Details about a new National Science Foundation (NSF) grant award were shared during a Friday press conference on the campus of Fort Hays State University.

The FHSU College of Education’s grant submission, “Science Teachers for Rural America - A Post-Baccalaureate STEM Teacher Licensure Project,”&nbsp;was awarded $1.2 million because of its innovative approach to creating a new and&nbsp;accelerated pathway to a teaching license for individuals who hold bachelor’s degree, and want to answer the call to serve as a teacher.

“It is my view that the future of western Kansas – the future of much of rural Kansas – is determined by what happens at Fort Hays State University,” said U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, who attended the news conference. “This is one more example of this university stepping forward and making a difference across our region of Kansas.”

Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president, gave some introductory remarks. Dr. Paul Adams, dean of the College of Education, then took the podium to discuss how the university would use the funding to create a new and accelerated pathway to a teaching license for individuals with a bachelor’s degree.

Adams described the FHSU STEM licensure project as one that would focus on addressing the shortage of science teachers in rural Kansas by partnering with rural schools to respond to their unique needs.

Candidates for the program are individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in a science content area (biology, geoscience, chemistry, or physics) who are looking to make a career change and enter the teaching profession. Candidates who enroll in the program will receive a stipend of approximately $23,000. The stipend is designed to cover the cost of completing the program but can also offset the financial burden for participants who may be relocating to the rural communities for field experiences.&nbsp;

Program coursework will be targeted at preparing future teachers for dealing with the unique circumstances of teaching math and science in rural schools. Many rural STEM teachers are required to teach multiple STEM disciplines and multiple grade levels. Courses within the program will also emphasize place-based teaching strategies to prepare participants to use their local environment and community as a resource in teaching across the STEM spectrum.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651004330403.jpeg" alt="U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, FHSU President Tisa Mason, and FHSU College of Education Dean Dr. Paul Adams." />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, FHSU President Tisa Mason, and FHSU College of Education Dean Dr. Paul Adams.</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsDetails about a new National Science Foundation (NSF) grant award were shared during a Friday press conference on the campus of Fort Hays State University.The FHSU College of Education’s grant submission, “Science Teachers for Rural America - A Post-Baccalaureate STEM Teacher Licensure Project,”&nbsp;was awarded $1.2 million because of its innovative approach to creating a new and&nbsp;accelerated pathway to a teaching license for individuals who hold bachelor’s degree, and want to answer the call to serve as a teacher.“It is my view that the future of western Kansas – the future of much of rural Kansas – is determined by what happens at Fort Hays State University,” said U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, who attended the news conference. “This is one more example of this university stepping forward and making a difference across our region of Kansas.”Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president, gave some introductory remarks. Dr. Paul Adams, dean of the College of Education, then took the podium to discuss how the university would use the funding to create a new and accelerated pathway to a teaching license for individuals with a bachelor’s degree.Adams described the FHSU STEM licensure project as one that would focus on addressing the shortage of science teachers in rural Kansas by partnering with rural schools to respond to their unique needs.Candidates for the program are individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in a science content area (biology, geoscience, chemistry, or physics) who are looking to make a career change and enter the teaching profession. Candidates who enroll in the program will receive a stipend of approximately $23,000. The stipend is designed to cover the cost of completing the program but can also offset the financial burden for participants who may be relocating to the rural communities for field experiences.&nbsp;Program coursework will be targeted at preparing future teachers for dealing with the unique circumstances of teaching math and science in rural schools. Many rural STEM teachers are required to teach multiple STEM disciplines and multiple grade levels. Courses within the program will also emphasize place-based teaching strategies to prepare participants to use their local environment and community as a resource in teaching across the STEM spectrum.

Fort Hays State announces rural teaching licensure grant

🎥 SPONSORED: USD 489 — Count Me In

​Last Friday, April 22, 2022, Ron Wilson, USD 489’s Superintendent sent an email to all 489&nbsp;staff and school board members. &nbsp;Here are the relevant parts for the purpose of this letter:

​“Monday, April 25th&nbsp;is the start of early voting for our bond opportunity… It&nbsp;doesn’t’&nbsp;cost us a penny to vote! Simply, by not voting really registers as a NO vote when it comes to our school staff… I have told everyone that has told me that this bond attempt I promise I&nbsp;will do my part to ensure that we have educator&nbsp;support,&nbsp;and they will vote&nbsp;(emphasis added)… If 100% of the eligible voters in your building vote before May 10th&nbsp;we will bring in lunch for you one day before&nbsp;the end&nbsp;of school. &nbsp;Yes, we will know if&nbsp;you vote&nbsp;(emphasis added)&nbsp;(and no we can not see how you vote) ...&nbsp; The first building in our district to get 100% also gets&nbsp;dessert with their lunch!”

​I believe the notion that the 489 administration&nbsp;will keep&nbsp;tabs on who does and does not vote amounts to a&nbsp;subtle&nbsp;but very real&nbsp;attempt to intimidate and bully the staff of USD 489. &nbsp;This&nbsp;email&nbsp;quite&nbsp;simply crossed&nbsp;the line.

​Here are the questions I have for the&nbsp;superintendent&nbsp;and the members of the&nbsp;school board. &nbsp;Inquiring minds want to know.

1.Will the administration compile an actual list of staff and teachers who vote or don’t vote? &nbsp; 2.Will school district employees create that list?&nbsp;If so, who will pay for them to do it? 3. If a staff member or teacher doesn’t vote will that be noted in their employee file? &nbsp;Will their name be on a list for the public to see?4.What about that apparently quaint notion of individuall iberty upon which this country was founded which allows a person the freedom to choose to vote or not vote? 5.Where are the local NEA union leaders in this instance? &nbsp;Will they object to this effort to intimidate the teachers and staff or are they so singularly minded in favor of the bond that protecting their members is secondary? 6.The school board president proudly proclaims that this is the most transparent school board and administration ever. Is this the board’s and administration’s idea of transparency? 7.Do the superintendent and the board members understand that the email could possibly subject them to a charge of violating KSA25-2409 in which election bribery is defined as an act offering to confer any benefit over the value of $3.00 as consideration for any person to vote for any question submitted to any public election?

Oh, and by the way, do you want to&nbsp;know&nbsp;the&nbsp;real reason DLR and the&nbsp;489 superintendent&nbsp;and board members decided to call for a May election date despite the&nbsp;fact that it will cost the tax payers between $20 and $30 thousand dollars?

​Well,&nbsp;DLR’s spokesperson and&nbsp;“political expert”&nbsp;will tell you that it was simply time to do it, notwithstanding&nbsp;that there is the August primary election&nbsp;a mere 90 days after this bond election.&nbsp;&nbsp;She knows full&nbsp;well, as does anyone who has worked on political campaigns, as I have done many times over the years, that voter turnout for special elections is low.&nbsp;So she understands that the more&nbsp;motivated&nbsp;voters in this bond election will be the USD&nbsp;489staff, teachers and pro-bond people. &nbsp;But that isn’t the real reason.

​After the very first night I attended one of the&nbsp;“Citizen&nbsp;Committee”&nbsp;meetings last September, DLR’s&nbsp;spokesperson&nbsp;approached me as I was visiting with another person and we discussed the bond election&nbsp;process. &nbsp;I asked her why there was a rush again (just as there was with the last bond election) to&nbsp;have an April election (that was the goal at the time). She&nbsp;initially&nbsp;responded with the reasons set out above, but then she let it be known the real reason and motivation for&nbsp;wanting an early election:

​To paraphrase&nbsp;her exact words&nbsp;as&nbsp;closely&nbsp;as I can:&nbsp;Well,&nbsp;the&nbsp;Value&nbsp;Them Both constitutional amendment&nbsp;(dealing with the abortion issue)&nbsp;is on the ballot in&nbsp;August and we’re not sure about&nbsp;the kind of voter that will come out and vote in that&nbsp;election.&nbsp;In&nbsp;other words, pro Value Them Both voters couldn’t be trusted to make their&nbsp;decision&nbsp;on the merits of the bond questions,&nbsp;so we’ll just avoid that question mark. I then retorted rather emphatically that&nbsp;if that is&nbsp;her thinking then&nbsp;she really&nbsp;doesn’t&nbsp;understand the voters of Ellis County&nbsp;at all. &nbsp;They have approved bond elections in the past&nbsp;when they&nbsp;thought they were reasonable&nbsp;and made sense. &nbsp;

As Paul Harvey used to say at the end of his radio&nbsp;program,&nbsp;“Now you know the rest&nbsp;of the story."

​So the only&nbsp;remaining&nbsp;question then is this. &nbsp;Will those who have the temerity to disagree with the proposed bond sit on their hands and stay at home on election day? &nbsp;One thing is for certain, however, if they&nbsp;do show up to vote, USD 489&nbsp;Superintendent Ron Wilson will&nbsp;not be&nbsp;bringing them any lunch. &nbsp;And as far as dessert is&nbsp;concerned,&nbsp;Fuhgeddaboutdit!

​Last Friday, April 22, 2022, Ron Wilson, USD 489’s Superintendent sent an email to all 489&nbsp;staff and school board members. &nbsp;Here are the relevant parts for the purpose of this letter:​“Monday, April 25th&nbsp;is the start of early voting for our bond opportunity… It&nbsp;doesn’t’&nbsp;cost us a penny to vote! Simply, by not voting really registers as a NO vote when it comes to our school staff… I have told everyone that has told me that this bond attempt I promise I&nbsp;will do my part to ensure that we have educator&nbsp;support,&nbsp;and they will vote&nbsp;(emphasis added)… If 100% of the eligible voters in your building vote before May 10th&nbsp;we will bring in lunch for you one day before&nbsp;the end&nbsp;of school. &nbsp;Yes, we will know if&nbsp;you vote&nbsp;(emphasis added)&nbsp;(and no we can not see how you vote) ...&nbsp; The first building in our district to get 100% also gets&nbsp;dessert with their lunch!”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>​I believe the notion that the 489 administration&nbsp;will keep&nbsp;tabs on who does and does not vote amounts to a&nbsp;subtle&nbsp;but very real&nbsp;attempt to intimidate and bully the staff of USD 489. &nbsp;This&nbsp;email&nbsp;quite&nbsp;simply crossed&nbsp;the line.​Here are the questions I have for the&nbsp;superintendent&nbsp;and the members of the&nbsp;school board. &nbsp;Inquiring minds want to know.1.Will the administration compile an actual list of staff and teachers who vote or don’t vote? &nbsp; 2.Will school district employees create that list?&nbsp;If so, who will pay for them to do it? 3. If a staff member or teacher doesn’t vote will that be noted in their employee file? &nbsp;Will their name be on a list for the public to see?4.What about that apparently quaint notion of individuall iberty upon which this country was founded which allows a person the freedom to choose to vote or not vote? 5.Where are the local NEA union leaders in this instance? &nbsp;Will they object to this effort to intimidate the teachers and staff or are they so singularly minded in favor of the bond that protecting their members is secondary? 6.The school board president proudly proclaims that this is the most transparent school board and administration ever. Is this the board’s and administration’s idea of transparency? 7.Do the superintendent and the board members understand that the email could possibly subject them to a charge of violating KSA25-2409 in which election bribery is defined as an act offering to confer any benefit over the value of $3.00 as consideration for any person to vote for any question submitted to any public election?Oh, and by the way, do you want to&nbsp;know&nbsp;the&nbsp;real reason DLR and the&nbsp;489 superintendent&nbsp;and board members decided to call for a May election date despite the&nbsp;fact that it will cost the tax payers between $20 and $30 thousand dollars?​Well,&nbsp;DLR’s spokesperson and&nbsp;“political expert”&nbsp;will tell you that it was simply time to do it, notwithstanding&nbsp;that there is the August primary election&nbsp;a mere 90 days after this bond election.&nbsp;&nbsp;She knows full&nbsp;well, as does anyone who has worked on political campaigns, as I have done many times over the years, that voter turnout for special elections is low.&nbsp;So she understands that the more&nbsp;motivated&nbsp;voters in this bond election will be the USD&nbsp;489staff, teachers and pro-bond people. &nbsp;But that isn’t the real reason.​After the very first night I attended one of the&nbsp;“Citizen&nbsp;Committee”&nbsp;meetings last September, DLR’s&nbsp;spokesperson&nbsp;approached me as I was visiting with another person and we discussed the bond election&nbsp;process. &nbsp;I asked her why there was a rush again (just as there was with the last bond election) to&nbsp;have an April election (that was the goal at the time). She&nbsp;initially&nbsp;responded with the reasons set out above, but then she let it be known the real reason and motivation for&nbsp;wanting an early election:​To paraphrase&nbsp;her exact words&nbsp;as&nbsp;closely&nbsp;as I can:&nbsp;Well,&nbsp;the&nbsp;Value&nbsp;Them Both constitutional amendment&nbsp;(dealing with the abortion issue)&nbsp;is on the ballot in&nbsp;August and we’re not sure about&nbsp;the kind of voter that will come out and vote in that&nbsp;election.&nbsp;In&nbsp;other words, pro Value Them Both voters couldn’t be trusted to make their&nbsp;decision&nbsp;on the merits of the bond questions,&nbsp;so we’ll just avoid that question mark. I then retorted rather emphatically that&nbsp;if that is&nbsp;her thinking then&nbsp;she really&nbsp;doesn’t&nbsp;understand the voters of Ellis County&nbsp;at all. &nbsp;They have approved bond elections in the past&nbsp;when they&nbsp;thought they were reasonable&nbsp;and made sense. &nbsp;As Paul Harvey used to say at the end of his radio&nbsp;program,&nbsp;“Now you know the rest&nbsp;of the story."​So the only&nbsp;remaining&nbsp;question then is this. &nbsp;Will those who have the temerity to disagree with the proposed bond sit on their hands and stay at home on election day? &nbsp;One thing is for certain, however, if they&nbsp;do show up to vote, USD 489&nbsp;Superintendent Ron Wilson will&nbsp;not be&nbsp;bringing them any lunch. &nbsp;And as far as dessert is&nbsp;concerned,&nbsp;Fuhgeddaboutdit!Tom&nbsp;Wasinger, Hays

LETTER: USD 489 superintendent, school board cross the line

Glassman Corporation, a prominent Mechanical Construction and Services firm is growing with available employment opportunities!&nbsp; Join our team of topnotch skilled personnel!&nbsp;Successful candidates must have a valid DL, be&nbsp;self-motivated, and goal orientated.&nbsp;Entry level apprentice wage starting at&nbsp;$18.00 per hour. Experienced Licensed Journeyman from $26-$35 per hour, based upon&nbsp;credentials, experience and skill set.&nbsp;Full Time. Advancement Opportunities!&nbsp;

Benefits including 100% employer funded health insurance and dental insurance after the waiting period is complete!

Benefits: • 100% Employer Funded Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas Medical Insurance • 100% Employer Funded Humana Dental Insurance • Additional Insurances such as Accident, Disability and Life Insurance available • 401k with Safe Harbor Match • Employee Appreciation Events • Safety Rewards Program • Paid Holidays and PTO • Company Paid Uniforms • Company Vehicle • Company Paid Cell Phone and iPad

Glassman Corporation participates in E-Verify and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Current Job Openings Include: Project Superintendents Journeyman Plumbers HVAC Technicians Sheet Metal&nbsp;Installers Construction Apprentices

To Apply visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.glassmancorp.com/careers" target="_blank">www.glassmancorp.com/careers</a>&nbsp;or visit your local KS Workforce Center.

Learn more about who we are and what we do by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://www.glassmancorp.com/" target="_blank">www.glassmancorp.com</a>!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650576295495.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Glassman Corporation, a prominent Mechanical Construction and Services firm is growing with available employment opportunities!&nbsp; Join our team of topnotch skilled personnel!&nbsp;Successful candidates must have a valid DL, be&nbsp;self-motivated, and goal orientated.&nbsp;Entry level apprentice wage starting at&nbsp;$18.00 per hour. Experienced Licensed Journeyman from $26-$35 per hour, based upon&nbsp;credentials, experience and skill set.&nbsp;Full Time. Advancement Opportunities!&nbsp;Benefits including 100% employer funded health insurance and dental insurance after the waiting period is complete!Benefits: • 100% Employer Funded Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas Medical Insurance • 100% Employer Funded Humana Dental Insurance • Additional Insurances such as Accident, Disability and Life Insurance available • 401k with Safe Harbor Match • Employee Appreciation Events • Safety Rewards Program • Paid Holidays and PTO • Company Paid Uniforms • Company Vehicle • Company Paid Cell Phone and iPadGlassman Corporation participates in E-Verify and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Current Job Openings Include: Project Superintendents Journeyman Plumbers HVAC Technicians Sheet Metal&nbsp;Installers Construction ApprenticesTo Apply visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.glassmancorp.com/careers" target="_blank">www.glassmancorp.com/careers</a>&nbsp;or visit your local KS Workforce Center.Learn more about who we are and what we do by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://www.glassmancorp.com/" target="_blank">www.glassmancorp.com</a>!

Three-day weather outlook

GOVE COUNTY—A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after noon Wednesday in Gove County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Western Star semi driven by Joshua D. Wolfrum, 31, Gove, was&nbsp;was northbound on Kansas 23 twelve miles south of Gove.

The semi veered left across the southbound lanes of travel, entered the west ditch, struck the embankment and the cab came off the chassis. 

EMS transported Wolfrum to the Lane County Hospital in Dighton. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

GOVE COUNTY—A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after noon Wednesday in Gove County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Western Star semi driven by Joshua D. Wolfrum, 31, Gove, was&nbsp;was northbound on Kansas 23 twelve miles south of Gove.The semi veered left across the southbound lanes of travel, entered the west ditch, struck the embankment and the cab came off the chassis. EMS transported Wolfrum to the Lane County Hospital in Dighton. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after violent semi crash

By JAMES BELL 
Hays Post

During Monday’s Hays USD 489 Board of Education meeting, the
body voted 6-0 to allow Russell USD 407 to join the West Central Kansas Special
Education Cooperative.

Russell will join, Hays, Ellis, Victoria and La Crosse in
the co-op. The Hays board was the last of the group to approve the measure.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/597cb3fb-8783-4f1c-96de-c5990d35e807">The vote
is the final step in a process that began over two years ago, according to Superintendent Ron Wilson.</a>

He said having a standalone special education co-op between the
member schools is rare in Kansas, but all things considered allowing another member strengthens
the co-op.

“We felt like it also gives us some additional stability,”
Wilson said. “Russell would be the second largest — other than Hays in that
cooperative once they join ours — so, it does give us some stability in terms
of just kind of spreading the cost out across to everybody, and maybe reducing
some risk for some of our smaller districts.”

While speaking at the Ellis USD 388 Board of Education
meeting earlier this month Kyle Carlin, co-op director, acknowledged that risk,
but said having Russell join was a “good move.”

“The risk involved with adding another district is certainly
there,” he said. “But the risk all four of our districts carry right now will
also be spread out over all of the districts, is also beneficial.”

Overall, the move is likely to lower costs in the Hays
district.

With Russell’s inclusion, Carlin estimated Hays'
contribution would have dropped from 77 percent to 65 percent this year, totaling
$23,000, he told the board during a discussion in February.

The costs will be, in part, covered by the Russell district
agreeing to pay a &nbsp;buy-in fee of $250 per staff member and $5 per student,
cover additional costs incurred during the transition and provide a payment to
the co-op equal to the average carryover from the special education department
over the last five years.

“When we have more districts involved, it helps make sure that the cost
is being shared by more districts, so one district doesn't have to take as long
to have a high cost all of a sudden,” Carlin said. “It can be shared.”

The approved plan will see Russell fully move into the co-op
over the next three years. 

“We'll start adding pieces in every year,” Wilson said. “We've
been working with them in providing gifted services for the last few years. So,
we've already kind of started that those steps, but we'll continue to add
pieces each year.”

During the next year, the plan calls for WCKSEC and Russell to
enter a collaborative relationship where Russell continues to provide special
education services themselves, according to documents provided to the board.
Russell and WCKSEC staff will also participate in common professional
development and professional learning communities.

Throughout 2023 -24, the plans call on the hiring and onboarding of staff. Then, in the 2024-25 academic year, Russell will fully join and begin
assuming all responsibilities and rights as a member district.

Overall, he said the district is excited to add Russell and
the move is good for the cooperative.

“I think it's also by just being able to provide those kinds of
services that sometimes we don't necessarily need that one service in a
particular district all the time, we can spread those services across all
districts,” Wilson said.

During Monday’s meeting the USD 489 Board of Education also
voted 6-0 to approve new security cameras for entrances at Wilson, O’Loughlin
and Lincoln elementary schools, along with Westside.

The Board also voted 6-0 to approved renewal to the Kansas
Association of School Boards and Legal Assistance Fund.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651012394964.jpeg" alt="West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative director Kyle Carlin speaks to the USD 489 School Board prior to their vote to accept Russell USD 407 into the co-op." />
 <figcaption>West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative director Kyle Carlin speaks to the USD 489 School Board prior to their vote to accept Russell USD 407 into the co-op.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="USD 489 approves Russell schools admission to special education co-op" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=rsuyb-120ec24-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL 
Hays PostDuring Monday’s Hays USD 489 Board of Education meeting, the
body voted 6-0 to allow Russell USD 407 to join the West Central Kansas Special
Education Cooperative.Russell will join, Hays, Ellis, Victoria and La Crosse in
the co-op. The Hays board was the last of the group to approve the measure.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/597cb3fb-8783-4f1c-96de-c5990d35e807">The vote
is the final step in a process that began over two years ago, according to Superintendent Ron Wilson.</a>He said having a standalone special education co-op between the
member schools is rare in Kansas, but all things considered allowing another member strengthens
the co-op.“We felt like it also gives us some additional stability,”
Wilson said. “Russell would be the second largest — other than Hays in that
cooperative once they join ours — so, it does give us some stability in terms
of just kind of spreading the cost out across to everybody, and maybe reducing
some risk for some of our smaller districts.”While speaking at the Ellis USD 388 Board of Education
meeting earlier this month Kyle Carlin, co-op director, acknowledged that risk,
but said having Russell join was a “good move.”“The risk involved with adding another district is certainly
there,” he said. “But the risk all four of our districts carry right now will
also be spread out over all of the districts, is also beneficial.”Overall, the move is likely to lower costs in the Hays
district.With Russell’s inclusion, Carlin estimated Hays'
contribution would have dropped from 77 percent to 65 percent this year, totaling
$23,000, he told the board during a discussion in February.The costs will be, in part, covered by the Russell district
agreeing to pay a &nbsp;buy-in fee of $250 per staff member and $5 per student,
cover additional costs incurred during the transition and provide a payment to
the co-op equal to the average carryover from the special education department
over the last five years.“When we have more districts involved, it helps make sure that the cost
is being shared by more districts, so one district doesn't have to take as long
to have a high cost all of a sudden,” Carlin said. “It can be shared.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651012338163.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The approved plan will see Russell fully move into the co-op
over the next three years. “We'll start adding pieces in every year,” Wilson said. “We've
been working with them in providing gifted services for the last few years. So,
we've already kind of started that those steps, but we'll continue to add
pieces each year.”During the next year, the plan calls for WCKSEC and Russell to
enter a collaborative relationship where Russell continues to provide special
education services themselves, according to documents provided to the board.
Russell and WCKSEC staff will also participate in common professional
development and professional learning communities.Throughout 2023 -24, the plans call on the hiring and onboarding of staff. Then, in the 2024-25 academic year, Russell will fully join and begin
assuming all responsibilities and rights as a member district.Overall, he said the district is excited to add Russell and
the move is good for the cooperative.“I think it's also by just being able to provide those kinds of
services that sometimes we don't necessarily need that one service in a
particular district all the time, we can spread those services across all
districts,” Wilson said.During Monday’s meeting the USD 489 Board of Education also
voted 6-0 to approve new security cameras for entrances at Wilson, O’Loughlin
and Lincoln elementary schools, along with Westside.The Board also voted 6-0 to approved renewal to the Kansas
Association of School Boards and Legal Assistance Fund.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651012364972.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

🎙 Hays School Board votes to admit Russell to special education co-op

There is a slight risk of severe weather Wednesday in northwest Kansas, the National Weather Service in Dodge City reported. Strong winds, with gusts as high as 36 mph, and nickel-sized hail are possible.

Storms are expected to enter southwest Kansas by 4 to 5 p.m. Severe weather is expected to stay west of U.S. 283 and become less severe to the east.

There is a 40 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms in Hays beginning at approximately 7 p.m. More showers or thunderstorms are possible late Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651083027657.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>There is a slight risk of severe weather Wednesday in northwest Kansas, the National Weather Service in Dodge City reported. Strong winds, with gusts as high as 36 mph, and nickel-sized hail are possible.Storms are expected to enter southwest Kansas by 4 to 5 p.m. Severe weather is expected to stay west of U.S. 283 and become less severe to the east.There is a 40 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms in Hays beginning at approximately 7 p.m. More showers or thunderstorms are possible late Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms possible late today and early tonight across southwest Kansas. The main hazards will be strong gusty winds and up to nickel size hail. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/JXzBnjfZjT">pic.twitter.com/JXzBnjfZjT</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1519248965744562176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

Wednesday front could bring storms, hail into NW Kansas

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A semi-truck went off the road sometime this morning after 10 a.m. just east of the Yocemento exit on Interstate 70.

The semi left the roadway, went into the median and struck a guardrail in a construction zone. 

It did not appear anyone was injured in the accident. However, the official accident report has yet to be released.

Traffic on I-70 was temporarily rerouted around the accident, but all lanes are reopened now.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651076381470.jpeg" alt="Wreckers work to remove a semi-truck that crashed into a guardrail Wednesday morning on Interstate 70. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Wreckers work to remove a semi-truck that crashed into a guardrail Wednesday morning on Interstate 70. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA semi-truck went off the road sometime this morning after 10 a.m. just east of the Yocemento exit on Interstate 70. The semi left the roadway, went into the median and struck a guardrail in a construction zone. It did not appear anyone was injured in the accident. However, the official accident report has yet to be released.Traffic on I-70 was temporarily rerouted around the accident, but all lanes are reopened now.

Traffic temporarily rerouted on I-70 after truck accident

ELLIS COUNTY — A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper avoided serious injury after a semi failed to move over for him while he was performing a roadside safety inspection on another semi just before 9 a.m. Tuesday in Ellis County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Kenworth semi driven by Ricky L.&nbsp;Ferrell, 63, Valley Falls, was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of Ellis.

The driver failed to move left, crossed outside the fog line and struck a Kansas Highway Patrol 2020 Dodge Challenger,&nbsp; Trooper Shawn W. Summers, 48, Hays, and a 2020 Volvo semi. The Trooper was outside his vehicle conducting an inspection of the Volvo.

After impact, the Kenworth continued eastbound, traveled off the road through the KDOT fence and came to rest.

EMS transported Summers to Hays Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.

The driver of the Volvo semi identified as Khadija A.&nbsp; Qadri, 57, Fort Collins, Colo., who was outside the vehicle during the inspection and&nbsp;Ferrell were not injured.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651022527971.png" alt="Photos courtesy Trooper Tod Hileman-KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Trooper Tod Hileman-KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS COUNTY — A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper avoided serious injury after a semi failed to move over for him while he was performing a roadside safety inspection on another semi just before 9 a.m. Tuesday in Ellis County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2020 Kenworth semi driven by Ricky L.&nbsp;Ferrell, 63, Valley Falls, was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of Ellis.The driver failed to move left, crossed outside the fog line and struck a Kansas Highway Patrol 2020 Dodge Challenger,&nbsp; Trooper Shawn W. Summers, 48, Hays, and a 2020 Volvo semi. The Trooper was outside his vehicle conducting an inspection of the Volvo.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651022555288.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>After impact, the Kenworth continued eastbound, traveled off the road through the KDOT fence and came to rest.EMS transported Summers to Hays Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.The driver of the Volvo semi identified as Khadija A.&nbsp; Qadri, 57, Fort Collins, Colo., who was outside the vehicle during the inspection and&nbsp;Ferrell were not injured.

KHP trooper injured in crash during I-70 truck inspection

🎥🥎⚾️ Watch This Week's Tiger Talk

By CALLIE JONES <a href="https://www.journal-advocate.com/2022/04/26/lonnie-brungardt-named-superintendent-for-merino-school-district/">Sterling (Colo.) Journal-Advocate</a>

Lonnie Brungardt has been appointed to serve as the next 
superintendent of Buffalo RE-4J School District. The Merino (Colo.) School Board
 made the decision at a business meeting Monday in a 4-0 vote.

Brungardt, one of three finalists from a pool of five applicants, has
 been the principal for Merino Junior/Senior High School since July 
2007. Born and raised in Hays, he graduated from Fort Hays State 
University with a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in
 educational administration. Having served in education for 27 years, 
Brungardt believes his responsibility to the success of his building, 
district, students, and staff are his greatest calling.

“I feel like Mr. Brungardt shined through that process and I feel like he represents our community well, a lot of positives with his ties to the Merino community, how well he supports our children, experience with the military and with budgeting,” board member Kassidy Adamson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650991237516.png" alt="Brungardt" />
 <figcaption>Brungardt</figcaption>
 </figure>By CALLIE JONES <a href="https://www.journal-advocate.com/2022/04/26/lonnie-brungardt-named-superintendent-for-merino-school-district/">Sterling (Colo.) Journal-Advocate</a>Lonnie Brungardt has been appointed to serve as the next 
superintendent of Buffalo RE-4J School District. The Merino (Colo.) School Board
 made the decision at a business meeting Monday in a 4-0 vote.Brungardt, one of three finalists from a pool of five applicants, has
 been the principal for Merino Junior/Senior High School since July 
2007. Born and raised in Hays, he graduated from Fort Hays State 
University with a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in
 educational administration. Having served in education for 27 years, 
Brungardt believes his responsibility to the success of his building, 
district, students, and staff are his greatest calling.“I feel like Mr. Brungardt shined through that process and I feel like he represents our community well, a lot of positives with his ties to the Merino community, how well he supports our children, experience with the military and with budgeting,” board member Kassidy Adamson said.

Hays native named superintendent of Colo. school district

By TROY RUDA Thomas More Prep-Marian

The 2022 Auction for Christian Education is online now for preview. By clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hayscatholicschools.org/page/ace-2022">here</a>,&nbsp;you
 can preview all of the items for bid. Items 100 - 201 are available 
only for in-person bidding in the oral auction. All other items are 
available online only.

Live bidding begins at 9 a.m. Friday.&nbsp;All 
ticketed guests have been pre-registered and will only need to enter 
their phone number or email to log in. All other bidders are able to 
register beginning now.&nbsp;

Contact the alumni office at 785-650-4514 with questions or assistance with your online bidding or registration.

By TROY RUDA Thomas More Prep-MarianThe 2022 Auction for Christian Education is online now for preview. By clicking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hayscatholicschools.org/page/ace-2022">here</a>,&nbsp;you
 can preview all of the items for bid. Items 100 - 201 are available 
only for in-person bidding in the oral auction. All other items are 
available online only.Live bidding begins at 9 a.m. Friday.&nbsp;All 
ticketed guests have been pre-registered and will only need to enter 
their phone number or email to log in. All other bidders are able to 
register beginning now.&nbsp;Contact the alumni office at 785-650-4514 with questions or assistance with your online bidding or registration.

TMP-M's ACE auction set to open Friday

One of the buzzwords of late is “hack.” Now hack can mean something very bad, like your computer getting “hacked,” meaning someone has digitally broken into your information and now everyone&nbsp;in the township&nbsp;somehow&nbsp;knows the secret recipe for Aunt Agnes’s famous potato salad and Uncle Oscar’s deer jerky marinade, (even though they were both written on the inside of the kitchen cabinet door.)&nbsp;“Hack” can also mean a DIY shortcut of some sort, like how&nbsp;to use a roman candle to light the&nbsp;neighbor’s wheat stubble on fire without&nbsp;even&nbsp;leaving your yard.&nbsp;But I digress, so now on&nbsp;to some hunter hacks I found, and some hunter hacks of my own.

More has probably been written about different ways to start a campfire than about any other outdoor subject.&nbsp;

First&nbsp;off, no one in the crowd I hang with is gonna’ have need of a campfire except for rare camping trips with the family, then we’ll start our fires with those neat gizmos called&nbsp;matches and lighters. We all have Little Buddy propane heaters in our deer blinds, and none of us have the ambition to climb Mount Everest or do anything where emergency campfires might be needed.&nbsp;Never-the-less, I found hacks about&nbsp;using corn chips and crayons as fire starters.&nbsp;Sure,&nbsp;they work fine, but what self respecting hunter is going to waste good corn chips to start a fire.&nbsp;Eat the chips and light the empty bag, it works just as well. And as far as lighting crayons to start a campfire, once again it works great and they burn for a long time, but&nbsp;no hunter worth their jerky&nbsp;would dream of wasting a perfectly good crayon just to start a fire. They should be kept for things&nbsp;of greater importance&nbsp;like&nbsp;scribbling messages and phone numbers on the wall of your deer&nbsp;blind&nbsp;or for labeling packages&nbsp;of meat in&nbsp;the freezer so you can tell this year’s&nbsp;venison&nbsp;back strap from the muskrat meat kept for next year’s coyote bait.&nbsp;

Another interesting campfire starting hack I found involves&nbsp;dryer lint; it seems dryer&nbsp;lint&nbsp;burns very well and starts very easily. It can be stuffed into empty toilet paper tubes or merely carried in a Ziploc bag and used right from there. Now we’re talkin’, something we&nbsp;all&nbsp;can&nbsp;relate to. I mean who doesn’t save&nbsp;all their dryer&nbsp;lint and&nbsp;empty toilet paper tubes? Instead of emptying&nbsp;them into the recycle container and trash every couple years, make fire starters from them!&nbsp;But in all my trolling of the almighty internet I did not find one reference to the most trustworthy tried-and-true method of starting a campfire ever, even used by our Native American forefathers. From anywhere in&nbsp;Kansas,&nbsp;you would have to travel&nbsp;forever to deer hunt where there are no cattle nearby, SO LIGHT A&nbsp;DRY&nbsp;COW TURD.&nbsp;

The next most talked about topic in the outdoors, especially relating to survival, is how to build a shelter.&nbsp;Let me offer&nbsp;a hillbilly hack for building a shelter.&nbsp;All hillbilly outdoorsmen&nbsp;worth their pork rinds will have a serious collection of tarps, and what a better use for a tarp than an emergency shelter. Harbor Freight has them in all sizes and you can occasionally get a small one “free with any purchase,” so there’s absolutely no excuse for not having one to carry with you on all outdoor excursions. A word of caution here; it’s not in your best interest to remove the tarp covering the hole in your trailer house roof.&nbsp;Anyway,&nbsp;there are a variety of ways to deploy your tarp/shelter. If you’re fishing, I’m sure you’ll have dynamite with you, so&nbsp;merely drop a stick into a small hole you dig in the ground, light her up and you’ll soon have a nice cave that you can crawl into and cover with your tarp.&nbsp;

No friend of mine would be caught dead on a hunting or&nbsp;fishing trip without a menagerie of plastic&nbsp;five-gallon&nbsp;buckets, and the uses for them as hillbilly hunter hacks are endless.&nbsp;You can&nbsp;buy kits to turn one&nbsp;into a “luggable loo,” and even&nbsp;cut a notch lengthways in a pool noodle and snap it around the top for a&nbsp;soft seat while you heed nature’s call.&nbsp;Spray paint a few more&nbsp;buckets&nbsp;green, drill a&nbsp;small hole at the bottom&nbsp;and put them at the base of each “illegal pharmaceutical” plant you “just happened to find growing” along the river as a way to water those beauties.&nbsp;Five-gallon&nbsp;buckets make great hillbilly mouse traps&nbsp;too, for the deer blind or even the living room.&nbsp;

On each side of the bucket near the top, drill a hole big enough for a&nbsp;broom handle to slide through and fit loosely enough to spin. Fill the bucket with water or used motor oil (which I’m sure you will have by the barrel-full,) put a glob of peanut butter in the middle of the broom handle and&nbsp;viola; when a mouse walks the broom handle to get the peanut butter, it will spin and dump the&nbsp;little blighter into the slurry&nbsp;below. If you keep the TV volume low enough you can hear the splash and reward the cat with a live mouse.

I’m certain the list of hillbilly hacks, whether for hunting or not is endless, and I’ve probably just scratched the surface here. Maybe a book is in order, “Hillbilly Hunter Hacks for the Deer Blind, Boat and Living Room.” For all my loyal readers&nbsp;who want one, let me know and&nbsp;I’ll reserve you a signed copy.&nbsp;Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the buzzwords of late is “hack.” Now hack can mean something very bad, like your computer getting “hacked,” meaning someone has digitally broken into your information and now everyone&nbsp;in the township&nbsp;somehow&nbsp;knows the secret recipe for Aunt Agnes’s famous potato salad and Uncle Oscar’s deer jerky marinade, (even though they were both written on the inside of the kitchen cabinet door.)&nbsp;“Hack” can also mean a DIY shortcut of some sort, like how&nbsp;to use a roman candle to light the&nbsp;neighbor’s wheat stubble on fire without&nbsp;even&nbsp;leaving your yard.&nbsp;But I digress, so now on&nbsp;to some hunter hacks I found, and some hunter hacks of my own.More has probably been written about different ways to start a campfire than about any other outdoor subject.&nbsp;First&nbsp;off, no one in the crowd I hang with is gonna’ have need of a campfire except for rare camping trips with the family, then we’ll start our fires with those neat gizmos called&nbsp;matches and lighters. We all have Little Buddy propane heaters in our deer blinds, and none of us have the ambition to climb Mount Everest or do anything where emergency campfires might be needed.&nbsp;Never-the-less, I found hacks about&nbsp;using corn chips and crayons as fire starters.&nbsp;Sure,&nbsp;they work fine, but what self respecting hunter is going to waste good corn chips to start a fire.&nbsp;Eat the chips and light the empty bag, it works just as well. And as far as lighting crayons to start a campfire, once again it works great and they burn for a long time, but&nbsp;no hunter worth their jerky&nbsp;would dream of wasting a perfectly good crayon just to start a fire. They should be kept for things&nbsp;of greater importance&nbsp;like&nbsp;scribbling messages and phone numbers on the wall of your deer&nbsp;blind&nbsp;or for labeling packages&nbsp;of meat in&nbsp;the freezer so you can tell this year’s&nbsp;venison&nbsp;back strap from the muskrat meat kept for next year’s coyote bait.&nbsp;Another interesting campfire starting hack I found involves&nbsp;dryer lint; it seems dryer&nbsp;lint&nbsp;burns very well and starts very easily. It can be stuffed into empty toilet paper tubes or merely carried in a Ziploc bag and used right from there. Now we’re talkin’, something we&nbsp;all&nbsp;can&nbsp;relate to. I mean who doesn’t save&nbsp;all their dryer&nbsp;lint and&nbsp;empty toilet paper tubes? Instead of emptying&nbsp;them into the recycle container and trash every couple years, make fire starters from them!&nbsp;But in all my trolling of the almighty internet I did not find one reference to the most trustworthy tried-and-true method of starting a campfire ever, even used by our Native American forefathers. From anywhere in&nbsp;Kansas,&nbsp;you would have to travel&nbsp;forever to deer hunt where there are no cattle nearby, SO LIGHT A&nbsp;DRY&nbsp;COW TURD.&nbsp;The next most talked about topic in the outdoors, especially relating to survival, is how to build a shelter.&nbsp;Let me offer&nbsp;a hillbilly hack for building a shelter.&nbsp;All hillbilly outdoorsmen&nbsp;worth their pork rinds will have a serious collection of tarps, and what a better use for a tarp than an emergency shelter. Harbor Freight has them in all sizes and you can occasionally get a small one “free with any purchase,” so there’s absolutely no excuse for not having one to carry with you on all outdoor excursions. A word of caution here; it’s not in your best interest to remove the tarp covering the hole in your trailer house roof.&nbsp;Anyway,&nbsp;there are a variety of ways to deploy your tarp/shelter. If you’re fishing, I’m sure you’ll have dynamite with you, so&nbsp;merely drop a stick into a small hole you dig in the ground, light her up and you’ll soon have a nice cave that you can crawl into and cover with your tarp.&nbsp;No friend of mine would be caught dead on a hunting or&nbsp;fishing trip without a menagerie of plastic&nbsp;five-gallon&nbsp;buckets, and the uses for them as hillbilly hunter hacks are endless.&nbsp;You can&nbsp;buy kits to turn one&nbsp;into a “luggable loo,” and even&nbsp;cut a notch lengthways in a pool noodle and snap it around the top for a&nbsp;soft seat while you heed nature’s call.&nbsp;Spray paint a few more&nbsp;buckets&nbsp;green, drill a&nbsp;small hole at the bottom&nbsp;and put them at the base of each “illegal pharmaceutical” plant you “just happened to find growing” along the river as a way to water those beauties.&nbsp;Five-gallon&nbsp;buckets make great hillbilly mouse traps&nbsp;too, for the deer blind or even the living room.&nbsp;On each side of the bucket near the top, drill a hole big enough for a&nbsp;broom handle to slide through and fit loosely enough to spin. Fill the bucket with water or used motor oil (which I’m sure you will have by the barrel-full,) put a glob of peanut butter in the middle of the broom handle and&nbsp;viola; when a mouse walks the broom handle to get the peanut butter, it will spin and dump the&nbsp;little blighter into the slurry&nbsp;below. If you keep the TV volume low enough you can hear the splash and reward the cat with a live mouse.I’m certain the list of hillbilly hacks, whether for hunting or not is endless, and I’ve probably just scratched the surface here. Maybe a book is in order, “Hillbilly Hunter Hacks for the Deer Blind, Boat and Living Room.” For all my loyal readers&nbsp;who want one, let me know and&nbsp;I’ll reserve you a signed copy.&nbsp;Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoor Kansas: Hillbilly hunter hacks

By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau County Farm Bureaus across Kansas marked Earth Day last week in classrooms, farm fields, fairgrounds, pastures, recycling centers and other assorted locations across the state. They helped schoolchildren understand that growing food and caring for natural resources go hand in hand. &nbsp; Though they may not label themselves environmentalists, farmers and ranchers are some of the finest ecologist, preservationists and conservationists in the world. While we’re all dependent on the earth, we don’t all get the close-up experience of what Mother Nature has to offer like agriculturists do day in and day out. Certainly, there are those who disagree with my belief that farmers and ranchers are dedicated caretakers of our natural resources. You know the type. They make dire claims about the future of our planet and point to modern agriculture as a significant culprit in a bleaker tomorrow. I’ll go ahead and put my cards on the table for why I believe they’re wrong even though I buy the premise that our atmosphere is warming and human activity is contributing to that phenomenon. Where we differ is I don’t believe it’s necessary to discard the progress we’ve made since the industrial revolution based on the projection of what the planet could maybe, potentially look like decades in the future. “Washington Post” columnist Sunny Bunch once observed that well-meaning but overly enthusiastic eco-activists are easy marks for caricature on the basis their beliefs are genuine. “Environmentalists make a useful villain because their malevolence can be obscured by a patina of reasonableness,” he wrote. “Global warming and other manmade problems are going to end the world if we don’t do something — so just about anything is justified! But their villainy resonates with the masses because they actually do want to make life worse for people, for the most part.” For the “villains,” obvious sources of carbon dioxide or methane like transportation, electrical generation and agriculture should be severely limited if not eliminated to preserve the future. Do you fly or drive? Stop that! Do you enjoy stepping into an air conditioned building on a warm, humid day? Don’t! Do you enjoy consuming beef, pork, chicken and other animal proteins? You should move to a plant-based diet or consider these wonderful recipes featuring bugs! While I admire their sincerity and believe their proposed solution would work in theory, it has failed in reality. Changing human behavior is hard to do even when it results in a positive outcome relatively quickly, like quitting smoking or a consistent exercise program. Convincing people to give up conveniences today for some vague improvement decades down the line is impossible. Like with so many other things in life, the answer isn’t strict prohibition of desirable activities that also come with negative side effects. The solution isn’t to get rid of the desirable activities, it’s to address the side effects. One of the best examples in recent history of successfully achieving this is the reduction of atmospheric sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide by 93 percent and 87 percent, respectively. This year’s Earth Day slogan was “Invest in Our Planet,” and that’s exactly the course we should be on. There’s not one technology that will reverse the side effects of the past two-plus centuries of progress. Instead, it will be a combination of ideas, both new and old, that will preserve our planet. Investing in earth is a lot like farming. The little steps we take today won’t show up tomorrow, next week or even next month. But to have a fruitful harvest, those initial steps are a requirement, even if our planet-level growing season is measured in decades and centuries rather than from planting to harvest.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574694551876.png" alt="Greg Doering&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Greg Doering&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau County Farm Bureaus across Kansas marked Earth Day last week in classrooms, farm fields, fairgrounds, pastures, recycling centers and other assorted locations across the state. They helped schoolchildren understand that growing food and caring for natural resources go hand in hand. &nbsp; Though they may not label themselves environmentalists, farmers and ranchers are some of the finest ecologist, preservationists and conservationists in the world. While we’re all dependent on the earth, we don’t all get the close-up experience of what Mother Nature has to offer like agriculturists do day in and day out. Certainly, there are those who disagree with my belief that farmers and ranchers are dedicated caretakers of our natural resources. You know the type. They make dire claims about the future of our planet and point to modern agriculture as a significant culprit in a bleaker tomorrow. I’ll go ahead and put my cards on the table for why I believe they’re wrong even though I buy the premise that our atmosphere is warming and human activity is contributing to that phenomenon. Where we differ is I don’t believe it’s necessary to discard the progress we’ve made since the industrial revolution based on the projection of what the planet could maybe, potentially look like decades in the future. “Washington Post” columnist Sunny Bunch once observed that well-meaning but overly enthusiastic eco-activists are easy marks for caricature on the basis their beliefs are genuine. “Environmentalists make a useful villain because their malevolence can be obscured by a patina of reasonableness,” he wrote. “Global warming and other manmade problems are going to end the world if we don’t do something — so just about anything is justified! But their villainy resonates with the masses because they actually do want to make life worse for people, for the most part.” For the “villains,” obvious sources of carbon dioxide or methane like transportation, electrical generation and agriculture should be severely limited if not eliminated to preserve the future. Do you fly or drive? Stop that! Do you enjoy stepping into an air conditioned building on a warm, humid day? Don’t! Do you enjoy consuming beef, pork, chicken and other animal proteins? You should move to a plant-based diet or consider these wonderful recipes featuring bugs! While I admire their sincerity and believe their proposed solution would work in theory, it has failed in reality. Changing human behavior is hard to do even when it results in a positive outcome relatively quickly, like quitting smoking or a consistent exercise program. Convincing people to give up conveniences today for some vague improvement decades down the line is impossible. Like with so many other things in life, the answer isn’t strict prohibition of desirable activities that also come with negative side effects. The solution isn’t to get rid of the desirable activities, it’s to address the side effects. One of the best examples in recent history of successfully achieving this is the reduction of atmospheric sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide by 93 percent and 87 percent, respectively. This year’s Earth Day slogan was “Invest in Our Planet,” and that’s exactly the course we should be on. There’s not one technology that will reverse the side effects of the past two-plus centuries of progress. Instead, it will be a combination of ideas, both new and old, that will preserve our planet. Investing in earth is a lot like farming. The little steps we take today won’t show up tomorrow, next week or even next month. But to have a fruitful harvest, those initial steps are a requirement, even if our planet-level growing season is measured in decades and centuries rather than from planting to harvest."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Investing in earth

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650995299503.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast click here.</a>

DW Home Improvement is looking for the next qualified individual to join their team.

If you’ve ever wanted to be a part of the home remodeling industry or are just looking for a change, give Dustin Wegele a call at (785) 787-0900 or email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dwhomeimprovement@outlook.com" target="_blank">dwhomeimprovement@outlook.com</a>.

DW Home Improvement is a locally owned and operated company that values honesty and integrity and specializes in a variety of home improvement needs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650485111959.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DW Home Improvement is looking for the next qualified individual to join their team. If you’ve ever wanted to be a part of the home remodeling industry or are just looking for a change, give Dustin Wegele a call at (785) 787-0900 or email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dwhomeimprovement@outlook.com" target="_blank">dwhomeimprovement@outlook.com</a>.DW Home Improvement is a locally owned and operated company that values honesty and integrity and specializes in a variety of home improvement needs.

LETTER: Potential department merge at FHSU raises questions

CHEYENNE COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 11a.m. Tuesday in Cheyenne County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Kia passenger vehicle driven by Leslie S. Reneau, 71, Laird, Colorado, was northbound on Kansas 27 twelve miles north of St. Francis.

The vehicle's passenger side tires went off the roadway to the right. The driver overcorrected and the KIA traveled off the roadway to the left. The driver overcorrected again and the vehicle rolled into the west ditch.

EMS transported Reneau to the hospital in St. Francis. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

CHEYENNE COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 11a.m. Tuesday in Cheyenne County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Kia passenger vehicle driven by Leslie S. Reneau, 71, Laird, Colorado, was northbound on Kansas 27 twelve miles north of St. Francis.The vehicle's passenger side tires went off the roadway to the right. The driver overcorrected and the KIA traveled off the roadway to the left. The driver overcorrected again and the vehicle rolled into the west ditch.EMS transported Reneau to the hospital in St. Francis. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Woman hospitalized after NW Kansas rollover accident

The Ellis County Historical Society is gearing up for an
exciting year and they need you to make it happen. 

In a time when many are asking for money, ECHS is asking for
your time. Whether you have a few spare hours or want to help on a regular
basis, there is something for everyone. 

ECHS is kicking off the summer with a volunteer drive on
Thursday, April 28th in the Stone Church at 100 W 7th in Hays. Come and go from
6:00 to 8:00 pm and get a peek behind the scenes of ECHS, learn about the
upcoming projects, and ask all those burning questions. 

There is no obligation to volunteer but ECHS needs your
talents to make their dreams come true. All skill sets are needed from clerical
to manual labor. 

They will need a volunteer army to tackle the challenges of
“Saving Our Past’s Future.” 

Please consider giving your time and talent to ECHS.&nbsp; Contact ECHS at 785-628-2624 or at
director@echshays.org if you have any questions. Hope to see you on April 28th.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651002869453.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe Ellis County Historical Society is gearing up for an
exciting year and they need you to make it happen. In a time when many are asking for money, ECHS is asking for
your time. Whether you have a few spare hours or want to help on a regular
basis, there is something for everyone. ECHS is kicking off the summer with a volunteer drive on
Thursday, April 28th in the Stone Church at 100 W 7th in Hays. Come and go from
6:00 to 8:00 pm and get a peek behind the scenes of ECHS, learn about the
upcoming projects, and ask all those burning questions. There is no obligation to volunteer but ECHS needs your
talents to make their dreams come true. All skill sets are needed from clerical
to manual labor. They will need a volunteer army to tackle the challenges of
“Saving Our Past’s Future.” Please consider giving your time and talent to ECHS.&nbsp; Contact ECHS at 785-628-2624 or at
director@echshays.org if you have any questions. Hope to see you on April 28th.

Ellis County Historical Society hosting volunteer open house

Three Fort Hays State University students will be honored during the Department of Economics, Finance, and Accounting graduate dinner on May 3.

Two students will receive Student-of-the-Year awards for the 2021-22 school year in person. The third student lives in Spain, so a formal presentation cannot be scheduled. However, he will be recognized at the dinner.

The Accounting Student of the Year is Tatum Kimzey. She graduated in December 2021&nbsp;with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in accounting and a concentration in public accounting. She is from Catharine and has been employed by Adams Brown Strategic Allies and CPAs in Hays since January.

The Finance Student of the Year is Logan Lix. He will graduate in May&nbsp;with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in finance and a concentration in banking. He is from Wright.

The International Business and Economics student of the year is Pol van Riet Miranda. He will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in international business and economics. He is from Naples, N.Y., and is currently living in Barcelona, Spain.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650901423689.jpeg" alt="From left: Tatum Kimzey, Logan Lix, and Pol van Riet Miranda." />
 <figcaption>From left: Tatum Kimzey, Logan Lix, and Pol van Riet Miranda.</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsThree Fort Hays State University students will be honored during the Department of Economics, Finance, and Accounting graduate dinner on May 3.Two students will receive Student-of-the-Year awards for the 2021-22 school year in person. The third student lives in Spain, so a formal presentation cannot be scheduled. However, he will be recognized at the dinner.The Accounting Student of the Year is Tatum Kimzey. She graduated in December 2021&nbsp;with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in accounting and a concentration in public accounting. She is from Catharine and has been employed by Adams Brown Strategic Allies and CPAs in Hays since January.The Finance Student of the Year is Logan Lix. He will graduate in May&nbsp;with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in finance and a concentration in banking. He is from Wright.The International Business and Economics student of the year is Pol van Riet Miranda. He will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in international business and economics. He is from Naples, N.Y., and is currently living in Barcelona, Spain.

FHSU honors economics, finance and accounting students of the year

BUNKER HILL — "Doctors on Call," a local production of Smoky Hills PBS, will feature therapists Dayna Hauschild and Beth Christians with High Plains Mental Health.&nbsp; This episode will air at 7 p.m. Tuesday and will focus on trauma.

"Doctors on Call" is a program that provides medical information on a variety of different topics. Medical professionals from throughout the state travel to Bunker Hill to provide information and answer questions from the viewing audience. The doctors selected each week have expertise in the topic chosen for that program.&nbsp; Questions can be called in during the show or emailed prior to the broadcast.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To submit questions electronically on a specific topic, viewers can send an email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:doctors@shptv.org">doctors@shptv.org</a>. Questions submitted through email must be received by noon on the day of the show. During the program, viewers can call I-800-337-4788.&nbsp;

Smoky Hills PBSBUNKER HILL — "Doctors on Call," a local production of Smoky Hills PBS, will feature therapists Dayna Hauschild and Beth Christians with High Plains Mental Health.&nbsp; This episode will air at 7 p.m. Tuesday and will focus on trauma."Doctors on Call" is a program that provides medical information on a variety of different topics. Medical professionals from throughout the state travel to Bunker Hill to provide information and answer questions from the viewing audience. The doctors selected each week have expertise in the topic chosen for that program.&nbsp; Questions can be called in during the show or emailed prior to the broadcast.&nbsp;&nbsp;To submit questions electronically on a specific topic, viewers can send an email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:doctors@shptv.org">doctors@shptv.org</a>. Questions submitted through email must be received by noon on the day of the show. During the program, viewers can call I-800-337-4788.&nbsp;

'Doctors on Call' episode will focus on mental health

Hays High and the Hays High Booster Club is looking forward to hosting the 2022 KU Barnstorming Tour.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tickets will be available soon only at the following link:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.barnstormingtour.com/">http://www.barnstormingtour.com/</a>

<a href="http://www.barnstormingtour.com/"></a>Tickets are not sold by Hays High or at the gate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650986689888.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays High and the Hays High Booster Club is looking forward to hosting the 2022 KU Barnstorming Tour.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tickets will be available soon only at the following link:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.barnstormingtour.com/">http://www.barnstormingtour.com/</a><a href="http://www.barnstormingtour.com/"></a>Tickets are not sold by Hays High or at the gate.

🎥 Dry weather provides chance to clean, compact farm ponds 

Crude prices tumbled six percent on Monday, with fresh demand fears blamed on the fresh outbreak of the COVID virus in China. After losing nearly two dollars a barrel on Friday, crude prices on Monday dropped to their lowest level in ten days. By lunchtime Monday, prices were down six percent with WTI fetching just over $96 a barrel and London Brent trading just over $100. On Friday, Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped nearly two dollars and starts the week at $92.25 per barrel. Gasoline prices are rising again. According to the auto club Triple-A, demand is ticking back up in areas where pump prices are below four dollars. The national average price for a gallon of regular rose to $4.12, up four cents from a week ago, down 12 cents from a month ago, and up about $1.25 per gallon over a year ago. Kansas prices were up as well, rising 11 cents a gallon on the week to average $3.77 a gallon. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports a spike in Kansas drilling activity, with new spudded wells more than doubling in a week to 368 wells, up 92% year over year. They're scouting 344 wells in various stages of drilling and completion, more than double the tally from a year ago. Operators completed 29 wells last week in western Kansas, including one in Ellis County and three in Stafford County. Kansas regulators approved 31 new drilling permits across Kansas last week, 20 of them west of Wichita, and 11 in Western Kansas. The weekly rig count is down one rig in eastern Kansas at 19, and up one rig to 30 in the western half of the state. It's been busy in Barton County, with drillers continuing work on one lease and reaching total depth on ten more. Operators were about to spud new wells in Barton and Stafford counties.&nbsp; The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes reached 695 active rigs Friday, up one oil rig and up one seeking natural gas. The count in North Dakota was up two rigs. The government reported an 8-million barrel dip in US crude-oil inventories last week. The Energy Information Administration says stockpiles as of April 15th dropped to 413.7 million barrels. That's about 15% below the five-year seasonal average. Gasoline stockpiles dropped by800,000 barrels, and are about three percent below the five-year average for this time of year. US operators increased production last week by 85,000 barrels per day to just over 11.9 million barrels per day. EIA reports output is more than 900,000 barrels per day ahead of the tally last year at this time. U.S. crude oil imports averaged 5.8 million barrels per day last week, down by 159,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 6.1 million barrels per day, 3.1% more than the same four-week period last year.&nbsp; US Oil-by-rail shipments last week dipped by more than 853 carloads. The Association of American Railroads reports 8,466 tankers shipping petroleum and petroleum products in the week through April 16th. That's down nearly 22% from a year ago. Canadian traffic dropped slightly from the week before, but rail shipments of Canadian crude are up 14% from a year ago. Oil and gas companies already have millions of acres public lands under lease and thousands of unused permits that can be used for production. The Bureau of Land Management’s deputy director of policy and programs said that the agency has about 25 million acres under lease for oil and gas development nationwide, and only about half of that is in production. The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel newspaper says Colorado has about 2.4 million acres under lease, with production on 1.5 million acres. Authorities in New Mexico continue their crackdown on pollution in the oil patch, now boasting the toughest emissions rules in the nation. The nation's number-two crude producer had already placed dramatic limits on venting and flaring natural gas at production sites. The latest effort focuses on oilfield equipment shown to emit volatile organic compounds and other pollutants. The new law requires producers to calculate and certify their emissions, and to find and fix leaks on a regular basis. The rule would apply to compressors, turbines, heaters and other pneumatic devices used at production sites.&nbsp; Regulators in the number three crude-producing state reported a slight increase in output in February. The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources reports average daily output increased by about 500 barrels per day to 1.089 million barrels per day. The state improved its gas-capture rate to 94%, flaring or venting only six percent of the natural gas produced at its oil wells. Plans are once again moving forward on North Dakota's first major oil pipeline in five years, which was delayed by the pandemic. A hearing on the needed state permits is set next month for Bridger Pipeline's 145-mile South Bend Pipeline. The Bismarck Tribune reports that by the end of the year, the company hopes to move 105,000 barrels per day to its pipeline hub in eastern Montana. China's largest offshore oil producer CNOOC went public in Shanghai last week, after being delisted in the US for its ties to the military. In that country's 11th largest public offering ever, share prices jumped as much as 44% before ending the day 27% higher. The company raised $4.4 billion in the offering.

By JOHN P. TRETBARCrude prices tumbled six percent on Monday, with fresh demand fears blamed on the fresh outbreak of the COVID virus in China. After losing nearly two dollars a barrel on Friday, crude prices on Monday dropped to their lowest level in ten days. By lunchtime Monday, prices were down six percent with WTI fetching just over $96 a barrel and London Brent trading just over $100. On Friday, Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped nearly two dollars and starts the week at $92.25 per barrel. Gasoline prices are rising again. According to the auto club Triple-A, demand is ticking back up in areas where pump prices are below four dollars. The national average price for a gallon of regular rose to $4.12, up four cents from a week ago, down 12 cents from a month ago, and up about $1.25 per gallon over a year ago. Kansas prices were up as well, rising 11 cents a gallon on the week to average $3.77 a gallon. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports a spike in Kansas drilling activity, with new spudded wells more than doubling in a week to 368 wells, up 92% year over year. They're scouting 344 wells in various stages of drilling and completion, more than double the tally from a year ago. Operators completed 29 wells last week in western Kansas, including one in Ellis County and three in Stafford County. Kansas regulators approved 31 new drilling permits across Kansas last week, 20 of them west of Wichita, and 11 in Western Kansas. The weekly rig count is down one rig in eastern Kansas at 19, and up one rig to 30 in the western half of the state. It's been busy in Barton County, with drillers continuing work on one lease and reaching total depth on ten more. Operators were about to spud new wells in Barton and Stafford counties.&nbsp; The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes reached 695 active rigs Friday, up one oil rig and up one seeking natural gas. The count in North Dakota was up two rigs. The government reported an 8-million barrel dip in US crude-oil inventories last week. The Energy Information Administration says stockpiles as of April 15th dropped to 413.7 million barrels. That's about 15% below the five-year seasonal average. Gasoline stockpiles dropped by800,000 barrels, and are about three percent below the five-year average for this time of year. US operators increased production last week by 85,000 barrels per day to just over 11.9 million barrels per day. EIA reports output is more than 900,000 barrels per day ahead of the tally last year at this time. U.S. crude oil imports averaged 5.8 million barrels per day last week, down by 159,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 6.1 million barrels per day, 3.1% more than the same four-week period last year.&nbsp; US Oil-by-rail shipments last week dipped by more than 853 carloads. The Association of American Railroads reports 8,466 tankers shipping petroleum and petroleum products in the week through April 16th. That's down nearly 22% from a year ago. Canadian traffic dropped slightly from the week before, but rail shipments of Canadian crude are up 14% from a year ago. Oil and gas companies already have millions of acres public lands under lease and thousands of unused permits that can be used for production. The Bureau of Land Management’s deputy director of policy and programs said that the agency has about 25 million acres under lease for oil and gas development nationwide, and only about half of that is in production. The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel newspaper says Colorado has about 2.4 million acres under lease, with production on 1.5 million acres. Authorities in New Mexico continue their crackdown on pollution in the oil patch, now boasting the toughest emissions rules in the nation. The nation's number-two crude producer had already placed dramatic limits on venting and flaring natural gas at production sites. The latest effort focuses on oilfield equipment shown to emit volatile organic compounds and other pollutants. The new law requires producers to calculate and certify their emissions, and to find and fix leaks on a regular basis. The rule would apply to compressors, turbines, heaters and other pneumatic devices used at production sites.&nbsp; Regulators in the number three crude-producing state reported a slight increase in output in February. The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources reports average daily output increased by about 500 barrels per day to 1.089 million barrels per day. The state improved its gas-capture rate to 94%, flaring or venting only six percent of the natural gas produced at its oil wells. Plans are once again moving forward on North Dakota's first major oil pipeline in five years, which was delayed by the pandemic. A hearing on the needed state permits is set next month for Bridger Pipeline's 145-mile South Bend Pipeline. The Bismarck Tribune reports that by the end of the year, the company hopes to move 105,000 barrels per day to its pipeline hub in eastern Montana. China's largest offshore oil producer CNOOC went public in Shanghai last week, after being delisted in the US for its ties to the military. In that country's 11th largest public offering ever, share prices jumped as much as 44% before ending the day 27% higher. The company raised $4.4 billion in the offering.

Local