By DALE YOUNKER Natural Resources Conservation Service

With fall harvest beginning in many parts of the state now is the time to think about planting a cover crop after your fall crop is harvested.

A cover crop can provide many soil health benefits. This includes building organic matter, improve water infiltration, increase nutrient cycling, and improve soil water holding capacity. A cover crop can also provide excellent weed suppression and a fair amount of livestock forage through the winter and spring if planted timely.

The species you use in the mix will depend on what you are trying to accomplish. If you have some compaction issues deep tap rooted plants like radishes and turnips are a good choice. Winter cereal grains like triticale, barley, wheat, and rye can help build organic matter and increase water holding capacity in the soil.

A combination of deep-rooted and fibrous rooted plants can be used to increase water infiltration. Decaying tap roots provide direct channels for water to infiltrate into the soil. 

Fibrous rooted plants help feed the soil microbes. These bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms produce the organic glues that help bind the individual soil particles of sand, silt and clay into larger soil aggregates. This provides more pore space in the soil where water can enter the soil when it rains.

For grazing you will want to have a mix that is wheat, barley, triticale, or rye. Mixes that are heavy with these species are also good for weed suppression since they cover and shade the ground quickly and compete well with weeds.

It is best to get the cover crop planted as soon as possible after the cash crop is harvested. This will give the cover crop time to get established and get some growth before it gets to cold. If the cover crop can’t be planted prior to November 1st it may be better to delay the planting until the next spring.

Always consider the economics of planting a cover crop. There is no reason to plant a $30.00 - $40.00 mix when one that cost $15.00 will do the job. Wheat may be a good choice since it is readily available and reasonably priced in comparison to other species.

For more information about this or other soil health practices you can contact me at dale.younker@usda.gov or any local NRCS office.

Dale Younker is a soil health specialist with the&nbsp; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Jetmore.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628525048992.jpeg" alt="Dale Younker&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dale Younker&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By DALE YOUNKER Natural Resources Conservation ServiceWith fall harvest beginning in many parts of the state now is the time to think about planting a cover crop after your fall crop is harvested. A cover crop can provide many soil health benefits. This includes building organic matter, improve water infiltration, increase nutrient cycling, and improve soil water holding capacity. A cover crop can also provide excellent weed suppression and a fair amount of livestock forage through the winter and spring if planted timely.The species you use in the mix will depend on what you are trying to accomplish. If you have some compaction issues deep tap rooted plants like radishes and turnips are a good choice. Winter cereal grains like triticale, barley, wheat, and rye can help build organic matter and increase water holding capacity in the soil.A combination of deep-rooted and fibrous rooted plants can be used to increase water infiltration. Decaying tap roots provide direct channels for water to infiltrate into the soil. Fibrous rooted plants help feed the soil microbes. These bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms produce the organic glues that help bind the individual soil particles of sand, silt and clay into larger soil aggregates. This provides more pore space in the soil where water can enter the soil when it rains.For grazing you will want to have a mix that is wheat, barley, triticale, or rye. Mixes that are heavy with these species are also good for weed suppression since they cover and shade the ground quickly and compete well with weeds.It is best to get the cover crop planted as soon as possible after the cash crop is harvested. This will give the cover crop time to get established and get some growth before it gets to cold. If the cover crop can’t be planted prior to November 1st it may be better to delay the planting until the next spring.Always consider the economics of planting a cover crop. There is no reason to plant a $30.00 - $40.00 mix when one that cost $15.00 will do the job. Wheat may be a good choice since it is readily available and reasonably priced in comparison to other species.For more information about this or other soil health practices you can contact me at dale.younker@usda.gov or any local NRCS office.Dale Younker is a soil health specialist with the&nbsp; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Jetmore.

YOUNKER: Fall cover crop options 

MUNJOR - Part of Munjor Water District customers on 280th Ave will have the water turned off for maintenance&nbsp;repairs around 11:00 a.m.&nbsp;

For questions, call&nbsp;Colleen Nieman, Munjor Water District, at 785-737-6180.&nbsp;&nbsp;

SubmittedMUNJOR - Part of Munjor Water District customers on 280th Ave will have the water turned off for maintenance&nbsp;repairs around 11:00 a.m.&nbsp; For questions, call&nbsp;Colleen Nieman, Munjor Water District, at 785-737-6180.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Water off today for some Munjor Water District customers 

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Hays USD 489 is trying to fill open staff positions, and the empty positions are putting a strain on the district's existing staff, Superintendent Ron Wilson said Tuesday.

The district had a job fair last week looking for substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, teachers' aides, bus drivers, cooks and custodians.&nbsp;

"We are bare-bones," Wilson said. "We are actually not full on custodians and cooks."

Most of the jobs the district needs to fill are part-time positions that do not have benefits.

When a para gets sick or has to be quarantined, the shortage of paras means children have to go without that support.

"It affects kids and what they are able to achieve," Wilson said.

A shortage of substitute teachers means staff members have to be pulled from planning periods and other positions or classrooms combined.

"We always figure out how to make it work," he said. "We continue as is with less. I think where the detrimental effect is that it drains people because we are asking people to take on more."

Wilson said the school district is facing the same worker shortage many other businesses in the region are facing. He said those shortages could be in part due to COVID, but he said there are also likely other contributing factors.

As restaurants increase pay to try to retain and hire employees, the district has struggled to hire and retain kitchen staff. The district increased classified staff wages last year, but Wilson said the district may have to look at wages again, especially for food workers.

Wilson said the district had a good turnout for its job fair last week and a good number of applicants.&nbsp;

However, substitute teachers have to go through several steps to qualify for a substitute license.&nbsp;

To qualify for an emergency substitute license, you must have completed 60 hours of college, pass a background check and have no felonies on your record.

The district's rate for substitute teachers is $110 per day.&nbsp;

Anyone interested in applying for a <a href="https://www.usd489.com/">job with USD 489 can do so online</a> or call the district office at 785-623-2400.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631051879788.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHays USD 489 is trying to fill open staff positions, and the empty positions are putting a strain on the district's existing staff, Superintendent Ron Wilson said Tuesday.The district had a job fair last week looking for substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, teachers' aides, bus drivers, cooks and custodians.&nbsp;"We are bare-bones," Wilson said. "We are actually not full on custodians and cooks."Most of the jobs the district needs to fill are part-time positions that do not have benefits.When a para gets sick or has to be quarantined, the shortage of paras means children have to go without that support."It affects kids and what they are able to achieve," Wilson said.A shortage of substitute teachers means staff members have to be pulled from planning periods and other positions or classrooms combined."We always figure out how to make it work," he said. "We continue as is with less. I think where the detrimental effect is that it drains people because we are asking people to take on more."Wilson said the school district is facing the same worker shortage many other businesses in the region are facing. He said those shortages could be in part due to COVID, but he said there are also likely other contributing factors.As restaurants increase pay to try to retain and hire employees, the district has struggled to hire and retain kitchen staff. The district increased classified staff wages last year, but Wilson said the district may have to look at wages again, especially for food workers.Wilson said the district had a good turnout for its job fair last week and a good number of applicants.&nbsp;However, substitute teachers have to go through several steps to qualify for a substitute license.&nbsp;To qualify for an emergency substitute license, you must have completed 60 hours of college, pass a background check and have no felonies on your record.The district's rate for substitute teachers is $110 per day.&nbsp;Anyone interested in applying for a <a href="https://www.usd489.com/">job with USD 489 can do so online</a> or call the district office at 785-623-2400.

Hays USD 489 facing worker shortage

The FHSU Tiger Fitness Center will be hosting a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb and Walk. The goal is to host a memorial event of what happened 20 years ago.

Cover image courtesy&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/users/12019-12019/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=100720">David Mark</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=100720">Pixabay</a>

SubmittedThe FHSU Tiger Fitness Center will be hosting a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb and Walk. The goal is to host a memorial event of what happened 20 years ago.<ul>
 <li>The firefighters on 9/11 climbed 110 flights of stairs to reach victims. Participants can climb the same number of stairs in remembrance, can walk the same distance, have a combination of the two or participate at their own level in remembrance of all the lives lost and impacted on that day.</li><li>Individuals are able to choose what they want to do for the event, no obligation on stairs or walking or how far either.</li><li>Free of charge</li><li>Lewis Field</li><li>Saturday, September 11</li><li>Registration and waiver release at 7:10</li><li>Online Pre-register at:&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCM94cE8-K48W8m_3kdK-e-1UAh880VzeJbvkynyJmyX4K3A/viewform">https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCM94cE8-K48W8m_3kdK-e-1UAh880VzeJbvkynyJmyX4K3A/viewform</a></li><li>Event starts at 7:46 a.m., the time the first plane hit the World Trade Center</li>
 </ul>Cover image courtesy&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/users/12019-12019/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=100720">David Mark</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=100720">Pixabay</a>

9/11 Memorial Stair Climb and Walk set for Lewis Field

The College Board Release

Congratulations
to Thomas More Prep-Marian High School senior Julia Meitner, who was named as a
2022 National Hispanic Scholar by The College Board. Meitner also was named as
a 2022 National Rural and Small Town Recognition Scholar by The College Board.

Each year, the
National Hispanic Recognition Program recognizes between 5,000 and 7,000
academically outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students nationwide who
excelled on the PSAT administered during their junior year and scored in the
top 2% of more than 400,000 eligible students. Honorees must meet a regional
standard score, have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and be of at least
one-quarter Hispanic or Latino descent. The minimum required PSAT cutoff score varies
by state, region, and territory each year.

The National Rural
and Small Town Recognition Program recognizes students for the same PSAT score
criteria and GPA academic performance, but also recognizes the student’s
community and school size. 

As a National
Hispanic Scholar and Rural and Small Town Recognition Program Scholar, The
College Board will help make it easier for winners to connect directly to
colleges across the country with scholarship opportunities. The board will help
colleges see the range of their talents and interests by sharing their
achievements. 

“You have
accomplished these milestones in the face of an immensely demanding year — one
of disruption, challenge, missed milestones and loss,” said David Coleman,
chief executive of The College Board in a letter to Meitner. “In a year of hardship,
you demonstrated resilience and an unwavering commitment to owning your future.
You have put in the effort and your future is bright. I couldn’t be more delighted
to share this great news,” he continued. 

In addition to the
national recognition honor, Meitner is a member of several organizations at
TMP-Marian, including Key Club, co-editor of the yearbook, stage manager of
theatrical performances, Monarch Music, and Spanish Club. She plans to study
engineering in college.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631040703349.jpeg" alt="Julia Meitner" />
 <figcaption>Julia Meitner</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy Thomas More Prep-Marian
 The College Board Release
 Congratulations
to Thomas More Prep-Marian High School senior Julia Meitner, who was named as a
2022 National Hispanic Scholar by The College Board. Meitner also was named as
a 2022 National Rural and Small Town Recognition Scholar by The College Board.Each year, the
National Hispanic Recognition Program recognizes between 5,000 and 7,000
academically outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students nationwide who
excelled on the PSAT administered during their junior year and scored in the
top 2% of more than 400,000 eligible students. Honorees must meet a regional
standard score, have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and be of at least
one-quarter Hispanic or Latino descent. The minimum required PSAT cutoff score varies
by state, region, and territory each year.The National Rural
and Small Town Recognition Program recognizes students for the same PSAT score
criteria and GPA academic performance, but also recognizes the student’s
community and school size. As a National
Hispanic Scholar and Rural and Small Town Recognition Program Scholar, The
College Board will help make it easier for winners to connect directly to
colleges across the country with scholarship opportunities. The board will help
colleges see the range of their talents and interests by sharing their
achievements. “You have
accomplished these milestones in the face of an immensely demanding year — one
of disruption, challenge, missed milestones and loss,” said David Coleman,
chief executive of The College Board in a letter to Meitner. “In a year of hardship,
you demonstrated resilience and an unwavering commitment to owning your future.
You have put in the effort and your future is bright. I couldn’t be more delighted
to share this great news,” he continued. In addition to the
national recognition honor, Meitner is a member of several organizations at
TMP-Marian, including Key Club, co-editor of the yearbook, stage manager of
theatrical performances, Monarch Music, and Spanish Club. She plans to study
engineering in college.

TMP-M senior receives national awards

The Kansas benchmark closed out the month of August with an average price of &nbsp;$57.96 per barrel, the best August average in three years. Kansas prices are 20 dollars a barrel higher than at the first of the year. Prices at CHS in McPherson dropped 75 cents on Friday, but Kansas Common remains 75 cents a barrel higher than a week ago to start the week at $59.50 per barrel. &nbsp; The U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday it was investigating nearly 350 reports of oil spills in and along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico in the wake of Hurricane Ida. The storm wreaked havoc on offshore oil production platforms and onshore oil and gas processing plants. About 88% of the region's offshore oil production remains shut, and more than 100 of the area's production platforms remain unoccupied, more than a week after Ida made landfall on Aug. 29. The government loaned a large amount of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Exxon Mobil. According to a report from Reuters, The U.S. Energy Secretary authorized the loan of 1.5 million barrels of crude oil to a refinery in Louisiana, to keep the gasoline flowing in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Baker Hughes reports the Rotary Rig Count was 497 rigs Friday, down 16 oil rigs. The count in Louisiana was down 14 rigs. Oklahoma and New Mexico were each up one. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports eight active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, which is unchanged for the third week in a row. In Western Kansas, the count is down one at 25 active rigs. Operators in Barton County have reached total depth and are evaluating four wells. They're about to spud a new well on a lease in Stafford County, where two other drillers report reaching total depth. Regulators okayed 17 new drilling locations across Kansas last week, five in eastern Kansas and 12 west of Wichita, making 677 new permits so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 14 newly-completed wells across Kansas last week, 542 so far this year. OPEC and its allies last week agreed to stick to their existing policy of gradual oil output increases, despite increasing demand and ongoing U.S. pressure for faster increases. The OPEC-Plus oil exporters are increasing output by 400,000 barrels per day per month. The government reported declining U.S. crude inventories for the third week in a row. The Energy Information Administration reports stockpiles totaled 425.4 million barrels, an increase of more than seven million barrels. EIA said U.S. inventories are about six percent below the five-year average for this time of year. In a weekly report, EIA said gasoline stockpiles increased last week by 1.3 million barrels, and are currently about two percent below the five-year seasonal average. U.S. crude-oil imports rose 183,000 barrels to 6.3 million barrels per day. EIA said the four-week average is nearly 14% higher than the same period a year ago. Crude production in the United States increased slightly. For the week through August 27th, output averaged just over 11.5 million barrels, marking an increase of 81,000 barrels per day over the week before. EIA says production is nearly two million barrels per day higher than in the same week last year. A government report shows U.S. crude-oil production for the first half of the year is down nearly seven percent compared to last year. The Energy Information Administration says U.S. output for the first six months of 2021 averaged 10.92 million barrels per day, compared to 11.7 million last year at mid-year. Kansas output for January through June was 74,571 barrels per day. That's down nearly two percent from just over 76,000 barrels per day last year. EIA said U.S. output for June was over 339 million barrels, or 11.3 million barrels per day.&nbsp; That's down about 5,000 barrels per day from May's output. Texas retains the top spot with production in June of nearly 4.8 million barrels per day, or 42% of total U.S. output. For the fourth month in a row, output in New Mexico beat North Dakota's totals and is once again the number-two crude-producing state. June output in Kansas totaled 2.3 million barrels, or nearly 78,000 barrels per day.&nbsp; The government said gasoline prices across the country rose to their highest Pre-Labor Day levels since 2014. EIA said Prices rose 92 cents or 42% compared to last year.&nbsp; Oil-by-rail shipments across the U.S. and Canada accelerated last week. The Association of America Railroads reports 10,878 tanker cars hauling petroleum across the U.S. during the week through August 28th. That's up 570 cars from the week before, and a 6.4% increase over the same week last year. Canadian oil-by-rail is up 269 cars over last week and up 62% over last year. AAR reports total rail traffic of all cargo was down slightly last month. Carload counts were up but intermodal shipments was down more than three percent.

By JOHN P. TRETBARThe Kansas benchmark closed out the month of August with an average price of &nbsp;$57.96 per barrel, the best August average in three years. Kansas prices are 20 dollars a barrel higher than at the first of the year. Prices at CHS in McPherson dropped 75 cents on Friday, but Kansas Common remains 75 cents a barrel higher than a week ago to start the week at $59.50 per barrel. &nbsp; The U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday it was investigating nearly 350 reports of oil spills in and along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico in the wake of Hurricane Ida. The storm wreaked havoc on offshore oil production platforms and onshore oil and gas processing plants. About 88% of the region's offshore oil production remains shut, and more than 100 of the area's production platforms remain unoccupied, more than a week after Ida made landfall on Aug. 29. The government loaned a large amount of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Exxon Mobil. According to a report from Reuters, The U.S. Energy Secretary authorized the loan of 1.5 million barrels of crude oil to a refinery in Louisiana, to keep the gasoline flowing in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Baker Hughes reports the Rotary Rig Count was 497 rigs Friday, down 16 oil rigs. The count in Louisiana was down 14 rigs. Oklahoma and New Mexico were each up one. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports eight active drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, which is unchanged for the third week in a row. In Western Kansas, the count is down one at 25 active rigs. Operators in Barton County have reached total depth and are evaluating four wells. They're about to spud a new well on a lease in Stafford County, where two other drillers report reaching total depth. Regulators okayed 17 new drilling locations across Kansas last week, five in eastern Kansas and 12 west of Wichita, making 677 new permits so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 14 newly-completed wells across Kansas last week, 542 so far this year. OPEC and its allies last week agreed to stick to their existing policy of gradual oil output increases, despite increasing demand and ongoing U.S. pressure for faster increases. The OPEC-Plus oil exporters are increasing output by 400,000 barrels per day per month. The government reported declining U.S. crude inventories for the third week in a row. The Energy Information Administration reports stockpiles totaled 425.4 million barrels, an increase of more than seven million barrels. EIA said U.S. inventories are about six percent below the five-year average for this time of year. In a weekly report, EIA said gasoline stockpiles increased last week by 1.3 million barrels, and are currently about two percent below the five-year seasonal average. U.S. crude-oil imports rose 183,000 barrels to 6.3 million barrels per day. EIA said the four-week average is nearly 14% higher than the same period a year ago. Crude production in the United States increased slightly. For the week through August 27th, output averaged just over 11.5 million barrels, marking an increase of 81,000 barrels per day over the week before. EIA says production is nearly two million barrels per day higher than in the same week last year. A government report shows U.S. crude-oil production for the first half of the year is down nearly seven percent compared to last year. The Energy Information Administration says U.S. output for the first six months of 2021 averaged 10.92 million barrels per day, compared to 11.7 million last year at mid-year. Kansas output for January through June was 74,571 barrels per day. That's down nearly two percent from just over 76,000 barrels per day last year. EIA said U.S. output for June was over 339 million barrels, or 11.3 million barrels per day.&nbsp; That's down about 5,000 barrels per day from May's output. Texas retains the top spot with production in June of nearly 4.8 million barrels per day, or 42% of total U.S. output. For the fourth month in a row, output in New Mexico beat North Dakota's totals and is once again the number-two crude-producing state. June output in Kansas totaled 2.3 million barrels, or nearly 78,000 barrels per day.&nbsp; The government said gasoline prices across the country rose to their highest Pre-Labor Day levels since 2014. EIA said Prices rose 92 cents or 42% compared to last year.&nbsp; Oil-by-rail shipments across the U.S. and Canada accelerated last week. The Association of America Railroads reports 10,878 tanker cars hauling petroleum across the U.S. during the week through August 28th. That's up 570 cars from the week before, and a 6.4% increase over the same week last year. Canadian oil-by-rail is up 269 cars over last week and up 62% over last year. AAR reports total rail traffic of all cargo was down slightly last month. Carload counts were up but intermodal shipments was down more than three percent.

News From the Oil Patch: Kan. crude prices end summer on high note

Three-day weather outlook

One state group sees increase of kids who have not previously sought treatment&nbsp;

MANHATTAN – Even as many parts of society begin to return to near normal routines, mental health specialists continue to monitor how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the mental health of Americans.&nbsp;

Elaine Johannes,&nbsp;the Kansas Health Foundation Distinguished Professor of Community Health at Kansas State University, is especially interested in how teenagers are adjusting to new rules and ways of doing things.&nbsp;

“Many of us have had kids at home and we’ve raised some teenagers into adulthood and we understand what happens in that developmental stage where maybe the young person is not sure of their identity, not sure of how well they’re performing compared to peers, and maybe they’re not comfortable in their own skin because they’re growing so quickly – and that all creates anxiety,” Johannes said.&nbsp;

In the first few months of the pandemic, the&nbsp;<a href="https://4-h.org/about/research/#!healthy-living">National 4-H Council commissioned a survey</a>&nbsp;that concluded that more than 7 in 10 kids between the ages of 13-19 are struggling with their mental health.&nbsp;

Those numbers have seemingly not gotten better in the year since, as the global pandemic creeps toward two years of changed routines.&nbsp;

James Roberson, the vice president of programs and innovation for KVC Hospitals -- a system that provides children’s psychiatric treatment at facilities in Kansas City, Wichita and Hays – said his organization is seeing an increase of kids who have never sought treatment for mental health previously.&nbsp;

“The scary part is what we know about mental health,” he said. “It’s a little different from physical health because we don’t just look at the organic. We look at the context of the child in their environment, and the pandemic has really changed all of their environments.”&nbsp;

Roberson said support groups like KVC are working to become more visible in communities, break down the stigma of mental illness and work directly with families.&nbsp;

“I have not met a family yet that has regretted having their child engage in therapy,” he said. “The opportunity to get your child in front of a professional who can do an assessment and tell you that everything is okay, keep doing what you’re doing -- or to let you know that what they’re feeling is clinical – I think that is really valuable.”&nbsp;

Johannes said parents are key to their child’s mental well-being.&nbsp;

“It’s really up to the adults to understand their role in modeling, coping, talking about and helping the child to become resilient,” she said. “It’s the adults that can look for positive behaviors that they can support.”&nbsp;

Roberson added: “You don’t have to sit back and say, ‘is my child resilient or not resilient?’ No matter how old your child is, they’re actively developing resilience. If you’re present in their lives and you are helping them navigate the problems that they’re facing at school or in relationships…every time you help them solve problems, you’re building their resilience.”&nbsp;

Johannes said K-State Research and Extension is working to provide a mental health curriculum to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas4-h.org/">Kansas 4-H</a>&nbsp;Clubs that is a self-guided study on how children can recognize behavioral health in themselves.&nbsp;

KVC Hospitals also is&nbsp;<a href="https://hospitals.kvc.org/freeceus/">hosting a free, three-part webinar series</a>&nbsp;beginning Sept. 13 to help families recognize and cope with mental health issues. That series also is offering free continuing education units for professionals.&nbsp;

Recognizing and treating mental health, “is just not that clean and simple,” Roberson said.&nbsp;

“We want people to have a sophisticated understanding of how they’re experiencing the world and how people around them support that. And I think teens are ready for this; they’re eager. We as providers and as a state system owe them solutions so that they can be their best selves and live a happy, long life.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587396580203.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>One state group sees increase of kids who have not previously sought treatment&nbsp;</h2>K-State Research &amp; ExtensionMANHATTAN – Even as many parts of society begin to return to near normal routines, mental health specialists continue to monitor how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the mental health of Americans.&nbsp;Elaine Johannes,&nbsp;the Kansas Health Foundation Distinguished Professor of Community Health at Kansas State University, is especially interested in how teenagers are adjusting to new rules and ways of doing things.&nbsp;“Many of us have had kids at home and we’ve raised some teenagers into adulthood and we understand what happens in that developmental stage where maybe the young person is not sure of their identity, not sure of how well they’re performing compared to peers, and maybe they’re not comfortable in their own skin because they’re growing so quickly – and that all creates anxiety,” Johannes said.&nbsp;In the first few months of the pandemic, the&nbsp;<a href="https://4-h.org/about/research/#!healthy-living">National 4-H Council commissioned a survey</a>&nbsp;that concluded that more than 7 in 10 kids between the ages of 13-19 are struggling with their mental health.&nbsp;Those numbers have seemingly not gotten better in the year since, as the global pandemic creeps toward two years of changed routines.&nbsp;James Roberson, the vice president of programs and innovation for KVC Hospitals -- a system that provides children’s psychiatric treatment at facilities in Kansas City, Wichita and Hays – said his organization is seeing an increase of kids who have never sought treatment for mental health previously.&nbsp;“The scary part is what we know about mental health,” he said. “It’s a little different from physical health because we don’t just look at the organic. We look at the context of the child in their environment, and the pandemic has really changed all of their environments.”&nbsp;Roberson said support groups like KVC are working to become more visible in communities, break down the stigma of mental illness and work directly with families.&nbsp;“I have not met a family yet that has regretted having their child engage in therapy,” he said. “The opportunity to get your child in front of a professional who can do an assessment and tell you that everything is okay, keep doing what you’re doing -- or to let you know that what they’re feeling is clinical – I think that is really valuable.”&nbsp;Johannes said parents are key to their child’s mental well-being.&nbsp;“It’s really up to the adults to understand their role in modeling, coping, talking about and helping the child to become resilient,” she said. “It’s the adults that can look for positive behaviors that they can support.”&nbsp;Roberson added: “You don’t have to sit back and say, ‘is my child resilient or not resilient?’ No matter how old your child is, they’re actively developing resilience. If you’re present in their lives and you are helping them navigate the problems that they’re facing at school or in relationships…every time you help them solve problems, you’re building their resilience.”&nbsp;Johannes said K-State Research and Extension is working to provide a mental health curriculum to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas4-h.org/">Kansas 4-H</a>&nbsp;Clubs that is a self-guided study on how children can recognize behavioral health in themselves.&nbsp;KVC Hospitals also is&nbsp;<a href="https://hospitals.kvc.org/freeceus/">hosting a free, three-part webinar series</a>&nbsp;beginning Sept. 13 to help families recognize and cope with mental health issues. That series also is offering free continuing education units for professionals.&nbsp;Recognizing and treating mental health, “is just not that clean and simple,” Roberson said.&nbsp; “We want people to have a sophisticated understanding of how they’re experiencing the world and how people around them support that. And I think teens are ready for this; they’re eager. We as providers and as a state system owe them solutions so that they can be their best selves and live a happy, long life.”&nbsp;

Experts share insight on how COVID has affected teens’ mental health 

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become less a fan of primitive camping, but I love the rental cabins placed in our Kansas State Parks. Our church men’s fellowship group often utilizes a couple of the cabins at Kanapolis for a spring fishing trip. Currently, I count rental cabins at 20 Kansas State Parks, on the KS State Fairgrounds and on the Mined Land Wildlife Area. Sadly, I just found out the cabin at McPherson State Fishing Lake is no longer available as a rental.&nbsp;

My brother lives in a cabin in the middle of his 200 acres of southeastern Ohio land. Joe bought some of the land 30 years or so ago as a place to hunt deer, and in the package, also got a place to hunt turkeys and wild hogs, which are not just feral pigs, but descendants of the true Russian wild boars. Beavers inhabit the stream that meanders through the property, and wild ginseng also grows there. Both the land and the cabin have been added-to over the years and now he and his wife live there year-round. I will always remember my first visit there for one wonderful night when the cabin was small.

&nbsp;Much of the land in this area was bought up by coal companies decades ago, strip mined, and, or logged. The rutted, gravel, township road simply became the lane some distance off the blacktop, and we continued driving for several hundred yards, going well beyond the sign that read “the middle of nowhere.” A nice Whitetail buck snubbed us and cantered out of a power line clear cut we passed. We arrived at the nice pole building turned get-away cabin, a little before dark. After the usual time of catching up on the front porch, we drew our sleeping spots and prepared for the night. My metal-framed cot broke as soon as I sat on it, so I tried various ways to make it work, all of which failed miserably. (I blame this on the Denver Bronco blanket my sister-in-law gave me to sleep under. I’m a Chiefs fan, and she knows it!)&nbsp; Anyway, there I lay, trying to coax some sleep from the situation. A symphony of tree frogs began at dark and suddenly ended around midnight, as if by the wave of the conductor’s wand. Calling the night quite is an understatement. Even though Inman KS is small town America, I can’t remember the last time I’d experienced that kind of quiet.

I must have slept some, because the next thing I knew, the first rays of morning light filtered through the cabin window. I decided to rise and make the most of the opportunity. I was not quite early enough to see morning awaken, but as I sat there on the marvelous deck that ran the full width of the cabin, morning was still stretching and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Two humming birds entertained me as they buzzed and chased each other from feeder to feeder. I heard the morning songs of more different birds than I knew existed. The scene before me constantly changed and evolved as the morning sun chased the shadows across the timbered stage.

The cabin sets against a steep hill, so the front deck is several feet above the driveway below. Downhill and beyond the drive, a small creek meandered through a flat, broad meadow between hills. The meadow was littered with hulks of standing, dead trees, reminders of a time when the whole meadow was a beaver pond. Since the property was logged years ago, much of the timber was second growth, making the hillsides thick and overgrown. By sticking to an old perimeter road, we were able to hike and see the lay of the land, despite the dense, tangled overgrowth. Upstream we found the current beaver settlement where they had again dammed the creek into a pond, much smaller than the flooded meadow, but no less an engineering wonder. I walked onto the dam and marveled at the structure of gnawed-off branches and mud that I stood on. (Maybe we should hire beavers to do our highway construction; at least they would work all night!) From the dam, I could see the beaver’s house, a craggy lodge in the upper end of the pond, also built of sticks and mud. A steep climb up a hillside thick with small saplings and vines brought us to a looming rock wall, which seemed strangely out of place. Our destination was a spot where a large cave was formed when the wall separated and a large portion fell down and away from the rest. Water trickled somewhere inside as we shone a flashlight down and into the chasm.&nbsp;

Back at the cabin, I stood in the doorway of the stone “springhouse,” built into the hill behind the cabin, a remnant of life decades ago. These were literally built over running springs of water, and used to cool cans of milk and other perishable food. We all sat on the deck and marveled aloud at God’s Creation on display all around us. As we prepared to follow the rocky drive back toward the blacktop, one last glance assured me that many quiet nights would be spent, many deer and turkeys harvested, and many thoughts of God’s goodness sent skyward, here at this cabin in the southern Ohio woods.

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>As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become less a fan of primitive camping, but I love the rental cabins placed in our Kansas State Parks. Our church men’s fellowship group often utilizes a couple of the cabins at Kanapolis for a spring fishing trip. Currently, I count rental cabins at 20 Kansas State Parks, on the KS State Fairgrounds and on the Mined Land Wildlife Area. Sadly, I just found out the cabin at McPherson State Fishing Lake is no longer available as a rental.&nbsp;My brother lives in a cabin in the middle of his 200 acres of southeastern Ohio land. Joe bought some of the land 30 years or so ago as a place to hunt deer, and in the package, also got a place to hunt turkeys and wild hogs, which are not just feral pigs, but descendants of the true Russian wild boars. Beavers inhabit the stream that meanders through the property, and wild ginseng also grows there. Both the land and the cabin have been added-to over the years and now he and his wife live there year-round. I will always remember my first visit there for one wonderful night when the cabin was small.&nbsp;Much of the land in this area was bought up by coal companies decades ago, strip mined, and, or logged. The rutted, gravel, township road simply became the lane some distance off the blacktop, and we continued driving for several hundred yards, going well beyond the sign that read “the middle of nowhere.” A nice Whitetail buck snubbed us and cantered out of a power line clear cut we passed. We arrived at the nice pole building turned get-away cabin, a little before dark. After the usual time of catching up on the front porch, we drew our sleeping spots and prepared for the night. My metal-framed cot broke as soon as I sat on it, so I tried various ways to make it work, all of which failed miserably. (I blame this on the Denver Bronco blanket my sister-in-law gave me to sleep under. I’m a Chiefs fan, and she knows it!)&nbsp; Anyway, there I lay, trying to coax some sleep from the situation. A symphony of tree frogs began at dark and suddenly ended around midnight, as if by the wave of the conductor’s wand. Calling the night quite is an understatement. Even though Inman KS is small town America, I can’t remember the last time I’d experienced that kind of quiet.I must have slept some, because the next thing I knew, the first rays of morning light filtered through the cabin window. I decided to rise and make the most of the opportunity. I was not quite early enough to see morning awaken, but as I sat there on the marvelous deck that ran the full width of the cabin, morning was still stretching and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Two humming birds entertained me as they buzzed and chased each other from feeder to feeder. I heard the morning songs of more different birds than I knew existed. The scene before me constantly changed and evolved as the morning sun chased the shadows across the timbered stage.The cabin sets against a steep hill, so the front deck is several feet above the driveway below. Downhill and beyond the drive, a small creek meandered through a flat, broad meadow between hills. The meadow was littered with hulks of standing, dead trees, reminders of a time when the whole meadow was a beaver pond. Since the property was logged years ago, much of the timber was second growth, making the hillsides thick and overgrown. By sticking to an old perimeter road, we were able to hike and see the lay of the land, despite the dense, tangled overgrowth. Upstream we found the current beaver settlement where they had again dammed the creek into a pond, much smaller than the flooded meadow, but no less an engineering wonder. I walked onto the dam and marveled at the structure of gnawed-off branches and mud that I stood on. (Maybe we should hire beavers to do our highway construction; at least they would work all night!) From the dam, I could see the beaver’s house, a craggy lodge in the upper end of the pond, also built of sticks and mud. A steep climb up a hillside thick with small saplings and vines brought us to a looming rock wall, which seemed strangely out of place. Our destination was a spot where a large cave was formed when the wall separated and a large portion fell down and away from the rest. Water trickled somewhere inside as we shone a flashlight down and into the chasm.&nbsp;Back at the cabin, I stood in the doorway of the stone “springhouse,” built into the hill behind the cabin, a remnant of life decades ago. These were literally built over running springs of water, and used to cool cans of milk and other perishable food. We all sat on the deck and marveled aloud at God’s Creation on display all around us. As we prepared to follow the rocky drive back toward the blacktop, one last glance assured me that many quiet nights would be spent, many deer and turkeys harvested, and many thoughts of God’s goodness sent skyward, here at this cabin in the southern Ohio woods.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: In praise of cabins

🏈 Watch This Week's Tiger Talk

By JENNIFER STULTZ <a href="https://www.pratttribune.com">Pratt Tribune</a>

Friends Joyce Frey and Kathleen Kuchar, author and
 illustrator of "Millie's Garden," shared how their recently co-created 
children's book became a reality during the Friday Lunch and Learn 
workshop last week at the Vernon Filley Art Museum in Pratt.

"I
 never planned to write a children's book," Frey said. "I'm a teacher, I
 write technical, academic books. But I just had to tell the story 
unfolding in my back yard. That's how Millie's Garden came about. 
There's not another one out there."

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9789535c-3ebb-47f8-a265-37bc24a1475f">RELATED:&nbsp;🎙Local illustrator featured during weekend event at Hays Arts Council</a>

Frey, who 
taught for 20 years at Pratt Community College, said she had been 
watching a rabbit raise babies in her backyard for years in the small 
town of Macksville, where she lives.

"I have a 
few plants back there that I enjoy taking care of and watching grow. But
 I've noticed that every year I grow a batch of baby bunnies out there 
too," Frey said. "The same rabbit comes back every year, I named her 
Millie, and I really enjoy watching her&nbsp;from the window."

Frey said the rabbit in her back yard made her aware that, in life, sometimes people take special moments, gifts, for granted.

"I
 want to talk about nature, animals, children," she said. "Those are the
 most wonderful gifts any of us could ever have in our lives. Sometimes 
we just need to slow down a bit and enjoy them. They allow us to see 
life through a lens that is not all cluttered up with the problems of 
the world and the anxieties around us. These gifts allow us to use our 
imagination. We need to enjoy the creative things of life to be whole, 
happy."

Frey said she often talked to her good friend, 
Kuchar (who lives in Hays, Kansas) by phone, and one day she told her 
about the rabbits in her backyard. Together, the two friends decided to 
create a children's book with Frey writing the copy and Kuchar, 
an&nbsp;artist by trade, creating the illustrations.

"I'm an acrylic painter, not an illustrator, so I had to find people to ask who had done this before," Kuchar said.

Frey and Kuchar explained the process of creating a
 book, complete with ISBN numbers, copyrights, a Shutterfly proto-type 
and complete set of framed illustrations,&nbsp;to a crowd of more than 40 at 
the art museum.

After their presentation, 
participants could visit while viewing the illustrations, watch Kuchar 
mix and paint an acrylic picture, purchase "Millie's Garden" books and 
have them signed by the creators.

"Marketing a 
book on Amazon is a very difficult process to understand," Frey said. 
"We found we much prefer to share our story in this way, with real 
people, who are interested in what we have done."

Of
 the books sold at the Vernon Filley presentation, a percentage of the 
price went back to the museum to fund future art projects and 
exhibitions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631044053761.png" alt="Artist and illustrator Kathleen Kuchar, a professor emerita at Fort Hays State University, speaks at the Vernon Filley Museum in Pratt on Friday. Photo by Jennifer Stultz / Pratt Tribune." />
 <figcaption>Artist and illustrator Kathleen Kuchar, a professor emerita at Fort Hays State University, speaks at the Vernon Filley Museum in Pratt on Friday. Photo by Jennifer Stultz / Pratt Tribune.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JENNIFER STULTZ <a href="https://www.pratttribune.com">Pratt Tribune</a>Friends Joyce Frey and Kathleen Kuchar, author and
 illustrator of "Millie's Garden," shared how their recently co-created 
children's book became a reality during the Friday Lunch and Learn 
workshop last week at the Vernon Filley Art Museum in Pratt."I
 never planned to write a children's book," Frey said. "I'm a teacher, I
 write technical, academic books. But I just had to tell the story 
unfolding in my back yard. That's how Millie's Garden came about. 
There's not another one out there."<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/9789535c-3ebb-47f8-a265-37bc24a1475f">RELATED:&nbsp;🎙Local illustrator featured during weekend event at Hays Arts Council</a>Frey, who 
taught for 20 years at Pratt Community College, said she had been 
watching a rabbit raise babies in her backyard for years in the small 
town of Macksville, where she lives."I have a 
few plants back there that I enjoy taking care of and watching grow. But
 I've noticed that every year I grow a batch of baby bunnies out there 
too," Frey said. "The same rabbit comes back every year, I named her 
Millie, and I really enjoy watching her&nbsp;from the window."Frey said the rabbit in her back yard made her aware that, in life, sometimes people take special moments, gifts, for granted."I
 want to talk about nature, animals, children," she said. "Those are the
 most wonderful gifts any of us could ever have in our lives. Sometimes 
we just need to slow down a bit and enjoy them. They allow us to see 
life through a lens that is not all cluttered up with the problems of 
the world and the anxieties around us. These gifts allow us to use our 
imagination. We need to enjoy the creative things of life to be whole, 
happy."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631044153921.png" alt="Joyce Frey. Photo by Jennifer Stultz / Pratt Tribune" />
 <figcaption>Joyce Frey. Photo by Jennifer Stultz / Pratt Tribune</figcaption>
 </figure>Frey said she often talked to her good friend, 
Kuchar (who lives in Hays, Kansas) by phone, and one day she told her 
about the rabbits in her backyard. Together, the two friends decided to 
create a children's book with Frey writing the copy and Kuchar, 
an&nbsp;artist by trade, creating the illustrations."I'm an acrylic painter, not an illustrator, so I had to find people to ask who had done this before," Kuchar said.Frey and Kuchar explained the process of creating a
 book, complete with ISBN numbers, copyrights, a Shutterfly proto-type 
and complete set of framed illustrations,&nbsp;to a crowd of more than 40 at 
the art museum.After their presentation, 
participants could visit while viewing the illustrations, watch Kuchar 
mix and paint an acrylic picture, purchase "Millie's Garden" books and 
have them signed by the creators."Marketing a 
book on Amazon is a very difficult process to understand," Frey said. 
"We found we much prefer to share our story in this way, with real 
people, who are interested in what we have done."Of
 the books sold at the Vernon Filley presentation, a percentage of the 
price went back to the museum to fund future art projects and 
exhibitions.Republished with permission

FHSU professor speaks about her children's book at Pratt museum

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger shares information about their upcoming Ag Appreciation event with Astra Bank market president Bryan Vonfeldt.

<div><iframe title="Hays Chamber prepares for Ag Appreciation event" 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=p5tmb-10d3c02-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger shares information about their upcoming Ag Appreciation event with Astra Bank market president Bryan Vonfeldt.

🎙Post Podcast: Hays Chamber prepares for Ag Appreciation event

The National Weather Service in Dodge City is predicting strong winds Tuesday afternoon as a cold front pushes into northwest Kansas.

Gust of up to 40 mph are expected through the afternoon and evening, diminishing after midnight.

With low humidity levels associated with the front, the NWS is warning of elevated risk of fires.

The skies are expected to be clear throughout the remainder of the week, with high temperatures in the mid- to upper 80s through Thursday. The expected high on Friday is 96.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631024219430.png" alt="Dodge City NWS" />
 <figcaption>Dodge City NWS</figcaption>
 </figure>The National Weather Service in Dodge City is predicting strong winds Tuesday afternoon as a cold front pushes into northwest Kansas.Gust of up to 40 mph are expected through the afternoon and evening, diminishing after midnight.With low humidity levels associated with the front, the NWS is warning of elevated risk of fires.The skies are expected to be clear throughout the remainder of the week, with high temperatures in the mid- to upper 80s through Thursday. The expected high on Friday is 96.

NWS: Cold front will bring strong winds into NW Kan. on Tuesday

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Little acts can - and do - make big changes for thousands of lives impacted every year by the United Way of Ellis County.

That is the theme for the 2021 campaign fundraiser which officially kicked off Aug. 27 during a Hays Chamber lunch sponsored by Eagle Radio.&nbsp;

"No act of kindness is too small to make a difference," said Erica Berges, United Way executive director. "It's a ripple effect," she said, gesturing to campaign artwork with concentric circles.&nbsp;

According to information on the United Way website, 21,349 people were assisted last year in Ellis County.&nbsp;

"When we all come together to help the community, big things can happen."

Berges also encouraged the audience to also think about little changes they could make in their personal lives and how - in that ripple effect - it could help other people.

 "It's not just about [financial] donations," she said.

The 16 United Way partner agencies and volunteers were recognized along with United Way board members, staff, and campaign leaders.&nbsp;

Two community members, alongside their mentors, shared how their lives have improved with help from programs supported by the United Way.&nbsp;

Through translator Meleny Jacome-Banuelos, the United Way administrative assistant, a Hispanic single mother talked about the help she's received for her young son from the Hays Area Children's Center.&nbsp;

Another resident, Jacob, talked proudly about his job and responsibilities at the Hays Recreation Center, thanks to the Employment Connections program through Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas.

Former Ellis County Commissioner Guy Windholz is a board member of the Hays Senior Center who talked about meals provided to older Ellis County residents and plans for a proposed retiree housing community near Hays Med.&nbsp;

There are several ways to donate to the United Way including cash or check, online at the organization's website <a href="https://www.liveunited.us/">liveunited.us</a>, through <a href="https://liveunited.harnessapp.com/wv2/donate?selected-method=roundup">round-up giving</a> on the website, or through an employer's payroll deduction program.

Donors can also use AmazonSmile when shopping online through Amazon. The company will donate a portion of your purchase amount to the local United Way.

New this year is the popular mobile phone payment service Venmo.

Planned fundraisers for the campaign include the annual golf tourney to be held Oct. 3, Power of the Purse on Oct. 7, sponsored by the Wonder Women League, Dineout Days at local restaurants, and Pumpkin Packers who will be asking for spare change as they walk in Ellis County homecoming parades.&nbsp;

Disclaimer: Eagle Radio is the owner of Hays Post.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630974283863.jpeg" alt="Erica Berges, United Way of Ellis County executive director, at the 2021 campaign kickoff Aug. 27 in the Rose Garden Banquet Hall, Hays." />
 <figcaption>Erica Berges, United Way of Ellis County executive director, at the 2021 campaign kickoff Aug. 27 in the Rose Garden Banquet Hall, Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostLittle acts can - and do - make big changes for thousands of lives impacted every year by the United Way of Ellis County.That is the theme for the 2021 campaign fundraiser which officially kicked off Aug. 27 during a Hays Chamber lunch sponsored by Eagle Radio.&nbsp;"No act of kindness is too small to make a difference," said Erica Berges, United Way executive director. "It's a ripple effect," she said, gesturing to campaign artwork with concentric circles.&nbsp;<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0ACwOgTLanE"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to information on the United Way website, 21,349 people were assisted last year in Ellis County.&nbsp;"When we all come together to help the community, big things can happen."Berges also encouraged the audience to also think about little changes they could make in their personal lives and how - in that ripple effect - it could help other people. "It's not just about [financial] donations," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630973553649.jpeg" alt="There are 16 United Way of Ellis County partner agencies which benefit from the campaign disbursements as determined by the volunteer CARE Council.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>There are 16 United Way of Ellis County partner agencies which benefit from the campaign disbursements as determined by the volunteer CARE Council.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630974649702.jpeg" alt="Jennifer Harmon, Eagle Radio, (standing at left) and other United Way board members are recognized at the campaign kickoff lunch.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Jennifer Harmon, Eagle Radio, (standing at left) and other United Way board members are recognized at the campaign kickoff lunch.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The 16 United Way partner agencies and volunteers were recognized along with United Way board members, staff, and campaign leaders.&nbsp;Two community members, alongside their mentors, shared how their lives have improved with help from programs supported by the United Way.&nbsp;Through translator Meleny Jacome-Banuelos, the United Way administrative assistant, a Hispanic single mother talked about the help she's received for her young son from the Hays Area Children's Center.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630978146447.jpeg" alt="Hays Area Children's Center currently serves 72 children from birth to age three who have developmental disabilities or delays." />
 <figcaption>Hays Area Children's Center currently serves 72 children from birth to age three who have developmental disabilities or delays.</figcaption>
 </figure>Another resident, Jacob, talked proudly about his job and responsibilities at the Hays Recreation Center, thanks to the Employment Connections program through Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630978421817.jpeg" alt="Through DSNWK's Employment Connections, Jacob (at left) has cleaned equipment and laundry for nearly seven years at the Hays Recreation Center. His employee badge includes the title "HRC Director of First Impressions."&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Through DSNWK's Employment Connections, Jacob (at left) has cleaned equipment and laundry for nearly seven years at the Hays Recreation Center. His employee badge includes the title "HRC Director of First Impressions."&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Former Ellis County Commissioner Guy Windholz is a board member of the Hays Senior Center who talked about meals provided to older Ellis County residents and plans for a proposed retiree housing community near Hays Med.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630979283235.jpeg" alt="Guy Windholz is a board member of Hays Senior Center. In the past year, 26,753 hot nutritious meals were served to Ellis County senior residents.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Guy Windholz is a board member of Hays Senior Center. In the past year, 26,753 hot nutritious meals were served to Ellis County senior residents.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>There are several ways to donate to the United Way including cash or check, online at the organization's website <a href="https://www.liveunited.us/">liveunited.us</a>, through <a href="https://liveunited.harnessapp.com/wv2/donate?selected-method=roundup">round-up giving</a> on the website, or through an employer's payroll deduction program.Donors can also use AmazonSmile when shopping online through Amazon. The company will donate a portion of your purchase amount to the local United Way.New this year is the popular mobile phone payment service Venmo.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630980535341.jpeg" alt="There are numerous ways to make a financial contribution to United Way of Ellis County.&nbsp;New this year is the popular mobile phone payment service Venmo." />
 <figcaption>There are numerous ways to make a financial contribution to United Way of Ellis County.&nbsp;New this year is the popular mobile phone payment service Venmo.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630985049412.jpeg" alt="&nbsp; You can also click on the link at the top of the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/">Hays Post website</a>&nbsp;to make a donation online.&nbsp; &nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp; You can also click on the link at the top of the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/">Hays Post website</a>&nbsp;to make a donation online.&nbsp; &nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Planned fundraisers for the campaign include the annual golf tourney to be held Oct. 3, Power of the Purse on Oct. 7, sponsored by the Wonder Women League, Dineout Days at local restaurants, and Pumpkin Packers who will be asking for spare change as they walk in Ellis County homecoming parades.&nbsp;Disclaimer: Eagle Radio is the owner of Hays Post.&nbsp;

🎥 'Little acts, big changes' is theme of 2021 United Way fundraising campaign 

By NOAH TABORDA and SHELTON BROWN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/06/thousands-of-kansans-face-threat-of-eviction-as-pandemic-exposes-housing-crisis/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Sheena Mooney has spent the 
past year without a job or a safety net, living in her orange Nissan 
Xterra in a trailer park a few miles from Washburn.

Mooney lost her job at Frito-Lay in 
March 2020, a job she enjoyed, fell behind on her rent and was evicted 
that August. She applied for unemployment but did not qualify, and her 
eviction was subsequently approved between May 26, 2020, when the 
state’s eviction moratorium expired, and Aug. 17, 2020, when <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/17/gov-laura-kelly-reimposes-temporary-statewide-ban-on-foreclosures-evictions/">Gov. Laura Kelly’s new order went into effect</a>.

“I don’t like telling people my 
business, you know. This was something that needed to be heard,” Mooney 
said. “How did this happen? How was I able to fall through the cracks 
and get no help?”

Mooney is one of the thousands who 
have been evicted or are facing the threat of eviction during the 
pandemic in Kansas. She joined Kansas housing advocates on a new episode
 of the Kansas Reflector podcast to discuss the realities of renting 
amid COVID-19.

Estimates from the Kansas Housing 
Resources Corporation indicate more than 27,000 Kansas are currently 
behind on their rent, and estimates from Zillow show about 14,600 
renters are at risk of eviction.

Federal and state moratoriums have 
provided temporary relief for those who can prove they are unable to pay
 rent because of COVID-19 related circumstances, but the narrow scope 
has left many without protection. Even during the moratorium period, 
evictions proceeded in some areas.

Dave Patel, who comanages the Motel 6
 in Topeka with his wife, said he has seen an influx of people staying 
at his hotel because of lost housing.

Vince Munoz, an organizer for the 
tenant advocacy group Rent Zero Kansas, said without substantive change,
 many more will be removed from their homes with nowhere to turn.

“Even those of us who do have a 
little bit of stability, we’re all just kind of teetering on the edge 
and we really deserve to be in a place as people where we’re not just 
one emergency or social issue away from losing our housing,” Munoz said.

One option available to both renters 
and landlords looking for relief is the Kansas Emergency Rental 
Assistance program. The initiative led by the Kansas Housing Resources 
Corporation is intended to provide rent, utility and internet assistance
 to households experiencing hardship because of the pandemic through a 
joint tenant-landlord application process.

Whether it’s an unwillingness from 
landlords to collaborate or the slow processing pace of applications, 
Munoz said, the program is insufficient. Recent KHRC data shows 6,593 of
 14,607 applicants have been served so far.

<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/08/28/supreme-court-rejection-of-eviction-ban-increases-pressure-to-dole-out-rental-aid-money/">The U.S. Treasury last month</a>
 said just 11% of the $46.5 billion approved by Congress for emergency 
rental assistance had been allocated. Of the $5.1 billion that was 
spent, $1.7 billion was doled out during July.

KHRC executives said they are processing applications in seven to 10 days.

Ryan Vincent, KHRC’s executive 
director, said the organization is seeking feedback to inform a new 
housing initiative, this time for homeowners. The Kansas Homeowner 
Assistance Fund, established by the American Rescue Plan Act, will aim 
to prevent the displacement of homeowners experiencing financial 
hardship associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In less than a year, we’ve provided 
almost $50 million in emergency rental assistance to Kansas renters, 
landlords and service providers,” Vincent said. “We’re proud to have 
helped more than 15,000 Kansas households avoid eviction and remain 
stably housed during the pandemic, but we know our state’s housing needs
 don’t stop with tenants. Kansas homeowners: Help is on the way.”

Noah Taborda started his journalism career in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri, covering local government and producing an episode of the podcast Show Me The State while earning his bachelor’s degree in radio broadcasting at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

Shelton Brown is an audio reporter and producer based in Kansas City, Missouri. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Shelton has contributed to organizations like The Chattanooga Times Free Press, SIPA USA and Now To Love in Sydney, Australia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630957751202.png" alt=" Eviction moratoriums provided temporary relief for many Kansans, but some, like Sheena Mooney, found themselves without a home during the pandemic. (Shelton Brown for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Eviction moratoriums provided temporary relief for many Kansans, but some, like Sheena Mooney, found themselves without a home during the pandemic. (Shelton Brown for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA and SHELTON BROWN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/06/thousands-of-kansans-face-threat-of-eviction-as-pandemic-exposes-housing-crisis/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Sheena Mooney has spent the 
past year without a job or a safety net, living in her orange Nissan 
Xterra in a trailer park a few miles from Washburn.Mooney lost her job at Frito-Lay in 
March 2020, a job she enjoyed, fell behind on her rent and was evicted 
that August. She applied for unemployment but did not qualify, and her 
eviction was subsequently approved between May 26, 2020, when the 
state’s eviction moratorium expired, and Aug. 17, 2020, when <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/17/gov-laura-kelly-reimposes-temporary-statewide-ban-on-foreclosures-evictions/">Gov. Laura Kelly’s new order went into effect</a>.“I don’t like telling people my 
business, you know. This was something that needed to be heard,” Mooney 
said. “How did this happen? How was I able to fall through the cracks 
and get no help?”Mooney is one of the thousands who 
have been evicted or are facing the threat of eviction during the 
pandemic in Kansas. She joined Kansas housing advocates on a new episode
 of the Kansas Reflector podcast to discuss the realities of renting 
amid COVID-19.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1119349120&color=%232b7fb4&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/renters-advocates-on-kansas-housing-issues" title="Renters, advocates on Kansas housing issues" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Renters, advocates on Kansas housing issues</a></div></div>Estimates from the Kansas Housing 
Resources Corporation indicate more than 27,000 Kansas are currently 
behind on their rent, and estimates from Zillow show about 14,600 
renters are at risk of eviction.Federal and state moratoriums have 
provided temporary relief for those who can prove they are unable to pay
 rent because of COVID-19 related circumstances, but the narrow scope 
has left many without protection. Even during the moratorium period, 
evictions proceeded in some areas.Dave Patel, who comanages the Motel 6
 in Topeka with his wife, said he has seen an influx of people staying 
at his hotel because of lost housing.Vince Munoz, an organizer for the 
tenant advocacy group Rent Zero Kansas, said without substantive change,
 many more will be removed from their homes with nowhere to turn.“Even those of us who do have a 
little bit of stability, we’re all just kind of teetering on the edge 
and we really deserve to be in a place as people where we’re not just 
one emergency or social issue away from losing our housing,” Munoz said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630957863106.png" alt="Vince Munoz is housing justice organizer with Rent Zero Kansas. He says many renters are searching for stability in uncertain times. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Vince Munoz is housing justice organizer with Rent Zero Kansas. He says many renters are searching for stability in uncertain times. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>One option available to both renters 
and landlords looking for relief is the Kansas Emergency Rental 
Assistance program. The initiative led by the Kansas Housing Resources 
Corporation is intended to provide rent, utility and internet assistance
 to households experiencing hardship because of the pandemic through a 
joint tenant-landlord application process.Whether it’s an unwillingness from 
landlords to collaborate or the slow processing pace of applications, 
Munoz said, the program is insufficient. Recent KHRC data shows 6,593 of
 14,607 applicants have been served so far.<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/08/28/supreme-court-rejection-of-eviction-ban-increases-pressure-to-dole-out-rental-aid-money/">The U.S. Treasury last month</a>
 said just 11% of the $46.5 billion approved by Congress for emergency 
rental assistance had been allocated. Of the $5.1 billion that was 
spent, $1.7 billion was doled out during July.KHRC executives said they are processing applications in seven to 10 days.Ryan Vincent, KHRC’s executive 
director, said the organization is seeking feedback to inform a new 
housing initiative, this time for homeowners. The Kansas Homeowner 
Assistance Fund, established by the American Rescue Plan Act, will aim 
to prevent the displacement of homeowners experiencing financial 
hardship associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.“In less than a year, we’ve provided 
almost $50 million in emergency rental assistance to Kansas renters, 
landlords and service providers,” Vincent said. “We’re proud to have 
helped more than 15,000 Kansas households avoid eviction and remain 
stably housed during the pandemic, but we know our state’s housing needs
 don’t stop with tenants. Kansas homeowners: Help is on the way.”Noah Taborda started his journalism career in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Missouri, covering local government and producing an episode of the podcast Show Me The State while earning his bachelor’s degree in radio broadcasting at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.Shelton Brown is an audio reporter and producer based in Kansas City, Missouri. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Shelton has contributed to organizations like The Chattanooga Times Free Press, SIPA USA and Now To Love in Sydney, Australia.

Thousands of Kansans face eviction as pandemic exposes housing crisis

In
 conjunction with all Ellis County Schools and the Ellis County Health 
Department, TMP-M will follow these quarantine protocols:

<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Uj74GstfWlL3pGLIeNkZN5J5eHIDJkaZ/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Ellis County Health Department's Letter on Changing Covid-19 Protocols</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600893786937.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Thomas More Prep-MarianIn
 conjunction with all Ellis County Schools and the Ellis County Health 
Department, TMP-M will follow these quarantine protocols:<ul>
 <li>If your child is sick, do not send them to school.</li><li>If
 someone in the household is awaiting test results for COVID-19, do not 
send any of your children to school while you wait for the results.</li><li>If
 your child is asymptomatic but you plan to have them tested for 
COVID-19 in the next two days, do not send them to school. Keeping them 
home from school prior to testing will remove subsequent quarantine from
 a positive test.</li><li>If you are notified that your child is a close
 contact with a positive case, they will be required to quarantine for 
ten days from the date of contact.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Individuals will not be allowed to test out of quarantine.</li><li>If&nbsp;both
 parties are wearing a mask for the duration of contact and social 
distancing of at least 3 ft is maintained, quarantine may not be 
enforced.</li><li>If&nbsp;your child is vaccinated and remains asymptomatic, they may stay in school and activities.</li><li>Face masks will remain optional.</li>
 </ul><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Uj74GstfWlL3pGLIeNkZN5J5eHIDJkaZ/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Ellis County Health Department's Letter on Changing Covid-19 Protocols</a>

Updated COVID precautions in effect at TMP-M

	The Daughters of IsabellaI, Isabella Circle #254, Hays, KS is working on the state convention.

The bi-annual convention of the Daughters of Isabella will be held Sept. 24 to 26 in western Kansas.&nbsp; This is a state convention and women from 24 Circles from across Kansas will be attending.&nbsp; In addition, state officers, State Chaplin Rev. Andrew Berkgamp, and International Regent Susanne Suchy will be in attendance. Committees have been appointed, and members are busy with various tasks. &nbsp;

The venue is Hilton Garden Inn in Hays. Hosting circles this year are:

Items of business will include Election of New State Officers; Standing &amp; Internal Rules changes will be voted on; and each Local Circles’ books will be audited.	

The service project for the convention is "Blessing Bags." These bags are gallon zipper bags filled with various sample-size hygiene products and a few snacks.&nbsp; Filled bags are donated to the four Catholic Charities Departments located in each of the dioceses.&nbsp; Businesses are asked to contact their local D of I circle if they have any items to donate for the project.

A memorial service for deceased members will be held on Friday followed by installation of local circle officers. &nbsp;

After the business meeting, evening events on Saturday include a banquet, dessert reception honoring the International Regent, and an oral auction. Sunday will include a Convention Mass, installation of newly elected state officers, brunch, and announcement of state award winners and the raffle prize winners. &nbsp;

State Regent, Belinda Kasper, welcomes all members to the convention and is looking forward to seeing all of our Kansas Daughters of Isabella Sisters. She is also very excited to have our State Convention in Western Kansas!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1622490179372.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Submitted	The Daughters of IsabellaI, Isabella Circle #254, Hays, KS is working on the state convention.The bi-annual convention of the Daughters of Isabella will be held Sept. 24 to 26 in western Kansas.&nbsp; This is a state convention and women from 24 Circles from across Kansas will be attending.&nbsp; In addition, state officers, State Chaplin Rev. Andrew Berkgamp, and International Regent Susanne Suchy will be in attendance. Committees have been appointed, and members are busy with various tasks. &nbsp;The venue is Hilton Garden Inn in Hays. Hosting circles this year are:<ul>
 <li>Isabella Circle #254 - Hays</li><li>St. Gilbert Circle #323 - Ellis</li><li>St. Paul Circle #400 – Angelus/Grinnell</li><li>St. Catherine Circle #686 – Oakley</li><li>Immaculate Heart of Mary Circle #747 – Colby</li>
 </ul>Items of business will include Election of New State Officers; Standing &amp; Internal Rules changes will be voted on; and each Local Circles’ books will be audited.	The service project for the convention is "Blessing Bags." These bags are gallon zipper bags filled with various sample-size hygiene products and a few snacks.&nbsp; Filled bags are donated to the four Catholic Charities Departments located in each of the dioceses.&nbsp; Businesses are asked to contact their local D of I circle if they have any items to donate for the project.A memorial service for deceased members will be held on Friday followed by installation of local circle officers. &nbsp;After the business meeting, evening events on Saturday include a banquet, dessert reception honoring the International Regent, and an oral auction. Sunday will include a Convention Mass, installation of newly elected state officers, brunch, and announcement of state award winners and the raffle prize winners. &nbsp;State Regent, Belinda Kasper, welcomes all members to the convention and is looking forward to seeing all of our Kansas Daughters of Isabella Sisters. She is also very excited to have our State Convention in Western Kansas!

Daughters of Isabella to hold state convention in Hays this month

NCK Tech recently announced the new faces and welcome additions to our North Central Kansas Technical College family.&nbsp; For this fall semester of 2021, NCK Tech would like to celebrate all new faculty and staff.&nbsp;

Kathleen Albert, General Education Instructor (Hays campus), is from Plainville, Kansas. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Communication from Fort Hays State University. She also has her Doctorate in chiropractic care from Cleveland University in Kansas City, Kansas.

Mendi Anschutz, Director of Advancement in Foundation, is from Hays, Kansas. She has an Associate’s degree in Communications from Dodge City Community College and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Public Relations from Fort Hays State University.&nbsp;

Diana Baumann, Vice President of Finance &amp; Hays Operations, is from Hays, Kansas and has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Fort Hays State University.&nbsp;

Emma Carlin, Student Account Specialist in Finance &amp; Operations, is from Osborne, Kansas and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Wichita State University.

Rachel Cox, Student Success Coordinator (Hays campus), is from Hays, Kansas.&nbsp;

Dalyn Diercks, Diesel Technology Instructor (Beloit campus), is from Agra, Kansas and holds an Associates of Applied Science from Barton Community College.

Patricia Drees, Nursing Instructor (Hays campus), Is from Hays, Kansas. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in nursing from Fort Hays State University.&nbsp;

Brett Gray, Commercial Driver License Instructor (Hays campus), is from Lacrosse, Kansas.&nbsp;

Julie Gross, Nursing Instructor (Hays campus), is from Victoria, Kansas and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Fort Hays State University.&nbsp;

Sean Keady, General Education Instructor (Beloit campus), in from Glen Elder, Kansas, but grew up in Eastern North Carolina. He holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in math from East Carolina University.&nbsp;

Jan Klaus, Carpentry/ Cabinetmaking Instructor Aide (Hays campus), is from Hays, Kansas. &nbsp;

Harold Strait, Custodian/ Maintenance (Beloit campus), is from Randall, Kansas.&nbsp;

Kate Wise, General Education Instructor (Beloit campus), is from Beloit, Kansas, but grew up in Wichita. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication/ Theatre Arts from Sterling College and a Master’s degree in Library Science from Emporia State University.

With campuses in Beloit and Hays, Kansas, we are dedicated to being a leader in workforce development by maximizing value for students, employers and communities through educational excellence. Our mission is to deliver applied, innovative and personalized education to empower learners, enrich lives, develop skilled professionals and strengthen economic systems. Achieving excellence with integrity through dedication, innovation, collaboration and communication is what we attain through our core values.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584371385296.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releaseNCK Tech recently announced the new faces and welcome additions to our North Central Kansas Technical College family.&nbsp; For this fall semester of 2021, NCK Tech would like to celebrate all new faculty and staff.&nbsp;Kathleen Albert, General Education Instructor (Hays campus), is from Plainville, Kansas. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Communication from Fort Hays State University. She also has her Doctorate in chiropractic care from Cleveland University in Kansas City, Kansas.Mendi Anschutz, Director of Advancement in Foundation, is from Hays, Kansas. She has an Associate’s degree in Communications from Dodge City Community College and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Public Relations from Fort Hays State University.&nbsp;Diana Baumann, Vice President of Finance &amp; Hays Operations, is from Hays, Kansas and has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Fort Hays State University.&nbsp;Emma Carlin, Student Account Specialist in Finance &amp; Operations, is from Osborne, Kansas and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Wichita State University.Rachel Cox, Student Success Coordinator (Hays campus), is from Hays, Kansas.&nbsp;Dalyn Diercks, Diesel Technology Instructor (Beloit campus), is from Agra, Kansas and holds an Associates of Applied Science from Barton Community College.Patricia Drees, Nursing Instructor (Hays campus), Is from Hays, Kansas. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in nursing from Fort Hays State University.&nbsp;Brett Gray, Commercial Driver License Instructor (Hays campus), is from Lacrosse, Kansas.&nbsp;Julie Gross, Nursing Instructor (Hays campus), is from Victoria, Kansas and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Fort Hays State University.&nbsp;Sean Keady, General Education Instructor (Beloit campus), in from Glen Elder, Kansas, but grew up in Eastern North Carolina. He holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in math from East Carolina University.&nbsp;Jan Klaus, Carpentry/ Cabinetmaking Instructor Aide (Hays campus), is from Hays, Kansas. &nbsp;Harold Strait, Custodian/ Maintenance (Beloit campus), is from Randall, Kansas.&nbsp;Kate Wise, General Education Instructor (Beloit campus), is from Beloit, Kansas, but grew up in Wichita. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication/ Theatre Arts from Sterling College and a Master’s degree in Library Science from Emporia State University.With campuses in Beloit and Hays, Kansas, we are dedicated to being a leader in workforce development by maximizing value for students, employers and communities through educational excellence. Our mission is to deliver applied, innovative and personalized education to empower learners, enrich lives, develop skilled professionals and strengthen economic systems. Achieving excellence with integrity through dedication, innovation, collaboration and communication is what we attain through our core values.

New year, new faces at NCK Tech

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;

Not all coffees are created equal. Today we’ll meet a couple of artisan coffee roasters who have learned the truth of this statement and applied it to their remarkable coffee business.&nbsp;

Ray Ford and Joel Heath are the makers of this remarkable coffee. They are co-owners of Burr Roasters &amp; Cafe in Leavenworth.&nbsp;

Ray Ford grew up in Kentucky and joined the Army. “I grew up with bad coffee,” Ray said. “Everybody drinks coffee in the field,” he said. “(The coffee is) warm and you’re cold.” Soldiers drank whatever coffee was provided.&nbsp;

Ray took a job in retail which included working in a coffee shop. “I got a knack for it,” Ray said.&nbsp;

He finished his Army career at Fort Leavenworth. An Army friend named Johnny Kasper was also in his church. They talked about opening a coffee shop in Leavenworth after they retired. Together, they opened Burr Roasters, a veteran-owned, small-batch roastery and coffee shop located in historic downtown Leavenworth.&nbsp;

Ray learned that there is a distinct science related to making really good coffee. It became clear that not all coffee is created equal. Part of the key to quality is producing it in small batches, rather than mass production. Another factor is insisting on beans that are fresh. A third is sourcing the right kind of coffee beans. Ray works closely with his suppliers to ensure they acquire the best possible blends. Burr Roasters carefully sources its coffee from selected locations in Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Different elevations and different soil contents produce different flavors,” Ray said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“There’s a whole science behind it.” Ray and Johnny experimented with various blends, gave them away to friends, and developed their favorites.&nbsp;

Then they made a fascinating historic discovery which connected them to their Army roots. They learned that, from 1916 to 1956, the U. S. Army employed its own team of master coffee roasters to meet the massive coffee demand from soldiers around the world. There were several Army coffee production facilities across the nation, including the largest at a location called Warehouse 310 in Atlanta. Then, in the interest of efficiency and economy, the Army switched to commercial mass-produced sources of coffee in the 1950s.&nbsp;

Ray and Johnny found a 1956 book titled “Coffee in the Armed Forces” which included various blends and coffee-making tips. After some experimenting, they found the coffee was terrific and they adapted it into their business. Eventually, Johnny’s interest in the business was purchased by fellow Army veteran Joel Heath, who is now the chief roaster.&nbsp;

Today, Burr Roasters &amp; Café serves fresh coffee at their coffee shop, delivers locally and produces roasted coffee blends for sale and shipment. One popular variety is based on the classic Army recipes. It is named Warehouse 310, in honor of what had been the Army’s leading coffee facility. “It’s a fantastic bag of coffee,” Johnny said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It’s smooth, mild, warm and hazelnutty.”&nbsp;

Burr Roasters &amp; Cafe offers another blend called IV Drip, a highly caffeinated coffee which is popular with first responders and night-shift hospital workers. They also offer an Ethiopian blend called Lion of Judah, plus blends named 0 Dark Thirty, Texas Pecan, Choconut and an espresso called Pony Espresso. Ray’s daughter bakes cookies and scones for the business.&nbsp;

In addition to the local retail trade, Burr Roasters &amp; Cafe serves wholesale customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;One is a coffeehouse in the rural community of Haviland, population 701 people. Now, that’s rural. Burr Roasters also ships its coffee blends coast to coast and as far away as England and Afghanistan.&nbsp;

“We always use fresh beans. People have told us how much of a difference it makes,” Ray said. “My most rewarding element is how happy people can get from having a cup of coffee. We take care of our customers, and they come back.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.burr-roasters.com/">their website</a>.&nbsp;

Not all coffee is created equal. We commend Ray Ford and Joel Heath of Burr Roasters &amp; Café or making a difference with craftsmanship in coffee while connecting with their Army roots. Some say their type of coffee is unequaled.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627482656256.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;Not all coffees are created equal. Today we’ll meet a couple of artisan coffee roasters who have learned the truth of this statement and applied it to their remarkable coffee business.&nbsp;Ray Ford and Joel Heath are the makers of this remarkable coffee. They are co-owners of Burr Roasters &amp; Cafe in Leavenworth.&nbsp;Ray Ford grew up in Kentucky and joined the Army. “I grew up with bad coffee,” Ray said. “Everybody drinks coffee in the field,” he said. “(The coffee is) warm and you’re cold.” Soldiers drank whatever coffee was provided.&nbsp;Ray took a job in retail which included working in a coffee shop. “I got a knack for it,” Ray said.&nbsp;He finished his Army career at Fort Leavenworth. An Army friend named Johnny Kasper was also in his church. They talked about opening a coffee shop in Leavenworth after they retired. Together, they opened Burr Roasters, a veteran-owned, small-batch roastery and coffee shop located in historic downtown Leavenworth.&nbsp;Ray learned that there is a distinct science related to making really good coffee. It became clear that not all coffee is created equal. Part of the key to quality is producing it in small batches, rather than mass production. Another factor is insisting on beans that are fresh. A third is sourcing the right kind of coffee beans. Ray works closely with his suppliers to ensure they acquire the best possible blends. Burr Roasters carefully sources its coffee from selected locations in Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Different elevations and different soil contents produce different flavors,” Ray said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“There’s a whole science behind it.” Ray and Johnny experimented with various blends, gave them away to friends, and developed their favorites.&nbsp;Then they made a fascinating historic discovery which connected them to their Army roots. They learned that, from 1916 to 1956, the U. S. Army employed its own team of master coffee roasters to meet the massive coffee demand from soldiers around the world. There were several Army coffee production facilities across the nation, including the largest at a location called Warehouse 310 in Atlanta. Then, in the interest of efficiency and economy, the Army switched to commercial mass-produced sources of coffee in the 1950s.&nbsp;Ray and Johnny found a 1956 book titled “Coffee in the Armed Forces” which included various blends and coffee-making tips. After some experimenting, they found the coffee was terrific and they adapted it into their business. Eventually, Johnny’s interest in the business was purchased by fellow Army veteran Joel Heath, who is now the chief roaster.&nbsp;Today, Burr Roasters &amp; Café serves fresh coffee at their coffee shop, delivers locally and produces roasted coffee blends for sale and shipment. One popular variety is based on the classic Army recipes. It is named Warehouse 310, in honor of what had been the Army’s leading coffee facility. “It’s a fantastic bag of coffee,” Johnny said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It’s smooth, mild, warm and hazelnutty.”&nbsp;Burr Roasters &amp; Cafe offers another blend called IV Drip, a highly caffeinated coffee which is popular with first responders and night-shift hospital workers. They also offer an Ethiopian blend called Lion of Judah, plus blends named 0 Dark Thirty, Texas Pecan, Choconut and an espresso called Pony Espresso. Ray’s daughter bakes cookies and scones for the business.&nbsp;In addition to the local retail trade, Burr Roasters &amp; Cafe serves wholesale customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;One is a coffeehouse in the rural community of Haviland, population 701 people. Now, that’s rural. Burr Roasters also ships its coffee blends coast to coast and as far away as England and Afghanistan.&nbsp;“We always use fresh beans. People have told us how much of a difference it makes,” Ray said. “My most rewarding element is how happy people can get from having a cup of coffee. We take care of our customers, and they come back.”&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.burr-roasters.com/">their website</a>.&nbsp;Not all coffee is created equal. We commend Ray Ford and Joel Heath of Burr Roasters &amp; Café or making a difference with craftsmanship in coffee while connecting with their Army roots. Some say their type of coffee is unequaled.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Ray Ford and Joel Heath, Burr Roasters 

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WIN! Riedel Garden Center Grandparents Day Photo Contest

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

The Cottonwood Extension District and participating seed companies will be hosting Grain Sorghum Plot Field Days in both Barton and Ellis Counties on Thursday. These field days not only give farmers a chance to see and hear about the hybrids from company representatives, but for farmer to farmer sharing of experiences and ideas, says Stacy Campbell Extension Agent with the Cottonwood District.&nbsp;

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630601995865.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
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 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictThe Cottonwood Extension District and participating seed companies will be hosting Grain Sorghum Plot Field Days in both Barton and Ellis Counties on Thursday. These field days not only give farmers a chance to see and hear about the hybrids from company representatives, but for farmer to farmer sharing of experiences and ideas, says Stacy Campbell Extension Agent with the Cottonwood District.&nbsp;The Barton County field day will start at 10:30 a.m. and conclude at noon with a complimentary meal courtesy of sponsors. It is located at the intersection of NW 30th Rd. and NW 70th Ave. On HWY. 96 just east of Heizer, turn onto the blacktop NW 60th Ave and go 1 mile south and turn west onto NW 30th Road and go 1 mile.The Ellis County field day is that evening beginning at 5:30 p.m. and will also conclude with a complimentary supper, courtesy of the seed company sponsors. Directions from Hays go south on HWY. 183 at the South County Line road turn east and go 1.5 miles.&nbsp; &nbsp;Seed Company representatives will be on-hand to discuss their sorghum hybrids and answer questions. Extension Agronomy specialists Lucas Haag will visit about K-State Research &amp; Extension’s new nitrogen recommendations for corn, and sorghum and answer questions. Sarah Lancaster, Extension Weed Specialist will discuss weed control options and tactics. As always in this informal setting there will be time for questions, feedback and discussion.&nbsp;All interested people are invited to attend. RSVP is appreciated by Tuesday, September 7th by emailing either Brenda <a href="mailto:bwalton@ksu.edu">bwalton@ksu.edu</a> or call the Great Bend Office, 620-793-1910, and Theresa <a href="mailto:tam3@ksu.edu">tam3@ksu.edu</a> or call the Hays Office, 785-628-9430.