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🎤Post Podcast: Hays officials discuss Thursday's vote to accept roundabout bid

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays school board will meet at 6:30 Monday to discuss republishing its budget for the 2019-20 school year.

The meeting will not be open to the public because of social distancing restrictions. It can be viewed on Facebook Live from the district's Facebook page.

The district is proposing allowing for spending of an additional $400,000 for at-risk education and another $15,000 for professional development.

Once a school district publishes its budget, it can't spend more than that amount unless it conducts another budget hearing and republishes its budget.

The district has set a hearing for May 18 on the revised budget.

The board also will hear an update on the Roosevelt HVAC system.&nbsp;

Rusted pipes were recently found throughout Roosevelt's heating and cooling system. The chiller and other components of the system are also failing. 

The district is working with an engineer to develop plans to replace the HVAC system in summer 2021.

Chris Hipp, director of the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative, will report to the school board on the FY20 and FY21 budgets.&nbsp;

Hipp in his written report to the board indicated the cooperative will need an additional $225,000 from the member districts in FY21.&nbsp;

This includes Hays, Ellis, Victoria and La Crosse.

The board will also hear reports from Jessica Yonker, nutrition services, director on the grab-and-go meal program and from&nbsp; Joey Linn, Fort Hays State University vice president for Student Affairs, and Dennis King, FHSU assistant vice-president for Student Affairs, about concurrent classes with Hays High School.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays school board will meet at 6:30 Monday to discuss republishing its budget for the 2019-20 school year.The meeting will not be open to the public because of social distancing restrictions. It can be viewed on Facebook Live from the district's Facebook page.The district is proposing allowing for spending of an additional $400,000 for at-risk education and another $15,000 for professional development.Once a school district publishes its budget, it can't spend more than that amount unless it conducts another budget hearing and republishes its budget.The district has set a hearing for May 18 on the revised budget.<h2>Roosevelt HVAC</h2>The board also will hear an update on the Roosevelt HVAC system.&nbsp;Rusted pipes were recently found throughout Roosevelt's heating and cooling system. The chiller and other components of the system are also failing. The district is working with an engineer to develop plans to replace the HVAC system in summer 2021.<h2>Special education</h2>Chris Hipp, director of the West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative, will report to the school board on the FY20 and FY21 budgets.&nbsp;Hipp in his written report to the board indicated the cooperative will need an additional $225,000 from the member districts in FY21.&nbsp;This includes Hays, Ellis, Victoria and La Crosse.The board will also hear reports from Jessica Yonker, nutrition services, director on the grab-and-go meal program and from&nbsp; Joey Linn, Fort Hays State University vice president for Student Affairs, and Dennis King, FHSU assistant vice-president for Student Affairs, about concurrent classes with Hays High School.In other business, the board will:<ul>
 <li>Appoint a team for teacher negotiations.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Discuss student technology devices</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Hear information on the Learning Center program and the software Edgunity which is up for renewal</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Discuss summer school fees</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Discuss the superintendent evaluation process</li>
 </ul>

Hays school board to discuss republishing budget

By NICK GOSNELL,&nbsp;Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON — Though K-12 education looks different than it has in previous years, that doesn't necessarily mean that it will be funded that differently at the end of the day, but the aggregate dollars may go down.

"It's going to be hard to get out from under it," said Republican Rep. Paul Waggoner. "I will say when the 2008 recession hit, with the same legal ruling, the school districts were very amenable to it, just because they understood the financial position we were in. We'll have to see how it plays out this time."

Democratic Representative Jason Probst believes there will be some cuts to education, as well.

"In 2008, the school districts kind of viewed the situation as a shared sacrifice," Probst said. "Despite the fact that there was a ruling in place and litigation going on, they were agreeable to reducing. I think we're all going to have to, across the board, everyone's going to have to share in this sacrifice and I don't expect that K-12 will escape that."

Will the neccessities of online education create either opportunities or necessities for less classroom teaching? That remains to be seen.

"Innovation is often born out of crisis," Probst said. "You have to look at the situation. You have to change the way you do things. I do think that this has opened up the availability of some tools that we hadn't been forced to examine before. It also means that we're going to have to have pretty robust broadband access throughout the state to deliver remote education, but I do think this situation has brought to the fore the fact that maybe you can get an education and not be in a building, necessarily and that we can deliver high quality education, connect the best teachers in the state with the students, wherever they are."

Waggoner is impressed by the progress, as well.

"We certainly have seen a huge growth in distance learning as it would be on a higher education level," Waggoner said. "A lot of things are done online. That has always been sort of in the background in K-12. I think part of it actually is what are going to be your results? You know, you've had a couple of months with kids learning online. I mean, how do their tests scores do? Is it comparable to in classroom learning? It could also be, certain parents might feel more comfortable if their kids were at home."

This could especially be true if there is a potential second wave of the virus in the fall, as most medical experts seem to believe right now.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588005688888.jpeg" alt="Probst and Waggoner" />
 <figcaption>Probst and Waggoner</figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELL,&nbsp;Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — Though K-12 education looks different than it has in previous years, that doesn't necessarily mean that it will be funded that differently at the end of the day, but the aggregate dollars may go down."It's going to be hard to get out from under it," said Republican Rep. Paul Waggoner. "I will say when the 2008 recession hit, with the same legal ruling, the school districts were very amenable to it, just because they understood the financial position we were in. We'll have to see how it plays out this time."Democratic Representative Jason Probst believes there will be some cuts to education, as well."In 2008, the school districts kind of viewed the situation as a shared sacrifice," Probst said. "Despite the fact that there was a ruling in place and litigation going on, they were agreeable to reducing. I think we're all going to have to, across the board, everyone's going to have to share in this sacrifice and I don't expect that K-12 will escape that."Will the neccessities of online education create either opportunities or necessities for less classroom teaching? That remains to be seen."Innovation is often born out of crisis," Probst said. "You have to look at the situation. You have to change the way you do things. I do think that this has opened up the availability of some tools that we hadn't been forced to examine before. It also means that we're going to have to have pretty robust broadband access throughout the state to deliver remote education, but I do think this situation has brought to the fore the fact that maybe you can get an education and not be in a building, necessarily and that we can deliver high quality education, connect the best teachers in the state with the students, wherever they are."Waggoner is impressed by the progress, as well."We certainly have seen a huge growth in distance learning as it would be on a higher education level," Waggoner said. "A lot of things are done online. That has always been sort of in the background in K-12. I think part of it actually is what are going to be your results? You know, you've had a couple of months with kids learning online. I mean, how do their tests scores do? Is it comparable to in classroom learning? It could also be, certain parents might feel more comfortable if their kids were at home."This could especially be true if there is a potential second wave of the virus in the fall, as most medical experts seem to believe right now.

State reps: Likely sacrifice, possible increases in online learning for K-12

The USD 489 grab-and-go meal program will resume on Monday.&nbsp;

The program had to be suspended this week after a USD 489 employee tested positive for COVID-19.&nbsp;

Civic organizations as well as local restaurants stepped up to provide free or discounted meals for children while the USD 489 program was suspened.

More details on the continuation of the program are in the flyer below.

USD 489The USD 489 grab-and-go meal program will resume on Monday.&nbsp;The program had to be suspended this week after a USD 489 employee tested positive for COVID-19.&nbsp;Civic organizations as well as local restaurants stepped up to provide free or discounted meals for children while the USD 489 program was suspened.More details on the continuation of the program are in the flyer below.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587764051837.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

USD 489 to resume meal program on Monday

ELLIS — On the corner of Washington and 10th in Ellis sits an unassuming building that has been a center of activity for area residents for longer than the town has existed.

But by the end of June, Trio Home Center, home to a lumberyard dating back to 1878, will close its doors.

Shortly after, the building will be razed to make room for a Dollar General.

Rather than lament the shifting nature of business and the end of an era, co-owner Glen Keller is happy that an arrangement could be made that will bring new employment opportunities and the possibility of more residents shopping locally.

In August 1972, Keller, along with business partners Ernie Fink and Dave McDaniel, took over the business — at the time named Ellis Trio Lumber and Building Center.

The three men met at Bethany College in Lindsborg, with Keller being the only one of the three from Ellis. After determining the venture to be worthwhile and finding local support, the men took ownership from a third generation of the Nicholson family, who had owned and operated the business since its founding.

"We are leaving a legacy for the community a little bit, in that we are getting a new building in our downtown area ... which doesn't happen often in a small community," Keller said.

He said demolition will start right after the transfer of ownership, making way for the new building.

"So this will probably be gone by the end of July or August," Keller said.

After almost 50 years of ownership and around a year of thinking it over, he said the decision to sell was difficult, but it simply came down to business.

The building needs about $80,000 worth of maintenance, he said.

"We didn't want another deteriorating building in the community."

Yet, it will be a strange sight once the building is gone, he said.

As word of the sale spread, conversations with community members have demonstrated how much of an icon the building is in the small community.

"Many of the younger people that live here and grew up here, this is all they have known, so they are even more attached to it than we are in some respects," Keller said.

A couple of years ago, Keller and McDaniel noticed a couple of people taking interest in the building, walking around taking pictures. The unusual occurrence was soon forgotten, until last February when someone from a Kansas City development company inquired about the possibility of selling the building.

It wasn't the first time someone showed interest in the location, but with all previous inquires a deal was never completed.

They found the company does development work for Dollar General and was interested in a downtown location large enough for ample parking — and the site fit the bill.

So, as the remaining partners in the business, Keller and McDaniel, knew they couldn't go on forever, and with the amount of repairs needing to be made in the building, they accepted the offer, understanding it is in the best interest of themselves and the city.

"We won't have that opportunity too many times again," Keller said.

"Over the years, we have heard from many in the community, because we are attuned to the community quite a bit, they always say that they wish they had a Dollar General," Keller said.

So in the time they spent making the decision, they traveled to other small towns to see how Dollar General affected the community, to ensure the benefits of having a Dollar General in town would be beneficial to the community and other business owners.

"The majority of those have survived and thrived because they have learned to adapt to that," Keller said. "If you supplement yourself well to the Dollar General business, you can survive."

He said there will always be some overlap between businesses so before they made their decision they spoke to the owners of the Ellis Hometown Food Center to ensure they knew what would be coming and could adapt.

"Our goal was not to run another business out of town, it was to try to find something that we could supplement together," Keller said.

And by having the Dollar General in Ellis, he said the hope is more people will shop locally.

He said as Ellis residents travel to Hays or WaKeeney to shop stores like Dollar General, they also pick up goods from other stores. So with the location in town, it can help motivate residents to buy more locally.

"Hopefully if they shop Dollar General here, and they need produce or something, they can go down to the local store and buy it rather than driving over to Hays for that," Keller said. "We hope it will be a positive thing for the community."

For small towns like Ellis, the challenge is to keep as many dollars in town as possible, Keller said.

"Local people have to remember to shop locally," he said. "What that returns to the community is beyond anyone's imagination. It's unbelievable what that returns to the community."

Keller attributes changing buying habits to people willing to travel more to get less.

"We are more mobile society today," he said, which makes it more difficult to be competitive today than when they started.

That frequent travel has contributed to difficulties with small-town businesses just trying staying afloat as buying habits shifted to big-box retailers, and ultimately online, he said.

"People just don't realize what a business in a small town generates for that small town," Keller said.

Even though the Trio Home Center will be gone after July 1, Keller and McDaniel are not ready to throw in the towel just yet. They will open Trio Hometown Supply just down the street shortly after they move out of the building.

The new business will not have lumber, sheetrock or cement, but will offer hardware, appliances, paint and sundries.

"I look at it this way," Keller said. "We are opening up a book, turning the page and starting a new chapter."

By opening the business in conjunction with the new Dollar General, they believe they are creating more local economic opportunities.

"So we are creating two businesses. Their business will hire anywhere from eight to 10 people, so it will be an employment opportunity thar you don't get every day in a small town," Keller said. "We believe in small communities and small business and therefore we are staying in that position."

With the new venture, Keller hopes to continue seeing the support from the community that kept the lumberyard open for nearly a century and a half.

"We have many good customers that have been very supportive over the years and we hope to continue that support in the new location," he said.

Over the decades, Keller said a lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into keeping their business open, but it all comes down to three things and they will never change, no matter the business.

"If you offer service, convenience and quality, you will survive and that's what we have tried to do," he said. "It always comes down to that."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587785456163.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostELLIS — On the corner of Washington and 10th in Ellis sits an unassuming building that has been a center of activity for area residents for longer than the town has existed.But by the end of June, Trio Home Center, home to a lumberyard dating back to 1878, will close its doors.Shortly after, the building will be razed to make room for a Dollar General.Rather than lament the shifting nature of business and the end of an era, co-owner Glen Keller is happy that an arrangement could be made that will bring new employment opportunities and the possibility of more residents shopping locally.In August 1972, Keller, along with business partners Ernie Fink and Dave McDaniel, took over the business — at the time named Ellis Trio Lumber and Building Center.The three men met at Bethany College in Lindsborg, with Keller being the only one of the three from Ellis. After determining the venture to be worthwhile and finding local support, the men took ownership from a third generation of the Nicholson family, who had owned and operated the business since its founding."We are leaving a legacy for the community a little bit, in that we are getting a new building in our downtown area ... which doesn't happen often in a small community," Keller said.He said demolition will start right after the transfer of ownership, making way for the new building."So this will probably be gone by the end of July or August," Keller said.After almost 50 years of ownership and around a year of thinking it over, he said the decision to sell was difficult, but it simply came down to business.The building needs about $80,000 worth of maintenance, he said."We didn't want another deteriorating building in the community."Yet, it will be a strange sight once the building is gone, he said.As word of the sale spread, conversations with community members have demonstrated how much of an icon the building is in the small community."Many of the younger people that live here and grew up here, this is all they have known, so they are even more attached to it than we are in some respects," Keller said.<h2>The sale</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587785493872.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A couple of years ago, Keller and McDaniel noticed a couple of people taking interest in the building, walking around taking pictures. The unusual occurrence was soon forgotten, until last February when someone from a Kansas City development company inquired about the possibility of selling the building.It wasn't the first time someone showed interest in the location, but with all previous inquires a deal was never completed.They found the company does development work for Dollar General and was interested in a downtown location large enough for ample parking — and the site fit the bill.So, as the remaining partners in the business, Keller and McDaniel, knew they couldn't go on forever, and with the amount of repairs needing to be made in the building, they accepted the offer, understanding it is in the best interest of themselves and the city."We won't have that opportunity too many times again," Keller said.<h2>A new way to buy</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587783669532.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"Over the years, we have heard from many in the community, because we are attuned to the community quite a bit, they always say that they wish they had a Dollar General," Keller said.So in the time they spent making the decision, they traveled to other small towns to see how Dollar General affected the community, to ensure the benefits of having a Dollar General in town would be beneficial to the community and other business owners."The majority of those have survived and thrived because they have learned to adapt to that," Keller said. "If you supplement yourself well to the Dollar General business, you can survive."He said there will always be some overlap between businesses so before they made their decision they spoke to the owners of the Ellis Hometown Food Center to ensure they knew what would be coming and could adapt."Our goal was not to run another business out of town, it was to try to find something that we could supplement together," Keller said.And by having the Dollar General in Ellis, he said the hope is more people will shop locally.He said as Ellis residents travel to Hays or WaKeeney to shop stores like Dollar General, they also pick up goods from other stores. So with the location in town, it can help motivate residents to buy more locally."Hopefully if they shop Dollar General here, and they need produce or something, they can go down to the local store and buy it rather than driving over to Hays for that," Keller said. "We hope it will be a positive thing for the community."For small towns like Ellis, the challenge is to keep as many dollars in town as possible, Keller said."Local people have to remember to shop locally," he said. "What that returns to the community is beyond anyone's imagination. It's unbelievable what that returns to the community."Keller attributes changing buying habits to people willing to travel more to get less."We are more mobile society today," he said, which makes it more difficult to be competitive today than when they started.That frequent travel has contributed to difficulties with small-town businesses just trying staying afloat as buying habits shifted to big-box retailers, and ultimately online, he said."People just don't realize what a business in a small town generates for that small town," Keller said.<h2>Not just yet...</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587785577227.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Even though the Trio Home Center will be gone after July 1, Keller and McDaniel are not ready to throw in the towel just yet. They will open Trio Hometown Supply just down the street shortly after they move out of the building.The new business will not have lumber, sheetrock or cement, but will offer hardware, appliances, paint and sundries."I look at it this way," Keller said. "We are opening up a book, turning the page and starting a new chapter."By opening the business in conjunction with the new Dollar General, they believe they are creating more local economic opportunities."So we are creating two businesses. Their business will hire anywhere from eight to 10 people, so it will be an employment opportunity thar you don't get every day in a small town," Keller said. "We believe in small communities and small business and therefore we are staying in that position."With the new venture, Keller hopes to continue seeing the support from the community that kept the lumberyard open for nearly a century and a half."We have many good customers that have been very supportive over the years and we hope to continue that support in the new location," he said.Over the decades, Keller said a lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into keeping their business open, but it all comes down to three things and they will never change, no matter the business."If you offer service, convenience and quality, you will survive and that's what we have tried to do," he said. "It always comes down to that."

142-year-old Ellis lumber yard to close to make way for Dollar General

By DAVE BERGMEIER <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/water-right-college-s-program-creates-opportunity-to-preserve-aquifer/article_b3559490-858d-11ea-a0ec-f74a3a290b76.html#utm_source=hpj.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Fhpj-weekly%2F%3F-dc%3D1587747613&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=read%20more">High Plains Journal</a>

GOODLAND —&nbsp;Open-minded, common sense individuals
 matched with hands-on technology are making a difference in the drive 
to conserve water in the Ogallala Aquifer.

Those
 individuals are thriving at Northwest Kansas Technical College, 
Goodland, Kansas, an institution that has a history of regularly raising
 bumper crops of entrepreneurs. The latest addition is irrigation 
management. In 2016, NWKTC’s Precision Ag program launched its Water 
Technology Farms project to promote the adoption of various irrigation 
management technologies to help producers in that region, said Weston 
McCary, director of Precision Agriculture and UAS Technologies at the 
college.

Students welcome the opportunity to learn how to use new techniques to preserve groundwater, McCary said, adding that is essential for agriculture and agricultural-related businesses in the High Plains.

John Gower, Phillipsburg, Kansas, grew 
up on a farm in eastern Phillips County near Agra. He plans to be the 
next generation of that operation, and as a budding entrepreneur he is 
bullish because he has been able to work in a program that can tap his 
hands-on instincts. That has included how he can incorporate technology 
into improving a farm’s efficiency.&nbsp;

Irrigation
 application has always intrigued him. As an eighth-grader he had the 
opportunity to work with Josh McClain, an irrigator based in Almena, 
Kansas. Gower remembers how important it was to be precise on water 
application.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Technology tools
 pay dividends, Gower said, providing ways to help producers in ways 
that were not possible even a few years ago.

“The
 biggest thing to me is the moisture probes,” he said. “There’s data to 
show that if you do have a moisture probe, if used to its full potential
 and you trust it, you will save money on pumping costs and cut down on 
the water usage,” said Gower, whose major is in precision agriculture 
with an associate’s degree in applied science. “They can now grow as 
much corn with less water usage. It is hard to argue against success.”

Variable rate irrigation scripts also help producers to address topography and to keep water from running down ditches, he said.

Matching
 those VRI scripts with a soil probe in a well-maintained pivot system 
can help producers to be more efficient and preserve precious 
groundwater, he said. Gower is also working with McClain on a precision 
planter and the soon-to-be graduate wants to be able to follow a passion
 of improving planting equipment for producers and also farming.

The High Plains economy depends heavily 
on the Ogallala Aquifer and both Gower and classmate Blaine Sederstrom 
say the key is to continue to press for greater efficiency and 
conservation. Sederstrom agrees that new technology is making a 
difference on his family’s farm.

“There
 has been big changes in water probes,” Sederstrom said. “When we’ve had
 a good rain during the summer and because it is hot and dry for several
 days you don’t necessarily have turn the sprinkler on.”

Sederstrom will graduate in May with an associate’s degree in applied science with a certificate in precision agriculture.

One
 reason Sederstrom wanted to attend nearby NWKTC was he enjoyed a 
hands-on style of learning. It also helps him achieve his dream of 
returning to the family farm about 10 miles southwest of Goodland in 
Sherman, County, which includes irrigated and dryland corn, wheat and 
soybeans. He wanted a learning experience that in turn he can use to 
help his family to continue to be successful.

Irrigation is crucial to the family 
farm. &nbsp;Sederstrom said his family considers themselves fortunate because
 they still have groundwater wells that produce 350 to 400 gallons a 
minute.

It is essential to 
gather as much data as possible, learn from it and apply the knowledge, 
he said. Technology allows him to break down an entire field so that it 
can be analyzed to find deficiencies. What might appear to be a good 
field can have spots that are not as productive because he has found 
that not every acre in a 160-acre field was created equal. Variable rate
 irrigation is one of the tools to help.

“Let’s not spend any extra money or putting on more water when it does not pay a return,” he said.

Another
 change has been a no-till operation even in the irrigated fields. In 
western Kansas, the heat and sun can bake the soil so keeping the ground
 moist and shaded helps.

NWKTC 
has a 300-acre field that students can work with, and Sederstrom was 
appreciative of McCary’s initiatives and the college’s commitment to 
invest in a program that will pay off in a practical way.

From
 a practical standpoint teaching young men and women to enter the field 
of irrigation technology can be important if your livelihood depends on 
the Ogallala Aquifer.

“We try to teach young producers that 
irrigation water, especially in the Ogallala region, is a finite 
resource and that using it moving forward will require more and more 
strategies to use effectively,” McCary said.

NWKTC
 strives to give students a hands-on experience with various 
technologies plus exposure to ag retailers, he said, and in that way, 
students can understand firsthand what options are available to them and
 then address problems with confidence. Being able to approach 
complicated topics, like water, in a confident manner is a big factor in
 whether practices and technologies get adopted, he said.

“We don’t teach too much hypothetical,” 
McCary said. “We focus on real practices, technologies and skills that 
get used day-to-day in ag production.”

That
 includes teaching self responsibility, personal conduct and an overall 
attitude and with “the subject of water we’ve found has a lot to do with
 perceptions and attitude. All the hard skills and technology build off 
that.” &nbsp;

Precision ag and irrigation technicians 
became a natural fit in 2015. While working on the curriculum 
development for the Precision Agriculture Technology program, McCary was
 approached by Shannon Kenyon of Ground Water Management District No. 4 
with the idea of including at least one standalone class that focused on
 Irrigation Management Technology.

McCary
 understood the growing concern surrounding the depletion of the 
Ogallala as he had taught precision ag in neighboring Colorado. Concerns
 had emerged over a decade ago when several water right holders in 
eastern Colorado had their wells shut off due to declines and resulting 
politics.

“I felt motivated to 
do what we could educationally do to prepare young producers for what’s 
confronting them in the 21st century so that we don’t have to see more 
and more wells being turned off in the future.”

With
 that in mind, strategies were discussed on how to promote irrigation 
reduction across the region while absolutely making sure it would be 
economically viable for producers to do so, he said, as answers were 
found in volumes of research conducted by Kansas State University, 
Colorado State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The 
data showed that it was not about the volume of water applied to a crop;
 instead it was about delivering water at key stages of plant 
development.

“There’s a big 
difference between those two concepts. Furthermore it was also about not
 exceeding a given field’s moisture and nutrient holding capacity and 
accidentally pushing valuable nutrients below the root zone due to 
overwatering,” McCary said. “That’s not how producers hold on to their 
valuable dollars, and in some areas of the United States that’s how 
we’ve seen surplus nitrate getting into potable water supplies and river
 systems.”

The research also 
indicated that some fields have pretty uniform soil distributions yet 
others have four or five different soil types, sometimes within a single
 quarter section, he said.&nbsp; By geographically mapping the soil types and
 then placing soil sensors in the field during the irrigation season, 
researchers can monitor subsurface moisture regardless of whether it 
appeared dry on the surface or not.

“This
 concept is also the backbone in principles in precision agriculture and
 has become a huge game changer for the ag industry,” McCary said. “We 
designed our Precision Agriculture Technology program and our Irrigation
 Management classes around some of these same ideas.”

Students
 have three milestone options inside the Precision Agriculture 
Technology program; a two-year associates of applied science, a 
one-semester industry Certificate A, and a one-year Certificate B, 
McCary said. Each student has the option to focus on a specific area of 
expertise in his or her second year.

“Some have focused on planters and GPS 
guidance systems, while others have really taken a deep dive into 
electromagnetic soil mapping and grid sampling. Others focus on UAS 
(drones, some on computers, wiring and electronics, and others yet have
 focused on our indoor growing lab,” he said. “Three students have left 
the program and gone into the industry to work with water-related 
technologies. In addition to our annual Ag Tech Expo where we showcase a
 lot of our water technology efforts, the Precision Ag program will also
 be offering a Master Irrigator program for producers later in the year.
 The program is a joint effort between Northwest Tech, Groundwater 
Management District 4, Kansas Water Office and Ogallala Water. The sky’s
 the limit for the things we can potentially teach.”

The program goes hand in hand as growers look for ways to improve their efficiency.

“Never before have we seen so many simultaneous advances and adoptions of science and technology in agriculture,” McCary said.

In
 the past 30 years besides the genetics and chemistry in crops, the 
industry is seeing semi-autonomous, Global Navigation Satellite Systems 
controlled tractors across the landscape using individual row controlled
 planters and section controlled sprayers. Growers can log into their 
smart device and monitor the status of 20 center pivot machines at once,
 while also getting infrared plant health imagery from weekly satellite 
passes—just sitting at the breakfast table in the morning.

Weather
 stations monitor exact rainfall rates at the field from 50 miles away, 
online fleet management platforms let a producer see where all of his or
 her equipment is in the field in real-time, commodities can be sold 
from a smartphone app, and the industry is just seeing UAS platforms 
emerge capable of crop dusting in swarm formation.

All
 of this technology has been slowly emerging in response to a few 
significant factors, in his opinion. The big one is there are fewer and 
fewer people working in the ag sector than in previous generations, 
while the sector is expected to produce more volumes of product across 
more acres than ever before.

“We’ve
 been seeing a rapid decline in the ag workforce for several decades 
now, and that includes industries like crop dusting where the average 
age of a pilot is nearly 60 years old,” McCary said. “The irrigation 
industry is another part of the workforce that has seen substantial 
declines. Ag is already asking who is going to work all that ground, fix
 my pivot and fly those aircraft when this generation retires.”

Workforce
 development is the primary focus at the college, which prepares 
hands-on workers for numerous industries, but agriculture just might be 
the biggest, he said, adding it’s arguably the biggest industry in the 
world. Those are big shoes to fill.

The
 second factor driving all this innovation is that American producers 
are competing more directly with world markets than ever before. So many
 other ag economies, like Brazil and Ukraine, have been slowly growing 
to competitively produce the same crops with the U.S., and these 
countries still have the advantage of lower labor rates while still 
having access to the same latest technologies.

“It’s
 like many of these other countries have had the luxury of skipping the 
last 50 years of growing pains that American ag has had to go through 
and they’ve jumped right into the race next to us,” McCary said. “We 
teach our students that this is fourth quarter football and we’ve got to
 compete. This is no time to coast. You cannot know too much in today’s 
ag, and you can’t afford to get behind.”

Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or <a href="mailto:dbergmeier@hpj.com">dbergmeier@hpj.com</a>. Republished with permission.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750497334.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE BERGMEIER <a href="https://www.hpj.com/ag_news/water-right-college-s-program-creates-opportunity-to-preserve-aquifer/article_b3559490-858d-11ea-a0ec-f74a3a290b76.html#utm_source=hpj.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Flists%2Fhpj-weekly%2F%3F-dc%3D1587747613&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=read%20more">High Plains Journal</a>GOODLAND —&nbsp;Open-minded, common sense individuals
 matched with hands-on technology are making a difference in the drive 
to conserve water in the Ogallala Aquifer.Those
 individuals are thriving at Northwest Kansas Technical College, 
Goodland, Kansas, an institution that has a history of regularly raising
 bumper crops of entrepreneurs. The latest addition is irrigation 
management. In 2016, NWKTC’s Precision Ag program launched its Water 
Technology Farms project to promote the adoption of various irrigation 
management technologies to help producers in that region, said Weston 
McCary, director of Precision Agriculture and UAS Technologies at the 
college.Students welcome the opportunity to learn how to use new techniques to preserve groundwater, McCary said, adding that is essential for agriculture and agricultural-related businesses in the High Plains.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750566636.png" alt="John Gower" />
 <figcaption>John Gower</figcaption>
 </figure>John Gower, Phillipsburg, Kansas, grew 
up on a farm in eastern Phillips County near Agra. He plans to be the 
next generation of that operation, and as a budding entrepreneur he is 
bullish because he has been able to work in a program that can tap his 
hands-on instincts. That has included how he can incorporate technology 
into improving a farm’s efficiency.&nbsp;Irrigation
 application has always intrigued him. As an eighth-grader he had the 
opportunity to work with Josh McClain, an irrigator based in Almena, 
Kansas. Gower remembers how important it was to be precise on water 
application.&nbsp;&nbsp;Technology tools
 pay dividends, Gower said, providing ways to help producers in ways 
that were not possible even a few years ago.“The
 biggest thing to me is the moisture probes,” he said. “There’s data to 
show that if you do have a moisture probe, if used to its full potential
 and you trust it, you will save money on pumping costs and cut down on 
the water usage,” said Gower, whose major is in precision agriculture 
with an associate’s degree in applied science. “They can now grow as 
much corn with less water usage. It is hard to argue against success.”Variable rate irrigation scripts also help producers to address topography and to keep water from running down ditches, he said.Matching
 those VRI scripts with a soil probe in a well-maintained pivot system 
can help producers to be more efficient and preserve precious 
groundwater, he said. Gower is also working with McClain on a precision 
planter and the soon-to-be graduate wants to be able to follow a passion
 of improving planting equipment for producers and also farming.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750597650.jpeg" alt="Blaine Sederstrom" />
 <figcaption>Blaine Sederstrom</figcaption>
 </figure>The High Plains economy depends heavily 
on the Ogallala Aquifer and both Gower and classmate Blaine Sederstrom 
say the key is to continue to press for greater efficiency and 
conservation. Sederstrom agrees that new technology is making a 
difference on his family’s farm.“There
 has been big changes in water probes,” Sederstrom said. “When we’ve had
 a good rain during the summer and because it is hot and dry for several
 days you don’t necessarily have turn the sprinkler on.”Sederstrom will graduate in May with an associate’s degree in applied science with a certificate in precision agriculture.One
 reason Sederstrom wanted to attend nearby NWKTC was he enjoyed a 
hands-on style of learning. It also helps him achieve his dream of 
returning to the family farm about 10 miles southwest of Goodland in 
Sherman, County, which includes irrigated and dryland corn, wheat and 
soybeans. He wanted a learning experience that in turn he can use to 
help his family to continue to be successful.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750632582.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College</figcaption>
 </figure>Irrigation is crucial to the family 
farm. &nbsp;Sederstrom said his family considers themselves fortunate because
 they still have groundwater wells that produce 350 to 400 gallons a 
minute.It is essential to 
gather as much data as possible, learn from it and apply the knowledge, 
he said. Technology allows him to break down an entire field so that it 
can be analyzed to find deficiencies. What might appear to be a good 
field can have spots that are not as productive because he has found 
that not every acre in a 160-acre field was created equal. Variable rate
 irrigation is one of the tools to help.“Let’s not spend any extra money or putting on more water when it does not pay a return,” he said.Another
 change has been a no-till operation even in the irrigated fields. In 
western Kansas, the heat and sun can bake the soil so keeping the ground
 moist and shaded helps.NWKTC 
has a 300-acre field that students can work with, and Sederstrom was 
appreciative of McCary’s initiatives and the college’s commitment to 
invest in a program that will pay off in a practical way.From
 a practical standpoint teaching young men and women to enter the field 
of irrigation technology can be important if your livelihood depends on 
the Ogallala Aquifer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750665813.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College</figcaption>
 </figure>“We try to teach young producers that 
irrigation water, especially in the Ogallala region, is a finite 
resource and that using it moving forward will require more and more 
strategies to use effectively,” McCary said.NWKTC
 strives to give students a hands-on experience with various 
technologies plus exposure to ag retailers, he said, and in that way, 
students can understand firsthand what options are available to them and
 then address problems with confidence. Being able to approach 
complicated topics, like water, in a confident manner is a big factor in
 whether practices and technologies get adopted, he said.“We don’t teach too much hypothetical,” 
McCary said. “We focus on real practices, technologies and skills that 
get used day-to-day in ag production.”That
 includes teaching self responsibility, personal conduct and an overall 
attitude and with “the subject of water we’ve found has a lot to do with
 perceptions and attitude. All the hard skills and technology build off 
that.” &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750714853.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Starting the process</h2>Precision ag and irrigation technicians 
became a natural fit in 2015. While working on the curriculum 
development for the Precision Agriculture Technology program, McCary was
 approached by Shannon Kenyon of Ground Water Management District No. 4 
with the idea of including at least one standalone class that focused on
 Irrigation Management Technology.McCary
 understood the growing concern surrounding the depletion of the 
Ogallala as he had taught precision ag in neighboring Colorado. Concerns
 had emerged over a decade ago when several water right holders in 
eastern Colorado had their wells shut off due to declines and resulting 
politics.“I felt motivated to 
do what we could educationally do to prepare young producers for what’s 
confronting them in the 21st century so that we don’t have to see more 
and more wells being turned off in the future.”<h2>History plays a part</h2>With
 that in mind, strategies were discussed on how to promote irrigation 
reduction across the region while absolutely making sure it would be 
economically viable for producers to do so, he said, as answers were 
found in volumes of research conducted by Kansas State University, 
Colorado State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The 
data showed that it was not about the volume of water applied to a crop;
 instead it was about delivering water at key stages of plant 
development.“There’s a big 
difference between those two concepts. Furthermore it was also about not
 exceeding a given field’s moisture and nutrient holding capacity and 
accidentally pushing valuable nutrients below the root zone due to 
overwatering,” McCary said. “That’s not how producers hold on to their 
valuable dollars, and in some areas of the United States that’s how 
we’ve seen surplus nitrate getting into potable water supplies and river
 systems.”The research also 
indicated that some fields have pretty uniform soil distributions yet 
others have four or five different soil types, sometimes within a single
 quarter section, he said.&nbsp; By geographically mapping the soil types and
 then placing soil sensors in the field during the irrigation season, 
researchers can monitor subsurface moisture regardless of whether it 
appeared dry on the surface or not.“This
 concept is also the backbone in principles in precision agriculture and
 has become a huge game changer for the ag industry,” McCary said. “We 
designed our Precision Agriculture Technology program and our Irrigation
 Management classes around some of these same ideas.”Students
 have three milestone options inside the Precision Agriculture 
Technology program; a two-year associates of applied science, a 
one-semester industry Certificate A, and a one-year Certificate B, 
McCary said. Each student has the option to focus on a specific area of 
expertise in his or her second year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587750773556.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Northwest Kansas Technical College</figcaption>
 </figure>“Some have focused on planters and GPS 
guidance systems, while others have really taken a deep dive into 
electromagnetic soil mapping and grid sampling. Others focus on UAS 
(drones, some on computers, wiring and electronics, and others yet have
 focused on our indoor growing lab,” he said. “Three students have left 
the program and gone into the industry to work with water-related 
technologies. In addition to our annual Ag Tech Expo where we showcase a
 lot of our water technology efforts, the Precision Ag program will also
 be offering a Master Irrigator program for producers later in the year.
 The program is a joint effort between Northwest Tech, Groundwater 
Management District 4, Kansas Water Office and Ogallala Water. The sky’s
 the limit for the things we can potentially teach.”The program goes hand in hand as growers look for ways to improve their efficiency.“Never before have we seen so many simultaneous advances and adoptions of science and technology in agriculture,” McCary said.In
 the past 30 years besides the genetics and chemistry in crops, the 
industry is seeing semi-autonomous, Global Navigation Satellite Systems 
controlled tractors across the landscape using individual row controlled
 planters and section controlled sprayers. Growers can log into their 
smart device and monitor the status of 20 center pivot machines at once,
 while also getting infrared plant health imagery from weekly satellite 
passes—just sitting at the breakfast table in the morning.Weather
 stations monitor exact rainfall rates at the field from 50 miles away, 
online fleet management platforms let a producer see where all of his or
 her equipment is in the field in real-time, commodities can be sold 
from a smartphone app, and the industry is just seeing UAS platforms 
emerge capable of crop dusting in swarm formation.<h2>Rural innovation</h2>All
 of this technology has been slowly emerging in response to a few 
significant factors, in his opinion. The big one is there are fewer and 
fewer people working in the ag sector than in previous generations, 
while the sector is expected to produce more volumes of product across 
more acres than ever before.“We’ve
 been seeing a rapid decline in the ag workforce for several decades 
now, and that includes industries like crop dusting where the average 
age of a pilot is nearly 60 years old,” McCary said. “The irrigation 
industry is another part of the workforce that has seen substantial 
declines. Ag is already asking who is going to work all that ground, fix
 my pivot and fly those aircraft when this generation retires.”Workforce
 development is the primary focus at the college, which prepares 
hands-on workers for numerous industries, but agriculture just might be 
the biggest, he said, adding it’s arguably the biggest industry in the 
world. Those are big shoes to fill.The
 second factor driving all this innovation is that American producers 
are competing more directly with world markets than ever before. So many
 other ag economies, like Brazil and Ukraine, have been slowly growing 
to competitively produce the same crops with the U.S., and these 
countries still have the advantage of lower labor rates while still 
having access to the same latest technologies.“It’s
 like many of these other countries have had the luxury of skipping the 
last 50 years of growing pains that American ag has had to go through 
and they’ve jumped right into the race next to us,” McCary said. “We 
teach our students that this is fourth quarter football and we’ve got to
 compete. This is no time to coast. You cannot know too much in today’s 
ag, and you can’t afford to get behind.”Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or <a href="mailto:dbergmeier@hpj.com">dbergmeier@hpj.com</a>. Republished with permission.

NW Kan. college’s program creates opportunity to preserve aquifer

MANHATTAN – Each year Kansas Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agriculture awards scholarships to college students studying in fields that benefit agriculture and rural Kansas. Forty-two recipients received $25,000 in scholarships for the 2020-21 school year.

Over the past decade, the foundation has awarded more than $325,000 in scholarships.

“We’re investing in students today to ensure they become tomorrow’s leaders,” says KFB President and Foundation Chair Rich Felts.

Max Harman, McPherson County, was awarded $1,000 for the Frank and Helen Bernasek Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund.Allison Smith, Johnson County, received $1,000 for the K-State Agricultural Communications and Journalism Scholarship.

Colt Sutterby, Bourbon County, is the winner of the $500 Godfrey and Emma Bahr Miller Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund for students attending a college in Kansas and majoring in a subject related to agronomy and conservation.

Kinsey Griffith, Trego County, was awarded $500 for the DeWitt Ahlerich Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund.

Eight students received scholarships to Kansas technical colleges. They are Sydnee Beal, Harper County; Lane Berkenmeier, Wabaunsee County; Kyle Frederking, Lincoln County; Gage Harding, Neosho County; Joel Kennedy, Jackson County; Andrea Price, Butler County; Daniel Romero, Wichita; and Devin Simmonds, Doniphan County.

Four $1,000 KFB scholarships were awarded to juniors and seniors enrolled in Kansas State University’s college of agriculture and majoring in a subject related to agriculture. They are Grant Fincham, Marshall County; Emily Glenn, Finney County; John Kennedy, Jackson County; and Amber Oerly, Cooper County, Missouri.

Two $1,000 KFB scholarships were awarded to juniors and seniors enrolled at Fort Hays State University. Recipients are Sathena Scarborough, Howard County, Nebraska; and Camryn Youngers, Ford County.

Twenty-four recipients received $500 scholarships. These students are attending a Kansas college with a Kansas Farm Bureau Collegiate chapter. Students must be a Farm Bureau Collegiate member.

Kansas Farm Bureau's mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

KFBMANHATTAN – Each year Kansas Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agriculture awards scholarships to college students studying in fields that benefit agriculture and rural Kansas. Forty-two recipients received $25,000 in scholarships for the 2020-21 school year.Over the past decade, the foundation has awarded more than $325,000 in scholarships.“We’re investing in students today to ensure they become tomorrow’s leaders,” says KFB President and Foundation Chair Rich Felts.Max Harman, McPherson County, was awarded $1,000 for the Frank and Helen Bernasek Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund.Allison Smith, Johnson County, received $1,000 for the K-State Agricultural Communications and Journalism Scholarship.Colt Sutterby, Bourbon County, is the winner of the $500 Godfrey and Emma Bahr Miller Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund for students attending a college in Kansas and majoring in a subject related to agronomy and conservation.Kinsey Griffith, Trego County, was awarded $500 for the DeWitt Ahlerich Memorial Scholarship, a permanent, privately endowed scholarship fund.Eight students received scholarships to Kansas technical colleges. They are Sydnee Beal, Harper County; Lane Berkenmeier, Wabaunsee County; Kyle Frederking, Lincoln County; Gage Harding, Neosho County; Joel Kennedy, Jackson County; Andrea Price, Butler County; Daniel Romero, Wichita; and Devin Simmonds, Doniphan County.Four $1,000 KFB scholarships were awarded to juniors and seniors enrolled in Kansas State University’s college of agriculture and majoring in a subject related to agriculture. They are Grant Fincham, Marshall County; Emily Glenn, Finney County; John Kennedy, Jackson County; and Amber Oerly, Cooper County, Missouri.Two $1,000 KFB scholarships were awarded to juniors and seniors enrolled at Fort Hays State University. Recipients are Sathena Scarborough, Howard County, Nebraska; and Camryn Youngers, Ford County.Twenty-four recipients received $500 scholarships. These students are attending a Kansas college with a Kansas Farm Bureau Collegiate chapter. Students must be a Farm Bureau Collegiate member.Recipients include:Allen Community College<ol>
 <li>Lindsey Whitten, Doniphan County</li><li>Amanda Wray, Franklin County</li>
 </ol>Barton Community College<ol>
 <li>Dawn Ledeboer, Wabaunsee County</li>
 </ol>Butler Community College<ol>
 <li>Chad Hibdon, Franklin County</li><li>Shelby Varner, Butler County</li>
 </ol>Colby Community College<ol>
 <li>Hannah Eslinger, Sherman County</li><li>Shyanne Jones, Labette County</li>
 </ol>Fort Hays State University<ol>
 <li>Geordan Hayden, Ellis County</li><li>Bryce Maneth, Barton County</li><li>Patrick Zamrzla, Ellsworth County</li>
 </ol>Highland Community College<ol>
 <li>Justin Wenger, Nemaha County</li>
 </ol>Hutchinson Community College<ol>
 <li>Ellie Schwertfeger, Reno County</li>
 </ol>Kansas State University<ol>
 <li>Brandon Carp, Sedgwick County</li><li>Kayley Geesling, Reno County</li><li>Ciara Hodgkinson, Pratt County</li><li>Cale McCabe, Reno County</li><li>Haley O’Neal, Bourbon County</li><li>Sara Schlickau, Reno County</li><li>Zoe Schultz, Gove County</li><li>Isaac Wingert, Franklin County</li><li>Seth Yenni, McPherson County</li>
 </ol>&nbsp;Pratt Community College<ol>
 <li>Caleb Hinck, Wabaunsee County</li><li>Jaden Smith, Norton County</li>
 </ol>Seward County Community College<ol>
 <li>Emma McClure, Stevens County</li>
 </ol>Kansas Farm Bureau's mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

NW Kan. students earn Kan. Farm Bureau Foundation scholarships

Tammy Wellbrock might have officially left her post from the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce in July, but she remains greatly involved in the industry with her new training and coaching business — Girl Twin Solutions, LLC. Most recently, Wellbrock was asked to present for the fifth annual Chamber Pros Online Conference. She is one of 20 experts to share information with Chamber professionals nationwide.

“I met many of the other presenters when I attended conferences or trainings during my employment at the chamber,” Wellbrock said. “Not only do they know their craft extremely well, they are some of the best in the chamber world. To be part of such an elite group of professionals is such an honor for me.”&nbsp;

With many training opportunities postponed or cancelled during the Covid-19 crisis, the Chamber Pros Online Conference is an opportunity for ongoing professional development covering multiple areas, including membership recruitment and retention, board organization and governance, and strategic planning and implementation. While focused mainly for the chamber industry, this training covers crucial topics for many nonprofit organizations.&nbsp;

To learn more about this online conference as well as watch free training video series, visit <a href="https://bit.ly/2020ChamberProsOnlineConferenceTW">https://bit.ly/2020ChamberProsOnlineConferenceTW</a>.

Tammy Wellbrock founded Girl Twin Solutions, LLC to enlighten and entertain through training, coaching, facilitating, and speaking engagements. While available to any human who aspires for greater success, her biggest desire is to empower and embolden women in their own professional journey.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587648097061.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedTammy Wellbrock might have officially left her post from the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce in July, but she remains greatly involved in the industry with her new training and coaching business — Girl Twin Solutions, LLC. Most recently, Wellbrock was asked to present for the fifth annual Chamber Pros Online Conference. She is one of 20 experts to share information with Chamber professionals nationwide.“I met many of the other presenters when I attended conferences or trainings during my employment at the chamber,” Wellbrock said. “Not only do they know their craft extremely well, they are some of the best in the chamber world. To be part of such an elite group of professionals is such an honor for me.”&nbsp;With many training opportunities postponed or cancelled during the Covid-19 crisis, the Chamber Pros Online Conference is an opportunity for ongoing professional development covering multiple areas, including membership recruitment and retention, board organization and governance, and strategic planning and implementation. While focused mainly for the chamber industry, this training covers crucial topics for many nonprofit organizations.&nbsp;To learn more about this online conference as well as watch free training video series, visit <a href="https://bit.ly/2020ChamberProsOnlineConferenceTW">https://bit.ly/2020ChamberProsOnlineConferenceTW</a>.Tammy Wellbrock founded Girl Twin Solutions, LLC to enlighten and entertain through training, coaching, facilitating, and speaking engagements. While available to any human who aspires for greater success, her biggest desire is to empower and embolden women in their own professional journey.&nbsp;

Wellbrock Presents for National Online Conference

As many of you are aware, our community will vote on May 12th regarding a bond for our school system.&nbsp; While there is information available to the public, the current situation connected to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on educating our community on facts surrounding this issue.&nbsp; It is my hope that this brief write up will work to alleviate any misconceptions about what this bond is for, how it is funded, and why we need it. &nbsp;

	Taxes are a major concern for all members of the community, as they should be.&nbsp; Our district is paying off the current bond from 20 years ago which gave us the new gymnasium, the science classrooms, and the cafeteria in the high school.&nbsp; It is our hope that we can institute a new bond which will give us added security to district facilities, additional space to serve an expanding population of students with diverse needs, and key infrastructure improvements such as updated plumbing in the high school.&nbsp; With the old bond ending and the new bond beginning, the mill levy to repay bonds will NOT INCREASE.&nbsp; We will continue to keep the same number of mills in place dedicated to repaying the bond for our district facilities.&nbsp; School districts in the state of Kansas can only use a small portion of their annual budget to fund facility improvements.&nbsp; Because of this, bond issues are required to pay for larger capital projects, specifically those outside the scope of traditional maintenance and minor facility upgrades.&nbsp; The proposed bond that we will be voting on was specifically designed to not cause the residents of Trego County to see any increase in their mill levy. &nbsp;	

	It is VITALLY important that every community member vote on May 12th.&nbsp; This bond issue is about taking care of important facility needs while not requiring any additional mills. Thank you for your continued support of our district personnel, students, and facilities.&nbsp; If you have any questions regarding the bond issue please contact our district superintendent, Mr. Tavis Desormiers at 785.743.2145.&nbsp; You may have to leave him a message as he is an incredibly busy individual, but he will get back to you very quickly.&nbsp;

Seth Kastle, USD 208 Board of Education

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As many of you are aware, our community will vote on May 12th regarding a bond for our school system.&nbsp; While there is information available to the public, the current situation connected to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on educating our community on facts surrounding this issue.&nbsp; It is my hope that this brief write up will work to alleviate any misconceptions about what this bond is for, how it is funded, and why we need it. &nbsp;	Taxes are a major concern for all members of the community, as they should be.&nbsp; Our district is paying off the current bond from 20 years ago which gave us the new gymnasium, the science classrooms, and the cafeteria in the high school.&nbsp; It is our hope that we can institute a new bond which will give us added security to district facilities, additional space to serve an expanding population of students with diverse needs, and key infrastructure improvements such as updated plumbing in the high school.&nbsp; With the old bond ending and the new bond beginning, the mill levy to repay bonds will NOT INCREASE.&nbsp; We will continue to keep the same number of mills in place dedicated to repaying the bond for our district facilities.&nbsp; School districts in the state of Kansas can only use a small portion of their annual budget to fund facility improvements.&nbsp; Because of this, bond issues are required to pay for larger capital projects, specifically those outside the scope of traditional maintenance and minor facility upgrades.&nbsp; The proposed bond that we will be voting on was specifically designed to not cause the residents of Trego County to see any increase in their mill levy. &nbsp;		It is VITALLY important that every community member vote on May 12th.&nbsp; This bond issue is about taking care of important facility needs while not requiring any additional mills. Thank you for your continued support of our district personnel, students, and facilities.&nbsp; If you have any questions regarding the bond issue please contact our district superintendent, Mr. Tavis Desormiers at 785.743.2145.&nbsp; You may have to leave him a message as he is an incredibly busy individual, but he will get back to you very quickly.&nbsp;Seth Kastle, USD 208 Board of Education

LETTER: What is WaKeeney school bond for and how does it work?

Three-day weather outlook

Beginning Monday, pavement markings on Hall Street between Eighth and 27th streets are being replaced. 

 Hall Street will remain open, however, traffic may be temporarily restricted while work is in progress. 

 For more information, contact the Office of Project Management at (785) 628-7350 or the contractor, Roadsafe at (316) 322-3070.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584721067731.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Beginning Monday, pavement markings on Hall Street between Eighth and 27th streets are being replaced. Hall Street will remain open, however, traffic may be temporarily restricted while work is in progress. Work should be complete by May 1. For more information, contact the Office of Project Management at (785) 628-7350 or the contractor, Roadsafe at (316) 322-3070.— City of Hays

Pavement markings will be replaced this week on Hall

Three years ago, I enjoyed piloting a series of programs targeting our senior population titled, Keys to Embracing Aging. Each month for a year I brought a new topic complete with a well written fact sheet to a consistent audience of around twenty seniors. It is time to bring out those fact sheets again but this time, instead of just focusing on seniors, I’m calling it “Keys to Embracing Life.”

Today I’m sharing information from the Positive Attitude fact sheet. It’s no secret that the connection between mind and body is strong. An overall positive attitude, including an upbeat outlook on life, can affect overall happiness, health, and well-being. Similar to good health practices such as eating well and getting plenty of exercise, a positive attitude should be a habit that starts early in life.

A positive attitude can impact mental health and physical functioning, including the ability to fight disease and infection. Attitude can also affect relationships, social networks, and help make success in life more likely. The bottom line, being more positive across the lifespan causes less stress and enables people to live healthier, happy lives.

Dr. Martin Seligman, the creator of positive psychology, believes that happiness helps provide a sense of purpose in life because it is something that you can create and nurture. He identified seven habits of happy people. Happy people:

We all know people who are positive and almost always have a smile on their face. Our five-year-old grandson, Bo, is one happy kid. If the weather is nice, Bo and his mom will be practicing hitting or catching a baseball, or shooting baskets at their driveway basketball goal. After a recent rainy day, Bo and his two sisters, went on a worm hunt. It was such a success that a weekend fishing trip is planned. Our daughter, Kristen, sent a picture of three smiling kids with their gallon pail almost half full of worms.

Everyone has an occasional bad day, but in general, a positive attitude and happy outlook can help pull you through life’s challenges. Having an upbeat and proactive outlook on life over time can also contribute to better health and optimal aging, including longevity.

Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District. 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/2020/3/1583253738760.jpeg" alt="Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Three years ago, I enjoyed piloting a series of programs targeting our senior population titled, Keys to Embracing Aging. Each month for a year I brought a new topic complete with a well written fact sheet to a consistent audience of around twenty seniors. It is time to bring out those fact sheets again but this time, instead of just focusing on seniors, I’m calling it “Keys to Embracing Life.”Today I’m sharing information from the Positive Attitude fact sheet. It’s no secret that the connection between mind and body is strong. An overall positive attitude, including an upbeat outlook on life, can affect overall happiness, health, and well-being. Similar to good health practices such as eating well and getting plenty of exercise, a positive attitude should be a habit that starts early in life.A positive attitude can impact mental health and physical functioning, including the ability to fight disease and infection. Attitude can also affect relationships, social networks, and help make success in life more likely. The bottom line, being more positive across the lifespan causes less stress and enables people to live healthier, happy lives.Dr. Martin Seligman, the creator of positive psychology, believes that happiness helps provide a sense of purpose in life because it is something that you can create and nurture. He identified seven habits of happy people. Happy people:<ol>
 <li>Build close relationships</li><li>Care for others</li><li>Engage in healthy, active lifestyles</li><li>Embrace spirituality</li><li>Practice positive thinking</li><li>Embrace a hobby or activity</li><li>Identify strengths</li>
 </ol>We all know people who are positive and almost always have a smile on their face. Our five-year-old grandson, Bo, is one happy kid. If the weather is nice, Bo and his mom will be practicing hitting or catching a baseball, or shooting baskets at their driveway basketball goal. After a recent rainy day, Bo and his two sisters, went on a worm hunt. It was such a success that a weekend fishing trip is planned. Our daughter, Kristen, sent a picture of three smiling kids with their gallon pail almost half full of worms.Everyone has an occasional bad day, but in general, a positive attitude and happy outlook can help pull you through life’s challenges. Having an upbeat and proactive outlook on life over time can also contribute to better health and optimal aging, including longevity.Donna Krug is the Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent and District Director for the Cottonwood Extension District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

KRUG: Keys to embracing life

By CORINNE BOYER <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/update-coronavirus-clusters-grow-rapidly-three-western-kansas-meatpacking-counties">Kansas News Service</a>

Update: Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman said on Friday that 
Kansas has now identified 250 cases of COVID-19 among workers at the 
state's six meatpacking plants. The federal government has sent supplies
 to test thousands of people in southwest Kansas. Meanwhile, the Centers
 for Disease Control and Prevention is sending staff to the region.

GARDEN CITY, Kansas —
 Two western Kansas counties that are home to meatpacking plants have 
some of the highest counts of the coronavirus in the state. It’s a 
distinction that comes as the Tyson plant near Garden City said this 
week it has several cases among its workers.

None of the 
meatpacking plants, which make up about 25% of the national beef supply 
according to a Kansas State professor’s estimate, has shared a specific 
count of workers with a COVID-19 diagnosis. And the state health 
department leaves it up to county health departments to decide whether 
to provide the public with detailed case information.

In the 
span of 11 days, Ford County, where there is a National Beef and a 
Cargill plant in Dodge City, has gone from 16 cases to 288. Seward 
County, which has a National Beef plant in Liberal, went from six to 
125. Finney County, where the Tyson plant is located, is up from 17 to 
87.

Several meatpacking plants around the country, from South 
Dakota to Iowa to Colorado, have had to shut down temporarily over the 
past few weeks due to the number of workers coming down with the 
coronavirus. But so far, Kansas’ major meatpacking plants have not fully
 shut down, though the National Beef plant in Dodge City did close for a
 few days for deep cleaning.

Companies say they’ve been taking 
extra precautions and social distancing measures. But unions are 
pressing for better protections inside plants, where workers 
stand-side-by side to cut meat from carcasses.&nbsp;

Kansas Gov. Laura
 Kelly said there is an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to the situation at
 the local, state and federal levels for testing, isolation and 
providing things like shields and personal protective equipment to 
protect workers.

“We’ve found isolation housing for those who 
need to be quarantined if they’ve had any contact,” Kelly said Thursday 
on KCUR’s “Up To Date” talk show. “So we’re taking a very aggressive 
approach, because we don’t want to be like Iowa or South Dakota where 
we’re having to shut those plants down.”

The Tyson plant in 
Holcomb employs about 3,800 people. The announcement of cases among 
Tyson workers came shortly after the Finney County Health Department 
began testing up to 50 people a day for the virus. Health department 
director Colleen Drees said “there is evidence of community spread.”&nbsp;

High
 Plains Public Radio news director Angie Haflich and Kansas News Service
 news editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report.

Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://kannews.slack.com/team/UFFCS11T5">@Corinne</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank"> _boyer</a> or email cboyer@hppr,org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587938713112.png" alt=" National Beef has a meatpacking plant in Liberal, Kansas, which is in Seward County. Bethany Wood / For the Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> National Beef has a meatpacking plant in Liberal, Kansas, which is in Seward County. Bethany Wood / For the Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CORINNE BOYER <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/update-coronavirus-clusters-grow-rapidly-three-western-kansas-meatpacking-counties">Kansas News Service</a>Update: Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman said on Friday that 
Kansas has now identified 250 cases of COVID-19 among workers at the 
state's six meatpacking plants. The federal government has sent supplies
 to test thousands of people in southwest Kansas. Meanwhile, the Centers
 for Disease Control and Prevention is sending staff to the region.GARDEN CITY, Kansas —
 Two western Kansas counties that are home to meatpacking plants have 
some of the highest counts of the coronavirus in the state. It’s a 
distinction that comes as the Tyson plant near Garden City said this 
week it has several cases among its workers.None of the 
meatpacking plants, which make up about 25% of the national beef supply 
according to a Kansas State professor’s estimate, has shared a specific 
count of workers with a COVID-19 diagnosis. And the state health 
department leaves it up to county health departments to decide whether 
to provide the public with detailed case information.In the 
span of 11 days, Ford County, where there is a National Beef and a 
Cargill plant in Dodge City, has gone from 16 cases to 288. Seward 
County, which has a National Beef plant in Liberal, went from six to 
125. Finney County, where the Tyson plant is located, is up from 17 to 
87.Several meatpacking plants around the country, from South 
Dakota to Iowa to Colorado, have had to shut down temporarily over the 
past few weeks due to the number of workers coming down with the 
coronavirus. But so far, Kansas’ major meatpacking plants have not fully
 shut down, though the National Beef plant in Dodge City did close for a
 few days for deep cleaning.Companies say they’ve been taking 
extra precautions and social distancing measures. But unions are 
pressing for better protections inside plants, where workers 
stand-side-by side to cut meat from carcasses.&nbsp;Kansas Gov. Laura
 Kelly said there is an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to the situation at
 the local, state and federal levels for testing, isolation and 
providing things like shields and personal protective equipment to 
protect workers.“We’ve found isolation housing for those who 
need to be quarantined if they’ve had any contact,” Kelly said Thursday 
on KCUR’s “Up To Date” talk show. “So we’re taking a very aggressive 
approach, because we don’t want to be like Iowa or South Dakota where 
we’re having to shut those plants down.”The Tyson plant in 
Holcomb employs about 3,800 people. The announcement of cases among 
Tyson workers came shortly after the Finney County Health Department 
began testing up to 50 people a day for the virus. Health department 
director Colleen Drees said “there is evidence of community spread.”&nbsp;High
 Plains Public Radio news director Angie Haflich and Kansas News Service
 news editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report.Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://kannews.slack.com/team/UFFCS11T5">@Corinne</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank"> _boyer</a> or email cboyer@hppr,org.

Update: Virus clusters grow rapidly In 3 western Kan. meatpacking counties

Collin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presented the monthly progress report during Thursday's city commission meeting.

Projects from each city department are highlighted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587760733241.jpeg" alt="Collin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presents the monthly progress report at the April 23 city commission meeting." />
 <figcaption>Collin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presents the monthly progress report at the April 23 city commission meeting.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostCollin Bielser, assistant Hays city manager, presented the monthly progress report during Thursday's city commission meeting.Projects from each city department are highlighted.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yB_ZRgoFpoM"></iframe>
 <figcaption>(Video courtesy Nex-Tech)</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥 Bielser presents Hays progress report

As the battle with COVID-19 continues and we daily thank our courageous health care and essential workers, Kansas teachers also need our thanks.&nbsp; They rose to the occasion and kept learning alive.

With the future still unclear, teachers now are envisioning what will become the “new normal” return to school.&nbsp; What changes for health safety and preparedness will be necessary? What federal funding will come?&nbsp; What state budget cuts may occur?

When schools closed, teachers rushed to completely transition classes to virtual learning and take-home packets for students.&nbsp; Currently they keep personal contact to instruct and mentor students through texting, email, phone calls and Zoom.

Nonetheless at-home family support and virtual learning cannot replace the full school experience, particularly fundamental teacher-guided, deep discussions that drive high-quality learning through complex analysis, help for at-risk students and extra-curricular activities.

Education research cannot yet provide definitive answers about the benefit of online learning overall or for different ages or groups of students.&nbsp; Nevertheless, the reality is that teachers need to be prepared to use technology in future situations which may call for students to be homebound, to make immediate plans to address the “corona slide” of reduced learning caused by the current situation and to integrate new virtual learning opportunities in traditional classrooms.&nbsp;

The recently enacted federal CARES act provides $13.5 billion earmarked mostly for K-12 schools and an additional $3 billion in education funding for governors to release.&nbsp;&nbsp;The act also specifies a separate rural-development item for distance learning.&nbsp; Moreover, engagement of the Federal Communication Commission may be forthcoming for distance learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Federal help may ease the pain in the short run, but it is not a solution to fill all needs incurred by or brought to light by the pandemic or mitigate budget cuts due to economic recession that may come as COVID-19 recedes.&nbsp;

Teachers deserve our thanks, the resources they need to create robust, flexible learning environments and the technology to make it happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Almost half of Kansas students attend rural schools where too often they don’t have access to fast, reliable broadband connection or internet service.&nbsp; Students in high-need urban schools often lack the same technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A stop-gap solution for Topeka folk during our stay-at-home period is placing the local library’s two “hotspot” equipped bookmobiles in parking lots of two areas with low connectivity.&nbsp; Wi-fi also has been used in school buses for parking-lot learning, but neither effort is a long-term solution.

Currently, Kansas schools cannot supply one-to-one technology--tablets or computers—for every student in each school (although some schools have done so, nor supply broadband and internet needed for every student to do schoolwork from home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It is essential for the Kansas economy and necessary for public education to provide all students contemporary communication technology.&nbsp; Creative leveraging of federal, state and local resources is vital for overall school budgets if we are to continue learning opportunities as in the past.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The virus exposed weaknesses in the system, but it taught us that Kansans are committed, people, intrinsically connected to supporting public school life and traditions.&nbsp; Sequestered in our homes, we long for spring music contests, baseball and commencement ceremonies--our students’ wish for interaction with peers and personal contact with teachers.&nbsp; Educational renewal may be the state’s greatest challenge for the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Never have teachers been more relevant.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576185211786.jpeg" alt="Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education." />
 <figcaption>Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education.</figcaption>
 </figure>As the battle with COVID-19 continues and we daily thank our courageous health care and essential workers, Kansas teachers also need our thanks.&nbsp; They rose to the occasion and kept learning alive.With the future still unclear, teachers now are envisioning what will become the “new normal” return to school.&nbsp; What changes for health safety and preparedness will be necessary? What federal funding will come?&nbsp; What state budget cuts may occur?When schools closed, teachers rushed to completely transition classes to virtual learning and take-home packets for students.&nbsp; Currently they keep personal contact to instruct and mentor students through texting, email, phone calls and Zoom.Nonetheless at-home family support and virtual learning cannot replace the full school experience, particularly fundamental teacher-guided, deep discussions that drive high-quality learning through complex analysis, help for at-risk students and extra-curricular activities.Education research cannot yet provide definitive answers about the benefit of online learning overall or for different ages or groups of students.&nbsp; Nevertheless, the reality is that teachers need to be prepared to use technology in future situations which may call for students to be homebound, to make immediate plans to address the “corona slide” of reduced learning caused by the current situation and to integrate new virtual learning opportunities in traditional classrooms.&nbsp;The recently enacted federal CARES act provides $13.5 billion earmarked mostly for K-12 schools and an additional $3 billion in education funding for governors to release.&nbsp;&nbsp;The act also specifies a separate rural-development item for distance learning.&nbsp; Moreover, engagement of the Federal Communication Commission may be forthcoming for distance learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Federal help may ease the pain in the short run, but it is not a solution to fill all needs incurred by or brought to light by the pandemic or mitigate budget cuts due to economic recession that may come as COVID-19 recedes.&nbsp;Teachers deserve our thanks, the resources they need to create robust, flexible learning environments and the technology to make it happen.&nbsp;&nbsp;Almost half of Kansas students attend rural schools where too often they don’t have access to fast, reliable broadband connection or internet service.&nbsp; Students in high-need urban schools often lack the same technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;A stop-gap solution for Topeka folk during our stay-at-home period is placing the local library’s two “hotspot” equipped bookmobiles in parking lots of two areas with low connectivity.&nbsp; Wi-fi also has been used in school buses for parking-lot learning, but neither effort is a long-term solution.Currently, Kansas schools cannot supply one-to-one technology--tablets or computers—for every student in each school (although some schools have done so, nor supply broadband and internet needed for every student to do schoolwork from home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is essential for the Kansas economy and necessary for public education to provide all students contemporary communication technology.&nbsp; Creative leveraging of federal, state and local resources is vital for overall school budgets if we are to continue learning opportunities as in the past.&nbsp;&nbsp;The virus exposed weaknesses in the system, but it taught us that Kansans are committed, people, intrinsically connected to supporting public school life and traditions.&nbsp; Sequestered in our homes, we long for spring music contests, baseball and commencement ceremonies--our students’ wish for interaction with peers and personal contact with teachers.&nbsp; Educational renewal may be the state’s greatest challenge for the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;Never have teachers been more relevant.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita at the Wichita State University College of Education.