Fort Hays State University is one of the 25 colleges and universities in the nation and the only Kansas college or university to earn the inaugural Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose Classification. 

This new classification recognizes institutions that have committed to campus-wide efforts to advance leadership in pursuit of public goods like justice, equity, diversity, and liberty.

The American Council on Education (ACE), the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching award this elective Carnegie designation. Carnegie Elective Classifications provide an independent and rigorous assessment of an institution’s extraordinary commitment to, investment in, and accomplishment at addressing pressing issues of the societies they serve.

“ACE is proud to welcome the inaugural recipients of the Carnegie Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose,” said ACE President Ted Mitchell. “The institutions in this cohort serve as models in higher education, demonstrating excellence in nurturing leaders who are prepared to address and solve pressing public challenges, which is sorely needed in our society right now.”

This classification acknowledges FHSU’s commitment to cultivating leadership abilities among students, faculty, and staff that fosters a culture dedicated to tackling complex societal issues and developing a deeper understanding of leadership as a public good.

FHSU has been involved in the development of this classification since January 2020 as one of nine Founding Institutions.

 “We joined the extensive effort to engage with this new Carnegie classification because we knew it would align directly with the long-standing mission of our university to develop engaged global citizen-leaders,” FHSU Provost Dr. Jill Arensdorf said. “We are very honored to join this inaugural group of colleges and universities.”

For more about the Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose classification, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/news/lpp-inaugural-institutions/">https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/news/lpp-inaugural-institutions/</a>

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 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsFort Hays State University is one of the 25 colleges and universities in the nation and the only Kansas college or university to earn the inaugural Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose Classification. This new classification recognizes institutions that have committed to campus-wide efforts to advance leadership in pursuit of public goods like justice, equity, diversity, and liberty.The American Council on Education (ACE), the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching award this elective Carnegie designation. Carnegie Elective Classifications provide an independent and rigorous assessment of an institution’s extraordinary commitment to, investment in, and accomplishment at addressing pressing issues of the societies they serve.“ACE is proud to welcome the inaugural recipients of the Carnegie Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose,” said ACE President Ted Mitchell. “The institutions in this cohort serve as models in higher education, demonstrating excellence in nurturing leaders who are prepared to address and solve pressing public challenges, which is sorely needed in our society right now.”This classification acknowledges FHSU’s commitment to cultivating leadership abilities among students, faculty, and staff that fosters a culture dedicated to tackling complex societal issues and developing a deeper understanding of leadership as a public good.FHSU has been involved in the development of this classification since January 2020 as one of nine Founding Institutions. “We joined the extensive effort to engage with this new Carnegie classification because we knew it would align directly with the long-standing mission of our university to develop engaged global citizen-leaders,” FHSU Provost Dr. Jill Arensdorf said. “We are very honored to join this inaugural group of colleges and universities.”For more about the Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose classification, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/news/lpp-inaugural-institutions/">https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/news/lpp-inaugural-institutions/</a>

FHSU joins 25 U.S. colleges in earning new Carnegie Foundation classification

The Hays Police Department responded to 67 incidents June 9-15, 2024, according to the HPD Activity Log.

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 </figure>HPDThe Hays Police Department responded to 67 incidents June 9-15, 2024, according to the HPD Activity Log.<figure>
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Hays Police Department activity log, June 9-15, 2024

By KARISSA WINKEL Cottonwood Extension District

Most people value independence and enjoy a sense of control in life, and as we grow older, this doesn’t change. In fact, the desire to stay at home and live independently may increase with age. 

A typical older adult has lived independently for years, served as a caregiver, and has a sentimental connection with their home. After decades of creating the life they’ve worked for, many folks don’t want their lifestyle to change due to age. You may resonate with the fear of reliance as you grow older, but careful planning can help you successfully age in place.

First, prepare to stay in your home by setting yourself up for success. Studies show that people who cultivate social connections, volunteer, engage in moderate physical activity, and maintain a healthy diet protect their well-being. A person’s health condition can impact quality of life. In turn, this can influence your ability to live independently. Taking control of modifiable lifestyle factors now, can empower you to take care of yourself later.

Another important factor of aging in place is to acknowledge your assistance level. Successfully maintaining independence requires honesty. You may need to assess your ability to complete daily activities and your level of safety at home. Accepting help from family, friends, or a formal caregiver who can assist with daily activities can prevent injury and other accidents. Some help may sustain your ability to live at home and prevent the need for full-time assistance.

Make your home accessible. You spend most of your time at home, so make sure it’s a safe space. Increase lighting, remove floor clutter, and rearrange furniture to open up the flow of traffic. Also, consider installing grab bars in bathrooms and repairing uneven walking surfaces. Ensuring a safe environment can prevent accidents and protect overall health.

Aging is inevitable but welcoming the transitions of life can prolong independence. It can encourage you to care for your body and mind, accept your health circumstances, and prepare&nbsp;you to make your home a safer place. These are just a few ways that can help you realistically age in place.

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 DistrictMost people value independence and enjoy a sense of control in life, and as we grow older, this doesn’t change. In fact, the desire to stay at home and live independently may increase with age. A typical older adult has lived independently for years, served as a caregiver, and has a sentimental connection with their home. After decades of creating the life they’ve worked for, many folks don’t want their lifestyle to change due to age. You may resonate with the fear of reliance as you grow older, but careful planning can help you successfully age in place.First, prepare to stay in your home by setting yourself up for success. Studies show that people who cultivate social connections, volunteer, engage in moderate physical activity, and maintain a healthy diet protect their well-being. A person’s health condition can impact quality of life. In turn, this can influence your ability to live independently. Taking control of modifiable lifestyle factors now, can empower you to take care of yourself later.Another important factor of aging in place is to acknowledge your assistance level. Successfully maintaining independence requires honesty. You may need to assess your ability to complete daily activities and your level of safety at home. Accepting help from family, friends, or a formal caregiver who can assist with daily activities can prevent injury and other accidents. Some help may sustain your ability to live at home and prevent the need for full-time assistance.Make your home accessible. You spend most of your time at home, so make sure it’s a safe space. Increase lighting, remove floor clutter, and rearrange furniture to open up the flow of traffic. Also, consider installing grab bars in bathrooms and repairing uneven walking surfaces. Ensuring a safe environment can prevent accidents and protect overall health.Aging is inevitable but welcoming the transitions of life can prolong independence. It can encourage you to care for your body and mind, accept your health circumstances, and prepare&nbsp;you to make your home a safer place. These are just a few ways that can help you realistically age in place.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: Age in place

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Hays Police Department arrest log, June 6-15, 2024

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

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 </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 JULIA DEBES Kansas Wheat

This is day 4 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.

With hot, dry wind blowing sideways, Kansas wheat producers are off and running in full harvest mode. While many growers are pleasantly surprised with better-than-anticipated results, severe hailstorms over Father’s Day weekend sunk the sail for others by mowing down ripened fields.

Officially, the Kansas wheat harvest is 28 percent complete, well ahead of 6 percent complete last year and 8 percent on average, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service crop progress report for the week ending June 16, 2024. Winter wheat conditions were rated at 25 percent poor to very poor, 36 percent fair and 39 percent good to excellent.

Backed by 50 mile-per-hour winds, six producers were steadily cutting around Bucklin in Edwards County on Monday, June 17, according to Josh Schmitt, general manager/CEO of Offerle Coop Grain &amp; Supply Co. After starting on June 6, the area is having a below average harvest, due primarily to a lack of spring moisture. Average yields are between 15 and 20 bushels per acre with the best fields hitting in the high 30s.&nbsp;

“This year, we came out of winter with really good optimism that we would have a pretty good harvest,” Schmitt said. “But the moisture did not come and yields are really seeing that.”&nbsp;

To add insult to injury, two really bad hailstorms mowed down wheat across the elevator’s western territory — particularly in a stretch from north of Bucklin almost to Spearville. This past Saturday’s storms came at almost the same date as a 2020 Father’s Day hailstorm that broke windows and damaged the coop’s Bellefont location.&nbsp;

That Bellefont location typically takes in between 750,000 to 900,000 bushels. But with the drought, the hailstorms and some freeze damage, Schmitt is hoping for between 120,000 and 150,000 bushels delivered before producers finish up cutting around July 1. The wheat that is coming in has good quality with test weights between 57 and 59 pounds per bushel and proteins averaging 13.5 percent.&nbsp;

The great white combine in the sky also ended harvest hopes for some in Ford County, where harvest is in full speed near Wright. But for folks whose fields caught spotty rains and avoided the three or four rounds of hail (more toward Spearville), harvest is looking better than projected in April, according to Blake Connelly, vice president — grain for Alliance Ag &amp; Grain, LLC.&nbsp;

As a result, Connelly reported there is no real consistency in yields, ranging from 15 to 60 bushels per acre, depending on if that field got moisture and missed hail. The wheat is of good quality, however, with test weights between 59 and 62 pounds per bushel and proteins averaging around 12 percent. He expects producers to continue cutting for the next week or so.&nbsp;

Further north in Ellis County, it’s a tale of two wheat crops, according to Eric Werth with the Golden Belt Coop Association. There are fields that germinated in the fall, looked like they would die, but made far enough to receive moisture and fill heads, and then there are fields that didn’t germinate until January or February and are still a week out from being ready to cut.&nbsp;

As a result, harvest has been slow to get going with trucks trickling into the elevator starting on Wednesday, June 12. The coop has received about 100,000 bushels so far, putting the harvest at 10 to 15 percent complete, as producers finish planting their fall milo crop and wait for those later fields to mature. Despite the year’s meteorological challenges, including random rains and some hit-or-miss hail, Werth noted the wheat coming in has good quality at 61.5 pounds per bushel and 11.8 percent moisture, on average. Low-end yields are around 20 bushels per acre with better fields hitting 40 to 50 bushels per acre.&nbsp;

“If we’re surprised this year, it’s on the good side from what we can see today,” Werth said. “From the start of things and with everything that this crop has had thrown at it, we are pleased so far.”&nbsp;

The 2024 Harvest Reports are brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates, use&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001KdgvGeNG_L4NSWNE3EjJTVptNf1MNWO0kvQhL3YmhLeVLWzkQOTZnXwacRY9yP1efxodxXI6ORwxZVLWFMHBvIK16n-TH0egW4HkAV-lsLuEEwfho8cWrvSpNMAD2T1SFPOWPWUWH9yUYTxNd3aWo7yqD8MhmezQA2c6T563a98LmH0-luG0YC60PfngF1hXrs0JEJYwmrNTfwU_c15QpA2MJKZgGkcGGSsOdL0FPFI=&amp;c=kDoJaS8Sgs5-41B027EVePlgLX_ZoiSYB-DHigYf8yxjgAm3coUX9g==&amp;ch=4vTuSWu71lspBwKZHr6w-YEur_9_UPGrEt_fJEUNkS7keVS1vfSa6Q==" target="_blank">#wheatharvest24</a>&nbsp;on social media.&nbsp;Tag us at @kansaswheat on&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001KdgvGeNG_L4NSWNE3EjJTVptNf1MNWO0kvQhL3YmhLeVLWzkQOTZncQa7-t1rIMFfxPmJSbiVbmB7o7GWG7tlaNEdfyXewpaKgOeH0PIpKMkoTKWOSIwCa3tc2keGWH5_yIuiPOCjGX86k92rFf6ClVj6rA7Q7B-jjm6yeAJV7E=&amp;c=kDoJaS8Sgs5-41B027EVePlgLX_ZoiSYB-DHigYf8yxjgAm3coUX9g==&amp;ch=4vTuSWu71lspBwKZHr6w-YEur_9_UPGrEt_fJEUNkS7keVS1vfSa6Q==" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001KdgvGeNG_L4NSWNE3EjJTVptNf1MNWO0kvQhL3YmhLeVLWzkQOTZndRZ92eIgjVxvSg-2WJ-tMT4g4S1xRqJJvwQxep9ZafTVqhh1HgOBNwnTgkaMkdQt_VeukQa3ZgjYfJu6FStu8SWdyJMMZhFBFUj0yHgsdEN&amp;c=kDoJaS8Sgs5-41B027EVePlgLX_ZoiSYB-DHigYf8yxjgAm3coUX9g==&amp;ch=4vTuSWu71lspBwKZHr6w-YEur_9_UPGrEt_fJEUNkS7keVS1vfSa6Q==" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001KdgvGeNG_L4NSWNE3EjJTVptNf1MNWO0kvQhL3YmhLeVLWzkQOTZnUgAKPEmCFx06mvR0hthp5Rm9luJVrFpFavCVlznnHqz9I_eJGZbbeUJaZ-DLewAzs_4AuzDoeyZJqmAC2aPAnz9-ypbcYMDuNkwTONJ703c&amp;c=kDoJaS8Sgs5-41B027EVePlgLX_ZoiSYB-DHigYf8yxjgAm3coUX9g==&amp;ch=4vTuSWu71lspBwKZHr6w-YEur_9_UPGrEt_fJEUNkS7keVS1vfSa6Q==" target="_blank">Twitter</a>&nbsp;to share your harvest story and photos.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718666780122.jpeg" alt="Kansas Wheat&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Wheat&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By JULIA DEBES Kansas WheatDay 4, Kansas Wheat Harvest ReportThis is day 4 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.With hot, dry wind blowing sideways, Kansas wheat producers are off and running in full harvest mode. While many growers are pleasantly surprised with better-than-anticipated results, severe hailstorms over Father’s Day weekend sunk the sail for others by mowing down ripened fields.Officially, the Kansas wheat harvest is 28 percent complete, well ahead of 6 percent complete last year and 8 percent on average, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service crop progress report for the week ending June 16, 2024. Winter wheat conditions were rated at 25 percent poor to very poor, 36 percent fair and 39 percent good to excellent.Backed by 50 mile-per-hour winds, six producers were steadily cutting around Bucklin in Edwards County on Monday, June 17, according to Josh Schmitt, general manager/CEO of Offerle Coop Grain &amp; Supply Co. After starting on June 6, the area is having a below average harvest, due primarily to a lack of spring moisture. Average yields are between 15 and 20 bushels per acre with the best fields hitting in the high 30s.&nbsp;“This year, we came out of winter with really good optimism that we would have a pretty good harvest,” Schmitt said. “But the moisture did not come and yields are really seeing that.”&nbsp;To add insult to injury, two really bad hailstorms mowed down wheat across the elevator’s western territory — particularly in a stretch from north of Bucklin almost to Spearville. This past Saturday’s storms came at almost the same date as a 2020 Father’s Day hailstorm that broke windows and damaged the coop’s Bellefont location.&nbsp;That Bellefont location typically takes in between 750,000 to 900,000 bushels. But with the drought, the hailstorms and some freeze damage, Schmitt is hoping for between 120,000 and 150,000 bushels delivered before producers finish up cutting around July 1. The wheat that is coming in has good quality with test weights between 57 and 59 pounds per bushel and proteins averaging 13.5 percent.&nbsp;The great white combine in the sky also ended harvest hopes for some in Ford County, where harvest is in full speed near Wright. But for folks whose fields caught spotty rains and avoided the three or four rounds of hail (more toward Spearville), harvest is looking better than projected in April, according to Blake Connelly, vice president — grain for Alliance Ag &amp; Grain, LLC.&nbsp;As a result, Connelly reported there is no real consistency in yields, ranging from 15 to 60 bushels per acre, depending on if that field got moisture and missed hail. The wheat is of good quality, however, with test weights between 59 and 62 pounds per bushel and proteins averaging around 12 percent. He expects producers to continue cutting for the next week or so.&nbsp;Further north in Ellis County, it’s a tale of two wheat crops, according to Eric Werth with the Golden Belt Coop Association. There are fields that germinated in the fall, looked like they would die, but made far enough to receive moisture and fill heads, and then there are fields that didn’t germinate until January or February and are still a week out from being ready to cut.&nbsp;As a result, harvest has been slow to get going with trucks trickling into the elevator starting on Wednesday, June 12. The coop has received about 100,000 bushels so far, putting the harvest at 10 to 15 percent complete, as producers finish planting their fall milo crop and wait for those later fields to mature. Despite the year’s meteorological challenges, including random rains and some hit-or-miss hail, Werth noted the wheat coming in has good quality at 61.5 pounds per bushel and 11.8 percent moisture, on average. Low-end yields are around 20 bushels per acre with better fields hitting 40 to 50 bushels per acre.&nbsp;“If we’re surprised this year, it’s on the good side from what we can see today,” Werth said. “From the start of things and with everything that this crop has had thrown at it, we are pleased so far.”&nbsp;The 2024 Harvest Reports are brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates, use&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001KdgvGeNG_L4NSWNE3EjJTVptNf1MNWO0kvQhL3YmhLeVLWzkQOTZnXwacRY9yP1efxodxXI6ORwxZVLWFMHBvIK16n-TH0egW4HkAV-lsLuEEwfho8cWrvSpNMAD2T1SFPOWPWUWH9yUYTxNd3aWo7yqD8MhmezQA2c6T563a98LmH0-luG0YC60PfngF1hXrs0JEJYwmrNTfwU_c15QpA2MJKZgGkcGGSsOdL0FPFI=&amp;c=kDoJaS8Sgs5-41B027EVePlgLX_ZoiSYB-DHigYf8yxjgAm3coUX9g==&amp;ch=4vTuSWu71lspBwKZHr6w-YEur_9_UPGrEt_fJEUNkS7keVS1vfSa6Q==" target="_blank">#wheatharvest24</a>&nbsp;on social media.&nbsp;Tag us at @kansaswheat on&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001KdgvGeNG_L4NSWNE3EjJTVptNf1MNWO0kvQhL3YmhLeVLWzkQOTZncQa7-t1rIMFfxPmJSbiVbmB7o7GWG7tlaNEdfyXewpaKgOeH0PIpKMkoTKWOSIwCa3tc2keGWH5_yIuiPOCjGX86k92rFf6ClVj6rA7Q7B-jjm6yeAJV7E=&amp;c=kDoJaS8Sgs5-41B027EVePlgLX_ZoiSYB-DHigYf8yxjgAm3coUX9g==&amp;ch=4vTuSWu71lspBwKZHr6w-YEur_9_UPGrEt_fJEUNkS7keVS1vfSa6Q==" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001KdgvGeNG_L4NSWNE3EjJTVptNf1MNWO0kvQhL3YmhLeVLWzkQOTZndRZ92eIgjVxvSg-2WJ-tMT4g4S1xRqJJvwQxep9ZafTVqhh1HgOBNwnTgkaMkdQt_VeukQa3ZgjYfJu6FStu8SWdyJMMZhFBFUj0yHgsdEN&amp;c=kDoJaS8Sgs5-41B027EVePlgLX_ZoiSYB-DHigYf8yxjgAm3coUX9g==&amp;ch=4vTuSWu71lspBwKZHr6w-YEur_9_UPGrEt_fJEUNkS7keVS1vfSa6Q==" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001KdgvGeNG_L4NSWNE3EjJTVptNf1MNWO0kvQhL3YmhLeVLWzkQOTZnUgAKPEmCFx06mvR0hthp5Rm9luJVrFpFavCVlznnHqz9I_eJGZbbeUJaZ-DLewAzs_4AuzDoeyZJqmAC2aPAnz9-ypbcYMDuNkwTONJ703c&amp;c=kDoJaS8Sgs5-41B027EVePlgLX_ZoiSYB-DHigYf8yxjgAm3coUX9g==&amp;ch=4vTuSWu71lspBwKZHr6w-YEur_9_UPGrEt_fJEUNkS7keVS1vfSa6Q==" target="_blank">Twitter</a>&nbsp;to share your harvest story and photos.

Kansas Wheat: 'Tale of two wheat crops in Ellis County,' says elevator operator

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Ellis County in severe thunderstorm watch until 10 p.m. Tuesday

By <a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/u-champ-health-care-program.html">SUSAN LOYACONO</a> KUMC News Service

Today, 90 counties in Kansas (86%) qualify as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), a designation created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — highlighting the urgency to find solutions for this growing problem. The University of Kansas Medical Center plays an important role in increasing the number of people qualified for health-related jobs, with KU School of Health Professions educating students in programs ranging from occupational therapy to clinical laboratory science.

Last fall, KU School of Health Professions earned a prestigious grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to assist individuals from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in pursuing degrees from health professions programs, with the goal of graduates entering the workforce in underserved communities.

The grant was used to establish the Underserved Communities Have a Medical Provider program (U-CHaMP) to improve health care delivery to underserved populations in both rural and urban communities. Studies by the American Heart Association indicate that people living in rural communities are 40% more likely to develop heart disease and have a 30% higher risk of stroke than people who live in urban areas.

“Our rural and urban underserved communities need students from the School of Health Professions to help close the existing health disparity gap in many chronic and disabling conditions,” said Dave Burnett, Ph.D., associate dean for community engagement and workforce initiatives and primary investigator for U-CHaMP. “This federal funding will help us improve recruitment, matriculation, retention and graduation rates of disadvantaged students from underserved communities. We do that by implementing programs designed to address the academic and social needs of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

“KU School of Health Professions has more than 20 health career programs,” Burnett said. “The U-ChaMP program is dedicated to helping expand the workforce capacity in underserved communities and decreasing the health disparity gap.”

Outreach and recruitment specialists from the U-CHaMP program build relationships at career fairs with faculty and students at high schools, community colleges and four-year colleges from every area of Kansas. Throughout the academic year, U-CHaMP also builds connections with students through presentations about health care professions and academic opportunities. Students as young as juniors in high school can apply for an ambassador role to receive advising, counseling, peer mentoring, shadowing opportunities and learning about experiences related to health disparities.

Students in the program can consider bachelor’s degrees in three areas: clinical laboratory science, health information management or respiratory care. Once accepted to KU Medical Center, students can apply to U-CHaMP’s Scholars program, which provides social and academic support as well as financial aid — an annual scholarship of up to $10,000. Students in graduate programs in KU School of Health Professions, which include advanced degrees in occupational and physical therapy, also are eligible for the program.

Program serves economically disadvantaged and educationally underserved students

“To qualify for the programs and scholarships, students must meet one of two criteria,” said Angie Huber, program manager for U-CHaMP. “One is to come from an&nbsp;economically disadvantaged&nbsp;household, where their family earns less than 200% of the federal poverty level, or about $62,400 for a family of four.”

Another way to qualify for the ambassador program is to be considered&nbsp;educationally underserved. “First-generation college students would qualify, as well as students who attend schools with a significant number of students qualifying for federal free or reduced-price lunch programs,” said Huber.

Scholars are asked for a minimal commitment to continue working with the U-CHaMP program while enrolled at KU Medical Center. “They help mentor the ambassadors,” Huber said. “They also attend recruitment events and other types of meetings where they learn about health care disparities and other issues. They give a little back, but there is a very high return — one of our goals is to help students graduate with little or no student debt while inspiring them to work in underserved communities after graduation.”

Since the beginning of program delivery in January, U-CHaMP events have been popular across the state — with 156 events so far, and meetings attended by more than 3,200 people. There are 25 ambassadors enrolled, and at least 40 more applications, a number that grows every month.

Current students in KU School of Health Professions also can apply for the program. The deadline for the U-CHaMP Scholars applications is July 1.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/school-of-health-professions/outreach/u-champ.html">Learn more about the U-CHAMP program</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712259163846.jpg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By <a href="https://www.kumc.edu/about/news/news-archive/u-champ-health-care-program.html">SUSAN LOYACONO</a> KUMC News ServiceToday, 90 counties in Kansas (86%) qualify as a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), a designation created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — highlighting the urgency to find solutions for this growing problem. The University of Kansas Medical Center plays an important role in increasing the number of people qualified for health-related jobs, with KU School of Health Professions educating students in programs ranging from occupational therapy to clinical laboratory science.Last fall, KU School of Health Professions earned a prestigious grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to assist individuals from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in pursuing degrees from health professions programs, with the goal of graduates entering the workforce in underserved communities.The grant was used to establish the Underserved Communities Have a Medical Provider program (U-CHaMP) to improve health care delivery to underserved populations in both rural and urban communities. Studies by the American Heart Association indicate that people living in rural communities are 40% more likely to develop heart disease and have a 30% higher risk of stroke than people who live in urban areas.“Our rural and urban underserved communities need students from the School of Health Professions to help close the existing health disparity gap in many chronic and disabling conditions,” said Dave Burnett, Ph.D., associate dean for community engagement and workforce initiatives and primary investigator for U-CHaMP. “This federal funding will help us improve recruitment, matriculation, retention and graduation rates of disadvantaged students from underserved communities. We do that by implementing programs designed to address the academic and social needs of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.”“KU School of Health Professions has more than 20 health career programs,” Burnett said. “The U-ChaMP program is dedicated to helping expand the workforce capacity in underserved communities and decreasing the health disparity gap.”<h2>Reaching out to students</h2>Outreach and recruitment specialists from the U-CHaMP program build relationships at career fairs with faculty and students at high schools, community colleges and four-year colleges from every area of Kansas. Throughout the academic year, U-CHaMP also builds connections with students through presentations about health care professions and academic opportunities. Students as young as juniors in high school can apply for an ambassador role to receive advising, counseling, peer mentoring, shadowing opportunities and learning about experiences related to health disparities.Students in the program can consider bachelor’s degrees in three areas: clinical laboratory science, health information management or respiratory care. Once accepted to KU Medical Center, students can apply to U-CHaMP’s Scholars program, which provides social and academic support as well as financial aid — an annual scholarship of up to $10,000. Students in graduate programs in KU School of Health Professions, which include advanced degrees in occupational and physical therapy, also are eligible for the program.<h2>Program serves economically disadvantaged and educationally underserved students</h2>“To qualify for the programs and scholarships, students must meet one of two criteria,” said Angie Huber, program manager for U-CHaMP. “One is to come from an&nbsp;economically disadvantaged&nbsp;household, where their family earns less than 200% of the federal poverty level, or about $62,400 for a family of four.”Another way to qualify for the ambassador program is to be considered&nbsp;educationally underserved. “First-generation college students would qualify, as well as students who attend schools with a significant number of students qualifying for federal free or reduced-price lunch programs,” said Huber.Scholars are asked for a minimal commitment to continue working with the U-CHaMP program while enrolled at KU Medical Center. “They help mentor the ambassadors,” Huber said. “They also attend recruitment events and other types of meetings where they learn about health care disparities and other issues. They give a little back, but there is a very high return — one of our goals is to help students graduate with little or no student debt while inspiring them to work in underserved communities after graduation.”Since the beginning of program delivery in January, U-CHaMP events have been popular across the state — with 156 events so far, and meetings attended by more than 3,200 people. There are 25 ambassadors enrolled, and at least 40 more applications, a number that grows every month.Current students in KU School of Health Professions also can apply for the program. The deadline for the U-CHaMP Scholars applications is July 1.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kumc.edu/school-of-health-professions/outreach/u-champ.html">Learn more about the U-CHAMP program</a>.&nbsp;

KU wins grant for more health care workers in underserved communities

Ellis County authorities have closed Highway 40 between 140th
and 150th Ave. east of Ellis due to blowing dust.

Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun said the closure is until
further notice.

Dry and windy conditions are expected to create areas of
blowing dust across the region on Tuesday.

Motorists are urged to use caution when travelling and be
ready for changing conditions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718721139620.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostEllis County authorities have closed Highway 40 between 140th
and 150th Ave. east of Ellis due to blowing dust.Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun said the closure is until
further notice.Dry and windy conditions are expected to create areas of
blowing dust across the region on Tuesday.Motorists are urged to use caution when travelling and be
ready for changing conditions.

Blowing dust causes closure for portion of Highway 40 in Ellis County

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718721420987.png" alt="National Weather Service, Dodge City" />
 <figcaption>National Weather Service, Dodge City</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718721360632.png" alt="National Weather Service, Dodge City" />
 <figcaption>National Weather Service, Dodge City</figcaption>
 </figure>

Flood watch in effect for Ellis County, area through Wednesday

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Teacher shortages across Kansas are worsening, so school districts are seeking new ways to recruit and retain teachers.

Area school administrators met at Fort Hays State University on June 6 to discuss teacher recruitment and retention strategies.

In fall 2023, the state had an estimated 1,810 teacher vacancies, according to the Kansas State Department of Education. In fall 2022, there were 1,650 reported vacancies.

Hays USD 489 has four open teaching positions and, at this point, has no applicants for the positions, said Superintendent Ron Wilson via email.

USD 489 is looking for a high school math teacher, an elementary vocal music teacher, an elementary special education teacher and a teacher at Early Childhood Connections.

According to Educate Kansas, the specialties in the greatest demand are special education, math and science.

"Although we have dodged the teacher shortage issue the last several years, we are now starting to feel the impact inside our district with having no applicants for these four open positions," Wilson said.

"We are still hopeful that we will be able to fill these positions before the start of school in August."

He said the district is looking at creative ways to fill these positions. 

Administrators remain optimistic that the positions could be filled using the transition to teaching program or the newly approved Kansas Department of Education teacher apprentice program. 

Kansas universities, including Fort Hays State University, participate in these programs.

If the district is unable to find anyone interested in those programs, district administrators will consider long-term substitutes and sponsored student teaching candidates to fill positions, Wilson said.

Dave Younger, former legislator and superintendent for USD 214, said the school district in Ulysess owned houses that they offered to new teachers for the first year or two of their tenures.

He said the small school district in western Kansas struggles to compete against larger communities.

Younger said his district had to change its recruiting strategies.&nbsp;

"I was sitting there at our little booth, and nobody, nobody came," he said. "There was a line coming around the corner. Where are those people going? It was Spring Hill and Shawnee Mission."

Young people want to live in urban areas, Younger said. "They often eventually want to come home to rural areas to raise their families, but not initially, he said.

Instead of attending college teacher fairs and talking to seniors, they targeted underclassmen.

"We brought them in, bought them dinner, and just had a conversation with them," he said. "It was not a hard sales pitch, but we were starting to turn a corner then."

The district also offered a signing bonus for new teachers.

Last year, the<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5d3f9e9c-4044-45c1-8148-518991be5f42">&nbsp;Victoria school district considered going to a four-day school week in hopes of attracting more applicants for teaching positions.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;That plan did not move forward.

Superintendent Kimberly Woolf said at that time the district was only receiving about two applications per open position.&nbsp;

Cris Seidel is the program director for Educate Kansas, which assists 18 school districts from across the state with recruiting.

"It really is complex," she said. "There's not going to be one magic bullet that actually fixes this. There are so many layers to this."

Common barriers she sees are housing and access to child care. However, she said each district needs to identify barriers specific to their communities.

"That connection, that culture, is so vital when we think about the teacher shortages," she said.

Jennifer Olt, a 19-year veteran teacher currently working for USD 489, said relationships keep her teaching.

"I'm a walking billboard for my profession," she said. "If I don't show [my students] every day that I want to be there and that I love them, I need to quit. I do it for them. I want to see them succeed."

However, Olt said teachers also want to feel their administrators value them.

"That comes from at a district level who says we understand that you as a person matter," she said.

This comes when teachers say they think their profession is not valued.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/69cf19f7-809f-41d6-aeaf-4782d6b69403">A 2023 survey of teachers in the Hays district found 83% of teachers surveyed said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with how society views teaching. This was even higher than the state average of 74%.</a>

Eighty-eight percent of Hays teachers surveyed said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the superintendent's leadership, which was much higher than the state average of 56%.

Olt said flexibility in her work schedule is also important to her as a working mother.

She said she was grateful her principal at Hays High School allowed her to take off time to visit her daughter's school Valentine's Day party.

Olt also encouraged districts to tap into high school teacher career programs similar to the one Hays High has implemented and she leads.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718208859950.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of Pixabay." />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Pixabay.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostTeacher shortages across Kansas are worsening, so school districts are seeking new ways to recruit and retain teachers.Area school administrators met at Fort Hays State University on June 6 to discuss teacher recruitment and retention strategies.In fall 2023, the state had an estimated 1,810 teacher vacancies, according to the Kansas State Department of Education. In fall 2022, there were 1,650 reported vacancies.Hays USD 489 has four open teaching positions and, at this point, has no applicants for the positions, said Superintendent Ron Wilson via email.USD 489 is looking for a high school math teacher, an elementary vocal music teacher, an elementary special education teacher and a teacher at Early Childhood Connections.According to Educate Kansas, the specialties in the greatest demand are special education, math and science."Although we have dodged the teacher shortage issue the last several years, we are now starting to feel the impact inside our district with having no applicants for these four open positions," Wilson said."We are still hopeful that we will be able to fill these positions before the start of school in August."He said the district is looking at creative ways to fill these positions. Administrators remain optimistic that the positions could be filled using the transition to teaching program or the newly approved Kansas Department of Education teacher apprentice program. Kansas universities, including Fort Hays State University, participate in these programs.If the district is unable to find anyone interested in those programs, district administrators will consider long-term substitutes and sponsored student teaching candidates to fill positions, Wilson said.Dave Younger, former legislator and superintendent for USD 214, said the school district in Ulysess owned houses that they offered to new teachers for the first year or two of their tenures.He said the small school district in western Kansas struggles to compete against larger communities.Younger said his district had to change its recruiting strategies.&nbsp;"I was sitting there at our little booth, and nobody, nobody came," he said. "There was a line coming around the corner. Where are those people going? It was Spring Hill and Shawnee Mission."Young people want to live in urban areas, Younger said. "They often eventually want to come home to rural areas to raise their families, but not initially, he said.Instead of attending college teacher fairs and talking to seniors, they targeted underclassmen."We brought them in, bought them dinner, and just had a conversation with them," he said. "It was not a hard sales pitch, but we were starting to turn a corner then."The district also offered a signing bonus for new teachers.Last year, the<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5d3f9e9c-4044-45c1-8148-518991be5f42">&nbsp;Victoria school district considered going to a four-day school week in hopes of attracting more applicants for teaching positions.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;That plan did not move forward.Superintendent Kimberly Woolf said at that time the district was only receiving about two applications per open position.&nbsp;Cris Seidel is the program director for Educate Kansas, which assists 18 school districts from across the state with recruiting."It really is complex," she said. "There's not going to be one magic bullet that actually fixes this. There are so many layers to this."Common barriers she sees are housing and access to child care. However, she said each district needs to identify barriers specific to their communities."That connection, that culture, is so vital when we think about the teacher shortages," she said.Jennifer Olt, a 19-year veteran teacher currently working for USD 489, said relationships keep her teaching."I'm a walking billboard for my profession," she said. "If I don't show [my students] every day that I want to be there and that I love them, I need to quit. I do it for them. I want to see them succeed."However, Olt said teachers also want to feel their administrators value them."That comes from at a district level who says we understand that you as a person matter," she said.This comes when teachers say they think their profession is not valued.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/69cf19f7-809f-41d6-aeaf-4782d6b69403">A 2023 survey of teachers in the Hays district found 83% of teachers surveyed said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with how society views teaching. This was even higher than the state average of 74%.</a>Eighty-eight percent of Hays teachers surveyed said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the superintendent's leadership, which was much higher than the state average of 56%.Olt said flexibility in her work schedule is also important to her as a working mother.She said she was grateful her principal at Hays High School allowed her to take off time to visit her daughter's school Valentine's Day party.Olt also encouraged districts to tap into high school teacher career programs similar to the one Hays High has implemented and she leads.

Hays, other Kansas districts seek ways to address teacher shortage

After decades of local inaction, Kansas lawmakers are pushing for big changes in irrigation.

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

This story, the second in an occasional series about water challenges facing the American heartland, is a partnership between Kansas Reflector and Stateline. Read the first story&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/29/agriculture-built-these-high-plains-towns-now-it-might-run-them-dry/">here</a>.

JETMORE, Kan. — An inch or two of corn peeks out of the dirt, just enough to reveal long rows forming over the horizon.

Sprinkler engines roar as they force water from underground to pour life into dusty fields.

Thunder cracks. The wind whips up dirt as a trail of dark storms looms. The crashing hot and cold fronts would probably set off tornado sirens —&nbsp;if there were any in this remote part of the state.

It’s spring in southwest Kansas, a hub for the nation’s crop, dairy and beef industries.

As the familiar seasonal rhythm plays out, some farmers are bracing for major changes in how they use the long-depleting&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/tag/ogallala-aquifer/">Ogallala Aquifer</a>. The nation’s largest underground store of fresh water, the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/29/agriculture-built-these-high-plains-towns-now-it-might-run-them-dry/">Ogallala transformed this arid region</a>&nbsp;into an agricultural powerhouse.

After 50 years of studies, discussions and hand-wringing about the aquifer’s decline, the state is demanding that local groundwater managers finally enforce conservation. But in this region where water is everything, they’ll have to overcome entrenched attitudes and practices that led to decades of overpumping.

“It scares the hell out of me,” farmer Hugh Brownlee said at a recent public meeting in the district on the changes to come.

Last year, Kansas lawmakers passed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2279/">legislation</a>&nbsp;squarely targeting the Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District, which spans a dozen counties. Unlike the two other Kansas districts that sit atop the crucial aquifer, this one has done little to enact formal conservation programs that could help prolong the life of the aquifer. The new law aims to force action.

The district has come under fire from legislators increasingly incensed by its substantial travel expenses, its lack of formal conservation policies and its alienation of farmers who are trying to save water. At a hearing in February on a bill meant to help farmers in one county leave the district, a Kansas House member floated the idea of doing away with the organization, also known as Groundwater Management District 3, altogether.

“Maybe that’s something that we need to consider — just dissolve GMD 3 so that these other boards that are doing good work are not affected,” said state Rep. Cyndi Howerton, a Republican from Wichita.

District leaders think the criticism is unfair. But even they acknowledge that painful change is brewing. Change that will force farmers to cut back.

Clay Scott, a farmer and rancher who has served on the district’s board for more than two decades, said most local farmers are ready to change. That’s partly because they don’t want to give the state a reason to impose its own restrictions, he said.

Scott said the problem of overuse has been generations in the making and can’t be reversed overnight.

“It’s going to take us time to turn this ship around,” he said.

But critics say the organization has already had plenty of time. Decades.

“My biggest disappointment with GMD 3 is they’ve had 50 years to build a consensus on conservation and they failed to do it,” said Frank Mercurio, who works for a dairy with facilities across southwest Kansas and southeast Colorado.

The discussions here mirror those occurring not just across the eight Ogallala states (Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming) but also across the country. The dual threat of climate change and overpumping of groundwater threatens farming and agricultural communities coast to coast.

Outside the town of Syracuse, Kansas, Brownlee runs a small farm with dryland and irrigated fields divided by a curvy two-lane blacktop. More than 200 years ago, Mexican and American traders following the Santa Fe Trail crossed this part of the plains on ox-pulled wagons.

Brownlee, who farms part time and drives a propane truck, said he understands the shrinking water supply. But he thinks the state is to blame — not farmers. Decades ago, Kansas officials issued more water rights than the aquifer can sustain.

The state should fix that, rather than punishing farmers with across-the-board cuts, he said.

“They want to be able to flip the switch and just stop it,” Brownlee said. “That’s not going to do anybody no good.”

‘Should have been done 40 years ago’&nbsp;

In a community center on Main Street in Lakin, Kansas, a few dozen farmers in feed and seed hats last month pulled folding chairs off a big metal rack.

Just below the stained drop ceiling panels, a tilted projector shone onto a bare beige wall the district’s plans to comply with the new law. The first step: identifying priority areas for its conservation efforts.

An expert from the Kansas Geological Survey pointed to maps of the district. Blood red blots showed where aquifer conditions were most severe. In some parts of the district, the aquifer is already all but gone. Other areas have more than 60 years of water left even if they don’t cut back their usage.

But at this and a series of meetings across southwest Kansas, district leaders outlined plans to declare its entire territory a priority area. Some critics viewed the move as a stall tactic, but district leaders say it leaves all options available to them. The district in 2026 will have to present an action plan, which it says will reflect the huge variations in aquifer conditions.

Kansas’ chief engineer, Earl Lewis, who will evaluate the board’s plan and future conservation efforts, said the board likely can designate the whole region a priority, though he’s not sure it meets “the spirit” of the law.

In the series of meetings, farmers ran through familiar questions, concerns and excuses.

What about the farms pumping the aquifer down in Oklahoma?

What about all the new dairies and feedlots coming in?

Crop irrigation accounts for 85% of all water use in Kansas —&nbsp;even more in western Kansas.

The group also discussed the possibility of paying growers to shut down their wells.

But one farmer said he can’t farm his sandy soil without irrigation. After the meeting, he declined to be named, saying he could get in big trouble for sharing his real feelings.

Local farmer Steve Sterling interjected at the first meeting in Garden City to say conservation planning “should have been done 40 years ago.” Some of his neighbors abandoned their farm when he was 12, he said. They were out of water.

Katie Durham, who manages Groundwater Management District 1 in western Kansas, drove south to attend some of the meetings in GMD 3. She said she hoped the farmers in attendance understood that change is coming under the new law.

“This is happening,” Durham said. “I just hope that urgency and sense of wanting to be involved and kind of taking ownership of the future on a local level — I just hope people are understanding that.”

Between the 1950s and the 1970s, Kansas created the fundamental problem that allows aquifer depletion by granting farmers the right to pump more water out of the aquifer each year than returns to it via rainfall. But the state has largely left it up to locals to find solutions to the problem.

The state charged&nbsp;the&nbsp;three groundwater management districts&nbsp;over the Ogallala&nbsp;with protecting both the agricultural economy and aquifer water. But their five-decade histories primarily have been marked by further decline of the Ogallala Aquifer. Two districts have made progress in recent years and helped farmers to slow, or even stop, the decline.

Burke Griggs, a water attorney who previously worked for the state, argues the southwest Kansas district isn’t doing much compared with the other two.

“The law is the same. The regs are basically the same,” he said. “This is a cultural thing.”

He argues the state should take a firmer stance in aquifer management.

“I think it’s time for a reckoning,” Griggs said.

District officials say farmers in GMD 3 have used 13% less water in the past 10 years compared with the decade before. But it’s unclear how much of that change is intentional — from conservation — or a reflection of the limited water available in the declining aquifer.

Though its territory is twice the size of the other two districts’ combined, the southwest Kansas district hasn’t accomplished as much. The other districts have offered financial assistance to farmers investing in water-efficient irrigation systems and championed large-scale restrictions on pumping.

GMD 3 has done none of that. Between 2010 and 2022, financial records show, the district spent, on average, only 13% of the money it budgeted for conservation. In most years, it didn’t&nbsp;spend anything on conservation.

Mark Rude, who has been the organization’s executive director for nearly two decades, said the district’s entire budget supports water conservation. The district takes in more than $1 million per year and spends 70% of that on salaries and benefits, according to financial documents received through a records request. The rest goes largely to office equipment, travel and other administrative costs.

“I mean, ultimately, that’s why we’re here,” Rude said, “and if you look at the $600,000-plus we (spend) on staff, why is the staff here?”

This summer, the district board will consider a 38% increase in the fee it imposes on water users, which is expected to raise more than $200,000 each year. Rude said that money would primarily be used to hire two new employees to help with grant projects offering technical assistance to farmers trying to conserve water.

Between 2010 and 2022, GMD 3 spent about four times as much on travel for Rude and staff as on water conservation. On average, the GMD pays&nbsp;more than $20,000 each year for Rude’s travel — plus another $20,000 for the rest of its staff members — compared with $10,000 for water conservation.

Last year, the district changed its financial statements, reporting fewer, broader categories. The new financial structure did not distinguish travel costs from other expenses.

Rude defends the spending by saying it’s necessary to build the partnerships and relationships needed to achieve district goals, including its aim of piping in water from out of state.

“How else do you do it?” Rude said. “Really, please show us: How else do you do it?”

Last year, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle questioned Rude during a committee hearing on why the district wasn’t doing more to conserve groundwater.

State Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, an Overland Park Democrat, said during a legislative hearing that the district had 50 years to act but made no progress on addressing aquifer decline.

“The issue is only becoming more urgent,” Vaughn said, “and I am discouraged to see that there aren’t any real efforts right now to get the ball rolling and coming up with a long-term plan.”

The district’s lack of action also has drawn the attention of farmers who mounted a campaign to secede.

In 2022, Hamilton County farmers submitted a petition to withdraw from the groundwater district.

They characterized the organization as a bureaucratic mess with a ballooning budget that spends little on conservation, obstructs programs meant to slow groundwater decline and provides no benefits for dryland farmers who also pay assessments.

The petition criticized groundwater district leaders’ fixation on building an aqueduct across the state. The organization twice has&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/21/officials-plan-to-truck-6000-gallons-of-water-from-missouri-river-across-kansas/">trucked water 400 miles</a>&nbsp;from the Missouri River to western Kansas in an effort to sell the idea.

In their petition, Hamilton County farmers said the project only managed to move and dump water with “no tangible benefit to anyone.”

Richard Geven, owner of the 10,000-head Southwest Plains Dairy, was among those who signed the petition to leave.

Geven, a native of the Netherlands who has been farming here for nearly 20 years, said he sees little reason for the groundwater district. When he has issues with his wells or needs clarity on water rights, he works with state regulators.

But he pays assessments every year to the district.

“We don’t know what the purpose is,” he said. “We think, ‘What are they doing? We don’t need them.’"

Across most of the Ogallala states, governments have preferred to encourage voluntary conservation rather than mandating steep cutbacks, said Kevin Wagner, director of the Oklahoma Water Resource Center at Oklahoma State University.

Oklahoma allows farmers to use up to 2 feet of water each year on every acre they own. But usage is not monitored. Farmers report annual estimates of water usage.

And the state has not banned the drilling of new irrigation wells.

Researchers have closely monitored the decline of the aquifer across the Oklahoma Panhandle — it’s dropping about half a foot per year, he said.

But there’s no telling how much individual farmers are using or conserving.

“When I talk to producers in Oklahoma, there’s a lot of feeling that Oklahoma producers are doing just as good at conserving as their neighbors in Texas and in Kansas,” Wagner said. “And honestly there’s no data out there right now.”

Oklahoma state Rep. Carl Newton, a Republican, introduced legislation this year that would require irrigators to meter their water use.

The measure passed, but amid steep opposition from agriculture trade groups, Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed it. He called it government overreach and a violation of private property rights.

Newton said he plans to reintroduce the bill, which he described as “a starting point” for conservation efforts.

“You’ve got to find out where your problem is to get an idea of where to go,” he said. “That was my whole goal.”

Kansas started requiring irrigators to install meters and report water usage in the early 1990s.

Formal conservation efforts have been underway in other parts of the region for years.

In Nebraska’s Republican River Basin, groundwater regulators have helped producers install soil moisture probes and more accurate meters that use telemetry to conserve. And Colorado offers a master irrigator course to help farmers grow crops more efficiently.

In Wichita County, Kansas, just beyond the bounds of GMD 3, farmers created a conservation program that launched in 2021. Called a local enhanced management area, farmers committed to cutting water use by at least 25%.

Farmer Don Smith said the program provided a chance for locals to act together before the state stepped in.

Smith, his brother and nephews together run Smith Family Farms, which grows corn, wheat and milo against a backdrop of massive wind turbines. Shiny grain bins emblazoned with the family name tower near the office, where a curious Australian shepherd keeps watch, rearing up on hind legs to peer through the door.

The farm is mostly dryland. Its irrigated fields draw upon 38 wells, connected to advanced sprinkler systems that help reduce water use. The farm also has transitioned to no-till methods, which keeps more moisture in the soil.

Smith said the farm shows that growers can save water and still make money. Lower water use does lead to lower yields, he said. But it also makes growing crops less expensive.

Smith knows the groundwater district just to his south has deeper wells and more abundant water. But the declining aquifer eventually will force changes there.

“I guess it’ll be interesting to see if at some point somebody responds before the gun’s to their head,” he said. “They will face the same choices we all north of them have had to face.”

In Wichita County, Smith said, test wells show the changes have slowed or even reversed aquifer decline. But even so, he doesn’t think irrigated farming will last forever. He expects the day will come when pumping small amounts of water won’t be worth the cost.

‘Time for a reckoning.’ Kansas farmers brace for water cuts to save Ogallala Aquifer

TREGO COUNTY—Four people were injured in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Monday in Trego County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Toyota Rav4 driven by Mireya&nbsp;Lule, 46, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was eastbound on Interstate 70 approximately three miles west of Ellis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718705972911.png" alt="Vehicles in blowing dust near the accident in Trego County on Monday-image from KanDrive cameras" />
 <figcaption>Vehicles in blowing dust near the accident in Trego County on Monday-image from KanDrive cameras</figcaption>
 </figure>TREGO COUNTY—Four people were injured in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Monday in Trego County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Toyota Rav4 driven by Mireya&nbsp;Lule, 46, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was eastbound on Interstate 70 approximately three miles west of Ellis.Due&nbsp;to strong winds and blowing dust, the driver was unable to see. The Toyota rear-ended a camper pulled by a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and driven by Anna L. Briggs, 19, Quinter.&nbsp; After impact a 2013 GMC pickup driven by Alyssa&nbsp;Brewster, 37, Phenix City, Alabama, rear-ended the Toyota.EMS transported Lule and passengers in the Toyota Marisa&nbsp;Maria, 44, and Irma&nbsp;Miramontes Palomino, 64, both of Oklahoma City to Hays Medical Center. EMS transported Briggs to the Trego County Hospital. Brewster and three passengers in the pickup were not injured. Palomino was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.