The often challenging process of transiting to college just got a lot easier for transfer and military connected students at Fort Hays State University.

As part of an initiative funded through the university’s Strategic Enrollment Planning (SEP) process, a new Transfer &amp; Military Center opened this summer in time for the fall 2020 semester. Led by director Erica Fisher, the work of the center’s staff focuses on serving&nbsp;transfer and military students even before they apply via&nbsp;a quicker, and more personalized experience.

“The Transfer &amp; Military Center provides prospective students with a seamless transition to FHSU,” Fisher said. “We are dedicated to creating innovative pathways and partnerships to enhance the success of our transfer and military-connected students.”

Assistant Director and Navy veteran Kelsi Broadway, formerly the military student success specialist for FHSU Online, will assist military connected students by evaluating&nbsp;their transfer credits and military experience to determine how it can apply as credits towards FHSU majors and programs of study.

“Navigating military and veteran’s services bureaucracies and getting to the right benefits and services information can be a challenge,” Broadway said. “Our new center offers military, veteran and transfer students a one-stop resource for unofficial transcript analysis, personalized student support, and onboarding services”

Transfer Success Coach, Holly Rebel, provides similar services for our prospective transfer student populations. Students can request these services prior to submitting their application to FHSU.

Dr. Seth Kastle, an assistant professor of leadership studies, who also serves as the university’s director of military program innovation, was instrumental in the creation of the center.&nbsp;

“A few years ago, I was working on the idea of a military center, and Erica was working on establishing a transfer center,” Kastle said. “Through the SEP process, our ideas were merged. We’re in a great place to go this route because we have the infrastructure in place to significantly improve the quality of services we provide to non-traditional students.”

Kastle is well aware of the challenges military students can face. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army whose record of military service includes two tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq.&nbsp;

“Non-traditional students tend to approach selecting a college very differently than traditional students.&nbsp; They tend to be at a point in their lives where the need to balance work and family commitments plays a major role in their decision-making process,” Kastle said. “I think our students will really benefit from the support network our new center provides.”

More information about the center can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsu.edu/transfer-military-center.">https://fhsu.edu/transfer-military-center.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597343214410.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsThe often challenging process of transiting to college just got a lot easier for transfer and military connected students at Fort Hays State University.As part of an initiative funded through the university’s Strategic Enrollment Planning (SEP) process, a new Transfer &amp; Military Center opened this summer in time for the fall 2020 semester. Led by director Erica Fisher, the work of the center’s staff focuses on serving&nbsp;transfer and military students even before they apply via&nbsp;a quicker, and more personalized experience.“The Transfer &amp; Military Center provides prospective students with a seamless transition to FHSU,” Fisher said. “We are dedicated to creating innovative pathways and partnerships to enhance the success of our transfer and military-connected students.”Assistant Director and Navy veteran Kelsi Broadway, formerly the military student success specialist for FHSU Online, will assist military connected students by evaluating&nbsp;their transfer credits and military experience to determine how it can apply as credits towards FHSU majors and programs of study.“Navigating military and veteran’s services bureaucracies and getting to the right benefits and services information can be a challenge,” Broadway said. “Our new center offers military, veteran and transfer students a one-stop resource for unofficial transcript analysis, personalized student support, and onboarding services”Transfer Success Coach, Holly Rebel, provides similar services for our prospective transfer student populations. Students can request these services prior to submitting their application to FHSU.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597343285184.jpeg" alt="Dr. Seth Kastle" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Seth Kastle</figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Seth Kastle, an assistant professor of leadership studies, who also serves as the university’s director of military program innovation, was instrumental in the creation of the center.&nbsp;“A few years ago, I was working on the idea of a military center, and Erica was working on establishing a transfer center,” Kastle said. “Through the SEP process, our ideas were merged. We’re in a great place to go this route because we have the infrastructure in place to significantly improve the quality of services we provide to non-traditional students.”Kastle is well aware of the challenges military students can face. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army whose record of military service includes two tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq.&nbsp;“Non-traditional students tend to approach selecting a college very differently than traditional students.&nbsp; They tend to be at a point in their lives where the need to balance work and family commitments plays a major role in their decision-making process,” Kastle said. “I think our students will really benefit from the support network our new center provides.”More information about the center can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsu.edu/transfer-military-center.">https://fhsu.edu/transfer-military-center.</a>

FHSU launches Transfer & Military Center

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

Davenport, Florida: A specialty package of Fresh Seven Coffee arrives to a customer. This coffee was carefully selected and roasted by a family halfway across the continent in rural Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Last week we met Heidi Plumb and Kale Dankenbring, who made a trip around the globe as newlyweds. They had met in Arizona. Kale worked in information technology and ran a motorcycle shop on the side.&nbsp;

Heidi worked at a roastery in Phoenix and learned the science of coffee production and roasting. “We just love coffee,” she said.&nbsp;

While traveling, Kale and Heidi were at a community coffee shop in India and got to talking about having a coffee shop of their own back in the United States. Kale suggested his hometown of St. Francis where there was an abandoned building for sale. Through Kale’s dad, they bought the building sight unseen, thinking this could serve as a place for their coffee roastery and motorcycle shop.&nbsp;

In 2012, they made their way back to St. Francis. “When Kale first stepped into that building, I think he almost cried,” Heidi said. “The building was an absolute mess, needing a new roof and much, much more.”&nbsp;

Over several months, they cleaned up the building and built an apartment in the back.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Maybe our trip overseas prepared us for living in an abandoned building, because we had stayed in some pretty tough places (overseas),” Heidi said.&nbsp;

After cleaning out the building and constructing their apartment and motorcycle shop, they fixed up a trailer where they could serve coffee. The trailer would later be moved into another abandoned building which they purchased and repaired.&nbsp;

Based on Heidi’s experience, Kale and Heidi committed to high-quality coffee that would be produced, harvested, roasted and served in a special way.&nbsp;

They wanted coffee which was harvested by hand while in season, as opposed to mass quantities and mixed quality of coffee that are harvested mechanically. Kale and Heidi worked with a buyer who sources such high-quality coffee around the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Every country of origin has a season. We could geek out about coffee, it’s almost like wine,” Heidi said with a smile. Bean lots are assigned cupping scores, and Fresh Seven Coffee buys only beans with a high cupping score. Only subtropical climates and high elevations are suitable for producing coffee. Fresh Seven Coffee sources its beans from carefully selected sites in Ethiopia, Brazil, Guatemala, Peru and India.&nbsp;

Once the coffee beans reach Kale and Heidi, they hand-roast the coffee in small batches each day and commit to serve it within seven days of roasting. That was why they named their shop Fresh Seven Coffee.&nbsp;

“Our coffee is very fresh, and people can tell the difference,” Heidi said. “Our customers say, ‘Oh, this isn’t bitter.’ It makes a world of difference in the taste.”&nbsp;

Fresh Seven Coffee has branched out over time. The company sells its roasted coffee wholesale in addition to retail service. A recent batch went to Florida, for example.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In response to consumer demand, Fresh Seven Coffee has evolved into a hand-crafted espresso and cocktail bar, café and community center. Breakfast and lunch are offered Monday through Friday. “We get everything we can locally, like beef, bacon, eggs and some vegetables,” Heidi said.&nbsp;

During the pandemic, the store provided curbside service, carryout and free delivery.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our customers were so supportive,” Heidi said. “That’s one of the cool things about being in a small community.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

St. Francis is a northwestern Kansas community of 1,329 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

Customer reviews include comments such as: “The atmosphere of the establishment is a standalone masterpiece of the plains,” and “I may have had the best iced coffee of my life here.”&nbsp;

For more information, go to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freshsevencoffee.com/">Fresh Seven Coffee website</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It’s time to leave Florida, where a package of hand-selected and hand-roasted coffee was recently delivered. We commend Kale Dankenbring and Heidi Plumb for having such a strong commitment to quality in their coffee. It can make a world of difference.&nbsp;

And there’s more. What about Kale’s motorcycle shop? We’ll learn about that next week.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597244800938.png" alt="Screen Shot 2020-08-12 at 10.06.26 AM.png" />
 <figcaption>Screen Shot 2020-08-12 at 10.06.26 AM.png</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural DevelopmentDavenport, Florida: A specialty package of Fresh Seven Coffee arrives to a customer. This coffee was carefully selected and roasted by a family halfway across the continent in rural Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Last week we met Heidi Plumb and Kale Dankenbring, who made a trip around the globe as newlyweds. They had met in Arizona. Kale worked in information technology and ran a motorcycle shop on the side.&nbsp;Heidi worked at a roastery in Phoenix and learned the science of coffee production and roasting. “We just love coffee,” she said.&nbsp;While traveling, Kale and Heidi were at a community coffee shop in India and got to talking about having a coffee shop of their own back in the United States. Kale suggested his hometown of St. Francis where there was an abandoned building for sale. Through Kale’s dad, they bought the building sight unseen, thinking this could serve as a place for their coffee roastery and motorcycle shop.&nbsp;In 2012, they made their way back to St. Francis. “When Kale first stepped into that building, I think he almost cried,” Heidi said. “The building was an absolute mess, needing a new roof and much, much more.”&nbsp;Over several months, they cleaned up the building and built an apartment in the back.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Maybe our trip overseas prepared us for living in an abandoned building, because we had stayed in some pretty tough places (overseas),” Heidi said.&nbsp;After cleaning out the building and constructing their apartment and motorcycle shop, they fixed up a trailer where they could serve coffee. The trailer would later be moved into another abandoned building which they purchased and repaired.&nbsp;Based on Heidi’s experience, Kale and Heidi committed to high-quality coffee that would be produced, harvested, roasted and served in a special way.&nbsp;They wanted coffee which was harvested by hand while in season, as opposed to mass quantities and mixed quality of coffee that are harvested mechanically. Kale and Heidi worked with a buyer who sources such high-quality coffee around the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Every country of origin has a season. We could geek out about coffee, it’s almost like wine,” Heidi said with a smile. Bean lots are assigned cupping scores, and Fresh Seven Coffee buys only beans with a high cupping score. Only subtropical climates and high elevations are suitable for producing coffee. Fresh Seven Coffee sources its beans from carefully selected sites in Ethiopia, Brazil, Guatemala, Peru and India.&nbsp;Once the coffee beans reach Kale and Heidi, they hand-roast the coffee in small batches each day and commit to serve it within seven days of roasting. That was why they named their shop Fresh Seven Coffee.&nbsp;“Our coffee is very fresh, and people can tell the difference,” Heidi said. “Our customers say, ‘Oh, this isn’t bitter.’ It makes a world of difference in the taste.”&nbsp;Fresh Seven Coffee has branched out over time. The company sells its roasted coffee wholesale in addition to retail service. A recent batch went to Florida, for example.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In response to consumer demand, Fresh Seven Coffee has evolved into a hand-crafted espresso and cocktail bar, café and community center. Breakfast and lunch are offered Monday through Friday. “We get everything we can locally, like beef, bacon, eggs and some vegetables,” Heidi said.&nbsp;During the pandemic, the store provided curbside service, carryout and free delivery.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our customers were so supportive,” Heidi said. “That’s one of the cool things about being in a small community.”&nbsp;&nbsp;St. Francis is a northwestern Kansas community of 1,329 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;Customer reviews include comments such as: “The atmosphere of the establishment is a standalone masterpiece of the plains,” and “I may have had the best iced coffee of my life here.”&nbsp;For more information, go to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freshsevencoffee.com/">Fresh Seven Coffee website</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s time to leave Florida, where a package of hand-selected and hand-roasted coffee was recently delivered. We commend Kale Dankenbring and Heidi Plumb for having such a strong commitment to quality in their coffee. It can make a world of difference.&nbsp;And there’s more. What about Kale’s motorcycle shop? We’ll learn about that next week.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Fresh Seven Coffee, St. Francis

Three-day weather outlook

For First Amendment freedoms in recent weeks, it has been one step 
forward, two steps back and at best a draw — and we should be praising 
the progress and mad as hell about the setbacks.

The ink was not yet dry on U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon’s
 July 23 temporary restraining order in Portland, Ore., protecting the 
free press covering demonstrations when in Seattle, a state judge told 
five local news operations to turn over to police unpublished news 
photos and video.

Simon’s temporary restraining order banned federal officers deployed 
in Portland from targeting journalists (and legal observers) and 
excluded reporters from police orders to demonstrators to disperse.

On that same day, King County Superior Court Judge Nelson Lee
 in Seattle ordered reporters there to turn over unpublished materials, 
citing a “compelling public interest” in searching for several stolen 
weapons. Lee’s order effectively would turn journalists at those five 
outlets into unwilling police investigators and sources.

Such a transformation harms the First Amendment’s free press 
protection by making a shambles of reporters’ real-time ability to fully
 gather the news on behalf of the public and to serve as a public 
witness to the actions of police. Not incidentally, in violent 
situations it may well paint a target on the backs of reporters, 
photographers and television video crews if they are seen by some as 
just another extension of law enforcement.

No word yet if those news operations targeted by Lee’s order will 
appeal — but yet another danger in allowing it to stand unchallenged is 
that it may embolden other jurists to chip away at the First Amendment’s
 free press shield, as if there is no “compelling public interest” in 
protecting the watchdogs on government from being turned into government
 lapdogs.

Just a few days later, we learned from ProPublica that at least a 
dozen protesters arrested in recent weeks were released from jail only 
if they agreed not to join demonstrations — some within city or state 
limits, and anywhere for others — while they await trials on federal 
misdemeanor charges.

The ProPublica report noted that many of those arrested had been 
jailed for more than 10 days before being presented with the option of 
“voluntarily” signing away their First Amendment right to assembly. 
Critics contend the requirement violates the First Amendment in any 
number of ways, including not limiting the ban to a specific place (such
 as the federal courthouse, which has been the scene of several violent 
incidents) or for failing to specify a limited period of time.

And to cap it all, we now know via news reports, beginning with The Washington Post,
 that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had been covertly 
compiling intelligence reports on journalists reporting on the protests 
in Portland and had intercepted some internet communications between 
demonstrators.

Late last week, DHS announced that as a result of the reports, it has reassigned Brian Murphy,
 its top intelligence official. Murphy had previously denied (to 
Congress) that his office had access to protesters’ devices and 
messages, according to the Post. 

“In no way does the acting secretary (Chad Wolf) 
condone this practice and he has immediately ordered an inquiry,” a 
department spokesman said Friday in a&nbsp;statement. “The acting secretary 
is committed to ensuring that all DHS personnel uphold the principles of
 professionalism, impartiality and respect for civil rights and civil 
liberties, particularly as it relates to the exercise of First Amendment
 rights.”

Given DHS’ announced steps, the DHS flap is neither a win nor loss, 
but a draw if an isolated overreach by one official, and not a covert 
and wider department practice — which, by the way, will be the focus of a
 new U.S. House committee investigation.

Government faces the uphill burden of proving that any limit or 
intrusion on our freedoms is justified by facts, not mere suspicion or 
political gain, and any such limit must be the narrowest possible 
intrusion on those rights, for the shortest period of time.

Our core freedoms ought not be viewed as just one option to be voided
 to help police, nor as government favors to be placed on a negotiating 
table, particularly when citizens are compelled to choose to surrender 
them to obtain some beneficial government action, such as pre-trial 
release.

Regardless of how any of us view the purpose and impact of ongoing 
demonstrations by various groups nationwide, First Amendment rights 
ought to be a non-partisan rallying point in defense of those freedoms.

And one out of three and a draw should not be a satisfying constitutional outcome for any of us.

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>For First Amendment freedoms in recent weeks, it has been one step 
forward, two steps back and at best a draw — and we should be praising 
the progress and mad as hell about the setbacks.The ink was not yet dry on U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon’s
 July 23 temporary restraining order in Portland, Ore., protecting the 
free press covering demonstrations when in Seattle, a state judge told 
five local news operations to turn over to police unpublished news 
photos and video.Simon’s temporary restraining order banned federal officers deployed 
in Portland from targeting journalists (and legal observers) and 
excluded reporters from police orders to demonstrators to disperse.On that same day, King County Superior Court Judge Nelson Lee
 in Seattle ordered reporters there to turn over unpublished materials, 
citing a “compelling public interest” in searching for several stolen 
weapons. Lee’s order effectively would turn journalists at those five 
outlets into unwilling police investigators and sources.Such a transformation harms the First Amendment’s free press 
protection by making a shambles of reporters’ real-time ability to fully
 gather the news on behalf of the public and to serve as a public 
witness to the actions of police. Not incidentally, in violent 
situations it may well paint a target on the backs of reporters, 
photographers and television video crews if they are seen by some as 
just another extension of law enforcement.No word yet if those news operations targeted by Lee’s order will 
appeal — but yet another danger in allowing it to stand unchallenged is 
that it may embolden other jurists to chip away at the First Amendment’s
 free press shield, as if there is no “compelling public interest” in 
protecting the watchdogs on government from being turned into government
 lapdogs.Just a few days later, we learned from ProPublica that at least a 
dozen protesters arrested in recent weeks were released from jail only 
if they agreed not to join demonstrations — some within city or state 
limits, and anywhere for others — while they await trials on federal 
misdemeanor charges.The ProPublica report noted that many of those arrested had been 
jailed for more than 10 days before being presented with the option of 
“voluntarily” signing away their First Amendment right to assembly. 
Critics contend the requirement violates the First Amendment in any 
number of ways, including not limiting the ban to a specific place (such
 as the federal courthouse, which has been the scene of several violent 
incidents) or for failing to specify a limited period of time.And to cap it all, we now know via news reports, beginning with The Washington Post,
 that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had been covertly 
compiling intelligence reports on journalists reporting on the protests 
in Portland and had intercepted some internet communications between 
demonstrators.Late last week, DHS announced that as a result of the reports, it has reassigned Brian Murphy,
 its top intelligence official. Murphy had previously denied (to 
Congress) that his office had access to protesters’ devices and 
messages, according to the Post. “In no way does the acting secretary (Chad Wolf) 
condone this practice and he has immediately ordered an inquiry,” a 
department spokesman said Friday in a&nbsp;statement. “The acting secretary 
is committed to ensuring that all DHS personnel uphold the principles of
 professionalism, impartiality and respect for civil rights and civil 
liberties, particularly as it relates to the exercise of First Amendment
 rights.”Given DHS’ announced steps, the DHS flap is neither a win nor loss, 
but a draw if an isolated overreach by one official, and not a covert 
and wider department practice — which, by the way, will be the focus of a
 new U.S. House committee investigation.Government faces the uphill burden of proving that any limit or 
intrusion on our freedoms is justified by facts, not mere suspicion or 
political gain, and any such limit must be the narrowest possible 
intrusion on those rights, for the shortest period of time.Our core freedoms ought not be viewed as just one option to be voided
 to help police, nor as government favors to be placed on a negotiating 
table, particularly when citizens are compelled to choose to surrender 
them to obtain some beneficial government action, such as pre-trial 
release.Regardless of how any of us view the purpose and impact of ongoing 
demonstrations by various groups nationwide, First Amendment rights 
ought to be a non-partisan rallying point in defense of those freedoms.And one out of three and a draw should not be a satisfying constitutional outcome for any of us.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: Freedom watch — one step forward, two back and a draw

It has been a very challenging summer when it comes to controlling weeds in fallow and wheat stubble fields.  While timely rains have been great for fall crops, they have made staying ahead of the weeds very difficult. About the time you get ready to do an herbicide application it rains again keeping the sprayer out of the field for a few more days. 

For producers using tillage to control weeds its even been worse.  In many parts of the state there has been very few days where field conditions have been dry enough to do any sort of tillage operation.  If a rain occurred shortly after the field was worked the weeds just re-rooted and kept growing.

Combine that with a growing list of weeds that are now resistant to several different types of herbicides it makes you wonder if we’ll ever get a handle on effective weed control in these fallow cropping systems.   

One weed control strategy that many times gets overlooked, and certainly underutilized, is planting cover crops during the fallow periods of the rotation.  

Cover crops provide weed management benefits in several different ways.  Many small seeded weed species, like kochia, palmer amaranth and other pigweed species need sunlight for seedlings to emerge. Living cover crops, or the residue that is left after it is terminated, reduces the sunlight reaching the soil surface thus reducing the number of weeds that come up.  Cover crops also compete with weeds for moisture, nutrients and sunlight keeping the weeds in a weak, easy to kill condition, or preventing them from coming up at all.  Some cover crop species, like rye and some brassicas, control weeds through a process called allelopathy.  This is where decaying residue release chemicals that inhibit the germination of weed seeds.  

Here are a few strategies to consider when utilizing cover crops for weed suppression in dryland cropping systems.

* Know what your problem weeds are and get the cover crops well established before those weeds emerge.  For western Kansas most of the time those weeds are going to be kochia and palmer amaranth.  Kochia comes up early in the spring, so to get ahead of this weed a cover crop needs to be planted as soon as possible after the fall crops are harvested or very early in the spring.  If time allows a fall seeding is the preferred method, but once it gets to about October 25th, I would delay the planting to early spring in mid to late February.  

* Select species that grow aggressively and shade the ground quickly and provide a mat  biomass on the soil surface once the cover crop is terminated.  For a late fall or early spring planting cereal grains like rye, triticale, barley, oats and wheat work well.  For a summer mix that is planted after wheat harvest, forage sorghums, sorghum sudans and millets are good species to use.  Brassicas like turnips and radishes can also provide a fair amount of biomass before freezing out.  

* Take advantage of the allelopathy effect some species, like rye provide.  This process works like using a preemergent herbicide.  Once the cover crop is terminated, chemicals are released from the decomposing plant residue that inhibit weeds seeds from germinating.  This works well in controlling palmer amaranth when terminating a cereal grain cover crop right around the time it is heading in early to mid-May.  

* Terminate the cover crop early if there is a persistent dry period and the long-term weather forecast is not favorable for adequate moisture to replenish the soil profile.  The key to making cover crops work in these dryland fallow systems is for the cover crop to utilize the moisture we would lose anyway through evaporation, runoff and transpiration through weeds, but still leave adequate soil moisture for the next cash crop.  

* Always look at the economic side of things and compare your current weed control cost and what it will cost to incorporate cover crops into your system.  Herbicide applications can get pricey and many times don’t work well.  Multiple tillage operations can also add up to a substantial amount of money.  

Cover crops can help with weed suppression, but they are not a “silver bullet.” They are just another tool in the toolbox, that along with other weed control measures, can help in controlling weeds more effectively.  

Dale Younker is a Soil Health Specialist at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services office in Jetmore.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593956642758.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>It has been a very challenging summer when it comes to controlling weeds in fallow and wheat stubble fields. While timely rains have been great for fall crops, they have made staying ahead of the weeds very difficult. About the time you get ready to do an herbicide application it rains again keeping the sprayer out of the field for a few more days. For producers using tillage to control weeds its even been worse. In many parts of the state there has been very few days where field conditions have been dry enough to do any sort of tillage operation. If a rain occurred shortly after the field was worked the weeds just re-rooted and kept growing.Combine that with a growing list of weeds that are now resistant to several different types of herbicides it makes you wonder if we’ll ever get a handle on effective weed control in these fallow cropping systems. One weed control strategy that many times gets overlooked, and certainly underutilized, is planting cover crops during the fallow periods of the rotation. Cover crops provide weed management benefits in several different ways. Many small seeded weed species, like kochia, palmer amaranth and other pigweed species need sunlight for seedlings to emerge. Living cover crops, or the residue that is left after it is terminated, reduces the sunlight reaching the soil surface thus reducing the number of weeds that come up. Cover crops also compete with weeds for moisture, nutrients and sunlight keeping the weeds in a weak, easy to kill condition, or preventing them from coming up at all. Some cover crop species, like rye and some brassicas, control weeds through a process called allelopathy. This is where decaying residue release chemicals that inhibit the germination of weed seeds. Here are a few strategies to consider when utilizing cover crops for weed suppression in dryland cropping systems.* Know what your problem weeds are and get the cover crops well established before those weeds emerge. For western Kansas most of the time those weeds are going to be kochia and palmer amaranth. Kochia comes up early in the spring, so to get ahead of this weed a cover crop needs to be planted as soon as possible after the fall crops are harvested or very early in the spring. If time allows a fall seeding is the preferred method, but once it gets to about October 25th, I would delay the planting to early spring in mid to late February. * Select species that grow aggressively and shade the ground quickly and provide a mat biomass on the soil surface once the cover crop is terminated. For a late fall or early spring planting cereal grains like rye, triticale, barley, oats and wheat work well. For a summer mix that is planted after wheat harvest, forage sorghums, sorghum sudans and millets are good species to use. Brassicas like turnips and radishes can also provide a fair amount of biomass before freezing out. * Take advantage of the allelopathy effect some species, like rye provide. This process works like using a preemergent herbicide. Once the cover crop is terminated, chemicals are released from the decomposing plant residue that inhibit weeds seeds from germinating. This works well in controlling palmer amaranth when terminating a cereal grain cover crop right around the time it is heading in early to mid-May. * Terminate the cover crop early if there is a persistent dry period and the long-term weather forecast is not favorable for adequate moisture to replenish the soil profile. The key to making cover crops work in these dryland fallow systems is for the cover crop to utilize the moisture we would lose anyway through evaporation, runoff and transpiration through weeds, but still leave adequate soil moisture for the next cash crop. * Always look at the economic side of things and compare your current weed control cost and what it will cost to incorporate cover crops into your system. Herbicide applications can get pricey and many times don’t work well. Multiple tillage operations can also add up to a substantial amount of money. Cover crops can help with weed suppression, but they are not a “silver bullet.” They are just another tool in the toolbox, that along with other weed control measures, can help in controlling weeds more effectively. Dale Younker is a Soil Health Specialist at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services office in Jetmore.&nbsp;

YOUNKER: Using cover crops for weed suppression

RAWLINS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 3a.m. Saturday in Rawlins County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 International Semi driven by Colbert Servil, 42, Orlando, FL., was eastbound on U.S. 36 seven miles east of Atwood.

The semi left the roadway to the right, traveled eastbound through the south ditch, came back on the roadway and then left the roadway to the left. 

The driver attempted to steer back on to the roadway causing the semi to overturn on to the driver’s side. 

EMS transported Servil to Rawlins County Health Center. The passenger in the sleeper was not injured. Servil was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

RAWLINS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 3a.m. Saturday in Rawlins County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 International Semi driven by Colbert Servil, 42, Orlando, FL., was eastbound on U.S. 36 seven miles east of Atwood.The semi left the roadway to the right, traveled eastbound through the south ditch, came back on the roadway and then left the roadway to the left. The driver attempted to steer back on to the roadway causing the semi to overturn on to the driver’s side. EMS transported Servil to Rawlins County Health Center. The passenger in the sleeper was not injured. Servil was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Driver hospitalized after semi overturns in NW Kansas

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A Democratic write-in candidate for Ellis County Clerk will not be on the general election ballot in November.

Local attorney John Bird, who spoke on behalf of write-in candidate Laura Allen, suggested at the canvas meeting Thursday night the law on write-in candidates should be interpreted as any candidate in the primary receiving 5 percent or more of their own party should be placed on the general election ballot.&nbsp;

County Clerk Donna Maskus said she had already checked with the Kansas Secretary of State's Office, which stated a write-in candidate would need votes equal to 5 percent of all registered voters to automatically be placed on the general election ballot.

The canvas board agreed Thursday night to delay certifying the primary election results until Maskus could confirm the intent of the law with the Secretary of State's Office.

The Secretary State's Office confirmed Friday morning the law indicated write-in candidates need a vote equal to 5 percent of all registered voters to be placed on the general election ballot, Maskus said.

Ellis County had 17,996 registered voters as of July, according to the clerk's office. Allen would have needed 910 votes to qualify for the general election ballot. She received 224 write-in votes in the primary.

There were 3,873 registered Democrats in the county as of July.

Allen said Friday afternoon she did not want to comment on the election. She said Bird was still conferring with the Secretary of State's Office.&nbsp;

Bobbi Dreiling, Republican candidate for the County Clerk position and current County Clerk deputy, was at the canvas meeting Thursday night, but said she did want comment on Bird's request.

Maskus reported Thursday 6,831 ballots were cast in the primary, a 37.96 percent voter turnout rate. Maskus said she was pleased with the turnout.

Applications for mail-in ballots were sent out to all Ellis County registered voters this spring for both the primary and general elections in lieu of COVID-19 pandemic.

Maskus reported mail-in balloting was up, with 2,132 mail-in ballots&nbsp; cast in the primary. Another 697 people advance voted in-person at the County Clerk's Office.

Fifty-six provisional ballots were cast in the primary. Forty-one of those ballots were accepted. Most of the accepted ballots involved issues with address changes, seven ballots involved mail-in ballots that were requested but not received, three ballots involved name changes, and one person was mistakenly removed from the voter roles.

Of the 15 ballots that were not counted, 11 were people were not registered to vote in Ellis County. Four people did not present proper ID at the polls and failed to present ID to the Clerk's Office prior to the canvas.

The Ellis County canvas board will meet again before the regular Ellis County Commission meeting at 5 p.m. Monday night at the Ellis Administrative Center to vote on final certification of the eleciton.

See the unofficial Ellis County primary results by <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c0a34d8c-61c0-4cd7-98b2-d452f527d938">clicking here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597426375501.jpeg" alt="Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus speaks to the Ellis County election canvas board on Thursday night." />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus speaks to the Ellis County election canvas board on Thursday night.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA Democratic write-in candidate for Ellis County Clerk will not be on the general election ballot in November.Local attorney John Bird, who spoke on behalf of write-in candidate Laura Allen, suggested at the canvas meeting Thursday night the law on write-in candidates should be interpreted as any candidate in the primary receiving 5 percent or more of their own party should be placed on the general election ballot.&nbsp;County Clerk Donna Maskus said she had already checked with the Kansas Secretary of State's Office, which stated a write-in candidate would need votes equal to 5 percent of all registered voters to automatically be placed on the general election ballot.The canvas board agreed Thursday night to delay certifying the primary election results until Maskus could confirm the intent of the law with the Secretary of State's Office.The Secretary State's Office confirmed Friday morning the law indicated write-in candidates need a vote equal to 5 percent of all registered voters to be placed on the general election ballot, Maskus said.Ellis County had 17,996 registered voters as of July, according to the clerk's office. Allen would have needed 910 votes to qualify for the general election ballot. She received 224 write-in votes in the primary.There were 3,873 registered Democrats in the county as of July.Allen said Friday afternoon she did not want to comment on the election. She said Bird was still conferring with the Secretary of State's Office.&nbsp;Bobbi Dreiling, Republican candidate for the County Clerk position and current County Clerk deputy, was at the canvas meeting Thursday night, but said she did want comment on Bird's request.Maskus reported Thursday 6,831 ballots were cast in the primary, a 37.96 percent voter turnout rate. Maskus said she was pleased with the turnout.Applications for mail-in ballots were sent out to all Ellis County registered voters this spring for both the primary and general elections in lieu of COVID-19 pandemic.Maskus reported mail-in balloting was up, with 2,132 mail-in ballots&nbsp; cast in the primary. Another 697 people advance voted in-person at the County Clerk's Office.Fifty-six provisional ballots were cast in the primary. Forty-one of those ballots were accepted. Most of the accepted ballots involved issues with address changes, seven ballots involved mail-in ballots that were requested but not received, three ballots involved name changes, and one person was mistakenly removed from the voter roles.Of the 15 ballots that were not counted, 11 were people were not registered to vote in Ellis County. Four people did not present proper ID at the polls and failed to present ID to the Clerk's Office prior to the canvas.The Ellis County canvas board will meet again before the regular Ellis County Commission meeting at 5 p.m. Monday night at the Ellis Administrative Center to vote on final certification of the eleciton.See the unofficial Ellis County primary results by <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/c0a34d8c-61c0-4cd7-98b2-d452f527d938">clicking here</a>.

Maskus: Write-in candidate for county clerk will not be on ballot

Fort Hays State Athletic Director Curtis Hammeke discusses Friday's decision by the MIAA to suspend fall sports until January 1, 2021.

Fort Hays State Athletic Director Curtis Hammeke discusses Friday's decision by the MIAA to suspend fall sports until January 1, 2021.<div><iframe title="Curtis Hammeke" height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/cfb79-e72494?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=7&pfauth="></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: Curtis Hammeke on FHSU fall sports

Kansas has another neighbor expanding Medicaid—and this time, it is different.

Last Tuesday, Missouri voters passed a constitutional amendment expanding Medicaid by a vote of 53% to 47%. Nebraska voters passed expansion in 2018 and Oklahoma voters did so earlier this year. Colorado passed it in 2013.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas is now surrounded by expansion states, but this one is different, because Kansas’ most-populated border lies on the Missouri state line, while the borders with those other states are largely rural.

About one in three Kansans live in the bi-state Kansas City area. People, jobs and commerce flow freely across the border, old rivalries notwithstanding. No one sees that more acutely than KC’s hospitals, which all treat their share of patients from both states. In fact, the massive KU Medical Center complex is right on the state line.

Assuming Missouri’s Republican leaders do not find a way to derail the voter-approved amendment, these hospitals and doctors’ offices will now see a big gap in coverage depending on which state a patient calls home.

Will this increase pressure on Kansas to pass expansion too? Not necessarily. The Kansas Legislature passed expansion in 2017 with solid majorities, but it was vetoed by then-Governor Brownback on the grounds of being too expensive, and there were not enough votes in the senate to override. Polls show that a slim majority of Kansans do favor the policy, but many also believe that those who are able should pay some type of premium or co-pay or be subject to a work requirement. In 2020, before COVID, a likely passage of expansion was derailed by abortion politics—bad timing, since care for many who suffer complications from COVID, as well as coverage for those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic would both have been accessible to more people had it passed, up to 138% above the poverty line. It may not be a coincidence that Missouri and Oklahoma both passed expansion during the pandemic.

Some of those Kansas legislators who voted for expansion in 2017 were defeated this time.&nbsp;&nbsp;In fact, the near-rout of moderate Republican legislators by conservatives last week probably means fewer votes for expansion, even if Democrats seize on the opportunity to beat the conservative nominees in November.&nbsp;&nbsp;With only a few exceptions, this opportunity for Democrats appears most likely in Johnson County.

Politically, this will only deepen the split between the KC area and the rest of Kansas. The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce backed Missouri’s Medicaid expansion and would likely do the same in Kansas, while the Wichita-based Kansas Chamber—in which Koch Industries plays an outsized role—opposed it. The irony here is that the KC area will drive the push for expansion while the biggest beneficiaries would be rural hospitals, which are particularly at risk if expansion does not pass, and soon. It is also notable that Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma are all Republican-leaning states which passed expansion via petition-initiated ballot initiative, a provision which Kansas does not have.&nbsp;

In sum, last week’s election results promise to further pull Kansas in opposite directions on this critical issue. The next chapter will be written in November.

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579108824567.jpeg" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas has another neighbor expanding Medicaid—and this time, it is different.Last Tuesday, Missouri voters passed a constitutional amendment expanding Medicaid by a vote of 53% to 47%. Nebraska voters passed expansion in 2018 and Oklahoma voters did so earlier this year. Colorado passed it in 2013.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas is now surrounded by expansion states, but this one is different, because Kansas’ most-populated border lies on the Missouri state line, while the borders with those other states are largely rural.About one in three Kansans live in the bi-state Kansas City area. People, jobs and commerce flow freely across the border, old rivalries notwithstanding. No one sees that more acutely than KC’s hospitals, which all treat their share of patients from both states. In fact, the massive KU Medical Center complex is right on the state line.Assuming Missouri’s Republican leaders do not find a way to derail the voter-approved amendment, these hospitals and doctors’ offices will now see a big gap in coverage depending on which state a patient calls home.Will this increase pressure on Kansas to pass expansion too? Not necessarily. The Kansas Legislature passed expansion in 2017 with solid majorities, but it was vetoed by then-Governor Brownback on the grounds of being too expensive, and there were not enough votes in the senate to override. Polls show that a slim majority of Kansans do favor the policy, but many also believe that those who are able should pay some type of premium or co-pay or be subject to a work requirement. In 2020, before COVID, a likely passage of expansion was derailed by abortion politics—bad timing, since care for many who suffer complications from COVID, as well as coverage for those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic would both have been accessible to more people had it passed, up to 138% above the poverty line. It may not be a coincidence that Missouri and Oklahoma both passed expansion during the pandemic.Some of those Kansas legislators who voted for expansion in 2017 were defeated this time.&nbsp;&nbsp;In fact, the near-rout of moderate Republican legislators by conservatives last week probably means fewer votes for expansion, even if Democrats seize on the opportunity to beat the conservative nominees in November.&nbsp;&nbsp;With only a few exceptions, this opportunity for Democrats appears most likely in Johnson County.Politically, this will only deepen the split between the KC area and the rest of Kansas. The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce backed Missouri’s Medicaid expansion and would likely do the same in Kansas, while the Wichita-based Kansas Chamber—in which Koch Industries plays an outsized role—opposed it. The irony here is that the KC area will drive the push for expansion while the biggest beneficiaries would be rural hospitals, which are particularly at risk if expansion does not pass, and soon. It is also notable that Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma are all Republican-leaning states which passed expansion via petition-initiated ballot initiative, a provision which Kansas does not have.&nbsp;In sum, last week’s election results promise to further pull Kansas in opposite directions on this critical issue. The next chapter will be written in November.Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Medicaid expansion pulls state in opposite directions

Grow Hays is happy to invite you to a FREE Jon Schallert LIVE! Online Business Event. At 8 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25,&nbsp;<a href="https://jonschallert.com/">Jon Schallert</a>&nbsp;an internationally-recognized speaker and business expert, will discuss his "COVID-19 Business Strategy: Making Your Business a Consumer Destination."&nbsp; This two-hour free event will be live streamed from his office in Colorado and he will be answering questions from the attendees. Schallert specializes in teaching businesses and communities how to turn themselves into consumer destinations.&nbsp; Grow Hays encourages all business owners and managers to attend for expert advice on positioning your business to thrive.&nbsp; Grow Hays is offering limited seats in house at&nbsp;<a href="x-webdoc://A2767AEA-4316-48DB-9432-EC2F5DD4D5EF/www.BriefSpace.com">BriefSpace</a>&nbsp;for those who want to attend in person and have more networking opportunities.&nbsp; This event is free, but registration is required. RSVP to&nbsp;<a href="emailto: ernee@growhays.com">ernee@growhays.com</a>&nbsp;in order to attend in person OR attend via the web.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597346026481.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Grow HaysGrow Hays is happy to invite you to a FREE Jon Schallert LIVE! Online Business Event. At 8 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25,&nbsp;<a href="https://jonschallert.com/">Jon Schallert</a>&nbsp;an internationally-recognized speaker and business expert, will discuss his "COVID-19 Business Strategy: Making Your Business a Consumer Destination."&nbsp; This two-hour free event will be live streamed from his office in Colorado and he will be answering questions from the attendees. Schallert specializes in teaching businesses and communities how to turn themselves into consumer destinations.&nbsp; Grow Hays encourages all business owners and managers to attend for expert advice on positioning your business to thrive.&nbsp; Grow Hays is offering limited seats in house at&nbsp;<a href="x-webdoc://A2767AEA-4316-48DB-9432-EC2F5DD4D5EF/www.BriefSpace.com">BriefSpace</a>&nbsp;for those who want to attend in person and have more networking opportunities.&nbsp; This event is free, but registration is required. RSVP to&nbsp;<a href="emailto: ernee@growhays.com">ernee@growhays.com</a>&nbsp;in order to attend in person OR attend via the web.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Grow Hays offers seminars on COVID-19 business strategy

	School is getting ready to start in some format, so kids from pre-school to graduate school will be adjusting to a new routine. But what about you? Are you a life-long learner? Moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas are never too old to learn something new. I don’t mean you have to enroll in a formal class, complete with a syllabus and a final exam. I’m talking about the many classes offered in our community through our Extension offices, 4-H and Youth programs, or recreation centers.

	I received word earlier this week that K-State Research &amp; Extension Administration has approved a protocol for offering the Stay Strong Stay Healthy program in our community. I am so excited to be able to offer this 8-week program at the Great Bend Activity Center beginning September 1st.&nbsp; The natural aging process offers challenges to many people. While we know from listening to the news and our personal experiences, staying active is a key component in maintaining or regaining health. But if you have noticed that your strength, flexibility or balance isn’t what it used to be you may want to consider signing up for Stay Strong, Stay Healthy.&nbsp; SSSH is designed to increase an aging adult’s access to a safe, structured, and effective strength training program. Over 8 weeks, participants learn exercises to improve their strength, flexibility, and balance. During each session, a prescribed set of 8 upper and lower body strengthening exercises are done along with warm-ups and cool-down stretches. Participants are made to feel comfortable regardless of their current fitness level so they can safely participate and gradually build the strength beneficial to health.

The 8-week program is set to begin Tuesday, September 1st and ends Thursday, October 22nd. It meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 – 11 am at the Great Bend Activity Center, 2715 18th Street. The registration fee is $20 and may be paid at the Cottonwood Extension District – Great Bend office, 1800 12th Street, by August 25th. The class size is limited and we will pay close attention to disinfecting chairs that are used in the class. When you register we will schedule a time for a short pre-assessment to be completed.

Call me if you have any questions about the “Stay Strong, Stay Healthy” workshop.&nbsp;

Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District.&nbsp; You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593016082485.png" alt="Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>	School is getting ready to start in some format, so kids from pre-school to graduate school will be adjusting to a new routine. But what about you? Are you a life-long learner? Moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas are never too old to learn something new. I don’t mean you have to enroll in a formal class, complete with a syllabus and a final exam. I’m talking about the many classes offered in our community through our Extension offices, 4-H and Youth programs, or recreation centers.	I received word earlier this week that K-State Research &amp; Extension Administration has approved a protocol for offering the Stay Strong Stay Healthy program in our community. I am so excited to be able to offer this 8-week program at the Great Bend Activity Center beginning September 1st.&nbsp; The natural aging process offers challenges to many people. While we know from listening to the news and our personal experiences, staying active is a key component in maintaining or regaining health. But if you have noticed that your strength, flexibility or balance isn’t what it used to be you may want to consider signing up for Stay Strong, Stay Healthy.&nbsp; SSSH is designed to increase an aging adult’s access to a safe, structured, and effective strength training program. Over 8 weeks, participants learn exercises to improve their strength, flexibility, and balance. During each session, a prescribed set of 8 upper and lower body strengthening exercises are done along with warm-ups and cool-down stretches. Participants are made to feel comfortable regardless of their current fitness level so they can safely participate and gradually build the strength beneficial to health.The 8-week program is set to begin Tuesday, September 1st and ends Thursday, October 22nd. It meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 – 11 am at the Great Bend Activity Center, 2715 18th Street. The registration fee is $20 and may be paid at the Cottonwood Extension District – Great Bend office, 1800 12th Street, by August 25th. The class size is limited and we will pay close attention to disinfecting chairs that are used in the class. When you register we will schedule a time for a short pre-assessment to be completed.Call me if you have any questions about the “Stay Strong, Stay Healthy” workshop.&nbsp;Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District.&nbsp; You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

KRUG: Kicking off new Stay Strong Stay Healthy program

Fort Hays State University’s Allison Railsback was disappointed she couldn’t attend a national leadership conference a year ago because she was working an internship with the Kansas Soybean Association. So, she made the most of her final competition at the Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) national event in 2020.&nbsp; Railsback, a spring graduate in agriculture education, finished first in the Future Business Educator event at the PBL national competition that transitioned to online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. PBL is the collegiate division of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the largest career student business organization in the world.&nbsp; Just as impressive for Railsback was receiving the coveted President level of the Career and Membership Achievement Program. Railsback was one of only eight PBL members in the nation to complete the comprehensive membership and leadership program this year.&nbsp; She also placed fifth in the Future Business Executive event that included a preliminary and final round Zoom interview.&nbsp; Those honors, coupled with her performances from 2017 and ’18, gave Railsback six top-10 PBL national placings during her FHSU career. But it’s the final one she said she will remember the most.&nbsp; Students submitted an instructional lesson plan on a topic for an entrepreneurship course prior to the conference, then went through a 10-minute interview with judges. They then presented a live 15-minute lesson via Zoom on one of the lessons from their unit plan.&nbsp; Railsback was introduced to PBL at a young age when her mother served as a PBL advisor at Emporia State University. She grew up on a farm in eastern Kansas before moving to Mankato in north central Kansas when she was in high school.&nbsp; Railsback knew in middle school where she wanted to attend college. Her older brother, Matthew, was majoring in agriculture education at Fort Hays State when she was in junior high school, and she came to Hays with her family occasionally to visit him.&nbsp; “I knew in sixth grade I was going to go to college at Fort Hays State,” she said.&nbsp; Once on campus, it didn’t take Railsback long to make a name for herself. In addition to PBL, she was an active member of a professional agriculture sorority, Sigma Alpha, as well as members of the Collegiate Farm Bureau and Block and Bridle student organizations. She also worked in the Department of Applied Business Studies her entire college career, before leaving campus to student teach in northeast Kansas last spring.&nbsp; This year during the national online conference, Railsback got to interact with industry leaders in real-time workshops and connect with officer candidates via social media platforms.&nbsp; She thinks her vast amount of experiences from college will be beneficial as she begins her first teaching job this fall at Scott Community High School, where she will teach agriculture classes and serve as the FFA advisor and co-FBLA advisor.&nbsp; “All of my courses I have taken – in agriculture, education and business – while at Fort Hays State not only helped prepare me immensely for these competitions but also for my future career,” Railsback said. “I’m grateful I was student teaching during the pandemic because it helped me prepare for teaching online whenever we might need to again.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597332790957.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsFort Hays State University’s Allison Railsback was disappointed she couldn’t attend a national leadership conference a year ago because she was working an internship with the Kansas Soybean Association. So, she made the most of her final competition at the Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) national event in 2020.&nbsp; Railsback, a spring graduate in agriculture education, finished first in the Future Business Educator event at the PBL national competition that transitioned to online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. PBL is the collegiate division of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the largest career student business organization in the world.&nbsp; Just as impressive for Railsback was receiving the coveted President level of the Career and Membership Achievement Program. Railsback was one of only eight PBL members in the nation to complete the comprehensive membership and leadership program this year.&nbsp; She also placed fifth in the Future Business Executive event that included a preliminary and final round Zoom interview.&nbsp; Those honors, coupled with her performances from 2017 and ’18, gave Railsback six top-10 PBL national placings during her FHSU career. But it’s the final one she said she will remember the most.&nbsp; Students submitted an instructional lesson plan on a topic for an entrepreneurship course prior to the conference, then went through a 10-minute interview with judges. They then presented a live 15-minute lesson via Zoom on one of the lessons from their unit plan.&nbsp; Railsback was introduced to PBL at a young age when her mother served as a PBL advisor at Emporia State University. She grew up on a farm in eastern Kansas before moving to Mankato in north central Kansas when she was in high school.&nbsp; Railsback knew in middle school where she wanted to attend college. Her older brother, Matthew, was majoring in agriculture education at Fort Hays State when she was in junior high school, and she came to Hays with her family occasionally to visit him.&nbsp; “I knew in sixth grade I was going to go to college at Fort Hays State,” she said.&nbsp; Once on campus, it didn’t take Railsback long to make a name for herself. In addition to PBL, she was an active member of a professional agriculture sorority, Sigma Alpha, as well as members of the Collegiate Farm Bureau and Block and Bridle student organizations. She also worked in the Department of Applied Business Studies her entire college career, before leaving campus to student teach in northeast Kansas last spring.&nbsp; This year during the national online conference, Railsback got to interact with industry leaders in real-time workshops and connect with officer candidates via social media platforms.&nbsp; She thinks her vast amount of experiences from college will be beneficial as she begins her first teaching job this fall at Scott Community High School, where she will teach agriculture classes and serve as the FFA advisor and co-FBLA advisor.&nbsp; “All of my courses I have taken – in agriculture, education and business – while at Fort Hays State not only helped prepare me immensely for these competitions but also for my future career,” Railsback said. “I’m grateful I was student teaching during the pandemic because it helped me prepare for teaching online whenever we might need to again.”&nbsp;

FHSU’s Railsback garners national honors from Phi Beta Lambda

ELLIS — Following the departure of Mike Gaschler from the Ellis USD
388 Board of Education in May, the board selected D.J. Fischer to fill the remainder of the term at its regular meeting this week.

Fisher will serve until the end of next year.

Fisher was one of two candidates the board interviewed for
the position during the meeting. Amy Hudson was the second candidate.&nbsp;

Each board member asked both candidates a question before making the selection.

In response to a question about retaining and attracting
teachers to the district, Fisher said agreed with Hudson that a relationship
with Fort Hays State University is important.

He also said that Ellis has a great group of educators
already in the district and keeping them is important to keep a good
learning environment.

When asked what the most challenging issue the board will face this year, Fisher said COVID-19.

“We have to get through that and the mask issue, the virus
issue and keeping our teachers we have here," he said. "We have to keep everybody here and
move forward with the kids, give them a good environment to live in and move
forward.”

During the interview, Fisher said he would like to see everything get up to date
maintenance-wise in the district. He also said he is supportive of a bond issue. 

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5ebedd9ceb7f1705360515f9">The board was planning to move forward with a bond issue before
the COVID-19 pandemic.</a>

“I would like to see those move forward,” Fisher said. 

He also said students should have access to as much
technology as the district could provide to aid in their education.

Fisher said he belives students should drive the district’s
plans moving forward and should be focused on giving students what they need to
be successful in the workforce.

But community involvement in district starts with parents, he said.

“Parents, it starts with the parents,” Fisher said. “Kids
listen to everything the parents do. Parents have got to start with the kids early on and push
them all the way through to the end.”

Fisher told the board a primary reason he wanted to serve was his own children in the district.

“I’ve got a junior girl in high school. I’ve got a seventh-grade boy coming up. I want them to have a great learning environment. I want
them to have the best life that they can,” he said.

Following the questioning, board President Jared Schiel told the candidates he though
both candidates did well during the interview.

That sentiment was echoed among other board members.

“We can’t go wrong. We appreciate both of you being here,” said Marty Hollern, board member.

After Schiel called for a motion for action on the candidates, Hudson was nominated first but fell shy of the required votes to take the seat.

Fisher was nominated next and was unanimously approved by the board.

Fisher then joined the board for the remainder of the
meeting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579030633433.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostELLIS — Following the departure of Mike Gaschler from the Ellis USD
388 Board of Education in May, the board selected D.J. Fischer to fill the remainder of the term at its regular meeting this week.Fisher will serve until the end of next year.Fisher was one of two candidates the board interviewed for
the position during the meeting. Amy Hudson was the second candidate.&nbsp;Each board member asked both candidates a question before making the selection.In response to a question about retaining and attracting
teachers to the district, Fisher said agreed with Hudson that a relationship
with Fort Hays State University is important.He also said that Ellis has a great group of educators
already in the district and keeping them is important to keep a good
learning environment.When asked what the most challenging issue the board will face this year, Fisher said COVID-19.“We have to get through that and the mask issue, the virus
issue and keeping our teachers we have here," he said. "We have to keep everybody here and
move forward with the kids, give them a good environment to live in and move
forward.”During the interview, Fisher said he would like to see everything get up to date
maintenance-wise in the district. He also said he is supportive of a bond issue. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5ebedd9ceb7f1705360515f9">The board was planning to move forward with a bond issue before
the COVID-19 pandemic.</a>“I would like to see those move forward,” Fisher said. He also said students should have access to as much
technology as the district could provide to aid in their education.Fisher said he belives students should drive the district’s
plans moving forward and should be focused on giving students what they need to
be successful in the workforce.But community involvement in district starts with parents, he said.“Parents, it starts with the parents,” Fisher said. “Kids
listen to everything the parents do. Parents have got to start with the kids early on and push
them all the way through to the end.”Fisher told the board a primary reason he wanted to serve was his own children in the district.“I’ve got a junior girl in high school. I’ve got a seventh-grade boy coming up. I want them to have a great learning environment. I want
them to have the best life that they can,” he said.Following the questioning, board President Jared Schiel told the candidates he though
both candidates did well during the interview.That sentiment was echoed among other board members.“We can’t go wrong. We appreciate both of you being here,” said Marty Hollern, board member.After Schiel called for a motion for action on the candidates, Hudson was nominated first but fell shy of the required votes to take the seat.Fisher was nominated next and was unanimously approved by the board.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597435247581.jpeg" alt="D. J. Fisher discusses the upcoming school year after being selected to fill the USD 388 Board of Education seat vacated by&nbsp;Mike Gaschler in May." />
 <figcaption>D. J. Fisher discusses the upcoming school year after being selected to fill the USD 388 Board of Education seat vacated by&nbsp;Mike Gaschler in May.</figcaption>
 </figure>Fisher then joined the board for the remainder of the
meeting.

Ellis USD 388 BOE selects new board member

Recently, the Kansas Mayors Association held its annual meeting virtually and honored the City
of Ellis Mayor, David McDaniel, as the 2020 Mayor of the Year. The Mayor of the Year honor recognizes a
Kansas mayor who has uniquely contributed to their community and the Kansas Mayor’s Association.
Additionally, the KMA named Rex Satterthwaite, City of Bentley Mayor, as its new President for 2020-
2021.


‘I am honored to be recognized by my fellow mayors from across the state,” said McDaniel. “Public service
and serving my community is my greatest pleasure.”


David moved to Ellis in 1972 when he purchased a small business offering hardware supplies, appliances
and home improvement services. For decades, David has engaged himself in the community and has
become a leader in many sectors including business, government, education and religious efforts. David is
a strong advocate for our City and believes in positive and progressive growth. He has been instrumental in
our community’s long-range planning efforts, encourages public-private partnerships and collaboration
with other governmental entities to secure necessary resources for Ellis.


Among David’s most important efforts is his tireless work to address our community’s access to safe water.
David has been a leader in this effort since 2005. At that time, he was instrumental in guiding the City
Council to address the poor water quality of city wells. His leadership resulted in the subsequent
development of a water treatment plant for the City. With the recent purchase of a water well field for the
City of Ellis, he continues to lead efforts to plan the development of the distribution system to supplement
and upgrade our existing water supply.


He serves on the League’s Governing Body and served as the Kansas Mayors Association President from
2018 to 2019.


<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597440148684.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597440349197.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>League of Kansas MunicipalitiesRecently, the Kansas Mayors Association held its annual meeting virtually and honored the City
of Ellis Mayor, David McDaniel, as the 2020 Mayor of the Year. The Mayor of the Year honor recognizes a
Kansas mayor who has uniquely contributed to their community and the Kansas Mayor’s Association.
Additionally, the KMA named Rex Satterthwaite, City of Bentley Mayor, as its new President for 2020-
2021.
‘I am honored to be recognized by my fellow mayors from across the state,” said McDaniel. “Public service
and serving my community is my greatest pleasure.”
David moved to Ellis in 1972 when he purchased a small business offering hardware supplies, appliances
and home improvement services. For decades, David has engaged himself in the community and has
become a leader in many sectors including business, government, education and religious efforts. David is
a strong advocate for our City and believes in positive and progressive growth. He has been instrumental in
our community’s long-range planning efforts, encourages public-private partnerships and collaboration
with other governmental entities to secure necessary resources for Ellis.
Among David’s most important efforts is his tireless work to address our community’s access to safe water.
David has been a leader in this effort since 2005. At that time, he was instrumental in guiding the City
Council to address the poor water quality of city wells. His leadership resulted in the subsequent
development of a water treatment plant for the City. With the recent purchase of a water well field for the
City of Ellis, he continues to lead efforts to plan the development of the distribution system to supplement
and upgrade our existing water supply.
He serves on the League’s Governing Body and served as the Kansas Mayors Association President from
2018 to 2019.

Ellis mayor named Mayor of the Year by state organization

Dustin Armbruster, play-by-play voice of the Hays High Indians sat down with HHS Activities Director Lance Krannawitter to discuss how the school is planning to handle the start of fall sports practice on Monday.

Dustin Armbruster, play-by-play voice of the Hays High Indians sat down with HHS Activities Director Lance Krannawitter to discuss how the school is planning to handle the start of fall sports practice on Monday.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/875926099&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/lance-krannawitter-8-12-20" title="Hays High Activities Director Lance Krannawitter" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High Activities Director Lance Krannawitter</a></div></div>

Krannawitter addresses how HHS will handle the start of fall sports practice

The Ellis County Health Department on Friday announced four new cases of COVID-19 has been identified in the county since Wednesday.

There are now 10 active cases, including one hospitalization, with 142 recovered cases.

Since reporting began, 153 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Ellis County, including one death.

The health department updates cases Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

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 </figure>The Ellis County Health Department on Friday announced four new cases of COVID-19 has been identified in the county since Wednesday.There are now 10 active cases, including one hospitalization, with 142 recovered cases.Since reporting began, 153 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Ellis County, including one death.The health department updates cases Monday, Wednesday and Friday.<figure>
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Four new cases of COVID-19 identified in Ellis Co.

Midwest Energy has an opening for a Customer Service Representative at its Hays office.&nbsp; An Associate’s Degree in Business or equivalent is required.&nbsp; Applicants should have a minimum of two years’ experience in customer relations or sales including general office operations.&nbsp;&nbsp;Personal computer and excellent communication skills are required.&nbsp;&nbsp; Candidates should be able to acquire, within a reasonable time span, an understanding of the Company’s rates, billing and collection regulations and other policies and procedures affecting the customers.&nbsp; Knowledge and background in general office procedures, MicroSoft Office, and a depth in customer service. Individual must be able to effectively deal with a variety of people under difficult circumstances.&nbsp; Must be able to handle a variety of diverse activities with attention to detail and accuracy.&nbsp; Must have a valid Kansas Driver’s License.&nbsp; Bilingual skills in Spanish/English are desirable. To learn more, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mwenergy.com/careers">www.mwenergy.com/careers</a>, or e-mail your resume with cover letter to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Recruitment@mwenergy.com">Recruitment@mwenergy.com</a>.&nbsp; Resumes will be accepted until Friday, Aug. 21.&nbsp; Midwest Energy is an equal opportunity employer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586196165303.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Midwest Energy has an opening for a Customer Service Representative at its Hays office.&nbsp; An Associate’s Degree in Business or equivalent is required.&nbsp; Applicants should have a minimum of two years’ experience in customer relations or sales including general office operations.&nbsp;&nbsp;Personal computer and excellent communication skills are required.&nbsp;&nbsp; Candidates should be able to acquire, within a reasonable time span, an understanding of the Company’s rates, billing and collection regulations and other policies and procedures affecting the customers.&nbsp; Knowledge and background in general office procedures, MicroSoft Office, and a depth in customer service. Individual must be able to effectively deal with a variety of people under difficult circumstances.&nbsp; Must be able to handle a variety of diverse activities with attention to detail and accuracy.&nbsp; Must have a valid Kansas Driver’s License.&nbsp; Bilingual skills in Spanish/English are desirable. To learn more, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mwenergy.com/careers">www.mwenergy.com/careers</a>, or e-mail your resume with cover letter to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Recruitment@mwenergy.com">Recruitment@mwenergy.com</a>.&nbsp; Resumes will be accepted until Friday, Aug. 21.&nbsp; Midwest Energy is an equal opportunity employer.