie Gholson, 18, speaks about her Broad Breasted White turkey while showing the bird to judge Mark Cunningham on July 24 at the St. Charles County Fair in Wentzville. The turkey was a replacement bird after the one ordered died in transit while in the hands of the U.S. Postal Service.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio" />
 <figcaption>Evie Gholson, 18, speaks about her Broad Breasted White turkey while showing the bird to judge Mark Cunningham on July 24 at the St. Charles County Fair in Wentzville. The turkey was a replacement bird after the one ordered died in transit while in the hands of the U.S. Postal Service.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/kavahn-mansouri">Kavahn Mansouri</a> St. Louis Public Radio |&nbsp; For days, Amy Gholson tracked a shipment of baby turkeys she ordered from an Ohio hatchery. She kept tabs online as the birds began the more than 500-mile trip to her home near St. Charles, Missouri, via the U.S. Postal Service.The 10 birds needed to arrive in two days to ensure they’d survive the trip. It was late March and temperatures were still low, making the speed of the delivery more crucial than usual. But the baby turkeys, or poults, hadn’t even left Ohio when progress halted.“I was going to be able to watch these babies digitally, basically, and they went to the Cleveland distribution warehouse, and they stayed there and stayed there,” Gholson said.Postal Service delays have become more persistent in the years following the pandemic and a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/usps-mail-slowdown-postmaster-louis-dejoy/" target="_blank">10-year plan was put in place by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy</a>&nbsp;aimed at ending losses in the billions of dollars a year. Slowing delivery is integral to the plan.For days, the poults Gholson ordered remained at the Cleveland warehouse. By the time the shipment arrived, three days overdue, she knew what to expect inside the package marked “live birds.”“I had already assumed they were dead. Our beloved mail lady just set a box of dead birds outside of our garage,” Gholson said. “I got home. I mean, you know what the situation was. A silent box is a dead box.”Gholson said that inside the package, the fledgling turkeys were as “stiff as rocks.”This wasn’t the first time that Gholson and her family received a Postal Service shipment of dead or dying birds. Once, after a delivery arrived during a cold spell, they warmed towels in the microwave, bundling the chicks inside the heated towels in hopes of saving them. Only four of the 10 in that shipment survived, and the chicks now roam the Gholsons’ backyard farm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725638174393.png" alt="A market chicken is displayed ahead of being judged in July at the St. Charles County Fair in Wentzville.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio" />
 <figcaption>A market chicken is displayed ahead of being judged in July at the St. Charles County Fair in Wentzville.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>'Hell' for bird shipments</h2>The Gholsons are a 4-H family, having participating in agricultural programs for years. They have a tradition of showing animals at the St. Charles County Fair, where Evie, now 18, planned to show the turkeys in that doomed March delivery. In the 4-H community, families talk about receiving shipments with dead birds all the time, said&nbsp;Amy Gholson.In 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-20/thousands-of-baby-chicks-die-in-mail-in-latest-postal-imbroglio" target="_blank">more than 4,800 chicks died in a single Postal Service shipment to a Maine customer.</a>&nbsp;And the problem has persisted far past the height of the pandemic as concerns mounted about the future of the Postal Service and its performance since DeJoy’s plan kicked off in 2021.The Midwest Newsroom interviewed four hatchery owners and four backyard farmers in different parts of the U.S. who all say they’ve seen a marked increase in deaths while baby birds are in transit with the Postal Service over the past year.One hatchery owner described 2024 as “hell” for shipping birds and said customer complaints over shipments arriving with more dead birds than usual are on the rise.It is hard to know just how many Postal Service shipments of birds arrive at their destinations too late for survival.In response to a records request from the Midwest Newsroom, the Postal Service said that after a “diligent search,” it could not locate any documents referring to the total number of animals that die while in transit with the Postal Service. The response stated the agency does not compile or track that sort of information.Delivering birds through the mail is a longstanding practice in the U.S., and hatchers who spoke to the Midwest Newsroom said it’s an effective way for hatcheries to make money, with customers ranging from large-scale operations to backyard farmers.A hatchery can make anywhere from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000 per shipment, depending on the breed and number of birds.In an email to the Midwest Newsroom, communications specialist Mark Inglett said the Postal Service has worked for more than 100 years with hatcheries to “safely transport mail-order chicks seamlessly.”“The U.S. Postal Service is one of just a few carriers that ship live animals, and we have established procedures for the safe handling of live animals,” the email read. “When properly packaged and labeled, these live parcels are given special handling outside of our normal automated process.”The hatcheries and buyers interviewed by the Midwest Newsroom said that special handling hasn’t saved their animals.The Postal Service declined a request for an interview.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725638240710.png" alt="Evie Gholson, 18, listens to instructions ahead of showing a series of birds in July at the St. Charles County Fair in Wentzville.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio" />
 <figcaption>Evie Gholson, 18, listens to instructions ahead of showing a series of birds in July at the St. Charles County Fair in Wentzville.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Left on a loading dock</h2>Kelly Warren owns and operates Cocktown Funky Orpingtons in Lillington, North Carolina. She breeds Orpington chickens, which are popular as show birds. The small business relies heavily on shipping birds.Warren estimates she’s lost at least a third of the birds she’s shipped this year to delays and other problems. A recent shipment saw her lose 80 chicks worth about $800. When birds die in transit, Warren has to refund her customers’ money.“One box last week arrived three days late,” Warren said. “The whole box was dead. All I could do was get my shipping costs back. I lost the rest of it out of pocket.”Warren said the Postal Service shipping delays greatly impact her business, which relies mainly on customers far from her rural North Carolina location.“Some breeders are lucky enough to have enough (local customers) to get by. I don't,” Warren said. “All of mine are everywhere: California, Maine, New York, Nevada, Wisconsin, Washington. You name it, I ship there. So it kind of kills me.”Not all bird deaths happen during transit, Warren said. One shipment arrived in time at a customer's local post office. But, she said, the customer reported the box of chicks had been left out on a loading dock during a thunderstorm. By the time the customer arrived to pick up the shipment, the chicks were dead.“The babies were drenched,” she said, while sharing photos with a Midwest Newsroom reporter. “They were dead. The box was soaked. There’s nothing you can do about it.”A statement from the Postal Service said its guidelines require delivery of poultry within 72 hours of hatching. All birds must be shipped using Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail services, which are designed to meet specific timing standards.Tracy Brown Kelly owns a small hatchery near Warren's called Satin and Silk Ranch. She said she’s completely stopped shipping her chicks because of Postal Service problems. Now she relies only on local buyers to sustain her hatchery.“We've been shipping for a very long time, and we rarely have any death or loss when we ship chicks,” she said. “But this year has been a nightmare, and it's not just me and Kelly; it's everybody.”Hatcheries that rely on shipping chicks, poults and other live baby birds to customers have no choice but to use the Postal Service. Neither FedEx or UPS offers the service. However, FedEx planes are used to transport live birds across the country when needed as part of an agreement between the Postal Service and FedEx.Blaze Baxter, who operates Bad Baxter Farms in Pottawatomie County, Okla., stopped ordering animals through the mail in 2017 after boxes full of ducks showed up at her farm looking like they were “used as pinatas.”Of the 200 birds in the box, only 20 survived the journey. She remembers her mail carrier crying as she delivered the package.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725638310582.png" alt="Evie Gholson, 18, holds her 3-year-old rooster Napoleon III ahead of showing the bird in July at the St. Charles County Fair in Wentzville.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio" />
 <figcaption>Evie Gholson, 18, holds her 3-year-old rooster Napoleon III ahead of showing the bird in July at the St. Charles County Fair in Wentzville.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio</figcaption>
 </figure>Baxter decided she and her family would hatch and raise their own chickens to avoid more birds dying while in Postal Service transit. But in early August, roughly eight years after the failed shipment, she took a chance, placing an order for 10 ducks from a hatchery in August. She said she’s still beating herself up about it.“I made the mistake and decided to try and trust the Postal Service one more time and completely regretted it,” Baxter said.On the second day of tracking her shipment, she saw the package had made its way to California and stalled. From there, she knew what she would find when her shipment arrived. Only two of the eight ducks survived the trip.“I told my post office lady last week that that would be the last time she’ll see me picking up birds from her,” she said.Baxter isn’t the only person raising ethical concerns about the shipment of baby birds. Animal safety advocacy group&nbsp;<a href="https://www.upc-online.org/" target="_blank">United Poultry Concerns</a>&nbsp;and other organizations have called for the end of the long-standing tradition, calling it a cruelty to the animals.In a 2020 post on its website, United Poultry Concerns said newborn chicks&nbsp;<a href="https://www.upc-online.org/pp/winter2020/urge_usps_to_stop_shipping_baby_chicks_and_other_animals.html" target="_blank">“quietly” die while in transit with the Postal Service.&nbsp;</a>“Recent postal service changes have caused many thousands more baby chicks to suffer and die in transit,” a post by the group read. “Shipment of live birds and other animals through the Postal Service is one of the many hidden cruelties inflicted on chickens and other animals.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725638364261.png" alt="A young Broad Breasted White turkey sits in its cage in July at the St. Charles County Fair.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio" />
 <figcaption>A young Broad Breasted White turkey sits in its cage in July at the St. Charles County Fair.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725638422462.png" alt="Evie Gholson, 18, adjusts her first-place ribbon after showing her Broad Breasted White turkey in July at the St. Charles County Fair in Wentzville.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio" />
 <figcaption>Evie Gholson, 18, adjusts her first-place ribbon after showing her Broad Breasted White turkey in July at the St. Charles County Fair in Wentzville.&nbsp;Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘A huge problem’</h2>In July, the Postal Service inspector general’s office conducted an audit in the Kansas City region. The audit concluded that mail delays have been caused by a lack of management oversight and staffing shortages.The audit also found that employees were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article290342734.html" target="_blank">skipping important steps in the processing and transportation</a>&nbsp;of mail and that management allowed such practices to persist.According to Postal Regulatory Commission data, roughly 83% of first-class mail arrived on time in Kansas and Missouri in the first three months of 2024. That rate was the sixth worst of the 50 postal districts in the country.Further mail delays may be ahead for rural communities as a new Postal Service plan announced in late August aims to shave even more costs from its operations.<a href="https://about.usps.com/newsroom/usps-operational-improvements-08-21-2024.pdf" target="_blank">Part of that plan includes overhauling logistics,</a>&nbsp;a move DeJoy said could increase slowdowns in mail deliveries, especially in rural areas where delivery could take an additional 12 to 24 hours.It’s a decision that’s drawn the ire of customers and lawmakers.U.S. Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri said complaints about the mail are a top concern for his constituents in the northern third of the state, which is largely rural. He told the Midwest Newsroom that mail delays and delivery problems are among the most common complaints his office receives, especially from rural communities and farmers.“Other members of Congress all over the country are getting the same sort of complaint,” Graves said. ”It is something that the government should do, and should do well. And right now, it's not being done well at all.”Graves blamed management at all levels of the Postal Service, noting that local mail carriers are caught in a system that’s working against them.“It's just a huge management problem,” Graves said. “(Postal Service management) is not doing the job when it comes to doing what it is that they do, and that is getting the mail out to the post offices so it could be delivered on time.”Graves, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, also of Missouri,&nbsp;<a href="https://cleaver.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cleaver-graves-alford-introduce-pony-act-hold-usps-accountable" target="_blank">introduced the Pony Up Act to Congress to offer consumers protection from mail delays</a>. If passed, the act would require the Postal Service to pay late fees incurred due to delayed delivery service.<h2>Blue-ribbon bird</h2>The Gholsons’ story didn’t end with a package of dead turkeys. The Ohio-based breeder they ordered from sent a new package that arrived on time and with all 10 birds alive and well.Evie Gholson can’t forget the dead turkeys that arrived in March.“It’s not fun,” she said. “You have to sort through the box and see which ones are stiff and which ones are floppy, essentially. There’s only so much you can do.”Evie Gholson showed one of the replacement turkeys at the St. Charles County Fair in July.“It makes me very happy,” she said of her nameless bird. “She’s not too big. She’s just the right age. She can walk around well and I can pick her up. It’s perfect.”The turkey earned a blue ribbon.Isa Luzarraga contributed to this report.This story comes from the Midwest Newsroom, an investigative journalism collaboration that includes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iowapublicradio.org/" target="_blank">Iowa Public Radio</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/" target="_blank">KCUR</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/" target="_blank">Nebraska Public Media</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/" target="_blank">St. Louis Public Radio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/" target="_blank">NPR</a>.

U.S. Postal Service slowdowns are so bad, baby birds are dying in transit

By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas Outdoors

I assume all you readers are familiar with the mythical and legendary Jackalope, a jackrabbit with horns like an antelope. While jackelopes have not made their way to Kansas yet, everything else seems to have. That fact, along with things I’ve seen in the last three-and-one-half years that I thought I would never see in my lifetime, make me believe its only a matter of time before jackalopes also call Kansas home. I found a copy of Wyoming regulations for hunting jackalopes, so, using that as a template, here will be the Kansas regulations for harvesting a jackelope in the state of Kansas; after all, we might as well prepare ourselves for the coming jackalope onslaught. (I’ve made a few revisions to make it applicable to our state.)

A certification of sanity (or a willingness to surrender it)

- A bottle of hot sauce and maybe a flask or two of Grandma Waltons recipe (for courage)

- September 1st to November 30th, or until all hunters have fled in terror (the season can be lengthened if the jackalope population explodes.)

- One Jackalope per hunter, or as many as you can outrun (this will also increase with time.)

- Dawn to dusk, or whenever you get the chance to shoot one (this rule is obviously pretty flexible.)

- Rifles, shotguns, or a really strong pair of running shoes

- No using glitter bombs or rainbow-colored lassos (they just make the Jackalope more elusive)

- If it has antlers, whiskers, and a mischievous grin, it's a Jackalope!

- If it's just a rabbit in a onesie with a pair of horns tied to its head, and ridden by a leprechaun, you're the victim of a prank

- Once you've caught your Jackalope, perform the traditional "Jackalope Dance" to honor your prey

- Then, and only then, can you claim your prize (a pat on the back and a great story) Plus, I hear fried jackalope tastes just like chicken.

- Failure to comply with regulations will result in a mandatory viewing of "The Jackalope Whisperer" documentary

- Repeated offenses will require a hunter to wear a "I'm with Stupid" t-shirt on their next hunt

Remember, hunting Jackalope is a Wyoming tradition and may soon become popular here in Kansas too! Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas OutdoorsI assume all you readers are familiar with the mythical and legendary Jackalope, a jackrabbit with horns like an antelope. While jackelopes have not made their way to Kansas yet, everything else seems to have. That fact, along with things I’ve seen in the last three-and-one-half years that I thought I would never see in my lifetime, make me believe its only a matter of time before jackalopes also call Kansas home. I found a copy of Wyoming regulations for hunting jackalopes, so, using that as a template, here will be the Kansas regulations for harvesting a jackelope in the state of Kansas; after all, we might as well prepare ourselves for the coming jackalope onslaught. (I’ve made a few revisions to make it applicable to our state.)*License Requirements:- A valid Kansas hunting licenseA certification of sanity (or a willingness to surrender it)- A bottle of hot sauce and maybe a flask or two of Grandma Waltons recipe (for courage)*Season Dates:- September 1st to November 30th, or until all hunters have fled in terror (the season can be lengthened if the jackalope population explodes.)*Bag Limit:- One Jackalope per hunter, or as many as you can outrun (this will also increase with time.)*Hunting Hours:- Dawn to dusk, or whenever you get the chance to shoot one (this rule is obviously pretty flexible.)*Permitted Weapons:- Rifles, shotguns, or a really strong pair of running shoes- No using glitter bombs or rainbow-colored lassos (they just make the Jackalope more elusive)*Jackalope Identification:- If it has antlers, whiskers, and a mischievous grin, it's a Jackalope!- If it's just a rabbit in a onesie with a pair of horns tied to its head, and ridden by a leprechaun, you're the victim of a prank*Harvesting:- Once you've caught your Jackalope, perform the traditional "Jackalope Dance" to honor your prey- Then, and only then, can you claim your prize (a pat on the back and a great story) Plus, I hear fried jackalope tastes just like chicken.*Penalties:- Failure to comply with regulations will result in a mandatory viewing of "The Jackalope Whisperer" documentary- Repeated offenses will require a hunter to wear a "I'm with Stupid" t-shirt on their next huntRemember, hunting Jackalope is a Wyoming tradition and may soon become popular here in Kansas too! Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Lets be prepared

Today is Grandparents Day, a day that is celebrated in a variety of ways all across the nation.

One couple in northwest Kansas had plans to celebrate by hosting their granddaughter’s friends and listening to teenagers’ music Saturday evening, then attending church and eating breakfast together at a local cafe today.

Gary and Donna Haislip are two of more than 2 million grandparents in our country who are raising their grandchildren. Some of these families are called grand families.

This particular grand family was featured in the August issue of The Register, the newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Salina that stretches all the way west from Manhattan to the Colorado border and north to the Nebraska border.

This is the story of Gary and Donna Haislip raising their granddaughter, and it’s a special one.

•&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; • &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; •

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725657463457.jpeg" alt="Jaelyn Ita, raised by grandparents Donna and Gary Haislip, celebrates Grandparents Day all year long. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien" />
 <figcaption>Jaelyn Ita, raised by grandparents Donna and Gary Haislip, celebrates Grandparents Day all year long. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien</figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Grandparents Day, a day that is celebrated in a variety of ways all across the nation.One couple in northwest Kansas had plans to celebrate by hosting their granddaughter’s friends and listening to teenagers’ music Saturday evening, then attending church and eating breakfast together at a local cafe today.Gary and Donna Haislip are two of more than 2 million grandparents in our country who are raising their grandchildren. Some of these families are called grand families.This particular grand family was featured in the August issue of The Register, the newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Salina that stretches all the way west from Manhattan to the Colorado border and north to the Nebraska border.This is the story of Gary and Donna Haislip raising their granddaughter, and it’s a special one.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725656196700.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>•&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; • &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; •By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN The Register, Diocese of SalinaSince the late 1970s, our nation has set aside a day to recognize and honor some special folks in our families – grandparents.That day happens to be today.But ask a certain teenager in Wallace County in northwest Kansas, and she will tell you that she honors her grandparents. Every. Single. Day.Whether it’s the first Sunday of September after Labor Day (the official date for Grandparents Day) or a cold morning in December or a scorching hot afternoon in July, Jaelyn Dawn Ita is honoring Gary and Donna Haislip.While Jaelym has called them Grandpa and Grandma her entire life, the Haislips are the only parents that Jaelyn has ever known.Jaelyn was 19 months old when she was involved in a tragic vehicle accident in Nebraska that took the lives of both her parents, Thad and Tricia Ita, and her 15-year-old half-brother, Jacob Ita.Another sibling in the vehicle, half-sister Marti Ita, recovered from her injuries and continued living with her biological mother.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725657524173.jpeg" alt="Jaelyn Ita at 16 months old with her parents, Thad and Tricia Ita. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Jaelyn Ita at 16 months old with her parents, Thad and Tricia Ita. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Jaelyn was strapped securely in her car seat between her mother and Marti in the back seat of the vehicle.Although the toddler received only a scratch in the accident, she was suddenly left without parents – but not without family.Gary and Donna were in their late 50s and were enjoying their roles of doting grandparents when their lives changed in a split second on that afternoon in May back in 2009.But there was never any doubt who would be raising Jaelyn.Amidst the grief of dealing with the loss of their daughter, her husband and their grandson, the Haislips gathered with family on both sides and all agreed who should take Jaelyn home with them.The Haislips picked up their granddaughter several days after funeral services for Jaelyn’s parents and took her to their ranch south of the small town of Wallace in northwest Kansas. It’s been home ever since.&nbsp;“I didn’t know how I was going to do it when we brought her home,” Donna said. “Now, I don’t know what I’d do without her.”The Haislips talked with Jaelyn about her parents from the time they took her into their home.“We told her that her mommy and daddy had to go away,” Donna said, “that they lived in heaven with God and that we would see them again someday.”Donna said having Jaelyn with them helped with their losses.“We had something to hold onto yet,” Donna said. “She’s a spitting image of her mother, and she acts like her, thinks like her.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725657308134.jpeg" alt="Although Donna Haislip says that selfie photos are not her forte, she still managed to catch some smiles from Jaelyn and Grandpa Gary with her cell phone. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Although Donna Haislip says that selfie photos are not her forte, she still managed to catch some smiles from Jaelyn and Grandpa Gary with her cell phone. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Raising Jaelyn Catholic</h2>Raising another child came naturally for the Haislips, who had raised two children of their own. That they would fully involve her in the Catholic faith was just as certain.“My grandparents have always made sure that I attended Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation growing up,” said Jaelyn, who said it was a special time for her and her family this past spring when she received the sacrament of Confirmation.&nbsp;She learned how to help with chores around the ranch and is heavily involved in her school, participating in sports, service and academic organizations. She maintains a 4.0 grade point average.“She’s kind of an old soul, really well-rounded,” Donna said. “We’ve been exceptionally blessed. She’s very self-disciplined. We have never had to tell her to do her homework.”&nbsp;Jaelyn also is an altar server at her church – Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Sharon Springs. And one of her favorite organizations is Fellowship of Christian Athletes.“With FCA, we learn a lot of how to promote Christianity in our school,” she said. “We say an ‘Our Father’ before every game.”She also helps coach youth sports and works a variety of part-time jobs, including as a Certified Nursing Aid at the Hope Springs nursing care facility in Sharon Springs.Balancing work and play is something Jaelyn learned from little on.“Oh, they didn’t go overboard (as grandparents),” Jaelyn said. “It wasn’t like I got milk and cookies and got babied.”The Haislips are quick to say that “it takes a village to raise a child.”“It’s a small town. There is plenty of help. Her friends’ parents have always been good about taking her to things, too,” Donna said. “She’s not sitting at home with two old people by any means.”They all smile as Donna said “two old people.” The Haislips, now in their 70s, admit that keeping up with a busy teenager has actually kept them young.Jaelyn doesn’t think of them as anything but her parents, no matter their age.“I was so young, and it felt like they were my Mom and Dad,” Jaelyn said. “It always has.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725657577407.jpeg" alt="Nine-year-old Jaelyn Ita, right, celebrates with friends after a softball tournament, one of oodles of her activities that her grandparents have attended over the years. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Nine-year-old Jaelyn Ita, right, celebrates with friends after a softball tournament, one of oodles of her activities that her grandparents have attended over the years. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>What about when friends’ parents – much younger than hers – show up for school activities?“It’s all I’ve ever known, so I didn’t think anything of it,” Jaelyn said. “Most kids would say they wish they could have their grandparents around all the time.”Having Gary and Donna around all the time became old hat to Jaelyn and her friends from early on. Part of raising their granddaughter, they thought, was attending all her activities.“They are probably at more events than some parents are,” Jaelyn said.In addition to a large friend base, Jaelyn remains close to her half-sister Marti, as they share a bond unlike any other.For the past few years, Jaelyn and Marti have spent a week each summer together on sightseeing trips in Colorado or Oregon.It’s obvious the Haislips also hold a special place in their hearts for Marti, who lives in Colorado and works with children with behavioral problems and anxiety – something which Marti suffered after the vehicle accident.“Listening to Marti talk about her job is heartwarming,” Donna said. “She cares for the children so much.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725657334948.jpeg" alt="Jaelyn Ita, right, has remained close to her half-sister, Marti Ita, since losing their parents in a vehicle accident. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Jaelyn Ita, right, has remained close to her half-sister, Marti Ita, since losing their parents in a vehicle accident. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A grand life</h2>Even while the Haislips have taken on the role of parents for Jaelyn, one can still hear the pride of grandparents while listening to them talk about their granddaughter.Grandpa Gary’s eyes sparkle while telling how Jaelyn – a junior at Wallace County High School in Sharon Springs – lettered in four sports her sophomore year: volleyball, basketball, track and golf.He got emotional while talking about how his granddaughter is always willing to help classmates with their schoolwork.“She doesn’t even know she’s that good,” he said. “She makes our job pretty darned easy.”Like any teenager, Jaelyn rolled her eyes at all the compliments.Grandpa and Grandma admit there are a few times when she acts like a normal teenager and that it’s hard to tell her “No.”“We have to be on our toes, that’s for sure,” Donna said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725657659958.jpeg" alt="Favorite pastimes for Jaelyn Ita were growing up on the family ranch and fishing with Grandpa Gary. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Favorite pastimes for Jaelyn Ita were growing up on the family ranch and fishing with Grandpa Gary. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Haislips wouldn’t have it any other way.“Sometimes she says, ‘I think you love me too much,’ ” Donna said. “I guess we are kind of doting.”A website featuring the national holiday of Grandparents Day says that “the day is a time for grandparents to be celebrated and for them to pass down history and wisdom to younger generations.”Grandparents Day is so highly thought of that it even has an official flower, the forget-me-not. It also has an official song, “A Song for Grandma and Grandpa.”Rest assured, Jaelyn will never forget what her grandpa and grandma did, have done, are still doing and will continue to do for her.

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