Diego Esparza said he learned a lot while helping plan the Hispanic College Institute in 2019, when he worked for Fort Hays State University’s Enrollment Management as a graduate student.

He is putting that knowledge to good use this year as co-chair of the HCI Steering Committee, which is comprised of a diverse group of individuals from across the Student Affairs division. HCI is a residential program that prepares high school students to enter and succeed in higher education.

Like other summer event planners at FHSU, the HCI staff is excited about students returning to campus this summer after all youth activities were canceled a year ago because of the pandemic.

“We are just so glad to be able to host the HCI again,” said Esparza, assistant director of Student Engagement. “We are looking forward to having students back on campus this year.”

The free event – traditionally held in June for three nights and four days – this year was moved to a weekend later in the summer. It is scheduled for Friday through Sunday, July 23-25.

Counselors, or HCI leads, will report for training on Thursday, with HCI participants scheduled for arrival Friday afternoon. To apply or to learn more about HCI, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=-2BFJoAhsjp8losQfY8t-2BZtFziwTxqZbCYJ3dulTS8aQA-3D3tle_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BYf7UvTTDJn-2BE32sVLkbVQ-2FoqV-2FBZm1drlATIFtiDtGJsIANZqjIGNcUa19J66ODeWKTua2CRRZeOTWd6dYDzRqfCBBYRkcDjw-2FbxRD7omJXKg2X3fBjMzoiy74c1IL9naGYlRufNmhnwznhWO-2BJ8ZN6CYCq6Ef-2FkxnYdEJJFRMtGO-2Fp-2Byap0jsXSgKUCXB83-2Bvc5-2FwuY1eu4qDeQlEm16-2F-2FDEE6JPxLBujUOGePzf2nW1t1vOhM23QPw3P7Ft5VL">https://fhsu.edu/hci</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Students will learn about foundations for success in college, beginning with how to fill out applications for college in general as well as for financial aid. They will hear from FHSU alumni, telling about the impact that the Fort Hays State education experience has had on their lives. And they will make new friends.

The HCI gives students a taste of college life while introducing them to the beautiful Fort Hays State campus.

Who better to promote FHSU than Esparza, who has either attended school or worked at three regional universities. Esparza gained a wealth of knowledge from his different experiences, which he was eager to bring back to the Fort.&nbsp;

“It was great to come back to Fort Hays State,” Esparza said. “I love the environment here. We genuinely care about the students and have so much support for them to be successful.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625682415955.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsDiego Esparza said he learned a lot while helping plan the Hispanic College Institute in 2019, when he worked for Fort Hays State University’s Enrollment Management as a graduate student.He is putting that knowledge to good use this year as co-chair of the HCI Steering Committee, which is comprised of a diverse group of individuals from across the Student Affairs division. HCI is a residential program that prepares high school students to enter and succeed in higher education.Like other summer event planners at FHSU, the HCI staff is excited about students returning to campus this summer after all youth activities were canceled a year ago because of the pandemic.“We are just so glad to be able to host the HCI again,” said Esparza, assistant director of Student Engagement. “We are looking forward to having students back on campus this year.”The free event – traditionally held in June for three nights and four days – this year was moved to a weekend later in the summer. It is scheduled for Friday through Sunday, July 23-25.Counselors, or HCI leads, will report for training on Thursday, with HCI participants scheduled for arrival Friday afternoon. To apply or to learn more about HCI, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=-2BFJoAhsjp8losQfY8t-2BZtFziwTxqZbCYJ3dulTS8aQA-3D3tle_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2BYf7UvTTDJn-2BE32sVLkbVQ-2FoqV-2FBZm1drlATIFtiDtGJsIANZqjIGNcUa19J66ODeWKTua2CRRZeOTWd6dYDzRqfCBBYRkcDjw-2FbxRD7omJXKg2X3fBjMzoiy74c1IL9naGYlRufNmhnwznhWO-2BJ8ZN6CYCq6Ef-2FkxnYdEJJFRMtGO-2Fp-2Byap0jsXSgKUCXB83-2Bvc5-2FwuY1eu4qDeQlEm16-2F-2FDEE6JPxLBujUOGePzf2nW1t1vOhM23QPw3P7Ft5VL">https://fhsu.edu/hci</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Students will learn about foundations for success in college, beginning with how to fill out applications for college in general as well as for financial aid. They will hear from FHSU alumni, telling about the impact that the Fort Hays State education experience has had on their lives. And they will make new friends.The HCI gives students a taste of college life while introducing them to the beautiful Fort Hays State campus.Who better to promote FHSU than Esparza, who has either attended school or worked at three regional universities. Esparza gained a wealth of knowledge from his different experiences, which he was eager to bring back to the Fort.&nbsp;“It was great to come back to Fort Hays State,” Esparza said. “I love the environment here. We genuinely care about the students and have so much support for them to be successful.”

Hispanic College Institute returns to Fort Hays State

Join Fort Hays State University Student Engagement on July 13 for Summer Splash. The group will be hosting water and yard games in the Quad from 4 to 6 p.m.&nbsp; 

There will be snow cones and other types of food available near Picken Hall. This community event will not only have games, activities and food for all those who attend, but there will also be a browsing fair for the public to walk through.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625666138552.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Join Fort Hays State University Student Engagement on July 13 for Summer Splash. The group will be hosting water and yard games in the Quad from 4 to 6 p.m.&nbsp; There will be snow cones and other types of food available near Picken Hall. This community event will not only have games, activities and food for all those who attend, but there will also be a browsing fair for the public to walk through.&nbsp;

FHSU Student Engagement will host Summer Splash event

Three-day weather outlook

LAWRENCE — A new paper from a lead author based at the University of Kansas finds wetlands constructed along waterways are the most cost-effective way to reduce nitrate and sediment loads in large streams and rivers. Rather than focusing on individual farms, the research suggests conservation efforts using wetlands should be implemented at the watershed scale.

The paper, just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, relied on computer modeling to examine the Le Sueur River Basin in southern Minnesota, a watershed subject to runoff from intense agricultural production of corn and soybeans — crops characteristic of the entire Upper Midwest region.

“Excessive nitrate or sediment affect local fish populations, the amount of money we have to spend to treat drinking water, and there’s a downstream effect also,” said lead author Amy Hansen, assistant professor of civil, environmental &amp; architectural engineering at KU.

 “Our rivers integrate what’s happening across the landscape, so that location that you love to go and fish or swim — whether that continues to be a great place to fish or swim has a lot to do with the choices that people are making further upstream. Excess pollution goes to a water body downstream like a reservoir or the ocean and causes algal blooms or hypoxic or ‘dead zones.’ The dead zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico is directly correlated with nitrate that comes from the Mississippi River Basin.”

The research team compared potential watershed approaches to improving water quality, such as cutting runoff from farms and adding wetlands, then gauged the economic costs of each. Because most methods rely on voluntary participation by individual farms and are implemented by a patchwork of different agencies, the researchers found they’re less effective.

“Currently, there’s individual management or conservation practices, and those include cover crop, high-precision fertilizer application, reduced tillage, constructed wetlands and ravine tip management. Those are some of the different practices we considered,” Hansen said. 

“But management of non-point sources is voluntary in the U.S. through incentive programs, and the scale these conservation practices are often considered at is the individual farmer when a coordinated approach is much more effective. In a way, it’s like a recycling program where you’re saying, ‘Anyone recycling one thing is better than no one recycling.’ This is true, some recycling is better than no recycling, but a coordinated approach will save money and be more effective.”

Hansen and her co-authors found constructed wetlands are the most effective of these practices, especially if the size and location are evaluated at the scale of a watershed — an entire region that drains into a common waterway. The KU researcher said wetlands do two things well: They slow down water as it heads toward streams and rivers and contain vegetation and microbes that can process nutrients used as fertilizer on crops.

“Microbes and plants within wetlands are actually removing the nitrate from the water,” Hansen said. “With sediment, on the other hand, what the fluvial wetlands are doing is holding water back during these high flows — and by holding that water back you’re getting lower peak stream flows, which is reducing the amount of near channel sediment that’s being transported downstream.”

While Hansen’s research expertise is in water quality, her co-authors from the University of Minnesota, the University of California-Irvine and other institutions across the United States brought multidisciplinary perspectives to the challenge of improving agricultural water quality. The collaboration was supported by an award from the National Science Foundation.

“This work would not have been possible without the diverse expertise and perspective of the team composed of hydrologists, ecologists, geomorphologists, biogeochemists, social scientists and environmental economists,” said Efi Foufoula-Georgiou, the lead principal investigator on the project from the University of California-Irvine. “The sustained NSF support allowed us to take a fresh view of the problem and take the time needed to collect extensive field data, build new models and engage with stakeholders. We hope that our results will affect policy and management as the clock ticks to meet the water quality targets of the state.”

Indeed, a key aspect of the new study focuses on the economics of implementing small, shallow fluvial wetlands and stabilizing ravines. According to the investigators, such measures “were clearly more cost-effective than field management.” But the researchers found the performance of wetlands required optimal placement, and often cost-effective wetlands can be too expensive for a single farm or one agency to put in place.

The PNAS paper concludes a comprehensive strategy must address an entire watershed as a system, combining funds from different programs and agencies and pinpointing locations for fluvial wetlands that will lead to the greatest reduction in nitrates and sediments reaching waterways.

"This work shows that we can't make real progress toward our goals for improving water quality in agricultural areas with more of a business-as-usual approach," said study co-author Jacques Finlay, a professor in the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota. "Instead, conservation actions, and the investments that support them, can be more effective if they consider the interactions that underlie the source of water pollution and how different management options influence them."

The researchers used the Le Sueur River Basin as a proof-of-concept watershed but say their findings could be applied to agricultural regions throughout the Midwest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625650958894.jpeg" alt="View through cattails in wetland in the Le Sueur River Basin. (Photo by Amy Hansen)" />
 <figcaption>View through cattails in wetland in the Le Sueur River Basin. (Photo by Amy Hansen)</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE — A new paper from a lead author based at the University of Kansas finds wetlands constructed along waterways are the most cost-effective way to reduce nitrate and sediment loads in large streams and rivers. Rather than focusing on individual farms, the research suggests conservation efforts using wetlands should be implemented at the watershed scale.The paper, just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, relied on computer modeling to examine the Le Sueur River Basin in southern Minnesota, a watershed subject to runoff from intense agricultural production of corn and soybeans — crops characteristic of the entire Upper Midwest region.<figure>
 <img src="https://news.ku.edu/sites/news.ku.edu/files/images/general/2021_news/july/Amy%20Hansen%20180.jpg" alt="Amy Hansen" />
 <figcaption>Amy Hansen</figcaption>
 </figure>“Excessive nitrate or sediment affect local fish populations, the amount of money we have to spend to treat drinking water, and there’s a downstream effect also,” said lead author Amy Hansen, assistant professor of civil, environmental &amp; architectural engineering at KU. “Our rivers integrate what’s happening across the landscape, so that location that you love to go and fish or swim — whether that continues to be a great place to fish or swim has a lot to do with the choices that people are making further upstream. Excess pollution goes to a water body downstream like a reservoir or the ocean and causes algal blooms or hypoxic or ‘dead zones.’ The dead zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico is directly correlated with nitrate that comes from the Mississippi River Basin.”<figure>
 <img src="https://news.ku.edu/sites/news.ku.edu/files/images/general/2021_news/june/Hansen_news2_bl.jpg" alt="Constructed wetland in the Le Sueur River Basin, named Maple Wetland. It was constructed about 15 years ago and is a fluvial wetland on a tributary to the Maple River. (Photo by Amy Hansen)" />
 <figcaption>Constructed wetland in the Le Sueur River Basin, named Maple Wetland. It was constructed about 15 years ago and is a fluvial wetland on a tributary to the Maple River. (Photo by Amy Hansen)</figcaption>
 </figure>The research team compared potential watershed approaches to improving water quality, such as cutting runoff from farms and adding wetlands, then gauged the economic costs of each. Because most methods rely on voluntary participation by individual farms and are implemented by a patchwork of different agencies, the researchers found they’re less effective.“Currently, there’s individual management or conservation practices, and those include cover crop, high-precision fertilizer application, reduced tillage, constructed wetlands and ravine tip management. Those are some of the different practices we considered,” Hansen said. “But management of non-point sources is voluntary in the U.S. through incentive programs, and the scale these conservation practices are often considered at is the individual farmer when a coordinated approach is much more effective. In a way, it’s like a recycling program where you’re saying, ‘Anyone recycling one thing is better than no one recycling.’ This is true, some recycling is better than no recycling, but a coordinated approach will save money and be more effective.”Hansen and her co-authors found constructed wetlands are the most effective of these practices, especially if the size and location are evaluated at the scale of a watershed — an entire region that drains into a common waterway. The KU researcher said wetlands do two things well: They slow down water as it heads toward streams and rivers and contain vegetation and microbes that can process nutrients used as fertilizer on crops.“Microbes and plants within wetlands are actually removing the nitrate from the water,” Hansen said. “With sediment, on the other hand, what the fluvial wetlands are doing is holding water back during these high flows — and by holding that water back you’re getting lower peak stream flows, which is reducing the amount of near channel sediment that’s being transported downstream.”While Hansen’s research expertise is in water quality, her co-authors from the University of Minnesota, the University of California-Irvine and other institutions across the United States brought multidisciplinary perspectives to the challenge of improving agricultural water quality. The collaboration was supported by an award from the National Science Foundation.“This work would not have been possible without the diverse expertise and perspective of the team composed of hydrologists, ecologists, geomorphologists, biogeochemists, social scientists and environmental economists,” said Efi Foufoula-Georgiou, the lead principal investigator on the project from the University of California-Irvine. “The sustained NSF support allowed us to take a fresh view of the problem and take the time needed to collect extensive field data, build new models and engage with stakeholders. We hope that our results will affect policy and management as the clock ticks to meet the water quality targets of the state.”Indeed, a key aspect of the new study focuses on the economics of implementing small, shallow fluvial wetlands and stabilizing ravines. According to the investigators, such measures “were clearly more cost-effective than field management.” But the researchers found the performance of wetlands required optimal placement, and often cost-effective wetlands can be too expensive for a single farm or one agency to put in place.The PNAS paper concludes a comprehensive strategy must address an entire watershed as a system, combining funds from different programs and agencies and pinpointing locations for fluvial wetlands that will lead to the greatest reduction in nitrates and sediments reaching waterways."This work shows that we can't make real progress toward our goals for improving water quality in agricultural areas with more of a business-as-usual approach," said study co-author Jacques Finlay, a professor in the College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota. "Instead, conservation actions, and the investments that support them, can be more effective if they consider the interactions that underlie the source of water pollution and how different management options influence them."The researchers used the Le Sueur River Basin as a proof-of-concept watershed but say their findings could be applied to agricultural regions throughout the Midwest.

Constructed wetlands best protection for ag runoff into waterways, study shows

NORTON COUNTY—A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 10:30p.m. Thursday in Norton County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F150 driven by Edgar D.&nbsp;Jaime Holguin, 35, McPherson, was southwest bound on U.S. 383 one half mile northeast of the K-60 Junction.

The pickup rear-ended a 2021 Ford F350 driven by Chance E. Stout, 26, Emporia.

EMS transported Jaime Holguin to the hospital in Norton. Stout and two passengers in the 2021 Ford were not injured. All four were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

NORTON COUNTY—A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 10:30p.m. Thursday in Norton County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F150 driven by Edgar D.&nbsp;Jaime Holguin, 35, McPherson, was southwest bound on U.S. 383 one half mile northeast of the K-60 Junction.The pickup rear-ended a 2021 Ford F350 driven by Chance E. Stout, 26, Emporia.EMS transported Jaime Holguin to the hospital in Norton. Stout and two passengers in the 2021 Ford were not injured. All four were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after rear-end crash

Being born on the Fourth of July, Jeffery Flavin’s 
birthday has always been a bit special. But this year, the day was even 
more festive after the Russell man matched four numbers and the 
Powerball to win $50,000 from the July 3 Powerball drawing. The winning 
numbers on July 3 were 26 – 40 – 41 – 55 – 65 Powerball 24.

Flavin usually purchases a single ticket every few weeks, and as he 
went into Casey’s to grab a slice of pizza, he decided on one line of 
Quick Pick Powerball numbers.

“You know, I almost bought a scratch ticket, but this time I just 
decided on the Powerball,” he shared. “I had to get back to work and 
forgot about the ticket until Monday.”

On their way home from visiting his mother after the Fourth of July 
holiday, Flavin had his daughter check the numbers on the Kansas Lottery
 website.

“She told me I had most of the numbers, but didn’t know for sure how 
much it had won until she used the ‘check my numbers’ tool,” Flavin 
said. “I thought it won maybe $2 or something small, but then it showed 
us how much the ticket actually won and that’s when we got really 
excited!”

The Russell man wasn’t the only one excited about his great luck—he 
immediately told his family and friends, who all congratulated him, with
 one friend saying it felt like he “won the lottery with me.”

While the winner plans to spend a bit of the money on the family’s 
already-planned trip to Omaha, Flavin thinks maybe they’ll all go on a 
bigger vacation later on in the year as well as stash some of the money 
into savings.

The winning ticket was sold at Casey’s General Store 1957 at 1600 E. 27th St. in Hays.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625761093827.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas LotteryBeing born on the Fourth of July, Jeffery Flavin’s 
birthday has always been a bit special. But this year, the day was even 
more festive after the Russell man matched four numbers and the 
Powerball to win $50,000 from the July 3 Powerball drawing. The winning 
numbers on July 3 were 26 – 40 – 41 – 55 – 65 Powerball 24.Flavin usually purchases a single ticket every few weeks, and as he 
went into Casey’s to grab a slice of pizza, he decided on one line of 
Quick Pick Powerball numbers.“You know, I almost bought a scratch ticket, but this time I just 
decided on the Powerball,” he shared. “I had to get back to work and 
forgot about the ticket until Monday.”On their way home from visiting his mother after the Fourth of July 
holiday, Flavin had his daughter check the numbers on the Kansas Lottery
 website.“She told me I had most of the numbers, but didn’t know for sure how 
much it had won until she used the ‘check my numbers’ tool,” Flavin 
said. “I thought it won maybe $2 or something small, but then it showed 
us how much the ticket actually won and that’s when we got really 
excited!”The Russell man wasn’t the only one excited about his great luck—he 
immediately told his family and friends, who all congratulated him, with
 one friend saying it felt like he “won the lottery with me.”While the winner plans to spend a bit of the money on the family’s 
already-planned trip to Omaha, Flavin thinks maybe they’ll all go on a 
bigger vacation later on in the year as well as stash some of the money 
into savings.The winning ticket was sold at Casey’s General Store 1957 at 1600 E. 27th St. in Hays.

Russell man earns slice of Powerball jackpot

Fall gardens do best when planted in mid-July, says K-State horticulture expert&nbsp;

MANHATTAN — It’s nearing the middle of July, so Kansas gardeners are turning their thoughts to harvesting tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and many other fruits and vegetables.&nbsp;

It’s not the time to begin the work all over again…right?&nbsp;

“Probably the last thing most gardeners are thinking of right now is planting vegetables,” said Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham. “But fall gardens will often produce higher quality, tastier cool-season crops if you plant now.”&nbsp;

Upham said fall vegetables do well if they are allowed to mature during cooler, less stressful times. That means a fall bounty requires getting seeds into the ground as early as mid-July.&nbsp;

Planting vegetables during summer’s heat, however, requires a different approach. “Plant seeds slightly deeper than you would in the spring so that it stays cooler, and the soil around the seeds stay moist longer,” Upham said. “Plant more thick, and thin the plants later. The plants also may need to be protected from rabbits by using fencing.”&nbsp;

Upham shared a timely calendar to help gardeners plan for a fall harvest:&nbsp;

Plant potatoes if you can find them, or use seed potatoes that you might have saved. Do not use freshly dug potatoes because they have a built-in dormancy that will prevent growth. Also, do not use grocery store potatoes; they won’t sprout because they often have been treated.&nbsp;

Cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower can be started from seed in mid-July. “Choose a protected place where the soil can be kept moist and rabbits will not bother them,” Upham said, adding that the crops should be transplanted in mid-August.&nbsp;

Seed spinach and long-season maturing lettuce. Leaf lettuce will be seeded later.&nbsp;

Transplant cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower to their final location.&nbsp;

“There is no need to fertilize before planting these crops,” Upham said. “Side dress them two weeks after transplanting, or four weeks after sowing seed by apply 2 tablespoons of a 16-0-0 fertilizer, or 1 tablespoon of 27-33-3 or 30-3-4 fertilizer.”&nbsp;

Upham said liquid fertilizer can also be used (many store brands exist), and should be used according to label instruction. “It would be a good idea to wash off the leaves with clean water to prevent burn from the fertilizer,” he said.&nbsp;

Fall crops should be watered more frequently so that the seed does not dry out. Upham recommends a soaker hose or drip irrigation next to the row, which allows water to slowly seep into the ground. “Overhead watering often causes soil to crust, making it more difficult for young, tender plants to emerge,” he said.&nbsp;

Upham and his colleagues in K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes. The newsletter is&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html">available to view online</a>&nbsp;or can be delivered by email each week.&nbsp;

Interested persons can also send their garden- and yard-related questions to Upham at<a href="mailto:wupham@ksu.edu">wupham@ksu.edu</a>, or contact your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/stateandareamaps.html">local K-State Research and Extension office</a>.&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/HY3aMU82hA4"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Fall gardens do best when planted in mid-July, says K-State horticulture expert&nbsp;</h2>K-State Research &amp; ExtensionMANHATTAN — It’s nearing the middle of July, so Kansas gardeners are turning their thoughts to harvesting tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and many other fruits and vegetables.&nbsp;It’s not the time to begin the work all over again…right?&nbsp;“Probably the last thing most gardeners are thinking of right now is planting vegetables,” said Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham. “But fall gardens will often produce higher quality, tastier cool-season crops if you plant now.”&nbsp;Upham said fall vegetables do well if they are allowed to mature during cooler, less stressful times. That means a fall bounty requires getting seeds into the ground as early as mid-July.&nbsp;Planting vegetables during summer’s heat, however, requires a different approach. “Plant seeds slightly deeper than you would in the spring so that it stays cooler, and the soil around the seeds stay moist longer,” Upham said. “Plant more thick, and thin the plants later. The plants also may need to be protected from rabbits by using fencing.”&nbsp;Upham shared a timely calendar to help gardeners plan for a fall harvest:&nbsp;<h2>Mid-July&nbsp;</h2>Plant potatoes if you can find them, or use seed potatoes that you might have saved. Do not use freshly dug potatoes because they have a built-in dormancy that will prevent growth. Also, do not use grocery store potatoes; they won’t sprout because they often have been treated.&nbsp;Cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower can be started from seed in mid-July. “Choose a protected place where the soil can be kept moist and rabbits will not bother them,” Upham said, adding that the crops should be transplanted in mid-August.&nbsp;<h2>Late July&nbsp;</h2>Seed beets, carrots and beans.&nbsp;<h2>Late July to early August&nbsp;</h2>Seed spinach and long-season maturing lettuce. Leaf lettuce will be seeded later.&nbsp;<h2>Mid- to late August&nbsp;</h2>Transplant cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower to their final location.&nbsp;“There is no need to fertilize before planting these crops,” Upham said. “Side dress them two weeks after transplanting, or four weeks after sowing seed by apply 2 tablespoons of a 16-0-0 fertilizer, or 1 tablespoon of 27-33-3 or 30-3-4 fertilizer.”&nbsp;Upham said liquid fertilizer can also be used (many store brands exist), and should be used according to label instruction. “It would be a good idea to wash off the leaves with clean water to prevent burn from the fertilizer,” he said.&nbsp;Fall crops should be watered more frequently so that the seed does not dry out. Upham recommends a soaker hose or drip irrigation next to the row, which allows water to slowly seep into the ground. “Overhead watering often causes soil to crust, making it more difficult for young, tender plants to emerge,” he said.&nbsp;Upham and his colleagues in K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes. The newsletter is&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html">available to view online</a>&nbsp;or can be delivered by email each week.&nbsp;Interested persons can also send their garden- and yard-related questions to Upham at<a href="mailto:wupham@ksu.edu">wupham@ksu.edu</a>, or contact your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/stateandareamaps.html">local K-State Research and Extension office</a>.&nbsp;

🎥 Gardeners begin summer harvest … and look ahead to fall 

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The <a href="https://www.haysareabicyclists.org/tour-die-kapellen">Tour de Kapellen</a> will take riders this Saturday on a tour with stops at Ellis County's beautiful Volga German churches.&nbsp;

At each stop bicyclists will be greeted with sounds from the Hays Symphony. The ride will conclude at the Hays Downtown Pavilion with a German meal.

The Tour die Kapellen is sponsored by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/haysareabicyclists">Hays Area Bicyclists</a>. Routes include 30- through 100-mile rides. The club is also sponsoring a 13-mile fun ride and a 3-mile family ride.

This is the second year for the bike event. 2019 was the inaugural year for the event, but the event was not conducted in 2020 due to the pandemic.

New this year is a 71-mile gravel route for more experienced cyclists.

"It has been something up and coming among bicyclists for the last five to 10 years," Kay Werth, organizer, said. "Everybody wants to do gravel because they like the solitude of the ride, the amount of travel and maybe the crunch of the gravel on the tires."

Gravel riders do not have to complete the whole 71-mile route. There are many opportunities to turn off and cut the ride short.

The main churches on the routes include St. Catharine Church in Catharine, Basilica on the Plains in Victoria, Holy Cross Shrine in Pfeifer and St. Francis Church in Munjor.&nbsp;

Ken and Diane Pfeifer will be available for historical questions and tours at&nbsp;Basilica on the Plains in Victoria.

At each of theses churches, the Hays Symphony will present music.

"We felt like the churches lend themselves to such a beautiful acoustic setting," Werth said.

The schedule of musicians is below. 8 - 9:30 a.m. Jane Hyde, harp St. Catharine Church, Catharine 8:45 - 10:30 a.m. Hays Symphony brass quartet Basilica on the Plains, Victoria 10 a.m. - noon Baroque duet, Ben and Hilary Holy Cross Shrine, Pfeifer 10 a.m. -&nbsp; noon Kevin Amidon, violinist St. Francis Church, Munjor noon - 2 p.m. Hays Symphony&nbsp;double reed trio St. Francis Church, Munjor 12:15 - 2:15 p.m. DoC acoustic live band Downtown Hays Pavilion, 10th and Main streets

"There is not another bike ride around that has that aspect to it," Werth said of the music. "We've added the culture, the rural terrain, the music and the ethnic food to this event."

There will be support and gear (SAG) stops at several locations along the way. Optional rides&nbsp; of 75 to 100 miles to Schoenchen and Antonino are self-supported.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Registration for the main rides starts at 6:30 a.m. with the 30- to 100-mile rides beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Registration for the family and fun rides will begin at 9 a.m. with the rides starting at 9:30 a.m. The family ride will run 3 miles along the trail at Frontier Park. Fun ride participants will ride 13 miles to Munjor.

The Hays Police Department will present a short lesson on bicycle rules and safety at 9 a.m.

"It's all about wellness and supporting the sport of biking to stay healthy," Werth said.

Three children's bicycles will be given away at the family ride. Registration for children younger than 12 is free. Free T-shirts will be available for the first 40 children who register.&nbsp;

Family ride sponsors include&nbsp;Hays Rotary Club, Hays Kiwanis Club, Auto World, Carrico Implement and Golden Belt Bicycle Shop in Great Bend.

The rides conclude at the Downtown Hays Pavilion for a German meal sponsored by Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau and prepared by the Catharine community. Music will provided at the pavilion by the DoC acoustic band.

Funds raised from this year's event will benefit&nbsp;St. Catharine Church. Each year the tour will benefit another church on the route. In the fifth year, organizers hope funds will help support the Hays Symphony, which provides the music at the churches.

You can register <a href="https://www.haysareabicyclists.org/tour-die-kapellen">online</a> through noon on Thursday. Registration will also be taken the morning of the event.

Cost for the 30- to 100-mile rides and gravel ride is $55. Cost for the 13-mile fun ride to Munjor is $25. There is no cost for the 3-mile family ride, but no meal ticket is provided.&nbsp;

Meal tickets are included in the 13, gravel and 30- to 100-mile rides. Meal tickets can be purchased separately for $10 for adults and $5 for children. You do not have to participate in any of the rides to purchase meal tickets. This can be done online or at the Downtown Hays Development Corp.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625608903045.jpeg" alt="Tour die Kapellen 2019 Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Tour die Kapellen 2019 Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe <a href="https://www.haysareabicyclists.org/tour-die-kapellen">Tour de Kapellen</a> will take riders this Saturday on a tour with stops at Ellis County's beautiful Volga German churches.&nbsp;At each stop bicyclists will be greeted with sounds from the Hays Symphony. The ride will conclude at the Hays Downtown Pavilion with a German meal.The Tour die Kapellen is sponsored by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/haysareabicyclists">Hays Area Bicyclists</a>. Routes include 30- through 100-mile rides. The club is also sponsoring a 13-mile fun ride and a 3-mile family ride.This is the second year for the bike event. 2019 was the inaugural year for the event, but the event was not conducted in 2020 due to the pandemic.New this year is a 71-mile gravel route for more experienced cyclists."It has been something up and coming among bicyclists for the last five to 10 years," Kay Werth, organizer, said. "Everybody wants to do gravel because they like the solitude of the ride, the amount of travel and maybe the crunch of the gravel on the tires."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625609157318.jpeg" alt="Tour die Kapellen 2019 Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Tour die Kapellen 2019 Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Gravel riders do not have to complete the whole 71-mile route. There are many opportunities to turn off and cut the ride short.The main churches on the routes include St. Catharine Church in Catharine, Basilica on the Plains in Victoria, Holy Cross Shrine in Pfeifer and St. Francis Church in Munjor.&nbsp;Ken and Diane Pfeifer will be available for historical questions and tours at&nbsp;Basilica on the Plains in Victoria.At each of theses churches, the Hays Symphony will present music."We felt like the churches lend themselves to such a beautiful acoustic setting," Werth said. The schedule of musicians is below. 8 - 9:30 a.m. Jane Hyde, harp St. Catharine Church, Catharine 8:45 - 10:30 a.m. Hays Symphony brass quartet Basilica on the Plains, Victoria 10 a.m. - noon Baroque duet, Ben and Hilary Holy Cross Shrine, Pfeifer 10 a.m. -&nbsp; noon Kevin Amidon, violinist St. Francis Church, Munjor noon - 2 p.m. Hays Symphony&nbsp;double reed trio St. Francis Church, Munjor 12:15 - 2:15 p.m. DoC acoustic live band Downtown Hays Pavilion, 10th and Main streets<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625609222095.jpeg" alt="Tour die Kapellen 2019 Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Tour die Kapellen 2019 Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"There is not another bike ride around that has that aspect to it," Werth said of the music. "We've added the culture, the rural terrain, the music and the ethnic food to this event."There will be support and gear (SAG) stops at several locations along the way. Optional rides&nbsp; of 75 to 100 miles to Schoenchen and Antonino are self-supported.&nbsp;&nbsp;Registration for the main rides starts at 6:30 a.m. with the 30- to 100-mile rides beginning at 7:30 a.m.Registration for the family and fun rides will begin at 9 a.m. with the rides starting at 9:30 a.m. The family ride will run 3 miles along the trail at Frontier Park. Fun ride participants will ride 13 miles to Munjor.The Hays Police Department will present a short lesson on bicycle rules and safety at 9 a.m."It's all about wellness and supporting the sport of biking to stay healthy," Werth said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625609303670.jpeg" alt="Tour die Kapellen 2019 Courtesy Photo" />
 <figcaption>Tour die Kapellen 2019 Courtesy Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Three children's bicycles will be given away at the family ride. Registration for children younger than 12 is free. Free T-shirts will be available for the first 40 children who register.&nbsp;Family ride sponsors include&nbsp;Hays Rotary Club, Hays Kiwanis Club, Auto World, Carrico Implement and Golden Belt Bicycle Shop in Great Bend.The rides conclude at the Downtown Hays Pavilion for a German meal sponsored by Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau and prepared by the Catharine community. Music will provided at the pavilion by the DoC acoustic band.Funds raised from this year's event will benefit&nbsp;St. Catharine Church. Each year the tour will benefit another church on the route. In the fifth year, organizers hope funds will help support the Hays Symphony, which provides the music at the churches.You can register <a href="https://www.haysareabicyclists.org/tour-die-kapellen">online</a> through noon on Thursday. Registration will also be taken the morning of the event.Cost for the 30- to 100-mile rides and gravel ride is $55. Cost for the 13-mile fun ride to Munjor is $25. There is no cost for the 3-mile family ride, but no meal ticket is provided.&nbsp;Meal tickets are included in the 13, gravel and 30- to 100-mile rides. Meal tickets can be purchased separately for $10 for adults and $5 for children. You do not have to participate in any of the rides to purchase meal tickets. This can be done online or at the Downtown Hays Development Corp.

Tour die Kapellen to offer bicycle tour of area churches Saturday

PHILLIPSBURG — Two sisters will entertain as part of a trick riding trio at the Phillipsburg rodeo.

Shyla and Layna Navarre, ages 15 and 11, will join Dusta Kimzey O’Connell in the arena as the specialty act entertainment at Kansas Biggest Rodeo August 5 to 7.

The girls are the third generation in their family to trick ride. Their grandmother, Dollie Beutler Riddle, was a trick rider, and their mother, Melissa Riddle Navarre, trick rode as well, performing in Phillipsburg as well as other rodeos across the country.&nbsp;

The girls, residents of Weatherford, Okla., have been riding since they were toddling, and began trick riding by the time they were in school. &nbsp;

Shyla, who will be a high school freshman this fall, was interested in it because of her mom and grandma. “I guess mom inspired me to do it,” she said. “I wanted to be like my mom.”

Shyla will ride Nugget, an eight-year-old registered quarter horse pony. He’s taller than what she’s been riding, which is good, as Shyla has grown, too. “I’ve outgrown my other horses,” she said.&nbsp;

Layna has two horses: Max, a registered Welsh pony, and Thunder, who has been in the family the longest. Layna is also riding her mom’s trick riding horse, Charlie, who is faster than the other two and who she is growing into as her skills progress.

Both girls play basketball, like their mother did, and both girls show animals. Shyla is in FFA, and this past February, Layna showed her 4-H sheep at the county fair, winning first with her crossbred sheep named Doc.&nbsp;

Shyla, as the older girl, has more experience trick riding and loves the vaults. The vaults require a trick rider to jump off the horse, onto the ground, and back onto the horse, as it gallops around the arena. Working on Nugget, who is a faster horse than her previous one, requires quicker vaults. “I’ve never been on a horse that fast to do vaults,” she said. “So you really have to get out of the saddle and get back into it.”&nbsp;

Both girls will complement Dusta O’Connell as she trick rides along with them; Dusta grew up admiring and learning from Melissa, so to have Melissa’s daughters work with her completes the loop.&nbsp;

For years, as the family drove past the Phillipsburg rodeo arena on their way to other rodeos, the girls wished they could be hired for that rodeo.

“We really wanted to work that rodeo,” Layna said.&nbsp;

Shyla’s favorite part of it is “being on fast horses, and seeing the crowd and the bright lights.” Her sister concurs. “I like when we’re doing tricks, and we’re in the arena and the crowd cheers,” Layna said.&nbsp;

Shyla also cracks a bullwhip as part of her act and does some trick roping.&nbsp;

They have a little sister at home, Clara, who is six; their dad (and Melissa’s husband) is Corey Navarre.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The girls, with Dusta as part of Tricked Out Trick Riding, will be the specialty act during each night of Kansas Biggest Rodeo August 5-7. Rodeo performances start at 8 pm nightly. Tickets are on sale online at&nbsp;<a href="https://ruthnicolaus-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/Redirect?ukey=1Hltryia2fS0AcgD-e4iaKl2zIxZ4xa99hfdLlE1LftE-746355054&amp;key=YAMMID-85592219&amp;link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kansasbiggestrodeo.com">www.kansasbiggestrodeo.com</a>&nbsp;and start at $16 for adults and $12 for children.&nbsp;

For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://kansasbiggestrodeo.com/">KansasBiggestRodeo.com</a>&nbsp;or call 785.543.2448.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625508197488.jpeg" alt="Shyla Navarre does the Stroud layout trick as she trick rides at a rodeo. The eldest daughter of Corey and Melissa Navarre, she and her younger sister, Layna, will entertain during the Phillipsburg rodeo August 5-7. Photo by Terri Abrahamsen. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Shyla Navarre does the Stroud layout trick as she trick rides at a rodeo. The eldest daughter of Corey and Melissa Navarre, she and her younger sister, Layna, will entertain during the Phillipsburg rodeo August 5-7. Photo by Terri Abrahamsen. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILLIPSBURG — Two sisters will entertain as part of a trick riding trio at the Phillipsburg rodeo.Shyla and Layna Navarre, ages 15 and 11, will join Dusta Kimzey O’Connell in the arena as the specialty act entertainment at Kansas Biggest Rodeo August 5 to 7.The girls are the third generation in their family to trick ride. Their grandmother, Dollie Beutler Riddle, was a trick rider, and their mother, Melissa Riddle Navarre, trick rode as well, performing in Phillipsburg as well as other rodeos across the country.&nbsp;The girls, residents of Weatherford, Okla., have been riding since they were toddling, and began trick riding by the time they were in school. &nbsp;Shyla, who will be a high school freshman this fall, was interested in it because of her mom and grandma. “I guess mom inspired me to do it,” she said. “I wanted to be like my mom.”Shyla will ride Nugget, an eight-year-old registered quarter horse pony. He’s taller than what she’s been riding, which is good, as Shyla has grown, too. “I’ve outgrown my other horses,” she said.&nbsp;Layna has two horses: Max, a registered Welsh pony, and Thunder, who has been in the family the longest. Layna is also riding her mom’s trick riding horse, Charlie, who is faster than the other two and who she is growing into as her skills progress.Both girls play basketball, like their mother did, and both girls show animals. Shyla is in FFA, and this past February, Layna showed her 4-H sheep at the county fair, winning first with her crossbred sheep named Doc.&nbsp;Shyla, as the older girl, has more experience trick riding and loves the vaults. The vaults require a trick rider to jump off the horse, onto the ground, and back onto the horse, as it gallops around the arena. Working on Nugget, who is a faster horse than her previous one, requires quicker vaults. “I’ve never been on a horse that fast to do vaults,” she said. “So you really have to get out of the saddle and get back into it.”&nbsp;Both girls will complement Dusta O’Connell as she trick rides along with them; Dusta grew up admiring and learning from Melissa, so to have Melissa’s daughters work with her completes the loop.&nbsp;For years, as the family drove past the Phillipsburg rodeo arena on their way to other rodeos, the girls wished they could be hired for that rodeo.“We really wanted to work that rodeo,” Layna said.&nbsp;Shyla’s favorite part of it is “being on fast horses, and seeing the crowd and the bright lights.” Her sister concurs. “I like when we’re doing tricks, and we’re in the arena and the crowd cheers,” Layna said.&nbsp;Shyla also cracks a bullwhip as part of her act and does some trick roping.&nbsp;They have a little sister at home, Clara, who is six; their dad (and Melissa’s husband) is Corey Navarre.&nbsp;&nbsp;The girls, with Dusta as part of Tricked Out Trick Riding, will be the specialty act during each night of Kansas Biggest Rodeo August 5-7. Rodeo performances start at 8 pm nightly. Tickets are on sale online at&nbsp;<a href="https://ruthnicolaus-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/Redirect?ukey=1Hltryia2fS0AcgD-e4iaKl2zIxZ4xa99hfdLlE1LftE-746355054&amp;key=YAMMID-85592219&amp;link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kansasbiggestrodeo.com">www.kansasbiggestrodeo.com</a>&nbsp;and start at $16 for adults and $12 for children.&nbsp;For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://kansasbiggestrodeo.com/">KansasBiggestRodeo.com</a>&nbsp;or call 785.543.2448.

Okla. sisters to be part of trick riding trio at the Phillipsburg rodeo

The online ranking site Only In Your State has named has and two other northwest Kansas towns to its "10 Most Beautiful, Charming Small Towns In Kansas" list — featuring communities with populations of 30,000 or less.

Russell and Bird City also earned a place on the listing.

Click <a href="https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/kansas/small-town-ks/">HERE</a> to read the entire article.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625606882030.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The online ranking site Only In Your State has named has and two other northwest Kansas towns to its "10 Most Beautiful, Charming Small Towns In Kansas" list — featuring communities with populations of 30,000 or less.Russell and Bird City also earned a place on the listing.Click <a href="https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/kansas/small-town-ks/">HERE</a> to read the entire article.

Hays, NW Kan. towns make 'most charming small towns' Top 10 list

A former daycare provider in Hays has been charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter stemming from an incident in 2013 in which an 8-week-old baby died.

"It's alleged there was an unintentional killing due to recklessness," said Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson Jr.

The charges were related to the death of an infant on Aug. 10, 2013, at the Michelle Sarver Day Care Home.

According to an emergency order of suspension from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at the time of the incident, a nearly 8-week old infant was propped up by pillows and a blanket for a nap on a bed in the daycare and left unattended for around 30 minutes.

The infant was then found on its stomach unresponsive.

At that time, CPR was initiated by Sarver and emergency medical personnel were contacted. 

The infant would be transported to HaysMed and later Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, where the infant died.

Anderson said almost immediately after taking office, he was asked to review the report.

"I reviewed the report and decided that this charge should be filed," Anderson said.

Sarver was served by summons and is not currently in custody. Under Kansas law, involuntary manslaughter is a level five person felony.

Anderson said the charge should not be considered an assumption of guilt.

"The charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty," he said.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 17.

By JAMES BELL Hays PostA former daycare provider in Hays has been charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter stemming from an incident in 2013 in which an 8-week-old baby died."It's alleged there was an unintentional killing due to recklessness," said Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson Jr.The charges were related to the death of an infant on Aug. 10, 2013, at the Michelle Sarver Day Care Home.According to an emergency order of suspension from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at the time of the incident, a nearly 8-week old infant was propped up by pillows and a blanket for a nap on a bed in the daycare and left unattended for around 30 minutes.The infant was then found on its stomach unresponsive.At that time, CPR was initiated by Sarver and emergency medical personnel were contacted. The infant would be transported to HaysMed and later Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, where the infant died.Anderson said almost immediately after taking office, he was asked to review the report."I reviewed the report and decided that this charge should be filed," Anderson said.Sarver was served by summons and is not currently in custody. Under Kansas law, involuntary manslaughter is a level five person felony.Anderson said the charge should not be considered an assumption of guilt."The charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty," he said.A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 17.

Hays daycare provider faces manslaughter charge from 2013 incident

First District Rep. Tracey Mann, R-KS, will host town hall meetings in July to hear from Kansans. Below are meeting dates, times and locations in northwest Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611836622184.jpeg" alt="First Dist. Rep. Tracey Mann, R-KS" />
 <figcaption>First Dist. Rep. Tracey Mann, R-KS</figcaption>
 </figure>First District Rep. Tracey Mann, R-KS, will host town hall meetings in July to hear from Kansans. Below are meeting dates, times and locations in northwest Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625650169631.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625650268748.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Rep. Mann to host town halls across Big First

Harvesting forages for future use during the winter feeding period or during drought represents a significant cost outlay for cattle operations. Previous research conducted at KSU suggests that large round bales composed of Wheat or Sudan hay can incur feed waste of up to 25% of a bale’s weight when unrolled. Much of this loss can be attributed to factors associated with delayed harvest and/or improper storage prior to feeding.&nbsp;

Management practices for large round bales&nbsp;

Forage production for future use as a consequence of dry weather conditions or winter feeding is an important element for all cattle producers who wish to insure the nutritional needs of their cowherd are being met. Proper attention throughout the entire hay harvesting process, including proper storage will pay future dividends towards this effort.&nbsp;

Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aboor@ksu.edu">aboor@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or calling 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141354634.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Harvesting forages for future use during the winter feeding period or during drought represents a significant cost outlay for cattle operations. Previous research conducted at KSU suggests that large round bales composed of Wheat or Sudan hay can incur feed waste of up to 25% of a bale’s weight when unrolled. Much of this loss can be attributed to factors associated with delayed harvest and/or improper storage prior to feeding.&nbsp;Management practices for large round bales&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Make a dense bale.&nbsp;A dense bale will sag less, have less surface area in contact with the ground, shed more precipitation and protect the inner bale from weathering, and make more efficient use of the bale wrap deployed. Bale density is affected by the baler, the experience of the operator, and the type of hay.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Store bales end-to-end to reduce storage loss.&nbsp;Tightly stacking bales end to end better utilizes the storage area. If bales are not stacked tightly against each other, rain will penetrate the ends and increase damage. Position the hay bales on a well-drained site. A gently sloping site with a southern or southeastern exposure is ideal to maximize solar drying and encourage drainage. To further reduce wastage on the bottom of the bales, some producers have elevated their bales using old tires, shipping pallets or on a layer of 3 to 4 inches of crushed rock. When more than one row of bales is needed, be mindful to space adjacent rows at least 3 feet apart. This simple action will increase air flow and allow the sun to reach the back row.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Avoid stacking large round bales.&nbsp;Many producers will stack their large round bales in a pyramid formation with the thought of maximizing their utilization of space. However, this strategy will usually increase dry matter losses in the stack as a result of the trapped moisture and reduced air movement.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>DO NOT cover bales.&nbsp;Aside from adding cost, covering bales will potentially trap moisture the same as wrapping them in plastic. If high moisture hay (over 18 percent) is sealed under plastic, quality losses may result from excessive heating and mold development.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>DO NOT store bales under trees.&nbsp;During harvest, many producers will move the large round bales to the field perimeter with good intentions of moving bales to a central location when it is convenient. However, locating bales under trees will encourage degradation of their bales because of trapped moisture and the inability to dry from sunlight.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Forage production for future use as a consequence of dry weather conditions or winter feeding is an important element for all cattle producers who wish to insure the nutritional needs of their cowherd are being met. Proper attention throughout the entire hay harvesting process, including proper storage will pay future dividends towards this effort.&nbsp;Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aboor@ksu.edu">aboor@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or calling 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

BOOR: Harvesting forages for future use

LOGAN COUNTY—A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just after noon Wednesday in Logan County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 GMC pickup driven byBrittany&nbsp;Eisenhardt, 23, Park,&nbsp;westbound on U.S. 40 in the driving lane in the city of Oakley. The vehicle rear ended a 1999 Ford pickup driven by Vanessa Wellbrock 51, Oakley, who&nbsp; slowed down to make a turn into a driveway.&nbsp;

EMS transported Wellbrock to the Logan County Hospital. Eisenhardt and two children in the GMC pickup were not injured. All four were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

LOGAN COUNTY—A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just after noon Wednesday in Logan County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 GMC pickup driven byBrittany&nbsp;Eisenhardt, 23, Park,&nbsp;westbound on U.S. 40 in the driving lane in the city of Oakley. The vehicle rear ended a 1999 Ford pickup driven by Vanessa Wellbrock 51, Oakley, who&nbsp; slowed down to make a turn into a driveway.&nbsp;EMS transported Wellbrock to the Logan County Hospital. Eisenhardt and two children in the GMC pickup were not injured. All four were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Woman from Oakley hospitalized after rear-end crash

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported five new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Friday. There was no case update Monday due to the Fourth of July holiday.

<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

As of Wednesday,&nbsp;the University of Kansas Health System reported two active COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed.

Since reporting began, there have been 3,770 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 73 coronavirus-related deaths.

Corrected 2:08 p.m. Wednesday to clarify number of new cases.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625682738634.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday reported five new COVID-19 cases in Ellis County had been identified since Friday. There was no case update Monday due to the Fourth of July holiday.<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/97/Health">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.As of Wednesday,&nbsp;the University of Kansas Health System reported two active COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed.Since reporting began, there have been 3,770 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 73 coronavirus-related deaths.Corrected 2:08 p.m. Wednesday to clarify number of new cases.

KDHE: Five new virus cases in Ellis Co. since Friday

By KEN CARPENTER Great Bend Post

The Barton County Health Department is continuing to see new cases of COVID-19 in the county.&nbsp;Karen Winkleman, Health Department Director,&nbsp;spoke to Eagle Radio Great Bend&nbsp;on Wednesday&nbsp;about the latest numbers.&nbsp;

“In the last 10 days, we have had&nbsp;10&nbsp;positive cases reported to us,” Winkleman said. “Out of those 10, six of those have been identified as the new Delta variant, the variant of concern.”&nbsp;

The Delta variant&nbsp;is now the dominant strain of the coronavirus in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control.&nbsp;It has been found to be more transmissible&nbsp;than the original virus&nbsp;and&nbsp;can&nbsp;cause more severe illness in those who are infected.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Winkleman said&nbsp;one of the cases involved an 11-year-old child.&nbsp;

“At 11, there is no vaccine that has emergency use authorization yet,&nbsp;so&nbsp;it makes it important for people to be vaccinated to protect those who cannot be,” Winkleman noted.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The vaccine has been approved for children 12 years and older.&nbsp;The CDC is reporting that all of the approved COVID-19 vaccines are&nbsp;effective&nbsp;against the Delta variant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Free&nbsp;vaccinations&nbsp;are available at the Health Department’s offices Monday through Friday during operating hours.&nbsp;The Health Department will&nbsp;also&nbsp;be offering the vaccine at this week’s Barton County Fair on Thursday and Friday from 6–8 p.m. and on Saturday from 9–11 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623147851264.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KEN CARPENTER Great Bend PostThe Barton County Health Department is continuing to see new cases of COVID-19 in the county.&nbsp;Karen Winkleman, Health Department Director,&nbsp;spoke to Eagle Radio Great Bend&nbsp;on Wednesday&nbsp;about the latest numbers.&nbsp;“In the last 10 days, we have had&nbsp;10&nbsp;positive cases reported to us,” Winkleman said. “Out of those 10, six of those have been identified as the new Delta variant, the variant of concern.”&nbsp;The Delta variant&nbsp;is now the dominant strain of the coronavirus in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control.&nbsp;It has been found to be more transmissible&nbsp;than the original virus&nbsp;and&nbsp;can&nbsp;cause more severe illness in those who are infected.&nbsp;&nbsp;Winkleman said&nbsp;one of the cases involved an 11-year-old child.&nbsp;“At 11, there is no vaccine that has emergency use authorization yet,&nbsp;so&nbsp;it makes it important for people to be vaccinated to protect those who cannot be,” Winkleman noted.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;The vaccine has been approved for children 12 years and older.&nbsp;The CDC is reporting that all of the approved COVID-19 vaccines are&nbsp;effective&nbsp;against the Delta variant.&nbsp;&nbsp;Free&nbsp;vaccinations&nbsp;are available at the Health Department’s offices Monday through Friday during operating hours.&nbsp;The Health Department will&nbsp;also&nbsp;be offering the vaccine at this week’s Barton County Fair on Thursday and Friday from 6–8 p.m. and on Saturday from 9–11 a.m.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Delta variant of COVID accounts for the majority of Barton Co. cases

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger talks about the chamber's efforts to launch a health insurance program for members.

<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>

<div><iframe title="Hays Chamber exploring insurance options for members" 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=s2dfu-108211a-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3&font-color=&btn-skin=3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Chamber president and CEO Sarah Wasinger talks about the chamber's efforts to launch a health insurance program for members.<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>

🎙Post Podcast: Hays Chamber exploring insurance options for members

Safe Ride has been temporarily shut down since the pandemic hit in March 2020, but officials do not believe the absence of the service has affected driving under the influence arrests.

Safe Ride was created in 2005 as a free service for the community. The bus picked up and dropped off riders anywhere within the city limits between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. in attempts to curb unsafe driving in Hays.

The director of the Ellis County public transportation program, which also coordinates buses for Safe Ride, said all public transportation riders are required to wear masks and social distance regardless of their vaccination status.

He said the service has been unwilling to attempt to force riders who may be intoxicated to wear masks. He cited an instance in which a rider in Kansas City broke the jaw of a 74-year-old bus driver in three places after the driver told the man he was required to wear a mask on the bus.

He said Safe Ride will not resume until the mask mandate is lifted.

The Federal Transportation Administration is scheduled to review the mask mandate in September, but officials said they will not lift COVID precautions until 70 percent of the public is vaccinated. In the Kansas, the public is 44 percent vaccinated.

Local officials believe the mask mandate will likely stay in place at least until the end of the year.

Since its launch, Safe Ride has provided more than 250,000 rides. In 2018, Safe Ride was averaging 2,000 to 2,500 rides per month.

During Oktoberfest, the service averages about 1,000 rides.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said Hays saw a dip in DUI arrests in 2020. The city has averaged about 259 DUI arrests per year during the past 10 year.&nbsp;

Hays had 216 DUI arrests in 2020 and only four arrests in April 2020, which was the lowest number of DUI arrests in any month in that 10-year period.

As of the end of June, Hays had 131 DUI arrests, which would put it back on pace to meet the city's 10-year average.

However, Sheibler said he attributed the increase in arrests to other factors than the Safe Ride shutdown.

"I think prior to the pandemic, we saw a huge increase in the number of Uber drivers and Lyft drivers and more people taking advantage of those," he said. "Prior to the pandemic it would not be uncommon for you to see four or five Uber drivers outside of the bars on a Friday or Saturday night."

When the pandemic set in, people weren't going into bars, Scheibler said.

Enforcement also changed during the pandemic. Officers were focusing on emergencies and were being discouraged to make traffic stops or arrests. People were being released from jails in efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, Scheibler said.

"Since people have started being vaccinated, people are more comfortable going out," he said. "Across the state, the chiefs are saying the same thing."

The Partnership for a Safer Community, which founded the program, has not met to discuss the long-term future of Safe Ride.

The partnership contracts with Access, the city's public transportation program, to provide Safe Ride at night. Safe Ride is paid for through a combination of Fort Hays State University student fees and Hays Municipal Court fees.

Safe Ride had already dropped Wednesday night service from its schedule before the pandemic because of decreased ridership.

The community is dealing with a different generation of people who socialize in different ways, Scheibler said. During the '90s, when Scheibler was first an officer, the downtown bars would be packed on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Younger people, who can stay in contact constantly through social media and their phones, seem less likely to frequent bars than their parents were, Scheibler said.

He also said the state has made the punishments for DUIs harsher, and people may be making smarter choices about safe driving than when the city was seeing more than 300 DUIs per year in the 1990s.

With the emergence of ride sharing and taxi services in the community, Scheibler said he personally questioned whether Safe Ride should continue to be publicly funded.

"I think the committee is going to continue to evaluate and see if the service is being used," he said. "It is not just for drunk and intoxicated people. Other people use that to get around."&nbsp;

He said the community will always have a need for public transportation, but he questioned if the buses still needed to run in the early hours of the morning.&nbsp;

"If there is private industry out there — businesses — that can handle this, we don't have to fund this with public money," he said. "Maybe we shouldn't compete with those folks."

Safe Ride's sister program, Access, which provides rides during the day, has continued to run except for a one-month shutdown in April 2020. Although the pandemic cut ridership in about half, the director said he still sees a need for the daytime program.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625263605210.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostSafe Ride has been temporarily shut down since the pandemic hit in March 2020, but officials do not believe the absence of the service has affected driving under the influence arrests.Safe Ride was created in 2005 as a free service for the community. The bus picked up and dropped off riders anywhere within the city limits between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. in attempts to curb unsafe driving in Hays.The director of the Ellis County public transportation program, which also coordinates buses for Safe Ride, said all public transportation riders are required to wear masks and social distance regardless of their vaccination status.He said the service has been unwilling to attempt to force riders who may be intoxicated to wear masks. He cited an instance in which a rider in Kansas City broke the jaw of a 74-year-old bus driver in three places after the driver told the man he was required to wear a mask on the bus.He said Safe Ride will not resume until the mask mandate is lifted.The Federal Transportation Administration is scheduled to review the mask mandate in September, but officials said they will not lift COVID precautions until 70 percent of the public is vaccinated. In the Kansas, the public is 44 percent vaccinated.Local officials believe the mask mandate will likely stay in place at least until the end of the year.Since its launch, Safe Ride has provided more than 250,000 rides. In 2018, Safe Ride was averaging 2,000 to 2,500 rides per month.During Oktoberfest, the service averages about 1,000 rides.Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said Hays saw a dip in DUI arrests in 2020. The city has averaged about 259 DUI arrests per year during the past 10 year.&nbsp;Hays had 216 DUI arrests in 2020 and only four arrests in April 2020, which was the lowest number of DUI arrests in any month in that 10-year period.As of the end of June, Hays had 131 DUI arrests, which would put it back on pace to meet the city's 10-year average.However, Sheibler said he attributed the increase in arrests to other factors than the Safe Ride shutdown."I think prior to the pandemic, we saw a huge increase in the number of Uber drivers and Lyft drivers and more people taking advantage of those," he said. "Prior to the pandemic it would not be uncommon for you to see four or five Uber drivers outside of the bars on a Friday or Saturday night."When the pandemic set in, people weren't going into bars, Scheibler said.Enforcement also changed during the pandemic. Officers were focusing on emergencies and were being discouraged to make traffic stops or arrests. People were being released from jails in efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, Scheibler said."Since people have started being vaccinated, people are more comfortable going out," he said. "Across the state, the chiefs are saying the same thing."The Partnership for a Safer Community, which founded the program, has not met to discuss the long-term future of Safe Ride.The partnership contracts with Access, the city's public transportation program, to provide Safe Ride at night. Safe Ride is paid for through a combination of Fort Hays State University student fees and Hays Municipal Court fees.Safe Ride had already dropped Wednesday night service from its schedule before the pandemic because of decreased ridership.The community is dealing with a different generation of people who socialize in different ways, Scheibler said. During the '90s, when Scheibler was first an officer, the downtown bars would be packed on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.Younger people, who can stay in contact constantly through social media and their phones, seem less likely to frequent bars than their parents were, Scheibler said.He also said the state has made the punishments for DUIs harsher, and people may be making smarter choices about safe driving than when the city was seeing more than 300 DUIs per year in the 1990s.With the emergence of ride sharing and taxi services in the community, Scheibler said he personally questioned whether Safe Ride should continue to be publicly funded."I think the committee is going to continue to evaluate and see if the service is being used," he said. "It is not just for drunk and intoxicated people. Other people use that to get around."&nbsp;He said the community will always have a need for public transportation, but he questioned if the buses still needed to run in the early hours of the morning.&nbsp;"If there is private industry out there — businesses — that can handle this, we don't have to fund this with public money," he said. "Maybe we shouldn't compete with those folks."Safe Ride's sister program, Access, which provides rides during the day, has continued to run except for a one-month shutdown in April 2020. Although the pandemic cut ridership in about half, the director said he still sees a need for the daytime program.

COVID shutters Safe Ride, but Hays sees no spike in DUIs

Crude prices retreated on Tuesday after posting some big gains. Prices briefly touched highs not seen in six years, after OPEC and its allies failed to reach an agreement on production policy. Before noon on Tuesday, WTI futures prices rose nearly two dollars, and then fell by a like amount. At one point the August contract reached $76.98 per barrel, a price not seen since November 2014. In late morning trading Tuesday, WTI was below $74, dropping $1.20 from the opening bell at $73.96 per barrel. So far this year, WTI prices have gained 57 percent. OPEC and its allies on Friday failed to come to agreement on new production policy and postponed talks indefinitely. OPEC+ took historic measures in April 2020, removing nearly 10 million barrels per day from the marketplace in an effort to support prices. Since then, the group has been slowly returning barrels to the market, while meeting on a near-monthly basis to discuss output policy. But Friday's meeting came to an end after the United Arab Emirates blocked two key votes, and members have not planned a new meeting. At CHS in McPherson, Kansas Common starts the week, and the month of July, at $65.50 per barrel, after a big jump ahead of the holiday weekend. The state benchmark ended the month of June at $63.75 which is nearly six dollars higher than at the start of the month. The average price for the month of June was $61.66 per barrel. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports a slight uptick in the Rig Count in Kansas, with eight active rigs in the eastern half of the state and 22 west of Wichita. Both tallies were up one for the week. Baker Hughes reported 475 active drilling rigs across the country on Friday, an increase of four oil rigs and one gas rig. Colorado notched an increase of three rigs. The counts in North Dakota and Texas were each up one.&nbsp; Regulators gave their okay to 16 new drilling permits in Kansas last week, four in eastern Kansas and 12 west of Wichita. That's 483 new drilling permits so far this year, compared to just 214 through the first six months of last year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 31 completions across Kansas for the week, but just two of them were west of Wichita. That's 389 newly-completed wells so far this year. Last year's six-month total was 537, reported before most of the state's shutdown kicked in. Just seven years ago, the six-month total was over 3,000 newly completed wells. The government reported the sixth consecutive weekly drop in US crude-oil inventories. For the week ending June 25, US stockpiles dropped 6.7 million barrels from the week before, to a total of just over 452 million barrels. The Energy Information Administration says US inventories are about six percent below the five-year average for this time of year. Gasoline stockpiles increased by one and a half million barrels last week. Inventories are now equal to the five-year average for this time of year. US crude-oil production topped 11 million barrels per day last week for the third week in a row. US output jumped 103,000 barrels per day compared to the week before. Production is currently about 185,000 barrels per day higher than the output reported a year ago. US crude imports averaged 6.4 million barrels per day last week, down half a million barrels a day. The government says Imports over the last four week averaged 2.8 percent more than the same four week period last year. The current rally in oil prices is setting records for the speed of the increases. Brent crude reached $75 per barrel last week, more than double the price in November.&nbsp; In Canada they're calling it "almost too good to be true." According to The Financial Post, an oil rally this rapid has only happened three times in the last twenty years. If Canadian oil and gas companies continue to maintain their cost discipline, analysts believe they could get substantial returns, a big turnaround for the industry. According to the report, Canadian oil and gas companies are close to hitting their debt-reduction goals and could soon start allocating billions in free cash.&nbsp; Oil-by-rail totals have risen steadily each week since late April. The Association of American Railroads reported another increase for the week ending June 26, with 10,201 tankers hauling petroleum or petroleum products. That's up 416 rail cars from the week before and half a percentage point higher than a year ago. Oil-by-rail in Canada is down slightly for the week, but up more than 50% over a year ago.&nbsp; As you might expect, US energy consumption dropped dramatically last year because of the pandemic response and other factors. The government now says we saw our largest annual decline in energy use ever, a decline of 7.5%. Fossil fuels, including both petroleum for transportation and coal for electrical power, accounted for most of the decline. Fossil fuels consumption dropped last year to its lowest level since 1991. The Energy Information Administration reports non-fossil fuel sources, including nuclear power and renewable sources, rose to their highest share of the energy mix since the early 1900s.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARCrude prices retreated on Tuesday after posting some big gains. Prices briefly touched highs not seen in six years, after OPEC and its allies failed to reach an agreement on production policy. Before noon on Tuesday, WTI futures prices rose nearly two dollars, and then fell by a like amount. At one point the August contract reached $76.98 per barrel, a price not seen since November 2014. In late morning trading Tuesday, WTI was below $74, dropping $1.20 from the opening bell at $73.96 per barrel. So far this year, WTI prices have gained 57 percent. OPEC and its allies on Friday failed to come to agreement on new production policy and postponed talks indefinitely. OPEC+ took historic measures in April 2020, removing nearly 10 million barrels per day from the marketplace in an effort to support prices. Since then, the group has been slowly returning barrels to the market, while meeting on a near-monthly basis to discuss output policy. But Friday's meeting came to an end after the United Arab Emirates blocked two key votes, and members have not planned a new meeting. At CHS in McPherson, Kansas Common starts the week, and the month of July, at $65.50 per barrel, after a big jump ahead of the holiday weekend. The state benchmark ended the month of June at $63.75 which is nearly six dollars higher than at the start of the month. The average price for the month of June was $61.66 per barrel. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports a slight uptick in the Rig Count in Kansas, with eight active rigs in the eastern half of the state and 22 west of Wichita. Both tallies were up one for the week. Baker Hughes reported 475 active drilling rigs across the country on Friday, an increase of four oil rigs and one gas rig. Colorado notched an increase of three rigs. The counts in North Dakota and Texas were each up one.&nbsp; Regulators gave their okay to 16 new drilling permits in Kansas last week, four in eastern Kansas and 12 west of Wichita. That's 483 new drilling permits so far this year, compared to just 214 through the first six months of last year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 31 completions across Kansas for the week, but just two of them were west of Wichita. That's 389 newly-completed wells so far this year. Last year's six-month total was 537, reported before most of the state's shutdown kicked in. Just seven years ago, the six-month total was over 3,000 newly completed wells. The government reported the sixth consecutive weekly drop in US crude-oil inventories. For the week ending June 25, US stockpiles dropped 6.7 million barrels from the week before, to a total of just over 452 million barrels. The Energy Information Administration says US inventories are about six percent below the five-year average for this time of year. Gasoline stockpiles increased by one and a half million barrels last week. Inventories are now equal to the five-year average for this time of year. US crude-oil production topped 11 million barrels per day last week for the third week in a row. US output jumped 103,000 barrels per day compared to the week before. Production is currently about 185,000 barrels per day higher than the output reported a year ago. US crude imports averaged 6.4 million barrels per day last week, down half a million barrels a day. The government says Imports over the last four week averaged 2.8 percent more than the same four week period last year. The current rally in oil prices is setting records for the speed of the increases. Brent crude reached $75 per barrel last week, more than double the price in November.&nbsp; In Canada they're calling it "almost too good to be true." According to The Financial Post, an oil rally this rapid has only happened three times in the last twenty years. If Canadian oil and gas companies continue to maintain their cost discipline, analysts believe they could get substantial returns, a big turnaround for the industry. According to the report, Canadian oil and gas companies are close to hitting their debt-reduction goals and could soon start allocating billions in free cash.&nbsp; Oil-by-rail totals have risen steadily each week since late April. The Association of American Railroads reported another increase for the week ending June 26, with 10,201 tankers hauling petroleum or petroleum products. That's up 416 rail cars from the week before and half a percentage point higher than a year ago. Oil-by-rail in Canada is down slightly for the week, but up more than 50% over a year ago.&nbsp; As you might expect, US energy consumption dropped dramatically last year because of the pandemic response and other factors. The government now says we saw our largest annual decline in energy use ever, a decline of 7.5%. Fossil fuels, including both petroleum for transportation and coal for electrical power, accounted for most of the decline. Fossil fuels consumption dropped last year to its lowest level since 1991. The Energy Information Administration reports non-fossil fuel sources, including nuclear power and renewable sources, rose to their highest share of the energy mix since the early 1900s.