The Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association (KIOGA) has canceled its annual convention in response to uncertainty about the response to the coronavirus pandemic. The group is reviewing other plans including a series of internet seminars to replace the events originally scheduled for the August gathering. An online conversation with the Kansas Congressional delegation is planned next month. The popular golf and sporting clays tourneys could be rescheduled as early as October.

Friday's prices at CHS in McPherson were up a quarter. Kansas Common crude starts the week at $31.50 a barrel. That's 75 cents higher than a week ago, a dollar-fifty higher than at the first of the month but nearly $15 cheaper than last year at this time.

Kansas gasoline prices held steady. The Sunflower State remained one of just 12 states with average gas prices below two dollars a gallon. The average Thursday across Kansas last week was $1.979. That's a nickel more than last month at this time, and about 55 cents less than a year ago. AAA said the average across the U.S. was about $2.19 a gallon. 

Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports the Kansas rig count rose last week, but so did the number of inactive drilling rigs.  There are two active oil and gas drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, up one from last week, and five west of Wichita, which is up two. There are 26 idle rigs statewide, compared to just 20 last week. There's not a lot of drilling activity in our area. Operators reached total depth at leases in Russell and Stafford counties.

Baker Hughes reports the national rig count was 251 on Friday, an increase of one oil rig but a drop of three rigs looking for natural gas. The count in Texas was down one, while New Mexico was up one. 

Kansas regulators approved five permits for drilling at new locations for the week ending July 23, all of them in Western Kansas. That's 245 new permits so far this year compared to 550 by this point last year.

There were just eight wells completed last week across the state, four of them were east of Wichita and four in western Kansas, including one completion in Russell County. Operators across the state report 564 completed wells so far this year, well behind the 823 wells completed by late July of 2019.

The government reports a slight uptick in U.S. crude-oil production last week, to 11.06 million barrels per day. The Energy Information Administration says U.S. crude-oil stockpiles increased by nearly five million barrels last week. Inventories are about 19% higher than the five-year average for this time of year. U.S. crude oil imports averaged 5.9 million barrels per day, an increase of 373,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged 13.5%  less than the same four-week period last year. 

The Governor of Colorado says he has negotiated a truce in that state's oil and gas "ballot wars." Governor Jared Polis is hoping to let Colorado's new oil and gas law work its way through the regulatory process. In an opinion article published Monday, Governor Polis said an industry-backed group called Protect Colorado will end its efforts to put two pro-industry measures on the ballot this year. Three other measures, relating to new setback rules, local moratoriums and state oversight, won't make this year's ballot either, but supporters say that's more about the difficulty gathering signatures than any deal with the Governor. And some prominent environmental groups in the state still plan to consider a new batch of ballot measures in 2022.

Texas regulators say the Saudi-Russia oil price war spilled over into the U.S. economy in the form of what they call excessive dumping of crude oil into U.S. markets. The Railroad Commission of Texas, the state's top oil regulator, says after the pandemic hit Saudi shipments to the U.S. reached roughly four times February's volume, the highest total since 2014. The Commission and other groups are urging a federal investigation.

U.S. Oil-by-rail is up for the week but down nearly 15% compared to a year ago. The year-to-date total is down about 12% compared to the same figure a year ago. The Association of American Railroads says total rail traffic is also improving week-to-week, up about seven percent, but still lags behind last year by eight-and-a-half percent.

China’s crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia rose 15% in June compared to a year ago. Chinese refiners ordered record volumes in March and April when oil prices tumbled. China's crude imports from all its main suppliers set new records in June, boosting the country's total crude imports to a new record high, nearly 13 million barrels per day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARThe Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association (KIOGA) has canceled its annual convention in response to uncertainty about the response to the coronavirus pandemic. The group is reviewing other plans including a series of internet seminars to replace the events originally scheduled for the August gathering. An online conversation with the Kansas Congressional delegation is planned next month. The popular golf and sporting clays tourneys could be rescheduled as early as October.Friday's prices at CHS in McPherson were up a quarter. Kansas Common crude starts the week at $31.50 a barrel. That's 75 cents higher than a week ago, a dollar-fifty higher than at the first of the month but nearly $15 cheaper than last year at this time.Kansas gasoline prices held steady. The Sunflower State remained one of just 12 states with average gas prices below two dollars a gallon. The average Thursday across Kansas last week was $1.979. That's a nickel more than last month at this time, and about 55 cents less than a year ago. AAA said the average across the U.S. was about $2.19 a gallon. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports the Kansas rig count rose last week, but so did the number of inactive drilling rigs. There are two active oil and gas drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, up one from last week, and five west of Wichita, which is up two. There are 26 idle rigs statewide, compared to just 20 last week. There's not a lot of drilling activity in our area. Operators reached total depth at leases in Russell and Stafford counties.Baker Hughes reports the national rig count was 251 on Friday, an increase of one oil rig but a drop of three rigs looking for natural gas. The count in Texas was down one, while New Mexico was up one. Kansas regulators approved five permits for drilling at new locations for the week ending July 23, all of them in Western Kansas. That's 245 new permits so far this year compared to 550 by this point last year.There were just eight wells completed last week across the state, four of them were east of Wichita and four in western Kansas, including one completion in Russell County. Operators across the state report 564 completed wells so far this year, well behind the 823 wells completed by late July of 2019.The government reports a slight uptick in U.S. crude-oil production last week, to 11.06 million barrels per day. The Energy Information Administration says U.S. crude-oil stockpiles increased by nearly five million barrels last week. Inventories are about 19% higher than the five-year average for this time of year. U.S. crude oil imports averaged 5.9 million barrels per day, an increase of 373,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged 13.5% less than the same four-week period last year. The Governor of Colorado says he has negotiated a truce in that state's oil and gas "ballot wars." Governor Jared Polis is hoping to let Colorado's new oil and gas law work its way through the regulatory process. In an opinion article published Monday, Governor Polis said an industry-backed group called Protect Colorado will end its efforts to put two pro-industry measures on the ballot this year. Three other measures, relating to new setback rules, local moratoriums and state oversight, won't make this year's ballot either, but supporters say that's more about the difficulty gathering signatures than any deal with the Governor. And some prominent environmental groups in the state still plan to consider a new batch of ballot measures in 2022.Texas regulators say the Saudi-Russia oil price war spilled over into the U.S. economy in the form of what they call excessive dumping of crude oil into U.S. markets. The Railroad Commission of Texas, the state's top oil regulator, says after the pandemic hit Saudi shipments to the U.S. reached roughly four times February's volume, the highest total since 2014. The Commission and other groups are urging a federal investigation.U.S. Oil-by-rail is up for the week but down nearly 15% compared to a year ago. The year-to-date total is down about 12% compared to the same figure a year ago. The Association of American Railroads says total rail traffic is also improving week-to-week, up about seven percent, but still lags behind last year by eight-and-a-half percent.China’s crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia rose 15% in June compared to a year ago. Chinese refiners ordered record volumes in March and April when oil prices tumbled. China's crude imports from all its main suppliers set new records in June, boosting the country's total crude imports to a new record high, nearly 13 million barrels per day.

News From the Oil Patch: Drilling activity slow in western Kan.

The Kansas Department of Transportation will begin resurfacing work on 6 miles of U.S. 283 in Norton County the week of July 27.

The project will consist of a 2-inch mill and inlay beginning at the Graham County line and ending at the west K-9 junction. Traffic will be directed through the work zone by flaggers and a pilot car during daylight hours, and minor delays should be expected.

KDOT anticipates work to be completed by the end of August, weather permitting.

Venture Corporation of Great Bend is the primary contractor for the $1.3 million project. For more information, contact KDOT area construction engineer Jim Riener at 785-543-2163 or<a href="mailto:jim.riener@ks.gov">jim.riener@ks.gov</a>.

KDOTThe Kansas Department of Transportation will begin resurfacing work on 6 miles of U.S. 283 in Norton County the week of July 27.The project will consist of a 2-inch mill and inlay beginning at the Graham County line and ending at the west K-9 junction. Traffic will be directed through the work zone by flaggers and a pilot car during daylight hours, and minor delays should be expected.KDOT anticipates work to be completed by the end of August, weather permitting.Venture Corporation of Great Bend is the primary contractor for the $1.3 million project. For more information, contact KDOT area construction engineer Jim Riener at 785-543-2163 or<a href="mailto:jim.riener@ks.gov">jim.riener@ks.gov</a>.

Resurfacing project set for U.S. 283 in Norton County

Next week, we’ll know more of the folks who are going to the Statehouse Prom.

Republican voters in five Senate districts will have made a primary election choice next Tuesday, putting those five winners on the November ballot without major party opposition. In the House, voters in 13 districts will have selected 10 Republicans and 3 Democrats for the general election ballot, and those 13 who won’t have a major party opponent.

Oh, and in the Senate, there are five Republicans and one Democrat who won re-election when their filing check cleared the Secretary of State’s office on June 1, and in the&nbsp; House, there are 24 Republicans and 9 Democrats who have no major party opposition in the primary or general.

So, this primary election? It was for just a handful of potential legislators—though us Statehouse habitués understand that there were some federal candidates at the top of the ballot whose campaigns have so flooded television news programs that we’re not sure what the new Fords are going to look like.

Where will we be next week with the primary over? Well, there will be 10 Republicans and one Democrat elected for the 40-member Senate, and 34 Republicans and 12 Democrats, a total of 46 members of the 125-member House ready for the Statehouse prom.

What’s coming up as a result of filling the rest of those legislative seats three months from now? Well, it depends on just how much time voters want to spend figuring out how they want Kansas to emerge from not only the COVID-19 pandemic, but how much government they want in a year that is going to see a sharp reduction in state revenues caused by the pandemic…and who is going to pick up the tab for that shortfall.

No. 1, of course, will be a decision that was stymied in the Senate last session about expanding Medicaid in Kansas to more than 100,000 Kansans who don’t have health insurance, and thousands more who lost their health insurance when they lost their jobs due to the pandemic. The old GOP standard “get a job, get insured” has faded considerably because those jobs are now fading.

And the congenital debate over abortion remains a scrap over whether Kansans will put a leash on the Kansas Supreme Court, preventing it from having the final check-off on legislative attempts to restrict abortions in Kansas. Practically, that comes down to two battles: first, whether the Legislature on your behalf believes that abortion should be restricted, and second, whether a constitutional amendment to give lawmakers a free hand to limit the procedure will be offered in 2022, and on the same ballot as the governor -- or some special election before that where the decision will be made by a much smaller crowd of voters.

Oh, and then there’s that budget shortfall. Barring a $1 billion-or-so federal program that would allow the state to bolster its pandemic-shrunk budget, it’s likely to come down to what not to vote to spend money on, or who pays for maintaining current programs.

Let’s see, there’s always the State Highway Fund, or the “Bank of KDOT” that has been used in the past that essentially sees our highway system fade, or pulling money out of social programs, schools (if the Supreme Court allows it, and chances are slim there) or just simply raising taxes. That could range from a new income tax bracket atop the state’s three, to raising smaller taxes, like liquor, cigarettes, and some others that many don’t notice.

So, we’re hoping you had a good time at the primary election. The real decisions on what Kansas is going to look like are still to come, a result of the ongoing building this year of the 2021 Legislature.&nbsp;

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/">www.hawvernews.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592848178110.png" alt="Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report." />
 <figcaption>Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report.</figcaption>
 </figure>Next week, we’ll know more of the folks who are going to the Statehouse Prom.Republican voters in five Senate districts will have made a primary election choice next Tuesday, putting those five winners on the November ballot without major party opposition. In the House, voters in 13 districts will have selected 10 Republicans and 3 Democrats for the general election ballot, and those 13 who won’t have a major party opponent.Oh, and in the Senate, there are five Republicans and one Democrat who won re-election when their filing check cleared the Secretary of State’s office on June 1, and in the&nbsp; House, there are 24 Republicans and 9 Democrats who have no major party opposition in the primary or general.So, this primary election? It was for just a handful of potential legislators—though us Statehouse habitués understand that there were some federal candidates at the top of the ballot whose campaigns have so flooded television news programs that we’re not sure what the new Fords are going to look like.Where will we be next week with the primary over? Well, there will be 10 Republicans and one Democrat elected for the 40-member Senate, and 34 Republicans and 12 Democrats, a total of 46 members of the 125-member House ready for the Statehouse prom.***What’s coming up as a result of filling the rest of those legislative seats three months from now? Well, it depends on just how much time voters want to spend figuring out how they want Kansas to emerge from not only the COVID-19 pandemic, but how much government they want in a year that is going to see a sharp reduction in state revenues caused by the pandemic…and who is going to pick up the tab for that shortfall.No. 1, of course, will be a decision that was stymied in the Senate last session about expanding Medicaid in Kansas to more than 100,000 Kansans who don’t have health insurance, and thousands more who lost their health insurance when they lost their jobs due to the pandemic. The old GOP standard “get a job, get insured” has faded considerably because those jobs are now fading.And the congenital debate over abortion remains a scrap over whether Kansans will put a leash on the Kansas Supreme Court, preventing it from having the final check-off on legislative attempts to restrict abortions in Kansas. Practically, that comes down to two battles: first, whether the Legislature on your behalf believes that abortion should be restricted, and second, whether a constitutional amendment to give lawmakers a free hand to limit the procedure will be offered in 2022, and on the same ballot as the governor -- or some special election before that where the decision will be made by a much smaller crowd of voters.Oh, and then there’s that budget shortfall. Barring a $1 billion-or-so federal program that would allow the state to bolster its pandemic-shrunk budget, it’s likely to come down to what not to vote to spend money on, or who pays for maintaining current programs.Let’s see, there’s always the State Highway Fund, or the “Bank of KDOT” that has been used in the past that essentially sees our highway system fade, or pulling money out of social programs, schools (if the Supreme Court allows it, and chances are slim there) or just simply raising taxes. That could range from a new income tax bracket atop the state’s three, to raising smaller taxes, like liquor, cigarettes, and some others that many don’t notice.So, we’re hoping you had a good time at the primary election. The real decisions on what Kansas is going to look like are still to come, a result of the ongoing building this year of the 2021 Legislature.&nbsp;Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/">www.hawvernews.com</a>

HAWVER: Shape of Legislature will be clearer after vote

TOPEKA – The attorney general’s office received more than 3,100 new applications for concealed carry licenses in the recently ended 2020 fiscal year, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.

Between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020, the Concealed Carry Licensing Unit received 3,193 new applications. 

This was the lowest number of applications received in a fiscal year since the licensing program began in 2006. A legislative change in 2015 allows eligible Kansans to carry concealed without a license.

While the number of new applications has waned, most Kansans who already have permits are choosing to keep their licenses active. The Concealed Carry Licensing Unit received 12,735 renewal applications during the 2020 fiscal year.

Licenses are still required in most states, and Kansas licenses are currently recognized in 40 states.

“Many Kansans continue to recognize the benefits of obtaining a license, including our reciprocity agreements with other states,” Schmidt said. “Our work with other states ensures Kansas licensees can carry a handgun when they travel in many places outside of Kansas.”

Schmidt also encouraged all Kansans who intend to carry firearms to pursue training opportunities. He reminded all Kansans who choose to carry firearms to comply with properly posted signage.

Currently, more than nearly 90,000 Kansans have active concealed carry licenses.

To date, 1,200 concealed carry licenses have been issued in Ellis County according to the <a href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/licenses-issued-by-county.pdf?sfvrsn=e992c11a_36">Kansas Concealed Carry Handgun Database</a>.&nbsp;

More information on the concealed carry licensing program is available on the attorney general’s website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ag.ks.gov/concealed-carry" target="_blank">www.ag.ks.gov/concealed-carry</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1567943572880.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Attorney GeneralTOPEKA – The attorney general’s office received more than 3,100 new applications for concealed carry licenses in the recently ended 2020 fiscal year, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.Between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020, the Concealed Carry Licensing Unit received 3,193 new applications. This was the lowest number of applications received in a fiscal year since the licensing program began in 2006. A legislative change in 2015 allows eligible Kansans to carry concealed without a license.While the number of new applications has waned, most Kansans who already have permits are choosing to keep their licenses active. The Concealed Carry Licensing Unit received 12,735 renewal applications during the 2020 fiscal year.Licenses are still required in most states, and Kansas licenses are currently recognized in 40 states.“Many Kansans continue to recognize the benefits of obtaining a license, including our reciprocity agreements with other states,” Schmidt said. “Our work with other states ensures Kansas licensees can carry a handgun when they travel in many places outside of Kansas.”Schmidt also encouraged all Kansans who intend to carry firearms to pursue training opportunities. He reminded all Kansans who choose to carry firearms to comply with properly posted signage.Currently, more than nearly 90,000 Kansans have active concealed carry licenses.To date, 1,200 concealed carry licenses have been issued in Ellis County according to the <a href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/documents/licenses-issued-by-county.pdf?sfvrsn=e992c11a_36">Kansas Concealed Carry Handgun Database</a>.&nbsp;More information on the concealed carry licensing program is available on the attorney general’s website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ag.ks.gov/concealed-carry" target="_blank">www.ag.ks.gov/concealed-carry</a>.More information:<ul>
 <li>Applications Received by Fiscal Year:&nbsp;<a href="http://bit.ly/2KO3LsK" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2KO3LsK</a></li><li>Applications Received by County:&nbsp;<a href="http://bit.ly/2m8jl3r" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2m8jl3r</a></li><li>Licenses Issued by County:&nbsp;<a href="http://bit.ly/2mbWiVI" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2mbWiVI</a></li>
 </ul>

With 90K conceal carry licenses in Kan., new applications drop to lowest ever

Three-day weather outlook

These large (1-1/3- to 1-5/8-inch long) wasps fly slowly above the ground. Cicada killers have a black body with yellow marks across the thorax and abdomen. Wings are reddish-orange.&nbsp;

Although these wasps are huge, they usually ignore people. Males may act aggressively if they are threatened, but are unable to sting. Females can sting, but are so passive that they rarely do. Even if they do sting, the pain is less than that of smaller wasps such as the yellow jacket or paper wasp and is similar to the sting of a sweat bee.&nbsp;

The cicada killer is a solitary wasp rather than a social wasp like the yellow jacket. The female nests in burrows in the ground. These burrows are quarter-size in diameter and can go 6 inches straight down and another 6 inches horizontally. Adults normally live 60 to 75 days from mid-July to mid-September and feed on flower nectar and sap. The adult female seeks cicadas on the trunks and lower limbs of trees. She stings her prey, flips it over, straddles it and carries it to her burrow. If she has a tree to climb, she will climb the tree so they can get airborne and fly with cicada back to the nest. If not, she will drag it. She will lay one egg per cicada if the egg is left unfertilized. Unfertilized eggs develop into males only. Fertilized eggs develop into females and are given at least two cicadas. Cicadas are then stuffed into the female’s burrow. Each burrow normally has three to four cells with one to two cicadas in each. However, it is possible for one burrow to have 10 to 20 cells.&nbsp;

Eggs hatch in two to three days, and larvae begin feeding on paralyzed cicadas. Feeding continues for four to 10 days until only the outer shell of the cicada remains. The larva overwinters inside a silken case. Pupation occurs in the spring. There is one generation per year. Cicada killers are not dangerous, but they can be a nuisance. If you believe control is necessary, treat the burrows after dark to ensure the female wasps are in their nests. The males normally roost on plants near burrow sites. They can be captured with an insect net or knocked out of the air with a tennis racket during the day. &nbsp; Permethrin may be used for control.&nbsp; Products with permethrin include the following.

&nbsp; Eight Garden Dust - Bonide&nbsp; &nbsp; Multipurpose Garden and Pet Dust - Green Thumb &nbsp; Garden, Pet &amp; Livestock Dust - Hi-Yield&nbsp;

&nbsp; 38 Plus Turf, Termite &amp; Ornamental Insect Spray - Hi-Yield&nbsp; &nbsp; Eight Vegetable, Fruit &amp; Flower&nbsp; Conc. - Bonide&nbsp; &nbsp; Eight Yard &amp; Garden RTS - Bonide&nbsp; &nbsp; Garden and Farm Insect Control- Hi-Yield

Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions she can be contacted by e-mail at lfick@k-state.edu or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595861237756.png" alt="Cicada killer wasp. Photo courtesy of Kansas State University." />
 <figcaption>Cicada killer wasp. Photo courtesy of Kansas State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>These large (1-1/3- to 1-5/8-inch long) wasps fly slowly above the ground. Cicada killers have a black body with yellow marks across the thorax and abdomen. Wings are reddish-orange.&nbsp;Although these wasps are huge, they usually ignore people. Males may act aggressively if they are threatened, but are unable to sting. Females can sting, but are so passive that they rarely do. Even if they do sting, the pain is less than that of smaller wasps such as the yellow jacket or paper wasp and is similar to the sting of a sweat bee.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580750915301.jpeg" alt="Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. " />
 <figcaption>Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. </figcaption>
 </figure>The cicada killer is a solitary wasp rather than a social wasp like the yellow jacket. The female nests in burrows in the ground. These burrows are quarter-size in diameter and can go 6 inches straight down and another 6 inches horizontally. Adults normally live 60 to 75 days from mid-July to mid-September and feed on flower nectar and sap. The adult female seeks cicadas on the trunks and lower limbs of trees. She stings her prey, flips it over, straddles it and carries it to her burrow. If she has a tree to climb, she will climb the tree so they can get airborne and fly with cicada back to the nest. If not, she will drag it. She will lay one egg per cicada if the egg is left unfertilized. Unfertilized eggs develop into males only. Fertilized eggs develop into females and are given at least two cicadas. Cicadas are then stuffed into the female’s burrow. Each burrow normally has three to four cells with one to two cicadas in each. However, it is possible for one burrow to have 10 to 20 cells.&nbsp;Eggs hatch in two to three days, and larvae begin feeding on paralyzed cicadas. Feeding continues for four to 10 days until only the outer shell of the cicada remains. The larva overwinters inside a silken case. Pupation occurs in the spring. There is one generation per year. Cicada killers are not dangerous, but they can be a nuisance. If you believe control is necessary, treat the burrows after dark to ensure the female wasps are in their nests. The males normally roost on plants near burrow sites. They can be captured with an insect net or knocked out of the air with a tennis racket during the day. &nbsp; Permethrin may be used for control.&nbsp; Products with permethrin include the following.<h2>Dusts</h2>&nbsp; Eight Garden Dust - Bonide&nbsp; &nbsp; Multipurpose Garden and Pet Dust - Green Thumb &nbsp; Garden, Pet &amp; Livestock Dust - Hi-Yield&nbsp;<h2>Liquids</h2>&nbsp; 38 Plus Turf, Termite &amp; Ornamental Insect Spray - Hi-Yield&nbsp; &nbsp; Eight Vegetable, Fruit &amp; Flower&nbsp; Conc. - Bonide&nbsp; &nbsp; Eight Yard &amp; Garden RTS - Bonide&nbsp; &nbsp; Garden and Farm Insect Control- Hi-YieldLauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions she can be contacted by e-mail at lfick@k-state.edu or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

FICK: Cicada killer wasps

The Ellis County Health Department on Monday reported 10 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday.

There are now 27 active cases in the county, with 87 recovered and two active hospitalizations. 

Since reporting began, there have been 114 positive cases of coronavirus identified in Ellis County, including one death related to COVID-19.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593005366466.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Health Department on Monday reported 10 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday.There are now 27 active cases in the county, with 87 recovered and two active hospitalizations. Since reporting began, there have been 114 positive cases of coronavirus identified in Ellis County, including one death related to COVID-19.

10 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Ellis Co.

<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="Downtown Hays events ongoing, with changes" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/qdhy5-e49229?from=pb6admin&amp;download=1&amp;version=1&amp;vjs=1&amp;auto=1&amp;share=1&amp;download=1&amp;rtl=0&amp;fonts=Helvetica&amp;skin=3&amp;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: Downtown Hays events ongoing, with changes

Three days after receiving an offer, Hays High senior-to-be Gaven Haselhorst has verbally committed to play football at Kansas State.

Haselhorst tweeted his commitment Monday morning.

The Wildcats were the first FBS and Power 5 program to offer a scholarship to Haselhorst following his showing at the Sharp Performance Showcase in Salina a couple of weeks ago where he bench pressed 225 pounds 21 times and ran a 4.56 40-yard dash.

Haselhorst was named 5A honorable mention All-State following his junior season at Hays High.

Three days after receiving an offer, Hays High senior-to-be Gaven Haselhorst has verbally committed to play football at Kansas State.Haselhorst tweeted his commitment Monday morning.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/CoachKli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachKli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/spedbraet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@spedbraet</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/coachstanard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coachstanard</a> 💜🤍 <a href="https://t.co/IUyQ85Ue48">pic.twitter.com/IUyQ85Ue48</a>&mdash; 𝐆𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭 (@gavenhasel) <a href="https://twitter.com/gavenhasel/status/1287773889674846208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>The Wildcats were the first FBS and Power 5 program to offer a scholarship to Haselhorst following his showing at the Sharp Performance Showcase in Salina a couple of weeks ago where he bench pressed 225 pounds 21 times and ran a 4.56 40-yard dash.Haselhorst was named 5A honorable mention All-State following his junior season at Hays High.

Hays High's Haselhorst commits to Kansas State

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The rain keeps falling in Hays, and more thunderstorms are in the forecast for the rest of the week.

Hays received 1.12 inches of rain overnight for a total of 6.34 inches for the month of July, according to the K-State Ag Research Center. The average rainfall for July is 3.33 inches.

The latest rainfall put Hays at 15.99 inches of moisture year to date, which is above the average of 14.68 inches expected by the end of July.

Although the potential for severe weather is low today, periods of heavy rainfall will be possible with the strongest storms increasing the potential for localized flooding, according to the National Weather Service.

A chance of rain and thunderstorms is forecast today through Friday. Highs are forecast to be in the low 80s all week with a high forecast of 77 for Friday.

The National Weather Service predicts sunny to partly sunny skies for the weekend with mild temperatures.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe rain keeps falling in Hays, and more thunderstorms are in the forecast for the rest of the week.Hays received 1.12 inches of rain overnight for a total of 6.34 inches for the month of July, according to the K-State Ag Research Center. The average rainfall for July is 3.33 inches.The latest rainfall put Hays at 15.99 inches of moisture year to date, which is above the average of 14.68 inches expected by the end of July.Although the potential for severe weather is low today, periods of heavy rainfall will be possible with the strongest storms increasing the potential for localized flooding, according to the National Weather Service.A chance of rain and thunderstorms is forecast today through Friday. Highs are forecast to be in the low 80s all week with a high forecast of 77 for Friday.The National Weather Service predicts sunny to partly sunny skies for the weekend with mild temperatures.

Rain forecast to last through the week in Hays

The team at the University of Kansas Health Center gave tips on Wednesday about how parents and teachers can deal with anxiety about school starting in the fall.

Guests were Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson and&nbsp;Psychologist Greg Nawalanic.

"We know that students who are not in school certainly suffer, but we can't open and not have safety. Our foremost concern is as it relates to students, families and staff," Watson said.&nbsp;

Nawalanic said he wishes he had some magic trick to alleviate anxiety about returning to school, but he doesn't.

Parents' attitudes toward their children returning to school may differ based on their experiences. A set of parents who has a healthy child who has never been seriously ill is going to feel differently, than parents who had to see a child in a hospital bed for a respiratory illness,&nbsp;Nawalanic said.

"I think one of the biggest things we need to be doing right now is be understanding of the different perspectives," he said. "I think people see the validity in the desire to get back to school because we don't want to end up falling behind by a year or two years."

&nbsp;Nawalanic has children at home. His wife has been working from home and home-schooled the children during the shutdown. It was difficult for both her and the kids, he said.

He suggests trying to be understanding, getting as much information as you can and trusting the system.

He urged parents to start doing practice mask runs during which kids wear masks while doing something they enjoy at home.&nbsp;

The health system shared the video below of a child encouraging other children to wear masks.

"We want to prepare our kids to best be able to cope and deal with this as possible,"&nbsp; Nawalanic said. "That starts now rather than Day One of school when you shove this foreign thing on their face and say, 'Go for it!' "

A news conference&nbsp;audience member  asked Watson about what will trigger the different phases of learning in each county.

Watson said that will be determined by the COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates, and conversations with local health officials.

"If that is low risk, you can be more on-site," Watson said. "When that starts to be a fairly high number, the recommendation is to be more of a hybrid model and then when it is brick red, then you are going to move to a more remote model."

Brick red is referring to counties or states with the highest number of cases.

Watson noted some counties in Kansas have no reported cases and others have cases going up dramatically.&nbsp;

One teacher online asked if the state is going to provide personal protective equipment for teachers.&nbsp;

Money from the federal government went to the state, which was distributed to counties in the form of SPARK funds. A committee in Ellis County that included school officials recently met to discuss how those funds would be distributed, but no decisions on fund allocation have been made.

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System, also wears protective eyewear when he is visiting with patients, and he recommended those to teachers. He said the eye protection can be purchased at hardware stores or an online retailer.&nbsp;

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System, said cloth masks or surgical masks are fine. You don't have to have an N-95 mask. The exception would be school nurses, who probably need an N-95 mask.

Another audience member, a school nurse, asked what can be done to support teacher mental health.

Nawalanic said,"These teachers have such an emotional investment in their students. They didn't get to close right with their last cohort of students. That is something they are carrying forward into this year ..."

"Summer was supposed to be reprieve — 'Let's regroup and reset and everything will be better,' we all thought back then. Now we see that it's another story."

He encourages teachers to do deep-breathing exercises, exercise, get away from the noise, and know there is only so much you can do.&nbsp;

"Teachers are caught in that frying pan of indecision,"&nbsp;Nawalanic said. "Like Dr. Watson said they are being tasked with coming up with three different plans for what might be for when school starts."

He said the best message he can give is to not obsess, although he acknowledged that is hard. Make sure you are carving out time away from the media and not thinking about school at all.

"Do things in your bubble that refill your pitcher of wellness," he said.&nbsp;

He encouraged parents and community members to have kind words for their educators.

"Kudos. Keep up the good fight, teachers. We really appreciate everything you do and thanks," he said.

Watson said teachers are the true heroes and he included counselors and school nurses, principals and support staff into that group.

Watson's own daughter is an art teacher and is pregnant with Watson's first grandchild.

"She is torn between two things," Watson said. "She misses her kids greatly. She knows that they need her and connect with her. What drove her to be a teacher was that connection. She also coaches and she misses that connection. And also she's fearful.&nbsp;

"She is fearful for her daughter and the pregnancy."

Watson encouraged community members to avoid social media and to become involved in their school districts and help craft a plan that will result in safe schools for children and their communities.

Stites tried to assure teachers that medical staff working on the floors with COVID-19 patients who wear goggles and surgical masks have not gotten sick.&nbsp;

Stites and Hawkinson shared the video below from a local freezer Friday to show how masks cut down on the particles transferred from one person to another when we talk or breathe.

"It's a big statement, but it is also meant to offer you some security," he said. "As we who have been on the front lines and you as educators go to be on the front lines, we have tested this and it works."

Hawkinson's advice for teachers — If you can reduce that time that you are with a student (less than 10 minutes) and both you and the student are wearing masks, you can reduce your risk of getting the disease.&nbsp;

Stities said a vaccine could be available as soon as October or November, but there is no guarantee that will happen. He said it is good to hope, but we can't center policies around something that may not happen in that time frame.

Nawalanic said parents need to think of this as a chain being only as strong as its weakest link.

"If we can't get adults to wear their masks right, or at all, it's difficult to expect that to trickle down to our kids to do it right," he said. "Teachers, I have the utmost faith in you to be creative."

&nbsp;Nawalanic suggested games to promote mask wearing — maybe who can keep their mask on longest or who has the coolest mask or encourage children to decorate a mask at home.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595619107187.jpeg" alt="From left: Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System,&nbsp;Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at the health system, and&nbsp;Psychologist Greg Nawalanic, talk about how parents and teachers can deal with anxieties about children going back to school." />
 <figcaption>From left: Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System,&nbsp;Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at the health system, and&nbsp;Psychologist Greg Nawalanic, talk about how parents and teachers can deal with anxieties about children going back to school.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe team at the University of Kansas Health Center gave tips on Wednesday about how parents and teachers can deal with anxiety about school starting in the fall.Guests were Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson and&nbsp;Psychologist Greg Nawalanic."We know that students who are not in school certainly suffer, but we can't open and not have safety. Our foremost concern is as it relates to students, families and staff," Watson said.&nbsp;Nawalanic said he wishes he had some magic trick to alleviate anxiety about returning to school, but he doesn't.Parents' attitudes toward their children returning to school may differ based on their experiences. A set of parents who has a healthy child who has never been seriously ill is going to feel differently, than parents who had to see a child in a hospital bed for a respiratory illness,&nbsp;Nawalanic said."I think one of the biggest things we need to be doing right now is be understanding of the different perspectives," he said. "I think people see the validity in the desire to get back to school because we don't want to end up falling behind by a year or two years."&nbsp;Nawalanic has children at home. His wife has been working from home and home-schooled the children during the shutdown. It was difficult for both her and the kids, he said.He suggests trying to be understanding, getting as much information as you can and trusting the system.He urged parents to start doing practice mask runs during which kids wear masks while doing something they enjoy at home.&nbsp;The health system shared the video below of a child encouraging other children to wear masks.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkuhospital%2Fvideos%2F2378490412455079%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>"We want to prepare our kids to best be able to cope and deal with this as possible,"&nbsp; Nawalanic said. "That starts now rather than Day One of school when you shove this foreign thing on their face and say, 'Go for it!' "A news conference&nbsp;audience member asked Watson about what will trigger the different phases of learning in each county.Watson said that will be determined by the COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates, and conversations with local health officials."If that is low risk, you can be more on-site," Watson said. "When that starts to be a fairly high number, the recommendation is to be more of a hybrid model and then when it is brick red, then you are going to move to a more remote model."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595619674648.png" alt="Randy Watson, Kansas Education Commissioner" />
 <figcaption>Randy Watson, Kansas Education Commissioner</figcaption>
 </figure>Brick red is referring to counties or states with the highest number of cases.Watson noted some counties in Kansas have no reported cases and others have cases going up dramatically.&nbsp;One teacher online asked if the state is going to provide personal protective equipment for teachers.&nbsp;Money from the federal government went to the state, which was distributed to counties in the form of SPARK funds. A committee in Ellis County that included school officials recently met to discuss how those funds would be distributed, but no decisions on fund allocation have been made.Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System, also wears protective eyewear when he is visiting with patients, and he recommended those to teachers. He said the eye protection can be purchased at hardware stores or an online retailer.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595619493677.png" alt="Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System, wears protective eye wear when he is seeing COVID-19 patients. He suggested teachers also wear eye protection at school." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System, wears protective eye wear when he is seeing COVID-19 patients. He suggested teachers also wear eye protection at school.</figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System, said cloth masks or surgical masks are fine. You don't have to have an N-95 mask. The exception would be school nurses, who probably need an N-95 mask.Another audience member, a school nurse, asked what can be done to support teacher mental health.Nawalanic said,"These teachers have such an emotional investment in their students. They didn't get to close right with their last cohort of students. That is something they are carrying forward into this year ...""Summer was supposed to be reprieve — 'Let's regroup and reset and everything will be better,' we all thought back then. Now we see that it's another story."He encourages teachers to do deep-breathing exercises, exercise, get away from the noise, and know there is only so much you can do.&nbsp;"Teachers are caught in that frying pan of indecision,"&nbsp;Nawalanic said. "Like Dr. Watson said they are being tasked with coming up with three different plans for what might be for when school starts."He said the best message he can give is to not obsess, although he acknowledged that is hard. Make sure you are carving out time away from the media and not thinking about school at all."Do things in your bubble that refill your pitcher of wellness," he said.&nbsp;He encouraged parents and community members to have kind words for their educators."Kudos. Keep up the good fight, teachers. We really appreciate everything you do and thanks," he said.Watson said teachers are the true heroes and he included counselors and school nurses, principals and support staff into that group.Watson's own daughter is an art teacher and is pregnant with Watson's first grandchild."She is torn between two things," Watson said. "She misses her kids greatly. She knows that they need her and connect with her. What drove her to be a teacher was that connection. She also coaches and she misses that connection. And also she's fearful.&nbsp;"She is fearful for her daughter and the pregnancy."Watson encouraged community members to avoid social media and to become involved in their school districts and help craft a plan that will result in safe schools for children and their communities.Stites tried to assure teachers that medical staff working on the floors with COVID-19 patients who wear goggles and surgical masks have not gotten sick.&nbsp;Stites and Hawkinson shared the video below from a local freezer Friday to show how masks cut down on the particles transferred from one person to another when we talk or breathe.<div>
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</div>"It's a big statement, but it is also meant to offer you some security," he said. "As we who have been on the front lines and you as educators go to be on the front lines, we have tested this and it works."Hawkinson's advice for teachers — If you can reduce that time that you are with a student (less than 10 minutes) and both you and the student are wearing masks, you can reduce your risk of getting the disease.&nbsp;Stities said a vaccine could be available as soon as October or November, but there is no guarantee that will happen. He said it is good to hope, but we can't center policies around something that may not happen in that time frame.Nawalanic said parents need to think of this as a chain being only as strong as its weakest link."If we can't get adults to wear their masks right, or at all, it's difficult to expect that to trickle down to our kids to do it right," he said. "Teachers, I have the utmost faith in you to be creative."&nbsp;Nawalanic suggested games to promote mask wearing — maybe who can keep their mask on longest or who has the coolest mask or encourage children to decorate a mask at home.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎥 KU doctors try to ease teacher, parent anxieties about school

WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, R-Kan. — chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies — recently partnered with the Cosmosphere Space Museum in Hutchinson, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and NASA astronaut Nick Hague, a native of Hoxie in northwest Kansas, to host a virtual Q&amp;A for Kansas students interested to learn about careers in STEM fields and what it takes to be part of the Artemis generation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bridenstine moderated the event, which included Moran;&nbsp; Hague; Teresa Sindelar, Medical Operations Crew Training instructor, KBR; Charlie Garcia, Development and Production Lead at Agile Space; and Jim Remar, Cosmosphere president and CEO. Both Sindelar and Garcia are Cosmosphere camp alumni.

“Through my role as CJS chairman, I have the opportunity of working with Administrator Bridenstine to ensure the agency, its scientists, engineers and astronauts have the appropriate supplies and tools needed for the critical missions they conduct,” Moran said.

 “One vital component the agency depends on is talent. As shown by the panelists, Kansas has a record of fostering that talent through organizations like the Cosmosphere, which has played a critical role in teaching and inspiring our next generation of space explorers. 

"Thank you to NASA Administrator Bridenstine for moderating this important discussion today, and to our panelists, astronaut Nick Hague, Theresa Sindelar, and Charlie Garcia, who play a vital role in not only accomplishing our future goals in space, such as the Artemis program, but inspiring future generations of explorers.”

“Inspiring students to pursue STEM careers is crucial to NASA’s mission, in order to cultivate the talent America needs to succeed in sending human explorers to deep space,” said Bridenstine. “We want to engage young people at NASA, and show them that they can be part of the Artemis Program to go forward to the Moon in preparation for Mars. 

"Senator Moran has shown great leadership in Kansas and the nation, helping provide STEM opportunities for students at educational institutions like the Cosmosphere, and supporting NASA STEM Engagement overall, helping prepare students for fulfilling careers furthering scientific research and exploration.”

Students from across Kansas, including campers participating in the Cosmosphere’s summer program, joined the virtual Q&amp;A and submitted questions for the panelists.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1CjcqRel10M"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, R-Kan. — chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies — recently partnered with the Cosmosphere Space Museum in Hutchinson, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and NASA astronaut Nick Hague, a native of Hoxie in northwest Kansas, to host a virtual Q&amp;A for Kansas students interested to learn about careers in STEM fields and what it takes to be part of the Artemis generation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Bridenstine moderated the event, which included Moran;&nbsp; Hague; Teresa Sindelar, Medical Operations Crew Training instructor, KBR; Charlie Garcia, Development and Production Lead at Agile Space; and Jim Remar, Cosmosphere president and CEO. Both Sindelar and Garcia are Cosmosphere camp alumni.“Through my role as CJS chairman, I have the opportunity of working with Administrator Bridenstine to ensure the agency, its scientists, engineers and astronauts have the appropriate supplies and tools needed for the critical missions they conduct,” Moran said. “One vital component the agency depends on is talent. As shown by the panelists, Kansas has a record of fostering that talent through organizations like the Cosmosphere, which has played a critical role in teaching and inspiring our next generation of space explorers. "Thank you to NASA Administrator Bridenstine for moderating this important discussion today, and to our panelists, astronaut Nick Hague, Theresa Sindelar, and Charlie Garcia, who play a vital role in not only accomplishing our future goals in space, such as the Artemis program, but inspiring future generations of explorers.”“Inspiring students to pursue STEM careers is crucial to NASA’s mission, in order to cultivate the talent America needs to succeed in sending human explorers to deep space,” said Bridenstine. “We want to engage young people at NASA, and show them that they can be part of the Artemis Program to go forward to the Moon in preparation for Mars. "Senator Moran has shown great leadership in Kansas and the nation, helping provide STEM opportunities for students at educational institutions like the Cosmosphere, and supporting NASA STEM Engagement overall, helping prepare students for fulfilling careers furthering scientific research and exploration.”Students from across Kansas, including campers participating in the Cosmosphere’s summer program, joined the virtual Q&amp;A and submitted questions for the panelists.News release

🎥 Hoxie native, NASA astronaut Nick Hague promotes STEM careers with Cosmosphere

Fort Hays State University administration recently signed a preliminary agreement for its Department of Criminal Justice and University Police Department to explore the opportunity to establish a regional training center for the National De-escalation Training Center (NDTC) on the FHSU campus. The NDTC is located at Wayne State University in Detroit and facilitates innovation, research, and development of best practices in law enforcement de-escalation training.

Dr. Tamara Lynn, chair and associate professor of Criminal Justice, learned of the NDTC days following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn.

Lynn knew the decisions made by Police Officer Derek Chauvin were wrong and that criminal charges were a realistic response to his choices. She also knew his actions were not indicative of all law enforcement officers.

A 2016 report by the Dolan Consulting Group captures the prevalence of use-of-force utilizing FBI data. During 2014, there were approximately 385 million police-citizen contacts, leading to about 11.2 million criminal arrests. During those arrests, officers were assaulted almost 50,000 times while 990 deaths of citizens occurred. This means that deaths occurred in only 0.0003 percent of all police-citizen contacts, in only 0.009 percent of all arrest situations, and in response to just over 2 percent that involved an assault on an officer.

The establishment of a regional training center will allow the Department of Criminal Justice to provide de-escalation training to officers from a multi-state region, including Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. In addition to training de-escalation techniques to current law enforcement, Lynn hopes to make a statement and impression on criminal justice majors attending FHSU.

“Following Mr. Floyd’s death, I thought about all the young men and women who graduated from our department and specifically those now working in law enforcement careers,” Lynn said. “In my 12 years at FHSU, hundreds of these former students have entered the profession to serve their respective communities.”

Lynn believes creating a culture that emphasizes de-escalation will benefit not only those going into law enforcement but also students pursuing careers in corrections, probation and parole, juvenile services, and other positions where situations may escalate quickly. Lynn’s objective is to ensure that current and future students are trained in de-escalation techniques to reduce use-of-force incidents and loss of life.

The NDTC uses the most popular and broadly accepted personality model in the world, DISC, to de-escalate situations. Traditional de-escalation training models use accepted practices such as allowing venting and active listening, as taught in verbal judo training. However, these approaches treat everyone as if they are the same using “a one-size-fits-all” model. The NDTC model harnesses these traditional approaches yet augments them by identifying the subject’s personality and communicating with them based upon their individual personality traits. This training teaches officers to identify personality quickly (sometimes in just seconds) so they can adjust their approach to maximize effective communication and interaction with a subject.

According to FHSU Police Chief Ed Howell, “This de-escalation model expands the police officers’ tool kit to interact with the people they serve and defuse potential situations that otherwise may escalate in the use of force. This model does not take the place of other proven crisis intervention models. It seamlessly supplements other proven models of intervention and de-escalation.”

Lynn and Howell will spend the next several weeks in discussion and planning with officials from NDTC and university administration.

Howell stated: “With Fort Hays State University’s expert faculty, challenging academic programs, unmatched online learning capabilities, and mission to serve the people of Western Kansas, I think we are a great fit for an NDTC regional training center.”

For more information about FHSU’s Department of Criminal Justice and the University Police Department, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fhsu.edu/criminaljustice">www.fhsu.edu/criminaljustice</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fhsu.edu/university-police">www.fhsu.edu/university-police</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595265633381.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsFort Hays State University administration recently signed a preliminary agreement for its Department of Criminal Justice and University Police Department to explore the opportunity to establish a regional training center for the National De-escalation Training Center (NDTC) on the FHSU campus. The NDTC is located at Wayne State University in Detroit and facilitates innovation, research, and development of best practices in law enforcement de-escalation training.Dr. Tamara Lynn, chair and associate professor of Criminal Justice, learned of the NDTC days following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn.Lynn knew the decisions made by Police Officer Derek Chauvin were wrong and that criminal charges were a realistic response to his choices. She also knew his actions were not indicative of all law enforcement officers.A 2016 report by the Dolan Consulting Group captures the prevalence of use-of-force utilizing FBI data. During 2014, there were approximately 385 million police-citizen contacts, leading to about 11.2 million criminal arrests. During those arrests, officers were assaulted almost 50,000 times while 990 deaths of citizens occurred. This means that deaths occurred in only 0.0003 percent of all police-citizen contacts, in only 0.009 percent of all arrest situations, and in response to just over 2 percent that involved an assault on an officer.The establishment of a regional training center will allow the Department of Criminal Justice to provide de-escalation training to officers from a multi-state region, including Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. In addition to training de-escalation techniques to current law enforcement, Lynn hopes to make a statement and impression on criminal justice majors attending FHSU.“Following Mr. Floyd’s death, I thought about all the young men and women who graduated from our department and specifically those now working in law enforcement careers,” Lynn said. “In my 12 years at FHSU, hundreds of these former students have entered the profession to serve their respective communities.”Lynn believes creating a culture that emphasizes de-escalation will benefit not only those going into law enforcement but also students pursuing careers in corrections, probation and parole, juvenile services, and other positions where situations may escalate quickly. Lynn’s objective is to ensure that current and future students are trained in de-escalation techniques to reduce use-of-force incidents and loss of life.The NDTC uses the most popular and broadly accepted personality model in the world, DISC, to de-escalate situations. Traditional de-escalation training models use accepted practices such as allowing venting and active listening, as taught in verbal judo training. However, these approaches treat everyone as if they are the same using “a one-size-fits-all” model. The NDTC model harnesses these traditional approaches yet augments them by identifying the subject’s personality and communicating with them based upon their individual personality traits. This training teaches officers to identify personality quickly (sometimes in just seconds) so they can adjust their approach to maximize effective communication and interaction with a subject.According to FHSU Police Chief Ed Howell, “This de-escalation model expands the police officers’ tool kit to interact with the people they serve and defuse potential situations that otherwise may escalate in the use of force. This model does not take the place of other proven crisis intervention models. It seamlessly supplements other proven models of intervention and de-escalation.”Lynn and Howell will spend the next several weeks in discussion and planning with officials from NDTC and university administration.Howell stated: “With Fort Hays State University’s expert faculty, challenging academic programs, unmatched online learning capabilities, and mission to serve the people of Western Kansas, I think we are a great fit for an NDTC regional training center.”For more information about FHSU’s Department of Criminal Justice and the University Police Department, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fhsu.edu/criminaljustice">www.fhsu.edu/criminaljustice</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fhsu.edu/university-police">www.fhsu.edu/university-police</a>.

FHSU explores partnering with National De-escalation Training Center

BUNKER HILL–&nbsp;The Heartland Community Foundation has awarded Smoky Hills PBS with a grant for $1,500 to support their literacy leadership initiative.

The literacy leadership initiative is an effort from Smoky Hills PBS to engage and inspire children to be ready and eager to learn.&nbsp; One component of literacy leadership is the First Book Club, in which we give free books to children enrolled in Head Start.&nbsp; With these funds, more than 100 children in Trego, Rooks and Ellis counties who are enrolled in Head Start will receive books during the 2020-21 school year. For some, these books will be the only ones that they own. The goal of providing these books is to encourage parents to read with their children regularly.

“Smoky Hills PBS is dedicated to offering curriculum-based media to meet the needs of today’s kids, and the First Book Club takes that one step further,” said Haley Gagnon, Special Event Coordinator for Smoky Hills PBS. “Not only do we provide educational content through PBS KIDS programming, but we are also putting educational materials in children’s hands, providing them the tools they will need for a lifelong love of learning!”

The Heartland Community Foundation was founded in 2007, to serve as a vehicle for charitable giving benefiting Ellis, Rooks and Trego Counties.&nbsp; The Foundation is a permanent source of charitable assets to meet both emerging and existing needs of the local communities.&nbsp; The Heartland Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Greater Salina Community Foundation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595338090180.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Smoky Hills PBSBUNKER HILL–&nbsp;The Heartland Community Foundation has awarded Smoky Hills PBS with a grant for $1,500 to support their literacy leadership initiative.The literacy leadership initiative is an effort from Smoky Hills PBS to engage and inspire children to be ready and eager to learn.&nbsp; One component of literacy leadership is the First Book Club, in which we give free books to children enrolled in Head Start.&nbsp; With these funds, more than 100 children in Trego, Rooks and Ellis counties who are enrolled in Head Start will receive books during the 2020-21 school year. For some, these books will be the only ones that they own. The goal of providing these books is to encourage parents to read with their children regularly.“Smoky Hills PBS is dedicated to offering curriculum-based media to meet the needs of today’s kids, and the First Book Club takes that one step further,” said Haley Gagnon, Special Event Coordinator for Smoky Hills PBS. “Not only do we provide educational content through PBS KIDS programming, but we are also putting educational materials in children’s hands, providing them the tools they will need for a lifelong love of learning!”The Heartland Community Foundation was founded in 2007, to serve as a vehicle for charitable giving benefiting Ellis, Rooks and Trego Counties.&nbsp; The Foundation is a permanent source of charitable assets to meet both emerging and existing needs of the local communities.&nbsp; The Heartland Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Greater Salina Community Foundation.

Smoky Hills PBS grant will help distribute books to children

Clinkscales Elder Law Practice invite the public to attend a free webinar co-hosted with the Farm Service Agency on Wednesday, Aug. 5, at noon and 6p p.m. via Zoom.&nbsp;

With COVID-19 still at the forefront of our minds and hindering consistent communication, it can be even more difficult to find helpful resources for our loved ones thinking about succession plans and where to begin. Randy Clinkscales, elder law attorney, and Lynn Peterson, District Director North Central Kansas of the Farm Service Agency, will supply attendees with useful information and resources. &nbsp;

Topics will include how and when to transition the farm to family members or employees, tax information including estate, gift and GST tax rates and exemptions, how to protect spouses and families, health information and how to choose decision makers, and tools that will help achieve succession planning goals.&nbsp;

To sign up for the free informative webinar, visit <a href="http://www.clinkscaleslaw.com/events">www.clinkscaleslaw.com/events</a> to register today.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595512079278.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedClinkscales Elder Law Practice invite the public to attend a free webinar co-hosted with the Farm Service Agency on Wednesday, Aug. 5, at noon and 6p p.m. via Zoom.&nbsp;With COVID-19 still at the forefront of our minds and hindering consistent communication, it can be even more difficult to find helpful resources for our loved ones thinking about succession plans and where to begin. Randy Clinkscales, elder law attorney, and Lynn Peterson, District Director North Central Kansas of the Farm Service Agency, will supply attendees with useful information and resources. &nbsp;Topics will include how and when to transition the farm to family members or employees, tax information including estate, gift and GST tax rates and exemptions, how to protect spouses and families, health information and how to choose decision makers, and tools that will help achieve succession planning goals.&nbsp;To sign up for the free informative webinar, visit <a href="http://www.clinkscaleslaw.com/events">www.clinkscaleslaw.com/events</a> to register today.

Clinkscales, Farm Service Agency will offer succession planning webinar

Whenever the First Amendment’s 45 words ring out, whenever a voice 
for justice seizes our attention by using its core freedoms to power our
 democracy, John Lewis will be there.

Lewis, 80, iconic civil right hero, longtime Georgia congressman, 
pugnacious fighter for voting rights, courageous Freedom Rider and 
self-described seeker of “good trouble” in the cause of equality, 
fairness and human rights, died July 17 after months of battling 
pancreatic cancer.

Few people in history have so exemplified the hopes of the nation’s 
founders that the First Amendment’s strong protection for the freedoms 
of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition would enable future 
generations to make this country a better place. Lewis was masterful in 
deploying those freedoms in that very work.

His public image was imprinted on the nation’s consciousness as he 
powerfully used the freedoms of religious belief, speech, press, the 
right to assemble and the right to petition the government for a 
“redress of grievances.” He did that from the early 1960s in sit-ins at 
Nashville lunch counters and the Freedom Rides challenging segregated 
bus terminals; from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 
March on Washington to 1965’s “Bloody Sunday” at the Edmund Pettus 
Bridge; from student civil rights organizer to more than 30 years in the
 United States House of Representatives, where he took on a mantle 
offered by others as the “Conscience of Congress.”

Lewis often spoke from the heart, but also joked that he had used his
 head in pursuit of social justice and the fight against racism – 
literally. When a planned 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., 
to call for expanded voting rights for Black citizens ended in violence 
at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, a state trooper beat Lewis with a 
nightstick so severely that it caused a skull fracture.

Images of that police riot – with Lewis’s fall captured in a dramatic
 photograph – shocked the nation and led to congressional approval of 
the landmark Voting Rights Act, signed into law a short time later by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Lewis spent his life challenging injustice where he saw it, whether 
on the street, in the boardroom or on the floor of the House.

He was arrested at least 45 times, including several times while 
serving in Congress. In 2016, Lewis helped lead a 26-hour sit-in on the 
House floor by Democrats frustrated by a lack of national response to 
gun violence in America.

Lewis did not live in his past days of activism nor dwell on his many
 accomplishments – and while he would always stand ready to forgive, he 
did not forget. Only months ago, he pledged to visit the nation’s 
southern border and be arrested once again, to protest immigration 
policies that he felt violated basic human rights.

The Associated Press reported Saturday that Lewis wept watching the video of George Floyd’s
 death at the hands of police in Minnesota: “I kept saying to myself: 
How many more? How many young Black men will be murdered?” Yet, the AP 
report said, he “declared, or at least dared to hope: ‘We’re one people,
 we’re one family. We all live in the same house, not just the American 
house but the world house’.”

On June 7, he visited the Black Lives Matter Plaza street painting in
 Washington, D.C., calling it a “powerful work of art” and saying it was
 “a mighty, powerful and strong message to the world that we will get 
there.”

Want to know the details of the life of this remarkable man? He 
co-wrote a graphic novel trilogy, “March,” with Andrew Aydin, about his 
life and the civil rights movement, published in 2013, with a sequel, 
“Run,” released in 2018. A documentary about Lewis titled “Good Trouble”
 was released in June, and he will be the subject of a new book out Aug.
 25 by acclaimed author Jon Meacham, “His Truth Is Marching On: John 
Lewis and the Power of Hope.”

In his public comments, Lewis spoke in measured tones softened with a
 Southern lilt, acquired he said, when preaching at a young age to the 
family chickens that were his chore to tend. He used that voice to 
create verbal images that will linger for some time.

The last living speaker from the 1963 March highlighted by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
 “I Have a Dream” speech, Lewis was cajoled into toning down his planned
 criticism of the then-Kennedy administration’s civil rights record.

Nonetheless, Lewis, then just 23, energized the massive audience in 
advance of King’s remarks when he declared, “By the force of our 
demands, our determination and our numbers, we shall splinter the 
segregated South into a thousand pieces and put them together in the 
image of God and democracy.&nbsp;We must say: ‘Wake up, America!&nbsp;Wake up!’ 
For we cannot stop, and we will not and cannot be patient.”

Throughout his public service, Lewis never stopped encouraging others
 – particularly younger Americans – to “make some noise” via their 
freedoms of speech, reminding them to also gain attention through the 
news media.

Lewis often told listeners that, “If it had not been for the press, 
the civil rights movement would have been like a bird without wings.”

In 2017, the Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to 
fostering First Amendment freedoms for all, awarded Lewis a Free 
Expression Award for Lifetime Achievement. At one of several speeches at
 the Freedom Forum’s Newseum, Lewis said, “I don’t know where this 
nation would be, I don’t know where I would be today without the 
guarantees of the First Amendment.”

I suspect we all can answer those two rhetorical questions. Without 
the guarantees of the First Amendment, our nation would be poorer in 
spirit, equality and civic health.

And where would John Lewis be? I’ve no doubt – First Amendment or not
 – that he would be on the front lines of a righteous cause, bolstered 
by deep faith, forcefully speaking and writing, organizing and inspiring
 others to join that movement, while demanding justice for all.

A lifetime of public service that led to public good. A life that was
 unique, energized, engaged and inspiring. And a First Amendment freedom
 legacy for the ages.

Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the
 Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom
 Forum Institute. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593729871227.png" alt="Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute." />
 <figcaption>Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute.</figcaption>
 </figure>Whenever the First Amendment’s 45 words ring out, whenever a voice 
for justice seizes our attention by using its core freedoms to power our
 democracy, John Lewis will be there.Lewis, 80, iconic civil right hero, longtime Georgia congressman, 
pugnacious fighter for voting rights, courageous Freedom Rider and 
self-described seeker of “good trouble” in the cause of equality, 
fairness and human rights, died July 17 after months of battling 
pancreatic cancer.Few people in history have so exemplified the hopes of the nation’s 
founders that the First Amendment’s strong protection for the freedoms 
of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition would enable future 
generations to make this country a better place. Lewis was masterful in 
deploying those freedoms in that very work.His public image was imprinted on the nation’s consciousness as he 
powerfully used the freedoms of religious belief, speech, press, the 
right to assemble and the right to petition the government for a 
“redress of grievances.” He did that from the early 1960s in sit-ins at 
Nashville lunch counters and the Freedom Rides challenging segregated 
bus terminals; from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 
March on Washington to 1965’s “Bloody Sunday” at the Edmund Pettus 
Bridge; from student civil rights organizer to more than 30 years in the
 United States House of Representatives, where he took on a mantle 
offered by others as the “Conscience of Congress.”Lewis often spoke from the heart, but also joked that he had used his
 head in pursuit of social justice and the fight against racism – 
literally. When a planned 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., 
to call for expanded voting rights for Black citizens ended in violence 
at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, a state trooper beat Lewis with a 
nightstick so severely that it caused a skull fracture.Images of that police riot – with Lewis’s fall captured in a dramatic
 photograph – shocked the nation and led to congressional approval of 
the landmark Voting Rights Act, signed into law a short time later by President Lyndon B. Johnson.Lewis spent his life challenging injustice where he saw it, whether 
on the street, in the boardroom or on the floor of the House.He was arrested at least 45 times, including several times while 
serving in Congress. In 2016, Lewis helped lead a 26-hour sit-in on the 
House floor by Democrats frustrated by a lack of national response to 
gun violence in America.Lewis did not live in his past days of activism nor dwell on his many
 accomplishments – and while he would always stand ready to forgive, he 
did not forget. Only months ago, he pledged to visit the nation’s 
southern border and be arrested once again, to protest immigration 
policies that he felt violated basic human rights.The Associated Press reported Saturday that Lewis wept watching the video of George Floyd’s
 death at the hands of police in Minnesota: “I kept saying to myself: 
How many more? How many young Black men will be murdered?” Yet, the AP 
report said, he “declared, or at least dared to hope: ‘We’re one people,
 we’re one family. We all live in the same house, not just the American 
house but the world house’.”On June 7, he visited the Black Lives Matter Plaza street painting in
 Washington, D.C., calling it a “powerful work of art” and saying it was
 “a mighty, powerful and strong message to the world that we will get 
there.”Want to know the details of the life of this remarkable man? He 
co-wrote a graphic novel trilogy, “March,” with Andrew Aydin, about his 
life and the civil rights movement, published in 2013, with a sequel, 
“Run,” released in 2018. A documentary about Lewis titled “Good Trouble”
 was released in June, and he will be the subject of a new book out Aug.
 25 by acclaimed author Jon Meacham, “His Truth Is Marching On: John 
Lewis and the Power of Hope.”In his public comments, Lewis spoke in measured tones softened with a
 Southern lilt, acquired he said, when preaching at a young age to the 
family chickens that were his chore to tend. He used that voice to 
create verbal images that will linger for some time.The last living speaker from the 1963 March highlighted by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
 “I Have a Dream” speech, Lewis was cajoled into toning down his planned
 criticism of the then-Kennedy administration’s civil rights record.Nonetheless, Lewis, then just 23, energized the massive audience in 
advance of King’s remarks when he declared, “By the force of our 
demands, our determination and our numbers, we shall splinter the 
segregated South into a thousand pieces and put them together in the 
image of God and democracy.&nbsp;We must say: ‘Wake up, America!&nbsp;Wake up!’ 
For we cannot stop, and we will not and cannot be patient.”Throughout his public service, Lewis never stopped encouraging others
 – particularly younger Americans – to “make some noise” via their 
freedoms of speech, reminding them to also gain attention through the 
news media.Lewis often told listeners that, “If it had not been for the press, 
the civil rights movement would have been like a bird without wings.”In 2017, the Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to 
fostering First Amendment freedoms for all, awarded Lewis a Free 
Expression Award for Lifetime Achievement. At one of several speeches at
 the Freedom Forum’s Newseum, Lewis said, “I don’t know where this 
nation would be, I don’t know where I would be today without the 
guarantees of the First Amendment.”I suspect we all can answer those two rhetorical questions. Without 
the guarantees of the First Amendment, our nation would be poorer in 
spirit, equality and civic health.And where would John Lewis be? I’ve no doubt – First Amendment or not
 – that he would be on the front lines of a righteous cause, bolstered 
by deep faith, forcefully speaking and writing, organizing and inspiring
 others to join that movement, while demanding justice for all.A lifetime of public service that led to public good. A life that was
 unique, energized, engaged and inspiring. And a First Amendment freedom
 legacy for the ages.Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the
 Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom
 Forum Institute. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

FIRST FIVE: U.S. Rep. Lewis was a First Amendment champion

THOMAS COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Saturday in Thomas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Freightliner semi driven by&nbsp; Timothy Alan Rauscher, 28, Fayetteville, NC, was eastbound on Interstate 70 seven miles west of Kansas 25.

Due to weather and road conditions, the semi went off the roadway and came to rest in the median on its side. The National Weather Service in Goodland had issued a severe weather warning for Thomas County late Saturday afternoon.

EMS transported&nbsp;Rauscher and a passenger&nbsp;Heywood, Asia Monique Heywood, 31, Covington, GA., to the hospital in Colby.&nbsp;Heywood was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

THOMAS COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Saturday in Thomas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Freightliner semi driven by&nbsp; Timothy Alan Rauscher, 28, Fayetteville, NC, was eastbound on Interstate 70 seven miles west of Kansas 25.Due to weather and road conditions, the semi went off the roadway and came to rest in the median on its side. The National Weather Service in Goodland had issued a severe weather warning for Thomas County late Saturday afternoon.EMS transported&nbsp;Rauscher and a passenger&nbsp;Heywood, Asia Monique Heywood, 31, Covington, GA., to the hospital in Colby.&nbsp;Heywood was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

2 hospitalized after semi overturns in NW Kansas thunderstorm

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

“Never underestimate the power of youth.” That is the phrase used by an extension agent whose 4-H youth helped conduct an innovative livestock show entirely using technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lacey Noterman is a livestock and youth extension agent for the K-State Research and Extension Wild West District, serving Haskell, Seward and Stevens counties in southwest Kansas. A native of Dighton, she was on the livestock judging team at Fort Hays State before joining the extension service in Haskell County.&nbsp;

In 2016, Lacey helped launch a 4-H livestock ambassador program in Haskell County. This was intended to give youth a bigger voice in livestock-related 4-H activities and help prepare them as advocates for animal agriculture. Ambassadors are selected annually by the livestock show and sale committee. “(To avoid favoritism,) I remove the names from the applications and then the committee makes the selection,” Lacey said.&nbsp;

Each year the ambassadors conduct a community service project, communicate with other members and families, and help with county fair and related projects. In October 2019, a new class was selected consisting of Ashley Kennedy, Sean Wagner, Dalton Winfrey, Kara Kunselman, and Bailey Briggs. They represented communities in the area such as Sublette, Satanta, Copeland and Moscow, a rural community of 310 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

This group was preparing for Haskell County’s 2020 spring livestock show when the pandemic forced its cancellation – a major disappointment.&nbsp;

“The kids came to me in March and suggested that we should have a virtual spring livestock show,” Lacey said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I told them, ‘Go for it.’”&nbsp;

What in the world is a virtual livestock show? It consists of video entries depicting a 4-H or FFA youth displaying their animal, which is evaluated by a judge just like in a regular show. The judges evaluate the livestock, decide on placings in each class, and then give oral reasons for their placings. In this case, the evaluation is done based on videos submitted by the youth and posted on Facebook, and the reasons are recorded in an audio file to be played during the virtual show.&nbsp;

This required lots of technology. “They had to teach Lacey all of this,” Lacey said with a smile. They used a program called Animoto for video editing, Google Classroom for registrations, Paypal to handle fees, and Facebook to view the show.&nbsp;

“The kids were amazing,” Lacey said. “They created the registration form in less than an hour, did a lot of the work, and were constantly promoting it on social media,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The show was open to 4-H and FFA members across Kansas. Entries were due by May 25. Ultimately, 221 head of livestock were entered. The results were posted on June 9.&nbsp;

“The judges were so great to work with,” Lacey said. They recorded their reasons so that every exhibitor got feedback about his or her animal. “That’s the purpose of a spring show, to help our kids learn and get better,” Lacey said.&nbsp;

The project was definitely time-intensive. “It was much more time-consuming than hosting a live show,” Lacey said. Since there were five judges and five ambassadors, she assigned each ambassador to work with a particular judge. “They learned a ton of life skills,” Lacey said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595422934273.png" alt="K-State Research &amp; Extension" />
 <figcaption>K-State Research &amp; Extension</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development“Never underestimate the power of youth.” That is the phrase used by an extension agent whose 4-H youth helped conduct an innovative livestock show entirely using technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lacey Noterman is a livestock and youth extension agent for the K-State Research and Extension Wild West District, serving Haskell, Seward and Stevens counties in southwest Kansas. A native of Dighton, she was on the livestock judging team at Fort Hays State before joining the extension service in Haskell County.&nbsp;In 2016, Lacey helped launch a 4-H livestock ambassador program in Haskell County. This was intended to give youth a bigger voice in livestock-related 4-H activities and help prepare them as advocates for animal agriculture. Ambassadors are selected annually by the livestock show and sale committee. “(To avoid favoritism,) I remove the names from the applications and then the committee makes the selection,” Lacey said.&nbsp;Each year the ambassadors conduct a community service project, communicate with other members and families, and help with county fair and related projects. In October 2019, a new class was selected consisting of Ashley Kennedy, Sean Wagner, Dalton Winfrey, Kara Kunselman, and Bailey Briggs. They represented communities in the area such as Sublette, Satanta, Copeland and Moscow, a rural community of 310 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;This group was preparing for Haskell County’s 2020 spring livestock show when the pandemic forced its cancellation – a major disappointment.&nbsp;“The kids came to me in March and suggested that we should have a virtual spring livestock show,” Lacey said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I told them, ‘Go for it.’”&nbsp;What in the world is a virtual livestock show? It consists of video entries depicting a 4-H or FFA youth displaying their animal, which is evaluated by a judge just like in a regular show. The judges evaluate the livestock, decide on placings in each class, and then give oral reasons for their placings. In this case, the evaluation is done based on videos submitted by the youth and posted on Facebook, and the reasons are recorded in an audio file to be played during the virtual show.&nbsp;This required lots of technology. “They had to teach Lacey all of this,” Lacey said with a smile. They used a program called Animoto for video editing, Google Classroom for registrations, Paypal to handle fees, and Facebook to view the show.&nbsp;“The kids were amazing,” Lacey said. “They created the registration form in less than an hour, did a lot of the work, and were constantly promoting it on social media,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The show was open to 4-H and FFA members across Kansas. Entries were due by May 25. Ultimately, 221 head of livestock were entered. The results were posted on June 9.&nbsp;“The judges were so great to work with,” Lacey said. They recorded their reasons so that every exhibitor got feedback about his or her animal. “That’s the purpose of a spring show, to help our kids learn and get better,” Lacey said.&nbsp;The project was definitely time-intensive. “It was much more time-consuming than hosting a live show,” Lacey said. Since there were five judges and five ambassadors, she assigned each ambassador to work with a particular judge. “They learned a ton of life skills,” Lacey said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It was awesome to work with this group of kids,” she said. “They still had their online classes to finish too,” she pointed out. “Not only did they excel on the technology side, they excelled and exceeded my expectations in working with the community,” she said.&nbsp;Due to the restrictions of the pandemic, Lacey was not available to meet with the youth in person.&nbsp;“This was their baby,” Lacey said. “It forced me to step back, and I got to see what these kids could do,” she said. “It was the best learning experience of my career as a county agent,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Never underestimate the power of youth,” Lacey said in describing the county 4-H livestock ambassadors who carried out this idea. We salute Lacey Noterman, Ashley Kennedy, Sean Wagner, Dalton Winfrey, Kara Kunselman, and Bailey Briggs for making a difference with their innovative project. Their results are powerful.&nbsp;

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