By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/how-search-water-pitting-farmers-against-cities-western-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>

KINSLEY — In the late 1980s, drought left 
the wells that supply water to the city of Hays and Russell in western 
Kansas precariously low. The near-catastrophe sent city leaders on the 
hunt for more water.

“We were just trying to survive from one year to the next,” former Hays mayor and city councilman Eber Phelps said.

The cities researched their options, including looking into purchasing water from several nearby reservoirs.

But ultimately in 1995, they <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/water-appropriation/change-applications/hays-change-and-water-transfer" target="_blank">bought the </a><a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/water-appropriation/change-applications/hays-change-and-water-transfer" target="_blank">R9 Ranch </a><a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/water-appropriation/change-applications/hays-change-and-water-transfer" target="_blank">in Edwards County</a> about 70 miles south of Hays.

It
 looked like foresight. The two cities had locked in water rights that 
would allow them to grow in a relatively parched part of the world. It 
may yet prove to be just that — if years of fighting with the farming 
neighbors of the R9 end in a win.

Standing atop one of the sandy hills on the property, <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/directory.aspx?eid=6" target="_blank">Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty</a>
 pointed to the fading circle outlines of irrigated crop fields and 
explained how those fields are now being turned into native prairie.

“The
 most important aspect of this property wasn’t the 6,800 acres that was 
purchased by Hays and Russell,” he said. “It was the nearly 8,000 acre 
feet of water rights that came with it.”

For decades, the ranch 
remained an unused investment in water. But after several years of 
drought in the early 2010s, city leaders decided to cash in.

“We 
have pushed our existing sources to the max,” Dougherty said. “We don’t 
have a lot of years left for them to be considered viable.”

In 2015, <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/HaysRussellTransfer" target="_blank">the cities moved to change the water use permit</a> tied to the ranch from irrigation to municipal use and get permission to pump the water across the state.

“This is a problem across the West that we know as ‘buy and dry,’ ” said <a href="https://washburnlaw.edu/profiles/griggs-burke.html" target="_blank">Burke Griggs</a>,
 a water lawyer and law professor at Washburn University. “You purchase 
the water right, you sever the water right from the land, and you dry 
that land up.”

He said the movement of water from rural areas to cities has been a <a href="https://www.watereducation.org/topic-water-transfers" target="_blank">longstanding drama in the West</a>. It’s the source of lawsuits and deep resentments.

It’s usually legal, if nearly always controversial.

“Rural
 communities depend upon the added value of irrigation,” he said. “In 
western Kansas, an irrigated acre is worth two to three times what a 
dryland acre is.”

In Kansas, transfering water can be as simple as filing an application.

“What’s
 really important when we convert irrigation to any other beneficial 
use, is we apply a consumptive use factor,” Lane Letourneau with the 
Kansas Division of Water Resources said.

That “consumptive use 
factor” means that when someone uses water for irrigation, not all of it
 is used, or consumed, by crops. Some soaks back into the ground. But 
when you ship the water away — say, that 70 miles to Hays — none of it 
will return to the local system.

To make sure that kind of change doesn’t dry up the neighbors, the state limits how much can be pumped away.

In the R9 Ranch case, that’s the conflict.

The
 state’s consumptive use calculation found that the city would need to 
leave about 15 percent of its water on the ranch. But the state asked 
the two cities to leave behind even more to make sure the supply would 
still be going strong in 50 years.

The two cities eventually agreed to a 30% reduction in their water 
rights. Dougherty, the Hays city manager, said if they had been any 
other kind of business, the state would have applied the formula, they 
would have accepted it and everybody would have walked away without 
another word.

“Hays went over and above when they agreed to these numbers,” Letourneau said.

But even agreeing to the increased reduction wasn’t enough for some of the ranch’s neighbors.

Led by a group known as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WaterPACK1/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">Water </a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WaterPACK1/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">PACK</a>,
 that advocates for the water rights of farmers in central Kansas, the 
R9’s neighbors challenged the state’s order in court. It contends the 
state is still letting the cities pump away too much water.

“There
 is a number out there that is sustainable that would meet the needs of 
both parties,” said Water PACK President Kent Moore.

The group 
has been following the issue since shortly after Hays and Russell 
applied for the water use change in 2015. Moore said the group 
participated in the public information meetings and <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/dwr-water-appropriation-documents/waterpack_kent_moore_haysr9comment_20180716.pdf?sfvrsn=805187c1_0" target="_blank">petitioned the state and local groundwater management district</a>, but he said “I don’t really think it mattered a lot.”

Meanwhile, city leaders in Hays and Russell are getting impatient.

“If there’s going to be aquifer decline, it’s not us that’s going to cause it,” Dougherty said.

A ruling in the challenge will likely come within a few months.

If Hays and Russell win, the next step will be getting approval under the <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/statues-water/water_transfer_act.pdf?sfvrsn=1a6633c8_2#:~:text=2012-,K.S.A.,Water%20transfer%20act%3B%20definitions.&amp;text=(a)(1)%20%22Water,of%20diversion%20of%20such%20water." target="_blank">Kansas Water Transfer Act</a>.
 That kicks in if water will be moved more than 35 miles. The Hays case 
will be the first-ever test of the law the Legislature created out of 
fears that Wichita would begin to monopolize nearby reservoirs.

The outcome will likely have long-lasting consequences for the next city that goes looking to buy water in rural Kansas.

“There
 may be a political reaction to this, but water generally flows uphill 
to money,” Griggs said. “And that’s what we’re seeing here.”

Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612809980009.png" alt=" Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty at the R9 Ranch in Edwards County, Kansas. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty at the R9 Ranch in Edwards County, Kansas. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/how-search-water-pitting-farmers-against-cities-western-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>KINSLEY — In the late 1980s, drought left 
the wells that supply water to the city of Hays and Russell in western 
Kansas precariously low. The near-catastrophe sent city leaders on the 
hunt for more water.“We were just trying to survive from one year to the next,” former Hays mayor and city councilman Eber Phelps said.The cities researched their options, including looking into purchasing water from several nearby reservoirs.But ultimately in 1995, they <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/water-appropriation/change-applications/hays-change-and-water-transfer" target="_blank">bought the </a><a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/water-appropriation/change-applications/hays-change-and-water-transfer" target="_blank">R9 Ranch </a><a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/water-appropriation/change-applications/hays-change-and-water-transfer" target="_blank">in Edwards County</a> about 70 miles south of Hays.It
 looked like foresight. The two cities had locked in water rights that 
would allow them to grow in a relatively parched part of the world. It 
may yet prove to be just that — if years of fighting with the farming 
neighbors of the R9 end in a win.Standing atop one of the sandy hills on the property, <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/directory.aspx?eid=6" target="_blank">Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty</a>
 pointed to the fading circle outlines of irrigated crop fields and 
explained how those fields are now being turned into native prairie.“The
 most important aspect of this property wasn’t the 6,800 acres that was 
purchased by Hays and Russell,” he said. “It was the nearly 8,000 acre 
feet of water rights that came with it.”For decades, the ranch 
remained an unused investment in water. But after several years of 
drought in the early 2010s, city leaders decided to cash in.“We 
have pushed our existing sources to the max,” Dougherty said. “We don’t 
have a lot of years left for them to be considered viable.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612810044079.png" alt=" Irrigation equipment and pumps have all been removed from the R9 Ranch in Edwards County, Kansas. What used to be fields of crops, are now patches of native grasses and weeds. Credit Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Irrigation equipment and pumps have all been removed from the R9 Ranch in Edwards County, Kansas. What used to be fields of crops, are now patches of native grasses and weeds. Credit Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2015, <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/HaysRussellTransfer" target="_blank">the cities moved to change the water use permit</a> tied to the ranch from irrigation to municipal use and get permission to pump the water across the state.“This is a problem across the West that we know as ‘buy and dry,’ ” said <a href="https://washburnlaw.edu/profiles/griggs-burke.html" target="_blank">Burke Griggs</a>,
 a water lawyer and law professor at Washburn University. “You purchase 
the water right, you sever the water right from the land, and you dry 
that land up.”He said the movement of water from rural areas to cities has been a <a href="https://www.watereducation.org/topic-water-transfers" target="_blank">longstanding drama in the West</a>. It’s the source of lawsuits and deep resentments.It’s usually legal, if nearly always controversial.“Rural
 communities depend upon the added value of irrigation,” he said. “In 
western Kansas, an irrigated acre is worth two to three times what a 
dryland acre is.”In Kansas, transfering water can be as simple as filing an application.“What’s
 really important when we convert irrigation to any other beneficial 
use, is we apply a consumptive use factor,” Lane Letourneau with the 
Kansas Division of Water Resources said.That “consumptive use 
factor” means that when someone uses water for irrigation, not all of it
 is used, or consumed, by crops. Some soaks back into the ground. But 
when you ship the water away — say, that 70 miles to Hays — none of it 
will return to the local system.To make sure that kind of change doesn’t dry up the neighbors, the state limits how much can be pumped away.In the R9 Ranch case, that’s the conflict.The
 state’s consumptive use calculation found that the city would need to 
leave about 15 percent of its water on the ranch. But the state asked 
the two cities to leave behind even more to make sure the supply would 
still be going strong in 50 years.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612810082566.png" alt="A map of proposed locations for water wells on the R9 Ranch." />
 <figcaption>A map of proposed locations for water wells on the R9 Ranch.</figcaption>
 </figure>The two cities eventually agreed to a 30% reduction in their water 
rights. Dougherty, the Hays city manager, said if they had been any 
other kind of business, the state would have applied the formula, they 
would have accepted it and everybody would have walked away without 
another word.“Hays went over and above when they agreed to these numbers,” Letourneau said.But even agreeing to the increased reduction wasn’t enough for some of the ranch’s neighbors.Led by a group known as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WaterPACK1/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">Water </a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WaterPACK1/?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">PACK</a>,
 that advocates for the water rights of farmers in central Kansas, the 
R9’s neighbors challenged the state’s order in court. It contends the 
state is still letting the cities pump away too much water.“There
 is a number out there that is sustainable that would meet the needs of 
both parties,” said Water PACK President Kent Moore.The group 
has been following the issue since shortly after Hays and Russell 
applied for the water use change in 2015. Moore said the group 
participated in the public information meetings and <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/dwr-water-appropriation-documents/waterpack_kent_moore_haysr9comment_20180716.pdf?sfvrsn=805187c1_0" target="_blank">petitioned the state and local groundwater management district</a>, but he said “I don’t really think it mattered a lot.”Meanwhile, city leaders in Hays and Russell are getting impatient.“If there’s going to be aquifer decline, it’s not us that’s going to cause it,” Dougherty said.A ruling in the challenge will likely come within a few months.If Hays and Russell win, the next step will be getting approval under the <a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/statues-water/water_transfer_act.pdf?sfvrsn=1a6633c8_2#:~:text=2012-,K.S.A.,Water%20transfer%20act%3B%20definitions.&amp;text=(a)(1)%20%22Water,of%20diversion%20of%20such%20water." target="_blank">Kansas Water Transfer Act</a>.
 That kicks in if water will be moved more than 35 miles. The Hays case 
will be the first-ever test of the law the Legislature created out of 
fears that Wichita would begin to monopolize nearby reservoirs.The outcome will likely have long-lasting consequences for the next city that goes looking to buy water in rural Kansas.“There
 may be a political reaction to this, but water generally flows uphill 
to money,” Griggs said. “And that’s what we’re seeing here.”Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

R9 Ranch challenge ruling, legislative test nears for Hays and Russell

Anne Wasinger, 18, of Hays and Jonah Stein, 12, of Leawood this week were named Kansas' top youth volunteers of 2021 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, America's largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer service.

As State Honorees, Anne and Jonah will each receive a $2,500
 scholarship, a silver medallion and an invitation to the program's 
virtual national recognition celebration in April, where 10 of the 102 
State Honorees will be named America's top youth volunteers of the year.
 Those 10 National Honorees will earn an additional $5,000 scholarship, a gold medallion, a crystal trophy for their nominating organization and a $5,000 grant for a nonprofit charitable organization of their choice.

The
 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, conducted annually by Prudential
 Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary 
School Principals (NASSP), honors students in grades 5-12 for making 
meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service.

"We
 created the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards 26 years ago to 
highlight and support the work of young people taking on the challenges 
of a changing world — a mission that rings truer than ever given the 
events of last year," said Charles Lowrey, Prudential's chairman and CEO.
 "We are proud to celebrate the vision and determination of Spirit of 
Community's Class of 2021, and all the ways they're making their 
communities safer, healthier and more equitable places to live."

These are Kansas' top youth volunteers of 2021:

High School State Honoree: Anne Wasinger Nominated by Thomas More Prep-Marian Jr/Sr High School

Anne,
 a senior at Thomas More Prep Marian High School, founded and directs an
 annual theatre camp for adults with developmental disabilities, an 
intensive five-day experience that culminates in a performance for the 
community. When Anne has 3 years old, she began performing in her local 
community theatre along with family members. But one member of her 
family wasn't able to participate. "My big brother, Joel, has cerebral 
palsy and due to inaccessibility, he could never perform with me," Anne 
said. However, the theatre moved to a new facility in the summer of 2018
 and built wheelchair-accessible ramps and bathrooms. That spurred Anne,
 who believes that the "limitless" benefits of theatre should be 
available to all, to start "Center Stage Theatre Camp" to give people 
with disabilities a chance to learn theatre techniques, gain confidence,
 express themselves and showcase their talents.

After several 
proposals and meetings, Anne partnered with the local theatre to cover 
costs and provide rehearsal space. She then persuaded a large local 
church to host the group's post-camp performance; selected skits, songs,
 and dances to teach the performers; purchased scripts; spread the word 
among agencies that work with people with disabilities; and recruited 
volunteers to help. Despite some funding setbacks early on and now the 
challenges presented by COVID-19, Anne has persevered and thus far has 
conducted two camps involving a total of 50 "campers" and 40 volunteers.
 She estimates that over 200 members of her community have turned out to
 watch their shows.

Middle Level State Honoree: Jonah Stein Nominated by Leawood Middle School

Jonah, a seventh-grader at Leawood Middle School, has raised more than $18,000
 to provide bags of food for people in need in his community by making 
and selling beaded necklaces for COVID-19 face masks. A few years ago, 
Jonah and his family attended his great-grandmother's funeral in Minnesota.
 "When we were leaving the synagogue, there were bags with food and 
essentials for people to take and keep in their cars to give to needy 
people on the streets," Jonah said. He thought this was an "incredible" 
idea and shared it with the local Jewish Family Services agency where he
 has volunteered. "They were excited by the idea," Jonah said, and soon 
the organization was providing its own "care bags" containing food, 
other essential items and a list of helpful resources.

In order to
 raise money to support this program, Jonah came up with the idea of 
selling a face mask accessory. "I saw that people had no place to put 
their masks when they weren't wearing them, especially while eating," 
said Jonah. With help from his family, Jonah researched and developed a 
necklace that attaches to face masks so they can be pulled down 
conveniently when not in use. He got beads, equipment and advice from a 
local bead-seller, built up an inventory of different necklace styles, 
created a website to market his "MASKerAIDs," and conducted media 
interviews. "I was amazed at how quickly things took off," he said. He 
surpassed his initial fundraising goal in one weekend, and continues to 
donate 100 percent of his sales to the food pantry.

State Honorees
 in The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Class of 2021 – the top 
middle level and high school volunteer from all 50 states and the District of Columbia
 – were selected for service initiatives completed, at least in part, 
between the fall of 2019 and the fall of 2020. Selection was based on 
criteria including impact, effort, initiative and the personal growth 
demonstrated over the course of the project. Several Distinguished 
Finalists and runners-up were also selected in each state, and all 
qualifying applicants received President's Volunteer Service Awards.

"It
 speaks volumes about the character of today's secondary school students
 that the Spirit of Community program heard from more than 21,000 
applicants this fall – most of them stories of young volunteers 
overcoming the hardships of a global pandemic to support those in need,"
 said Ronn Nozoe, Chief Executive Officer, NASSP.
 "While we're especially proud to celebrate this year's 102 State 
Honorees, NASSP applauds every student who's found a way to volunteer 
this past year. You inspire your peers and adults alike to remember 
that, even in times of crisis, we all have something to give."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612900920080.jpeg" alt="Anne Wasinger" />
 <figcaption>Anne Wasinger</figcaption>
 </figure>Anne Wasinger, 18, of Hays and Jonah Stein, 12, of Leawood this week were named Kansas' top youth volunteers of 2021 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, America's largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer service.As State Honorees, Anne and Jonah will each receive a $2,500
 scholarship, a silver medallion and an invitation to the program's 
virtual national recognition celebration in April, where 10 of the 102 
State Honorees will be named America's top youth volunteers of the year.
 Those 10 National Honorees will earn an additional $5,000 scholarship, a gold medallion, a crystal trophy for their nominating organization and a $5,000 grant for a nonprofit charitable organization of their choice.The
 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, conducted annually by Prudential
 Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary 
School Principals (NASSP), honors students in grades 5-12 for making 
meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service."We
 created the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards 26 years ago to 
highlight and support the work of young people taking on the challenges 
of a changing world — a mission that rings truer than ever given the 
events of last year," said Charles Lowrey, Prudential's chairman and CEO.
 "We are proud to celebrate the vision and determination of Spirit of 
Community's Class of 2021, and all the ways they're making their 
communities safer, healthier and more equitable places to live."These are Kansas' top youth volunteers of 2021:High School State Honoree: Anne Wasinger Nominated by Thomas More Prep-Marian Jr/Sr High SchoolAnne,
 a senior at Thomas More Prep Marian High School, founded and directs an
 annual theatre camp for adults with developmental disabilities, an 
intensive five-day experience that culminates in a performance for the 
community. When Anne has 3 years old, she began performing in her local 
community theatre along with family members. But one member of her 
family wasn't able to participate. "My big brother, Joel, has cerebral 
palsy and due to inaccessibility, he could never perform with me," Anne 
said. However, the theatre moved to a new facility in the summer of 2018
 and built wheelchair-accessible ramps and bathrooms. That spurred Anne,
 who believes that the "limitless" benefits of theatre should be 
available to all, to start "Center Stage Theatre Camp" to give people 
with disabilities a chance to learn theatre techniques, gain confidence,
 express themselves and showcase their talents.After several 
proposals and meetings, Anne partnered with the local theatre to cover 
costs and provide rehearsal space. She then persuaded a large local 
church to host the group's post-camp performance; selected skits, songs,
 and dances to teach the performers; purchased scripts; spread the word 
among agencies that work with people with disabilities; and recruited 
volunteers to help. Despite some funding setbacks early on and now the 
challenges presented by COVID-19, Anne has persevered and thus far has 
conducted two camps involving a total of 50 "campers" and 40 volunteers.
 She estimates that over 200 members of her community have turned out to
 watch their shows.Middle Level State Honoree: Jonah Stein Nominated by Leawood Middle SchoolJonah, a seventh-grader at Leawood Middle School, has raised more than $18,000
 to provide bags of food for people in need in his community by making 
and selling beaded necklaces for COVID-19 face masks. A few years ago, 
Jonah and his family attended his great-grandmother's funeral in Minnesota.
 "When we were leaving the synagogue, there were bags with food and 
essentials for people to take and keep in their cars to give to needy 
people on the streets," Jonah said. He thought this was an "incredible" 
idea and shared it with the local Jewish Family Services agency where he
 has volunteered. "They were excited by the idea," Jonah said, and soon 
the organization was providing its own "care bags" containing food, 
other essential items and a list of helpful resources.In order to
 raise money to support this program, Jonah came up with the idea of 
selling a face mask accessory. "I saw that people had no place to put 
their masks when they weren't wearing them, especially while eating," 
said Jonah. With help from his family, Jonah researched and developed a 
necklace that attaches to face masks so they can be pulled down 
conveniently when not in use. He got beads, equipment and advice from a 
local bead-seller, built up an inventory of different necklace styles, 
created a website to market his "MASKerAIDs," and conducted media 
interviews. "I was amazed at how quickly things took off," he said. He 
surpassed his initial fundraising goal in one weekend, and continues to 
donate 100 percent of his sales to the food pantry.State Honorees
 in The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Class of 2021 – the top 
middle level and high school volunteer from all 50 states and the District of Columbia
 – were selected for service initiatives completed, at least in part, 
between the fall of 2019 and the fall of 2020. Selection was based on 
criteria including impact, effort, initiative and the personal growth 
demonstrated over the course of the project. Several Distinguished 
Finalists and runners-up were also selected in each state, and all 
qualifying applicants received President's Volunteer Service Awards."It
 speaks volumes about the character of today's secondary school students
 that the Spirit of Community program heard from more than 21,000 
applicants this fall – most of them stories of young volunteers 
overcoming the hardships of a global pandemic to support those in need,"
 said Ronn Nozoe, Chief Executive Officer, NASSP.
 "While we're especially proud to celebrate this year's 102 State 
Honorees, NASSP applauds every student who's found a way to volunteer 
this past year. You inspire your peers and adults alike to remember 
that, even in times of crisis, we all have something to give."—&nbsp;PRNewswire —

TMP-M senior earns volunteer honor from Prudential

By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau

I recently cleaned out my sock drawer, an overdue task that I hadn’t reached the appropriate level of boredom to tackle in a number of years. It also served as a reminder that I’m absolutely terrible at estimating just how useful a range of items will be in the future.

The top drawer of the walnut chest where my socks reside also has a habit of collecting an assortment of other items — loose change, notes on scraps of paper, cable clamps, buttons, stray ammunition — that either fell from the flat surface above or were “temporarily” stored for later.

There’s also a closet, basement, garage, shed and the center console of my truck holding valuable artifacts of various usefulness. I know I’m not alone in this affliction because the desire to stow away has a cherished history in my family. The paternal side at least.

If we had a family crest, “I’m going to use that someday,” would be the motto imprinted on it. I should note it’s entirely possible there is a crest stuffed in the bottom of a box somewhere just waiting to be rediscovered.

At the ranch, there were two very useful storage areas. The first was a set of cubbies inside that held maybe a ton of washers, nuts, bolts and other odds and ends. The lack of organization didn’t make it efficient, but if you needed a connecter, you’d find a suitable one eventually. Out back was the scrap pile of old oil pipe and steel plate that came in handy for all sorts of building and repair projects.

Upstairs was another story, however. The loft was stuffed with the “maybe someday” stuff stockpiled with leaner times in mind. Tires that had long since dry rotted, rusted rims, a crosscut saw with broken handles and other outdated tools.

I know those items were squirreled away with the best of intentions. On farms and ranches, it makes a good deal of sense to have a stockpile when the nearest hardware store is an hour roundtrip. The number of things that can go wrong is nearly limitless.

My hoarding habits are more about learned behavior than utility. Living in a 50-year-old home means I frequent the two nearby hardware stores enough to have memorized their layouts. It’s usually faster to find a given item at the store than it is to search my basement, garage or shed.

There’s a different satisfaction that comes from completing a project with that one item you saved long ago for the right occasion. It’s proof you were right. For me, though, that’s become an infrequent occurrence.

I don’t know precisely when something in storage loses its intended purpose and becomes junk, but I know it happens without warning. The rational part of me understands I should save far less stuff and significantly reduce the time I spend cleaning up clutter in the future.

After discarding a significant amount of junk from my sock drawer, including several actual pairs of socks, I still slid two aging cellphones into my dresser drawer. Everything of value on them has been transferred to my current phone, but each one would work if I really needed a replacement.

Will I ever use them again? Not likely. But they’re there if I want to use them someday.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574694551876.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm BureauI recently cleaned out my sock drawer, an overdue task that I hadn’t reached the appropriate level of boredom to tackle in a number of years. It also served as a reminder that I’m absolutely terrible at estimating just how useful a range of items will be in the future.The top drawer of the walnut chest where my socks reside also has a habit of collecting an assortment of other items — loose change, notes on scraps of paper, cable clamps, buttons, stray ammunition — that either fell from the flat surface above or were “temporarily” stored for later.There’s also a closet, basement, garage, shed and the center console of my truck holding valuable artifacts of various usefulness. I know I’m not alone in this affliction because the desire to stow away has a cherished history in my family. The paternal side at least.If we had a family crest, “I’m going to use that someday,” would be the motto imprinted on it. I should note it’s entirely possible there is a crest stuffed in the bottom of a box somewhere just waiting to be rediscovered.At the ranch, there were two very useful storage areas. The first was a set of cubbies inside that held maybe a ton of washers, nuts, bolts and other odds and ends. The lack of organization didn’t make it efficient, but if you needed a connecter, you’d find a suitable one eventually. Out back was the scrap pile of old oil pipe and steel plate that came in handy for all sorts of building and repair projects.Upstairs was another story, however. The loft was stuffed with the “maybe someday” stuff stockpiled with leaner times in mind. Tires that had long since dry rotted, rusted rims, a crosscut saw with broken handles and other outdated tools.I know those items were squirreled away with the best of intentions. On farms and ranches, it makes a good deal of sense to have a stockpile when the nearest hardware store is an hour roundtrip. The number of things that can go wrong is nearly limitless.My hoarding habits are more about learned behavior than utility. Living in a 50-year-old home means I frequent the two nearby hardware stores enough to have memorized their layouts. It’s usually faster to find a given item at the store than it is to search my basement, garage or shed.There’s a different satisfaction that comes from completing a project with that one item you saved long ago for the right occasion. It’s proof you were right. For me, though, that’s become an infrequent occurrence.I don’t know precisely when something in storage loses its intended purpose and becomes junk, but I know it happens without warning. The rational part of me understands I should save far less stuff and significantly reduce the time I spend cleaning up clutter in the future.After discarding a significant amount of junk from my sock drawer, including several actual pairs of socks, I still slid two aging cellphones into my dresser drawer. Everything of value on them has been transferred to my current phone, but each one would work if I really needed a replacement.Will I ever use them again? Not likely. But they’re there if I want to use them someday."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Waiting for someday

I love the month of February! February brings us the optimism and fun of Groundhog Day. I get to celebrate my birthday and bask in the many blessings of my life. Valentine’s Day provides moments to be thankful for those special someone’s in our lives. And our university family at Fort Hays State University comes together to generously invest in our community through the United Way campus drive. This year, our goal is $30,000, and I know we can get there.

Did you know that there are nearly 1,800 local United Ways around the world, located in 40 countries and territories, fueled by the work of 2.6 million volunteers working to improve lives? Collectively, the United Way raises $5 billion dollars every year – all through the big-heartedness of people and companies who care. Fantastic!

The United Way was founded more than 125 years ago in Denver by a small group that included a woman, a priest, two ministers and a rabbi. Quoting from the website, “It sounds like the&nbsp;beginning of a bad joke, but they didn't walk into a bar; what they did do was&nbsp;recognize&nbsp;the need to work together in new ways to make Denver a better place.”&nbsp;I always love a good story about people who come together to make our communities better.

The mission of the United Way is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good. The reason I look forward to partnering with the United Way is that its mission is so congruent with our mission. We strive to develop engaged global citizen-leaders. The work of the United Way also aligns with our institutional commitment to unlocking human potential. And the work of the United Way and its legion of volunteers serves the democratic, economic and social needs of our communities. The creation and application of new knowledge leads to social and economic advancements, innovation that solves problems, and global engagement that calls us to build partnerships that connects our students to the world. To me, the annual February campus drive is our opportunity to demonstrate locally how we walk our talk – with heart.

The United Way of Ellis County supports 23 programs provided by 18 agencies in Ellis County:&nbsp; American Red Cross, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Cancer Council, Catholic Charities, Center for Life Experiences, Cerebral Research Foundation, City of Ellis, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas, Early Childhood Connections, First Call for Help, Hays Area Children’s Center, Hays Senior Center, KVC Wheatland Hospital, Options, Parents and Children Together, Western Kansas Association on the Concerns of the Disabled, and Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center.

As I review this list, my mind is flooded with thoughts of how our university supplements the campus drive throughout the year. For example, the Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity has a long-standing tradition of organizing a campus blood drive for the Red Cross. Many of our student organizations have adopted philanthropies and even have a student organization called Tigers for Service.

Our students in Leadership 310 classes work together each spring to support community organizations in responding to community needs. Past endeavors include gathering supplies and donations for child victims of sexual abuse, filling a disaster response trailer to aid victims of natural disasters, organizing campaigns for Options to support survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, and working with Breathe Coffee House to create a support system for people with mental health issues . Another project focused on reducing stress and conflict between landlords and tenants by informing tenants of their rights and responsibilities. Yet another featured our students uniting dancers and the Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas (DSNWK) individuals to produce a show that inspired the community.&nbsp;

The Dancing Together for DSNWK event is a powerful memory for me. I will never forget watching Natalie McCullough dance. Natalie is the daughter of Jason McCullough, the Tigers’ head cross country and track coach, and Karen McCullough, FHSU director of Career Services.&nbsp; It was a remarkable moment, given Natalie’s disabilities, and I still smile and tear up every time I recall that emotional memory.

The list of how our faculty, staff, and students make our community better is endless. I am so proud of the generosity of this community and how we put our mission, vision and values into action.

Of course, as we approached the start of our campus United Way campaign, we had to get imaginative – while doing the pandemic dance of social distancing, wearing masks, etc.– as we worked to create engaging opportunities to inform folks about the important mission of the United Way and the many ways they can to contribute to the campaign. &nbsp;

So, what will our campus and community have to look forward to as we celebrate the United Way? For starters, we decided to host two Food Truck Fridays with Smokin Co. BBQ. The local BBQ business on wheels was on campus last Friday and will return again on Feb. 19. Special thanks to our United Way campus campaign coordinator, Janette Meis. I believe in the power of philanthropy to bring people together in support of the greater good, so I plan to share more information about the United Way campaign in my next column. Stay tuned!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>I love the month of February! February brings us the optimism and fun of Groundhog Day. I get to celebrate my birthday and bask in the many blessings of my life. Valentine’s Day provides moments to be thankful for those special someone’s in our lives. And our university family at Fort Hays State University comes together to generously invest in our community through the United Way campus drive. This year, our goal is $30,000, and I know we can get there.Did you know that there are nearly 1,800 local United Ways around the world, located in 40 countries and territories, fueled by the work of 2.6 million volunteers working to improve lives? Collectively, the United Way raises $5 billion dollars every year – all through the big-heartedness of people and companies who care. Fantastic!The United Way was founded more than 125 years ago in Denver by a small group that included a woman, a priest, two ministers and a rabbi. Quoting from the website, “It sounds like the&nbsp;beginning of a bad joke, but they didn't walk into a bar; what they did do was&nbsp;recognize&nbsp;the need to work together in new ways to make Denver a better place.”&nbsp;I always love a good story about people who come together to make our communities better.The mission of the United Way is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good. The reason I look forward to partnering with the United Way is that its mission is so congruent with our mission. We strive to develop engaged global citizen-leaders. The work of the United Way also aligns with our institutional commitment to unlocking human potential. And the work of the United Way and its legion of volunteers serves the democratic, economic and social needs of our communities. The creation and application of new knowledge leads to social and economic advancements, innovation that solves problems, and global engagement that calls us to build partnerships that connects our students to the world. To me, the annual February campus drive is our opportunity to demonstrate locally how we walk our talk – with heart.The United Way of Ellis County supports 23 programs provided by 18 agencies in Ellis County:&nbsp; American Red Cross, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Cancer Council, Catholic Charities, Center for Life Experiences, Cerebral Research Foundation, City of Ellis, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas, Early Childhood Connections, First Call for Help, Hays Area Children’s Center, Hays Senior Center, KVC Wheatland Hospital, Options, Parents and Children Together, Western Kansas Association on the Concerns of the Disabled, and Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center.As I review this list, my mind is flooded with thoughts of how our university supplements the campus drive throughout the year. For example, the Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity has a long-standing tradition of organizing a campus blood drive for the Red Cross. Many of our student organizations have adopted philanthropies and even have a student organization called Tigers for Service.Our students in Leadership 310 classes work together each spring to support community organizations in responding to community needs. Past endeavors include gathering supplies and donations for child victims of sexual abuse, filling a disaster response trailer to aid victims of natural disasters, organizing campaigns for Options to support survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, and working with Breathe Coffee House to create a support system for people with mental health issues . Another project focused on reducing stress and conflict between landlords and tenants by informing tenants of their rights and responsibilities. Yet another featured our students uniting dancers and the Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas (DSNWK) individuals to produce a show that inspired the community.&nbsp;The Dancing Together for DSNWK event is a powerful memory for me. I will never forget watching Natalie McCullough dance. Natalie is the daughter of Jason McCullough, the Tigers’ head cross country and track coach, and Karen McCullough, FHSU director of Career Services.&nbsp; It was a remarkable moment, given Natalie’s disabilities, and I still smile and tear up every time I recall that emotional memory.The list of how our faculty, staff, and students make our community better is endless. I am so proud of the generosity of this community and how we put our mission, vision and values into action.Of course, as we approached the start of our campus United Way campaign, we had to get imaginative – while doing the pandemic dance of social distancing, wearing masks, etc.– as we worked to create engaging opportunities to inform folks about the important mission of the United Way and the many ways they can to contribute to the campaign. &nbsp;So, what will our campus and community have to look forward to as we celebrate the United Way? For starters, we decided to host two Food Truck Fridays with Smokin Co. BBQ. The local BBQ business on wheels was on campus last Friday and will return again on Feb. 19. Special thanks to our United Way campus campaign coordinator, Janette Meis. I believe in the power of philanthropy to bring people together in support of the greater good, so I plan to share more information about the United Way campaign in my next column. Stay tuned!

MASON: FHSU stands united in giving love this February

Three-day weather outlook

Ellis High School Basketball/Cheer Senior Night will be on Friday between the varsity basketball games. Seniors who will be recognized include:

2021 Winter Sport Seniors (Basketball &amp; Cheer):

Back Row (L to R):&nbsp; Daniel Eck, son of Geoff &amp; Mindy Eck; Tegan Cain, son of Brent and Darci Cain; Brady Frickey, son of Brad &amp; Stacy Frickey; Matthew Bieker, son of Emmett Bieker &amp; Michelle Bieker; Weslee Kern, son of Anthony Kern and Cricket Schmidt; and Austin McGuire, son of Wade and Heidi McGuire.

Middle Row (L to R):&nbsp; Jaryn Wildeman, son of David &amp; Tara Wildeman; Gina Cox, daughter of Monty &amp; Janeen Cox; Grace Eck, daughter of Mark and Sarah Eck; Abigail North, daughter of Travis &amp; Ava North;&nbsp;Magdalene&nbsp;James, daughter of Wesley James and Alice Berens; Kassidy Winter, daughter of Vic &amp; Joan Winter; and Zachary Schiel, son of Beth &amp; Jared Schiel.

Front Row (L to R):&nbsp; Kaleigh Weber, daughter of Mark &amp; Lisa Weber; Maci Kohl, daughter of Lance &amp; Marnie Kohl; Michaela Keller, daughter of Michael &amp; Vanessa Keller; Camryn Frickey, daughter of Brian &amp; Michelle Frickey; and Morgan Bittel, daughter of Brady Bittel and Tammy Rudd.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not pictured is Donovan Colby, son of Jason and Jennifer Colby.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612822712740.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis USD 388Ellis High School Basketball/Cheer Senior Night will be on Friday between the varsity basketball games. Seniors who will be recognized include:2021 Winter Sport Seniors (Basketball &amp; Cheer):Back Row (L to R):&nbsp; Daniel Eck, son of Geoff &amp; Mindy Eck; Tegan Cain, son of Brent and Darci Cain; Brady Frickey, son of Brad &amp; Stacy Frickey; Matthew Bieker, son of Emmett Bieker &amp; Michelle Bieker; Weslee Kern, son of Anthony Kern and Cricket Schmidt; and Austin McGuire, son of Wade and Heidi McGuire.Middle Row (L to R):&nbsp; Jaryn Wildeman, son of David &amp; Tara Wildeman; Gina Cox, daughter of Monty &amp; Janeen Cox; Grace Eck, daughter of Mark and Sarah Eck; Abigail North, daughter of Travis &amp; Ava North;&nbsp;Magdalene&nbsp;James, daughter of Wesley James and Alice Berens; Kassidy Winter, daughter of Vic &amp; Joan Winter; and Zachary Schiel, son of Beth &amp; Jared Schiel.Front Row (L to R):&nbsp; Kaleigh Weber, daughter of Mark &amp; Lisa Weber; Maci Kohl, daughter of Lance &amp; Marnie Kohl; Michaela Keller, daughter of Michael &amp; Vanessa Keller; Camryn Frickey, daughter of Brian &amp; Michelle Frickey; and Morgan Bittel, daughter of Brady Bittel and Tammy Rudd.&nbsp;&nbsp; Not pictured is Donovan Colby, son of Jason and Jennifer Colby.

Ellis seniors from basketball, cheer will be honored Friday

Two western Kansas Walmart locations will administer COVID-19 vaccines Friday through the&nbsp;U.S. Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.

The locations in Hays and Colby will join 18 other locations in Kansas and more&nbsp;than 1,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies in 22 states that will receive federal vaccine allocations this week, according to a statement from Walmart on Tuesday.

The company said the program has an emphasis on locations that reach customers in underserved communities with limited access to health care.

"While initial vaccine supply is limited, Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacists and technicians stand ready to help expand vaccine access across the country," the statement said. "With 150 million customers and members passing through our doors each week, Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacists can safely and easily reach customers where they’re already shopping for household and health care essentials."

Vaccinations will be made available to those meeting state of Kansas phased eligibility requirements — currently those 65 and older.

 Walmart selected the locations in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state of Kansas to take into account the population density, customer demographics, infection rates and availability of local health care resources among other factors to identify many of the participating locations, the announcement said.

“Ninety percent of the country lives within 10 miles of a Walmart," said Cheryl Pegus, executive vice president of health and wellness. "We’re at the heart of many rural and underserved communities, and we are committed to providing access to vaccines as groups become eligible. Vaccinations to achieve widespread immunity are important for re-opening across the country. We’re proud to work together with the federal government, states, communities, customers and associates to reach that goal.”

The number of vaccines to be given out at the locations will vary based upon supply and state regulations governing the distribution.

Those that are eligible to receive the vaccine can schedule a vaccine appointment directly via the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/1228302" target="_blank">Walmart</a>&nbsp;website, although that system was unavailable on Wednesday, reporting technical issues.

The online scheduler will ask users to create an account in order to be sent a reminder for the second dose.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612987994248.png" alt="Courtesy Photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Two western Kansas Walmart locations will administer COVID-19 vaccines Friday through the&nbsp;U.S. Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.The locations in Hays and Colby will join 18 other locations in Kansas and more&nbsp;than 1,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies in 22 states that will receive federal vaccine allocations this week, according to a statement from Walmart on Tuesday.The company said the program has an emphasis on locations that reach customers in underserved communities with limited access to health care."While initial vaccine supply is limited, Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacists and technicians stand ready to help expand vaccine access across the country," the statement said. "With 150 million customers and members passing through our doors each week, Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacists can safely and easily reach customers where they’re already shopping for household and health care essentials."Vaccinations will be made available to those meeting state of Kansas phased eligibility requirements — currently those 65 and older. Walmart selected the locations in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state of Kansas to take into account the population density, customer demographics, infection rates and availability of local health care resources among other factors to identify many of the participating locations, the announcement said.“Ninety percent of the country lives within 10 miles of a Walmart," said Cheryl Pegus, executive vice president of health and wellness. "We’re at the heart of many rural and underserved communities, and we are committed to providing access to vaccines as groups become eligible. Vaccinations to achieve widespread immunity are important for re-opening across the country. We’re proud to work together with the federal government, states, communities, customers and associates to reach that goal.”The number of vaccines to be given out at the locations will vary based upon supply and state regulations governing the distribution.Those that are eligible to receive the vaccine can schedule a vaccine appointment directly via the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.walmart.com/cp/1228302" target="_blank">Walmart</a>&nbsp;website, although that system was unavailable on Wednesday, reporting technical issues.The online scheduler will ask users to create an account in order to be sent a reminder for the second dose.

Hays, Colby Walmarts selected to administer COVID-19 vaccines

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

<div><iframe title="Seniors on Medicare may have money saving options" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/kkzec-fa4d7c?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&auto=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=3&pfauth="></iframe></div><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile&nbsp;</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">notifications click here.</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: Seniors on Medicare may have money saving options

WICHITA&nbsp;—After leading the Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland council for eight years, Chief Executive Officer Liz Workman is retiring at the end June. During her tenure at the helm of the organization, Workman championed many initiatives launched by the Girl Scouts of the United States and successfully implemented them across the local council to focus on helping girls of today become tomorrow’s leaders.

GSKH serves more than 11,700 girls and adults in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasgirlscouts.org/en/our-council/about-us/councilmap.html">80 western Kansas counties</a>&nbsp;through our operational headquarters in Wichita, and regional offices in Salina, Hays, Emporia and Garden City.&nbsp;&nbsp; “Leading Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland has been the capstone of my four decade plus professional career. It is an honor to be part of the Girl Scout Movement, helping our Girl Scouts grow and develop the values and skills to thrive and lead everywhere their lives take them.&nbsp; I know our future is bright thanks to the thousands of leaders we are building!” Workman said in a statement. Under Workman’s guidance, in 2014 when the national association announced the new movement-wide Customer Engagement Initiative, designed to streamline the membership process and enhance customer services, Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland was one of the early adopters throughout 111 councils across the country. The implementation included data migration, technology training, and launching a completely new website, all to improve the customer experience. Additionally, Workman was very active on the national level serving on numerous committees including:

Her national connections led to hosting two previous Girl Scouts of the USA CEOs, Anna Maria Chavez in 2015, and Sylvia Acevedo in 2018. Both served as Keynote speakers at various functions. On the local level, Workman was key to launching the Juliette’s Pearls Leadership Society, a giving and advocacy society that raises awareness and funds to ensure Girl Scouts across the council have the opportunity to participate in programs that will help them thrive now and in the future as adults. To date, the society’s support has surpassed $550,000. Workman also represented Girl Scouts on local and statewide community and educational committees including:

During her time with the council, multiple renovations and enhancements have been made to council camp properties to ensure that Girl Scouts continue to have amazing outdoor experiences. Elements such as an Adventure Course that includes zip line, rappelling and climbing opportunities and, most recently, a target range were constructed for older Girl Scouts to experience at Starwoods Outdoor Center. Recreational features such as waterfront activities and archery were also enhanced under Workman’s guidance. "On behalf of Girl Scouts Kansas Heartland, the board, volunteers and our girl membership, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Liz for her passion and commitment to the mission of Girl Scouts," said Board Chairwoman Helen Wimsatt. "For nearly a decade, Liz has championed leadership growth in girls. Since joining the council, Liz has worked tirelessly to strengthen all aspects of the organization and girl programs. More recently, Liz's leadership allowed the council to successfully navigate through the most unprecedented challenges the pandemic presented. With Liz's creativity, Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland was able to pivot quickly during the pandemic finding innovative avenues to deliver the Girl Scout experience and programing and was among the first in the community to find a way to thank those on the front lines of the pandemic with the Cookies for Courage program. We are grateful for the steady leadership, passion and experience Liz brought to our council and community." The Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland Board has established a search committee and they have engaged a national search firm to find Workman’s successor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612912683285.png" alt="Liz Workman" />
 <figcaption>Liz Workman</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Council serves western Kansas</h2>GSKHWICHITA&nbsp;—After leading the Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland council for eight years, Chief Executive Officer Liz Workman is retiring at the end June. During her tenure at the helm of the organization, Workman championed many initiatives launched by the Girl Scouts of the United States and successfully implemented them across the local council to focus on helping girls of today become tomorrow’s leaders.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612912788276.png" alt="Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland serves 80 Kansas counties, including Ellis County, with a regional office in Hays." />
 <figcaption>Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland serves 80 Kansas counties, including Ellis County, with a regional office in Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>GSKH serves more than 11,700 girls and adults in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasgirlscouts.org/en/our-council/about-us/councilmap.html">80 western Kansas counties</a>&nbsp;through our operational headquarters in Wichita, and regional offices in Salina, Hays, Emporia and Garden City.&nbsp;&nbsp; “Leading Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland has been the capstone of my four decade plus professional career. It is an honor to be part of the Girl Scout Movement, helping our Girl Scouts grow and develop the values and skills to thrive and lead everywhere their lives take them.&nbsp; I know our future is bright thanks to the thousands of leaders we are building!” Workman said in a statement. Under Workman’s guidance, in 2014 when the national association announced the new movement-wide Customer Engagement Initiative, designed to streamline the membership process and enhance customer services, Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland was one of the early adopters throughout 111 councils across the country. The implementation included data migration, technology training, and launching a completely new website, all to improve the customer experience. Additionally, Workman was very active on the national level serving on numerous committees including:<ul>
 <li>National Girl Scout Delivery Systems Gap Team and Integration Team (2016)</li><li>Member of GSUSA’s delegation to the 14th Western Hemisphere Regional Conference held during July 2016 in Curacao</li><li>Council Action Network Cohort Lead since 2017</li><li>Member of GSUSA’s delegation to the International Conference on Catholic Guiding’s World Conference hosted in July 2018 in Rwanda</li>
 </ul>Her national connections led to hosting two previous Girl Scouts of the USA CEOs, Anna Maria Chavez in 2015, and Sylvia Acevedo in 2018. Both served as Keynote speakers at various functions. On the local level, Workman was key to launching the Juliette’s Pearls Leadership Society, a giving and advocacy society that raises awareness and funds to ensure Girl Scouts across the council have the opportunity to participate in programs that will help them thrive now and in the future as adults. To date, the society’s support has surpassed $550,000. Workman also represented Girl Scouts on local and statewide community and educational committees including:<ul>
 <li>Kansas Department of Education – Served on the Kansas Department of Education Redesign Advisory Committee since August 2017</li><li>Project Wichita – Served on Project Wichita Vision Team and Lifelong Learning Work Team 2018</li>
 </ul>During her time with the council, multiple renovations and enhancements have been made to council camp properties to ensure that Girl Scouts continue to have amazing outdoor experiences. Elements such as an Adventure Course that includes zip line, rappelling and climbing opportunities and, most recently, a target range were constructed for older Girl Scouts to experience at Starwoods Outdoor Center. Recreational features such as waterfront activities and archery were also enhanced under Workman’s guidance. "On behalf of Girl Scouts Kansas Heartland, the board, volunteers and our girl membership, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Liz for her passion and commitment to the mission of Girl Scouts," said Board Chairwoman Helen Wimsatt. "For nearly a decade, Liz has championed leadership growth in girls. Since joining the council, Liz has worked tirelessly to strengthen all aspects of the organization and girl programs. More recently, Liz's leadership allowed the council to successfully navigate through the most unprecedented challenges the pandemic presented. With Liz's creativity, Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland was able to pivot quickly during the pandemic finding innovative avenues to deliver the Girl Scout experience and programing and was among the first in the community to find a way to thank those on the front lines of the pandemic with the Cookies for Courage program. We are grateful for the steady leadership, passion and experience Liz brought to our council and community." The Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland Board has established a search committee and they have engaged a national search firm to find Workman’s successor.

Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland CEO to retire

<a href="http://firstcallelliscounty.com">First Call for Help</a> will receive up to $50,000 in matching funds from the <a href="https://schmidtfoundation.net/">Schmidt Foundation</a>.

Donations received will be used in the First Step Housing, Phase ll Remodeling project and opening.

This project, 607 E. 13th, will provide temporary housing and support for individuals residing in Ellis County who are struggling with homelessness.

“Housing struggles are all too common in our community, and First Step Housing will aid others in this area of need. We are excited and grateful to the Schmidt Foundation and the opportunities it represents," said Linda Mills, First Call for Help executive director.

Any donations received from individuals and businesses by June 30 will be matched by the foundation. First Call for Help has raised $165,000 toward its goal of $250,000.

First Call for Help was established in 1996 and is committed to assisting others in Ellis County who are in crisis and need.

The Schmidt Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in our communities and was established by Robert E. and Patricia A. Schmidt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581950446822.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>First Call for Help<a href="http://firstcallelliscounty.com">First Call for Help</a> will receive up to $50,000 in matching funds from the <a href="https://schmidtfoundation.net/">Schmidt Foundation</a>.Donations received will be used in the First Step Housing, Phase ll Remodeling project and opening.This project, 607 E. 13th, will provide temporary housing and support for individuals residing in Ellis County who are struggling with homelessness.“Housing struggles are all too common in our community, and First Step Housing will aid others in this area of need. We are excited and grateful to the Schmidt Foundation and the opportunities it represents," said Linda Mills, First Call for Help executive director.Any donations received from individuals and businesses by June 30 will be matched by the foundation. First Call for Help has raised $165,000 toward its goal of $250,000.First Call for Help was established in 1996 and is committed to assisting others in Ellis County who are in crisis and need.The Schmidt Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life in our communities and was established by Robert E. and Patricia A. Schmidt.

Schmidt Foundation to match First Step housing donations until end of June

The 2021 Snowball Royalty candidates will be recognized between the varsity basketball games on Tuesday, Feb. 16, in the Ellis Jr./Sr. High School gymnasium.

PICTURED Back Row (L-R, freshmen): Ava Reed, daughter Darin and April Reed; Kaishen Brack, son of Joe Vallery and Margo Brack; Kaydawn Haag, daughter of Ron and Latisha Haag; Austin Carroll, son of Matt and Nicole Carroll; and Kylee Pfeifer, daughter of Brandon and Chandra Pfeifer.

Third row (L-R, sophomores): Harlie Bittel, daughter of Blake Bittel and Kristi Bittel; Dakota Metzler, son of Jim and Becky Metzler; Hannah Schiel, daughter of Jared and Beth Schiel; and Myah McCoy, daughter of Casey and Melanie McCoy.

Second row (L-R, juniors): Michelle Gottschalk, daughter of Dean and Julie Gottschalk; Tanner Kohlrus, son of Travis and Susie Kohlrus; Faith Fondoble, daughter of Matt and Sharona Fondoble; Sam Honas, son of Randy and Wendy Honas; Lakyn Fischer, daughter of DJ and Julie Fischer; and Easton Burton, son of Corey and Amy Burton.

Front row (L-R, seniors): Kassidy Winter, daughter of Vic and Joan Winter; Brady Frickey, son of Brad and Stacy Frickey; Michaela Keller, daughter of Michael and Vanessa Keller; Zach Schiel, son of Jared and Beth Schiel; Abigail North, daughter of Travis and Ava North; and Clay Shaw, son of Doug and Jill Shaw.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612565096746.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The 2021 Snowball Royalty candidates will be recognized between the varsity basketball games on Tuesday, Feb. 16, in the Ellis Jr./Sr. High School gymnasium.PICTURED Back Row (L-R, freshmen): Ava Reed, daughter Darin and April Reed; Kaishen Brack, son of Joe Vallery and Margo Brack; Kaydawn Haag, daughter of Ron and Latisha Haag; Austin Carroll, son of Matt and Nicole Carroll; and Kylee Pfeifer, daughter of Brandon and Chandra Pfeifer.Third row (L-R, sophomores): Harlie Bittel, daughter of Blake Bittel and Kristi Bittel; Dakota Metzler, son of Jim and Becky Metzler; Hannah Schiel, daughter of Jared and Beth Schiel; and Myah McCoy, daughter of Casey and Melanie McCoy.Second row (L-R, juniors): Michelle Gottschalk, daughter of Dean and Julie Gottschalk; Tanner Kohlrus, son of Travis and Susie Kohlrus; Faith Fondoble, daughter of Matt and Sharona Fondoble; Sam Honas, son of Randy and Wendy Honas; Lakyn Fischer, daughter of DJ and Julie Fischer; and Easton Burton, son of Corey and Amy Burton.Front row (L-R, seniors): Kassidy Winter, daughter of Vic and Joan Winter; Brady Frickey, son of Brad and Stacy Frickey; Michaela Keller, daughter of Michael and Vanessa Keller; Zach Schiel, son of Jared and Beth Schiel; Abigail North, daughter of Travis and Ava North; and Clay Shaw, son of Doug and Jill Shaw.— Submitted

Ellis High School Snowball Royalty 2021 announced

RUSSELL — On Tuesday, the city of Russell announced a new police chief has been selected to take over the position upon the retirement of Dale Weimaster on April 1.

"It was essential to the city and the community that we find the best person to lead the police department in the future," the announcement said. "The city conducted both an internal and nationwide search and was pleased with the quantity and the quality of the applications received."

Following the search, lifelong Russell resident and current sergeant with the department Jordan Harrison was selected to fill the position.

Harrison began with the Russell Police Department in 2008, serving as a patrolman, senior patrolman and was promoted to sergeant in 2017, the announcement said.

"Jordan's knowledge of current management practices, innovative approaches to solving problems, leadership, and commitment to the police department, our community, and the citizens, make Jordan the ideal candidate to move the department forward," said City Manager Jon Quinday.&nbsp;

Harrison is a Fort Hays State University graduate, earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice,&nbsp;and is a recent graduate of the certified public manager program through the University of Kansas Public Management Center. &nbsp;

He has also earned advanced incident command certifications and attended the FBI's Central States Law Enforcement Executive Development School.

As a lifelong Russell resident, Harrison has been an active member of the community, serving as assistant fire chief and as a part-time emergency medical technician for Russell County EMS.

He is also a member of the Russell Masonic Lodge #177 and has worked as KSHSAA certified basketball official. &nbsp;

"It is truly an honor to be selected to lead the department," Harrison said. "I look forward to collaborating with other entities in the community to continue to make Russell a great place to call home."

Harrison is set to take the oath of office during a public event at 2 p.m. April 1 in the city council chambers in the city building at 410 Ferry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612903838100.jpeg" alt="Jordan Harrison" />
 <figcaption>Jordan Harrison</figcaption>
 </figure>RUSSELL — On Tuesday, the city of Russell announced a new police chief has been selected to take over the position upon the retirement of Dale Weimaster on April 1."It was essential to the city and the community that we find the best person to lead the police department in the future," the announcement said. "The city conducted both an internal and nationwide search and was pleased with the quantity and the quality of the applications received."Following the search, lifelong Russell resident and current sergeant with the department Jordan Harrison was selected to fill the position.Harrison began with the Russell Police Department in 2008, serving as a patrolman, senior patrolman and was promoted to sergeant in 2017, the announcement said."Jordan's knowledge of current management practices, innovative approaches to solving problems, leadership, and commitment to the police department, our community, and the citizens, make Jordan the ideal candidate to move the department forward," said City Manager Jon Quinday.&nbsp;Harrison is a Fort Hays State University graduate, earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice,&nbsp;and is a recent graduate of the certified public manager program through the University of Kansas Public Management Center. &nbsp;He has also earned advanced incident command certifications and attended the FBI's Central States Law Enforcement Executive Development School.As a lifelong Russell resident, Harrison has been an active member of the community, serving as assistant fire chief and as a part-time emergency medical technician for Russell County EMS.He is also a member of the Russell Masonic Lodge #177 and has worked as KSHSAA certified basketball official. &nbsp;"It is truly an honor to be selected to lead the department," Harrison said. "I look forward to collaborating with other entities in the community to continue to make Russell a great place to call home."Harrison is set to take the oath of office during a public event at 2 p.m. April 1 in the city council chambers in the city building at 410 Ferry.

Russell native selected to serve as new police chief

Thirty-six Ellis County employees were honored Monday night for their years of service with the county by the Ellis County Commission and the Kansas Association of Counties.

The employees received checks and a thank-you gift from the county.

5 Years&nbsp; Merrie Boucher (Treasury), Sharon Honeyman (Clerk), Kevin Haynes (EMS), Kody Niblock (EMS), Charles Dorzweiler (EMS), Dennis Johnson (Public Works), Charles McGinnis (Public Works), Darin Myers (Fire), Amanda Shannon (Treasury), Casey Hammond (Treasury), Janet Schmidt (Human Resources), Caleb Garner (Public Works)

8 Year KAC Awards&nbsp; Adam Comeau (EMS), Pamela Pfannenstiel (Register of Deeds), Charles Gibson (Sheriff), Amber Lang (Environmental Services), Kevin Krause (Public Works)

10 Years&nbsp; Brian Shannon (Sheriff), John Walz (Sheriff), Laura Leiker (Health), Dean Haselhorst (Commission)

15 Years&nbsp; Garrett Brening (Sheriff)

16 Year KAC Awards&nbsp; Kay Rohr (Environmental Services), Rhoda Keener (Attorney’s Office), Tabatha Deines (Sheriff), Charlene Holzmeister (Attorney’s Office), Michael Weber (Appraiser)&nbsp;

20 Years&nbsp; Joseph Wilkerson (Public Works), Scott Reese (EMS)

24 Year KAC Awards&nbsp; David Bittel (EMS), Chris Brungardt (Public Works), Brad Ricke (Sheriff)

25 Years&nbsp; Dustin Shubert (EMS)

30 Years&nbsp; Lisa Ree (Appraiser), David Shuster (Public Works)&nbsp;

35 Years Kevin Bieker (Fire Fighter)

40 Years with Ellis County and KAC&nbsp; Ed Harbin (Sheriff, retired)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612835741280.jpeg" alt="Laura Leiker , Ellis County Health Department employee, is thanked for her 10 years of service Monday night by county commissioners Neal Younger, Dean Haselhorst and Butch Schlyer, and Human Resource Generalist&nbsp;Janet Schmidt." />
 <figcaption>Laura Leiker , Ellis County Health Department employee, is thanked for her 10 years of service Monday night by county commissioners Neal Younger, Dean Haselhorst and Butch Schlyer, and Human Resource Generalist&nbsp;Janet Schmidt.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostThirty-six Ellis County employees were honored Monday night for their years of service with the county by the Ellis County Commission and the Kansas Association of Counties.The employees received checks and a thank-you gift from the county.5 Years&nbsp; Merrie Boucher (Treasury), Sharon Honeyman (Clerk), Kevin Haynes (EMS), Kody Niblock (EMS), Charles Dorzweiler (EMS), Dennis Johnson (Public Works), Charles McGinnis (Public Works), Darin Myers (Fire), Amanda Shannon (Treasury), Casey Hammond (Treasury), Janet Schmidt (Human Resources), Caleb Garner (Public Works)8 Year KAC Awards&nbsp; Adam Comeau (EMS), Pamela Pfannenstiel (Register of Deeds), Charles Gibson (Sheriff), Amber Lang (Environmental Services), Kevin Krause (Public Works)10 Years&nbsp; Brian Shannon (Sheriff), John Walz (Sheriff), Laura Leiker (Health), Dean Haselhorst (Commission)15 Years&nbsp; Garrett Brening (Sheriff)16 Year KAC Awards&nbsp; Kay Rohr (Environmental Services), Rhoda Keener (Attorney’s Office), Tabatha Deines (Sheriff), Charlene Holzmeister (Attorney’s Office), Michael Weber (Appraiser)&nbsp;20 Years&nbsp; Joseph Wilkerson (Public Works), Scott Reese (EMS)24 Year KAC Awards&nbsp; David Bittel (EMS), Chris Brungardt (Public Works), Brad Ricke (Sheriff)25 Years&nbsp; Dustin Shubert (EMS)30 Years&nbsp; Lisa Ree (Appraiser), David Shuster (Public Works)&nbsp;35 Years Kevin Bieker (Fire Fighter)<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612836306924.jpeg" alt="Retired Sheriff Ed Harbin poses for a picture with Ellis County commissioners marking his 40 years of service to the county. Taking the photo is the new Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun." />
 <figcaption>Retired Sheriff Ed Harbin poses for a picture with Ellis County commissioners marking his 40 years of service to the county. Taking the photo is the new Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun.</figcaption>
 </figure>40 Years with Ellis County and KAC&nbsp; Ed Harbin (Sheriff, retired)

Ellis Co. employees recognized for years of service by commissioners

Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $47 per barrel after gaining another half dollar on Friday. That's up more than three dollars a barrel on the week and the best price in McPherson since January 22 of last year. U.S. crude futures prices topped $57 a barrel, while the international benchmark London Brent rose above $60 per barrel. The national average price for a gallon of gasoline had been cheaper year-over-year for more than 340 consecutive days. But AAA says that trend is likely to end soon. The auto club said regular gas is going for $2.27 a gallon in Great Bend. We spotted it as low as $2.24 a gallon at several locations in Hays. Your 15-gallon fill-up will cost you three dollars more than a month ago, but about three dollars less than last year at this time. Mississippi boasts the cheapest gasoline in the country, with an average price of just over $2.12 per gallon. California and Hawaii were the most expensive at $3.34 per gallon. The average across Kansas was just over $2.21. &nbsp; Operators in Kansas filed 79 intent-to-drill notices across the state last month. The Kansas Corporation Commission reported one each in Barton, Ellis, Russell and Stafford counties. Operators last year filed just 560, continuing a four-year stretch of declining intent notices. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service says the rig count in eastern Kansas was down one at seven active rigs, while the count west of Wichita was unchanged at eight. They're about to spud one new well in Stafford County. Baker Hughes says the national Rotary Rig Count through Friday was 392 active rigs, an increase of four oil and four gas rigs. The count in Texas was up seven rigs.&nbsp; Canada was down three at 171 active rigs. Regulators okayed 13 new drilling permits in Kansas last week, 13 of them east of Wichita and six in Western Kansas, including one new permit in Ellis County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports eight newly-completed wells across the state, all of them in eastern Kansas. The Energy Information Administration reported U.S. crude-oil inventories dropped by one million barrels to just under 476 million barrels last week, but remain about four percent above the five-year average for this time of year. The government says U.S. crude-oil production dropped by a thousand barrels a day and remained below 11 million barrels per day for the second straight week. EIA said imports increased by nearly one and a half million barrels last week, to 6.5 million barrels per day. Four-week average average imports are down 9.2% from the same period last year. The Association of American Railroads reports rail shipments of petroleum &amp; petroleum products in January were down 6,529 carloads or 12.1 percent from the year before. Total rail traffic last month was up more than five percent. Oil-by-rail totals for the week ending January 30 were down more than 14% year over year. There were 11,291 tanker cars rolling the rails last week hauling petroleum products, down more than 12-hundred cars from the week before. Royal Dutch Shell Plc snapped up its biggest purchases of North Sea oil in over a decade, underpinning signs of sharply tightening supplies. Europe’s biggest oil company bought five cargoes last Monday (2/1) and made a further seven bids that didn’t find sellers, according to reporting by Bloomberg. American oil exports from Louisiana’s offshore supertanker port jumped to a record in January as Asian buyers are stocking up on U.S. crude for what they see as a post-pandemic rebound in fuel consumption. Eight vessels set sail last month from the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, the nation’s only facility that can fully load supertankers. Bloomberg reports they're carrying nearly 15 million barrels of crude to South Korea, China and India. That’s double the previous month’s volume and an all-time high for LOOP, as the terminal is known. The Biden Administration went to court last week in an attempt to seize two million barrels of oil that it claims came from Iran. Court filings accuse the Islamic republic of using ship-to-ship transfers to disguise the origin of the oil on board a Greek-owned tanker, and provided a false bill of lading to deceive the owners of the tanker. The owner alerted U.S. authorities to the possibility that it had unknowingly taken on Iranian crude, after initially thinking it came from Iraq, according to reporting by Bloomberg last month. Washington ordered the ship to sail to the U.S. Canceling the Keystone Pipeline expansion could also wind up costing us money. The Premier of Alberta Province in Canada believes he has a good claim for damages under provisions still in place under the NAFTA treaty. The province spent $1.2 BILLION to help jump start construction, and Premier Jason Kenney says President Biden removed the regulatory approvals that were the basis of that investment. Kenney says his claim for damages is, in his words, a slam dunk.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARKansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $47 per barrel after gaining another half dollar on Friday. That's up more than three dollars a barrel on the week and the best price in McPherson since January 22 of last year. U.S. crude futures prices topped $57 a barrel, while the international benchmark London Brent rose above $60 per barrel. The national average price for a gallon of gasoline had been cheaper year-over-year for more than 340 consecutive days. But AAA says that trend is likely to end soon. The auto club said regular gas is going for $2.27 a gallon in Great Bend. We spotted it as low as $2.24 a gallon at several locations in Hays. Your 15-gallon fill-up will cost you three dollars more than a month ago, but about three dollars less than last year at this time. Mississippi boasts the cheapest gasoline in the country, with an average price of just over $2.12 per gallon. California and Hawaii were the most expensive at $3.34 per gallon. The average across Kansas was just over $2.21. &nbsp; Operators in Kansas filed 79 intent-to-drill notices across the state last month. The Kansas Corporation Commission reported one each in Barton, Ellis, Russell and Stafford counties. Operators last year filed just 560, continuing a four-year stretch of declining intent notices. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service says the rig count in eastern Kansas was down one at seven active rigs, while the count west of Wichita was unchanged at eight. They're about to spud one new well in Stafford County. Baker Hughes says the national Rotary Rig Count through Friday was 392 active rigs, an increase of four oil and four gas rigs. The count in Texas was up seven rigs.&nbsp; Canada was down three at 171 active rigs. Regulators okayed 13 new drilling permits in Kansas last week, 13 of them east of Wichita and six in Western Kansas, including one new permit in Ellis County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports eight newly-completed wells across the state, all of them in eastern Kansas. The Energy Information Administration reported U.S. crude-oil inventories dropped by one million barrels to just under 476 million barrels last week, but remain about four percent above the five-year average for this time of year. The government says U.S. crude-oil production dropped by a thousand barrels a day and remained below 11 million barrels per day for the second straight week. EIA said imports increased by nearly one and a half million barrels last week, to 6.5 million barrels per day. Four-week average average imports are down 9.2% from the same period last year. The Association of American Railroads reports rail shipments of petroleum &amp; petroleum products in January were down 6,529 carloads or 12.1 percent from the year before. Total rail traffic last month was up more than five percent. Oil-by-rail totals for the week ending January 30 were down more than 14% year over year. There were 11,291 tanker cars rolling the rails last week hauling petroleum products, down more than 12-hundred cars from the week before. Royal Dutch Shell Plc snapped up its biggest purchases of North Sea oil in over a decade, underpinning signs of sharply tightening supplies. Europe’s biggest oil company bought five cargoes last Monday (2/1) and made a further seven bids that didn’t find sellers, according to reporting by Bloomberg. American oil exports from Louisiana’s offshore supertanker port jumped to a record in January as Asian buyers are stocking up on U.S. crude for what they see as a post-pandemic rebound in fuel consumption. Eight vessels set sail last month from the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, the nation’s only facility that can fully load supertankers. Bloomberg reports they're carrying nearly 15 million barrels of crude to South Korea, China and India. That’s double the previous month’s volume and an all-time high for LOOP, as the terminal is known. The Biden Administration went to court last week in an attempt to seize two million barrels of oil that it claims came from Iran. Court filings accuse the Islamic republic of using ship-to-ship transfers to disguise the origin of the oil on board a Greek-owned tanker, and provided a false bill of lading to deceive the owners of the tanker. The owner alerted U.S. authorities to the possibility that it had unknowingly taken on Iranian crude, after initially thinking it came from Iraq, according to reporting by Bloomberg last month. Washington ordered the ship to sail to the U.S. Canceling the Keystone Pipeline expansion could also wind up costing us money. The Premier of Alberta Province in Canada believes he has a good claim for damages under provisions still in place under the NAFTA treaty. The province spent $1.2 BILLION to help jump start construction, and Premier Jason Kenney says President Biden removed the regulatory approvals that were the basis of that investment. Kenney says his claim for damages is, in his words, a slam dunk.

News From the Oil Patch: Crude holds at yearlong highs, other stats lag

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A virulent strain of the coronavirus that first appeared in Kansas in a Fort Hays State University athlete hasn’t spread widely among the student’s friends, although wastewater samples in the community have raised concerns, health officials say.

Officials sent a mobile lab to Hays after the variant that is wreaking havoc in the United Kingdom was detected last week during routine testing of athletes at the school, said Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state health department, Tuesday during a webcast with doctors at the University of Kansas Health System.

But he said only one of the 200 contacts or potential contacts of the student-athlete who were tested were positive for COVID-19. Officials are trying to determine whether that person has the same strain as the student-athlete. The results are expected later this week.

“On balance, I think everything came out pretty well,” Norman said. “Of course there is a long time before we can breath a sigh of relief in this particular county. And we are still doing more testing.”

Norman said the variant was uncovered one week after sewage samples tested in Ellis County, where the university is located, showed an uptick in genomic fragments of the virus. The state has been testing sewage samples for months to get a sense for where the virus is spreading.

“It is an early indicator when the wastewater starts up ticking in terms of the amount of viral particles then we can look in a more detailed manner in that community,” he said.

He said the state had doubled its genomic sequencing capability and will be testing about3 50 samples from all over the state every week.

He said the state has been seeing the number of new cases, deaths and hospitalizations fall in recent weeks as the vaccine rollout gets underway. As of Monday, the health department reported that 8% of the state’s population had been vaccinated. Almost 304,000 doses had been administered, or 73% of the 413,000 doses sent to Kansas by the federal government.

But Norman said the real number of vaccinations is actually higher and blamed the problem in part on what he described as a clunky system for inputting data.

“We know that, for example, six counties account for about 100,000 of the doses that have been given,” he said. “And I want to emphasize have been given that are just not recorded in our data systems yet.”

Norman said 82% of residents of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in the state had received at least their first round of vaccine. He said the federal government had begun shipping vaccines directly to several dozen retail pharmacies in the state this week, although not in large amounts so far.

But he said that for a normal summer, where people could safely attend weddings and other large community gatherings, the amount of vaccine will need to increase dramatically.

With multiple new vaccines on the horizon, that won’t remain a problem indefinitely, said Dr. Steve Stites, the chief medical officer at the University of Kansas Health System.

“If we boil it down, people are mad, people are angry,” Stites said. “But the real problem is there is just not enough vaccine and as we ramp up the next problem is going to be the logistics to give that much vaccine and get it all entered into the database, which we’ve got to clean up.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612878873265.png" alt="Virus variant map image GSAID" />
 <figcaption>Virus variant map image GSAID</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A virulent strain of the coronavirus that first appeared in Kansas in a Fort Hays State University athlete hasn’t spread widely among the student’s friends, although wastewater samples in the community have raised concerns, health officials say.Officials sent a mobile lab to Hays after the variant that is wreaking havoc in the United Kingdom was detected last week during routine testing of athletes at the school, said Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state health department, Tuesday during a webcast with doctors at the University of Kansas Health System.But he said only one of the 200 contacts or potential contacts of the student-athlete who were tested were positive for COVID-19. Officials are trying to determine whether that person has the same strain as the student-athlete. The results are expected later this week.“On balance, I think everything came out pretty well,” Norman said. “Of course there is a long time before we can breath a sigh of relief in this particular county. And we are still doing more testing.”Norman said the variant was uncovered one week after sewage samples tested in Ellis County, where the university is located, showed an uptick in genomic fragments of the virus. The state has been testing sewage samples for months to get a sense for where the virus is spreading.“It is an early indicator when the wastewater starts up ticking in terms of the amount of viral particles then we can look in a more detailed manner in that community,” he said.He said the state had doubled its genomic sequencing capability and will be testing about3 50 samples from all over the state every week.He said the state has been seeing the number of new cases, deaths and hospitalizations fall in recent weeks as the vaccine rollout gets underway. As of Monday, the health department reported that 8% of the state’s population had been vaccinated. Almost 304,000 doses had been administered, or 73% of the 413,000 doses sent to Kansas by the federal government.But Norman said the real number of vaccinations is actually higher and blamed the problem in part on what he described as a clunky system for inputting data.“We know that, for example, six counties account for about 100,000 of the doses that have been given,” he said. “And I want to emphasize have been given that are just not recorded in our data systems yet.”Norman said 82% of residents of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in the state had received at least their first round of vaccine. He said the federal government had begun shipping vaccines directly to several dozen retail pharmacies in the state this week, although not in large amounts so far.But he said that for a normal summer, where people could safely attend weddings and other large community gatherings, the amount of vaccine will need to increase dramatically.With multiple new vaccines on the horizon, that won’t remain a problem indefinitely, said Dr. Steve Stites, the chief medical officer at the University of Kansas Health System.“If we boil it down, people are mad, people are angry,” Stites said. “But the real problem is there is just not enough vaccine and as we ramp up the next problem is going to be the logistics to give that much vaccine and get it all entered into the database, which we’ve got to clean up.”

No evidence of wide spread of virus variant so far in Kansas

One of my favorite 4-H events is scheduled for later this month! 4-H Club Day is a time for 4-H members to share their presentation skills in a variety of methods.

For our littlest 4-H members, we have Show and Share which is the start to communication skills as they talk to the judge for a few minutes about something they have done or made in 4-H.

Project Talks give younger 4-H members the opportunity to research and share about one of the 33 project areas that are available in Kansas 4-H.

Showing how to do something is a Demonstration and the youth provide a finished product as part of the step-by-step process.

An Illustrated Talk uses posters or other visual aids to show how to do something.

Older 4-H members can also compete in Public Speaking or Extemporaneous Speaking. Public Speaking can be based on any topic and needs to include sources for information. Public Speaking can use visual aids and these can be either a poster or a Power Point-type presentation. Extemporaneous Speaking is probably one of the hardest events and I’m always glad to see 4-H members challenge themselves. They draw three topics and decide which they will present on; they have 15 minutes to prepare and then present their speech. Both Public Speaking and Extemporaneous Speaking challenge youth to hone their research, organization, and overall communication skills. Talk about lessons for a lifetime!

Talking about your steer would be a project talk.&nbsp; Telling how to select a steer using a chart and identifying the points to consider would be an illustrated talk.&nbsp; Making a show halter would be a demonstration.&nbsp; Talking about the total beef industry would be a public speech.

We also offer opportunities for our 4-H members to showcase their piano, instrumental, vocal, and dramatic/comedic skills during 4-H Club Day. Having the opportunity to speak with and receive feedback from the judge is an important step in the learning process.&nbsp;

Application, Resume, and Interview or ARI is a great opportunity for 4-H youth to practice some very real-world skills! Prior to the contest, they complete an application and provide a resume which are provided to the judge. The judge then interviews them, similar to any job interview, and follows up with feedback based on all three parts of the activity.&nbsp;

Those 4-H members receiving top awards in most categories have the opportunity to compete at a Regional Club Day which will be held in March. Members receiving a Purple in Demonstrations, Illustrated Talks, Project Talks, and Readings are eligible to participate in these categories at the Kansas State Fair in September!

&nbsp;Due to our current circumstances, we’ve had to set aside a few important categories. These are Model Meetings, Gavel Games, and club skits. Model meeting is exactly what it sounds like; the 4-H club works together to show their parliamentary skills for a judge. Gavel Games gives a smaller group of youth an opportunity to show their parliamentary skills through a written test and the business portion of a meeting. Many clubs will work together to present a skit. All of these are great group activities that demonstrate planning, communication skills, and teamwork.&nbsp;

I wish that I could invite all of you to attend but we’ll save that for another year when we can get together in person to celebrate growth and learning by our youth! If you know a 4-H member, ask them how they are participating at 4-H Club Day.

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!

Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579114162620.jpeg" alt="Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>One of my favorite 4-H events is scheduled for later this month! 4-H Club Day is a time for 4-H members to share their presentation skills in a variety of methods.For our littlest 4-H members, we have Show and Share which is the start to communication skills as they talk to the judge for a few minutes about something they have done or made in 4-H.Project Talks give younger 4-H members the opportunity to research and share about one of the 33 project areas that are available in Kansas 4-H.Showing how to do something is a Demonstration and the youth provide a finished product as part of the step-by-step process.An Illustrated Talk uses posters or other visual aids to show how to do something.Older 4-H members can also compete in Public Speaking or Extemporaneous Speaking. Public Speaking can be based on any topic and needs to include sources for information. Public Speaking can use visual aids and these can be either a poster or a Power Point-type presentation. Extemporaneous Speaking is probably one of the hardest events and I’m always glad to see 4-H members challenge themselves. They draw three topics and decide which they will present on; they have 15 minutes to prepare and then present their speech. Both Public Speaking and Extemporaneous Speaking challenge youth to hone their research, organization, and overall communication skills. Talk about lessons for a lifetime!Talking about your steer would be a project talk.&nbsp; Telling how to select a steer using a chart and identifying the points to consider would be an illustrated talk.&nbsp; Making a show halter would be a demonstration.&nbsp; Talking about the total beef industry would be a public speech.We also offer opportunities for our 4-H members to showcase their piano, instrumental, vocal, and dramatic/comedic skills during 4-H Club Day. Having the opportunity to speak with and receive feedback from the judge is an important step in the learning process.&nbsp;Application, Resume, and Interview or ARI is a great opportunity for 4-H youth to practice some very real-world skills! Prior to the contest, they complete an application and provide a resume which are provided to the judge. The judge then interviews them, similar to any job interview, and follows up with feedback based on all three parts of the activity.&nbsp;Those 4-H members receiving top awards in most categories have the opportunity to compete at a Regional Club Day which will be held in March. Members receiving a Purple in Demonstrations, Illustrated Talks, Project Talks, and Readings are eligible to participate in these categories at the Kansas State Fair in September!&nbsp;Due to our current circumstances, we’ve had to set aside a few important categories. These are Model Meetings, Gavel Games, and club skits. Model meeting is exactly what it sounds like; the 4-H club works together to show their parliamentary skills for a judge. Gavel Games gives a smaller group of youth an opportunity to show their parliamentary skills through a written test and the business portion of a meeting. Many clubs will work together to present a skit. All of these are great group activities that demonstrate planning, communication skills, and teamwork.&nbsp;I wish that I could invite all of you to attend but we’ll save that for another year when we can get together in person to celebrate growth and learning by our youth! If you know a 4-H member, ask them how they are participating at 4-H Club Day.Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.

BERAN: 4-H Club Day

PHILLIPS COUNTY —Authorities say a man drowned Tuesday in Phillips County.

The 67-year-old Agra, Kansas, resident fell through the ice at Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge, according to a social media report from the Phillips County Sheriff's Department.

The Phillipsburg Fire Department, Kirwin Fire Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks assisted to help recover the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612922790967.png" alt="First responders on the scene Tuesday photo courtesy Phillips County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene Tuesday photo courtesy Phillips County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILLIPS COUNTY —Authorities say a man drowned Tuesday in Phillips County.The 67-year-old Agra, Kansas, resident fell through the ice at Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge, according to a social media report from the Phillips County Sheriff's Department.The Phillipsburg Fire Department, Kirwin Fire Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks assisted to help recover the victim.

Kansas man drowns after fall through ice

The TMP-Marian Monarchs boys and girls basketball teams travel to Russell Tuesday night for a Mid-Continent League matchup.

&nbsp;Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. with the Hertz
Rental Car Pregame Show at 5:40 on KHAZ.

&nbsp; &nbsp; You can also listen to the games&nbsp; on&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHAZ">99.5 KHAZ</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The TMP-Marian Monarchs boys and girls basketball teams travel to Russell Tuesday night for a Mid-Continent League matchup.&nbsp;Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. with the Hertz
Rental Car Pregame Show at 5:40 on KHAZ.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/14W00yfrt7s"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Boys 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/o8TKN4eZhBw"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; &nbsp; You can also listen to the games&nbsp; on&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KHAZ">99.5 KHAZ</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

 🏀WATCH: TMP-Marian vs Russell

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays school board during its board meeting on Monday voted to end the school year for students early.

The new last day of school for students will be Friday, May 21.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays school board during its board meeting on Monday voted to end the school year for students early.The new last day of school for students will be Friday, May 21.May 24 and May 25 are scheduled for in-service days. May 26 will be a teacher work day.Superintendent Ron Wilson said the school district will still be able to meet the minimum student contact hours required by the state.The change was OK'ed by the teacher's association, Wilson said.Hays High School graduation is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 23, at Gross Memorial Coliseum.The district has an alternate plan to have an outdoor graduation similar to the one that was conducted last summer if the district can't have an indoor graduation due to COVID.

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