By LACEY NEWLIN <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/wind-energy-a-breeze-or-a-bust-for-rural-america/article_b162f790-77bd-11eb-beff-fb391dfc4f8f.html#utm_source=hpj.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Fhpj-weekly%2F%3F-dc%3D1614362416&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=headline">High Plains Journal</a>

Built to withstand hurricane level 
winds with blades longer than a Boeing 747, the massive wind turbines 
popping up across the plains of rural America are hard to miss. With the
 Biden administration taking the helm in 2021, touting clean and 
renewable energy as a main objective, it seems energy sources, like 
wind, will only gain momentum.

The
 president made good on his energy stance when he recently signed an 
executive order to replace the 645,000 federal vehicle fleet with 
electric cars, truck and vans. Much to the dismay of many oil and gas 
workers, he also signed an executive order to halt the Keystone Pipeline
 and ended federal subsidies for fossil fuels with the stroke of a pen. 
To counteract his plans to slow down oil and gas production, POTUS 
announced an objective to double United States offshore wind capacity by
 2030. These efforts are part of the Biden administration’s goal of 
reaching a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, which would put 
the U.S. on a path to a net-zero economy by 2050.

Right now only about 15% of the world’s 
power is produced by renewable energy, and to meet these somewhat 
fanciful energy ambitions, change could be coming in a big way. 
Uncertainty of how these shifts will affect rural Americans and 
agriculture is palpable. Since half of the wind energy in the U.S. is 
produced in rural areas such Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Kansas, wind 
energy will have a significant effect on these communities—for better or
 for worse.

Finally, a good reason for the wind to blow

According
 to the Center for Climate and Energy Solution, wind energy is the 
second largest renewable energy source after hydropower. One of the 
reasons wind turbines are considered to be a key to the future of energy
 is that they do not produce any greenhouse gases or pollutants while in
 operation and are considerably cheap to run. The U.S. Department of 
Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy describes wind
 power as one of the lowest-priced energy sources available, costing 
$0.01 to $0.02 per kilowatt per hour after the production tax credit.

Power
 prices are also more stable than coal, gas or oil because electricity 
from wind farms is sold at a fixed price over a long period of time. 
Unlike fossil fuels, wind is renewable, sustainable and as anyone across
 the plains of Texas, Oklahoma or Kansas can attest, the wind only seems
 to blow stronger each year. Finally, wind is a domestic source of 
energy that cannot be hijacked or price gouged by foreign countries.

According
 to the American Wind Energy Association, there are nearly 60,000 wind 
turbines operating in 41 states and two U.S. territories. Construction 
activity reached a new record in the first quarter of 2020, with 24,690 
megawatts under construction across the country and many of the 
individuals profiting from these wind projects are farmers and ranchers.

Brady
 Weeks, president of Allegiant Land Services &amp; Consulting, in 
Seiling, Oklahoma, and landowner with wind turbines on his property, 
plays the middleman between landowners and energy companies during 
contract negotiations. He works with oil, gas and renewable energy 
companies to secure leases, so he sees all sides of these industries and
 recognizes wind power for its benefits to rural property owners.

“Everyone
 knows when you get an oil and gas well it has a chance to be a barn 
burner or maybe it’s just average, but one thing that you do know in the
 oil and gas industry is that it is going to drop off eventually,” Weeks
 explained. “The takeaway from wind energy from a land owner’s 
standpoint is the generational income, and on top of that it is an 
increasing revenue stream that could last for 40 to 50 years. Our state 
is built around oil and gas, so we go up and down with that industry, 
which is kind of our downfall. The beauty of wind energy is that it is 
not a commodity like oil. It’s steady and doesn’t jump around.”

Weeks
 said the checks landowners are cut each year are dependent on how big 
their turbines are, but with newer contracts many landowners can expect 
$10,000 to $15,000 per turbine annually. Additionally, Weeks said the 
industry is moving toward bigger turbines and fewer of them, so payments
 are getting larger compared to what they were 20 years ago.

“Depending
 on the turbine and the megawatt capacity, with these newer projects 
landowners could be getting paid anywhere from $500,000 to $750,000 per 
turbine over the life of the contracts,” Weeks said. “It’s serious 
money. If you look at that from a landowner’s perspective, it’s a 
no-brainer. You may miss a crop, but you have another source of income.”

Fortunately,
 landowners are still able to use the land around the turbines for 
agriculture like crops or livestock, with minimal production area taken 
out of commission.

“Usually one
 turbine is going to remove one and half to two acres out of 
production,” he said. “We haven’t perfected the invisible turbine yet, 
but the surface impact is minimal.”

However,
 the property owner is not the only one to benefit financially from wind
 turbines. According to Weeks, the oil and gas industry pays a gross 
production tax, which is distributed across all the counties in the 
state. However, with wind energy projects, all the taxes stay in the 
county where the wind turbines stand, keeping the revenue stream local. 
Weeks said some larger wind farm projects—depending on the megawatt 
capacity—could be anywhere from $400 million to even billion dollar 
investments, which will benefit rural America, not only with tax 
dollars, but with good paying jobs that bring families to farming 
communities and keep small towns alive.

“Any money you can bring in from bigger 
companies to small, rural America is only going to improve the 
survivability of producers,” Weeks explained.

In
 fact, in Dewey County, Oklahoma, where Weeks resides, the schools are 
able to stay off the state school funding formula due in large part to 
the amount of taxes paid through wind turbine companies. Although many 
fear wind turbine installation across the plains because they associate 
them with the Green New Deal and calls for taxes on cow flatulence, to 
Weeks, there is a place for oil, gas and renewable energy in this 
country and the more energy production in his state, the better—no 
matter the type.

“I think we 
need to focus on the positives of wind energy and how the oil and gas 
and wind industries can coexist and work together on the grid,” he said.
 “Some people see it as an us versus them mentality and it couldn’t be 
any further from the truth from the landowner’s perspective. Yes, I 
think renewables are going to become more prevalent, but I think we’ll 
always be drilling for oil. The bottom line is Trump never stopped the 
windmills and Biden will never stop the fracking.”

Wind power is green energy and benefits 
rural landowners and communities financially, but some still see them as
 noisy eyesores that besmirch sunset views and take away for the beauty 
of the High Plains. Although wind turbines have a good reputation among 
most in the renewable energy sector, one must only look to the 
Environmental Protection Agency, of all places, to get the dirt on this 
clean energy. An EPA renewable energy briefing paper published January 
2021 painted wind turbines in a less than glowing light when it stated 
that there are chemical management concerns as wind turbines contain 
oils and other lubricants that can leak out and contaminate soil and 
water.

Additionally, EPA said 
although wind turbines produce carbon-neutral energy, large amounts of 
fossil fuels are needed to install, transport and monitor turbines. The 
paper also said in most leases, wind farm operators are responsible for 
returning the land to its previous state at the end of the wind farm’s 
life, but if the windmill owner goes out of business before the end of 
the lease, the landowner is responsible for decommissioning and removal.
 Additionally, farmers have complained of difficulties crop dusting 
where wind turbines are present and the radio frequencies emitted from 
the turbines are known to foul up GPS systems.

Although
 they are known for being environmentally friendly, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service says between 140,000 and 500,000 birds of over 200 
species are killed each year by wind turbines in the U.S. alone. The FWS
 predicts the average bird deaths from turbine collisions could reach 
1.4 million a year if wind farms are increased with the DOE’s mandates. 
Wind turbines can also affect animal habitats like that of the lesser 
prairie-chicken, which is listed as a vulnerable species. Wind turbines 
and lesser prairie-chickens require the same rural plains in Kansas, 
Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado and they do not coexist well 
together. Lesser prairie-chickens fear vertical structures because their
 instincts associate them with raptor perches, making it difficult for 
them to find nesting areas to lay their eggs. Aside from this list of 
concerns wind energy’s seemingly squeaky clean reputation can be marred 
with one simple fact, decommissioned blades are piling up in landfills.

“Windmills
 are perhaps the least energy-producing and most physically difficult 
renewable waste stream to deal with,” the EPA briefing stated. “These 
behemoth power generators are not only laborious and expensive to 
transport and install, but they are burdensome to remove and recycle 
too.”

The briefing paper goes 
on to reveal the larger the wind turbine, the larger the blade diameter,
 and the more power generated, so turbine manufacturers are incentivized
 to install the largest turbines they can, which makes them more 
difficult to dispose. Although 85% of the turbine, including steel, 
copper wire, electronics and gears, can be recycled, the blades are made
 of fiberglass or carbon fiber—depending on their age—leaving companies 
with few choices when blades reach the end of their lifetime. Of the 
8,000 blades decommissioned each year, most are scrapped and buried in 
one of three landfills in the U.S. that accepts them, including Lake 
Mills, Iowa, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Casper, Wyoming. The Casper 
Municipal Landfill alone is home to almost 900 blades that are buried 30
 feet underground.

The topic of
 wind turbine blade graveyards is not only timely because of the current
 push toward 100% renewable energy, but also because blades last about 
20 to 25 years, so many of the original turbines that were installed 
when wind energy became popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s are 
reaching the end of their life, so this issue will only grow without 
some major problem solving by the wind industry.

The
 EPA’s briefing paper summed it up best when it stated: “Until such a 
time as windmills can be efficiently dismantled so that component 
elements are separated out into units small enough to enter the existing
 waste stream and be reused or properly disposed of, each windfarm is a 
towering promise of future wreckage.”

Fortunately,
 wind energy companies are focused on discovering ways to recycle old 
blades and engineer the new blades to be reused in the future. A company
 called Global Fiberglass Solutions has devised a patented solution to 
break down the old blades and press them into pellets and fiber boards 
to be used for flooring and walls. GFS has opened plants in Texas and 
Iowa where they are able to process 99.9% of a blade and expect to break
 down 6,000 to 7,000 blades per year per plant—which is a big step in 
the right direction.

Whether 
they are spinning 300 feet high in the sky or buried 30 feet under, wind
 turbines will continue to play a part in the world’s energy production 
and rural America can prepare itself by learning the advantages and 
drawbacks of wind energy production and what is just hot air.

Lacey Newlin can be reached at 620-227-1871 or <a href="mailto:lnewlin@hpj.com">lnewlin@hpj.com</a>. Republished with permission.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614369153575.png" alt="According to the American Wind Energy Association, there are nearly 60,000 wind turbines operating in 41 states and two U.S. territories. Construction activity reached a new record in the first quarter of 2020, with 24,690 megawatts under construction across the country and many of the individuals profiting from these wind projects are farmers and ranchers. Photo by Lacey Newlin" />
 <figcaption>According to the American Wind Energy Association, there are nearly 60,000 wind turbines operating in 41 states and two U.S. territories. Construction activity reached a new record in the first quarter of 2020, with 24,690 megawatts under construction across the country and many of the individuals profiting from these wind projects are farmers and ranchers. Photo by Lacey Newlin</figcaption>
 </figure>By LACEY NEWLIN <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/wind-energy-a-breeze-or-a-bust-for-rural-america/article_b162f790-77bd-11eb-beff-fb391dfc4f8f.html#utm_source=hpj.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Fhpj-weekly%2F%3F-dc%3D1614362416&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=headline">High Plains Journal</a>Built to withstand hurricane level 
winds with blades longer than a Boeing 747, the massive wind turbines 
popping up across the plains of rural America are hard to miss. With the
 Biden administration taking the helm in 2021, touting clean and 
renewable energy as a main objective, it seems energy sources, like 
wind, will only gain momentum.The
 president made good on his energy stance when he recently signed an 
executive order to replace the 645,000 federal vehicle fleet with 
electric cars, truck and vans. Much to the dismay of many oil and gas 
workers, he also signed an executive order to halt the Keystone Pipeline
 and ended federal subsidies for fossil fuels with the stroke of a pen. 
To counteract his plans to slow down oil and gas production, POTUS 
announced an objective to double United States offshore wind capacity by
 2030. These efforts are part of the Biden administration’s goal of 
reaching a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, which would put 
the U.S. on a path to a net-zero economy by 2050.Right now only about 15% of the world’s 
power is produced by renewable energy, and to meet these somewhat 
fanciful energy ambitions, change could be coming in a big way. 
Uncertainty of how these shifts will affect rural Americans and 
agriculture is palpable. Since half of the wind energy in the U.S. is 
produced in rural areas such Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Kansas, wind 
energy will have a significant effect on these communities—for better or
 for worse.<h2>Finally, a good reason for the wind to blow</h2>According
 to the Center for Climate and Energy Solution, wind energy is the 
second largest renewable energy source after hydropower. One of the 
reasons wind turbines are considered to be a key to the future of energy
 is that they do not produce any greenhouse gases or pollutants while in
 operation and are considerably cheap to run. The U.S. Department of 
Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy describes wind
 power as one of the lowest-priced energy sources available, costing 
$0.01 to $0.02 per kilowatt per hour after the production tax credit.Power
 prices are also more stable than coal, gas or oil because electricity 
from wind farms is sold at a fixed price over a long period of time. 
Unlike fossil fuels, wind is renewable, sustainable and as anyone across
 the plains of Texas, Oklahoma or Kansas can attest, the wind only seems
 to blow stronger each year. Finally, wind is a domestic source of 
energy that cannot be hijacked or price gouged by foreign countries.According
 to the American Wind Energy Association, there are nearly 60,000 wind 
turbines operating in 41 states and two U.S. territories. Construction 
activity reached a new record in the first quarter of 2020, with 24,690 
megawatts under construction across the country and many of the 
individuals profiting from these wind projects are farmers and ranchers.Brady
 Weeks, president of Allegiant Land Services &amp; Consulting, in 
Seiling, Oklahoma, and landowner with wind turbines on his property, 
plays the middleman between landowners and energy companies during 
contract negotiations. He works with oil, gas and renewable energy 
companies to secure leases, so he sees all sides of these industries and
 recognizes wind power for its benefits to rural property owners.“Everyone
 knows when you get an oil and gas well it has a chance to be a barn 
burner or maybe it’s just average, but one thing that you do know in the
 oil and gas industry is that it is going to drop off eventually,” Weeks
 explained. “The takeaway from wind energy from a land owner’s 
standpoint is the generational income, and on top of that it is an 
increasing revenue stream that could last for 40 to 50 years. Our state 
is built around oil and gas, so we go up and down with that industry, 
which is kind of our downfall. The beauty of wind energy is that it is 
not a commodity like oil. It’s steady and doesn’t jump around.”Weeks
 said the checks landowners are cut each year are dependent on how big 
their turbines are, but with newer contracts many landowners can expect 
$10,000 to $15,000 per turbine annually. Additionally, Weeks said the 
industry is moving toward bigger turbines and fewer of them, so payments
 are getting larger compared to what they were 20 years ago.“Depending
 on the turbine and the megawatt capacity, with these newer projects 
landowners could be getting paid anywhere from $500,000 to $750,000 per 
turbine over the life of the contracts,” Weeks said. “It’s serious 
money. If you look at that from a landowner’s perspective, it’s a 
no-brainer. You may miss a crop, but you have another source of income.”Fortunately,
 landowners are still able to use the land around the turbines for 
agriculture like crops or livestock, with minimal production area taken 
out of commission.“Usually one
 turbine is going to remove one and half to two acres out of 
production,” he said. “We haven’t perfected the invisible turbine yet, 
but the surface impact is minimal.”However,
 the property owner is not the only one to benefit financially from wind
 turbines. According to Weeks, the oil and gas industry pays a gross 
production tax, which is distributed across all the counties in the 
state. However, with wind energy projects, all the taxes stay in the 
county where the wind turbines stand, keeping the revenue stream local. 
Weeks said some larger wind farm projects—depending on the megawatt 
capacity—could be anywhere from $400 million to even billion dollar 
investments, which will benefit rural America, not only with tax 
dollars, but with good paying jobs that bring families to farming 
communities and keep small towns alive.“Any money you can bring in from bigger 
companies to small, rural America is only going to improve the 
survivability of producers,” Weeks explained.In
 fact, in Dewey County, Oklahoma, where Weeks resides, the schools are 
able to stay off the state school funding formula due in large part to 
the amount of taxes paid through wind turbine companies. Although many 
fear wind turbine installation across the plains because they associate 
them with the Green New Deal and calls for taxes on cow flatulence, to 
Weeks, there is a place for oil, gas and renewable energy in this 
country and the more energy production in his state, the better—no 
matter the type.“I think we 
need to focus on the positives of wind energy and how the oil and gas 
and wind industries can coexist and work together on the grid,” he said.
 “Some people see it as an us versus them mentality and it couldn’t be 
any further from the truth from the landowner’s perspective. Yes, I 
think renewables are going to become more prevalent, but I think we’ll 
always be drilling for oil. The bottom line is Trump never stopped the 
windmills and Biden will never stop the fracking.”<h2>How clean is wind energy?</h2>Wind power is green energy and benefits 
rural landowners and communities financially, but some still see them as
 noisy eyesores that besmirch sunset views and take away for the beauty 
of the High Plains. Although wind turbines have a good reputation among 
most in the renewable energy sector, one must only look to the 
Environmental Protection Agency, of all places, to get the dirt on this 
clean energy. An EPA renewable energy briefing paper published January 
2021 painted wind turbines in a less than glowing light when it stated 
that there are chemical management concerns as wind turbines contain 
oils and other lubricants that can leak out and contaminate soil and 
water.Additionally, EPA said 
although wind turbines produce carbon-neutral energy, large amounts of 
fossil fuels are needed to install, transport and monitor turbines. The 
paper also said in most leases, wind farm operators are responsible for 
returning the land to its previous state at the end of the wind farm’s 
life, but if the windmill owner goes out of business before the end of 
the lease, the landowner is responsible for decommissioning and removal.
 Additionally, farmers have complained of difficulties crop dusting 
where wind turbines are present and the radio frequencies emitted from 
the turbines are known to foul up GPS systems.Although
 they are known for being environmentally friendly, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service says between 140,000 and 500,000 birds of over 200 
species are killed each year by wind turbines in the U.S. alone. The FWS
 predicts the average bird deaths from turbine collisions could reach 
1.4 million a year if wind farms are increased with the DOE’s mandates. 
Wind turbines can also affect animal habitats like that of the lesser 
prairie-chicken, which is listed as a vulnerable species. Wind turbines 
and lesser prairie-chickens require the same rural plains in Kansas, 
Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado and they do not coexist well 
together. Lesser prairie-chickens fear vertical structures because their
 instincts associate them with raptor perches, making it difficult for 
them to find nesting areas to lay their eggs. Aside from this list of 
concerns wind energy’s seemingly squeaky clean reputation can be marred 
with one simple fact, decommissioned blades are piling up in landfills.“Windmills
 are perhaps the least energy-producing and most physically difficult 
renewable waste stream to deal with,” the EPA briefing stated. “These 
behemoth power generators are not only laborious and expensive to 
transport and install, but they are burdensome to remove and recycle 
too.”The briefing paper goes 
on to reveal the larger the wind turbine, the larger the blade diameter,
 and the more power generated, so turbine manufacturers are incentivized
 to install the largest turbines they can, which makes them more 
difficult to dispose. Although 85% of the turbine, including steel, 
copper wire, electronics and gears, can be recycled, the blades are made
 of fiberglass or carbon fiber—depending on their age—leaving companies 
with few choices when blades reach the end of their lifetime. Of the 
8,000 blades decommissioned each year, most are scrapped and buried in 
one of three landfills in the U.S. that accepts them, including Lake 
Mills, Iowa, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Casper, Wyoming. The Casper 
Municipal Landfill alone is home to almost 900 blades that are buried 30
 feet underground.The topic of
 wind turbine blade graveyards is not only timely because of the current
 push toward 100% renewable energy, but also because blades last about 
20 to 25 years, so many of the original turbines that were installed 
when wind energy became popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s are 
reaching the end of their life, so this issue will only grow without 
some major problem solving by the wind industry.The
 EPA’s briefing paper summed it up best when it stated: “Until such a 
time as windmills can be efficiently dismantled so that component 
elements are separated out into units small enough to enter the existing
 waste stream and be reused or properly disposed of, each windfarm is a 
towering promise of future wreckage.”Fortunately,
 wind energy companies are focused on discovering ways to recycle old 
blades and engineer the new blades to be reused in the future. A company
 called Global Fiberglass Solutions has devised a patented solution to 
break down the old blades and press them into pellets and fiber boards 
to be used for flooring and walls. GFS has opened plants in Texas and 
Iowa where they are able to process 99.9% of a blade and expect to break
 down 6,000 to 7,000 blades per year per plant—which is a big step in 
the right direction.Whether 
they are spinning 300 feet high in the sky or buried 30 feet under, wind
 turbines will continue to play a part in the world’s energy production 
and rural America can prepare itself by learning the advantages and 
drawbacks of wind energy production and what is just hot air.Lacey Newlin can be reached at 620-227-1871 or <a href="mailto:lnewlin@hpj.com">lnewlin@hpj.com</a>. Republished with permission.

Wind energy: A breeze or a bust for rural America?

Three-day weather outlook

The Bank of Hays was founded with a single mission – serve the community. This work is at the heart of everything we do, and it has to be in the hearts of everyone on our team. For this reason, we believe that our employees are our most valuable asset and when we get the opportunity to recognize and promote them, we couldn’t be more proud.&nbsp;

Randy Walker, the Bank of Hays CEO, stated:&nbsp;

“I’m excited that our Board of Directors has approved these promotions effective immediately. Please join me in congratulating Jaden and Josh.”

Jaden Richardson, newly appointed Commercial Lender

Jaden Richardson grew up in Ness City, Kansas before attending Fort Hays State University. He graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance/Banking. In 2017, he started at Bank of Hays as a teller and through hard work and dedication, moved into credit analysis in 2019. Jaden is eager to begin his position as a Commercial Lender at Bank of Hays.&nbsp;

In addition to serving the financial needs of the community, Jaden has been involved with CARE Council, Relay for Life, and the Hays Bowling Association.

Josh Dreher, new appointed Senior Vice President &nbsp;

Josh Dreher has been an employee of Bank of Hays since March of 2006. After graduating from Fort Hays State in May of 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management he became a full-time commercial loan officer. Josh specializes in all types of conventional and government guaranteed loan programs for small business customers. Josh looks forward to making an even greater impact in his new role as Senior Vice President.&nbsp;

In additional to his passion for finances, Josh has volunteered with numerous non-profit organizations including the United Way of Ellis County, Hays Rotary Club, and Heartland Community Foundation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614526939795.jpeg" alt="bank " />
 <figcaption>bank </figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe Bank of Hays was founded with a single mission – serve the community. This work is at the heart of everything we do, and it has to be in the hearts of everyone on our team. For this reason, we believe that our employees are our most valuable asset and when we get the opportunity to recognize and promote them, we couldn’t be more proud.&nbsp;Randy Walker, the Bank of Hays CEO, stated:&nbsp;“I’m excited that our Board of Directors has approved these promotions effective immediately. Please join me in congratulating Jaden and Josh.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614633414814.png" alt="Richardson" />
 <figcaption>Richardson</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Jaden Richardson, newly appointed Commercial Lender</h2>Jaden Richardson grew up in Ness City, Kansas before attending Fort Hays State University. He graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance/Banking. In 2017, he started at Bank of Hays as a teller and through hard work and dedication, moved into credit analysis in 2019. Jaden is eager to begin his position as a Commercial Lender at Bank of Hays.&nbsp;In addition to serving the financial needs of the community, Jaden has been involved with CARE Council, Relay for Life, and the Hays Bowling Association.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614633445220.png" alt="Dreher" />
 <figcaption>Dreher</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Josh Dreher, new appointed Senior Vice President &nbsp;</h2>Josh Dreher has been an employee of Bank of Hays since March of 2006. After graduating from Fort Hays State in May of 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management he became a full-time commercial loan officer. Josh specializes in all types of conventional and government guaranteed loan programs for small business customers. Josh looks forward to making an even greater impact in his new role as Senior Vice President.&nbsp;In additional to his passion for finances, Josh has volunteered with numerous non-profit organizations including the United Way of Ellis County, Hays Rotary Club, and Heartland Community Foundation.

Bank of Hays promotes new senior VP, commercial lender

The TMP-Marian Lady Monarchs play host to the Russell Broncos in the opening round of the 3A Norton sub-state Monday at Al Billinger Fieldhouse.

The game is set to start at 7 p.m. Our coverage begins at 6:40 p.m. with the Hertz Rental Car Pregame show.

You can also listen to the game at <a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHAZ">99.5 KHAZ</a>.

The TMP-Marian Lady Monarchs play host to the Russell Broncos in the opening round of the 3A Norton sub-state Monday at Al Billinger Fieldhouse.The game is set to start at 7 p.m. Our coverage begins at 6:40 p.m. with the Hertz Rental Car Pregame show.Girls game<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cG-LOyhFM7A"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>You can also listen to the game at <a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHAZ">99.5 KHAZ</a>.

 🏀WATCH: TMP-Marian vs Russell

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Interim Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers was appointed Monday night to fill the position permanently.

Myers previously served as the Ellis County fire chief and director of emergency manager.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579638202973.jpeg" alt="Darin Myers" />
 <figcaption>Darin Myers</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostInterim Ellis County Administrator Darin Myers was appointed Monday night to fill the position permanently.Myers previously served as the Ellis County fire chief and director of emergency manager.

Breaking: Interim county admin. Myers hired to position permanently

The Ellis County Health Department on Monday reported the average number of new coronavirus cases per day in the last seven days again dipped from four on Friday to three on Monday — the lowest figure since that metric has been reported.

<a href="https://form.jotform.com/210066258239051">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

There were four new cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County since Friday. There are currently 39 active cases, including seven active hospitalizations of Ellis County residents, and 3,642 recovered cases.

As of Monday, there were 14 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed, up from 13 on Friday, with eight of those active patients and six in the recovery phase.

The seven-day average of percent of positive tests fell from 5.6 percent on Friday to 2.8 percent on Monday.

Since reporting began, there have been 3,681 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 72 coronavirus-related deaths.

NOTE:&nbsp;"New cases" reflects cases reported by the Ellis County Health Department between regular reporting periods of Monday, Wednesday and Friday. "Total cases" reflects all cases reported by the department. Because of delayed test results, total cases might include cases prior to the previous reporting period, so KDHE figures might not necessarily correspond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614622085031.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Health Department on Monday reported the average number of new coronavirus cases per day in the last seven days again dipped from four on Friday to three on Monday — the lowest figure since that metric has been reported.<a href="https://form.jotform.com/210066258239051">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;for information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.There were four new cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County since Friday. There are currently 39 active cases, including seven active hospitalizations of Ellis County residents, and 3,642 recovered cases.As of Monday, there were 14 COVID-19 inpatients at HaysMed, up from 13 on Friday, with eight of those active patients and six in the recovery phase.The seven-day average of percent of positive tests fell from 5.6 percent on Friday to 2.8 percent on Monday.Since reporting began, there have been 3,681 cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis County, including 72 coronavirus-related deaths.NOTE:&nbsp;"New cases" reflects cases reported by the Ellis County Health Department between regular reporting periods of Monday, Wednesday and Friday. "Total cases" reflects all cases reported by the department. Because of delayed test results, total cases might include cases prior to the previous reporting period, so KDHE figures might not necessarily correspond.

Per-day virus rate falls to 3 in Ellis Co.; just 4 new cases identified

On this episode of the Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Rep. LaTurner chief of staff and Hays native Braden Dreiling.

<div><iframe title="🎤Forward Ever: Rep. LaTurner chief of staff and Hays native Braden Dreiling" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/xcfku-fc3e62?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&auto=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=3&pfauth="></iframe></div>On this episode of the Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Rep. LaTurner chief of staff and Hays native Braden Dreiling.

🎤Forward Ever: LaTurner chief of staff, Hays native Braden Dreiling

This week marked the seventh week of session with the first half of the legislative session almost behind us.&nbsp; As we approach “turn-around” which is March 5th; Friday, February 26th&nbsp;was the last day for committees to hear and work bills before the half-way point of the 2021 session.&nbsp;

ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT SIGNED INTO LAW-SB15

Small businesses throughout Kansas have felt a crushing impact of COVID-19, including government stay-at-home orders and mandated closures of “non-essential” businesses, as well as other restrictions.&nbsp; Three weeks ago, the Kansas Senate took action to assist these businesses by passing the Kansas Economic Recovery Loan Deposit Program, which updates&nbsp;the field of membership requirements of credit unions and allowing privilege tax deductions on agricultural real estate loans and single-family residence loans. The bill was supported by a wide coalition of stakeholders in Kansas, including bankers, the restaurant and hospitality industry, and those in agriculture, all who share a mutual interest in boosting our economy by giving low interest loans to Kansas businesses who have struggled during the pandemic. Following the Senate passage of SB15, the House passed the same bill, 122-1, which sent it directly to the governor, who signed it on Thursday.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE – SB19 – US Highway 77 as the CPL Allen E Oatney and SP4 Gene A Myers Memorial Highway - Marshall County

On Wednesday, February 24th, the Senate Transportation Committee heard SB19 which is a carry-over bill from last year which passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee and full Senate (38-0) and due to our early departure due to the virus was left in the House Transportation Committee.&nbsp; SP4 Gene Myers was killed in action on June 9, 1969 and CPL Allen E. Oatney on June 22, 1970.&nbsp; The 5-mile stretch from Waterville and Blue Rapids will honor their memory.&nbsp; The signs will be placed by Kansas Department of Transportation later this year. A sign unveiling and celebration honoring these men will be held in conjunction with the sign placement.&nbsp; You can find testimony from Rep Lisa Mosher, Jerry and Janet Zayas, myself and David Blatt, a friend of SP4 Meyers who was with him on June 9th, 1969 during the battle which took his life.&nbsp;&nbsp; To view – go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">http://www.kslegislature.org</a>,;&nbsp; then Committees tab, Standing, Senate, Transportation (small tab 2), Committee Testimony, click on 2/24/2021,&nbsp; (then the 4th&nbsp;small tab) – here you will see all the testimony for SB19 – I encourage you to read them all especially Mr. Blatt who explains even after 50 years how important it is not to forget the ultimate sacrifice our young men made for their country.&nbsp;

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE - KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT (KEMA)

In January, the legislature extended and strengthened the limitations on the governor’s powers that were originally created last June. The action also gave the legislature time to take a deeper dive into the Kansas Emergency Management Act and craft long-term solutions that would modernize our statutes, specifically as they related to statewide public health situations.

Senate Bill 273, which was passed out of committee late Thursday evening after several amendments were considered. It is a comprehensive bill meant to provide clarity to our statutes, provide important limitations on the governor’s power, and ensure that checks and balances are always in place.&nbsp; Early next week, the Senate will consider the bill.&nbsp; Although the March 31st&nbsp;deadline is still a month away, the House will have its own version, and the governor will need time to review the final bill that is adopted.

KANSAS INSURANCE DEPARTMENT – NEW WEBSITE

The Kansas Legislature established the Kansas Insurance Department in 1871. The first Superintendent of Insurance, later changed to Commissioner of Insurance in 1927, was William C. Webb. There have been twenty-seven Commissioners to lead The Kansas Insurance Department, including current Commissioner Vicki Schmidt. The longest-serving Commissioner was Frank Sullivan, who served from 1947-1971. In 2017, the Kansas Legislature enacted Senate Bill 23, which merged the Kansas Securities Commission with the Kansas Insurance Department. Prior to the 2017 Legislation, the Securities Commission was an executive branch agency that reported to the Governor. Established in 1911, Kansas became the first state to pass a law regulating the sale of investments. Following the great stock market crash of 1929, the federal government began to regulate investment activity with the passage of the Securities Act of 1933, and the creation of the&nbsp;U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1934.&nbsp; Insurance and securities have changed over the years but the responsibility of The Kansas Insurance Department to the people of Kansas remains unchanged.&nbsp; The Kansas Insurance Department’s new website is:&nbsp;<a href="https://insurance.kansas.gov/" target="_blank">https://insurance.kansas.gov</a>&nbsp;and the staff can be reached at 785 296-3071.

WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">Kansas Legislature YouTube</a>&nbsp;– Here you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings.

<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/" target="_blank">Kansas Legislature Audio</a>&nbsp;– Here you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or access prior committee meetings, as well.

Kansas Legislature website –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;- has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessions

Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center&nbsp;<a href="https://kslib.info/Fergusons" target="_blank">https://kslib.info/Fergusons</a>&nbsp;is an online career exploration and planning resource provided by the State Library of Kansas. It provides detailed and up-to-date profiles of thousands of today’s most popular jobs. Included: an undergraduate and graduate school finder, databases for internships and apprenticeships, planning timelines that cover education to career, and a database of sample resumes and cover letters.&nbsp;&nbsp;New:&nbsp;workplace predictions for 2021, how to dress for video interviews, and how to deal with work from home stress.

VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF KANSAS -&nbsp;www.kansas.gov

You can find a wealth of information at this well-designed website which focuses on Kansas with topics of business, education, government, residents and services with links to agencies and staff to help answer any question you might have.&nbsp; Webfile will take you directly to the Department of Revenue to file your taxes; Form finder will take you to the Secretary of State’s office for all types of forms for businesses; Learning Quest will direct you to the State Treasurer’s Office; the three branches of Government; and Plan your Trip to Kansas will open to the Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.&nbsp;&nbsp;

An additional way to contact me is at my updated website –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.elainebowers.com/" target="_blank">www.elainebowers.com</a>.&nbsp; There is an updated newsletter each week plus photos added occasionally.&nbsp; Jeff Metzler, my 2020 Intern, has made links of committees and reports and photos when available.&nbsp; There is also an email link to me as an added way to reach me in addition to the Senate email.&nbsp;

Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters this week.&nbsp; It is easy to “get into the weed” on pieces of legislation that seem on the surface to have universal appeal, but for those who want to pursue a more in-depth analysis of the ones which did not have such agreement, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;and pull up “Bills &amp; Laws,” then “Senate Bills,” before scrolling to the desired number and hitting “SN” (Supplemental Notes) for a general explanation which is written by the Legislative research &amp; reviser staff.

Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785 296-7389</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>

Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Kansas District senator.&nbsp;The 36th District includes&nbsp;Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580853658061.jpeg" alt="Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist." />
 <figcaption>Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>March 1, 2021SENATE HIGHLIGHTSThis week marked the seventh week of session with the first half of the legislative session almost behind us.&nbsp; As we approach “turn-around” which is March 5th; Friday, February 26th&nbsp;was the last day for committees to hear and work bills before the half-way point of the 2021 session.&nbsp;ECONOMIC RECOVERY ACT SIGNED INTO LAW-SB15Small businesses throughout Kansas have felt a crushing impact of COVID-19, including government stay-at-home orders and mandated closures of “non-essential” businesses, as well as other restrictions.&nbsp; Three weeks ago, the Kansas Senate took action to assist these businesses by passing the Kansas Economic Recovery Loan Deposit Program, which updates&nbsp;the field of membership requirements of credit unions and allowing privilege tax deductions on agricultural real estate loans and single-family residence loans. The bill was supported by a wide coalition of stakeholders in Kansas, including bankers, the restaurant and hospitality industry, and those in agriculture, all who share a mutual interest in boosting our economy by giving low interest loans to Kansas businesses who have struggled during the pandemic. Following the Senate passage of SB15, the House passed the same bill, 122-1, which sent it directly to the governor, who signed it on Thursday.TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE – SB19 – US Highway 77 as the CPL Allen E Oatney and SP4 Gene A Myers Memorial Highway - Marshall CountyOn Wednesday, February 24th, the Senate Transportation Committee heard SB19 which is a carry-over bill from last year which passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee and full Senate (38-0) and due to our early departure due to the virus was left in the House Transportation Committee.&nbsp; SP4 Gene Myers was killed in action on June 9, 1969 and CPL Allen E. Oatney on June 22, 1970.&nbsp; The 5-mile stretch from Waterville and Blue Rapids will honor their memory.&nbsp; The signs will be placed by Kansas Department of Transportation later this year. A sign unveiling and celebration honoring these men will be held in conjunction with the sign placement.&nbsp; You can find testimony from Rep Lisa Mosher, Jerry and Janet Zayas, myself and David Blatt, a friend of SP4 Meyers who was with him on June 9th, 1969 during the battle which took his life.&nbsp;&nbsp; To view – go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">http://www.kslegislature.org</a>,;&nbsp; then Committees tab, Standing, Senate, Transportation (small tab 2), Committee Testimony, click on 2/24/2021,&nbsp; (then the 4th&nbsp;small tab) – here you will see all the testimony for SB19 – I encourage you to read them all especially Mr. Blatt who explains even after 50 years how important it is not to forget the ultimate sacrifice our young men made for their country.&nbsp;JUDICIARY COMMITTEE - KANSAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT (KEMA)In January, the legislature extended and strengthened the limitations on the governor’s powers that were originally created last June. The action also gave the legislature time to take a deeper dive into the Kansas Emergency Management Act and craft long-term solutions that would modernize our statutes, specifically as they related to statewide public health situations.Senate Bill 273, which was passed out of committee late Thursday evening after several amendments were considered. It is a comprehensive bill meant to provide clarity to our statutes, provide important limitations on the governor’s power, and ensure that checks and balances are always in place.&nbsp; Early next week, the Senate will consider the bill.&nbsp; Although the March 31st&nbsp;deadline is still a month away, the House will have its own version, and the governor will need time to review the final bill that is adopted.KANSAS INSURANCE DEPARTMENT – NEW WEBSITEThe Kansas Legislature established the Kansas Insurance Department in 1871. The first Superintendent of Insurance, later changed to Commissioner of Insurance in 1927, was William C. Webb. There have been twenty-seven Commissioners to lead The Kansas Insurance Department, including current Commissioner Vicki Schmidt. The longest-serving Commissioner was Frank Sullivan, who served from 1947-1971. In 2017, the Kansas Legislature enacted Senate Bill 23, which merged the Kansas Securities Commission with the Kansas Insurance Department. Prior to the 2017 Legislation, the Securities Commission was an executive branch agency that reported to the Governor. Established in 1911, Kansas became the first state to pass a law regulating the sale of investments. Following the great stock market crash of 1929, the federal government began to regulate investment activity with the passage of the Securities Act of 1933, and the creation of the&nbsp;U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1934.&nbsp; Insurance and securities have changed over the years but the responsibility of The Kansas Insurance Department to the people of Kansas remains unchanged.&nbsp; The Kansas Insurance Department’s new website is:&nbsp;<a href="https://insurance.kansas.gov/" target="_blank">https://insurance.kansas.gov</a>&nbsp;and the staff can be reached at 785 296-3071.WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">Kansas Legislature YouTube</a>&nbsp;– Here you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings.<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/" target="_blank">Kansas Legislature Audio</a>&nbsp;– Here you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or access prior committee meetings, as well.Kansas Legislature website –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;- has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessionsKANSAS STATE LIBRARY INFORMATIONFerguson’s Career Guidance Center&nbsp;<a href="https://kslib.info/Fergusons" target="_blank">https://kslib.info/Fergusons</a>&nbsp;is an online career exploration and planning resource provided by the State Library of Kansas. It provides detailed and up-to-date profiles of thousands of today’s most popular jobs. Included: an undergraduate and graduate school finder, databases for internships and apprenticeships, planning timelines that cover education to career, and a database of sample resumes and cover letters.&nbsp;&nbsp;New:&nbsp;workplace predictions for 2021, how to dress for video interviews, and how to deal with work from home stress.VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF KANSAS -&nbsp;www.kansas.govYou can find a wealth of information at this well-designed website which focuses on Kansas with topics of business, education, government, residents and services with links to agencies and staff to help answer any question you might have.&nbsp; Webfile will take you directly to the Department of Revenue to file your taxes; Form finder will take you to the Secretary of State’s office for all types of forms for businesses; Learning Quest will direct you to the State Treasurer’s Office; the three branches of Government; and Plan your Trip to Kansas will open to the Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.&nbsp;&nbsp;NEW WEBSITEAn additional way to contact me is at my updated website –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.elainebowers.com/" target="_blank">www.elainebowers.com</a>.&nbsp; There is an updated newsletter each week plus photos added occasionally.&nbsp; Jeff Metzler, my 2020 Intern, has made links of committees and reports and photos when available.&nbsp; There is also an email link to me as an added way to reach me in addition to the Senate email.&nbsp;Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters this week.&nbsp; It is easy to “get into the weed” on pieces of legislation that seem on the surface to have universal appeal, but for those who want to pursue a more in-depth analysis of the ones which did not have such agreement, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;and pull up “Bills &amp; Laws,” then “Senate Bills,” before scrolling to the desired number and hitting “SN” (Supplemental Notes) for a general explanation which is written by the Legislative research &amp; reviser staff.Thank you for the honor of serving you!Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785 296-7389</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Kansas District senator.&nbsp;The 36th District includes&nbsp;Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties.

BOWERS: Senate Scene, Week 7

A quote on <a href="http://hfehays.org/">Holy Family Elementary School</a> first-grade teacher Ann Weber's classroom door reads ...&nbsp;

"And will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed!" from Dr. Seuss.

Weber was nominated for the Hays Post Teacher of the Month by parent Shayla Werner, who said Weber is beyond kind and has truly taken her commitment to her students' success to heart.

"Recently, our daughter needed some extra help with reading, and Mrs. Weber offered to help her after school to help her catch up. She wasn’t asked to do this and offered her precious time out of the goodness of her heart," Werner said.

"We appreciate and don’t take for granted that our daughter has a very special teacher that has our daughter's best interest at heart," Werner said.

"To give her time so freely when she absolutely wouldn’t have to is going that extra mile and also teaches our daughter that people do care and the importance of being kind and doing good deeds."

One of Weber's most significant challenges is trying to keep track of all of her students' learning to make sure no one is falling behind.

"I just love when the kids finally catch on to something and you can almost see it in their faces," she said." 'That's how that's supposed to be!' or 'That's the answer!' Just seeing the excitement in the kids's learning is what I like."

&nbsp;Weber, a 37-year veteran teacher, has a passion for lifelong learning. Twenty-two of those years have been at Holy Family. The other 15 years were at St. Mary's Catholic School in Ellis.&nbsp;

She likes to get her students young, so she can instill that love of learning in her students early.

"I think the thing that I love is they are so excited to come," Weber said. "They are so happy to be here. They want to learn. It doesn't take them a whole lot to get excited about it. There is so much energy in this level."

To engage her students, she incorporates music and movement into her lessons whenever possible.

The students sing and dance to the Macarena to learn the months of the year. The students sing another song for the days of the week.

"I think to get the kids to learn they need to use all of their senses," she said. "They have to move and to sing and to listen and to see."

Although Weber did not attend Catholic schools when she was a child, she did have Catholic nuns as teachers going to school in nearby Victoria.&nbsp;

"I admired them all," she said of the nuns. ... "They seemed peaceful. That is the kind of teacher I try to be, more calm."

One of her students commented to her, "Mrs. Weber, you never yell."

"Nobody would listen to me if I did," Weber said.

"I think that would be my philosophy," she said, "to not force it. My style of teaching is to be clam, and I think that keeps them calmer too."

She said she wants her students to learn kindness and they can get ahead and get what they want through kindness.

Weber is now teaching the children of children she taught in grade school. She said she has been enjoying watching the Thomas More Prep-Marian girls basketball team this year as she had some of the students in her classes.&nbsp;

"Some of that I didn't see in first grade," Weber said. "I would have been kind of surprised if someone said she is going to be a good athlete or he is going to be good at this or that.&nbsp;

"They change so much between first grade and high school. Then again, there are some right now I can tell they are going to be some pretty good football players or basketball players by just watching them on the playground."

Although Weber is nearing retirement age, she has no plans to give up teaching anytime soon.

"I don't know what else I would do," she said. "It's not really a job. You get new kids every year, so it's almost like a new job every year.&nbsp;

"I don't see myself burning out, thinking I can't do this anymore because I know in May this group goes on and I get a new group."

True to Weber's desire to keep learning, she and her husband have been building a house in rural Ellis County two miles east of Munjor.

She had never been very handy, but has learned to put up drywall and install light fixtures.&nbsp;

"I can't wait for it to be done," she said. "I've learned a lot."

Weber and her husband hope to move into their new home in the next few months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603901709009.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614274078268.jpeg" alt="Ann Weber has been a teacher for 37 years—22 of those years have been at Holy Family Elementary School." />
 <figcaption>Ann Weber has been a teacher for 37 years—22 of those years have been at Holy Family Elementary School.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA quote on <a href="http://hfehays.org/">Holy Family Elementary School</a> first-grade teacher Ann Weber's classroom door reads ...&nbsp;"And will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed!" from Dr. Seuss.Weber was nominated for the Hays Post Teacher of the Month by parent Shayla Werner, who said Weber is beyond kind and has truly taken her commitment to her students' success to heart."Recently, our daughter needed some extra help with reading, and Mrs. Weber offered to help her after school to help her catch up. She wasn’t asked to do this and offered her precious time out of the goodness of her heart," Werner said."We appreciate and don’t take for granted that our daughter has a very special teacher that has our daughter's best interest at heart," Werner said."To give her time so freely when she absolutely wouldn’t have to is going that extra mile and also teaches our daughter that people do care and the importance of being kind and doing good deeds."One of Weber's most significant challenges is trying to keep track of all of her students' learning to make sure no one is falling behind."I just love when the kids finally catch on to something and you can almost see it in their faces," she said." 'That's how that's supposed to be!' or 'That's the answer!' Just seeing the excitement in the kids's learning is what I like."&nbsp;Weber, a 37-year veteran teacher, has a passion for lifelong learning. Twenty-two of those years have been at Holy Family. The other 15 years were at St. Mary's Catholic School in Ellis.&nbsp;She likes to get her students young, so she can instill that love of learning in her students early."I think the thing that I love is they are so excited to come," Weber said. "They are so happy to be here. They want to learn. It doesn't take them a whole lot to get excited about it. There is so much energy in this level."To engage her students, she incorporates music and movement into her lessons whenever possible.The students sing and dance to the Macarena to learn the months of the year. The students sing another song for the days of the week."I think to get the kids to learn they need to use all of their senses," she said. "They have to move and to sing and to listen and to see."Although Weber did not attend Catholic schools when she was a child, she did have Catholic nuns as teachers going to school in nearby Victoria.&nbsp;"I admired them all," she said of the nuns. ... "They seemed peaceful. That is the kind of teacher I try to be, more calm."One of her students commented to her, "Mrs. Weber, you never yell.""Nobody would listen to me if I did," Weber said."I think that would be my philosophy," she said, "to not force it. My style of teaching is to be clam, and I think that keeps them calmer too."She said she wants her students to learn kindness and they can get ahead and get what they want through kindness.Weber is now teaching the children of children she taught in grade school. She said she has been enjoying watching the Thomas More Prep-Marian girls basketball team this year as she had some of the students in her classes.&nbsp;"Some of that I didn't see in first grade," Weber said. "I would have been kind of surprised if someone said she is going to be a good athlete or he is going to be good at this or that.&nbsp;"They change so much between first grade and high school. Then again, there are some right now I can tell they are going to be some pretty good football players or basketball players by just watching them on the playground."Although Weber is nearing retirement age, she has no plans to give up teaching anytime soon."I don't know what else I would do," she said. "It's not really a job. You get new kids every year, so it's almost like a new job every year.&nbsp;"I don't see myself burning out, thinking I can't do this anymore because I know in May this group goes on and I get a new group."True to Weber's desire to keep learning, she and her husband have been building a house in rural Ellis County two miles east of Munjor.She had never been very handy, but has learned to put up drywall and install light fixtures.&nbsp;"I can't wait for it to be done," she said. "I've learned a lot."Weber and her husband hope to move into their new home in the next few months.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603901709009.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Teacher of the Month: Weber goes extra mile so students can succeed

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for Ellis Rural Water District No. 1C. This advisory is not related to COVID-19.

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

The advisory took effect on Monday and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE issued the advisory because of a waterline break resulting in a&nbsp;loss of pressure in the system. A loss of pressure may lead to inadequate chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

Regardless of whether the public water supplier or KDHE announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

For consumer questions, please contact the water system or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm">webpage</a>.

Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety &amp; lodging program at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kda.fsl@ks.gov">kda.fsl@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 785-564-6767.

KDHETOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for Ellis Rural Water District No. 1C. This advisory is not related to COVID-19.Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:<ul>
 <li>If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.</li><li>Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation or use bottled water.</li><li>Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic ice maker.</li><li>Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.</li><li>Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.</li>
 </ul>The advisory took effect on Monday and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. KDHE issued the advisory because of a waterline break resulting in a&nbsp;loss of pressure in the system. A loss of pressure may lead to inadequate chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.Regardless of whether the public water supplier or KDHE announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.For consumer questions, please contact the water system or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/pws/emergencyresponse/water_disruption.htm">webpage</a>.Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety &amp; lodging program at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kda.fsl@ks.gov">kda.fsl@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 785-564-6767.

Boil order issued for rural Ellis Co. water district

PHILLIPSBURG — Prairie Horizon Agri-Energy has announced it has entered into a letter of intent to sell its assets to Summit Agricultural Group. 

Summit is an Iowa-based agribusiness operator and private equity investment firm with a track record of success owning and operating businesses across the agricultural and renewable energy sectors. Summit has direct experience in development and operations of ethanol plants through its ownership of Hawkeye Renewables (now a division of Flint Hills) and FS Bioenergia, the largest corn ethanol production company in South America. 

Prairie Horizon feels Summit Agricultural Group will bring value as an investor and expertise given their historical success operating in the biofuels sector that will provide longevity to the plant and community. Summit plans to make a large capital investment to retrofit the Prairie Horizon plant converting it to process wheat by constructing a state-of-the art food ingredients plant producing wheat protein that will be the largest of its kind in North America. In addition, the plant will produce a low-carbon ethanol.

“We are excited about the opportunity to acquire the Prairie Horizon plant and believe it is a key component to our larger overall $150+ million project," said Bruce Rastetter CEO of Summit Agricultural Group. 

"As investors and operators of businesses in small communities, we understand the importance of Prairie Horizon to the local economy. With our investment we plan to take the plant offline for some period to complete the conversion, however upon completion of the project we expect to add over 60 new jobs in addition to the 35 existing employees.

"While there may be a gap in operations, we are evaluating plans to retain key employees and assessing potential programs to reduce the impact of the interim shutdown for current employees," Rastetter continued. "We believe our investment will be economically beneficial to the local community and will allow the plant to prosper for generations to come."&nbsp;

Prairie Horizon Agri Energy was established in 2006. Annually, the plant produces over 40 million gallons of ethanol. 

Since inception, Prairie Horizon has been an ever-evolving company. In 2011, steps were taken to advance production by adding in processes to extract more starch from the grain creating higher ethanol production. In 2014 the company expanded their operation further by adding corn oil extraction. In 2018 a 470,000-bushel grain bin was added to allow more direct farmer grain purchases, and Prairie Horizon USA Clean Fuels on E Highway 36 was opened offering higher blends of ethanol options.

The closing date has not been announced publicly and is subject to completion of due diligence including any necessary regulatory approvals, permitting associated with Summit’s project, and customary closing conditions. 

Prairie Horizon’s members and board have agreed to the primary economic terms of the transaction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614612972379.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News releasePHILLIPSBURG — Prairie Horizon Agri-Energy has announced it has entered into a letter of intent to sell its assets to Summit Agricultural Group. Summit is an Iowa-based agribusiness operator and private equity investment firm with a track record of success owning and operating businesses across the agricultural and renewable energy sectors. Summit has direct experience in development and operations of ethanol plants through its ownership of Hawkeye Renewables (now a division of Flint Hills) and FS Bioenergia, the largest corn ethanol production company in South America. Prairie Horizon feels Summit Agricultural Group will bring value as an investor and expertise given their historical success operating in the biofuels sector that will provide longevity to the plant and community. Summit plans to make a large capital investment to retrofit the Prairie Horizon plant converting it to process wheat by constructing a state-of-the art food ingredients plant producing wheat protein that will be the largest of its kind in North America. In addition, the plant will produce a low-carbon ethanol.“We are excited about the opportunity to acquire the Prairie Horizon plant and believe it is a key component to our larger overall $150+ million project," said Bruce Rastetter CEO of Summit Agricultural Group. "As investors and operators of businesses in small communities, we understand the importance of Prairie Horizon to the local economy. With our investment we plan to take the plant offline for some period to complete the conversion, however upon completion of the project we expect to add over 60 new jobs in addition to the 35 existing employees."While there may be a gap in operations, we are evaluating plans to retain key employees and assessing potential programs to reduce the impact of the interim shutdown for current employees," Rastetter continued. "We believe our investment will be economically beneficial to the local community and will allow the plant to prosper for generations to come."&nbsp;Prairie Horizon Agri Energy was established in 2006. Annually, the plant produces over 40 million gallons of ethanol. Since inception, Prairie Horizon has been an ever-evolving company. In 2011, steps were taken to advance production by adding in processes to extract more starch from the grain creating higher ethanol production. In 2014 the company expanded their operation further by adding corn oil extraction. In 2018 a 470,000-bushel grain bin was added to allow more direct farmer grain purchases, and Prairie Horizon USA Clean Fuels on E Highway 36 was opened offering higher blends of ethanol options.The closing date has not been announced publicly and is subject to completion of due diligence including any necessary regulatory approvals, permitting associated with Summit’s project, and customary closing conditions. Prairie Horizon’s members and board have agreed to the primary economic terms of the transaction.

Prairie Horizon Agri-Energy announces plans to sell assets 

Last week was the final week for the standing committees and subcommittees to report their budget proposals to the full Senate Ways &amp; Means committee for work on the 2021 &amp; 2022 budgets. A few of the reports the committee is considering are social services, higher education, and judicial budgets.

Social service agencies were given additional funds last year only to have the Governor line item veto the funding. One particular group that was targeted by Governor Kelly was a very modest raise in salaries for the people that work at the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) community. Our committee heard last year about the challenges that the IDD community faces in retaining their very good and hardworking staff, when they are only able to pay an hourly wage that is less than fast food restaurants. We heard testimony that they were losing good people to Chick-Fil-A because they were paying $12 an hour. The subcommittee recommended that we find a way to adjust these salaries for the IDD community. I do have a bill in the Ways &amp; Means committee that would address these salary issues, so the Governor will not be able to continue balancing the state budget on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens.

There are many concerns for the Ways and Means Committee including higher education. Governor Kelly has made huge cuts to the higher education budget. The Kansas courts are also one of the budgets struggling to keep pace with their salaries, especially in the clerical type of positions. With the COVID virus limiting the work in the courts, their docket fees have fallen and reduced their revenues by approximately $5 million. The subcommittees have recommended we try to find funds for both areas when we work our Omnibus bill later this session.

On Monday the Senate was closed for the funeral of one of our colleagues, Bud Estes, from the 38th District in Southwest Kansas. Bud grew up In Bucklin, Kansas and lived in Dodge City. Bud was a strong advocate for Western Kansas and will be greatly missed.

It is an honor and pleasure to serve the 40th Senate District of Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail at rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov. You may also call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399, or my cell number is 785 899-4700.

Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is state senator of the Kansas 40th Dist.

The 40th Senate District includes Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins,&nbsp;Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties, and a portion of Phillips County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610490291573.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist." />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>March 1, 2021Last week was the final week for the standing committees and subcommittees to report their budget proposals to the full Senate Ways &amp; Means committee for work on the 2021 &amp; 2022 budgets. A few of the reports the committee is considering are social services, higher education, and judicial budgets.Social service agencies were given additional funds last year only to have the Governor line item veto the funding. One particular group that was targeted by Governor Kelly was a very modest raise in salaries for the people that work at the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) community. Our committee heard last year about the challenges that the IDD community faces in retaining their very good and hardworking staff, when they are only able to pay an hourly wage that is less than fast food restaurants. We heard testimony that they were losing good people to Chick-Fil-A because they were paying $12 an hour. The subcommittee recommended that we find a way to adjust these salaries for the IDD community. I do have a bill in the Ways &amp; Means committee that would address these salary issues, so the Governor will not be able to continue balancing the state budget on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens.There are many concerns for the Ways and Means Committee including higher education. Governor Kelly has made huge cuts to the higher education budget. The Kansas courts are also one of the budgets struggling to keep pace with their salaries, especially in the clerical type of positions. With the COVID virus limiting the work in the courts, their docket fees have fallen and reduced their revenues by approximately $5 million. The subcommittees have recommended we try to find funds for both areas when we work our Omnibus bill later this session.On Monday the Senate was closed for the funeral of one of our colleagues, Bud Estes, from the 38th District in Southwest Kansas. Bud grew up In Bucklin, Kansas and lived in Dodge City. Bud was a strong advocate for Western Kansas and will be greatly missed.It is an honor and pleasure to serve the 40th Senate District of Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail at rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov. You may also call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399, or my cell number is 785 899-4700.Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is state senator of the Kansas 40th Dist.The 40th Senate District includes Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins,&nbsp;Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties, and a portion of Phillips County.

BILLINGER: Senate Update, March 1

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Customers of Midwest Energy can expect their March bills to be higher than in February — but they won't be seeing the astronomic increases many Texas residents and businesses are facing following the record-breaking cold that covered much of the nation in mid-February.

Although they don't yet know the extent of the impact, Mike Morley, director of corporate communications and government affairs at Midwest Energy, said the Hays-based company won't get its own settlements from its suppliers — pipeline, gas and electric — until mid-March, "but we know there are going to be some pretty steep impacts."

Because of the extreme temperatures, customers used more energy to stay warm last month. At the same time, prices were skyrocketing for the electricity and natural gas Midwest Energy was purchasing.&nbsp;

"The price of gas the past 10-15 years has averaged out very low, usually below $3 a&nbsp; decatherm.&nbsp; During this past episode, you had some days the cost was above $620 a decatherm.

"What we've decided to do as a company, as a co-op, is to take those extra charges, put them on the books and then amortize those over a period of months or even years," Morley says.

Residential electric bills in Texas as high as $17,000 have been reported.

"That's just crazy. We don't expect anything like that," he emphasized.

Texas is a unique situation, with a deregulated energy market. Morley thinks many residential customers and small businesses in the Lone Star State will see bills 10 or 15 times higher than they normally might be for the month.

"We know that sending a Midwest Energy bill for $2,500 is just a non-starter," according to Morley.

"It's been a stressful year these past 12-14 months for everybody, and we didn't want to add on to that."&nbsp;

Amortizing the extra charge will make monthly bills "a lot more palatable" for customers, he says.

Midwest Energy belongs to the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), an organization of all the transmission-owning utilities in a 14-state region.

Basically, SPP runs the grid, and it's a complex setup.

"Ideally, everything works out in the end and we all get lower costs. It's worked great for the four years it's been in play," Morley said&nbsp;

But what Morley calls a "unique confluence of events" in mid-February "came together and made it miserable for everybody."

Within the SPP, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3a3908df-9db2-4519-9b49-0bab40ad5b3e">gas was in short supply and prices were very high</a>. Power from wind generators was nearly non-existent during the unusually calm February weather.

"We had 6 and 7 mile-an-hour wind in western Kansas for 3 or 4 days which is unheard of&nbsp; in February.&nbsp;

"A lot of those [SPP] plants that generate electricity run on natural gas. And when the natural gas prices are so high, it makes it very, very uneconomical to generate.&nbsp;

"We actually ran into cases where you couldn't get enough gas to run plants throughout the 14-state region due to the frozen wells in Texas."&nbsp;

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/612bf3aa-dc16-4d02-b772-fb20b6637745">Millions of Texans</a> were without electricity for days and then under boil water advisories when the power came back. More than 30 Texas residents died in the winter storm.

The situation resulted in several emergency alerts from SPP and <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/113797b0-374e-4805-b8d5-88cb2c91c1b8">Midwest Energy asked its customers</a> to turn down thermostats and avoid running electricity-hogging appliances and machinery for a couple days.&nbsp;

"We never lost gas. We never lost electricity. We did have one short little interruption in Ellis and Ness counties but we were able to steer that primarily to the oil field and not impact homes and businesses.&nbsp;

"We want to thank everybody for the conservation measures they took when we asked for it. That <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/fc8839f8-d636-44d3-9f30-dd458f2ce982">made a huge difference </a>in our ability to keep the gas flowing and the lights on."&nbsp;

Two record overnight lows were set in Hays the week of February 14.

Morley says lessons can be learned from the calamity.&nbsp;

"We're definitely going to be looking at things like how we purchase gas. Generally, utilities throughout the country have not done any gas hedging- buying gas on long term contracts.

Morley expects the entire energy industry to take a close look at what happened and how- especially the pricing aspect - and how to avoid a repeat of the disaster.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.mwenergy.com/">Midwest Energy </a>has a couple of programs for customers to even out or even reduce their monthly bills as well as bill payment assistance to low income customers through the Midwest Customers Care program administered by The Salvation Army.

This is not the first time Midwest Energy has amortized a large charge.&nbsp;

In the late 1990s, the company purchased a gas system called KN Energy. That $28 million financial obligation was paid off in 2018 through a small monthly addition to gas customers' bills.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614562264229.jpeg" alt="Midwest Energy customers can expect on much higher bills in March which the Hays-based co-op has decided to prorate." />
 <figcaption>Midwest Energy customers can expect on much higher bills in March which the Hays-based co-op has decided to prorate.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostCustomers of Midwest Energy can expect their March bills to be higher than in February — but they won't be seeing the astronomic increases many Texas residents and businesses are facing following the record-breaking cold that covered much of the nation in mid-February.Although they don't yet know the extent of the impact, Mike Morley, director of corporate communications and government affairs at Midwest Energy, said the Hays-based company won't get its own settlements from its suppliers — pipeline, gas and electric — until mid-March, "but we know there are going to be some pretty steep impacts."Because of the extreme temperatures, customers used more energy to stay warm last month. At the same time, prices were skyrocketing for the electricity and natural gas Midwest Energy was purchasing.&nbsp;"The price of gas the past 10-15 years has averaged out very low, usually below $3 a&nbsp; decatherm.&nbsp; During this past episode, you had some days the cost was above $620 a decatherm."Just a stratospheric increase.""What we've decided to do as a company, as a co-op, is to take those extra charges, put them on the books and then amortize those over a period of months or even years," Morley says.Residential electric bills in Texas as high as $17,000 have been reported."That's just crazy. We don't expect anything like that," he emphasized.Texas is a unique situation, with a deregulated energy market. Morley thinks many residential customers and small businesses in the Lone Star State will see bills 10 or 15 times higher than they normally might be for the month."We know that sending a Midwest Energy bill for $2,500 is just a non-starter," according to Morley."It's been a stressful year these past 12-14 months for everybody, and we didn't want to add on to that."&nbsp;Amortizing the extra charge will make monthly bills "a lot more palatable" for customers, he says.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614562964912.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Midwest Energy belongs to the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), an organization of all the transmission-owning utilities in a 14-state region.Basically, SPP runs the grid, and it's a complex setup."Ideally, everything works out in the end and we all get lower costs. It's worked great for the four years it's been in play," Morley said&nbsp;But what Morley calls a "unique confluence of events" in mid-February "came together and made it miserable for everybody."Within the SPP, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/3a3908df-9db2-4519-9b49-0bab40ad5b3e">gas was in short supply and prices were very high</a>. Power from wind generators was nearly non-existent during the unusually calm February weather. "We had 6 and 7 mile-an-hour wind in western Kansas for 3 or 4 days which is unheard of&nbsp; in February.&nbsp;"A lot of those [SPP] plants that generate electricity run on natural gas. And when the natural gas prices are so high, it makes it very, very uneconomical to generate.&nbsp;"We actually ran into cases where you couldn't get enough gas to run plants throughout the 14-state region due to the frozen wells in Texas."&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/612bf3aa-dc16-4d02-b772-fb20b6637745">Millions of Texans</a> were without electricity for days and then under boil water advisories when the power came back. More than 30 Texas residents died in the winter storm.The situation resulted in several emergency alerts from SPP and <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/113797b0-374e-4805-b8d5-88cb2c91c1b8">Midwest Energy asked its customers</a> to turn down thermostats and avoid running electricity-hogging appliances and machinery for a couple days.&nbsp;"We never lost gas. We never lost electricity. We did have one short little interruption in Ellis and Ness counties but we were able to steer that primarily to the oil field and not impact homes and businesses.&nbsp;"We want to thank everybody for the conservation measures they took when we asked for it. That <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/fc8839f8-d636-44d3-9f30-dd458f2ce982">made a huge difference </a>in our ability to keep the gas flowing and the lights on."&nbsp;Two record overnight lows were set in Hays the week of February 14.Morley says lessons can be learned from the calamity.&nbsp;"We're definitely going to be looking at things like how we purchase gas. Generally, utilities throughout the country have not done any gas hedging- buying gas on long term contracts.Morley expects the entire energy industry to take a close look at what happened and how- especially the pricing aspect - and how to avoid a repeat of the disaster.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mwenergy.com/">Midwest Energy </a>has a couple of programs for customers to even out or even reduce their monthly bills as well as bill payment assistance to low income customers through the Midwest Customers Care program administered by The Salvation Army.This is not the first time Midwest Energy has amortized a large charge.&nbsp;In the late 1990s, the company purchased a gas system called KN Energy. That $28 million financial obligation was paid off in 2018 through a small monthly addition to gas customers' bills.

Midwest Energy to prorate higher bills from recent record cold weather

LAWRENCE — After three years of small increases, average groundwater levels in central and western Kansas dropped during 2020 as most of the area experienced abnormally dry conditions for much of the year, according to preliminary data compiled by the Kansas Geological Survey.

“It was hot and dry last summer, and water levels pretty much dropped everywhere,” said Brownie Wilson, KGS water-data manager. “Levels didn’t drop as much as in the really dry years of 2011 and 2012, but declines were a step in that direction.”

Water levels in measured wells declined an average of 0.93 feet overall in 2020. In the drought years of 2011 and 2012, average levels across all monitored wells decreased 1.95 and 2.04 feet, respectively. About 90% of the monitored wells are drilled into the High Plains aquifer.

The KGS, based at the University of Kansas, and the Division of Water Resources (DWR) of the Kansas Department of Agriculture measure about 1,400 wells every year to monitor the health of the High Plains aquifer and other aquifers in western and central Kansas. Since 1996, when the state began administrating the water-level program, water levels in the monitored wells have declined on average 12 feet.

The High Plains aquifer is a network of water-bearing rock that extends into eight states. 

In Kansas, the aquifer comprises three components — the Ogallala aquifer, the Great Bend Prairie aquifer and the Equus Beds. 

Of these, the Ogallala aquifer underlies most of western Kansas and consists mainly of the Ogallala Formation, a geologic unit that formed from sediment eroded off the uplifting Rocky Mountains.

The city of Hays is not part of the Ogallala aquifer which reaches just to the western edge of Ellis County.

Dry years lead to increased pumping demands, primarily for irrigation, which in turn typically cause greater declines in water levels. In 2020, much of western Kansas saw only 50% to 75% of normal precipitation. During the growing season of March to September, most of the region received less than 25% of normal precipitation.

“The irrigation season probably started earlier than normal, and for some areas producers couldn’t afford to stop to just maintain adequate soil moisture levels. When you start off that far behind, it can be rough to catch back up,” Wilson said.

The southwest Kansas portion of the Ogallala has suffered the greatest losses since levels started dropping in the 1950s. In the drought years between 2010 and 2014, declines averaged about three feet per year. Since 2015, levels fell less than a foot each year until 2020, which saw a decline of 1.2 feet.

In central Kansas, the Great Bend Prairie aquifer underlies an area encompassing Great Bend, Kinsley, Greensburg and Pratt. Farther east, the Equus Beds extends from just north of Wichita toward McPherson and Hutchinson.

This area typically sees more precipitation than the western part of the state. Because the aquifer is relatively close to the land surface and sandy soils are abundant, some of this precipitation recharges — or makes its way into — the aquifer. Since 1996, water levels in this area have remained relatively stable.

Most of the wells in the network monitored by the KGS and DWR are within the boundaries of the state’s five Groundwater Management Districts (GMDs), which are organized and governed by area landowners and local water users to address water-resource issues.

In Southwest Kansas GMD 3, average groundwater levels dropped 1.31 feet in 2020. Since 1996, average levels in GMD 3 have declined more than 35 feet. Most of the wells monitored in GMD 3 are drilled into the Ogallala aquifer except in a few areas where they draw from the deeper Dakota aquifer. GMD 3 includes all or part of Grant, Haskell, Gray, Finney, Stanton, Ford, Morton, Stevens, Seward, Hamilton, Kearny and Meade counties.

Western Kansas GMD 1 experienced a drop of 0.59 feet in 2020. Declines there tend to be small but steady, with a total recorded loss of nearly 11 feet since 1996. The only decline over a foot recorded during that time was a 1.46-foot drop in 2002, but only three years had gains — all less than half a foot. GMD 1 includes portions of Wallace, Greeley, Wichita, Scott and Lane counties, where the majority of wells are drilled into the Ogallala aquifer.

Northwest Kansas GMD 4 experienced a drop of 0.75 feet, after three years of small increases. Since 1996, average levels have dropped more than 11 feet. GMD 4 covers Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan and parts of Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur, Graham, Wallace, Logan and Gove counties. Groundwater there is pumped from the Ogallala aquifer and shallow alluvial sources associated with streams.

GMD 5, home of Hays' R9 Ranch, 'relatively stable'

In contrast to the significant declines observed in the western Kansas GMDs, increases and decreases in water levels in Great Bend GMD 5 and Equus Beds GMD 2 in the central part of the state tend to even out over time. Although both districts have localized areas of long-term groundwater declines, GMDs 2 and 5 as a whole have remained relatively stable.

Big Bend GMD 5, centered on the Great Bend Prairie aquifer, experienced a water-level decline of 0.81 feet in 2020 after increases of 1.76 feet in 2019 and 1.22 feet in 2018. The Great Bend Prairie aquifer underlies Stafford and Pratt counties and parts of Barton, Pawnee, Edwards, Kiowa, Reno and Rice counties.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614111337746.jpeg" alt="Hays is the only municipality in Kansas with a population greater than 15,000 that is not located near a sustainable source of water. The Ogallala aquifer reaches to the western edge of Ellis County (3 down, 5 right from upper left corner of map)." />
 <figcaption>Hays is the only municipality in Kansas with a population greater than 15,000 that is not located near a sustainable source of water. The Ogallala aquifer reaches to the western edge of Ellis County (3 down, 5 right from upper left corner of map).</figcaption>
 </figure>KU News ServiceLAWRENCE — After three years of small increases, average groundwater levels in central and western Kansas dropped during 2020 as most of the area experienced abnormally dry conditions for much of the year, according to preliminary data compiled by the Kansas Geological Survey.“It was hot and dry last summer, and water levels pretty much dropped everywhere,” said Brownie Wilson, KGS water-data manager. “Levels didn’t drop as much as in the really dry years of 2011 and 2012, but declines were a step in that direction.”Water levels in measured wells declined an average of 0.93 feet overall in 2020. In the drought years of 2011 and 2012, average levels across all monitored wells decreased 1.95 and 2.04 feet, respectively. About 90% of the monitored wells are drilled into the High Plains aquifer.The KGS, based at the University of Kansas, and the Division of Water Resources (DWR) of the Kansas Department of Agriculture measure about 1,400 wells every year to monitor the health of the High Plains aquifer and other aquifers in western and central Kansas. Since 1996, when the state began administrating the water-level program, water levels in the monitored wells have declined on average 12 feet.The High Plains aquifer is a network of water-bearing rock that extends into eight states. <h2>Hays is not part of Ogallala aquifer</h2>In Kansas, the aquifer comprises three components — the Ogallala aquifer, the Great Bend Prairie aquifer and the Equus Beds. Of these, the Ogallala aquifer underlies most of western Kansas and consists mainly of the Ogallala Formation, a geologic unit that formed from sediment eroded off the uplifting Rocky Mountains.The city of Hays is not part of the Ogallala aquifer which reaches just to the western edge of Ellis County.Dry years lead to increased pumping demands, primarily for irrigation, which in turn typically cause greater declines in water levels. In 2020, much of western Kansas saw only 50% to 75% of normal precipitation. During the growing season of March to September, most of the region received less than 25% of normal precipitation.“The irrigation season probably started earlier than normal, and for some areas producers couldn’t afford to stop to just maintain adequate soil moisture levels. When you start off that far behind, it can be rough to catch back up,” Wilson said.The southwest Kansas portion of the Ogallala has suffered the greatest losses since levels started dropping in the 1950s. In the drought years between 2010 and 2014, declines averaged about three feet per year. Since 2015, levels fell less than a foot each year until 2020, which saw a decline of 1.2 feet.In central Kansas, the Great Bend Prairie aquifer underlies an area encompassing Great Bend, Kinsley, Greensburg and Pratt. Farther east, the Equus Beds extends from just north of Wichita toward McPherson and Hutchinson.This area typically sees more precipitation than the western part of the state. Because the aquifer is relatively close to the land surface and sandy soils are abundant, some of this precipitation recharges — or makes its way into — the aquifer. Since 1996, water levels in this area have remained relatively stable.Most of the wells in the network monitored by the KGS and DWR are within the boundaries of the state’s five Groundwater Management Districts (GMDs), which are organized and governed by area landowners and local water users to address water-resource issues.In Southwest Kansas GMD 3, average groundwater levels dropped 1.31 feet in 2020. Since 1996, average levels in GMD 3 have declined more than 35 feet. Most of the wells monitored in GMD 3 are drilled into the Ogallala aquifer except in a few areas where they draw from the deeper Dakota aquifer. GMD 3 includes all or part of Grant, Haskell, Gray, Finney, Stanton, Ford, Morton, Stevens, Seward, Hamilton, Kearny and Meade counties.Western Kansas GMD 1 experienced a drop of 0.59 feet in 2020. Declines there tend to be small but steady, with a total recorded loss of nearly 11 feet since 1996. The only decline over a foot recorded during that time was a 1.46-foot drop in 2002, but only three years had gains — all less than half a foot. GMD 1 includes portions of Wallace, Greeley, Wichita, Scott and Lane counties, where the majority of wells are drilled into the Ogallala aquifer.Northwest Kansas GMD 4 experienced a drop of 0.75 feet, after three years of small increases. Since 1996, average levels have dropped more than 11 feet. GMD 4 covers Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan and parts of Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur, Graham, Wallace, Logan and Gove counties. Groundwater there is pumped from the Ogallala aquifer and shallow alluvial sources associated with streams.<h2>GMD 5, home of Hays' R9 Ranch, 'relatively stable'</h2>In contrast to the significant declines observed in the western Kansas GMDs, increases and decreases in water levels in Great Bend GMD 5 and Equus Beds GMD 2 in the central part of the state tend to even out over time. Although both districts have localized areas of long-term groundwater declines, GMDs 2 and 5 as a whole have remained relatively stable.Big Bend GMD 5, centered on the Great Bend Prairie aquifer, experienced a water-level decline of 0.81 feet in 2020 after increases of 1.76 feet in 2019 and 1.22 feet in 2018. The Great Bend Prairie aquifer underlies Stafford and Pratt counties and parts of Barton, Pawnee, Edwards, Kiowa, Reno and Rice counties.&nbsp;The <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/water-appropriation/change-applications/hays-change-and-water-transfer">R9 Ranch, a long-term water source owned by the cities of Hays and Russell</a>, is located in Edwards County and GMD 5.&nbsp;The city of Hays is the only municipality in Kansas with a population greater than 15,000 that is not located near a sustainable source of water.Equus Beds GMD 2, a major source of water for Wichita, Hutchinson and surrounding towns, saw the biggest decline of all the GMDs in 2020, a decrease of 1.80 feet, after increases of 1.38 feet in 2018 and 0.82 feet in 2019. GMD 2 covers portions of Reno, Sedgwick, Harvey and McPherson counties.“GMD 2 often fluctuates with periods of large declines and large increases in the water table. Like other areas of Kansas, irrigation is a major use made of water but GMD 2 also has much larger municipal and industrial applications relative to the other GMDs,” Wilson said.The KGS measured 587 wells in western Kansas, and DWR staff from field offices in Stockton, Garden City and Stafford measured 224, 276 and 341 wells, respectively, in western and central Kansas. Most of the wells, spread over 48 counties, are used for irrigation and have been measured for decades with landowners’ permission.Measurements are taken primarily in January when water levels are least likely to fluctuate due to seasonal irrigation. The measurement results, available on the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Magellan/WaterLevels/index.html" target="_blank">KGS Water Well Levels&nbsp;website</a>, are provisional and subject to revision based on additional analysis.The Kansas Geological Survey is a nonregulatory research and service division of KU. KGS researchers study and provide information about the state’s geologic resources and hazards, including groundwater, oil and natural gas, rocks and minerals, and earthquakes.

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