Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $32.50 per barrel, after dropping 25 cents per barrel on Friday. Current prices are 25 cents higher than a week ago, two dollars higher than at the first of the month, but nearly $19 lower than at the first of the year.&nbsp; Pump prices are dropping from their cheapest summer levels in decades. AAA says that over the last four weeks, U.S. gasoline prices have steadily decreased, reaching a summer peak around $2.20 a gallon a month ago. The national average on Thursday was $2.18 a gallon, about 40 cents less than a year ago. Statewide, Kansas, at $1.97 per gallon, remains among just eleven states where average prices are below two dollars. We found $1.92 a gallon at some stations in Hays and $1.94 in Great Bend. You'll save nearly five dollars on your 15-gallon fill-up compared to a year ago. Baker Hughes reports an increase in drilling activity across the U.S. There are 254 active drilling rigs in the company's latest Rotary Rig Count, an increase of eleven oil rigs. The count in Texas was up eight rigs, New Mexico was up two. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports an increase of three drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, but the count west of Wichita dropped by one. Kansas regulators approved eight permits for drilling at new locations last week, bringing the year-to-date total to just 265 new permits. There were two new permits east of Wichita and six in Western Kansas including one in Russell County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports eight newly-completed wells for the week, seven of them west of Wichita. Operators completed two wells in Barton County, one in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. The report shows 605 completions so far this year. U.S. production increased slightly last week over the week before. At just under 10.74 million barrels per day, EIA says domestic output remains about one-and-a-half-million barrels per day behind last year's pace. The Energy Information Administration says U.S. commercial crude oil inventories declined by 1.6 million barrels last week, but remain about 15% above the five-year seasonal average. The government said crude-oil imports increased slightly last week, up to 5.7 million barrels per day. The four-week average is about 22% less than the same four-week period last week. Oil by rail traffic dropped last week by about 12-hundred tanker cars from the week before. The Association of American Railroads reports operators loaded 10,812 tanker cars with petroleum or petroleum products during the week ending August 15. That's down ten percent from the same week a year ago. Most freight categories are down from a year ago, except grain shipments, which are up more than 14% from a year ago. Some observers point to increases in drilling activity in the Permian Basin as a good sign. With prices holding steady above $42 per barrel, Baker Hughes reported ten additional rigs on its active list last week, the biggest jump since prices collapsed. The world's biggest fracking provider Halliburton is expecting the worst-ever slump in oil exploration to end soon. CEO Jeff Miller told Bloomberg-TV the company expects to see a recovery during the "back half" of this year, after reaching a bottom during the third quarter. Analysts at Rystad Energy say curtailed U.S. output that was shut-in by the pandemic could begin to return to production soon. But other sources indicate a full recovery might still be a ways off. The government offered mixed news, predicting a continuing decline in total U.S. shale production, but growth in the two largest shale plays. EIA's Drilling Productivity Report for August predicts total shale production will drop 19,000 barrels per day from August to September. But Permian production will increase by a little over a tenth of a percent and North Dakota output is expected to rise about half a percent. North Dakota regulators this week offered mixed expectations. Lynn Helms of the Department of Mineral Resources told reporters he expects rising prices will prompt operators to bring more shut-in wells back into production. And that, he says, could add up to 200,000 barrels per day in July and another 300,000 in August. But Helms said drilling activity has receded dramatically, and might not bounce back before late next year.&nbsp; The top oil and gas regulator in Canada predicts that the country's oil production will gradually recover over the rest of this year, after operators halted production upwards of one million barrels per day because of low prices. Still, The Canada Energy Regulator says total production this year will average 4.38 million barrels per day, down nearly seven percent from last year. New natural gas pipelines coming online this year could be a game changer for several markets in the U.S. The Energy Information Administration lists nearly a dozen new or expanded gas pipelines going into service between January and July of this year. The new pipes can bring up to five billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to growth markets in the South-Central, Mountain and Northeast regions. Monthly energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. fell to 307 million metric tons in April, the lowest in government records since 1973. The Energy Information Administration credits travel restrictions and other measures to mitigate the spread of coronavirus in April, which dramatically reduced consumption. Saudi Arabia’s state oil company has reportedly ended its joint effort to build a huge new refinery in China. The $10 billion joint venture was signed back in February of 2019, when the kingdom's Crown Prince visited Beijing. It was seen at the time as a landmark deal with a key ally. The Saudi's hoped to increase their market share in Asia. They had planned to supply upwards of 70 percent of the crude for a refinery needing 300,000 barrels per day. But Bloomberg reports the Saudis decided to back out based on the uncertain market outlook. The Chinese will move forward with the project. Saudi Aramco is slashing spending on a lot of capital projects, as the kingdom continues to reel from low crude prices. A trade group for the staffing industry says nearly one third of all oil and gas jobs in Canada could be fully automated within the next twenty years. A report from E-Y Canada says new technologies driving that change include robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, language processing and machine learning.&nbsp; Company head Lance Mortlock says many companies have already begun the transition and the Covid-19 pandemic has brought new urgency. Mortlock says about half of the job skills in exploration and production will soon be automated. He says oil workers must develop skills in emotional intelligence, critical thinking and data analysis to be competitive. The owner of the world's largest fleet of offshore drilling rigs has filed for bankruptcy protection. Valaris becomes the latest casualty in the global slump in oil prices. The firm hopes to restructure more than seven billion dollars in debt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARKansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $32.50 per barrel, after dropping 25 cents per barrel on Friday. Current prices are 25 cents higher than a week ago, two dollars higher than at the first of the month, but nearly $19 lower than at the first of the year.&nbsp; Pump prices are dropping from their cheapest summer levels in decades. AAA says that over the last four weeks, U.S. gasoline prices have steadily decreased, reaching a summer peak around $2.20 a gallon a month ago. The national average on Thursday was $2.18 a gallon, about 40 cents less than a year ago. Statewide, Kansas, at $1.97 per gallon, remains among just eleven states where average prices are below two dollars. We found $1.92 a gallon at some stations in Hays and $1.94 in Great Bend. You'll save nearly five dollars on your 15-gallon fill-up compared to a year ago. Baker Hughes reports an increase in drilling activity across the U.S. There are 254 active drilling rigs in the company's latest Rotary Rig Count, an increase of eleven oil rigs. The count in Texas was up eight rigs, New Mexico was up two. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports an increase of three drilling rigs in eastern Kansas, but the count west of Wichita dropped by one. Kansas regulators approved eight permits for drilling at new locations last week, bringing the year-to-date total to just 265 new permits. There were two new permits east of Wichita and six in Western Kansas including one in Russell County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports eight newly-completed wells for the week, seven of them west of Wichita. Operators completed two wells in Barton County, one in Ellis County and one in Stafford County. The report shows 605 completions so far this year. U.S. production increased slightly last week over the week before. At just under 10.74 million barrels per day, EIA says domestic output remains about one-and-a-half-million barrels per day behind last year's pace. The Energy Information Administration says U.S. commercial crude oil inventories declined by 1.6 million barrels last week, but remain about 15% above the five-year seasonal average. The government said crude-oil imports increased slightly last week, up to 5.7 million barrels per day. The four-week average is about 22% less than the same four-week period last week. Oil by rail traffic dropped last week by about 12-hundred tanker cars from the week before. The Association of American Railroads reports operators loaded 10,812 tanker cars with petroleum or petroleum products during the week ending August 15. That's down ten percent from the same week a year ago. Most freight categories are down from a year ago, except grain shipments, which are up more than 14% from a year ago. Some observers point to increases in drilling activity in the Permian Basin as a good sign. With prices holding steady above $42 per barrel, Baker Hughes reported ten additional rigs on its active list last week, the biggest jump since prices collapsed. The world's biggest fracking provider Halliburton is expecting the worst-ever slump in oil exploration to end soon. CEO Jeff Miller told Bloomberg-TV the company expects to see a recovery during the "back half" of this year, after reaching a bottom during the third quarter. Analysts at Rystad Energy say curtailed U.S. output that was shut-in by the pandemic could begin to return to production soon. But other sources indicate a full recovery might still be a ways off. The government offered mixed news, predicting a continuing decline in total U.S. shale production, but growth in the two largest shale plays. EIA's Drilling Productivity Report for August predicts total shale production will drop 19,000 barrels per day from August to September. But Permian production will increase by a little over a tenth of a percent and North Dakota output is expected to rise about half a percent. North Dakota regulators this week offered mixed expectations. Lynn Helms of the Department of Mineral Resources told reporters he expects rising prices will prompt operators to bring more shut-in wells back into production. And that, he says, could add up to 200,000 barrels per day in July and another 300,000 in August. But Helms said drilling activity has receded dramatically, and might not bounce back before late next year.&nbsp; The top oil and gas regulator in Canada predicts that the country's oil production will gradually recover over the rest of this year, after operators halted production upwards of one million barrels per day because of low prices. Still, The Canada Energy Regulator says total production this year will average 4.38 million barrels per day, down nearly seven percent from last year. New natural gas pipelines coming online this year could be a game changer for several markets in the U.S. The Energy Information Administration lists nearly a dozen new or expanded gas pipelines going into service between January and July of this year. The new pipes can bring up to five billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to growth markets in the South-Central, Mountain and Northeast regions. Monthly energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. fell to 307 million metric tons in April, the lowest in government records since 1973. The Energy Information Administration credits travel restrictions and other measures to mitigate the spread of coronavirus in April, which dramatically reduced consumption. Saudi Arabia’s state oil company has reportedly ended its joint effort to build a huge new refinery in China. The $10 billion joint venture was signed back in February of 2019, when the kingdom's Crown Prince visited Beijing. It was seen at the time as a landmark deal with a key ally. The Saudi's hoped to increase their market share in Asia. They had planned to supply upwards of 70 percent of the crude for a refinery needing 300,000 barrels per day. But Bloomberg reports the Saudis decided to back out based on the uncertain market outlook. The Chinese will move forward with the project. Saudi Aramco is slashing spending on a lot of capital projects, as the kingdom continues to reel from low crude prices. A trade group for the staffing industry says nearly one third of all oil and gas jobs in Canada could be fully automated within the next twenty years. A report from E-Y Canada says new technologies driving that change include robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, language processing and machine learning.&nbsp; Company head Lance Mortlock says many companies have already begun the transition and the Covid-19 pandemic has brought new urgency. Mortlock says about half of the job skills in exploration and production will soon be automated. He says oil workers must develop skills in emotional intelligence, critical thinking and data analysis to be competitive. The owner of the world's largest fleet of offshore drilling rigs has filed for bankruptcy protection. Valaris becomes the latest casualty in the global slump in oil prices. The firm hopes to restructure more than seven billion dollars in debt.

News From the Oil Patch: Some positive indicators 

HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System,&nbsp; recently successfully completed the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Mammography Quality Standards Act mammography survey.

The MQSA requires all U.S. mammography facilities to&nbsp;be accredited.&nbsp; This survey covers staff qualifications, equipment, quality control, quality assurance, image quality and radiation dose.&nbsp; 

The HaysMed Mammography team received exceptional feedback from the surveyors in all areas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598281444362.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HaysMedHaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System,&nbsp; recently successfully completed the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Mammography Quality Standards Act mammography survey.The MQSA requires all U.S. mammography facilities to&nbsp;be accredited.&nbsp; This survey covers staff qualifications, equipment, quality control, quality assurance, image quality and radiation dose.&nbsp; The HaysMed Mammography team received exceptional feedback from the surveyors in all areas.

 HaysMed successfully completes KDHE mammography survey

MCPHERSON — Clinkscales Elder Law Practice invites the public to attend a free seminar and webinar co-hosted by Adams, Brown, Beran &amp; Ball Certified Public Accountants on Monday,
Sept. 21 . 

The seminar will be in person at the McPherson Museum on East Kansas Avenue and will be
streamed live via Zoom for those who do not wish to travel. The two sessions will be held at 10 a.m. and 3
p.m.


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 planning for the second half of
life. Randy Clinkscales, elder law attorney, and Trent Woodcock, Adams, Brown, Beran &amp; Ball certified
accountant, will supply attendees with useful information and resources.


Topics will include how to protect yourself with foundational documents such as Power of Attorneys, wills
and trusts, protecting your assets from the cost of long-term care, overview of Veteran’s Benefits and
Medicaid, how to update beneficiary designations and engage in special needs planning, etc.


To sign up for the free informative webinar, visit www.clinkscaleslaw.com/events.

SubmittedMCPHERSON — Clinkscales Elder Law Practice invites the public to attend a free seminar and webinar co-hosted by Adams, Brown, Beran &amp; Ball Certified Public Accountants on Monday,
Sept. 21 . The seminar will be in person at the McPherson Museum on East Kansas Avenue and will be
streamed live via Zoom for those who do not wish to travel. The two sessions will be held at 10 a.m. and 3
p.m.
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 planning for the second half of
life. Randy Clinkscales, elder law attorney, and Trent Woodcock, Adams, Brown, Beran &amp; Ball certified
accountant, will supply attendees with useful information and resources.
Topics will include how to protect yourself with foundational documents such as Power of Attorneys, wills
and trusts, protecting your assets from the cost of long-term care, overview of Veteran’s Benefits and
Medicaid, how to update beneficiary designations and engage in special needs planning, etc.
To sign up for the free informative webinar, visit www.clinkscaleslaw.com/events.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578498921842.png" alt="Randy Clinkscales" />
 <figcaption>Randy Clinkscales</figcaption>
 </figure>

Webinar will focus on 'planning for the second half of life'

Three-day weather outlook

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

High speed on the High Plains. That is what one can find when we see the product of the work done by an innovative entrepreneur in rural northwest Kansas.&nbsp;

During the last two weeks we have learned about Heidi Plumb and Kale Dankenbring, who traveled around the globe as newlyweds. They came back to Kale’s hometown of St. Francis to become the founders and co-owners of Fresh Seven Coffee, plus a business next door named High Plains Moto. This business services and sells products for motorcycles and other, smaller motorized vehicles such as ATVs.&nbsp;

When Kale was 10 years old, his cousin was involved in a bad motorcycle accident. Some years later, Kale was riding on a motorcycle with his father’s friend when they crashed on a muddy road.&nbsp;

“I had an insane fear of motorcycles,” Kale said. However, Kale also had a fascination with them. He bought one for himself at age 22. “I would ride it during the summer. In the winter, I would tear it apart to learn how it worked,” he said. Soon he was helping his friends work on their motorcycles as well, and found he was quite good at it.&nbsp;

One day in 2001, he was riding his motorcycle on the street when a car pulled out directly in front of him. “I T-boned the car,” Kale said. “I woke up in the helicopter on the way to the hospital,” he said. He had numerous broken bones and spent a week in the hospital and another month home in bed.&nbsp;

“I knew I never wanted to ride a motorcycle on the street again,” Kale said. However, he realized that he could still enjoy his motorcycle by taking up road racing on enclosed tracks, and that is what he did. He enjoyed road racing, and also put his expertise to use by opening a motorcycle shop with a partner.&nbsp;

After Kale met and married Heidi, he sold his share of the business to his partner so he and Heidi could travel the globe. While traveling, he and Heidi learned that an abandoned building was for sale in Kale’s hometown of St. Francis. This would become the site of their coffee roastery. Next door to the coffee shop, Kale opened a motorcycle sales and service business of his own. He named it High Plains Moto.&nbsp;

High Plains Moto serves motorcycles as well as other vehicles. “A lot of farmers are using dirt bikes or ATVs to check cattle or wells or sprinklers, and that kept me busy at first,” Kale said. Those vehicles came from farms near rural communities such as Sharon Springs, population 748; Bird City, population 477; and McDonald, population 156 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

High Plains Moto specializes in equipment and service for track-day and motorcycle road-race machines. These are the gorgeous speedy motorcycles that swoop low on the turns and can go up to 190 miles an hour in the straightaway. Kale works on exhaust and brake systems, hand and foot controls, tires and tire warmers, racing suits, stands and more. In 2019, Kale became a technician certified by Ohlins, the Swedish suspension company.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Before he opened his shop, bike riders in the area had to make multiple trips to drop off their bikes in in Denver or Nebraska for service or repairs. Now, Kale offers convenient service for bike riders throughout the three-state region.&nbsp;

Kale continues to race himself. “I race for fun and to promote my business,” he said. “If I happen to win prize money, that’s a bonus. The fastest I’ve ever gone on a track was 172 (miles per hour).”&nbsp;

For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.highplainsmoto.com/">www.highplainsmoto.com</a>.&nbsp;

High speed on the high plains. That describes what a person can achieve when working with Kale at High Plains Moto. We commend Kale Dankenbring and Heidi Plumb for making a difference with their skills and entrepreneurship. He’s helping people safely achieve high speeds on the High Plains, and such a business has high value.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597843580729.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural DevelopmentHigh speed on the High Plains. That is what one can find when we see the product of the work done by an innovative entrepreneur in rural northwest Kansas.&nbsp;During the last two weeks we have learned about Heidi Plumb and Kale Dankenbring, who traveled around the globe as newlyweds. They came back to Kale’s hometown of St. Francis to become the founders and co-owners of Fresh Seven Coffee, plus a business next door named High Plains Moto. This business services and sells products for motorcycles and other, smaller motorized vehicles such as ATVs.&nbsp;When Kale was 10 years old, his cousin was involved in a bad motorcycle accident. Some years later, Kale was riding on a motorcycle with his father’s friend when they crashed on a muddy road.&nbsp;“I had an insane fear of motorcycles,” Kale said. However, Kale also had a fascination with them. He bought one for himself at age 22. “I would ride it during the summer. In the winter, I would tear it apart to learn how it worked,” he said. Soon he was helping his friends work on their motorcycles as well, and found he was quite good at it.&nbsp;One day in 2001, he was riding his motorcycle on the street when a car pulled out directly in front of him. “I T-boned the car,” Kale said. “I woke up in the helicopter on the way to the hospital,” he said. He had numerous broken bones and spent a week in the hospital and another month home in bed.&nbsp;“I knew I never wanted to ride a motorcycle on the street again,” Kale said. However, he realized that he could still enjoy his motorcycle by taking up road racing on enclosed tracks, and that is what he did. He enjoyed road racing, and also put his expertise to use by opening a motorcycle shop with a partner.&nbsp;After Kale met and married Heidi, he sold his share of the business to his partner so he and Heidi could travel the globe. While traveling, he and Heidi learned that an abandoned building was for sale in Kale’s hometown of St. Francis. This would become the site of their coffee roastery. Next door to the coffee shop, Kale opened a motorcycle sales and service business of his own. He named it High Plains Moto.&nbsp;High Plains Moto serves motorcycles as well as other vehicles. “A lot of farmers are using dirt bikes or ATVs to check cattle or wells or sprinklers, and that kept me busy at first,” Kale said. Those vehicles came from farms near rural communities such as Sharon Springs, population 748; Bird City, population 477; and McDonald, population 156 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;High Plains Moto specializes in equipment and service for track-day and motorcycle road-race machines. These are the gorgeous speedy motorcycles that swoop low on the turns and can go up to 190 miles an hour in the straightaway. Kale works on exhaust and brake systems, hand and foot controls, tires and tire warmers, racing suits, stands and more. In 2019, Kale became a technician certified by Ohlins, the Swedish suspension company.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Before he opened his shop, bike riders in the area had to make multiple trips to drop off their bikes in in Denver or Nebraska for service or repairs. Now, Kale offers convenient service for bike riders throughout the three-state region.&nbsp;Kale continues to race himself. “I race for fun and to promote my business,” he said. “If I happen to win prize money, that’s a bonus. The fastest I’ve ever gone on a track was 172 (miles per hour).”&nbsp;For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.highplainsmoto.com/">www.highplainsmoto.com</a>.&nbsp;High speed on the high plains. That describes what a person can achieve when working with Kale at High Plains Moto. We commend Kale Dankenbring and Heidi Plumb for making a difference with their skills and entrepreneurship. He’s helping people safely achieve high speeds on the High Plains, and such a business has high value.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: High Plains Moto 

PAWNEE COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Monday in Pawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Toyota Camry driven by&nbsp;Gomez, Kamryn S. Gomez, 20, Garden City, was southbound on U.S. Highway 183. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at Kansas 156.&nbsp;

The Camry struck an eastbound 2019 Peterbilt semi driven by&nbsp; Travis J.&nbsp;Vodehnal, 26, Sargent, Nebraska, in the side near the gas tank.

EMS transported Gomez to Hays Medical Center. Vodehnal was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

PAWNEE COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Monday in Pawnee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Toyota Camry driven by&nbsp;Gomez, Kamryn S. Gomez, 20, Garden City, was southbound on U.S. Highway 183. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at Kansas 156.&nbsp;The Camry struck an eastbound 2019 Peterbilt semi driven by&nbsp; Travis J.&nbsp;Vodehnal, 26, Sargent, Nebraska, in the side near the gas tank.EMS transported Gomez to Hays Medical Center. Vodehnal was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kan. woman hospitalized in Hays after crash with semi

PHILLIPS COUNTY—was injured in an accident just before 8:30a.m. Monday in Phillips County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Ford pickup driven by&nbsp;Karlin, Larry G. Karlin, 71, Phillipsburg, was westbound on U.S. 36 nine miles east of Phillipsburg. 

The driver attempted to make a u-turn and struck an eastbound 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by&nbsp; Brett A. Sykes, 53, Phillipsburg. Sykes and a passenger were ejected from the motorcycle.

EMS transported Sykes to Hays Medical Center and a passenger Danielle L. Green, 31, Phillipsburg, to the Phillips County Hospital. She was later airlifted to&nbsp; Good Samaritan in Kearney, Nebraska. Karlin was not injured and properly restrained at the time of the accident.

Both occupants of the motorcycle were wearing helmets, according to the KHP.

PHILLIPS COUNTY—was injured in an accident just before 8:30a.m. Monday in Phillips County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Ford pickup driven by&nbsp;Karlin, Larry G. Karlin, 71, Phillipsburg, was westbound on U.S. 36 nine miles east of Phillipsburg. The driver attempted to make a u-turn and struck an eastbound 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by&nbsp; Brett A. Sykes, 53, Phillipsburg. Sykes and a passenger were ejected from the motorcycle.EMS transported Sykes to Hays Medical Center and a passenger Danielle L. Green, 31, Phillipsburg, to the Phillips County Hospital. She was later airlifted to&nbsp; Good Samaritan in Kearney, Nebraska. Karlin was not injured and properly restrained at the time of the accident.Both occupants of the motorcycle were wearing helmets, according to the KHP.

2 hospitalized after driver makes u-turn, strikes motorcycle

ELLIS — We have been informed that one of our junior high school football coaches and a high school soccer coach have been placed on self-quarantine as they have been deemed a close contact of a positive coronavirus individual. 

They are monitoring for symptoms and will be tested if needed. Per guidelines, these coaches have been directed to self-quarantine until permitted to return.

At this time, our players and other coaches are not directly affected. If this situation changes, we will alert you ASAP and make the necessary adjustments.

We have also been informed by one of our Washington Grade School staff members that they have tested positive for the coronavirus. 

The staff member who tested positive was in close contact with a number of other staff members last week during in-service time. 

The staff member who tested positive and those who were deemed close contacts will serve their self-quarantine time before returning to school.

We are alerting you to this development because we believe that open communication and district health is important. 

We are working closely with the Ellis County Health Department (ECHD) to keep our students and staff as safe as possible.

In the meantime, know that USD 388 will continue with our safety and health protocols. These protocols include masks, sanitizing hands, wiping down equipment and other sanitizing processes.

In the interim, if you feel you are showing signs and symptoms of Covid-19, we encourage you to seek medical advice and contact the Ellis County Health Department for more information. They can be reached at (785) 628-9440.

We are committed to providing a safe and healthy educational experience and work environment for all of our students, athletes, and employees. 

We also endeavor to be a positive service to our community. It is in the interest of those goals that we provide this information out of an abundance of caution.

We also want to take this opportunity to remind you that one of our core values as a district is respect for and among our employees and students. 

We will treat information regarding the identity of employees/students with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 as confidential to the extent feasible and we will comply with applicable laws regarding the handling of such information. 

Further, per district policy, we will not tolerate harassment of, or discrimination or retaliation against, employees and students.

Please contact Corey Burton, Superintendent at (785) 726-4281 if you have any questions or concerns.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit the CDC website at:&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Findex.html%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0ka-BIGD9hBW_O9RLpLtXI9dvStESvPiSZdPHeZjdYryW37ZyY1AleAiU&amp;h=AT27S6h1EPT4wSLuf5GXEiuIobSHxU4-uE8puQH8Gdlm3b6_ddDdsX7B4cmyKe5kuJzcz440-MMmdu0XBVf7T7JlvSaJUxY5S_gxJheAjWpf15qggJXJ5lqOlNnGTPIAwjut3NaSI4R47l-dTkp9KdypQ1QDaE5iv2ZOz4Bg7T_DRAXk09CYFIXX_eGtNVyGr3SjSGLOlKWks23gDTHOl8WDt3rGTI-cx5TP6Zx7UeDQbsvXTyrUjmcSLc0y1kNFeHRu1ceTYZ-qxV25K3sksmVAsA6nCoSNn7bvbj7ScjxWdWCs9Yov6gx5JxFEGoALax1oyBs-y8SArPBsck2UX0hu_Chr2L2KKCVLYwqiLOq9uuMAEIi5fjlJT9w5VavPaEPjQhn6Le5ES7nIxSQ92ZGnBXMqSb8ObxI0La3apzE_5RRh1DVd6svUH727k4UED4ZNWMNxYehUa3CicCaKy5fMIhGgmORx972uFD1-f38KqL-gWG-NLJtV4b8Mqav7imRrbeK9QTFII6nP718VyU_374RR1x4NQb89T5p9WPfY2xGWOVoBwpqB_g7h7SzIF7pdgY4LselpohYI-rTiWTFNjZwqXwpOeSWpRvl6EsWT2OpqJfVBlTdbA59In-CS" target="_blank">http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a>

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579030633433.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>USD 388ELLIS — We have been informed that one of our junior high school football coaches and a high school soccer coach have been placed on self-quarantine as they have been deemed a close contact of a positive coronavirus individual. They are monitoring for symptoms and will be tested if needed. Per guidelines, these coaches have been directed to self-quarantine until permitted to return.At this time, our players and other coaches are not directly affected. If this situation changes, we will alert you ASAP and make the necessary adjustments.We have also been informed by one of our Washington Grade School staff members that they have tested positive for the coronavirus. The staff member who tested positive was in close contact with a number of other staff members last week during in-service time. The staff member who tested positive and those who were deemed close contacts will serve their self-quarantine time before returning to school.We are alerting you to this development because we believe that open communication and district health is important. We are working closely with the Ellis County Health Department (ECHD) to keep our students and staff as safe as possible.In the meantime, know that USD 388 will continue with our safety and health protocols. These protocols include masks, sanitizing hands, wiping down equipment and other sanitizing processes.In the interim, if you feel you are showing signs and symptoms of Covid-19, we encourage you to seek medical advice and contact the Ellis County Health Department for more information. They can be reached at (785) 628-9440.We are committed to providing a safe and healthy educational experience and work environment for all of our students, athletes, and employees. We also endeavor to be a positive service to our community. It is in the interest of those goals that we provide this information out of an abundance of caution.We also want to take this opportunity to remind you that one of our core values as a district is respect for and among our employees and students. We will treat information regarding the identity of employees/students with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 as confidential to the extent feasible and we will comply with applicable laws regarding the handling of such information. Further, per district policy, we will not tolerate harassment of, or discrimination or retaliation against, employees and students.Please contact Corey Burton, Superintendent at (785) 726-4281 if you have any questions or concerns.For more information about COVID-19, please visit the CDC website at:&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Findex.html%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0ka-BIGD9hBW_O9RLpLtXI9dvStESvPiSZdPHeZjdYryW37ZyY1AleAiU&amp;h=AT27S6h1EPT4wSLuf5GXEiuIobSHxU4-uE8puQH8Gdlm3b6_ddDdsX7B4cmyKe5kuJzcz440-MMmdu0XBVf7T7JlvSaJUxY5S_gxJheAjWpf15qggJXJ5lqOlNnGTPIAwjut3NaSI4R47l-dTkp9KdypQ1QDaE5iv2ZOz4Bg7T_DRAXk09CYFIXX_eGtNVyGr3SjSGLOlKWks23gDTHOl8WDt3rGTI-cx5TP6Zx7UeDQbsvXTyrUjmcSLc0y1kNFeHRu1ceTYZ-qxV25K3sksmVAsA6nCoSNn7bvbj7ScjxWdWCs9Yov6gx5JxFEGoALax1oyBs-y8SArPBsck2UX0hu_Chr2L2KKCVLYwqiLOq9uuMAEIi5fjlJT9w5VavPaEPjQhn6Le5ES7nIxSQ92ZGnBXMqSb8ObxI0La3apzE_5RRh1DVd6svUH727k4UED4ZNWMNxYehUa3CicCaKy5fMIhGgmORx972uFD1-f38KqL-gWG-NLJtV4b8Mqav7imRrbeK9QTFII6nP718VyU_374RR1x4NQb89T5p9WPfY2xGWOVoBwpqB_g7h7SzIF7pdgY4LselpohYI-rTiWTFNjZwqXwpOeSWpRvl6EsWT2OpqJfVBlTdbA59In-CS" target="_blank">http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a>— USD 388

Ellis USD 388 staff members in quarantine after COVID-19 exposure

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays school board will have its annual budget hearing at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Rockwell Administration Center.

The proposed budget includes expenditures of $52.4 million compared to actual expenditures of $49.3 million for the 2019-20 school year.&nbsp;

This equals per pupil funding of $5,788 compared to $5,497 per pupil in 2019-20, a 5 percent increase.

The budget proposes a slight decrease in the total mill levy. The proposed mill levy for the 2020-21 budget is 41.175 mills compared to 42.145 mills in the 2019-20 school year.&nbsp;

Eight mills of the total mill levy are dedicated to capital improvements — the same levy for capital improvements as last school year.

Assessed valuation for the district was down from $326.1 million in 2019-20 to $322.9 million in 2020-21.

The school board is also set to approve 3.6 mills for the Hays Recreation Commission. These are pass-through funds.&nbsp;

The budget also includes an approximate&nbsp;2.48 percent raise for both certified and classified staff.&nbsp;

Average pay for full-time teachers in the school district for 2020-21 will be $64,452.

The school board will consider increasing substitute teacher pay in anticipation of a substitute teacher shortage this school year.

Superintendent Ron Wilson told the board at its last meeting Hays has the lowest substitute pay in the area. He said he thought the district would need to increase its pay this year to be competitive.

• The BOE will hear information about possible options&nbsp;for the relocation of The Learning Center after the anticipated sale of the former Washington School in December.

• Hear information about Hays High Tribe Broadcasting expanding their program through a purchase of an FM radio station.

• Discuss and vote on KASB policy changes.

• Hear an update on the district's data center technology network.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays school board will have its annual budget hearing at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Rockwell Administration Center.The proposed budget includes expenditures of $52.4 million compared to actual expenditures of $49.3 million for the 2019-20 school year.&nbsp;This equals per pupil funding of $5,788 compared to $5,497 per pupil in 2019-20, a 5 percent increase.The budget proposes a slight decrease in the total mill levy. The proposed mill levy for the 2020-21 budget is 41.175 mills compared to 42.145 mills in the 2019-20 school year.&nbsp;Eight mills of the total mill levy are dedicated to capital improvements — the same levy for capital improvements as last school year.Assessed valuation for the district was down from $326.1 million in 2019-20 to $322.9 million in 2020-21.The school board is also set to approve 3.6 mills for the Hays Recreation Commission. These are pass-through funds.&nbsp;The budget also includes an approximate&nbsp;2.48 percent raise for both certified and classified staff.&nbsp;Average pay for full-time teachers in the school district for 2020-21 will be $64,452.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598296329679.png" alt="Average salary USD 489" />
 <figcaption>Average salary USD 489</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Substitute teacher pay</h2>The school board will consider increasing substitute teacher pay in anticipation of a substitute teacher shortage this school year.Superintendent Ron Wilson told the board at its last meeting Hays has the lowest substitute pay in the area. He said he thought the district would need to increase its pay this year to be competitive.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598296748685.png" alt="USD 489 substitute pay proposal" />
 <figcaption>USD 489 substitute pay proposal</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Other business</h2>• The BOE will hear information about possible options&nbsp;for the relocation of The Learning Center after the anticipated sale of the former Washington School in December.• Hear information about Hays High Tribe Broadcasting expanding their program through a purchase of an FM radio station.• Discuss and vote on KASB policy changes.• Vote on classified handbook changes.• Hear an update on the district's data center technology network.

Hays USD 489 school board set to consider budget tonight

UPDATED: 1:40 p.m. Monday to include additional information.

The Ellis County Health Department on Monday announced an additional of 72 new COVID-19 cases in the county since Aug. 17 after a reporting error by a Lenexa-based testing company uncovered unreported cases.

"CRL Reference Labs, who is providing testing to FHSU students, was not reporting electronically to the State of Kansas," the health department said in a news release. "From Saturday, Aug.
22, (to) Monday, Aug. 24, ECHD was notified of 483 test results (from all labs) that were completed over
the last week. Of these tests, 72 returned positive for COVID-19."

According to the health department, there are now 98 active cases of coronavirus, with one active hospitalization, and 153 recovered cases. Since reporting began, there have been 252 cases of COVID-19 in the county, including one death.

The department said there was a 700 percent increase in average daily cases from Aug. 12 to Aug. 20 — rising from 1.1 cases per day to nearly 8 a day. The department also said 77 percent of the active cases are age 18 to 24.

"Many of the
new cases have mild to no symptoms, which can make it difficult to control the spread of the virus
through contact tracing and isolation. Everyone needs to take personal precautions to help mitigate the
spread; avoid gathering in groups, especially parties and gatherings where social distancing and the use
of masks is difficult or not enforced. No one is immune to the effects of COVID-19 whether they are
physical, emotional or financial," the department said. "We all desire a return to normal but that can only take place if we all work
together to take simple steps in our personal lives to slow the spread:


Do NOT gather in groups. 
Do social distance. 
Do wash your hands frequently. 
Do wear a mask if you cannot socially distance. 
Do isolate immediately if you feel ill. 
Do call your doctor for questions regarding your symptoms and testing.
Do continue to protect yourself, loved ones and the community."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598291553202.png" alt="Ellis County cases / KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County cases / KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>UPDATED: 1:40 p.m. Monday to include additional information.The Ellis County Health Department on Monday announced an additional of 72 new COVID-19 cases in the county since Aug. 17 after a reporting error by a Lenexa-based testing company uncovered unreported cases."CRL Reference Labs, who is providing testing to FHSU students, was not reporting electronically to the State of Kansas," the health department said in a news release. "From Saturday, Aug.
22, (to) Monday, Aug. 24, ECHD was notified of 483 test results (from all labs) that were completed over
the last week. Of these tests, 72 returned positive for COVID-19."According to the health department, there are now 98 active cases of coronavirus, with one active hospitalization, and 153 recovered cases. Since reporting began, there have been 252 cases of COVID-19 in the county, including one death.The department said there was a 700 percent increase in average daily cases from Aug. 12 to Aug. 20 — rising from 1.1 cases per day to nearly 8 a day. The department also said 77 percent of the active cases are age 18 to 24."Many of the
new cases have mild to no symptoms, which can make it difficult to control the spread of the virus
through contact tracing and isolation. Everyone needs to take personal precautions to help mitigate the
spread; avoid gathering in groups, especially parties and gatherings where social distancing and the use
of masks is difficult or not enforced. No one is immune to the effects of COVID-19 whether they are
physical, emotional or financial," the department said. "We all desire a return to normal but that can only take place if we all work
together to take simple steps in our personal lives to slow the spread:
Do NOT gather in groups. 
Do social distance. 
Do wash your hands frequently. 
Do wear a mask if you cannot socially distance. 
Do isolate immediately if you feel ill. 
Do call your doctor for questions regarding your symptoms and testing.
Do continue to protect yourself, loved ones and the community."Read the entire release below:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598291284419.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598294224201.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

UPDATE: 72 new virus cases identified in Ellis Co. since Aug. 17

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Throughout our lives, certain days hold special meaning. For the Sunset Sinners, Friday was one of those days. 

On
 Friday, the group's newest single, appropriately named "Friday Night," 
was released on Spotify and all streaming services.

"This song
 was a collaboration with us and two very heavy hitter Nashville 
songwriters from Anthem Entertainment/Publishing that we’ve been working
 with -- Randy Montana, who wrote Luke Combs' massive hit song 'Beer 
Never Broke My Heart,' and Blake Chaffin, who has written hits for 
Brantley Gilbert, Logan Mize, Rodney Atkins, and others," said Blake 
Blackim, Sunset Sinners' drummer.

All
 four Sunset Sinners -- Chris Brungardt, Tony Bowell, Brad Johnson, and 
Blackim -- had been in different bands and projects before, Blackim 
said. Blackim had a vision for a new band, one that included the other 
three men, so he brought them together and explained his idea.

"I 
just met with those guys and gave them the vision I had: not only taking
 some cool cover songs and what we call 'Sinnerizing' 'em, so we kind of
 tweak 'em and change 'em up, then writing our own material and 
recording our own material and then just trying to make it as cool as we
 possibly can, play as many cool venues as possible, and just see where 
it goes," he said.

"One thing that had been on my mind, for 
whatever reason, all of a sudden I had a bunch of song ideas that kind 
of fit more of this red dirt country, '70s rock vibe," he continued. 
"And so I named it like its own genre called Whisky Barrel Rock, which 
is kind of a fusion of red dirt country, southern rock, and '70s classic
 rock."

That new genre is also the URL for the band's new website: <a href="https://www.whiskeybarrelrock.com">whiskeybarrelrock.com</a>.

Blackim said the band didn't come together with the idea of making big money.

"The
 music business is a brutal business and a brutal game and it's hard to 
make any real money, so we all have our own regular jobs, but this is 
kind of our passion," said Blackim, president of Midwest Music.

The band began rehearsing two years ago and tossing around ideas for songs to write and record.

"I
 was wanting to write song, and I had a bunch of lyric ideas about 
people getting together, drinking beer, and partying," he said. "There's
 all this political in-fighting, but you know, it's kind of funny 
because when everyone gets together, say on a Friday after work, that 
part goes by the wayside and everyone's together, just hanging out, 
drinking beer, and having a good time." 

That idea was the basis 
for the band's first single and music video, "Always Time For One More 
Beer," which was released last fall.

Blackim credits one of his 
best friends for the title of the song and video. He explained that 
whenever the two of them were out enjoying a few brews together, his 
friend would always be looking at his watch, telling Blackim that he 
needed to get home, only to then decide that he had time for one more 
beer.

"If you think about it, you hear people do that all the 
time," Blackim said. "I'm like 'bam!' That's it! And that was the 
inspiration for the song title."

The "Always Time For One More 
Beer" video, which includes footage from a shoot at The Hideaway with 
several hundred Salina extras, has become quite popular.

"The music video today, which basically has been promoted through 
Facebook, has like 350,000 views now, and that actually grows about 
1,000 to 2,000 views per day," Blackim said. "It's pretty cool to track 
because it really is shared a lot -- we can see who is watching -- 
especially in the deep south of the United States, like Louisiana and 
Alabama, because it's kind of got that swampy southern rock vibe."

What is even more interesting is how the video is trending internationally, he said.

"Also,
 it's gone international, and this is what's kind of cool: it's like 
really big and tracking in Prague and Eastern Europe," Blackim added.

He
 explained that the Sunset Sinners' fan base is made up primarily of 
first responders, military personnel, and motorcycle enthusiasts, 
including motorcycle clubs in Eastern Europe.

Big-time recording contract no longer necessary

It
 used to be that a sign of success for a band was to sign a contract 
with a well-known recording label and head to a recording hotspot such 
as Nashville to make music that would be distributed to the public. 
That's no longer the case.

"The good news-bad news about the music
 industry today is you really don't have to be living in or from 
Nashville or Austin or L.A. You can be from anywhere," Blackim said. 

The Sunset Sinners record locally, at Studio 1117 in Salina, although
 guitarist Chris Brungardt, of Hays, records his guitar parts in his own
 studio and then mixes those with the recording/tracking from Studio 
1117, Blackim said. 

"After that he and I trade the song back and 
forth to swap ideas, tones, phrasing, etc., and listen in multiple 
devices until we think we have it ready for release," Blackim explained.

While
 they do play concerts, when not hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 
Sunset Sinners do not rely on the antiquated method of touring to 
promote themselves and their music. Instead, they rely on social media, 
which, considering their first music video has 350,000 views, seems to 
work well for them.

While a recording contract might not be necessary, the old adage about "who you know" still holds true.

"There's
 a guy in Nashville, a little bit younger than us, named 'Blake' also --
 we call him 'Nashville Blake.' He's been down there about 15 years. 
He's originally from Hays, Kansas. Ironically, my guitar player, Chris, 
used to give him guitar lessons and I used to actually sell him stuff 
when he was a kid," Blackim said. "His parents still live in Hays, but 
he went down to Nashville as a guitar player and song writer and he now 
is a signed publisher with a group called Anthem Entertainment and 
Publishing. They're one of the largest in the world."

Blackim said
 he made arrangements for he and lead singer Tony Bowell to go to Music 
City, U.S.A. to meet with Nashville Blake (Blake Chaffin). 

"At the facility we were at, they (Anthem) have about 26 song writers
 on staff. A lot of times when songs are written, it's very rare that it
 is just one person doing it. It's usually a collaboration of two or 
three people. Sometime the actual artist is involved and a lot of times 
not," Blackim explained.

"They were totally cool with showing us 
around and telling us how the business works. We also spent some time in
 a listening room," he continued. 

After Blackim and Bowell 
returned to Salina, Chaffin called Blackim to discuss a song. Chaffin 
told Blackim that he had a song that no one else had picked up on that 
he thought fit the Sunset Sinners. After listening to the song, Blackim 
asked Chaffin, "why hasn't one of the big boys picked up on this." 
Blackim said that Chaffin replied that he asked himself the same 
question every day.

While the 
song was released on Friday, the band also planned to shoot footage 
for the "Friday Night" music video last weekend, Blackim said. That 
video should be out within the next couple of months, he added.

If you would like to hear the Sunset Sinners' music and watch their videos, head to their <a href="https://www.whiskeybarrelrock.com/">website</a> or their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sunsetsinnerssalina/">Facebook page</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598293191979.jpeg" alt="The Sunset Sinners -- from left, Chris Brungardt, Tony Bowell , Brad Johnson, Blake Blackim -- released their next single, "Friday Night" on Friday. All photos courtesy Blake Blackim, with Salina photos by Jeff Haines Photography" />
 <figcaption>The Sunset Sinners -- from left, Chris Brungardt, Tony Bowell , Brad Johnson, Blake Blackim -- released their next single, "Friday Night" on Friday. All photos courtesy Blake Blackim, with Salina photos by Jeff Haines Photography</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostThroughout our lives, certain days hold special meaning. For the Sunset Sinners, Friday was one of those days. On
 Friday, the group's newest single, appropriately named "Friday Night," 
was released on Spotify and all streaming services."This song
 was a collaboration with us and two very heavy hitter Nashville 
songwriters from Anthem Entertainment/Publishing that we’ve been working
 with -- Randy Montana, who wrote Luke Combs' massive hit song 'Beer 
Never Broke My Heart,' and Blake Chaffin, who has written hits for 
Brantley Gilbert, Logan Mize, Rodney Atkins, and others," said Blake 
Blackim, Sunset Sinners' drummer.Bringing the band togetherAll
 four Sunset Sinners -- Chris Brungardt, Tony Bowell, Brad Johnson, and 
Blackim -- had been in different bands and projects before, Blackim 
said. Blackim had a vision for a new band, one that included the other 
three men, so he brought them together and explained his idea."I 
just met with those guys and gave them the vision I had: not only taking
 some cool cover songs and what we call 'Sinnerizing' 'em, so we kind of
 tweak 'em and change 'em up, then writing our own material and 
recording our own material and then just trying to make it as cool as we
 possibly can, play as many cool venues as possible, and just see where 
it goes," he said."One thing that had been on my mind, for 
whatever reason, all of a sudden I had a bunch of song ideas that kind 
of fit more of this red dirt country, '70s rock vibe," he continued. 
"And so I named it like its own genre called Whisky Barrel Rock, which 
is kind of a fusion of red dirt country, southern rock, and '70s classic
 rock."That new genre is also the URL for the band's new website: <a href="https://www.whiskeybarrelrock.com">whiskeybarrelrock.com</a>.Blackim said the band didn't come together with the idea of making big money."The
 music business is a brutal business and a brutal game and it's hard to 
make any real money, so we all have our own regular jobs, but this is 
kind of our passion," said Blackim, president of Midwest Music.The band began rehearsing two years ago and tossing around ideas for songs to write and record."I
 was wanting to write song, and I had a bunch of lyric ideas about 
people getting together, drinking beer, and partying," he said. "There's
 all this political in-fighting, but you know, it's kind of funny 
because when everyone gets together, say on a Friday after work, that 
part goes by the wayside and everyone's together, just hanging out, 
drinking beer, and having a good time." That idea was the basis 
for the band's first single and music video, "Always Time For One More 
Beer," which was released last fall.Blackim credits one of his 
best friends for the title of the song and video. He explained that 
whenever the two of them were out enjoying a few brews together, his 
friend would always be looking at his watch, telling Blackim that he 
needed to get home, only to then decide that he had time for one more 
beer."If you think about it, you hear people do that all the 
time," Blackim said. "I'm like 'bam!' That's it! And that was the 
inspiration for the song title."The "Always Time For One More 
Beer" video, which includes footage from a shoot at The Hideaway with 
several hundred Salina extras, has become quite popular.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k0VjeSh3co8"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"The music video today, which basically has been promoted through 
Facebook, has like 350,000 views now, and that actually grows about 
1,000 to 2,000 views per day," Blackim said. "It's pretty cool to track 
because it really is shared a lot -- we can see who is watching -- 
especially in the deep south of the United States, like Louisiana and 
Alabama, because it's kind of got that swampy southern rock vibe."What is even more interesting is how the video is trending internationally, he said."Also,
 it's gone international, and this is what's kind of cool: it's like 
really big and tracking in Prague and Eastern Europe," Blackim added.He
 explained that the Sunset Sinners' fan base is made up primarily of 
first responders, military personnel, and motorcycle enthusiasts, 
including motorcycle clubs in Eastern Europe.Big-time recording contract no longer necessaryIt
 used to be that a sign of success for a band was to sign a contract 
with a well-known recording label and head to a recording hotspot such 
as Nashville to make music that would be distributed to the public. 
That's no longer the case."The good news-bad news about the music
 industry today is you really don't have to be living in or from 
Nashville or Austin or L.A. You can be from anywhere," Blackim said. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598293291816.jpeg" alt="Sunset Sinners in Studio 1117" />
 <figcaption>Sunset Sinners in Studio 1117</figcaption>
 </figure>The Sunset Sinners record locally, at Studio 1117 in Salina, although
 guitarist Chris Brungardt, of Hays, records his guitar parts in his own
 studio and then mixes those with the recording/tracking from Studio 
1117, Blackim said. "After that he and I trade the song back and 
forth to swap ideas, tones, phrasing, etc., and listen in multiple 
devices until we think we have it ready for release," Blackim explained.While
 they do play concerts, when not hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 
Sunset Sinners do not rely on the antiquated method of touring to 
promote themselves and their music. Instead, they rely on social media, 
which, considering their first music video has 350,000 views, seems to 
work well for them.Who you knowWhile a recording contract might not be necessary, the old adage about "who you know" still holds true."There's
 a guy in Nashville, a little bit younger than us, named 'Blake' also --
 we call him 'Nashville Blake.' He's been down there about 15 years. 
He's originally from Hays, Kansas. Ironically, my guitar player, Chris, 
used to give him guitar lessons and I used to actually sell him stuff 
when he was a kid," Blackim said. "His parents still live in Hays, but 
he went down to Nashville as a guitar player and song writer and he now 
is a signed publisher with a group called Anthem Entertainment and 
Publishing. They're one of the largest in the world."Blackim said
 he made arrangements for he and lead singer Tony Bowell to go to Music 
City, U.S.A. to meet with Nashville Blake (Blake Chaffin). <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598293322393.jpeg" alt="Tony Bowell, left, and Blake Blackim, right, with Blake Chaffin in the Anthem facility in Nashville." />
 <figcaption>Tony Bowell, left, and Blake Blackim, right, with Blake Chaffin in the Anthem facility in Nashville.</figcaption>
 </figure>"At the facility we were at, they (Anthem) have about 26 song writers
 on staff. A lot of times when songs are written, it's very rare that it
 is just one person doing it. It's usually a collaboration of two or 
three people. Sometime the actual artist is involved and a lot of times 
not," Blackim explained."They were totally cool with showing us 
around and telling us how the business works. We also spent some time in
 a listening room," he continued. After Blackim and Bowell 
returned to Salina, Chaffin called Blackim to discuss a song. Chaffin 
told Blackim that he had a song that no one else had picked up on that 
he thought fit the Sunset Sinners. After listening to the song, Blackim 
asked Chaffin, "why hasn't one of the big boys picked up on this." 
Blackim said that Chaffin replied that he asked himself the same 
question every day.That song was "Friday Night."While the 
song was released on Friday, the band also planned to shoot footage 
for the "Friday Night" music video last weekend, Blackim said. That 
video should be out within the next couple of months, he added.If you would like to hear the Sunset Sinners' music and watch their videos, head to their <a href="https://www.whiskeybarrelrock.com/">website</a> or their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sunsetsinnerssalina/">Facebook page</a>.

📹'Heavy hitter' Nashville songwriters behind latest Sunset Sinners single

Last week's inspection results from the Kansas Department of Agriculture:

Gambino's Pizza - Aug. 20 - 2102 Vine - Hays

A routine inspection found four violations.

Mokas Coffee - Aug. 20 - 1230 27th St. - Hays

A routine inspection found three violations.

Smallcakes - Aug. 20 - 4320 Vine - Hays

A routine inspection found two violations.

Subway - Aug. 20 - 3408 Vine - Hays

A routine inspection found one violation.

Breathe Coffee House - Aug. 19 - 703 B Main St. - Hays

Burger King - Aug. 19 - 1212 Vine - Hays

Last week's inspection results from the Kansas Department of Agriculture:Gambino's Pizza - Aug. 20 - 2102 Vine - HaysA routine inspection found four violations.<ol>
 <li>In the small refrigerated prep-table, there was fully cooked hamburger, tomato sauce, cheese sauce and fully cooked sausage at temperatures from 46-50 F. All other Cold Holding Temperatures are in compliance.</li><li>In the walk-in cooler, there was a container of cut lettuce that had a date of 8/27/20. The product would have been held for eight days instead of seven.</li><li>In the large refrigerated prep-table, there were opened packages of Canadian Bacon, fully cooked hamburger and fully cooked sausage that were date marked for eight days, not seven.</li><li>In the large refrigerated prep-table, there was a container of cut ham with the date of 8-18-20. The product was held over seven days.</li>
 </ol>Mokas Coffee - Aug. 20 - 1230 27th St. - HaysA routine inspection found three violations.<ol>
 <li>In the refrigerated prep-table, there was a container of cut ham with no date of when it was cut.&nbsp;</li><li>In the refrigerated prep-table, there was an opened container of fully cooked veggie burgers with no date of when it was opened.</li><li>In the refrigerated prep-table, there was a non-food grade container that held lettuce.</li>
 </ol>Smallcakes - Aug. 20 - 4320 Vine - HaysA routine inspection found two violations.<ol>
 <li>In the Norlake AdvantEdge single-door refrigerator, there was a container of raw shelled eggs that were being stored on a wire shelf directly above an opened container of milk. No evidence of leaking was observed.</li><li>In the Norlake AdvantEdge single-door refrigerator, there was an opened container of milk with no date of when it was opened.</li>
 </ol>Subway - Aug. 20 - 3408 Vine - HaysA routine inspection found one violation.<ol>
 <li>In the back prep area, the handwashing sink had paper and a cup present in the sink base.&nbsp;</li>
 </ol>Breathe Coffee House - Aug. 19 - 703 B Main St. - HaysA routine inspection found two violations.<ol>
 <li>In the mini-refrigerator, there was a sealed tube of raw sausage that was being stored on a solid glass shelf. The raw sausage was directly above a covered container of cut mushrooms. No evidence of leaking was observed.&nbsp;</li><li>In the middle sink of the three-compartment sink, there was a hose with no backflow prevention device present was hanging below the flood rim of the sink. </li>
 </ol>Burger King - Aug. 19 - 1212 Vine - HaysA routine inspection found two violations.<ol>
 <li>The ice cream machine dairy mixture tested at 51 F. Person in Charge was unsure when it last in temperature. All Other Cold Holding Temperatures are in compliance.</li><li>On the refrigerated cooking line, there was a container of cheese that had no timestamp of when it was removed from the freezer.&nbsp; </li>
 </ol>

Ellis Co. restaurant and lodging inspections 8/17 ⁠–  8/23

After two positive tests last week, there are now confirmed cases of COVID-19 in all 105 Kansas counties.&nbsp;

The northwest Kansas counties of Rawlins and Wallace were the last two counties to report confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Rawlins County announced its first case Tuesday, while Wallace County announced a positive case on Thursday.

After two positive tests last week, there are now confirmed cases of COVID-19 in all 105 Kansas counties.&nbsp;The northwest Kansas counties of Rawlins and Wallace were the last two counties to report confirmed cases of coronavirus.Rawlins County announced its first case Tuesday, while Wallace County announced a positive case on Thursday.Read the releases below:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598295269616.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598295288619.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Rawlins, Wallace counties report first coronavirus cases

Ellis County Joint Planning Commission to reorganize at Aug. 26 meeting

UPDATE: Virtual sessions will be scheduled for Friday. Last chance to sign up.

The Kansas News Service, with the help of <a href="https://www.americaamplified.org/">America Amplified</a>, is looking 
to talk to residents of Hays, Atwood and the surrounding areas about 
what they like about their communities and what could be better, what 
brings them joy and what brings them down. We don’t know your community,
 but you do. And by listening to you, you’ll help the Kansas News 
Service do more informed reporting that matters to all of Kansas – not 
just in the towns with public radio stations. Hays Post and 
Eagle Radio of Hays invite area residents to volunteer to have a short, 
candid discussion with our partners at the Kansas News Service about the
 issues that matter to you. These discussions are not necessarily for stories, but to help northwest Kansas have a voice in the coverage of issues in the coming months and beyond.

To LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD, simply fill out the form 
below.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593547329910.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>UPDATE: Virtual sessions will be scheduled for Friday. Last chance to sign up.Kansas News ServiceThe Kansas News Service, with the help of <a href="https://www.americaamplified.org/">America Amplified</a>, is looking 
to talk to residents of Hays, Atwood and the surrounding areas about 
what they like about their communities and what could be better, what 
brings them joy and what brings them down. We don’t know your community,
 but you do. And by listening to you, you’ll help the Kansas News 
Service do more informed reporting that matters to all of Kansas – not 
just in the towns with public radio stations. Hays Post and 
Eagle Radio of Hays invite area residents to volunteer to have a short, 
candid discussion with our partners at the Kansas News Service about the
 issues that matter to you. These discussions are not necessarily for stories, but to help northwest Kansas have a voice in the coverage of issues in the coming months and beyond. To LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD, simply fill out the form 
below.<div><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7H17KZ22WqiJP8SnG-BrTofJ_QEMGtQDFuoBpDhc03U0EUw/viewform?embedded=true" width="640" height="1119" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading…</iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593553014104.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Kansas News Service wants to hear from NW Kansans

Breathe Coffee House, 703B Main, announced via social media Sunday that it would be closed Monday through Friday this week after a recent rise in cases of COVID-19 in Ellis County.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d8401632-e0ea-4aed-9ca7-aeebfcebc166">Also this weekend, Taco Shop announced it would temporarily close.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598277629574.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Breathe Coffee House, 703B Main, announced via social media Sunday that it would be closed Monday through Friday this week after a recent rise in cases of COVID-19 in Ellis County.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d8401632-e0ea-4aed-9ca7-aeebfcebc166">Also this weekend, Taco Shop announced it would temporarily close.</a>See below for more:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBreatheCoffeeHouse%2Fphotos%2Fa.1040679842637629%2F3303002836405307%2F%3Ftype%3D3&width=500" width="500" height="668" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div>

Downtown Hays coffee shop temporarily closes 

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

KANORADO - With traffic constantly passing behind him on Interstate 70 near Kanorado Thursday, Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, talked about the 50th anniversary of the completion of I-70 in Kansas.&nbsp;

"I-70 is our connection to the world," Billinger told the audience gathered at the Kanorado weigh station. "It's an economic lifeline for Kansas."

 Thursday's celebration near the Kansas/Colorado state line included the unveiling of a replica of signs located on eastbound I-70 highlighting the&nbsp;June 17, 1970 completion.

"I remember as a kid when they started the construction and they put the overpass over the interstate there in&nbsp; Park," he said.

As his family drove on completed sections of the new road, "all of a sudden we'd be back on two-lane, switch back and forth," Billinger recalled.

"I know how appreciative everyone was when the final piece of I-70 (in Kansas) was completed and opened up."

Kansas opened the first section of interstate in the nation on I-70 just west of Topeka on November 14, 1956.

The interstate system was created when the Federal-Aid Highway Act was signed by President Dwight D.&nbsp;Eisenhower, an Abilene native and former World War II general, on June 29, 1956.&nbsp;&nbsp;

His youngest granddaughter, Mary Eisenhower, 64, also attended the ceremony.

Eisenhower joked about the fact that her famous grandfather had a pilot's license, but no driver's license until he left the presidency in 1961 and retired to his farm outside Gettysburg, Penn.

"As a military man he didn't need it and as president he had Secret Service," Eisenhower explained.

The former president eventually did get his driver's license and a car, "but unfortunately, there was still a little bit of military lead left in his foot."

Eisenhower was stopped for speeding numerous times by the Gettysburg police but was as a well-known citizen was given just a warning, his granddaughter said.&nbsp;

"Finally, I remember, the chief of police came to the farm one day for a little visit.&nbsp;

"He and Granddad had a Coke, sat down and chatted. The conclusion of this conversation was that Granddad needed to find a different hobby," Eisenhower said with a smile.

Eisenhower grew up on her grandfather's estate in Pennsylvania which is now designated as&nbsp;Eisenhower National Historic Site.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas has a total of 875 miles of interstate, which carries 24.6% of all travel in the state.

Interstate 70 stretches a total of&nbsp;2,151 miles between Maryland and Utah.

Also attending the event were Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Secretary Brad Loveless.

The ceremony can be viewed on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GlK6MvRV7g">KDOT YouTube channel</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598044581698.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, speaks at Thursday's celebration of the 50-year anniversary of completion of I-70 in Kansas.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, speaks at Thursday's celebration of the 50-year anniversary of completion of I-70 in Kansas.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostKANORADO - With traffic constantly passing behind him on Interstate 70 near Kanorado Thursday, Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, talked about the 50th anniversary of the completion of I-70 in Kansas.&nbsp;"I-70 is our connection to the world," Billinger told the audience gathered at the Kanorado weigh station. "It's an economic lifeline for Kansas." Thursday's celebration near the Kansas/Colorado state line included the unveiling of a replica of signs located on eastbound I-70 highlighting the&nbsp;June 17, 1970 completion.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598025841851.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Billinger grew up near I-70 in Quinter."I remember as a kid when they started the construction and they put the overpass over the interstate there in&nbsp; Park," he said.As his family drove on completed sections of the new road, "all of a sudden we'd be back on two-lane, switch back and forth," Billinger recalled."I know how appreciative everyone was when the final piece of I-70 (in Kansas) was completed and opened up."Kansas opened the first section of interstate in the nation on I-70 just west of Topeka on November 14, 1956.The interstate system was created when the Federal-Aid Highway Act was signed by President Dwight D.&nbsp;Eisenhower, an Abilene native and former World War II general, on June 29, 1956.&nbsp;&nbsp;His youngest granddaughter, Mary Eisenhower, 64, also attended the ceremony.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZLIfcjUnPds"></iframe>
 <figcaption>(Video courtesy of KDOT)</figcaption>
 </figure>Eisenhower joked about the fact that her famous grandfather had a pilot's license, but no driver's license until he left the presidency in 1961 and retired to his farm outside Gettysburg, Penn."As a military man he didn't need it and as president he had Secret Service," Eisenhower explained.The former president eventually did get his driver's license and a car, "but unfortunately, there was still a little bit of military lead left in his foot."Eisenhower was stopped for speeding numerous times by the Gettysburg police but was as a well-known citizen was given just a warning, his granddaughter said.&nbsp;"Finally, I remember, the chief of police came to the farm one day for a little visit.&nbsp;"He and Granddad had a Coke, sat down and chatted. The conclusion of this conversation was that Granddad needed to find a different hobby," Eisenhower said with a smile.Eisenhower grew up on her grandfather's estate in Pennsylvania which is now designated as&nbsp;Eisenhower National Historic Site.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas has a total of 875 miles of interstate, which carries 24.6% of all travel in the state.Interstate 70 stretches a total of&nbsp;2,151 miles between Maryland and Utah.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598045150699.jpeg" alt="

Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger; Mary Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower;&nbsp;Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism&nbsp;Secretary Brad Loveless; and Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz participate in I-70’s 50th&nbsp;anniversary celebration Aug. 20 at the Kanorado weigh station. (Photo courtesy KDOT)" />
 <figcaption>

Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger; Mary Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower;&nbsp;Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism&nbsp;Secretary Brad Loveless; and Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz participate in I-70’s 50th&nbsp;anniversary celebration Aug. 20 at the Kanorado weigh station. (Photo courtesy KDOT)</figcaption>
 </figure>Also attending the event were Kansas Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Secretary Brad Loveless.The ceremony can be viewed on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GlK6MvRV7g">KDOT YouTube channel</a>.&nbsp;

🎥 Billinger remembers I-70 construction 50 years after completion

By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/heres-how-universities-kansas-are-reopening-campuses-during-coronavirus">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA — Some students at public universities in Kansas have, or will yet get, the coronavirus.

Football
 players training over the summer have tested positive. A frat house in 
Manhattan has an outbreak. And some dorm students elsewhere in the state
 have gone from just-unpacked to quarantined.

Schools
 spent the summer preparing. Desks have been moved six feet apart. 
In-person classes are getting cut back. Masks must be worn.

But 
universities know they can’t keep the virus completely off campus. 
Instead they hope to slow the spread. Here’s what happens when a Kansas 
student comes down with COVID-19 symptoms and what information public 
colleges in the state will — and won’t — share.

For
 university students, getting tested is as simple as stopping by the 
school’s health center — just make sure to call ahead first. Centers 
want time to don their protective equipment, but they expect to get 
students in same-day.

Before testing, universities screen 
students for other potential causes of their symptoms. Emporia State 
University says most of the students it’s seen asking for tests at its 
wellness center had nothing more than a common illness like strep 
throat.

“We get so focused on all COVID all the time and, what do
 you know, strep throat still happens,” said Mary McDaniel Anschutz, the
 director of Emporia State’s wellness center.

The universities 
promise a much faster turnaround time than the five-to-seven-days wait 
time off campus. Kansas State University and Emporia State have antigen 
tests, which produces results in twenty minutes. But because those are 
more likely to produce false positives, universities are also partnering
 with labs for other tests to get results between one and three days.

Depending
 on which school a student goes to, they have already been tested before
 they got to campus. Pittsburg State University required athletes and 
students moving on campus to get tested — as of Tuesday, 15 of 756 
tested students were positive for the virus. The University of Kansas 
requires testing for students living off campus, too.

Other 
schools did not require testing before classes started because the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend entry 
testing.

Students who test 
positive are required to quarantine. Some universities have set aside 
special dorms and floors for infected students to stay on campus. Fort 
Hays State University has both dorms and hotel rooms set aside. 
Pittsburg State students living on campus will be quarantined at a spot 
in the city off campus.

“We’re following up personally every 
single day with every student who’s isolated or quarantined,” said 
Pittsburg State spokeswoman Abigail Fern.

And if your roommate gets a positive test, you’ll also be isolated in a separate living area, even if you don’t have symptoms.

Wichita
 State does not provide separate housing for students who test positive.
 Instead, the students are expected to stay in their dorms and limit 
their use of common spaces.

Schools
 are mostly hands-off when it comes to contact tracing. That 
responsibility falls on public health departments — assuming they get 
the infected student’s permission first.

A recently passed Kansas law lets people opt out of contact tracing.

Even
 if the students agree, their classmates are unlikely to find out 
someone in their class tested positive. Universities said that’s because
 sharing a class doesn’t count as close contact, defined as being within
 six feet for more than 10 minutes. The schools are keeping students 
seated six feet apart.

Universities are still deciding if they’ll
 publicly release the number of coronavirus cases on campus and how 
often. K-State says it’s working on a website but doesn’t know how often
 it’ll be updated. Fort Hays says it’s compiling daily internal reports 
on case numbers, but is still figuring out what it will share.

Wichita
 State does not currently plan on releasing case numbers for its campus.
 The school says because so many of its students are commuters, the 
Sedgwick County infection data will reveal more about the campus 
community than positive cases found on campus.

“We’re smack in 
the middle of Wichita,” said Camille Childers, the director of Wichita 
State’s student health services. “The Sedgwick County data is more 
reflective of us.”

Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/stevebisaha">@SteveBisaha</a> or email him at bisaha@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598021350221.png" alt=" Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service " />
 <figcaption> Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service </figcaption>
 </figure>By STEPHAN BISAHA <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/heres-how-universities-kansas-are-reopening-campuses-during-coronavirus">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA — Some students at public universities in Kansas have, or will yet get, the coronavirus.Football
 players training over the summer have tested positive. A frat house in 
Manhattan has an outbreak. And some dorm students elsewhere in the state
 have gone from just-unpacked to quarantined.Schools
 spent the summer preparing. Desks have been moved six feet apart. 
In-person classes are getting cut back. Masks must be worn.But 
universities know they can’t keep the virus completely off campus. 
Instead they hope to slow the spread. Here’s what happens when a Kansas 
student comes down with COVID-19 symptoms and what information public 
colleges in the state will — and won’t — share.<h2>Getting tested</h2>For
 university students, getting tested is as simple as stopping by the 
school’s health center — just make sure to call ahead first. Centers 
want time to don their protective equipment, but they expect to get 
students in same-day.Before testing, universities screen 
students for other potential causes of their symptoms. Emporia State 
University says most of the students it’s seen asking for tests at its 
wellness center had nothing more than a common illness like strep 
throat.“We get so focused on all COVID all the time and, what do
 you know, strep throat still happens,” said Mary McDaniel Anschutz, the
 director of Emporia State’s wellness center.The universities 
promise a much faster turnaround time than the five-to-seven-days wait 
time off campus. Kansas State University and Emporia State have antigen 
tests, which produces results in twenty minutes. But because those are 
more likely to produce false positives, universities are also partnering
 with labs for other tests to get results between one and three days.Depending
 on which school a student goes to, they have already been tested before
 they got to campus. Pittsburg State University required athletes and 
students moving on campus to get tested — as of Tuesday, 15 of 756 
tested students were positive for the virus. The University of Kansas 
requires testing for students living off campus, too.Other 
schools did not require testing before classes started because the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend entry 
testing.<h2>Quarantining</h2>Students who test 
positive are required to quarantine. Some universities have set aside 
special dorms and floors for infected students to stay on campus. Fort 
Hays State University has both dorms and hotel rooms set aside. 
Pittsburg State students living on campus will be quarantined at a spot 
in the city off campus.“We’re following up personally every 
single day with every student who’s isolated or quarantined,” said 
Pittsburg State spokeswoman Abigail Fern.And if your roommate gets a positive test, you’ll also be isolated in a separate living area, even if you don’t have symptoms.Wichita
 State does not provide separate housing for students who test positive.
 Instead, the students are expected to stay in their dorms and limit 
their use of common spaces.<h2>Tracing And transparency</h2>Schools
 are mostly hands-off when it comes to contact tracing. That 
responsibility falls on public health departments — assuming they get 
the infected student’s permission first.A recently passed Kansas law lets people opt out of contact tracing.Even
 if the students agree, their classmates are unlikely to find out 
someone in their class tested positive. Universities said that’s because
 sharing a class doesn’t count as close contact, defined as being within
 six feet for more than 10 minutes. The schools are keeping students 
seated six feet apart.Universities are still deciding if they’ll
 publicly release the number of coronavirus cases on campus and how 
often. K-State says it’s working on a website but doesn’t know how often
 it’ll be updated. Fort Hays says it’s compiling daily internal reports 
on case numbers, but is still figuring out what it will share.Wichita
 State does not currently plan on releasing case numbers for its campus.
 The school says because so many of its students are commuters, the 
Sedgwick County infection data will reveal more about the campus 
community than positive cases found on campus.“We’re smack in 
the middle of Wichita,” said Camille Childers, the director of Wichita 
State’s student health services. “The Sedgwick County data is more 
reflective of us.”Stephan Bisaha reports on education and young adult life for the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/stevebisaha">@SteveBisaha</a> or email him at bisaha@kmuw.org.

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