By CORINNE BOYER <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/despite-meatpacking-plants-efforts-kansas-workers-say-were-right-next-each-other">Kansas News Service</a>

DODGE CITY, Kansas — In the days leading up to President Donald Trump’s mandate that all meatpacking plants <a href="https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/president-orders-help-meat-plant-workers-some-say-its-too-little-too-late">stay open</a>,
 workers in western Kansas’ meatpacking triangle were worried that 
precautions now being taken aren’t enough to slow the rapid spread of 
the coronavirus.

“We're right next to each other in the locker 
rooms,” Brandon Vasquez said about the possibility of social distancing 
at the National Beef plant in Dodge City, where he’s worked for about a 
year. “The lunch line ... they put stuff on the floor where we should 
stay six feet apart. But a lot of people are not listening and there's 
nobody enforcing (social distancing) in there.”

Overall, more 
than 540 COVID-19 cases and two deaths have been tied to Kansas’ 
meatpacking plants, the state health department said Friday. The three 
companies — National Beef, Cargill and Tyson — have not confirmed these 
numbers publicly.&nbsp;

In just two and a half weeks, positive cases 
in Ford County, which has two facilities, rose from 16 to 702 on Friday —
 surpassing all but one of Kansas’ most populous counties. Seward 
County, which has one plant and more than 500 COVID-19 cases, also has 
the state’s highest rate of infection: 23.33 positive cases per 1,000 
people. And Finney County, home to a Tyson beef plant, has nearly 400 
cases.

Across the country, plants that process everything from 
pork to chicken to beef have had to shut down due to clusters of 
COVID-19 — it takes multiple people to kill, skin, cut and package 
meats. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has said the state was “cognizant that 
(western Kansas) was a potential hotspot,” took “some proactive steps” 
and was told that the plants were “adhering to the safety guidelines.”&nbsp;

But the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/meat-poultry-processing-workers-employers.html">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>
 didn’t issue clear guidelines for meatpackers until April 25. And while
 many workers told the Kansas News Service that information about the 
virus was posted early in the plants in at least two languages and 
thorough safety measures have been implemented, some still want the 
plants to temporarily close for cleaning and to make sure workers can 
keep a better distance from each other.&nbsp;

National Beef, which has
 plants in Ford and Seward counties, did not respond to multiple calls 
or emails. Ford County declined to comment on this story. Cargill did 
not immediately respond to questions about their facility in Ford 
County.&nbsp;

Tyson spokeswoman Liz Croston denied a request to tour 
the Holcomb plant in Finney County. A few days prior to Trump’s 
executive order, Tyson Foods CEO John Tyson issued a <a href="https://thefeed.blog/2020/04/26/feeding-the-nation-and-keeping-our-employees-healthy/">statement</a> about its plants shuttering across the U.S., saying that “millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain.”&nbsp;

Finney County health department director Colleen Drees said it is not confirming specific numbers of cases at any business.&nbsp;

“With
 COVID-19 it does spread easily. You see this with other meatpacking 
plants across the nation; we expect that same quick increase locally,” 
Drees said, adding, “As the situation develops, we will work with the 
(Kansas Department of Health and Environment) to release appropriate 
information.”

On
 April 9, Tyson confirmed cases among workers in the U.S., but did not 
specify whether in Holcomb, Kansas, had tested positive. On April 22, 
the Finney County Health Department said April 22 that there were 
multiple cases at the Holcomb plant.&nbsp;

Juan Gonzales cleans the 
Tyson plant. For at least a month, the facility has taken people’s 
temperatures, cleaned multiple times a day and provided hand sanitizer, 
he said. People also stand six feet apart.&nbsp;

But Gonzales fears going to work because so many people have been infected.&nbsp;

“We should at least close the plant for two weeks — to avoid contamination,” Gonzales said.&nbsp;

Tyson has supplied and required employees to wear face coverings since April 14, its spokeswoman said.&nbsp;

“We’ve
 also been educating team members on COVID-19, including the importance 
of following CDC guidelines away from work,” Croston said. “Our 
communications are translated into multiple languages in support of our 
diverse workforce.”

The Kansas News Service obtained emails 
through a Kansas Open Records Act request between Tyson and the Kansas 
Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;

On April 1, state agriculture 
secretary Mike Beam sent an email to Tyson, suggesting it check with a 
balloon factory “at El Dorado, KS and/or Wichita, KS” about getting 
gloves for employees. Beam said the factory “is apparently making latex 
gloves that may not meet the medical specs, but might be an option for 
your crews.” But Croston said Tyson was not able to use those gloves and
 did not accept them.

The United Food and 
Commercial Workers International Union is still pressuring Kelly and the
 White House to protect meatpacking workers. On April 28, the union 
released a statement urging Tyson and other companies to protect food 
processing workers. The union also sent a letter to governors urging 
them to enforce social distancing, provide respirators, do testing and 
pay workers who are quarantined.

UFCW International President Marc Perrone said workers should be designated as first responders.&nbsp;

“Temporary
 first responder status ensures these workers have priority access to 
the COVID-19 testing and protective equipment they need to continue 
doing these essential jobs,” Perrone said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

National Beef’s 
Chief Financial Officer, Simon McGee, emailed Beam on April 10 about the
 UFCW Local Union 2, which covers its Dodge City plant. This was two 
days after National Beef announced confirmed COVID-19 cases at the 
plant.

“Our request is that they hear from the Governor’s office 
about the importance and special responsibility of food production 
workers and to ask the Union to encourage its folks to continue to 
report for work,” McGee asked, “… and certainly to not take any action 
to discourage attendance.”

Approximately a few hundred workers at National Beef’s Dodge City plant have stopped showing up for work, according to Vasquez.

Vasquez
 said temperature checks began in early April, before cases were 
announced, and said workers received masks sometime during the week of 
April 13.

Maintaining six feet of distance between himself and 
his fellow workers is not always possible. He walks back and forth in 
the plant’s slaughter section to do his job as a flanker, which means he
 skins the chests of cattle after they’ve been killed.&nbsp;

“I'm not that far apart from the next guy next to me,” he said. “No, we're not six feet apart.”

After a carcass has been cut into pieces, it moves on a conveyor belt to Lupe Rodriguez, who trims fat from the meat.

She
 said she has worked at National Beef for seven months, and is concerned
 about being exposed to the virus. That’s why she’s been staying home 
with her son. Rodriguez is not being paid.&nbsp;

“When the daycare 
found out about the positives at the plant, she didn’t want to expose 
any of the other kids if I was exposed,” Rodriguez said.&nbsp;

Both 
Vasquez and Rodriguez said National Beef should have protected workers 
from the virus sooner. Rodriguez said hand sanitizer was given out in 
late March, and also said temperature checks didn’t begin until early 
April.

Vasquez said while temperature-taking prevents sick people from coming in, it was just too late.&nbsp;

“So
 they're catching them at the door now, which is good, they’re not 
letting them inside. But it's a little too late,” he said. “As they 
found their first case, they could’ve shut down for two weeks.”&nbsp;

Kansas
 is home to people from Vietnam, Myanmar, Somali, Ethiopia, Cambodia, 
Guatemala and dozens more countries, and many work in the meatpacking 
plants. Vasquez said he saw information posted about COVID-19 in English
 and Spanish on about March 22, but it wasn’t in languages like Somali 
or K'iche’, a Mayan language spoken in Guatemala.&nbsp;

The Mexican 
Consulate in Kansas City, Missouri — an office that covers Kansas, 
Missouri and western Oklahoma — has been in communication with local 
governments in southwest Kansas as well as the meatpacking plants.&nbsp;

Consul
 General Alfonso Navarro said Mexican Americans and Mexican nationals 
can reach out to the consulate at any time with issues.&nbsp;

“If they
 have any concern or they feel that there’s a risk related to the work 
in terms of health or potential industrial safety,” he said, “they can 
always talk to the consulate in order to ... if not to file a complaint,
 at least to share those concerns.”

Cargill’s
 plant is about two miles east of National Beef in Dodge City. Lucia 
Rangel has worked there for four years. She said she has access to soap 
and hand sanitizer, adding that the plant is disinfected multiple times a
 day.&nbsp;

“They’ve been disinfecting the bathrooms, the doors, anywhere that can get contaminated,” she said.&nbsp;

Cargill
 also has posted COVID-19 information in multiple languages, Rangel 
said: “The very first time they put up anything it was in multiple 
languages … in English, Spanish, Chinese and Somali.”

Coworker Cinthia Perez said the multiple precautions that Cargill is taking makes work feel like a safe place.

“When
 you go on break, they have two different groups so not everyone goes at
 same time,” Perez said. “There are only two people per table; they 
check your temp during break.”

On a recent Tuesday afternoon, 
Dodge City traffic was noticeably thinner. But there were people out — 
some in masks, some not — visiting businesses, getting fast food 
drive-through service and going to work at National Beef and Cargill.&nbsp;

Rangel
 said leaving work can be more of a risk. She’s more scared of being 
exposed to the coronavirus in the community than at Cargill.&nbsp;

“Not
 everyone is staying at home,” she said. “You could be going to get some
 medication or food and someone brings their kids … walking down the 
street without protection.”

But with Kansas having been under a 
statewide stay-at-home order (aside from essential business, like 
meatpacking work) and the spikes in cases in the area, Dodge City ”now 
looks like a ghost town,” said Pablo Candia, who owns the bilingual 
newspaper Informative Hispanic American.&nbsp;

Candia has lived in 
Dodge City for 30 years and started the paper in 2012 after noticing an 
influx of immigrants as a freelance writer and substitute teacher.&nbsp;

“I realized that there was an emerging information gap among the changing community,” Candia said.&nbsp;

The
 paper has ceased printing its typical 1,500 copies a month because 
advertisers have closed their business due to the pandemic. It had been 
delivered to Dodge City schools, Sunday Masses in the area and even an 
hour away to Garden City.&nbsp;

“They continue reading us on our 
homepage,” he said of his readers, “but they are not urging us to come 
back. They understand the circumstances we are in.”

Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer">@Corinne_Boyer</a> or email cboyer@hppr.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588532988420.png" alt=" National Beef employees at the Dodge City plant told the Kansas News Service they are afraid of getting infected with COVID-19. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> National Beef employees at the Dodge City plant told the Kansas News Service they are afraid of getting infected with COVID-19. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CORINNE BOYER <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/despite-meatpacking-plants-efforts-kansas-workers-say-were-right-next-each-other">Kansas News Service</a>DODGE CITY, Kansas — In the days leading up to President Donald Trump’s mandate that all meatpacking plants <a href="https://www.harvestpublicmedia.org/post/president-orders-help-meat-plant-workers-some-say-its-too-little-too-late">stay open</a>,
 workers in western Kansas’ meatpacking triangle were worried that 
precautions now being taken aren’t enough to slow the rapid spread of 
the coronavirus.“We're right next to each other in the locker 
rooms,” Brandon Vasquez said about the possibility of social distancing 
at the National Beef plant in Dodge City, where he’s worked for about a 
year. “The lunch line ... they put stuff on the floor where we should 
stay six feet apart. But a lot of people are not listening and there's 
nobody enforcing (social distancing) in there.”Overall, more 
than 540 COVID-19 cases and two deaths have been tied to Kansas’ 
meatpacking plants, the state health department said Friday. The three 
companies — National Beef, Cargill and Tyson — have not confirmed these 
numbers publicly.&nbsp;In just two and a half weeks, positive cases 
in Ford County, which has two facilities, rose from 16 to 702 on Friday —
 surpassing all but one of Kansas’ most populous counties. Seward 
County, which has one plant and more than 500 COVID-19 cases, also has 
the state’s highest rate of infection: 23.33 positive cases per 1,000 
people. And Finney County, home to a Tyson beef plant, has nearly 400 
cases.Across the country, plants that process everything from 
pork to chicken to beef have had to shut down due to clusters of 
COVID-19 — it takes multiple people to kill, skin, cut and package 
meats. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has said the state was “cognizant that 
(western Kansas) was a potential hotspot,” took “some proactive steps” 
and was told that the plants were “adhering to the safety guidelines.”&nbsp;But the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/meat-poultry-processing-workers-employers.html">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>
 didn’t issue clear guidelines for meatpackers until April 25. And while
 many workers told the Kansas News Service that information about the 
virus was posted early in the plants in at least two languages and 
thorough safety measures have been implemented, some still want the 
plants to temporarily close for cleaning and to make sure workers can 
keep a better distance from each other.&nbsp;National Beef, which has
 plants in Ford and Seward counties, did not respond to multiple calls 
or emails. Ford County declined to comment on this story. Cargill did 
not immediately respond to questions about their facility in Ford 
County.&nbsp;Tyson spokeswoman Liz Croston denied a request to tour 
the Holcomb plant in Finney County. A few days prior to Trump’s 
executive order, Tyson Foods CEO John Tyson issued a <a href="https://thefeed.blog/2020/04/26/feeding-the-nation-and-keeping-our-employees-healthy/">statement</a> about its plants shuttering across the U.S., saying that “millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain.”&nbsp;Finney County health department director Colleen Drees said it is not confirming specific numbers of cases at any business.&nbsp;“With
 COVID-19 it does spread easily. You see this with other meatpacking 
plants across the nation; we expect that same quick increase locally,” 
Drees said, adding, “As the situation develops, we will work with the 
(Kansas Department of Health and Environment) to release appropriate 
information.”<h2>‘Might be an option for your crews’</h2>On
 April 9, Tyson confirmed cases among workers in the U.S., but did not 
specify whether in Holcomb, Kansas, had tested positive. On April 22, 
the Finney County Health Department said April 22 that there were 
multiple cases at the Holcomb plant.&nbsp;Juan Gonzales cleans the 
Tyson plant. For at least a month, the facility has taken people’s 
temperatures, cleaned multiple times a day and provided hand sanitizer, 
he said. People also stand six feet apart.&nbsp;But Gonzales fears going to work because so many people have been infected.&nbsp;“We should at least close the plant for two weeks — to avoid contamination,” Gonzales said.&nbsp;Tyson has supplied and required employees to wear face coverings since April 14, its spokeswoman said.&nbsp;“We’ve
 also been educating team members on COVID-19, including the importance 
of following CDC guidelines away from work,” Croston said. “Our 
communications are translated into multiple languages in support of our 
diverse workforce.”The Kansas News Service obtained emails 
through a Kansas Open Records Act request between Tyson and the Kansas 
Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;On April 1, state agriculture 
secretary Mike Beam sent an email to Tyson, suggesting it check with a 
balloon factory “at El Dorado, KS and/or Wichita, KS” about getting 
gloves for employees. Beam said the factory “is apparently making latex 
gloves that may not meet the medical specs, but might be an option for 
your crews.” But Croston said Tyson was not able to use those gloves and
 did not accept them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588533047722.png" alt=" Downtown Dodge City, Kansas, had noticeably lighter traffic on the afternoon of April 28. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Downtown Dodge City, Kansas, had noticeably lighter traffic on the afternoon of April 28. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘A little too late’</h2>The United Food and 
Commercial Workers International Union is still pressuring Kelly and the
 White House to protect meatpacking workers. On April 28, the union 
released a statement urging Tyson and other companies to protect food 
processing workers. The union also sent a letter to governors urging 
them to enforce social distancing, provide respirators, do testing and 
pay workers who are quarantined.UFCW International President Marc Perrone said workers should be designated as first responders.&nbsp;“Temporary
 first responder status ensures these workers have priority access to 
the COVID-19 testing and protective equipment they need to continue 
doing these essential jobs,” Perrone said.&nbsp;&nbsp;National Beef’s 
Chief Financial Officer, Simon McGee, emailed Beam on April 10 about the
 UFCW Local Union 2, which covers its Dodge City plant. This was two 
days after National Beef announced confirmed COVID-19 cases at the 
plant.“Our request is that they hear from the Governor’s office 
about the importance and special responsibility of food production 
workers and to ask the Union to encourage its folks to continue to 
report for work,” McGee asked, “… and certainly to not take any action 
to discourage attendance.”Approximately a few hundred workers at National Beef’s Dodge City plant have stopped showing up for work, according to Vasquez.Vasquez
 said temperature checks began in early April, before cases were 
announced, and said workers received masks sometime during the week of 
April 13.Maintaining six feet of distance between himself and 
his fellow workers is not always possible. He walks back and forth in 
the plant’s slaughter section to do his job as a flanker, which means he
 skins the chests of cattle after they’ve been killed.&nbsp;“I'm not that far apart from the next guy next to me,” he said. “No, we're not six feet apart.”After a carcass has been cut into pieces, it moves on a conveyor belt to Lupe Rodriguez, who trims fat from the meat.She
 said she has worked at National Beef for seven months, and is concerned
 about being exposed to the virus. That’s why she’s been staying home 
with her son. Rodriguez is not being paid.&nbsp;“When the daycare 
found out about the positives at the plant, she didn’t want to expose 
any of the other kids if I was exposed,” Rodriguez said.&nbsp;Both 
Vasquez and Rodriguez said National Beef should have protected workers 
from the virus sooner. Rodriguez said hand sanitizer was given out in 
late March, and also said temperature checks didn’t begin until early 
April.Vasquez said while temperature-taking prevents sick people from coming in, it was just too late.&nbsp;“So
 they're catching them at the door now, which is good, they’re not 
letting them inside. But it's a little too late,” he said. “As they 
found their first case, they could’ve shut down for two weeks.”&nbsp;Kansas
 is home to people from Vietnam, Myanmar, Somali, Ethiopia, Cambodia, 
Guatemala and dozens more countries, and many work in the meatpacking 
plants. Vasquez said he saw information posted about COVID-19 in English
 and Spanish on about March 22, but it wasn’t in languages like Somali 
or K'iche’, a Mayan language spoken in Guatemala.&nbsp;The Mexican 
Consulate in Kansas City, Missouri — an office that covers Kansas, 
Missouri and western Oklahoma — has been in communication with local 
governments in southwest Kansas as well as the meatpacking plants.&nbsp;Consul
 General Alfonso Navarro said Mexican Americans and Mexican nationals 
can reach out to the consulate at any time with issues.&nbsp;“If they
 have any concern or they feel that there’s a risk related to the work 
in terms of health or potential industrial safety,” he said, “they can 
always talk to the consulate in order to ... if not to file a complaint,
 at least to share those concerns.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588533087480.png" alt=" Vehicles turn into the Cargill beef-processing plant in Dodge City, Kansas, on April 28. Employees have said the plant has been extensively cleaned for weeks and breaks are staggered to keep people apart. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Vehicles turn into the Cargill beef-processing plant in Dodge City, Kansas, on April 28. Employees have said the plant has been extensively cleaned for weeks and breaks are staggered to keep people apart. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Dodge City ‘looks like a ghost town’</h2>Cargill’s
 plant is about two miles east of National Beef in Dodge City. Lucia 
Rangel has worked there for four years. She said she has access to soap 
and hand sanitizer, adding that the plant is disinfected multiple times a
 day.&nbsp;“They’ve been disinfecting the bathrooms, the doors, anywhere that can get contaminated,” she said.&nbsp;Cargill
 also has posted COVID-19 information in multiple languages, Rangel 
said: “The very first time they put up anything it was in multiple 
languages … in English, Spanish, Chinese and Somali.”Coworker Cinthia Perez said the multiple precautions that Cargill is taking makes work feel like a safe place.“When
 you go on break, they have two different groups so not everyone goes at
 same time,” Perez said. “There are only two people per table; they 
check your temp during break.”On a recent Tuesday afternoon, 
Dodge City traffic was noticeably thinner. But there were people out — 
some in masks, some not — visiting businesses, getting fast food 
drive-through service and going to work at National Beef and Cargill.&nbsp;Rangel
 said leaving work can be more of a risk. She’s more scared of being 
exposed to the coronavirus in the community than at Cargill.&nbsp;“Not
 everyone is staying at home,” she said. “You could be going to get some
 medication or food and someone brings their kids … walking down the 
street without protection.”But with Kansas having been under a 
statewide stay-at-home order (aside from essential business, like 
meatpacking work) and the spikes in cases in the area, Dodge City ”now 
looks like a ghost town,” said Pablo Candia, who owns the bilingual 
newspaper Informative Hispanic American.&nbsp;Candia has lived in 
Dodge City for 30 years and started the paper in 2012 after noticing an 
influx of immigrants as a freelance writer and substitute teacher.&nbsp;“I realized that there was an emerging information gap among the changing community,” Candia said.&nbsp;The
 paper has ceased printing its typical 1,500 copies a month because 
advertisers have closed their business due to the pandemic. It had been 
delivered to Dodge City schools, Sunday Masses in the area and even an 
hour away to Garden City.&nbsp;“They continue reading us on our 
homepage,” he said of his readers, “but they are not urging us to come 
back. They understand the circumstances we are in.”Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer">@Corinne_Boyer</a> or email cboyer@hppr.org.

Kan. meatpacking workers: 'We're right next to each other' 

Blake A. Bittel announces his 2020 candidacy to be re-elected as District Judge for the 23rd Judicial District on the Republican ticket.&nbsp; The 23rd Judicial District includes Ellis, Gove, Rooks and Trego counties.&nbsp; Bittel was born in Wakeeney, Kansas, raised on a farm in Trego County and graduated from Ellis High School. &nbsp;

After high school, he obtained his undergraduate degree from Fort Hays State University and a Juris Doctorate from Oklahoma City University School of Law; graduating with honors.&nbsp; Following law school, he engaged in a litigation practice in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for 14 years and represented business and individual clients in complex litigation cases throughout the State of Oklahoma, other states, and Federal Courts. &nbsp;

In 2007, he moved back to his roots in the Kansas 23rd Judicial District. &nbsp; Bittel’s private practice continued with civil litigation and expanded to domestic and criminal law.&nbsp; He continued with his practice of personal injury, insurance disputes, banking issues, and an expansive variety of other legal issues. &nbsp;

In 2016, Bittel was appointed by the Governor of Kansas to serve as the District Judge of the 23rd Judicial District and was subsequently elected to serve a four-year term.&nbsp; During this service he has handled a multitude of cases and trials. These include, but are not limited to, complex medical and personal injury actions; difficult issues regarding farm, land and water rights; domestic custody and child support; disputed probate and trust issues; insurance disputes; general issues regarding citizen complaints; and high-level criminal issues.&nbsp;

The experience as a judge over the past four plus years has been awesome! I have enjoyed the new challenges and have been most grateful to meet and engage with so many citizens from Ellis, Gove, Rooks, and Trego Counties.&nbsp; I encourage those who have not had the opportunity to be involved with the 23rd District Court to reach out to those who have.&nbsp; Attorneys, litigants, and persons who have had the opportunity to serve as jurors can attest to my demeanor, my decision-making, and my ability to resolve situations in a discerning, straightforward, and fair manner. &nbsp;

Along with my experience in law I am allowed as a judge to utilize my experiences as an individual.&nbsp; I was raised on a farm in Western Kansas and hold values that were engraved by my parents, Stan and Kerry Bittel, who still own a farm is Ellis County, Kansas. &nbsp; My wife, Rayna, and I share five children and two beautiful grandchildren.&nbsp; My 23 years of hard work and background experience in all areas of the law, my nurturing in Western Kansas, practice beyond the state, working with and for the communities of the 23rd District, and my professionalism gives me the qualifications to continue as Judge for the 23rd Judicial District. &nbsp;

I would appreciate your vote in the primary for District Judge for the 23rd Judicial District on August 4th, 2020.&nbsp; Please visit my Facebook and website for further information and events.&nbsp; Thank you in advance for your support.

Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/blake.bittel.3">Re-Elect Blake Bittel</a>

Website:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.reelectblakebittel.com/">reelectblakebittel.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588351681233.jpeg" alt="Bittel" />
 <figcaption>Bittel</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedBlake A. Bittel announces his 2020 candidacy to be re-elected as District Judge for the 23rd Judicial District on the Republican ticket.&nbsp; The 23rd Judicial District includes Ellis, Gove, Rooks and Trego counties.&nbsp; Bittel was born in Wakeeney, Kansas, raised on a farm in Trego County and graduated from Ellis High School. &nbsp;After high school, he obtained his undergraduate degree from Fort Hays State University and a Juris Doctorate from Oklahoma City University School of Law; graduating with honors.&nbsp; Following law school, he engaged in a litigation practice in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for 14 years and represented business and individual clients in complex litigation cases throughout the State of Oklahoma, other states, and Federal Courts. &nbsp;In 2007, he moved back to his roots in the Kansas 23rd Judicial District. &nbsp; Bittel’s private practice continued with civil litigation and expanded to domestic and criminal law.&nbsp; He continued with his practice of personal injury, insurance disputes, banking issues, and an expansive variety of other legal issues. &nbsp;In 2016, Bittel was appointed by the Governor of Kansas to serve as the District Judge of the 23rd Judicial District and was subsequently elected to serve a four-year term.&nbsp; During this service he has handled a multitude of cases and trials. These include, but are not limited to, complex medical and personal injury actions; difficult issues regarding farm, land and water rights; domestic custody and child support; disputed probate and trust issues; insurance disputes; general issues regarding citizen complaints; and high-level criminal issues.&nbsp;The experience as a judge over the past four plus years has been awesome! I have enjoyed the new challenges and have been most grateful to meet and engage with so many citizens from Ellis, Gove, Rooks, and Trego Counties.&nbsp; I encourage those who have not had the opportunity to be involved with the 23rd District Court to reach out to those who have.&nbsp; Attorneys, litigants, and persons who have had the opportunity to serve as jurors can attest to my demeanor, my decision-making, and my ability to resolve situations in a discerning, straightforward, and fair manner. &nbsp;Along with my experience in law I am allowed as a judge to utilize my experiences as an individual.&nbsp; I was raised on a farm in Western Kansas and hold values that were engraved by my parents, Stan and Kerry Bittel, who still own a farm is Ellis County, Kansas. &nbsp; My wife, Rayna, and I share five children and two beautiful grandchildren.&nbsp; My 23 years of hard work and background experience in all areas of the law, my nurturing in Western Kansas, practice beyond the state, working with and for the communities of the 23rd District, and my professionalism gives me the qualifications to continue as Judge for the 23rd Judicial District. &nbsp;I would appreciate your vote in the primary for District Judge for the 23rd Judicial District on August 4th, 2020.&nbsp; Please visit my Facebook and website for further information and events.&nbsp; Thank you in advance for your support.Blake A. Bittel&nbsp;Facebook:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/blake.bittel.3">Re-Elect Blake Bittel</a>Website:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.reelectblakebittel.com/">reelectblakebittel.com</a>Submitted

LETTER: Bittel announces campaign for re-election

Three-day weather outlook

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The number of calls to <a href="http://hpmhc.com/">High Plains Mental Health Center</a> crisis line has doubled in the last month.

Walt Hill, director of HPHM, attributed the increase to isolation and stress as a result of the COVID-19 stat-at-home&nbsp;order.

In February, HPMH had 180 crisis calls after hours. Between March 20 and April 20, that number jumped to 365 calls.

Although the number of calls has increased, the number of calls that have resulted in hospitalization has not jumped proportionally, Hill said.

"It seems that people are more inclined to give us a call when they are experiencing concerns or are upset, and we are glad for this," he said. "They are reaching out, and that is really what our whole goal is."

About half of the crisis calls came from existing clients, and Hill said the other half came from people who High Plains had never had interaction with before.

"I think it is very possible," Kaley Conner, High Plains marketing director, said, "that through this people who do not have a history of a mental illness, like anxiety or depression, might be feeling some of those things because this is such an uncontrollable, stressful situation."

Conner, who also teaches mental health first aid classes, wanted to stress High Plains is accepting new clients, and people can call anytime. 

The 24/7 crisis number is (800) 432-0333. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be accessed by calling (800) 273-8255 or texting to 741741. The main office number in Hays is (785) 628-2871.

Insurance is accepted. A sliding-fee scale is available.

The Schwaller Crisis Center and pharmacy at High Plains also remain open.

Anyone in northwest Kansas can also access the online mental health tool Seven Cups of Tea at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.7cups.com/p/highplains/">https://www.7cups.com/p/highplains/</a>. Pass code is highplains for new members.

Mental health sessions for the center have dropped by 30 percent. Immediately after the stay-at-home order, sessions were down 40 percent to 50 percent, Hill said.

A drop in sessions has resulted in budget issues for the center, Hill said. High Plains has applied to the Payroll Protection Program. It has also dipped into reserves as revenues have decreased.

"Mental health centers across the country are concerned with financial viability," Hill said. "The data I see is a 30 to 50 percent reduction in revenues, which is a major concern.

"I always believe if you focus on the mission and doing it right and taking care of people, we'll work out those details."

High Plains has moved almost all its appointments to telehealth to decrease the likelihood of the spread of COVID-19.

The center has also used telephone contact for therapy sessions for people who do not have the technology for telehealth.

Hill said those who have made the shift to telehealth from home are adjusting well to the switch.

"What I hear is they are very glad for that and very appreciative when we call and say we are not going to have you come in ," Hill said. "We are going to have you connect virtually."

Medication reviews are also being done over the phone or through telehealth.

Plans are in the works to slowly transition back to face-to-face visit, Conner said via email Thursday.

"We at High Plains will continue offering telehealth services beyond the end of the stay-home order, so clients can continue accessing care from the comfort of home for the foreseeable future," she said. "We are in the planning process to safely resume face-to-face care for clients who prefer to be seen in person, and we will announce those details when we are able."

Hill said he thought the pandemic was putting an exclamation point on issues people are normally dealing with in their lives, such as finances and relationships.

"I believe it is a combination of all the uncertainty that we are all facing," he said, "the inability to have the routines as we usually did in our lives, the anxiety of worrying about things like jobs and health care and even getting out to the grocery store."

The stay-at-home order limited people's outlets to deal with these stressors, he said.

Gov. Kelly announced plans Thursday night for reopening the state.

Hill wanted to remind Kansans if they are still required to physically distance, they can still be socially connected. This can be accomplished through videoconferencing apps or by phone.

Keeping routines and structure will continue to be important even as the state eases out of quarantine.

"Helping others is often very helpful to get out of yourself," he said, "and feel some purpose when things don't make sense."

&nbsp;Exercise and talking about feelings with people you trust are also important, Hill said.

"When you talk about your feelings ... when you talk about things you are worried about and what's going on, it really keeps your feelings from taking over because you are able to put things into words.&nbsp;

"As long as we keep things in words, they don't snowball into feelings that are uncomfortable or difficult to deal with. That is how we solve problems, putting words to them and using our minds more than our feelings to deal with what's happening."

Conner said being a good listener can be helpful to friends or family members who are struggling at this time.

If you believe someone is in immediate danger of hurting his or herself or others, call 911, she said.

Hill said he wanted to look at this time as an opportunity.

"We're going to get through this. We're going to come out on the other side of all of this," he said. "I think we are going to come out better. We are going to learn new ways of doing things."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588277437676.jpeg" alt="The number of calls to&nbsp;<a href="http://hpmhc.com/">High Plains Mental Health Center</a>&nbsp;crisis line has doubled in the last month from 180 to 365. Photo by&nbsp;<a href="https://unsplash.com/@taylor_grote?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Taylor Grote</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/call?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>" />
 <figcaption>The number of calls to&nbsp;<a href="http://hpmhc.com/">High Plains Mental Health Center</a>&nbsp;crisis line has doubled in the last month from 180 to 365. Photo by&nbsp;<a href="https://unsplash.com/@taylor_grote?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Taylor Grote</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/call?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe number of calls to <a href="http://hpmhc.com/">High Plains Mental Health Center</a> crisis line has doubled in the last month.Walt Hill, director of HPHM, attributed the increase to isolation and stress as a result of the COVID-19 stat-at-home&nbsp;order.In February, HPMH had 180 crisis calls after hours. Between March 20 and April 20, that number jumped to 365 calls.Although the number of calls has increased, the number of calls that have resulted in hospitalization has not jumped proportionally, Hill said."It seems that people are more inclined to give us a call when they are experiencing concerns or are upset, and we are glad for this," he said. "They are reaching out, and that is really what our whole goal is."About half of the crisis calls came from existing clients, and Hill said the other half came from people who High Plains had never had interaction with before."I think it is very possible," Kaley Conner, High Plains marketing director, said, "that through this people who do not have a history of a mental illness, like anxiety or depression, might be feeling some of those things because this is such an uncontrollable, stressful situation."<h2>High Plains still accepting clients</h2>Conner, who also teaches mental health first aid classes, wanted to stress High Plains is accepting new clients, and people can call anytime. The 24/7 crisis number is (800) 432-0333. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be accessed by calling (800) 273-8255 or texting to 741741. The main office number in Hays is (785) 628-2871.Insurance is accepted. A sliding-fee scale is available.The Schwaller Crisis Center and pharmacy at High Plains also remain open.Anyone in northwest Kansas can also access the online mental health tool Seven Cups of Tea at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.7cups.com/p/highplains/">https://www.7cups.com/p/highplains/</a>. Pass code is highplains for new members."We are here to help," Conner said.<h2>Therapy sessions, revenue dip at center</h2>Mental health sessions for the center have dropped by 30 percent. Immediately after the stay-at-home order, sessions were down 40 percent to 50 percent, Hill said.A drop in sessions has resulted in budget issues for the center, Hill said. High Plains has applied to the Payroll Protection Program. It has also dipped into reserves as revenues have decreased."Mental health centers across the country are concerned with financial viability," Hill said. "The data I see is a 30 to 50 percent reduction in revenues, which is a major concern."I always believe if you focus on the mission and doing it right and taking care of people, we'll work out those details."<h2>Telehealth</h2>High Plains has moved almost all its appointments to telehealth to decrease the likelihood of the spread of COVID-19.The center has also used telephone contact for therapy sessions for people who do not have the technology for telehealth.Hill said those who have made the shift to telehealth from home are adjusting well to the switch."What I hear is they are very glad for that and very appreciative when we call and say we are not going to have you come in ," Hill said. "We are going to have you connect virtually."Medication reviews are also being done over the phone or through telehealth.Plans are in the works to slowly transition back to face-to-face visit, Conner said via email Thursday."We at High Plains will continue offering telehealth services beyond the end of the stay-home order, so clients can continue accessing care from the comfort of home for the foreseeable future," she said. "We are in the planning process to safely resume face-to-face care for clients who prefer to be seen in person, and we will announce those details when we are able."<h2>Pandemic aggravates mental health issues</h2>Hill said he thought the pandemic was putting an exclamation point on issues people are normally dealing with in their lives, such as finances and relationships."I believe it is a combination of all the uncertainty that we are all facing," he said, "the inability to have the routines as we usually did in our lives, the anxiety of worrying about things like jobs and health care and even getting out to the grocery store."The stay-at-home order limited people's outlets to deal with these stressors, he said.<h2>Staying mentally healthy still important</h2>Gov. Kelly announced plans Thursday night for reopening the state.Hill wanted to remind Kansans if they are still required to physically distance, they can still be socially connected. This can be accomplished through videoconferencing apps or by phone.Keeping routines and structure will continue to be important even as the state eases out of quarantine."Helping others is often very helpful to get out of yourself," he said, "and feel some purpose when things don't make sense."&nbsp;Exercise and talking about feelings with people you trust are also important, Hill said."When you talk about your feelings ... when you talk about things you are worried about and what's going on, it really keeps your feelings from taking over because you are able to put things into words.&nbsp;"As long as we keep things in words, they don't snowball into feelings that are uncomfortable or difficult to deal with. That is how we solve problems, putting words to them and using our minds more than our feelings to deal with what's happening."Conner said being a good listener can be helpful to friends or family members who are struggling at this time.If you believe someone is in immediate danger of hurting his or herself or others, call 911, she said.Hill said he wanted to look at this time as an opportunity."We're going to get through this. We're going to come out on the other side of all of this," he said. "I think we are going to come out better. We are going to learn new ways of doing things."

Calls to mental health crisis line double during stay-at-home order

Are you looking for a meaningful career where you can grow alongside a growing company? KanEquip has been helping farmers take care of their needs for over 50 years. We are currently seeking to grow our sales team in Ellsworth to take care of those needs. If you have the ability to listen, communicate effectively and solve problems all while building relationships, we want to talk with you.

Along with career growth, we offer a flexible work environment, competitive wages along with an attractive benefits package. &nbsp;

Please check out our positions at&nbsp;<a href="http://kanequip.com/">kanequip.com</a>&nbsp;or call John Lamatsch at 785-472-3114 to learn more. &nbsp;&nbsp;

And the link to our website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kanequip.com/company-profile/employment/">https://www.kanequip.com/company-profile/employment/</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588269898890.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Are you looking for a meaningful career where you can grow alongside a growing company? KanEquip has been helping farmers take care of their needs for over 50 years. We are currently seeking to grow our sales team in Ellsworth to take care of those needs. If you have the ability to listen, communicate effectively and solve problems all while building relationships, we want to talk with you.Along with career growth, we offer a flexible work environment, competitive wages along with an attractive benefits package. &nbsp;Please check out our positions at&nbsp;<a href="http://kanequip.com/">kanequip.com</a>&nbsp;or call John Lamatsch at 785-472-3114 to learn more. &nbsp;&nbsp;And the link to our website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kanequip.com/company-profile/employment/">https://www.kanequip.com/company-profile/employment/</a>

2 hospitalized after NW Kansas rollover accident

The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance has partnered with Hays Post to bring you Encouraging Words, a series of messages from Ellis County faith leaders.

Check Hays Post on Wednesdays and Sundays for the latest Encouraging Words.

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4HDGvK-z4wo"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance has partnered with Hays Post to bring you Encouraging Words, a series of messages from Ellis County faith leaders.Check Hays Post on Wednesdays and Sundays for the latest Encouraging Words.

🎥 Encouraging Words: Father Jarett Konrade

As we turn the calendar to May I was reminded that Pilot Club members were going to join me in visiting each elementary school in Barton County. Pilot Club had bicycle helmets to present at every school as part of their brain injury awareness project. During our visit I would share the rules of riding a bicycle complete with hand signals and safe riding practices. I hope that since the school year was cut short that we will be able to make a visit to the schools next fall to share our message.&nbsp;

The beautiful spring weather we have had lately has been great for bicycling. I have bike commuted to the office for many years and try to run our close-to-home errands by bike whenever possible. It only takes five minutes longer to ride to work and there are several benefits. The health benefits of exercise and savings at the pump are the main ones that come to mind.

As you and your family members dust off your bicycles for another season, do not forget to purchase a helmet to wear when riding. More than 60 percent of deaths attributed to bicycle accidents are caused by head injuries. Safety experts suggest that as many as 75 percent of the bicycle related fatalities involving children could be prevented with a bicycle helmet.

Consider a helmet a necessity, rather than an extra. Without a helmet, riders who sustain an injury are 14 times more likely to become a fatality. Choose a helmet that is specifically designed for bicycling, rather and a multi-sports helmet. Choose one that meets or exceeds safety standards established by the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission. Make sure the helmet fits, rather than one a child will grow into. Replace the helmet if an accident occurs or if the helmet is badly jarred or cracked.

While we are on the subject of safe bicycling, please remind the riders in your family of the following rules of the road:

Many parents ask at what age a child is old enough to ride in the street rather than on the sidewalk. There is not a one-size-fits-all age. A child’s maturity and riding ability are factors. Other factors to consider are the size of the community, traffic patterns and congestion, and whether it is a residential area or a business district. a smaller community can seem peaceful and safe, but may have periods when safety is compromised – for example, after a ball game, during a community festival, or at harvest time.

Last but not least, make sure that you perform periodic bicycle maintenance on the families’ bikes. Checking tire pressure and condition, lubricating key places, checking brakes, pedals, lights or reflectors is also recommended.

I hope you will celebrate National Bike Month by riding as much as you can!

Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583253738760.jpeg" alt="Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District. " />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District. </figcaption>
 </figure>As we turn the calendar to May I was reminded that Pilot Club members were going to join me in visiting each elementary school in Barton County. Pilot Club had bicycle helmets to present at every school as part of their brain injury awareness project. During our visit I would share the rules of riding a bicycle complete with hand signals and safe riding practices. I hope that since the school year was cut short that we will be able to make a visit to the schools next fall to share our message.&nbsp;The beautiful spring weather we have had lately has been great for bicycling. I have bike commuted to the office for many years and try to run our close-to-home errands by bike whenever possible. It only takes five minutes longer to ride to work and there are several benefits. The health benefits of exercise and savings at the pump are the main ones that come to mind.As you and your family members dust off your bicycles for another season, do not forget to purchase a helmet to wear when riding. More than 60 percent of deaths attributed to bicycle accidents are caused by head injuries. Safety experts suggest that as many as 75 percent of the bicycle related fatalities involving children could be prevented with a bicycle helmet.Consider a helmet a necessity, rather than an extra. Without a helmet, riders who sustain an injury are 14 times more likely to become a fatality. Choose a helmet that is specifically designed for bicycling, rather and a multi-sports helmet. Choose one that meets or exceeds safety standards established by the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission. Make sure the helmet fits, rather than one a child will grow into. Replace the helmet if an accident occurs or if the helmet is badly jarred or cracked.While we are on the subject of safe bicycling, please remind the riders in your family of the following rules of the road:<ol>
 <li>Ride with the traffic, rather than facing traffic.</li><li>Use the bicycle lane or ride next to the curb.</li><li>Obey traffic signals.</li><li>Stay alert and keep your mind on your riding.</li>
 </ol>Many parents ask at what age a child is old enough to ride in the street rather than on the sidewalk. There is not a one-size-fits-all age. A child’s maturity and riding ability are factors. Other factors to consider are the size of the community, traffic patterns and congestion, and whether it is a residential area or a business district. a smaller community can seem peaceful and safe, but may have periods when safety is compromised – for example, after a ball game, during a community festival, or at harvest time.Last but not least, make sure that you perform periodic bicycle maintenance on the families’ bikes. Checking tire pressure and condition, lubricating key places, checking brakes, pedals, lights or reflectors is also recommended.I hope you will celebrate National Bike Month by riding as much as you can!Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;

KRUG: May is bike month

K-State’s Procter says pandemic could eventually help improve smaller stores

MANHATTAN – In rural towns across Kansas, residents are often pressed – even during normal times – to find a reliable and safe source of food nearby.

The current outbreak of the novel coronavirus which causes the disease COVID-19 has made that challenge even greater in some parts of the state.

“Many small town grocery stores are adjusting their operations during this pandemic,” said David Procter, director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/cecd">Center for Engagement and Community Development</a>&nbsp;at Kansas State University, who has studied the importance of grocery stores to rural communities.

Procter spoke recently on the K-State podcast,&nbsp;<a href="http://extensionfiles.libsyn.com/rural-grocery-stores-and-sheltering-in-small-towns-david-procter">The Extension Files</a>, produced by K-State Research and Extension.

Procter notes that the grocery store in rural communities is often a barometer of the economy in small towns.

“As the grocery store goes, so goes the local economy,” he said. “If you have small-town grocery stores that at this point in time are struggling, it has to have a ripple economic effect on other small businesses in that community.”

Procter said many rural communities are going to almost “heroic” lengths to keep their stores open, many now offering delivery or curbside pickup services that they had not offered prior to the pandemic.

“And some grocery stores are spearheading food giveaways,” Procter said. “There are these things called ‘Blessing Boxes’ where people provide food – not only the grocery store – and residents can provide extra food or products that people need, and others can come and pick those up for free.”

Some small grocery stores, he added, are now exploring online ordering, which has long been a challenge in rural communities because of the lower reliability of broadband service in those areas.

“One good thing that could come out of the other side of this is we have a grocery store infrastructure that is going to be more conducive to folks who maybe can’t physically get to the store,” Procter said. “That may include elderly people, or people with low income that don’t have reliable transportation. I think there are going to be more options for people to access groceries in a variety of ways that maybe they didn’t have before all of this happened.”

It’s an opportunity, perhaps, to close the digital divide, or disparity, that exists in access to the Internet between urban and rural areas across the country.

“I really hope so,” Procter said. “This is the time when we are realizing across the country, but certainly in rural areas, where Internet service is spotty, and just how important it is to have this service available. I would certainly hope that something would come out of this that would improve broadband access.

“I also think that folks are increasingly recognizing the importance of having some kind of food access in their community. I would not be surprised once this situation has improved that there is an increased push among some rural communities to establish local access to groceries and healthy food.”

Procter said the Center for Engagement and Community Development is available to help grocery store owners work toward improving infrastructure, including moving point-of-sale systems to an online process.

The Center is part of a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ruralgrocery.org/">Rural Grocery Initiative</a>&nbsp;that includes the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansashealth.org/">Kansas Health Foundation</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.networkkansas.com/">Network Kansas</a>&nbsp;to help grocery stores purchase point-of-sale systems. More information is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ruralgrocery.org/">www.ruralgrocery.org</a>.

Other rural issues that Procter spoke about during the recent podcast include how the pandemic is affecting youth and public education; the inter-dependence of farm families during times of crisis; and how the COVID-19 pandemic is different from other natural disasters.

The full podcast is&nbsp;<a href="http://extensionfiles.libsyn.com/rural-grocery-stores-and-sheltering-in-small-towns-david-procter">available online</a>.

K-State’s Procter says pandemic could eventually help improve smaller storesK-State Research &amp; ExtensionMANHATTAN – In rural towns across Kansas, residents are often pressed – even during normal times – to find a reliable and safe source of food nearby.The current outbreak of the novel coronavirus which causes the disease COVID-19 has made that challenge even greater in some parts of the state.“Many small town grocery stores are adjusting their operations during this pandemic,” said David Procter, director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/cecd">Center for Engagement and Community Development</a>&nbsp;at Kansas State University, who has studied the importance of grocery stores to rural communities.Procter spoke recently on the K-State podcast,&nbsp;<a href="http://extensionfiles.libsyn.com/rural-grocery-stores-and-sheltering-in-small-towns-david-procter">The Extension Files</a>, produced by K-State Research and Extension.Procter notes that the grocery store in rural communities is often a barometer of the economy in small towns.“As the grocery store goes, so goes the local economy,” he said. “If you have small-town grocery stores that at this point in time are struggling, it has to have a ripple economic effect on other small businesses in that community.”Procter said many rural communities are going to almost “heroic” lengths to keep their stores open, many now offering delivery or curbside pickup services that they had not offered prior to the pandemic.“And some grocery stores are spearheading food giveaways,” Procter said. “There are these things called ‘Blessing Boxes’ where people provide food – not only the grocery store – and residents can provide extra food or products that people need, and others can come and pick those up for free.”Some small grocery stores, he added, are now exploring online ordering, which has long been a challenge in rural communities because of the lower reliability of broadband service in those areas.“One good thing that could come out of the other side of this is we have a grocery store infrastructure that is going to be more conducive to folks who maybe can’t physically get to the store,” Procter said. “That may include elderly people, or people with low income that don’t have reliable transportation. I think there are going to be more options for people to access groceries in a variety of ways that maybe they didn’t have before all of this happened.”It’s an opportunity, perhaps, to close the digital divide, or disparity, that exists in access to the Internet between urban and rural areas across the country.“I really hope so,” Procter said. “This is the time when we are realizing across the country, but certainly in rural areas, where Internet service is spotty, and just how important it is to have this service available. I would certainly hope that something would come out of this that would improve broadband access.“I also think that folks are increasingly recognizing the importance of having some kind of food access in their community. I would not be surprised once this situation has improved that there is an increased push among some rural communities to establish local access to groceries and healthy food.”Procter said the Center for Engagement and Community Development is available to help grocery store owners work toward improving infrastructure, including moving point-of-sale systems to an online process.The Center is part of a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ruralgrocery.org/">Rural Grocery Initiative</a>&nbsp;that includes the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansashealth.org/">Kansas Health Foundation</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.networkkansas.com/">Network Kansas</a>&nbsp;to help grocery stores purchase point-of-sale systems. More information is available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ruralgrocery.org/">www.ruralgrocery.org</a>.Other rural issues that Procter spoke about during the recent podcast include how the pandemic is affecting youth and public education; the inter-dependence of farm families during times of crisis; and how the COVID-19 pandemic is different from other natural disasters.The full podcast is&nbsp;<a href="http://extensionfiles.libsyn.com/rural-grocery-stores-and-sheltering-in-small-towns-david-procter">available online</a>.

Rural grocery stores finding creative ways to stay open, serve communities

BY GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

While everyone from administrators to fans are hopeful for
the return of college athletics this fall, the NCAA and its member institutions
are making contingency plans should that not be the case. 

“We’re working as if everything is going to be normal in the
fall and keeping our fingers crossed that it will,” said Fort Hays State
Athletic Director Curtis Hammeke.

And while Fort Hays State is moving forward like everything
will go on as scheduled, Hammeke knows there is no guarantee seasons will
start on time or be played in their entirety. He said there has been some talk
of reduced or modified schedules at the Division II level for the upcoming
2020-21 academic year.

“Certainly, there’s financial ramifications involved, and
that’s going to eventually affect what the schedules look like,” Hammeke said.
“We’re still hoping everything stays as planned, but I
do see some momentum gaining for some reduced or modified schedules.”

Member institutions have received surveys from the NCAA
concerning a possible reduction in the number of games played in the 2020-21 academic
year. Schools are being asked how they feel about reductions ranging anywhere
from 10 percent to more than 20 percent. Hammeke said Memorial Day is target date for decisions concerning the fall.

FHSU has altered all of the summer sports camps. Some have been canceled, and others have been moved to July and will only be day camps, eliminating
the use of dormitories.

Both KU and K-State have announced in recent weeks that
their football and basketball coaches — along with some high-ranking athletic department
administrators — have taken pay cuts to help offset budget deficits. That has not
been the case at Fort Hays State, which works with a significantly smaller budget.

“I’m very grateful that we haven’t gotten into staff reductions
and furloughs,” Hammeke said. “Our people have been able to keep working from
home, continue the recruiting process, continuing the preparations for next
year.”

The athletic department had to move the annual Jim and Blake
McGuire Scholarship Golf Tournament, which was scheduled for mid-April, to September.
The next big event on the calendar is the Tiger Auction and Dinner. Hammeke
said, as of now, they are planning to hold the event as scheduled. &nbsp;

“Here we are in a situation where the auction will be more
important than ever at a time where a lot of people will be more handcuffed
then ever in terms of being able to help with that,” Hammeke said. 

“We’re going
to have some negative funding sources from the state level and potentially from
student fees if our enrollment is not as high on campus. And then if you start reducing
these schedules and you start taking away revenue from ticket sales and
concessions and marketing and advertising — all of those things we utilize to
help reach our budget.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588341384368.jpeg" alt="Courtesy FHSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy FHSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>BY GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostWhile everyone from administrators to fans are hopeful for
the return of college athletics this fall, the NCAA and its member institutions
are making contingency plans should that not be the case. “We’re working as if everything is going to be normal in the
fall and keeping our fingers crossed that it will,” said Fort Hays State
Athletic Director Curtis Hammeke.And while Fort Hays State is moving forward like everything
will go on as scheduled, Hammeke knows there is no guarantee seasons will
start on time or be played in their entirety. He said there has been some talk
of reduced or modified schedules at the Division II level for the upcoming
2020-21 academic year.“Certainly, there’s financial ramifications involved, and
that’s going to eventually affect what the schedules look like,” Hammeke said.
“We’re still hoping everything stays as planned, but I
do see some momentum gaining for some reduced or modified schedules.”<div><iframe title="FHSU Athletic Director Curtis Hammeke" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/ngq2h-db5206?from=yiiadmin&download=1&version=1&skin=1&btn-skin=102&auto=1&share=1&fonts=Helvetica&download=1&rtl=0&pbad=1"></iframe></div>Member institutions have received surveys from the NCAA
concerning a possible reduction in the number of games played in the 2020-21 academic
year. Schools are being asked how they feel about reductions ranging anywhere
from 10 percent to more than 20 percent. Hammeke said Memorial Day is target date for decisions concerning the fall.FHSU has altered all of the summer sports camps. Some have been canceled, and others have been moved to July and will only be day camps, eliminating
the use of dormitories.Both KU and K-State have announced in recent weeks that
their football and basketball coaches — along with some high-ranking athletic department
administrators — have taken pay cuts to help offset budget deficits. That has not
been the case at Fort Hays State, which works with a significantly smaller budget.“I’m very grateful that we haven’t gotten into staff reductions
and furloughs,” Hammeke said. “Our people have been able to keep working from
home, continue the recruiting process, continuing the preparations for next
year.”The athletic department had to move the annual Jim and Blake
McGuire Scholarship Golf Tournament, which was scheduled for mid-April, to September.
The next big event on the calendar is the Tiger Auction and Dinner. Hammeke
said, as of now, they are planning to hold the event as scheduled. &nbsp;“Here we are in a situation where the auction will be more
important than ever at a time where a lot of people will be more handcuffed
then ever in terms of being able to help with that,” Hammeke said. “We’re going
to have some negative funding sources from the state level and potentially from
student fees if our enrollment is not as high on campus. And then if you start reducing
these schedules and you start taking away revenue from ticket sales and
concessions and marketing and advertising — all of those things we utilize to
help reach our budget.”

Hammeke hopeful FHSU athletics will start up again this fall

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Rita Legleiter misses her art students - all 500 of them.

She teaches students in grades K-5 at Roosevelt Elementary School in Hays USD 489 and three classes of students at Lincoln Elementary.

Legleiter spent Thursday evening and early Friday morning creating her own artwork for students and the other teachers and staff at both schools.

A huge Happy May Day message made of construction paper floral bouquets was stapled to her north-facing fence at her home on Agnes Street.

She used paint pens and markers to list a class and its teacher in the center of each flower while the petals were adorned with the classroom students' names.

Interspersed among the three bouquets were a multi-colored butterfly, a red inchworm and a blue dragonfly.

Legleiter has been teaching elementary art for 14 years. She calls her students "little tiny geniuses," even though they often don't recognize their talents.

"All of them are so good at something different. You never know what's going to pop out of them," Legleiter said.

"When they look at their work, they think it's just okay. When I put it up on display and they see it, they say 'oh my gosh, that's so beautiful!' Then they they look at the name, and it's theirs, and realize they did that."&nbsp;

During art class, Legleiter will present her students with an idea. The students often come up with more ideas.&nbsp;

A sign at the end of the mural included written messages from Legleiter to her students and co-workers. Classrooms in Kansas closed March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

Legleiter says teaching her students in a stay-at-home environment has been hard.

"I think it's been hard on kids, on parents, on us. I think everybody's doing the best they can.

"I know the kids are doing art. I don't necessarily get to see it all. But that's okay because their parents catch me up on Zoom meetings."

She also uses a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC38xPIGAm2udHwxeapatncA">Youtube channel</a> for Roosevelt School called OOTBA, for "Out Of The Box Art" and her USD 489 Continuous Learning Plan Resources <a href="https://www.usd489.com/o/roosevelt/page/mrs-legleiter-s-activities">website</a> has lots of choices for at-home art activities.

Any child in Hays is invited to contribute their own artwork or note to&nbsp; Legleiter's fence project.

"If any kids want to make a flower or a bug or just a note to your teachers or school who you miss, just set them on my front porch and I'll staple them up on the fence.

"Then we'll have one big giant May Day theme for everybody."

Legleiter also suggests art of any type can be displayed at a child's home.

"Put it in your window, on the front door, or even a tree."

Her husband, Tim, who works in construction, helped staple the Happy May Day display on their fence. He wasn't keen on the idea of Rita using chalk art on the sidewalk and he really didn't want her to paint their fence.

So, construction paper it is, stapled to the fence.&nbsp;

"Tim even went to Walmart and used FaceTime on his phone with me to make sure he was getting the right color paint pens and markers I needed," Rita said with a smile.

She's hoping the flowers planted in front of the fence will bloom this weekend, making the scene even more vibrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588386096688.png" alt="A message to her students and co-workers created by Hays USD 489 art teacher Rita Legleiter is affixed to her backyard fence on Agnes Street." />
 <figcaption>A message to her students and co-workers created by Hays USD 489 art teacher Rita Legleiter is affixed to her backyard fence on Agnes Street.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostRita Legleiter misses her art students - all 500 of them.She teaches students in grades K-5 at Roosevelt Elementary School in Hays USD 489 and three classes of students at Lincoln Elementary.Legleiter spent Thursday evening and early Friday morning creating her own artwork for students and the other teachers and staff at both schools.A huge Happy May Day message made of construction paper floral bouquets was stapled to her north-facing fence at her home on Agnes Street.She used paint pens and markers to list a class and its teacher in the center of each flower while the petals were adorned with the classroom students' names.Interspersed among the three bouquets were a multi-colored butterfly, a red inchworm and a blue dragonfly.Legleiter has been teaching elementary art for 14 years. She calls her students "little tiny geniuses," even though they often don't recognize their talents.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t2lSk6XA7Mg"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"All of them are so good at something different. You never know what's going to pop out of them," Legleiter said."When they look at their work, they think it's just okay. When I put it up on display and they see it, they say 'oh my gosh, that's so beautiful!' Then they they look at the name, and it's theirs, and realize they did that."&nbsp;During art class, Legleiter will present her students with an idea. The students often come up with more ideas.&nbsp;"They help me discover more."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588386065873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A sign at the end of the mural included written messages from Legleiter to her students and co-workers. Classrooms in Kansas closed March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;Legleiter says teaching her students in a stay-at-home environment has been hard."I think it's been hard on kids, on parents, on us. I think everybody's doing the best they can."I know the kids are doing art. I don't necessarily get to see it all. But that's okay because their parents catch me up on Zoom meetings."She also uses a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC38xPIGAm2udHwxeapatncA">Youtube channel</a> for Roosevelt School called OOTBA, for "Out Of The Box Art" and her USD 489 Continuous Learning Plan Resources <a href="https://www.usd489.com/o/roosevelt/page/mrs-legleiter-s-activities">website</a> has lots of choices for at-home art activities.Any child in Hays is invited to contribute their own artwork or note to&nbsp; Legleiter's fence project."If any kids want to make a flower or a bug or just a note to your teachers or school who you miss, just set them on my front porch and I'll staple them up on the fence."Then we'll have one big giant May Day theme for everybody."Legleiter also suggests art of any type can be displayed at a child's home."Put it in your window, on the front door, or even a tree."Her husband, Tim, who works in construction, helped staple the Happy May Day display on their fence. He wasn't keen on the idea of Rita using chalk art on the sidewalk and he really didn't want her to paint their fence.So, construction paper it is, stapled to the fence.&nbsp;"Tim even went to Walmart and used FaceTime on his phone with me to make sure he was getting the right color paint pens and markers I needed," Rita said with a smile.She's hoping the flowers planted in front of the fence will bloom this weekend, making the scene even more vibrant.

🎥 Missing her students, Hays art teacher creates May Day message for community

By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/these-kansas-counties-relied-heavily-oil-then-bottom-fell-out">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA, Kansas — The coronavirus shutdown killed 
oil prices. That could be a killer for local governments in large swaths
 of Kansas, places long addicted to the tax money that’s been lost as 
companies stop pumping crude from the ground.

In some parts of 
Kansas, counties depend on revenue tied to oil production to cover as 
much as a fourth of the local property taxes.

With no rebound in 
prices in a world suddenly awash in a glut of oil, those counties find 
themselves scrambling to raise taxes elsewhere, slash their budgets, or 
both.

<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/" target="_blank">Ellis County</a>
 in western Kansas produces more oil than anywhere else in the state. 
The industry is a key component of its economy, providing income for 
producers and landowners, while also propping up a wide range of 
businesses meant to support the industry and those who work in it.

“We
 have banks out here that will struggle. We have retailers, like myself,
 that will struggle,” said Dustin Roths, Ellis County Commissioner and 
owner of a local jewelry store. “Our best customers sometimes are in 
these industries.”

It’s also a significant source of revenue for 
the county government. Before the coronavirus and collapse of oil 
prices, the county expected to get about $1 million in tax revenue from 
the value of oil in the ground.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588254817951.png" alt=" An oil pump jack in Kansas. Scott Canon / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> An oil pump jack in Kansas. Scott Canon / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/these-kansas-counties-relied-heavily-oil-then-bottom-fell-out">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA, Kansas — The coronavirus shutdown killed 
oil prices. That could be a killer for local governments in large swaths
 of Kansas, places long addicted to the tax money that’s been lost as 
companies stop pumping crude from the ground.In some parts of 
Kansas, counties depend on revenue tied to oil production to cover as 
much as a fourth of the local property taxes.With no rebound in 
prices in a world suddenly awash in a glut of oil, those counties find 
themselves scrambling to raise taxes elsewhere, slash their budgets, or 
both.<a href="https://www.ellisco.net/" target="_blank">Ellis County</a>
 in western Kansas produces more oil than anywhere else in the state. 
The industry is a key component of its economy, providing income for 
producers and landowners, while also propping up a wide range of 
businesses meant to support the industry and those who work in it.“We
 have banks out here that will struggle. We have retailers, like myself,
 that will struggle,” said Dustin Roths, Ellis County Commissioner and 
owner of a local jewelry store. “Our best customers sometimes are in 
these industries.”It’s also a significant source of revenue for 
the county government. Before the coronavirus and collapse of oil 
prices, the county expected to get about $1 million in tax revenue from 
the value of oil in the ground.With <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/20/838521862/free-falling-oil-prices-keep-diving-as-demand-disappears" target="_blank">prices this past week hovering around $5 a barrel or less</a>, Roths expects those tax dollars driven by oil prices to fall by half.The revenue from <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/DocumentCenter/View/3058/2019-Budget-Document" target="_blank">oil is about 5% of the county’s annual budget</a>.
 While Roths said the county is doing everything it can to make sure it 
doesn’t have to lay people off, the shortfall will at least mean a 
reduction in some services.“We just kind of have to hold the 
line,” he said. “We’re not going to be able to make the investments in 
road infrastructure that we would have liked to.”The <a href="http://www.kgs.ku.edu/PRS/petro/interactive.html" target="_blank">Kansas Geological Survey</a>
 says eight counties (Barton, Ellis, Finney, Haskell, Ness, Rooks, 
Russell and Stafford) produced more than 1.5 million barrels of oil in 
2018. It’s those counties likely to be hit hardest.The significant drop in oil prices is<a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/04/22/842095406/episode-993-negative-oil" target="_blank">
 largely due to a severe drop in demand for oil because of the 
coronavirus, and too much production coming from Saudi Arabia and Russia</a>.
 Remember Economics 101? When you’ve got too much supply and very little
 demand, the price of what you’re selling is going to bottom out.“When
 it costs us more to produce the oil or get it out of the ground than 
it’s being offered to buy it for, we have no choice but to … basically 
close up shop,” said Will Darrah, a Wichita-based oil and gas producer.With
 wells turned off, there’s nothing to sell. And if there’s nothing to 
sell, then that means no royalty payments. The Kansas Independent Oil 
and Gas Association expects those payments to drop by $400 million.“Royalty
 payments (don’t go) just to oil and gas people,” said Ed Cross, KIOGA 
president. “That’s to landowners, and colleges, and other folks that 
have royalty interests."He said the prospect of any kind of 
rebound in prices by the end of the year is also starting to look grim. 
It would take a huge surge in demand to even bring prices back up to $30
 a barrel. Since the last price collapse in 2014, oil in Kansas has 
hovered around $50 a barrel. And that’s not likely to happen as states 
only gradually reopen the economy.“You’re talking at least a couple of years before we get to where we were in January of this year,” Cross said.Even
 when prices begin to rebound to a point when pumping oil will be worth 
it again, turning a well back on isn’t as easy as just flipping a 
switch.“You just don’t go back out there 30, 60 days later and 
turn that well on to get production back to the level it was 
previously,” said Mike Reed, CEO of <a href="http://www.sunriseoilfieldsupply.com/" target="_blank">Sunrise Oilfield Supply</a>.Wells
 and the equipment that run them will need to be checked for safety, 
serviced and in some cases replaced. And that can only happen if there’s
 still companies and technicians left in the industry.While low 
oil prices are bad for the industry and the local economies that rely on
 it, Kansas consumers can take advantage of low gas prices (if they have
 anywhere to go). AAA calculates the <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/" target="_blank">average price at the pump in Kansas</a> right now is $1.48 a gallon compared to $2.68 a gallon a year ago.“It almost hurts us to pump gas that cheap,” Roths said. “Because we know how many people around here it hurts.”Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a>
 or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org. The Kansas News Service 
is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains 
Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and 
their connection to public policy.