MANHATTAN - First District U.S. Representative Tracey Mann&nbsp; will host sixteen town halls next week to hear from Kansans, completing his annual 60-county town hall tour for 2023. 

The town halls will take place in counties across central and western Kansas, including in Hays on August 2.

REP. MANN TOWN HALL MEETINGS TUES., AUGUST 1

REP. MANN TOWN HALL MEETINGS WEND., AUGUST 2

REP. MANN TOWN HALL MEETINGS THUR., AUGUST 3

Correction: Story was updated to reflect the correct schedule.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611836622184.jpeg" alt="First District Congressman Tracey Mann, R-KS" />
 <figcaption>First District Congressman Tracey Mann, R-KS</figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Rep. MannMANHATTAN - First District U.S. Representative Tracey Mann&nbsp; will host sixteen town halls next week to hear from Kansans, completing his annual 60-county town hall tour for 2023. The town halls will take place in counties across central and western Kansas, including in Hays on August 2.REP. MANN TOWN HALL MEETINGS TUES., AUGUST 1<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690807114693.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>REP. MANN TOWN HALL MEETINGS WEND., AUGUST 2<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690466568973.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>REP. MANN TOWN HALL MEETINGS THUR., AUGUST 3<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690467035911.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Correction: Story was updated to reflect the correct schedule.

Rep. Mann to host town halls in Hays, NW Kansas Aug. 1-3

By MARSHA BOSWELL Kansas Wheat

This Hard White Wheat Special Edition of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.

Hard white (HW) winter wheat varieties continue to be popular among some western Kansas farmers for their high yields, disease resistance and quality. The biggest challenge for hard white is market liquidity and continuity of trade into the marketplace. Kansas Wheat continues to work with the grain handling industry and Federal Grain Inspection Service to revise the grain standards to facilitate the movement of hard white wheat in domestic and international markets and lessen the burden on grain handlers. 

For additional information on Kansas Wheat’s comments submitted to FGIS, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001PMhpGFZi7A-5RPktIVDOKlUb_yjXHYPZ9RPDH9oY1D_rONJtAIXDRLOExA5fqjCvaYedulvcsD4D-Kh3RM80ZmgZMMqrrHgvFLb1KciMmokbSpOEugZv5GMqNqIRmT6V_NifeKg38meaykXoy9ONweQh5dXhLDbDlwTPE5RJz3HYDr7_p6xEE59wXPm-TqGNwbTY1aTJR6MXSe604ht9EGKYnVLXX8rghLkzonNkFAd5rh2BtGhgllkVUWwuEA-f&amp;c=HyukPCWneFTIp3nS7G78bbJqeVvqk-jOpjiQtu6qVUfSJENxSjP9sg==&amp;ch=kgyqURCMuDFif5vD8ed5g7tVvUJPbN_EwsOwQPmoCZqzprxOEeG93A==" target="_blank">https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/10/12/2022-22113/united-states-standards-for-wheat</a>.

Hard white winter wheat is very similar to hard red winter (HRW) wheat apart from a gene impacting the color of the outer bran coat. It can be used for stand-alone whole wheat products with a lighter color or can be used interchangeably by mills with hard red winter, depending on protein and extraction needs.

Hard white wheat had been growing in export demand, primarily to Nigeria out of the Texas Gulf, but the past two years of drought-stricken production shortfalls have impacted that business for Kansas farmers.

Joe is the top seeded variety in west central Kansas, making up 14.3 percent of planted acres. Hard white wheat varieties also make up 11.4 percent of acres in southwest Kansas. Overall, hard white wheat was seeded on 4.7 percent of Kansas’ 8.1 million acres, accounting for 380,700 acres seeded to hard white wheat in the fall of 2022. In these areas, the multi-year drought caused many seeded acres to be abandoned, including an estimated 60% of Kansas’ dryland hard white wheat acres.

In addition to Kansas, hard white wheat is also grown in Colorado, Nebraska and California. The U.S. Wheat Associates Hard White Wheat Committee estimates U.S. total hard white wheat production to be just over 17 million bushels this year.

Overall, the quality of this year’s hard white wheat crop is excellent. While southwest Kansas had to abandon many acres, hard white wheat production increased in areas to the north.

Eric Sperber from Cornerstone Ag in Colby says they’ve taken in four times the hard white wheat they got last year. At this point, hard white is making up about 40 percent of their bushels.

“It’s a lot more than I was anticipating,” said Sperber. “It has been a number of years since we dumped this much white wheat.”

Overall, the quality of this year’s hard white wheat in the Colby area is comparable with the hard red winter, with test weights ranging from 57 to 60 pounds per bushel, with the average ending up on the lower end with the delayed harvest. Earlier-harvested wheat had higher test weights, but they’ve decreased after last week’s rain. Proteins consistently averaged 12.5 percent.

Sperber says Cornerstone is trying to find demand in the market for hard white, as there is currently no international demand. U.S. wheat is priced out of the market. Even if hard white wheat was competitive, other classes are higher priced than international competitors’ prices, so loading a vessel to Nigeria with multiple classes is not an option.

He reports that one large producer in the area was seeing better than 80 bushels per acre yields on hard white variety Joe, from the Kansas Wheat Alliance. The dryland field was planted after corn. Average yields in the area on all hard wheat ranged from 25 bushels per acre on hail-damaged wheat to 70 bushels per acre.

Another producer used Joe as a wheat streak mosaic virus deterrent by planting it around the edges of his hard red winter wheat field. Instead of harvesting the two classes separately, he harvested them together, thinking there wouldn’t be much hard white in the load. Unfortunately, Cornerstone had to classify this as wheat of other classes, resulting in a lower price than either HRW or HW alone. Even with their genetic and end use similarities, it is still important for farmers and grain handlers to keep it segregated to avoid grain grading issues.

Rick Horton of Leoti reports that the newest hard white wheat variety, KS Big Bow, is outyielding its predecessor, Joe, by four to five bushels per acre on his farm in west central Kansas. KS Big Bow was released by Kansas State University in 2022, is marketed by Kansas Wheat Alliance, and will be available to farmers this fall.

Horton says KS Big Bow has the potential to outyield Joe even more, as it was planted with a low population on his farm due to limited seed availability last fall. He says it could be up to 15 bushels per acre above Joe’s yield.

In addition, Horton says KS Big Bow is a stronger plant with better standability and better grain quality, calling it a “better version of Joe.”

Protein was averaging 13.3%, about one percent higher than Joe, and test weights remained at 60 pounds per bushel, even after multiple rains on it. He started to see a little bit of sprout damage on Joe after the rains, but none on KS Big Bow. The harvestability was good, with no shatter.

Compared to Joe, KS Big Bow has improved yield, drought tolerance, straw strength, sprouting tolerance and better baking quality. KS Big Bow also has wheat streak mosaic virus resistance, stripe and stem rust resistance similar to Joe.

The Horton family started harvest on July 4, about a week later than normal, was kept out of the fields for several days due to rain, and wrapped up on July 19. They didn’t destroy many acres, but kept some of the fields that should have been destroyed for seed. Wheat barely came up in the fall, but a .20 to .30 inch rain after planting helped it emerge. While this has been a late harvest because of cool temperatures, Horton says this year’s crop had the “best finishing weather.”

Stewart Whitham, also from Wichita County, grows 100% hard white wheat varieties: two-thirds of his wheat acres were planted to KWA’s Joe and the other third are PlainsGold’s Breck this year. His wheat is half dryland and half irrigated.

He reports that by May, half of their wheat had been abandoned, due to the drought it suffered over the winter. Even with decent stands in the fall, the wheat did not grow after its initial fall tillering.

Whitham started test cutting on July 4, but a storm came in that evening and kept him from starting harvest until July 9.

With these storms have come hail, which has destroyed another 20 percent of Whitham’s wheat crop.

While his harvestable acres have been cut back to only 30 percent of what was planted last fall, Whitham is seeing good quality characteristics for this year’s hard white wheat crop. Test weights have been hanging in there, even after recent rains, at 59 to 60 pounds per bushel. Protein levels are strong, and yields are about two thirds of what he would typically expect. Whitham has seen no sprout damage in his fields as of yet, a strong testament to recent genetic improvements in hard white wheat varieties. Sprout damage would have been eminent in older hard white wheat varieties.

Both varieties have been good for Whitham, and he plans to grow them again next year. He also plans to add the newest hard white wheat variety from Kansas Wheat Alliance, KS Big Bow. His acres will remain about the same this fall. He said Breck has a little better standability than Joe, but they were both good, healthy plants with no disease pressure.

All Whitham’s hard white wheat is stored on his farm and is marketed directly to flour mills or grain companies as is warranted by demand. Unfortunately, Whitham says demand is currently stagnant across the world and it is tough to create a marketing plan with current market volatility. He emphasized the need to increase both international and domestic demand when it comes to hard white wheat.

As with others in the area, Whitham is fighting weed pressure and weather events to get his harvest wrapped up.

Ron Suppes who farms in Lane County has all hard white wheat, namely two Kansas Wheat Alliance varieties, Joe and KS Silverado.

He had to destroy 32 percent of his planted acres due to the drought. The remaining acres are averaging about 20 bushels per acre. He noted that Joe weathered the drought better than KS Silverado. Average test weights for his farm are 58 to 58.5 pounds per bushel, and protein is averaging 15 percent.

Suppes began wheat harvest on July 17, nearly a month later than his normal start date of June 20. Scattered rain events and humidity kept the wheat from drying down until mid-July. But Suppes noted that unlike other areas in the state that have received a year’s worth of moisture in the last two months, his area has only received 5 to 14 inches from one end of the farm to another, and the soil profile remains short.

He’s fighting weed pressure from kochia as well as noxious weeds like bindweed. He has given up on producing any seed wheat this year.

“This has been an exceptional year, and I don’t mean good,” Suppes said, noting that it is costing more to harvest the wheat than it is worth. “We have to keep wheat in our rotation,” he said.

Suppes markets his hard white wheat to mills in Kansas, South Dakota and North Carolina.

U.S. Wheat Associates produces an annual Crop Quality Report that includes grade, flour and end-product data for all six U.S. wheat classes. The 2023 Annual Wheat Quality Report will be available at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001PMhpGFZi7A-5RPktIVDOKlUb_yjXHYPZ9RPDH9oY1D_rONJtAIXDRIlinxJ6qzjUnShVRjj_mWLLAr5RMuDrETDbowBAuvZNlBmHQgx8pG5rs7YogX2MorpN9yiNrlVNvq_nqXmrQtWtnHugb9b1a3RWWnhlRw1i7qfl0IpuBmA=&amp;c=HyukPCWneFTIp3nS7G78bbJqeVvqk-jOpjiQtu6qVUfSJENxSjP9sg==&amp;ch=kgyqURCMuDFif5vD8ed5g7tVvUJPbN_EwsOwQPmoCZqzprxOEeG93A==" target="_blank">uswheat.org</a>.

The 2023 Harvest Report is 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 on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share your harvest story and photos.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690552096034.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MARSHA BOSWELL Kansas WheatThis Hard White Wheat Special Edition of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.Hard white (HW) winter wheat varieties continue to be popular among some western Kansas farmers for their high yields, disease resistance and quality. The biggest challenge for hard white is market liquidity and continuity of trade into the marketplace. Kansas Wheat continues to work with the grain handling industry and Federal Grain Inspection Service to revise the grain standards to facilitate the movement of hard white wheat in domestic and international markets and lessen the burden on grain handlers. For additional information on Kansas Wheat’s comments submitted to FGIS, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001PMhpGFZi7A-5RPktIVDOKlUb_yjXHYPZ9RPDH9oY1D_rONJtAIXDRLOExA5fqjCvaYedulvcsD4D-Kh3RM80ZmgZMMqrrHgvFLb1KciMmokbSpOEugZv5GMqNqIRmT6V_NifeKg38meaykXoy9ONweQh5dXhLDbDlwTPE5RJz3HYDr7_p6xEE59wXPm-TqGNwbTY1aTJR6MXSe604ht9EGKYnVLXX8rghLkzonNkFAd5rh2BtGhgllkVUWwuEA-f&amp;c=HyukPCWneFTIp3nS7G78bbJqeVvqk-jOpjiQtu6qVUfSJENxSjP9sg==&amp;ch=kgyqURCMuDFif5vD8ed5g7tVvUJPbN_EwsOwQPmoCZqzprxOEeG93A==" target="_blank">https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/10/12/2022-22113/united-states-standards-for-wheat</a>.Hard white winter wheat is very similar to hard red winter (HRW) wheat apart from a gene impacting the color of the outer bran coat. It can be used for stand-alone whole wheat products with a lighter color or can be used interchangeably by mills with hard red winter, depending on protein and extraction needs.Hard white wheat had been growing in export demand, primarily to Nigeria out of the Texas Gulf, but the past two years of drought-stricken production shortfalls have impacted that business for Kansas farmers.Joe is the top seeded variety in west central Kansas, making up 14.3 percent of planted acres. Hard white wheat varieties also make up 11.4 percent of acres in southwest Kansas. Overall, hard white wheat was seeded on 4.7 percent of Kansas’ 8.1 million acres, accounting for 380,700 acres seeded to hard white wheat in the fall of 2022. In these areas, the multi-year drought caused many seeded acres to be abandoned, including an estimated 60% of Kansas’ dryland hard white wheat acres.In addition to Kansas, hard white wheat is also grown in Colorado, Nebraska and California. The U.S. Wheat Associates Hard White Wheat Committee estimates U.S. total hard white wheat production to be just over 17 million bushels this year.Overall, the quality of this year’s hard white wheat crop is excellent. While southwest Kansas had to abandon many acres, hard white wheat production increased in areas to the north.Eric Sperber from Cornerstone Ag in Colby says they’ve taken in four times the hard white wheat they got last year. At this point, hard white is making up about 40 percent of their bushels.“It’s a lot more than I was anticipating,” said Sperber. “It has been a number of years since we dumped this much white wheat.”Overall, the quality of this year’s hard white wheat in the Colby area is comparable with the hard red winter, with test weights ranging from 57 to 60 pounds per bushel, with the average ending up on the lower end with the delayed harvest. Earlier-harvested wheat had higher test weights, but they’ve decreased after last week’s rain. Proteins consistently averaged 12.5 percent.Sperber says Cornerstone is trying to find demand in the market for hard white, as there is currently no international demand. U.S. wheat is priced out of the market. Even if hard white wheat was competitive, other classes are higher priced than international competitors’ prices, so loading a vessel to Nigeria with multiple classes is not an option.He reports that one large producer in the area was seeing better than 80 bushels per acre yields on hard white variety Joe, from the Kansas Wheat Alliance. The dryland field was planted after corn. Average yields in the area on all hard wheat ranged from 25 bushels per acre on hail-damaged wheat to 70 bushels per acre.Another producer used Joe as a wheat streak mosaic virus deterrent by planting it around the edges of his hard red winter wheat field. Instead of harvesting the two classes separately, he harvested them together, thinking there wouldn’t be much hard white in the load. Unfortunately, Cornerstone had to classify this as wheat of other classes, resulting in a lower price than either HRW or HW alone. Even with their genetic and end use similarities, it is still important for farmers and grain handlers to keep it segregated to avoid grain grading issues.Rick Horton of Leoti reports that the newest hard white wheat variety, KS Big Bow, is outyielding its predecessor, Joe, by four to five bushels per acre on his farm in west central Kansas. KS Big Bow was released by Kansas State University in 2022, is marketed by Kansas Wheat Alliance, and will be available to farmers this fall.Horton says KS Big Bow has the potential to outyield Joe even more, as it was planted with a low population on his farm due to limited seed availability last fall. He says it could be up to 15 bushels per acre above Joe’s yield.In addition, Horton says KS Big Bow is a stronger plant with better standability and better grain quality, calling it a “better version of Joe.”Protein was averaging 13.3%, about one percent higher than Joe, and test weights remained at 60 pounds per bushel, even after multiple rains on it. He started to see a little bit of sprout damage on Joe after the rains, but none on KS Big Bow. The harvestability was good, with no shatter.Compared to Joe, KS Big Bow has improved yield, drought tolerance, straw strength, sprouting tolerance and better baking quality. KS Big Bow also has wheat streak mosaic virus resistance, stripe and stem rust resistance similar to Joe.The Horton family started harvest on July 4, about a week later than normal, was kept out of the fields for several days due to rain, and wrapped up on July 19. They didn’t destroy many acres, but kept some of the fields that should have been destroyed for seed. Wheat barely came up in the fall, but a .20 to .30 inch rain after planting helped it emerge. While this has been a late harvest because of cool temperatures, Horton says this year’s crop had the “best finishing weather.”Stewart Whitham, also from Wichita County, grows 100% hard white wheat varieties: two-thirds of his wheat acres were planted to KWA’s Joe and the other third are PlainsGold’s Breck this year. His wheat is half dryland and half irrigated.He reports that by May, half of their wheat had been abandoned, due to the drought it suffered over the winter. Even with decent stands in the fall, the wheat did not grow after its initial fall tillering.Whitham started test cutting on July 4, but a storm came in that evening and kept him from starting harvest until July 9.With these storms have come hail, which has destroyed another 20 percent of Whitham’s wheat crop.While his harvestable acres have been cut back to only 30 percent of what was planted last fall, Whitham is seeing good quality characteristics for this year’s hard white wheat crop. Test weights have been hanging in there, even after recent rains, at 59 to 60 pounds per bushel. Protein levels are strong, and yields are about two thirds of what he would typically expect. Whitham has seen no sprout damage in his fields as of yet, a strong testament to recent genetic improvements in hard white wheat varieties. Sprout damage would have been eminent in older hard white wheat varieties.Both varieties have been good for Whitham, and he plans to grow them again next year. He also plans to add the newest hard white wheat variety from Kansas Wheat Alliance, KS Big Bow. His acres will remain about the same this fall. He said Breck has a little better standability than Joe, but they were both good, healthy plants with no disease pressure.All Whitham’s hard white wheat is stored on his farm and is marketed directly to flour mills or grain companies as is warranted by demand. Unfortunately, Whitham says demand is currently stagnant across the world and it is tough to create a marketing plan with current market volatility. He emphasized the need to increase both international and domestic demand when it comes to hard white wheat.As with others in the area, Whitham is fighting weed pressure and weather events to get his harvest wrapped up.Ron Suppes who farms in Lane County has all hard white wheat, namely two Kansas Wheat Alliance varieties, Joe and KS Silverado.He had to destroy 32 percent of his planted acres due to the drought. The remaining acres are averaging about 20 bushels per acre. He noted that Joe weathered the drought better than KS Silverado. Average test weights for his farm are 58 to 58.5 pounds per bushel, and protein is averaging 15 percent.Suppes began wheat harvest on July 17, nearly a month later than his normal start date of June 20. Scattered rain events and humidity kept the wheat from drying down until mid-July. But Suppes noted that unlike other areas in the state that have received a year’s worth of moisture in the last two months, his area has only received 5 to 14 inches from one end of the farm to another, and the soil profile remains short.He’s fighting weed pressure from kochia as well as noxious weeds like bindweed. He has given up on producing any seed wheat this year.“This has been an exceptional year, and I don’t mean good,” Suppes said, noting that it is costing more to harvest the wheat than it is worth. “We have to keep wheat in our rotation,” he said.Suppes markets his hard white wheat to mills in Kansas, South Dakota and North Carolina.U.S. Wheat Associates produces an annual Crop Quality Report that includes grade, flour and end-product data for all six U.S. wheat classes. The 2023 Annual Wheat Quality Report will be available at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001PMhpGFZi7A-5RPktIVDOKlUb_yjXHYPZ9RPDH9oY1D_rONJtAIXDRIlinxJ6qzjUnShVRjj_mWLLAr5RMuDrETDbowBAuvZNlBmHQgx8pG5rs7YogX2MorpN9yiNrlVNvq_nqXmrQtWtnHugb9b1a3RWWnhlRw1i7qfl0IpuBmA=&amp;c=HyukPCWneFTIp3nS7G78bbJqeVvqk-jOpjiQtu6qVUfSJENxSjP9sg==&amp;ch=kgyqURCMuDFif5vD8ed5g7tVvUJPbN_EwsOwQPmoCZqzprxOEeG93A==" target="_blank">uswheat.org</a>.The 2023 Harvest Report is 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 on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share your harvest story and photos.

KANSAS WHEAT: Hard white wheat popular in western Kansas

Fort Hays State University is pleased to announce Golden Plains Credit Union as the recipient of the Tiger Gear on Friday Partner of the Year Award. Tiger Gear on Friday is a partnership involving several on-campus organizations, businesses, and organizations in the Hays community and this year, we honor one of those participating businesses.

“Our community has a tremendous amount of Tiger spirit. When students come to FHSU, they see it every day throughout our community.” said Janette Meis, communication specialist in the Office of the President and co-chair of the committee. “Golden Plains Credit Union is a wonderful example of how our university and local businesses can partner and support each other.”&nbsp;

FHSU created the TGOF Partner of the Year Award in 2022 to celebrate an organization in the Hays community that goes above and beyond to share its Tiger pride. To earn consideration for the award, community partners were asked to demonstrate their Tiger spirit in any or all the following ways:

Golden Plains Credit Union is a full-service financial institution with 13 locations in Kansas, and over 88,000 members. The business will celebrate 30 years in Hays this August!

Even though they are a longtime supporter of FHSU Athletics, GPCU joined the TGOF partner program in 2022. Every year, Golden Plains Credit Union sponsors the&nbsp;shirt for the Tiger Football season and visitors can’t miss their infectious Tiger Pride on display every day at their location at 2720 Broadway Ave.

“All GPCU locations partner with a local school each fall, and the Hays branch has been a proud supporter of FHSU Athletics for the last eight years.” said Ruth Ruder, vice president for Golden Plains Credit Union. “We were thrilled to be selected as the Partner of the Year and to be recognized for our spirit and dedication to giving back to the community.”

As the 2023 TGOF Partner of the Year, Golden Plains Credit Union will receive several benefits, namely:

Golden Plains Credit Union was officially presented with the award during a Ribbon Cutting hosted by The Chamber in Hays. During the celebration, slight changes to the partner program were revealed.

To streamline efforts and ensure community partners are recognized adequately, the Tiger Nation Partner Program will become the main umbrella beginning immediately. This program aims to incorporate existing TGOF and Tiger Spirit Partners but includes the addition of a new category: Tiger Card Partner. The Tiger Card Partner is focused on student engagement where businesses are asked to consider offering a discount to students who present a valid FHSU Tiger Card, any day of the week.

To become a Tiger Nation Partner or to learn more about the program, visit <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tiger-nation-partners/">fhsu.edu/tigernation</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690550876609.jpeg" alt="Victor E. Tiger and FHSU cheerleaders celebrate with TGOF Partner of the Year, Golden Plains Credit Union. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Victor E. Tiger and FHSU cheerleaders celebrate with TGOF Partner of the Year, Golden Plains Credit Union. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By FHSU University CommunicationsFort Hays State University is pleased to announce Golden Plains Credit Union as the recipient of the Tiger Gear on Friday Partner of the Year Award. Tiger Gear on Friday is a partnership involving several on-campus organizations, businesses, and organizations in the Hays community and this year, we honor one of those participating businesses.“Our community has a tremendous amount of Tiger spirit. When students come to FHSU, they see it every day throughout our community.” said Janette Meis, communication specialist in the Office of the President and co-chair of the committee. “Golden Plains Credit Union is a wonderful example of how our university and local businesses can partner and support each other.”&nbsp;FHSU created the TGOF Partner of the Year Award in 2022 to celebrate an organization in the Hays community that goes above and beyond to share its Tiger pride. To earn consideration for the award, community partners were asked to demonstrate their Tiger spirit in any or all the following ways:<ul>
 <li>Producing or sharing TGOF-related social media content</li><li>Encouraging employees to get “caught” wearing FHSU Tiger gear at work and in the community</li><li>Ordering FHSU branded apparel for their employees from the Victor E. Gift and Apparel Company</li><li>Sharing how the organization “Tigerized” their workspace &nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Golden Plains Credit Union is a full-service financial institution with 13 locations in Kansas, and over 88,000 members. The business will celebrate 30 years in Hays this August!Even though they are a longtime supporter of FHSU Athletics, GPCU joined the TGOF partner program in 2022. Every year, Golden Plains Credit Union sponsors the&nbsp;shirt for the Tiger Football season and visitors can’t miss their infectious Tiger Pride on display every day at their location at 2720 Broadway Ave.“All GPCU locations partner with a local school each fall, and the Hays branch has been a proud supporter of FHSU Athletics for the last eight years.” said Ruth Ruder, vice president for Golden Plains Credit Union. “We were thrilled to be selected as the Partner of the Year and to be recognized for our spirit and dedication to giving back to the community.”As the 2023 TGOF Partner of the Year, Golden Plains Credit Union will receive several benefits, namely:<ul>
 <li>Prime location at the Back to School Picnic on the FHSU Quad on August 21, 2023</li><li>Free Tiger Football tickets (up to 20) for employees to attend the first home game and special on-field recognition during the game</li><li>A free photo shoot with Victor E. mascot at the location of their choice</li>
 </ul>Golden Plains Credit Union was officially presented with the award during a Ribbon Cutting hosted by The Chamber in Hays. During the celebration, slight changes to the partner program were revealed.To streamline efforts and ensure community partners are recognized adequately, the Tiger Nation Partner Program will become the main umbrella beginning immediately. This program aims to incorporate existing TGOF and Tiger Spirit Partners but includes the addition of a new category: Tiger Card Partner. The Tiger Card Partner is focused on student engagement where businesses are asked to consider offering a discount to students who present a valid FHSU Tiger Card, any day of the week.To become a Tiger Nation Partner or to learn more about the program, visit <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/tiger-nation-partners/">fhsu.edu/tigernation</a>.

FHSU announces 2023 Tiger Gear on Friday Community Partner of the Year

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

There's a new operating fund in the city of Hays's proposed 2024 budget, specific to the R9 Ranch long-term water project.

The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/679dfb6b-a9f9-46d3-bd50-b305d1fc8755">public hearing for the water transfer process</a>, the first time it will be triggered in Kansas in its current form, is underway in Wichita and is anticipated to continue through Aug. 2.

The newly established budget for the R9 Ranch was created to support activities related to the development and operation of the R9, which is owned by the cities of Hays and Russell.

Among the initiatives planned for next year are review and approval of designs by engineers Burns and McDonnell, Wichita, to the 60 percent complete stage for the wellfield and 65-mile pipeline between Edwards County and Hays.

Roadway surface at the ranch will be improved, and work will continue to return the land to native grass.

The capital improvement plan includes a planned $5 million in land acquisition for the project.

The mill levy is kept at 25.000 with assessed valuation up 11.6 percent.

Sales tax revenues, which are the primary funding source for the city's general fund, are projected to be up 4.6 percent in 2023 and another 3 percent higher for 2024.

City employees will receive a 2 percent step raise and a 3 percent cost of living increase. They will also get $11,000 each to procure health insurance.

Three additional employees will be hired, a project manager and a property manager for the R9 Ranch and a management analyst position for the city manager's office.&nbsp;

Solid waste customers can expect to see a slight increase in the monthly rate for refuse collection, with a proposed rate increase for 2025 to ensure the solid waste reserves remain sustainable.&nbsp; &nbsp;

In anticipation of constructing a new $12 million police station at 0 Main Street, $900,000 is in the capital improvement plan for design work expected to begin in 2024.

The capital improvement plan also includes $722,000 for design and reconstruction of the crosswind runway at the Hays Regional Airport. This is a 10 percent match for the project required by the Federal Aviation Administration.&nbsp;

An upgrade to the current water metering technology will be made, for which $1.5 million is budgeted to pay for 30 percent of the costs.

Deputy City Manager Colin Bielser presented the draft 2024 budget to Hays city commissioners, who will continue to review it during work sessions on Aug. 3 and 17 prior to the Sept. 14 public hearing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690492021583.jpeg" alt="The proposed 2024 budget for the city of Hays keeps the mill levy at 25.000 mills for the 14th consecutive year. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The proposed 2024 budget for the city of Hays keeps the mill levy at 25.000 mills for the 14th consecutive year. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThere's a new operating fund in the city of Hays's proposed 2024 budget, specific to the R9 Ranch long-term water project.The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/679dfb6b-a9f9-46d3-bd50-b305d1fc8755">public hearing for the water transfer process</a>, the first time it will be triggered in Kansas in its current form, is underway in Wichita and is anticipated to continue through Aug. 2.The newly established budget for the R9 Ranch was created to support activities related to the development and operation of the R9, which is owned by the cities of Hays and Russell.Among the initiatives planned for next year are review and approval of designs by engineers Burns and McDonnell, Wichita, to the 60 percent complete stage for the wellfield and 65-mile pipeline between Edwards County and Hays.Roadway surface at the ranch will be improved, and work will continue to return the land to native grass.The capital improvement plan includes a planned $5 million in land acquisition for the project.The mill levy is kept at 25.000 with assessed valuation up 11.6 percent.Sales tax revenues, which are the primary funding source for the city's general fund, are projected to be up 4.6 percent in 2023 and another 3 percent higher for 2024.City employees will receive a 2 percent step raise and a 3 percent cost of living increase. They will also get $11,000 each to procure health insurance.Three additional employees will be hired, a project manager and a property manager for the R9 Ranch and a management analyst position for the city manager's office.&nbsp;Solid waste customers can expect to see a slight increase in the monthly rate for refuse collection, with a proposed rate increase for 2025 to ensure the solid waste reserves remain sustainable.&nbsp; &nbsp;In anticipation of constructing a new $12 million police station at 0 Main Street, $900,000 is in the capital improvement plan for design work expected to begin in 2024.The capital improvement plan also includes $722,000 for design and reconstruction of the crosswind runway at the Hays Regional Airport. This is a 10 percent match for the project required by the Federal Aviation Administration.&nbsp;An upgrade to the current water metering technology will be made, for which $1.5 million is budgeted to pay for 30 percent of the costs.Deputy City Manager Colin Bielser presented the draft 2024 budget to Hays city commissioners, who will continue to review it during work sessions on Aug. 3 and 17 prior to the Sept. 14 public hearing.

Mill levy unchanged in Hays' 2024 draft budget; includes line item for R9 water project for first time

PRATT&nbsp;– Exclusive access to land not normally open to hunting and above average success rates.&nbsp; Sound like an expensive hunting lease? Well, it’s not. 

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ Special Hunts program provides hundreds of such hunts each fall and winter, and what’s even better? There’s no charge – all you have to do is apply and be selected.

KDWP’s Special Hunts program offers hunting opportunities with limited access to public and private lands, including select refuge areas, for deer, upland game, waterfowl, doves, turkey and furbearers.

Applications must be made online here,&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.Kil5HYv5kK_8M4-qnZlKbZFrNdeslitp7LTJF0bNdqg/s/1303161001/br/222439233164-l" target="_blank">https://programs.ksoutdoors.com/2023-Fall-Winter-Hunts</a>, and a random drawing will determine who is selected.

This fall and winter, KDWP is offering more than 350 individual “Special Hunt” opportunities.

The application period opened July 8, 2023, with the application draw dates as follows:

Resident or nonresident hunters may apply, though some hunts are restricted to residents only. When applying online, hunters will select hunts by species, date and category, which include “Open,” “Youth,” or “Mentored” hunts. 

All applicants are eligible to apply for Open Hunts, regardless of age or hunting experience. Youth Hunts require parties to include at least one hunter age 18 or younger, accompanied by an adult age 21 or older (who may not hunt). And Mentored Hunts are open to both youth and novice hunters supervised by a mentor age 21 or older (who may also hunt).

E-mail notifications are sent to both "successful" and "unsuccessful" applicants within two business weeks of the drawing. Successful applicants will also be emailed their hunt permit, as well as area maps and other pertinent information. Hunters are responsible for purchasing necessary licenses and permits required by law.

For more information on KDWP’s Special Hunts Program, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vSHVudGluZy9TcGVjaWFsLUh1bnRzLUluZm9ybWF0aW9uIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDcxMC43OTQ1ODYwMSJ9.3DLZegaoSziEO8p2V1RexwOT4nCg7Km21brLcFdDr-s/s/1303161001/br/222439233164-l" target="_blank">https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Special-Hunts-Information</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689103843455.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KDWPPRATT&nbsp;– Exclusive access to land not normally open to hunting and above average success rates.&nbsp; Sound like an expensive hunting lease? Well, it’s not. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks’ Special Hunts program provides hundreds of such hunts each fall and winter, and what’s even better? There’s no charge – all you have to do is apply and be selected.KDWP’s Special Hunts program offers hunting opportunities with limited access to public and private lands, including select refuge areas, for deer, upland game, waterfowl, doves, turkey and furbearers.Applications must be made online here,&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.Kil5HYv5kK_8M4-qnZlKbZFrNdeslitp7LTJF0bNdqg/s/1303161001/br/222439233164-l" target="_blank">https://programs.ksoutdoors.com/2023-Fall-Winter-Hunts</a>, and a random drawing will determine who is selected.This fall and winter, KDWP is offering more than 350 individual “Special Hunt” opportunities.The application period opened July 8, 2023, with the application draw dates as follows:<ul>
 <li>First Draw Hunts (hunts occurring in September and October) –&nbsp;Aug. 7, 2023</li><li>Second Draw Hunts (hunts occurring in November and December) –&nbsp;Sept. 25, 2023</li><li>Third Draw Hunts (hunts occurring in January and February) –&nbsp;Dec. 11, 2023</li>
 </ul>Resident or nonresident hunters may apply, though some hunts are restricted to residents only. When applying online, hunters will select hunts by species, date and category, which include “Open,” “Youth,” or “Mentored” hunts. All applicants are eligible to apply for Open Hunts, regardless of age or hunting experience. Youth Hunts require parties to include at least one hunter age 18 or younger, accompanied by an adult age 21 or older (who may not hunt). And Mentored Hunts are open to both youth and novice hunters supervised by a mentor age 21 or older (who may also hunt).E-mail notifications are sent to both "successful" and "unsuccessful" applicants within two business weeks of the drawing. Successful applicants will also be emailed their hunt permit, as well as area maps and other pertinent information. Hunters are responsible for purchasing necessary licenses and permits required by law.For more information on KDWP’s Special Hunts Program, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vSHVudGluZy9TcGVjaWFsLUh1bnRzLUluZm9ybWF0aW9uIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDcxMC43OTQ1ODYwMSJ9.3DLZegaoSziEO8p2V1RexwOT4nCg7Km21brLcFdDr-s/s/1303161001/br/222439233164-l" target="_blank">https://ksoutdoors.com/Hunting/Special-Hunts-Information</a>.

KDWP to offer special hunting access to exclusive land

By AUDREY HAMBRIGHT K-State New Service

MANHATTAN — The release of a newly enhanced online portal from the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory will help expedite submissions for the Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization, or FAVN, test and improve pet travel practices. This diagnostic test is commonly used for dogs and cats traveling internationally to ensure imported animals are free from the rabies virus. The electronic FAVN report provided by this portal&nbsp;provides&nbsp;regulatory authorities with instant access to verify rabies serology reports and mitigates the risks associated with physical documents. It will allow&nbsp;veterinary regulatory authorities anywhere around the world to facilitate seamless animal movement while ensuring compliance&nbsp;with&nbsp;national pet travel requirements&nbsp;pertaining&nbsp;to rabies. The&nbsp;Kansas State Diagnostic Laboratory, or&nbsp;KSVDL,&nbsp;FAVN test is certified for any country in the world. The online submission offers several benefits,&nbsp;including: •&nbsp;Reduced&nbsp;cost and&nbsp;turnaround time. • Convenient option to pay on the same platform. •&nbsp;No international shipping fees to receive reports. •&nbsp;Easy access to your reports at your fingertips. •&nbsp;Increased security and traceability with quick and easy results&nbsp;verification&nbsp;using the unique QR code assigned to each result report. Janine Seetahal, director of the KSVDL Rabies Laboratory, said the lab is proud to introduce a new era of streamlined workflow in rabies serology and reporting. "This brings a multitude of benefits to pet owners, veterinarians and regulatory authorities worldwide and will revolutionize the landscape of pet travel with unparalleled efficiency,"&nbsp;she said.&nbsp;"As pet owners, we know the well-being of your beloved furry companions remains your top priority. The new submission process offers an added layer of reassurance that your veterinarian receives the test results swiftly to enable timely decision-making for your travel arrangements." The new electronic report facilitates prompt,&nbsp;secure and&nbsp;reliable delivery of results&nbsp;via email&nbsp;to the submitting veterinarian. "Pet owners can conveniently receive and share these reports with relevant parties, such as airlines and immigration officials, without delay," Seetahal said.&nbsp;"This real-time accessibility will expedite the transport process, allowing for smoother and faster clearance during pet travel." The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vet.k-state.edu/favnform.html/" target="_blank">new online submission portal</a>&nbsp;is available on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ksvdl.org/testing/submission-forms/" target="_blank">KSVDL website</a>. KSVDL will continue to accept hard-copy submissions, but online submission is recommended. Pet owners are encouraged to work with their local veterinarians to determine the appropriate testing recommendations for their pets. For all other questions, please contact the K-State Rabies Laboratory at 785-532-4483.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687956519366.png" alt="Photo by Unsplash" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Unsplash</figcaption>
 </figure>By AUDREY HAMBRIGHT K-State New ServiceMANHATTAN — The release of a newly enhanced online portal from the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory will help expedite submissions for the Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization, or FAVN, test and improve pet travel practices. This diagnostic test is commonly used for dogs and cats traveling internationally to ensure imported animals are free from the rabies virus. The electronic FAVN report provided by this portal&nbsp;provides&nbsp;regulatory authorities with instant access to verify rabies serology reports and mitigates the risks associated with physical documents. It will allow&nbsp;veterinary regulatory authorities anywhere around the world to facilitate seamless animal movement while ensuring compliance&nbsp;with&nbsp;national pet travel requirements&nbsp;pertaining&nbsp;to rabies. The&nbsp;Kansas State Diagnostic Laboratory, or&nbsp;KSVDL,&nbsp;FAVN test is certified for any country in the world. The online submission offers several benefits,&nbsp;including: •&nbsp;Reduced&nbsp;cost and&nbsp;turnaround time. • Convenient option to pay on the same platform. •&nbsp;No international shipping fees to receive reports. •&nbsp;Easy access to your reports at your fingertips. •&nbsp;Increased security and traceability with quick and easy results&nbsp;verification&nbsp;using the unique QR code assigned to each result report. Janine Seetahal, director of the KSVDL Rabies Laboratory, said the lab is proud to introduce a new era of streamlined workflow in rabies serology and reporting. "This brings a multitude of benefits to pet owners, veterinarians and regulatory authorities worldwide and will revolutionize the landscape of pet travel with unparalleled efficiency,"&nbsp;she said.&nbsp;"As pet owners, we know the well-being of your beloved furry companions remains your top priority. The new submission process offers an added layer of reassurance that your veterinarian receives the test results swiftly to enable timely decision-making for your travel arrangements." The new electronic report facilitates prompt,&nbsp;secure and&nbsp;reliable delivery of results&nbsp;via email&nbsp;to the submitting veterinarian. "Pet owners can conveniently receive and share these reports with relevant parties, such as airlines and immigration officials, without delay," Seetahal said.&nbsp;"This real-time accessibility will expedite the transport process, allowing for smoother and faster clearance during pet travel." The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vet.k-state.edu/favnform.html/" target="_blank">new online submission portal</a>&nbsp;is available on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ksvdl.org/testing/submission-forms/" target="_blank">KSVDL website</a>. KSVDL will continue to accept hard-copy submissions, but online submission is recommended. Pet owners are encouraged to work with their local veterinarians to determine the appropriate testing recommendations for their pets. For all other questions, please contact the K-State Rabies Laboratory at 785-532-4483.

Pet travel modernized by K-State rabies laboratory with online portal for FAVN test

WICHITA – Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are proud to announce&nbsp;Equity Bank&nbsp;as a regional partner of the organization’s wildlife habitat conservation mission. Through a three-year partnership, Equity Bank will contribute to projects and initiatives in Arkansas, Kansas, including Ellis County, Missouri, and Oklahoma, spotlighting the financial institution’s commitment to sustainability for its customers, employees, and local communities.

“Equity Bank’s conservation support of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever is a testament to the bank’s community focus,” said Jordan L. K. Martincich, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s vice president of development. "Equity Bank understands the importance of habitat conservation, and the positive outcomes wildlife habitat has on the communities it serves. We commend Equity Bank for partnering with The Habitat Organization to advance strategies for grassland conservation, generate sustainability outcomes, enhance outdoor recreation opportunities, and grow a diverse community of conservation-minded stakeholders. We’re pleased to have Equity Bank join the upland habitat team.”

“Conservation and stewardship of our natural lands is of prime importance to our communities throughout our four Midwestern states, and we’re pleased to align with a trusted cause delivering upland habitat conservation to outdoor enthusiasts throughout the country,” said Brad Elliott, chairman and chief executive officer of Equity Bank. “Our partnership in Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever reflects our customer base, our team members, and local efforts throughout our regions, and we’re eager to connect with local chapters and members across our footprint.”

Each state will receive funding support from Equity Bank to be used on strategic habitat initiatives unique to their area, including:

Arkansas:&nbsp;State-level habitat programs including public lands partnerships and private lands efforts within the state’s Quail Focal Areas. This includes habitat projects being implemented on the highly visible Pea Ridge National Battlefield.

Kansas:&nbsp;State-level habitat programs including Corners for Wildlife (habitat and public access) and the organization’s public lands habitat enhancement and access initiatives.

Missouri:&nbsp;State-level habitat programs (e.g., Habitat Challenge Grant, Partners for Fish &amp; Wildlife, and Missouri Recreational Access Program) creating upland habitat outcomes for public and private lands. &nbsp;

Oklahoma:&nbsp;State-level habitat programs including Oklahoma Land and Access Program (OLAP), designed to increase the acres of habitat open to public recreation across the state, helping benefit landowners, wildlife, and water quality.

Helping cultivate diverse generations of informed and engaged conservationists of the future, Equity Bank’s support will also help expand conservation education programs in the four-state region. 

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pheasantsforever.org/pathtotheuplands" target="_blank">Path to the Uplands initiative</a>&nbsp;will inspire traditional, new, and emerging audiences of all ages to find meaning in the outdoor lifestyle through hunting heritage programs, conservation leadership training, and habitat education.

About Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever

<a href="http://www.pheasantsforever.org/" target="_blank">Pheasants Forever</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.quailforever.org/" target="_blank">Quail Forever</a>&nbsp;make up the&nbsp;nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation.&nbsp;This community of more than 400,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 754&nbsp;local chapters, including Ellis County, spread across North America&nbsp;determine how 100 percent of their locally raised funds are spent — the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion&nbsp;to 575,000 habitat projects benefiting 24 million acres.

As of March 31, 2023, Equity Bank had approximately $5.2 billion in consolidated total assets, with full-service locations in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, including corporate offices in Wichita. Equity was founded in Andover, Kansas, and today has more than 60 bank locations in its four-state footprint.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689019693809.jpeg" alt="Pheasant in flight. Photo courtesy Pheasants Forever" />
 <figcaption>Pheasant in flight. Photo courtesy Pheasants Forever</figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseWICHITA – Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are proud to announce&nbsp;Equity Bank&nbsp;as a regional partner of the organization’s wildlife habitat conservation mission. Through a three-year partnership, Equity Bank will contribute to projects and initiatives in Arkansas, Kansas, including Ellis County, Missouri, and Oklahoma, spotlighting the financial institution’s commitment to sustainability for its customers, employees, and local communities.“Equity Bank’s conservation support of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever is a testament to the bank’s community focus,” said Jordan L. K. Martincich, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s vice president of development. "Equity Bank understands the importance of habitat conservation, and the positive outcomes wildlife habitat has on the communities it serves. We commend Equity Bank for partnering with The Habitat Organization to advance strategies for grassland conservation, generate sustainability outcomes, enhance outdoor recreation opportunities, and grow a diverse community of conservation-minded stakeholders. We’re pleased to have Equity Bank join the upland habitat team.”“Conservation and stewardship of our natural lands is of prime importance to our communities throughout our four Midwestern states, and we’re pleased to align with a trusted cause delivering upland habitat conservation to outdoor enthusiasts throughout the country,” said Brad Elliott, chairman and chief executive officer of Equity Bank. “Our partnership in Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever reflects our customer base, our team members, and local efforts throughout our regions, and we’re eager to connect with local chapters and members across our footprint.”Each state will receive funding support from Equity Bank to be used on strategic habitat initiatives unique to their area, including:Arkansas:&nbsp;State-level habitat programs including public lands partnerships and private lands efforts within the state’s Quail Focal Areas. This includes habitat projects being implemented on the highly visible Pea Ridge National Battlefield.Kansas:&nbsp;State-level habitat programs including Corners for Wildlife (habitat and public access) and the organization’s public lands habitat enhancement and access initiatives.Missouri:&nbsp;State-level habitat programs (e.g., Habitat Challenge Grant, Partners for Fish &amp; Wildlife, and Missouri Recreational Access Program) creating upland habitat outcomes for public and private lands. &nbsp;Oklahoma:&nbsp;State-level habitat programs including Oklahoma Land and Access Program (OLAP), designed to increase the acres of habitat open to public recreation across the state, helping benefit landowners, wildlife, and water quality.Helping cultivate diverse generations of informed and engaged conservationists of the future, Equity Bank’s support will also help expand conservation education programs in the four-state region. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pheasantsforever.org/pathtotheuplands" target="_blank">Path to the Uplands initiative</a>&nbsp;will inspire traditional, new, and emerging audiences of all ages to find meaning in the outdoor lifestyle through hunting heritage programs, conservation leadership training, and habitat education.About Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever<a href="http://www.pheasantsforever.org/" target="_blank">Pheasants Forever</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.quailforever.org/" target="_blank">Quail Forever</a>&nbsp;make up the&nbsp;nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation.&nbsp;This community of more than 400,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 754&nbsp;local chapters, including Ellis County, spread across North America&nbsp;determine how 100 percent of their locally raised funds are spent — the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion&nbsp;to 575,000 habitat projects benefiting 24 million acres.About Equity BankAs of March 31, 2023, Equity Bank had approximately $5.2 billion in consolidated total assets, with full-service locations in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, including corporate offices in Wichita. Equity was founded in Andover, Kansas, and today has more than 60 bank locations in its four-state footprint.

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever welcome Equity Bank as conservation partner

We are hiring CDL Drivers (A or B) with a hazmat endorsement, or ability to acquire one, for our oilfield wireline company.

ELI would also consider helping the right people obtain a CDL license. The job will require rigging for wireline operations.

Benefits include 100% Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance paid by employer, 401K, and a competitive salary.

This position is based out of Hays, Kansas. If interested, please apply within at 1327 Rome Road, Hays, Kansas 67601.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642173081488.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>We are hiring CDL Drivers (A or B) with a hazmat endorsement, or ability to acquire one, for our oilfield wireline company.ELI would also consider helping the right people obtain a CDL license. The job will require rigging for wireline operations.Benefits include 100% Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance paid by employer, 401K, and a competitive salary.This position is based out of Hays, Kansas. If interested, please apply within at 1327 Rome Road, Hays, Kansas 67601.

 Hays man hospitalized after car rear-ends pickup

GREAT BEND - Barton Community College has announced its list of graduates who earned associate degrees or certificates for career training during the spring semester of 2023.

Albert Thomas Bahr, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; Beloit Brian Thiessen, Paramedic Certificate&nbsp; Claflin Brooke Farmer, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Luis Pando, Practical Nursing Certificate Callie Zink, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; Ellinwood Madison Cotterill, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Toshea Dupree, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Elizabeth Gonzalez, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Erica Gross, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Hailey Gross, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Gage Hosman, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jodi Ledesma, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mya Maxwell, A.A. Ellis Tegan Cain, A.S.&nbsp; Ellsworth Roberto Camacho, Welding Technology Certificate Marco Castillo-Martinez, Welding Technology Certificate Jesus Diaz-Gutierrez, Welding Technology Certificate Eduardo Franco, Welding Technology Certificate Kane Kidd, Welding Technology Certificate John Kyler, Business Management and Leadership Certificate&nbsp; Thomas Lammer, Welding Technology Certificate Jessie Lynch, Welding Technology Certificate Shane Mays, Welding Technology Certificate Devin Michel, Welding Technology Certificate Curtis Musser, Welding Technology Certificate Peter Parsons, Welding Technology Certificate Charles&nbsp;Phillips, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Allan Ruboyianes, Welding Technology Certificate Charles Shely, Welding Technology Certificate Jenna Sinnott, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jordan Thornton, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lance Todd, Welding Technology Certificate Arlando Tolson, Welding Technology Certificate Hector Velazquez, Welding Technology Certificate Antonio&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Wimbley, Welding Technology Certificate Rieter Wirtz, A.G.S. Great Bend Adriana Arras Rodriguez, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jordan Avila, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Rylee Ayon, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Caden Bieker, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mandee Birzer, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jose Carrillo, Practical Nursing Certificate Kaylee Carrington, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Shae Cox, Practical Nursing Certificate Carly Dreiling, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Azha Elliott, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ashton Ensley, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tianna Farris, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Brody Feist, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Melyne Fletchall, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Skylar Fletcher, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Karina Galvan, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Karla Garcia, Plumbing Certificate Ashley Gilmore, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Grace Grandclair, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Adam Hardin, A.A.S. Breana Hearn, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ashley Herrman, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Markie Hestand, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Emily Holguin, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Braeden Hopkins, Practical Nursing Certificate Madison Huslig, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Elle Hutchinson, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sydney Johnson, Practical Nursing Certificate Angela Jones, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Amber Keenan, Practical Nursing Certificate Jacob Kennedy, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Julia Lake, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sarah Mehlhaff, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Beau Mettlen, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Austin Miller, A.A.S. Taylor Mohr, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Austin Moore, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Elias Moreno, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Caleb Murphy, Welding Technology Certificate Abby Muth, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ethan Newman, Welding Technology Certificate Damarys Nieto, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kaiden Procopio, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ashton Ramsey, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Antony Reyes Pilo, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Fernanda Rodriguez, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Joseph Rolf, Practical Nursing Certificate Valerie Ruiz, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Morgan Sallabedra, Practical Nursing Certificate Darien Sanchez, Practical Nursing Certificate Brandi Sander, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kylee Sandy, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Reagan Schridde, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Karter Smith, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kayla Souter, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kayci Stevenson, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Marissa Stewart, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Leslie Taylor, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mariah Thomas, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alyxius Torres, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Taylor Urban, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Cora Usoro, A.A.S. Braulio Vargas, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alidsha Vazquez Centeno, Practical Nursing Certificate Chelsea Villarreal, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alisha Wheeler, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Isabelle Willms, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kristy Wittig, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Keeley Wolf, A.S. Hays Savanna Robinson, A.A.S.&nbsp; Hill City Drake Stephen, A.A.S. Hoisington Audra Clark, Practical Nursing Certificate Chandra Ehler, Practical Nursing Certificate BraShel Gieck, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Isabelle Gonzalez, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Janai Jacobs, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jennah Jeffrey, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lorelee Patterson, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tyler Reif, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Addison Smith, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kadence Urban, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Abigail Wright, A.A.S. Jetmore Stacie Huish, A.A.S. Kanopolis Stacy Hicks, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sierra Kraatz, Practical Nursing Certificate Kinsley Madison McElwain, A.A.S. Larned Katherine Alnor, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jordahn Barton, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Paige Cobb, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Charles Denmark-Wagner, Welding Technology Certificate Cadance Devine, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Thomas Duran, Business Management and Leadership Certificate Irineo Garcia, Welding Technology Certificate Andrew Gusman, Welding Technology Certificate Allen Lemley, Welding Technology Certificate Tyler Lyon, Business Management and Leadership Certificate&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jared Mcfadden, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Branden Miller, Welding Technology Certificate Summer Neeland, Practical Nursing Certificate Tyson Nicholson, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kaden Pontius, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jessica Runnels, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Matthew Scherer, Welding Technology Certificate Taryn Sieg, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Landon Smith, Welding Technology Certificate Joseph Theis, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Victor Wente, Welding Technology Certificate&nbsp; Lincoln Kaylee Babcock, A.S. Norcatur Heather Ebner, A.S.&nbsp; &nbsp; Osborne Charlie Seifert, A.S&nbsp;&nbsp; Otis Calli Riley, A.S&nbsp; Phillipsburg Jacie Roth, A.A.S.&nbsp; Plainville Cael Dobson, A.S. Russell Stephan Baldwin, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Rylee Miller, A.S. WaKeeney Lili Shubert, A.S.&nbsp; Wilson Nathan Griffin, Business Management and Leadership&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690195273069.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BCCGREAT BEND - Barton Community College has announced its list of graduates who earned associate degrees or certificates for career training during the spring semester of 2023.Area graduates include:&nbsp;Albert Thomas Bahr, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; Beloit Brian Thiessen, Paramedic Certificate&nbsp; Claflin Brooke Farmer, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Luis Pando, Practical Nursing Certificate Callie Zink, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; Ellinwood Madison Cotterill, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Toshea Dupree, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Elizabeth Gonzalez, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Erica Gross, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Hailey Gross, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Gage Hosman, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jodi Ledesma, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mya Maxwell, A.A. Ellis Tegan Cain, A.S.&nbsp; Ellsworth Roberto Camacho, Welding Technology Certificate Marco Castillo-Martinez, Welding Technology Certificate Jesus Diaz-Gutierrez, Welding Technology Certificate Eduardo Franco, Welding Technology Certificate Kane Kidd, Welding Technology Certificate John Kyler, Business Management and Leadership Certificate&nbsp; Thomas Lammer, Welding Technology Certificate Jessie Lynch, Welding Technology Certificate Shane Mays, Welding Technology Certificate Devin Michel, Welding Technology Certificate Curtis Musser, Welding Technology Certificate Peter Parsons, Welding Technology Certificate Charles&nbsp;Phillips, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Allan Ruboyianes, Welding Technology Certificate Charles Shely, Welding Technology Certificate Jenna Sinnott, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jordan Thornton, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lance Todd, Welding Technology Certificate Arlando Tolson, Welding Technology Certificate Hector Velazquez, Welding Technology Certificate Antonio&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Wimbley, Welding Technology Certificate Rieter Wirtz, A.G.S. Great Bend Adriana Arras Rodriguez, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jordan Avila, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Rylee Ayon, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Caden Bieker, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mandee Birzer, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jose Carrillo, Practical Nursing Certificate Kaylee Carrington, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Shae Cox, Practical Nursing Certificate Carly Dreiling, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Azha Elliott, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ashton Ensley, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tianna Farris, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Brody Feist, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Melyne Fletchall, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Skylar Fletcher, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Karina Galvan, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Karla Garcia, Plumbing Certificate Ashley Gilmore, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Grace Grandclair, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Adam Hardin, A.A.S. Breana Hearn, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ashley Herrman, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Markie Hestand, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Emily Holguin, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Braeden Hopkins, Practical Nursing Certificate Madison Huslig, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Elle Hutchinson, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sydney Johnson, Practical Nursing Certificate Angela Jones, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Amber Keenan, Practical Nursing Certificate Jacob Kennedy, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Julia Lake, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sarah Mehlhaff, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Beau Mettlen, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Austin Miller, A.A.S. Taylor Mohr, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Austin Moore, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Elias Moreno, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Caleb Murphy, Welding Technology Certificate Abby Muth, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ethan Newman, Welding Technology Certificate Damarys Nieto, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kaiden Procopio, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Ashton Ramsey, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Antony Reyes Pilo, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Fernanda Rodriguez, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Joseph Rolf, Practical Nursing Certificate Valerie Ruiz, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Morgan Sallabedra, Practical Nursing Certificate Darien Sanchez, Practical Nursing Certificate Brandi Sander, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kylee Sandy, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Reagan Schridde, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Karter Smith, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kayla Souter, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kayci Stevenson, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Marissa Stewart, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Leslie Taylor, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Mariah Thomas, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alyxius Torres, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Taylor Urban, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Cora Usoro, A.A.S. Braulio Vargas, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alidsha Vazquez Centeno, Practical Nursing Certificate Chelsea Villarreal, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Alisha Wheeler, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Isabelle Willms, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kristy Wittig, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Keeley Wolf, A.S. Hays Savanna Robinson, A.A.S.&nbsp; Hill City Drake Stephen, A.A.S. Hoisington Audra Clark, Practical Nursing Certificate Chandra Ehler, Practical Nursing Certificate BraShel Gieck, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Isabelle Gonzalez, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Janai Jacobs, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jennah Jeffrey, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Lorelee Patterson, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Tyler Reif, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Addison Smith, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kadence Urban, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Abigail Wright, A.A.S. Jetmore Stacie Huish, A.A.S. Kanopolis Stacy Hicks, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Sierra Kraatz, Practical Nursing Certificate Kinsley Madison McElwain, A.A.S. Larned Katherine Alnor, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jordahn Barton, A.G.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Paige Cobb, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Charles Denmark-Wagner, Welding Technology Certificate Cadance Devine, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Thomas Duran, Business Management and Leadership Certificate Irineo Garcia, Welding Technology Certificate Andrew Gusman, Welding Technology Certificate Allen Lemley, Welding Technology Certificate Tyler Lyon, Business Management and Leadership Certificate&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jared Mcfadden, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Branden Miller, Welding Technology Certificate Summer Neeland, Practical Nursing Certificate Tyson Nicholson, A.A.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Kaden Pontius, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Jessica Runnels, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Matthew Scherer, Welding Technology Certificate Taryn Sieg, A.A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Landon Smith, Welding Technology Certificate Joseph Theis, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Victor Wente, Welding Technology Certificate&nbsp; Lincoln Kaylee Babcock, A.S. Norcatur Heather Ebner, A.S.&nbsp; &nbsp; Osborne Charlie Seifert, A.S&nbsp;&nbsp; Otis Calli Riley, A.S&nbsp; Phillipsburg Jacie Roth, A.A.S.&nbsp; Plainville Cael Dobson, A.S. Russell Stephan Baldwin, A.S.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Rylee Miller, A.S. WaKeeney Lili Shubert, A.S.&nbsp; Wilson Nathan Griffin, Business Management and Leadership&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Barton Community College announces spring 2023 graduates

The city of Hays has hired T&amp;T Builders to remove and replace portions of General Hays between Cody and Downing. 

The portion of General Hays between Cody and Downing will be closed starting at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, July 28th for pavement removal and replacement with the hopes of opening back up by the end of August 2023. 

The city of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call T&amp;T Builders at 785-650-4507 or the Office of Project Management at 785-628-7350.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603291672014.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysThe city of Hays has hired T&amp;T Builders to remove and replace portions of General Hays between Cody and Downing. The portion of General Hays between Cody and Downing will be closed starting at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, July 28th for pavement removal and replacement with the hopes of opening back up by the end of August 2023. The city of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call T&amp;T Builders at 785-650-4507 or the Office of Project Management at 785-628-7350.

Portion of General Hays to be closed for pavement replacement in Hays

MANHATTAN - It may seem ironic to be selecting varieties for the next wheat growing season when some in Kansas are still working to harvest the current year’s crop, but the time to plant is just around the corner. 

Kansas State University recently released the Kansas Wheat Variety Guide 2023 to aid producers in making the critical selection of which varieties will best match the needs of their operations.&nbsp;

This annual publication provides detailed ratings for agronomic characteristics like maturity, height, drought tolerance and straw strength as well as resistance to different diseases. The ratings are compiled based on the results of field and greenhouse tests by both public and private wheat researchers.&nbsp;

Individual variety analysis includes these ratings as well as pedigree, geographic adaption, strengths and weaknesses. The publication also includes suggestions for how producers can use these ratings to minimize production problems and yield losses. This information includes differences in how each variety varies in potential performance across different geographic regions and soil types.&nbsp;

To use the variety ratings, wheat producers should consider the following factors.&nbsp;

First, growers should evaluate how well varieties are adapted for their geographic area, especially in a state with as much climatic diversity as Kansas. While some varieties could perform well across the state, other varieties are specifically adapted for certain regions and may not perform well in other regions.&nbsp;

For example, the guide details “varieties successful in western Kansas tend to have a medium or medium-late maturity and medium height or taller as well as good drought tolerance. In contrast, wheat varieties with early or medium-early maturity, medium or shorter height, and good acid soil tolerance are most successful in central Kansas.”&nbsp;

Next, producers should determine which diseases are the most important to address through built-in resistance. According to the guide, “In western Kansas, wheat streak mosaic, leaf rust and stripe rust are among the most damaging and common diseases…In eastern and central Kansas, the environment is often more conducive for disease development…”

Genetic resistance to insects and/or diseases is a powerful control tool for producers that can reduce the risk of severe disease problems, but not many varieties have resistance to every disease. Producers should know the resistance and susceptibility of the varieties they select to make more informed decisions on other production management decisions like sowing date, volunteer wheat management and fungicide applications to minimize losses.&nbsp;

Finally, growers should determine whether a herbicide-resistant variety is necessary. The guide details wheat varieties with tolerance to grass-controlling herbicides that are part of the Clearfield or CoAXium production systems as well as special considerations for these systems.&nbsp;

Learn more about how to put this guide to work in selecting wheat varieties&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001kaY73Ec739YxcDPGTOq71KDUT8jzCj2eUfFR8krqw93gO5C9U82mOwSXCVoAC3N6FmuL_iTrDO26ANjTr6N0EY3CQj8RW2Ym2LYPcJc598a7hhBufXGIIKSmLUvoNiWM4XwItnaI5vfLMHX_O7RVFbK9v87bgiMOeIWcF37uaMFFpLLL8G_zG6Rw9i0yXmJH28Wf2mETDs-h90TfwiBthQ==&amp;c=Mdkul7h76sLCAH20uwdi3OZJehBVMEE2bRxVY_t8j77Z2Tr6hPHzxQ==&amp;ch=94wmC_LjewAjW_T0p09ZgyHWh83WBru_weJsvX3ce6qWFumR-Zxlhg==" target="_blank">here</a>.

Find the full wheat variety guide and other resources at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001kaY73Ec739YxcDPGTOq71KDUT8jzCj2eUfFR8krqw93gO5C9U82mO_9VCPlQ-BIcrZGzyUzVvQBgewjitijo4VHjcLKno5BWPT7YhZdlvdeAIXfUB9Va-yGhs1R80WaAzAFRQMVDeDKgxUTjF84ym1-ebA7f8YzPt7SGa6iMyqm5Q_5AfMnAiYvLOBBdbDT1&amp;c=Mdkul7h76sLCAH20uwdi3OZJehBVMEE2bRxVY_t8j77Z2Tr6hPHzxQ==&amp;ch=94wmC_LjewAjW_T0p09ZgyHWh83WBru_weJsvX3ce6qWFumR-Zxlhg==" target="_blank">kswheat.com/wheatrx</a>.

Wheat Rx is a partnership between Kansas Wheat and K-State Research and Extension to disseminate the latest research recommendations for high-yielding and high-quality wheat to Kansas wheat farmers. 

These publications — like the wheat variety selection guide detailed above — are funded in part by wheat farmers through the Kansas Wheat check-off and are designed to address key management areas of hard winter wheat.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684379686981.jpeg" alt="Kansas Wheat Commission" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Wheat Commission</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS WHEATMANHATTAN - It may seem ironic to be selecting varieties for the next wheat growing season when some in Kansas are still working to harvest the current year’s crop, but the time to plant is just around the corner. Kansas State University recently released the Kansas Wheat Variety Guide 2023 to aid producers in making the critical selection of which varieties will best match the needs of their operations.&nbsp;This annual publication provides detailed ratings for agronomic characteristics like maturity, height, drought tolerance and straw strength as well as resistance to different diseases. The ratings are compiled based on the results of field and greenhouse tests by both public and private wheat researchers.&nbsp;Individual variety analysis includes these ratings as well as pedigree, geographic adaption, strengths and weaknesses. The publication also includes suggestions for how producers can use these ratings to minimize production problems and yield losses. This information includes differences in how each variety varies in potential performance across different geographic regions and soil types.&nbsp;To use the variety ratings, wheat producers should consider the following factors.&nbsp;First, growers should evaluate how well varieties are adapted for their geographic area, especially in a state with as much climatic diversity as Kansas. While some varieties could perform well across the state, other varieties are specifically adapted for certain regions and may not perform well in other regions.&nbsp;For example, the guide details “varieties successful in western Kansas tend to have a medium or medium-late maturity and medium height or taller as well as good drought tolerance. In contrast, wheat varieties with early or medium-early maturity, medium or shorter height, and good acid soil tolerance are most successful in central Kansas.”&nbsp;Next, producers should determine which diseases are the most important to address through built-in resistance. According to the guide, “In western Kansas, wheat streak mosaic, leaf rust and stripe rust are among the most damaging and common diseases…In eastern and central Kansas, the environment is often more conducive for disease development…”Genetic resistance to insects and/or diseases is a powerful control tool for producers that can reduce the risk of severe disease problems, but not many varieties have resistance to every disease. Producers should know the resistance and susceptibility of the varieties they select to make more informed decisions on other production management decisions like sowing date, volunteer wheat management and fungicide applications to minimize losses.&nbsp;Finally, growers should determine whether a herbicide-resistant variety is necessary. The guide details wheat varieties with tolerance to grass-controlling herbicides that are part of the Clearfield or CoAXium production systems as well as special considerations for these systems.&nbsp;Learn more about how to put this guide to work in selecting wheat varieties&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001kaY73Ec739YxcDPGTOq71KDUT8jzCj2eUfFR8krqw93gO5C9U82mOwSXCVoAC3N6FmuL_iTrDO26ANjTr6N0EY3CQj8RW2Ym2LYPcJc598a7hhBufXGIIKSmLUvoNiWM4XwItnaI5vfLMHX_O7RVFbK9v87bgiMOeIWcF37uaMFFpLLL8G_zG6Rw9i0yXmJH28Wf2mETDs-h90TfwiBthQ==&amp;c=Mdkul7h76sLCAH20uwdi3OZJehBVMEE2bRxVY_t8j77Z2Tr6hPHzxQ==&amp;ch=94wmC_LjewAjW_T0p09ZgyHWh83WBru_weJsvX3ce6qWFumR-Zxlhg==" target="_blank">here</a>.Find the full wheat variety guide and other resources at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001kaY73Ec739YxcDPGTOq71KDUT8jzCj2eUfFR8krqw93gO5C9U82mO_9VCPlQ-BIcrZGzyUzVvQBgewjitijo4VHjcLKno5BWPT7YhZdlvdeAIXfUB9Va-yGhs1R80WaAzAFRQMVDeDKgxUTjF84ym1-ebA7f8YzPt7SGa6iMyqm5Q_5AfMnAiYvLOBBdbDT1&amp;c=Mdkul7h76sLCAH20uwdi3OZJehBVMEE2bRxVY_t8j77Z2Tr6hPHzxQ==&amp;ch=94wmC_LjewAjW_T0p09ZgyHWh83WBru_weJsvX3ce6qWFumR-Zxlhg==" target="_blank">kswheat.com/wheatrx</a>. Wheat Rx is a partnership between Kansas Wheat and K-State Research and Extension to disseminate the latest research recommendations for high-yielding and high-quality wheat to Kansas wheat farmers. These publications — like the wheat variety selection guide detailed above — are funded in part by wheat farmers through the Kansas Wheat check-off and are designed to address key management areas of hard winter wheat.&nbsp;

KANSAS WHEAT: K-State releases 2023 wheat variety selection guide 

GREAT BEND - Bike Brew Q will host its annual charity event this Saturday at the Expo II building at the Barton County Fair Grounds, 455 West Barton County Road in Great&nbsp;Bend and all proceeds will go to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.&nbsp;

The event features cycling rides and a mountain bike race in the morning, food trucks that start serving food at 11 a.m., and a Craft Brew Expo featuring 20 breweries from around the region from 1 to 4 p.m. with the VIP portion starting at 12:30 p.m. 

All events are independent of each other. 

Designated drivers get into the Craft Brew Expo at no charge.

There is a pretzel necklace contest as well and the winner receives two tickets to next year's Craft Brew Expo.&nbsp;&nbsp;

General admission tickets can be purchased at&nbsp;<a href="http://bikebrewq.com/" target="_blank">bikebrewq.com</a>&nbsp;or at the door on the day of the event for $35 and include unlimited beer samples and a Bike Brew Q pint glass.&nbsp; Limited VIP tickets are still available for $50 and get attendees early access to special VIP beers and the first opportunity to collect brewery freebie items as well as a gold-rimmed taster glass.&nbsp;

Bike Brew Q Event Chair Ryan Fairchild said it's always a great day and it's for a great cause.&nbsp;

"My wife has cystic fibrosis as well as other members of my family so this event means a lot to me," he said. "We appreciate every single one of you that comes to this event. We are approaching $100,000 raised over the past eight years and we have no intention of stopping. We hope to see everybody on Saturday to make some memories with us."&nbsp; The expo features live music and over 50 unique beers with breweries coming from as far as Kansas City to be a part of the festivities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690468376397.jpeg" alt="2022 Bike Brew Q&nbsp; in Great Bend. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>2022 Bike Brew Q&nbsp; in Great Bend. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedGREAT BEND - Bike Brew Q will host its annual charity event this Saturday at the Expo II building at the Barton County Fair Grounds, 455 West Barton County Road in Great&nbsp;Bend and all proceeds will go to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.&nbsp; The event features cycling rides and a mountain bike race in the morning, food trucks that start serving food at 11 a.m., and a Craft Brew Expo featuring 20 breweries from around the region from 1 to 4 p.m. with the VIP portion starting at 12:30 p.m. All events are independent of each other. Designated drivers get into the Craft Brew Expo at no charge.There is a pretzel necklace contest as well and the winner receives two tickets to next year's Craft Brew Expo.&nbsp;&nbsp;General admission tickets can be purchased at&nbsp;<a href="http://bikebrewq.com/" target="_blank">bikebrewq.com</a>&nbsp;or at the door on the day of the event for $35 and include unlimited beer samples and a Bike Brew Q pint glass.&nbsp; Limited VIP tickets are still available for $50 and get attendees early access to special VIP beers and the first opportunity to collect brewery freebie items as well as a gold-rimmed taster glass.&nbsp;Bike Brew Q Event Chair Ryan Fairchild said it's always a great day and it's for a great cause.&nbsp;"My wife has cystic fibrosis as well as other members of my family so this event means a lot to me," he said. "We appreciate every single one of you that comes to this event. We are approaching $100,000 raised over the past eight years and we have no intention of stopping. We hope to see everybody on Saturday to make some memories with us."&nbsp; The expo features live music and over 50 unique beers with breweries coming from as far as Kansas City to be a part of the festivities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

8th annual Bike Brew Q event to be held Saturday in Great Bend

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

An Ellis County
judge sentenced an Illinois man to more than three years in prison Tuesday for
a fatal DUI crash in 2021 that resulted in the death of a California man.

Dalton Charles
Hall, 21, Savoy, Illinois, pleaded guilty in March to involuntary manslaughter
while under the influence, aggravated battery while driving under the influence
and driving under the influence. 

District Judge Tom
Drees sentenced Hall to 41 months in prison Tuesday for involuntary
manslaughter in Ellis County District Court. He also received probation for aggravated
battery while driving under the influence and driving under the influence.

According to
court documents, Hall had a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit
when he crashed his car in the early morning hours of Oct. 24, 2021.

Hall was
<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/66fdc840-17ef-4a18-ab59-bef3b1c64649">traveling at a high rate of speed </a>on Eighth St. and failed to stop at the stop
sign at the U.S. 183 Alternate, causing the car to go airborne over an embankment.
The car flipped end over end and came to rest on its top.

Jacob Rivera, 19,
Selma, California, died as a result of the accident. Two passengers, Chelsey
Mendoza, 20, Selma, California and Victoria Borrego, 21, Pacifica, California, suffered
serious injuries and were taken to Hays Medical Center. Hall also suffered
serious injuries in the accident and was hospitalized in Hays. 

All four individuals were members of the Northwest Kansas
Technical College wrestling team, and their families said the two men became
close friends when they arrived in Goodland for school.

In Kansas, an involuntary manslaughter conviction carries the
standard sentence of 41 months in prison. 

At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Hall and his attorney
Curtis Brown asked the court to sentence him to probation in a motion for downward
dispositional departure from a prison sentence.

Hall, who was 20 at the time of the accident, said he used
recreational drugs and alcohol before the Oct. 2021 accident but became addicted to fentanyl after the accident as a way to cope.

During the nearly four hours of testimony in support of Hall’s
request for probation, Hall, his father, two family friends, and two people who
regularly attend Narcotics Anonymous with Hall in Illinois spoke.

While Hall’s father was on the stand, both he and Rivera’s
father became overcome with emotion when Hall talked about how their two sons
met when they first arrived on the Goodland campus. Rivera was so overcome with
emotion that he broke down and left the courtroom.

Witnesses in support of Hall testified that they believed he
has turned his life around after the accident and addiction and attending in-patient
rehab. He said that he has been sober for more than a year and is engaged, and
his fiancé is expecting a child in January.

Hall said there is not a day that goes by that he doesn’t think
about the accident.

“I am sorry,” Hall said. “I never meant for it to happen.”

He also said that he wants to become an adolescent counselor
to “honor Jacob by doing the right thing and by helping people like Jacob
helped me.”

During cross-examination by Ellis County Attorney Robert
Anderson, Hall said that the night of the crash, Oct. 24, 2021, was the second straight
night that the group of four drove from Goodland to Hays. While in Hays, they
drank, went to a bar and attended a party before driving back to Goodland. Hall
drove both times.

Other members of Jacob Rivera’s family were also on hand Tuesday.
They sat in the front row of the Ellis County Courthouse, wearing all black
with shirts that showed Jacob “PeeWee” with his hands raised after winning a wrestling
match.

Rivera’s mother read a statement to the court saying her life
was changed forever that night and that while she forgives Hall, there are
consequences for people’s actions.

“When he (Hall) gets out, he’ll be able to see his son, I
won’t be able to,” she said. 

On behalf of the Rivera family, Anderson was requesting a
total prison sentence of 77 months for all three crimes.

When Judge Drees handed down his ruling, he said that no matter
what the court ruled, it was not going to make anyone feel better and that “Jacob
Rivera is forever 19.”

Drees elected not to grant Hall probation, he said that Hall’s
efforts after the accident were not a reason to grant him probation, but he did
believe that they were sincere. 

“What matters is what happened,” Drees said. “He (Hall) knew
he drank too much and chose to drive.”

He added that while all four drank that night, Hall was the “only
one that chose to operate a vehicle after partying.”

The 41-month prison sentence handed down by Drees is the
standard prison sentence for a first-time involuntary manslaughter conviction
for someone with no criminal history in Kansas.

Drees sentenced Hall to 36 months probation for aggravated
battery; driving under the influence. That will run consecutive to Hall’s
post-release supervision on the involuntary manslaughter conviction.

Drees said that Hall will have that extra time “hanging over”
his head, and if he violates either his post-release or probation, he could be
sentenced to 32 months in prison.

Hall was taken into custody by the Ellis County Sheriff's Department
following sentencing and will be transferred to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690468474195.png" alt="Hall photo Ellis County" />
 <figcaption>Hall photo Ellis County</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostAn Ellis County
judge sentenced an Illinois man to more than three years in prison Tuesday for
a fatal DUI crash in 2021 that resulted in the death of a California man.Dalton Charles
Hall, 21, Savoy, Illinois, pleaded guilty in March to involuntary manslaughter
while under the influence, aggravated battery while driving under the influence
and driving under the influence. District Judge Tom
Drees sentenced Hall to 41 months in prison Tuesday for involuntary
manslaughter in Ellis County District Court. He also received probation for aggravated
battery while driving under the influence and driving under the influence.According to
court documents, Hall had a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit
when he crashed his car in the early morning hours of Oct. 24, 2021.Hall was
<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/66fdc840-17ef-4a18-ab59-bef3b1c64649">traveling at a high rate of speed </a>on Eighth St. and failed to stop at the stop
sign at the U.S. 183 Alternate, causing the car to go airborne over an embankment.
The car flipped end over end and came to rest on its top.Jacob Rivera, 19,
Selma, California, died as a result of the accident. Two passengers, Chelsey
Mendoza, 20, Selma, California and Victoria Borrego, 21, Pacifica, California, suffered
serious injuries and were taken to Hays Medical Center. Hall also suffered
serious injuries in the accident and was hospitalized in Hays. All four individuals were members of the Northwest Kansas
Technical College wrestling team, and their families said the two men became
close friends when they arrived in Goodland for school.In Kansas, an involuntary manslaughter conviction carries the
standard sentence of 41 months in prison. At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Hall and his attorney
Curtis Brown asked the court to sentence him to probation in a motion for downward
dispositional departure from a prison sentence.Hall, who was 20 at the time of the accident, said he used
recreational drugs and alcohol before the Oct. 2021 accident but became addicted to fentanyl after the accident as a way to cope.During the nearly four hours of testimony in support of Hall’s
request for probation, Hall, his father, two family friends, and two people who
regularly attend Narcotics Anonymous with Hall in Illinois spoke.While Hall’s father was on the stand, both he and Rivera’s
father became overcome with emotion when Hall talked about how their two sons
met when they first arrived on the Goodland campus. Rivera was so overcome with
emotion that he broke down and left the courtroom.Witnesses in support of Hall testified that they believed he
has turned his life around after the accident and addiction and attending in-patient
rehab. He said that he has been sober for more than a year and is engaged, and
his fiancé is expecting a child in January.Hall said there is not a day that goes by that he doesn’t think
about the accident.“I am sorry,” Hall said. “I never meant for it to happen.” 
He also said that he wants to become an adolescent counselor
to “honor Jacob by doing the right thing and by helping people like Jacob
helped me.”During cross-examination by Ellis County Attorney Robert
Anderson, Hall said that the night of the crash, Oct. 24, 2021, was the second straight
night that the group of four drove from Goodland to Hays. While in Hays, they
drank, went to a bar and attended a party before driving back to Goodland. Hall
drove both times.Other members of Jacob Rivera’s family were also on hand Tuesday.
They sat in the front row of the Ellis County Courthouse, wearing all black
with shirts that showed Jacob “PeeWee” with his hands raised after winning a wrestling
match.Rivera’s mother read a statement to the court saying her life
was changed forever that night and that while she forgives Hall, there are
consequences for people’s actions.“When he (Hall) gets out, he’ll be able to see his son, I
won’t be able to,” she said. On behalf of the Rivera family, Anderson was requesting a
total prison sentence of 77 months for all three crimes.When Judge Drees handed down his ruling, he said that no matter
what the court ruled, it was not going to make anyone feel better and that “Jacob
Rivera is forever 19.”Drees elected not to grant Hall probation, he said that Hall’s
efforts after the accident were not a reason to grant him probation, but he did
believe that they were sincere. “What matters is what happened,” Drees said. “He (Hall) knew
he drank too much and chose to drive.”He added that while all four drank that night, Hall was the “only
one that chose to operate a vehicle after partying.”The 41-month prison sentence handed down by Drees is the
standard prison sentence for a first-time involuntary manslaughter conviction
for someone with no criminal history in Kansas.Drees sentenced Hall to 36 months probation for aggravated
battery; driving under the influence. That will run consecutive to Hall’s
post-release supervision on the involuntary manslaughter conviction.Drees said that Hall will have that extra time “hanging over”
his head, and if he violates either his post-release or probation, he could be
sentenced to 32 months in prison.Hall was taken into custody by the Ellis County Sheriff's Department
following sentencing and will be transferred to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Former Northwest Tech wrestler gets jail time after teammate’s death

By Tony Guerrero Hays Post

The freeze on federal student loan payments put in place during the pandemic ends this fall. 

While on the federal level, new relief programs are being debated, some programs already exist. But as payments resume, the full impact on borrowers and the economy is yet to be seen.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The resumption of payments will impact both current and former Fort Hays State University students.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Holly Younger graduated in 2012 and still owes a considerable amount to repay her student loans but said she wouldn't have trouble paying them off thanks to existing government repayment programs.&nbsp;

“My loans are based on my income, and I have never had an issue with making the payments,” Younger said. “As for managing the debt long term, after a certain period of time, the debt is forgiven as long as you're on an income-based repayment (plan) for that long.”&nbsp;

With the end of the three-year pause put in place during the pandemic, over 40 million Americans will have to make payments again. 

Interest on the loans resumes September 1, and payments will resume during the month of October.&nbsp;Failure to do so results in damaged credit ratings and prevents access to additional aid and government resources.&nbsp;&nbsp; And bankruptcy for the vast majority of borrowers does not eliminate the debt.&nbsp;

Falling behind on a loan by 270 days will cause the loan to appear on a credit report as being in default. Once in default, the government intercepts tax refunds, garnishes wages and confiscates portions of Social Security checks and other benefits to collect on the debt.

But for those that were in default before the pause was put in place, a program is available to help.&nbsp;&nbsp;

President Biden’s<a href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/default-fresh-start"> Fresh Start program</a>&nbsp;is currently accepting applications and will help those borrowers become current as payments become due. Participants will be relieved from the most serious negative consequences of default and can apply for federal student loans in the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Fresh Start program also applies to missed payments bringing the loan current.&nbsp;

Younger said passing additional loan forgiveness laws will help future generations succeed. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602603609844.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Tony Guerrero Hays PostThe freeze on federal student loan payments put in place during the pandemic ends this fall. While on the federal level, new relief programs are being debated, some programs already exist. But as payments resume, the full impact on borrowers and the economy is yet to be seen.&nbsp;&nbsp;The resumption of payments will impact both current and former Fort Hays State University students.&nbsp;&nbsp;Holly Younger graduated in 2012 and still owes a considerable amount to repay her student loans but said she wouldn't have trouble paying them off thanks to existing government repayment programs.&nbsp;“My loans are based on my income, and I have never had an issue with making the payments,” Younger said. “As for managing the debt long term, after a certain period of time, the debt is forgiven as long as you're on an income-based repayment (plan) for that long.”&nbsp;With the end of the three-year pause put in place during the pandemic, over 40 million Americans will have to make payments again. Interest on the loans resumes September 1, and payments will resume during the month of October.&nbsp;Failure to do so results in damaged credit ratings and prevents access to additional aid and government resources.&nbsp;&nbsp; And bankruptcy for the vast majority of borrowers does not eliminate the debt.&nbsp;Falling behind on a loan by 270 days will cause the loan to appear on a credit report as being in default. Once in default, the government intercepts tax refunds, garnishes wages and confiscates portions of Social Security checks and other benefits to collect on the debt.But for those that were in default before the pause was put in place, a program is available to help.&nbsp;&nbsp;President Biden’s<a href="https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/default-fresh-start"> Fresh Start program</a>&nbsp;is currently accepting applications and will help those borrowers become current as payments become due. Participants will be relieved from the most serious negative consequences of default and can apply for federal student loans in the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Fresh Start program also applies to missed payments bringing the loan current.&nbsp;Younger said passing additional loan forgiveness laws will help future generations succeed. Regardless of the pause being lifted, she said she is prepared to make payments again.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I was hopeful for some kind of forgiveness,” Younger said. “Even it wasn't for me. I feel like it would help make life better for those who are young and struggling. I'm ok, but I know a lot of people who aren't, and it's sad.”&nbsp;Current FHSU student Tereus Henry said he's attempting to mitigate the amount of loans he is taking through good financial decisions and encourages peers to do the same.&nbsp;“Be smart with your money. Make sure you know what you can spend and what you can't,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;But Henry thinks the government should be offering more assistance to those with student loan debt.&nbsp;Younger encourages high school graduates to consider their options before committing to anything long-term, as well as talking to past graduates in their field.&nbsp;Although it would be years before she returned to college after finishing high school, she was unaware of how taking out loans would affect the rest of her life.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I don't regret my degree, but I 100 percent regret how I obtained it,” Younger said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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