Care. Innovation. Grit. These three words capture the personality of Fort Hays State University, and have for nearly 120 years.

Those words show up in our culture – independently and collectively. And as in any good story, they show up in the legendary tales told and retold by our students, faculty, and staff.

One particular story, recently told to me by a former student and now alumnus, Craig Garvert, really made me smile. Craig, a 2020 graduate, shared that during his sophomore year, he “planked” against a professor after a test in a computer science class.

Planking is an isometric core strengthening exercise that involves maintaining a position similar to a push-up for the maximum time possible.&nbsp;

That professor, Dr. Hong Biao Zeng, had started sharing in class his methods for staying in shape and eating healthy. He would update the students every week on his new feats. The class of about a dozen computer science majors was definitely enjoying these tangents. But, according to Craig, the students had doubts about some of their professor’s claims.&nbsp;

Dr. Zeng mentioned that he could plank for six to seven minutes. (According to Men’s Health, a healthy, fit person should be able to hold a plank for two minutes. The writer, Lou Schuler, shared that his longest plank was “three miserable minutes.”) The average person sets one minute as a personal goal.

Given those statistics, one cannot blame the students for questioning Dr. Zeng’s claim, right? &nbsp;

So, the students asked Dr. Zeng to prove it. They had no idea what they were asking.

The innovative and wise Dr. Zeng embraced the dare and presented the students with their own challenge. Following the next test in his class, Dr. Zeng said he would give extra credit to any student who could plank longer than him.

“We thought we had it in the bag,” Craig said.

As Craig tells the story, on test day, Dr. Zeng walked in with a yoga mat and his usual button-up shirt and khaki dress pants. A few of the students were dressed for gym class.

After the test, Dr. Zeng unrolled the mat and got in planking position. One by one, each student challenger dropped before he did. As each student conceded, Dr. Zeng would resume proper form for the next challenger almost immediately. Craig estimated that Dr. Zeng held a plank for 10 minutes off and on during a 15-minute span.&nbsp;

There was no extra credit awarded to students that day.

“We were all defeated by our middle-aged professor in business-casual attire,” Craig shared. “I gave up after a minute.”

I found the story totally amusing and very endearing. Curious, I contacted Dr. Zeng and asked him about the challenge.&nbsp;

Dr. Zeng said the reason he challenged his students that day is because most computer science majors (and later professionals) sit in front of the computers for a very long time – too long – every day. This, Dr. Zeng said, is not good for the students’ health or their careers. &nbsp;

He believes that a good teacher not only passes on his or her professional knowledge to students but also guides students to establish healthy ways to handle their studies. Developing habits and thoughts that will both sustain and nourish the students on their journeys also can set the tone for their professional careers.

Dr. Zeng tells his students that even though they really “don’t have time” to exercise, learning to do exercises, such as a plank, when they have been sitting in front of the computer for a couple hours, will help them be more successful.

Craig, now a software specialist at Adams, Brown, Beran and Ball Financial Services in Hays, has fond memories not only of that challenge, but his experience at Fort Hays State as a whole.

“It goes to show the relationship the professors have with students,” Craig said. “I saw a lot of positives from just that instance. We as a class were all working together.”

It’s a great story. But even more importantly, this tale serves as one of many soon-to-be legendary accounts that demonstrate the Tiger culture of grit, innovation, and care.

Clearly, planking against each student took grit for the professor. Plank-challenging the students for extra credit was great out-of-the-box thinking.

Creating this challenge based on Dr. Zeng’s conviction that self-care and wellbeing is essential to both student and professional success, illustrates the caring spirit for which Fort Hays State University is known – and always has been.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575302014229.png" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>Care. Innovation. Grit. These three words capture the personality of Fort Hays State University, and have for nearly 120 years.Those words show up in our culture – independently and collectively. And as in any good story, they show up in the legendary tales told and retold by our students, faculty, and staff.One particular story, recently told to me by a former student and now alumnus, Craig Garvert, really made me smile. Craig, a 2020 graduate, shared that during his sophomore year, he “planked” against a professor after a test in a computer science class.Planking is an isometric core strengthening exercise that involves maintaining a position similar to a push-up for the maximum time possible.&nbsp;That professor, Dr. Hong Biao Zeng, had started sharing in class his methods for staying in shape and eating healthy. He would update the students every week on his new feats. The class of about a dozen computer science majors was definitely enjoying these tangents. But, according to Craig, the students had doubts about some of their professor’s claims.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593437619122.jpeg" alt="Dr. Hong Biao Zeng" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Hong Biao Zeng</figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Zeng mentioned that he could plank for six to seven minutes. (According to Men’s Health, a healthy, fit person should be able to hold a plank for two minutes. The writer, Lou Schuler, shared that his longest plank was “three miserable minutes.”) The average person sets one minute as a personal goal.Given those statistics, one cannot blame the students for questioning Dr. Zeng’s claim, right? &nbsp;So, the students asked Dr. Zeng to prove it. They had no idea what they were asking.The innovative and wise Dr. Zeng embraced the dare and presented the students with their own challenge. Following the next test in his class, Dr. Zeng said he would give extra credit to any student who could plank longer than him.“We thought we had it in the bag,” Craig said.As Craig tells the story, on test day, Dr. Zeng walked in with a yoga mat and his usual button-up shirt and khaki dress pants. A few of the students were dressed for gym class.After the test, Dr. Zeng unrolled the mat and got in planking position. One by one, each student challenger dropped before he did. As each student conceded, Dr. Zeng would resume proper form for the next challenger almost immediately. Craig estimated that Dr. Zeng held a plank for 10 minutes off and on during a 15-minute span.&nbsp;There was no extra credit awarded to students that day.“We were all defeated by our middle-aged professor in business-casual attire,” Craig shared. “I gave up after a minute.”I found the story totally amusing and very endearing. Curious, I contacted Dr. Zeng and asked him about the challenge.&nbsp;Dr. Zeng said the reason he challenged his students that day is because most computer science majors (and later professionals) sit in front of the computers for a very long time – too long – every day. This, Dr. Zeng said, is not good for the students’ health or their careers. &nbsp;He believes that a good teacher not only passes on his or her professional knowledge to students but also guides students to establish healthy ways to handle their studies. Developing habits and thoughts that will both sustain and nourish the students on their journeys also can set the tone for their professional careers.Dr. Zeng tells his students that even though they really “don’t have time” to exercise, learning to do exercises, such as a plank, when they have been sitting in front of the computer for a couple hours, will help them be more successful.Craig, now a software specialist at Adams, Brown, Beran and Ball Financial Services in Hays, has fond memories not only of that challenge, but his experience at Fort Hays State as a whole.“It goes to show the relationship the professors have with students,” Craig said. “I saw a lot of positives from just that instance. We as a class were all working together.”It’s a great story. But even more importantly, this tale serves as one of many soon-to-be legendary accounts that demonstrate the Tiger culture of grit, innovation, and care.Clearly, planking against each student took grit for the professor. Plank-challenging the students for extra credit was great out-of-the-box thinking.Creating this challenge based on Dr. Zeng’s conviction that self-care and wellbeing is essential to both student and professional success, illustrates the caring spirit for which Fort Hays State University is known – and always has been.

MASON: FHSU passes test in commitment to students

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancher

As the days wind down in June, wheat harvest has just now begun for our family. It’s a late harvest this year, but we are glad we are able to get into the fields to harvest the grain. It’s perhaps my most favorite event of the year on the farm. We’ve watched this crop since last fall when it was sown into the soil and emerged as a small plant. We’ve watched as it’s carpeted the ground, survived a cold winter, transformed into the most vivid green before ripening into the most beautiful yellow. We’ve invested a lot of time and hope in the crop, and now it’s time to harvest the grain.

One of the other reasons I love wheat harvest is because the entire family is involved. Since the kids are out of school for the summer, they get to experience harvest in all of its glory as well. Both Banks and Isannah have always played an active role in wheat harvest. When both were younger many of their nap times happened in their car seats while I would drive meals or machine parts out to the fields. I would hold my babies on my hips, and we'd wave to the combines and cheer as they'd roar past making another round in a field.

Every year my kids get to help bake cookies, pack meals and distribute drinks for our harvest crew. They get to sink their toes in the spilled wheat before it's shoveled up. They love to drive out to the fields and watch our crew and machines run. They enjoy meals out in the field and riding in the combine’s buddy seat next to their dad or grandpa as they move from one side of the field to the other cutting the wheat. It’s a beautiful tradition we experience every summer, and I often wonder if harvest will call my two home when they are older with children of their own.

Last night, after we had driven out to the field with food for the crew, the guys began walking back to the tractor, combines and trucks to continue cutting the wheat into the night. As we were walking back to the car, my 4-year-old daughter began weeping. The weeping quickly turned into sobs. As I was attempting to calm her down to find out what was wrong, she was pointing to the combines and grain cart already moving to the opposite end of the field. 

After encouraging her to take deep breaths so she could express what was wrong, she began to hiccup her explanation while tears rolled down her face. It turns out she had planned to ride in a combine after dinner and clearly she was not in one of the cabs. She wanted me to call one of the combines back so she could get in and help cut wheat. I assured her she’d get to ride later. Hesitantly, she climbed into her car seat and we drove home.

For the next few hours, Isannah would ask if it was time for her to go cut. Near bedtime, my husband briefly came into the house to get an item before getting back out to the field. Isannah cornered him and asked if it was time for her to go cut wheat. He knew she would not take “no” for an answer. So even though it was already past her bedtime, at 9 p.m., the two of them headed back to the field. According to Adam, she fell asleep on the drive out to the field, but woke up to help cut wheat for another couple hours.

He carried her to bed shortly before midnight, both exhausted from another day of wheat harvest. 

This morning as we all slowly made our way to the breakfast table, Isannah, still sleepy eyed with dirt on her face and wearing the same clothes from yesterday, sat down at the table, crossed her arms and proceeded to ask Adam, “When are WE cutting wheat today?” 

How can you not love wheat harvest when it’s clearly a family affair?

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575904358712.png" alt="Kim Baldwin" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancherAs the days wind down in June, wheat harvest has just now begun for our family. It’s a late harvest this year, but we are glad we are able to get into the fields to harvest the grain. It’s perhaps my most favorite event of the year on the farm. We’ve watched this crop since last fall when it was sown into the soil and emerged as a small plant. We’ve watched as it’s carpeted the ground, survived a cold winter, transformed into the most vivid green before ripening into the most beautiful yellow. We’ve invested a lot of time and hope in the crop, and now it’s time to harvest the grain.One of the other reasons I love wheat harvest is because the entire family is involved. Since the kids are out of school for the summer, they get to experience harvest in all of its glory as well. Both Banks and Isannah have always played an active role in wheat harvest. When both were younger many of their nap times happened in their car seats while I would drive meals or machine parts out to the fields. I would hold my babies on my hips, and we'd wave to the combines and cheer as they'd roar past making another round in a field.Every year my kids get to help bake cookies, pack meals and distribute drinks for our harvest crew. They get to sink their toes in the spilled wheat before it's shoveled up. They love to drive out to the fields and watch our crew and machines run. They enjoy meals out in the field and riding in the combine’s buddy seat next to their dad or grandpa as they move from one side of the field to the other cutting the wheat. It’s a beautiful tradition we experience every summer, and I often wonder if harvest will call my two home when they are older with children of their own.Last night, after we had driven out to the field with food for the crew, the guys began walking back to the tractor, combines and trucks to continue cutting the wheat into the night. As we were walking back to the car, my 4-year-old daughter began weeping. The weeping quickly turned into sobs. As I was attempting to calm her down to find out what was wrong, she was pointing to the combines and grain cart already moving to the opposite end of the field. After encouraging her to take deep breaths so she could express what was wrong, she began to hiccup her explanation while tears rolled down her face. It turns out she had planned to ride in a combine after dinner and clearly she was not in one of the cabs. She wanted me to call one of the combines back so she could get in and help cut wheat. I assured her she’d get to ride later. Hesitantly, she climbed into her car seat and we drove home.For the next few hours, Isannah would ask if it was time for her to go cut. Near bedtime, my husband briefly came into the house to get an item before getting back out to the field. Isannah cornered him and asked if it was time for her to go cut wheat. He knew she would not take “no” for an answer. So even though it was already past her bedtime, at 9 p.m., the two of them headed back to the field. According to Adam, she fell asleep on the drive out to the field, but woke up to help cut wheat for another couple hours.He carried her to bed shortly before midnight, both exhausted from another day of wheat harvest. This morning as we all slowly made our way to the breakfast table, Isannah, still sleepy eyed with dirt on her face and wearing the same clothes from yesterday, sat down at the table, crossed her arms and proceeded to ask Adam, “When are WE cutting wheat today?” How can you not love wheat harvest when it’s clearly a family affair?"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: A family harvest

This year, the Barton County Fair is going to be quite different. The static exhibits such as foods and crafts are all going to be shown online, not out at the Expo buildings in plain view. Livestock shows will go on, but with a different schedule and with no spectators. This is all in place because of Covid 19 restrictions that needed to be in place in May to even be able to plan for a fair.&nbsp;

Before Covid sent us all to our homes, most 4H’ers were already hard at work so their projects would be them ready at Fair time. For example, in order to participate in the 4-H Market Beef show, that animal needs to be weighed and tagged by the Extension office. The weigh in date for 2020 was back on February 29th.&nbsp; (This is just one beef project).&nbsp; For a Foods project, the 4-H’er should be learning about the project and cooking all year long. Art projects are worked on for the entire year at times, and to get the perfect snowstorm picture, you need to have snow. Fair is the culmination of their yearlong hard work, and it is meant to celebrate the 4H’ers and what they have learned along the way.&nbsp;

For 2020, even though you cannot come out to the Expo grounds to view all of the finished projects, you can still help celebrate the children and their hard efforts. There will be several avenues to be able to view their projects. On flipgrid.com, you can search for 4-H Public Showcase with the flip code “btcofair” to view some of the virtual videos of the 4Hers and their projects! You can also visit the Barton County Fair website at bartoncountyfair.com. Facebook will also be busy with livestreaming! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ksrecottonwood">https://www.facebook.com/ksrecottonwood</a> will livestream the livestock shows for people to be able to still watch amongst other activities. You can also go to the Barton County Fair’s Facebook page at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BartonCoFair">https://www.facebook.com/BartonCoFair</a> for fun and exciting content!&nbsp;

This year has been challenging for many reasons; and The Barton County Fair falls in that category. With a little ingenuity, willingness to be flexible and the ability to learn new things, we will do our absolute best to celebrate what 4-H is about; the learning process and the journey it takes to get there above all!

Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592579538317.png" alt="Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>This year, the Barton County Fair is going to be quite different. The static exhibits such as foods and crafts are all going to be shown online, not out at the Expo buildings in plain view. Livestock shows will go on, but with a different schedule and with no spectators. This is all in place because of Covid 19 restrictions that needed to be in place in May to even be able to plan for a fair.&nbsp;Before Covid sent us all to our homes, most 4H’ers were already hard at work so their projects would be them ready at Fair time. For example, in order to participate in the 4-H Market Beef show, that animal needs to be weighed and tagged by the Extension office. The weigh in date for 2020 was back on February 29th.&nbsp; (This is just one beef project).&nbsp; For a Foods project, the 4-H’er should be learning about the project and cooking all year long. Art projects are worked on for the entire year at times, and to get the perfect snowstorm picture, you need to have snow. Fair is the culmination of their yearlong hard work, and it is meant to celebrate the 4H’ers and what they have learned along the way.&nbsp;For 2020, even though you cannot come out to the Expo grounds to view all of the finished projects, you can still help celebrate the children and their hard efforts. There will be several avenues to be able to view their projects. On flipgrid.com, you can search for 4-H Public Showcase with the flip code “btcofair” to view some of the virtual videos of the 4Hers and their projects! You can also visit the Barton County Fair website at bartoncountyfair.com. Facebook will also be busy with livestreaming! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ksrecottonwood">https://www.facebook.com/ksrecottonwood</a> will livestream the livestock shows for people to be able to still watch amongst other activities. You can also go to the Barton County Fair’s Facebook page at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BartonCoFair">https://www.facebook.com/BartonCoFair</a> for fun and exciting content!&nbsp;This year has been challenging for many reasons; and The Barton County Fair falls in that category. With a little ingenuity, willingness to be flexible and the ability to learn new things, we will do our absolute best to celebrate what 4-H is about; the learning process and the journey it takes to get there above all!Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District.

BOOR: Big changes at Barton Co. Fair in 2020

Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped a quarter on Friday, to start the week Monday at $28.75 a barrel. That's down more than a dollar from a week ago, but three dollars higher than at the first of the month. Since the beginning of the year, Kansas Common is down more than $22 a barrel. Two leading oil-price reporting agencies announced new crude-oil benchmarks to address what they call "the distortions of domestic infrastructure economics." S&amp;P Global Platts and Argus Media are both trying to break away from &nbsp;the traditional landlocked WTI benchmark, just over two months after U.S. crude futures prices plunged into negative territory for the first time in history. Platts American GulfCoast Select will reflect the value of waterborne light sweet crude supplied from the Permian Basin on major pipelines to the Gulf. Argus AGS &nbsp;is also designed to reflect the growing importance of the U.S. Gulf Coast as a major export hub. Baker Hughes reports 265 active drilling rigs across the U.S. Friday, which is down one oil rig from a week earlier. The count in Texas and Oklahoma were both up one, while New Mexico, Wyoming and Colorado were each down one. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports two active rigs in eastern Kansas last week, which is unchanged from the week before. West of Wichita there are eight active rigs, up one. There were no new drilling permits issued in the State of Kansas during the last week. For the last week in June, our total is 210 permits for drilling at new locations, compared to 455 new permits at the halfway point last year. Operators completed 25 wells last week across the state, nine of them west of Wichita including one in Stafford County. Independent Oil and Gas Service says that brings the year-to-date total to 517 completions compared to 750 at this time last year. The government reported a build in U.S. crude-oil inventories of 1.4 million barrels. The Energy Information Administration says stockpiles reached an all-time high of nearly 541 million barrels, 16% above the five-year average for this time of year. The previous record was set in March 2017.&nbsp; The Energy Information Administration says the U.S. is using 62% of its working storage capacity, with usage at Cushing down to 58%. U.S. crude oil production increased last week by more than half a million barrels per day. The Energy Information Administration reported average output of 10.96 million barrels per day for the week ending June 19. A year ago, domestic production was over 12 million barrels per day. EIA says oil and gas producers managed to set production records in the U.S. last year with fewer wells and fewer active drilling rigs. In a report last week, the government said one factor in the increase in drilling efficiency is the ability to contact more of a formation using horizontal drilling. In 2019, operators set records producing 12.2 million barrels per day of crude and 111.5 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. EIA cites data from Baker Hughes and IHS Markit showing the average rig count per month last year was 943 and the average count of new wells drilled per month was 1,400. Both were in the lower end of the range during the past 45 years, despite record production. EIA reported a drop in imports to 6.5 million barrels per day for the week ending June 19. The four-week average is down more than eleven percent from the same period a year ago. Oil-by-rail traffic dropped by 34 tanker cars last week to 9,402 cars. The Association of American Railroads says that's down more than 33 percent from the same week a year ago.&nbsp; Oklahoma based energy powerhouse Chesapeake Energy has filed for bankruptcy protection. Founded in 1989 with an initial $50,000 investment, Chesapeake lost an eye-popping $8.3 billion in the first quarter of this year, and has a current debt load of nearly $9 billion dollars. It has entered a plan with lenders to cut $7 billion of its debt and will continue to operate as usual during the bankruptcy process. The company was a leader in the fracking boom, using unconventional techniques to extract oil and gas. It became a colossus in the energy markets, eventually reaching a market valuation of more than $37 billion. The company closed Friday valued at around $115 million. Despite those problems, the company's CEO last year remained the highest-paid CEO in Oklahoma with $15.4 million in compensation.&nbsp; Colorado's governor on Monday named the new five-member commission which will craft and put into place major changes in the oil and gas industry there. A new state law requires regulators to shift focus toward the environment and public health.&nbsp; Gov. Jared Polis named Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission's current director, Jeff Robbins, to serve as chair of the new commission. He said Julie Murphy, chief of staff and senior policy adviser with the agency, will take over as director on July 1. The Denver Post reports the other four members of the commission have a mix of expertise in public health, the oil and gas industry, the environmental community and local government land use issues. They are: Priya K. Nanjappa (director of operations at Conservation Science Partners Inc.), Karin L. McGowan (deputy executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment), Gunnison County Commissioner John Messner, who serves on the existing commission, will bring a local government perspective. Attorney Bill Gonzalez of Denver is a former land manager for Occidental Petroleum. Robbins will retain his director salary at $161,700 while the other four commissioners will be paid $150,000 annually in their new roles. The oil and gas industry in Canada continues its slump, with rig counts at record lows and plummeting industry employment. Compared to last year, energy employment in Canada is down more than 25-thousand jobs, a decline of 14%. The drilling rig count in Canada fell 86% from a year ago to just 17 active rigs last week, an all-time low according to Baker Hughes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARKansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson dropped a quarter on Friday, to start the week Monday at $28.75 a barrel. That's down more than a dollar from a week ago, but three dollars higher than at the first of the month. Since the beginning of the year, Kansas Common is down more than $22 a barrel. Two leading oil-price reporting agencies announced new crude-oil benchmarks to address what they call "the distortions of domestic infrastructure economics." S&amp;P Global Platts and Argus Media are both trying to break away from &nbsp;the traditional landlocked WTI benchmark, just over two months after U.S. crude futures prices plunged into negative territory for the first time in history. Platts American GulfCoast Select will reflect the value of waterborne light sweet crude supplied from the Permian Basin on major pipelines to the Gulf. Argus AGS &nbsp;is also designed to reflect the growing importance of the U.S. Gulf Coast as a major export hub. Baker Hughes reports 265 active drilling rigs across the U.S. Friday, which is down one oil rig from a week earlier. The count in Texas and Oklahoma were both up one, while New Mexico, Wyoming and Colorado were each down one. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports two active rigs in eastern Kansas last week, which is unchanged from the week before. West of Wichita there are eight active rigs, up one. There were no new drilling permits issued in the State of Kansas during the last week. For the last week in June, our total is 210 permits for drilling at new locations, compared to 455 new permits at the halfway point last year. Operators completed 25 wells last week across the state, nine of them west of Wichita including one in Stafford County. Independent Oil and Gas Service says that brings the year-to-date total to 517 completions compared to 750 at this time last year. The government reported a build in U.S. crude-oil inventories of 1.4 million barrels. The Energy Information Administration says stockpiles reached an all-time high of nearly 541 million barrels, 16% above the five-year average for this time of year. The previous record was set in March 2017.&nbsp; The Energy Information Administration says the U.S. is using 62% of its working storage capacity, with usage at Cushing down to 58%. U.S. crude oil production increased last week by more than half a million barrels per day. The Energy Information Administration reported average output of 10.96 million barrels per day for the week ending June 19. A year ago, domestic production was over 12 million barrels per day. EIA says oil and gas producers managed to set production records in the U.S. last year with fewer wells and fewer active drilling rigs. In a report last week, the government said one factor in the increase in drilling efficiency is the ability to contact more of a formation using horizontal drilling. In 2019, operators set records producing 12.2 million barrels per day of crude and 111.5 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. EIA cites data from Baker Hughes and IHS Markit showing the average rig count per month last year was 943 and the average count of new wells drilled per month was 1,400. Both were in the lower end of the range during the past 45 years, despite record production. EIA reported a drop in imports to 6.5 million barrels per day for the week ending June 19. The four-week average is down more than eleven percent from the same period a year ago. Oil-by-rail traffic dropped by 34 tanker cars last week to 9,402 cars. The Association of American Railroads says that's down more than 33 percent from the same week a year ago.&nbsp; Oklahoma based energy powerhouse Chesapeake Energy has filed for bankruptcy protection. Founded in 1989 with an initial $50,000 investment, Chesapeake lost an eye-popping $8.3 billion in the first quarter of this year, and has a current debt load of nearly $9 billion dollars. It has entered a plan with lenders to cut $7 billion of its debt and will continue to operate as usual during the bankruptcy process. The company was a leader in the fracking boom, using unconventional techniques to extract oil and gas. It became a colossus in the energy markets, eventually reaching a market valuation of more than $37 billion. The company closed Friday valued at around $115 million. Despite those problems, the company's CEO last year remained the highest-paid CEO in Oklahoma with $15.4 million in compensation.&nbsp; Colorado's governor on Monday named the new five-member commission which will craft and put into place major changes in the oil and gas industry there. A new state law requires regulators to shift focus toward the environment and public health.&nbsp; Gov. Jared Polis named Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission's current director, Jeff Robbins, to serve as chair of the new commission. He said Julie Murphy, chief of staff and senior policy adviser with the agency, will take over as director on July 1. The Denver Post reports the other four members of the commission have a mix of expertise in public health, the oil and gas industry, the environmental community and local government land use issues. They are: Priya K. Nanjappa (director of operations at Conservation Science Partners Inc.), Karin L. McGowan (deputy executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment), Gunnison County Commissioner John Messner, who serves on the existing commission, will bring a local government perspective. Attorney Bill Gonzalez of Denver is a former land manager for Occidental Petroleum. Robbins will retain his director salary at $161,700 while the other four commissioners will be paid $150,000 annually in their new roles. The oil and gas industry in Canada continues its slump, with rig counts at record lows and plummeting industry employment. Compared to last year, energy employment in Canada is down more than 25-thousand jobs, a decline of 14%. The drilling rig count in Canada fell 86% from a year ago to just 17 active rigs last week, an all-time low according to Baker Hughes.

News From the Oil Patch: With slowing demand, inventories reach all-time high

Let’s see just how this works out on the doorstep as candidates in the next month ask for your vote in the primary, then general election this fall.

It starts out, of course, with the candidates briefly taking their mask elastic off one ear, and showing you their face, briefly.

Then, if you don’t shut the door and tell them to get off your porch, they’ll mention some of the things they believe you want to hear.

How about “I’ll only vote to increase taxes by $1.5 billion next year?”

And then, we expect, just before slamming the door, many voters will tell the candidate to get off their porch, and off their property and get back out to the public sidewalk.

That’s the amount of shortfall that the Kansas Legislative Research Department last week calculated that the brand-new, elected, or re-elected Legislature is going to have to raise to keep the state open for business.

It’s the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will, the department estimates, be the difference between the pared spending proposed by Gov. Laura Kelly for the fiscal year that starts July 1 and the amount of money needed to keep the state operating at a little worse than it is this year in terms of providing its citizens the programs they want.

And, surprisingly, we’re finding out that the governor’s proposed spending cuts she will make from the Legislature-approved and governor-signed budget for the year starting July 1 will still leave the state that $1.5 billion short of cash.

We’re thinking that $1.5 billion is going to be what voters are going to be concerned about, not proposals to require you to walk your cat on a leash or to designate a new specialty license tag&nbsp; honoring Kansans whose last names start with vowels.

That’s what the coronavirus has done to Kansas—cut revenues as Kansans lose their jobs or are furloughed by their employers to curb spread of the disease. And…to see less shopping and sales tax receipts from Kansans who are still buying groceries, cars, school clothes and everything else that we used to buy when we weren’t afraid to enter into stores and insurance offices and could go to bars and health clubs and swimming pools.

That’s a tremendous amount of money that whomever we elect from our districts to represent us in Topeka are going to have to either generate through taxes or to save through cutting services to Kansans ranging from police protection to health-care for the poor through Medicaid to welfare to keep them able to pay their rent, care for their children and everything else.

Oh, and to keep those schools funded constitutionally, though we’re still not sure whether kids will be going to the school building or hunkering over their (possibly school-supplied) computers to learn what we want the kids to know so they can grow up to land solid jobs and support themselves.

Now there are some answers short of raising taxes on Kansans. Congress might appropriate money that states can use to fill the revenue vs. expense shortfall that the ongoing pandemic has caused. Or, there may be a shot or pill you can take next year to end the pandemic, kicking the full state economy back to normal.

But there are 40 seats to fill in the Senate and 125 in the House where the winners are going to face that revenue shortfall problem. And how will they describe that to you on the doorstep or with postcards or over the Internet?&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592848178110.png" alt="Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report." />
 <figcaption>Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report.</figcaption>
 </figure>Let’s see just how this works out on the doorstep as candidates in the next month ask for your vote in the primary, then general election this fall.It starts out, of course, with the candidates briefly taking their mask elastic off one ear, and showing you their face, briefly.Then, if you don’t shut the door and tell them to get off your porch, they’ll mention some of the things they believe you want to hear.How about “I’ll only vote to increase taxes by $1.5 billion next year?”And then, we expect, just before slamming the door, many voters will tell the candidate to get off their porch, and off their property and get back out to the public sidewalk.Oh, and that $1.5 billion?That’s the amount of shortfall that the Kansas Legislative Research Department last week calculated that the brand-new, elected, or re-elected Legislature is going to have to raise to keep the state open for business.It’s the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will, the department estimates, be the difference between the pared spending proposed by Gov. Laura Kelly for the fiscal year that starts July 1 and the amount of money needed to keep the state operating at a little worse than it is this year in terms of providing its citizens the programs they want.And, surprisingly, we’re finding out that the governor’s proposed spending cuts she will make from the Legislature-approved and governor-signed budget for the year starting July 1 will still leave the state that $1.5 billion short of cash.We’re thinking that $1.5 billion is going to be what voters are going to be concerned about, not proposals to require you to walk your cat on a leash or to designate a new specialty license tag&nbsp; honoring Kansans whose last names start with vowels.That’s what the coronavirus has done to Kansas—cut revenues as Kansans lose their jobs or are furloughed by their employers to curb spread of the disease. And…to see less shopping and sales tax receipts from Kansans who are still buying groceries, cars, school clothes and everything else that we used to buy when we weren’t afraid to enter into stores and insurance offices and could go to bars and health clubs and swimming pools.That’s a tremendous amount of money that whomever we elect from our districts to represent us in Topeka are going to have to either generate through taxes or to save through cutting services to Kansans ranging from police protection to health-care for the poor through Medicaid to welfare to keep them able to pay their rent, care for their children and everything else.Oh, and to keep those schools funded constitutionally, though we’re still not sure whether kids will be going to the school building or hunkering over their (possibly school-supplied) computers to learn what we want the kids to know so they can grow up to land solid jobs and support themselves.Now there are some answers short of raising taxes on Kansans. Congress might appropriate money that states can use to fill the revenue vs. expense shortfall that the ongoing pandemic has caused. Or, there may be a shot or pill you can take next year to end the pandemic, kicking the full state economy back to normal.Or not.But there are 40 seats to fill in the Senate and 125 in the House where the winners are going to face that revenue shortfall problem. And how will they describe that to you on the doorstep or with postcards or over the Internet?&nbsp;Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/">www.hawvernews.com</a>

HAWVER: Candidates face questions about Kan. revenue shortfall

A key to Kansas’ economic recovery is having a business recruitment strategy that includes proactive leadership and involvement from the top.&nbsp;

The Department of Commerce recently told lawmakers that there has been more interest in recent months from businesses about locating in Kansas. Among the reasons that the department cited were new business recruitment staff and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses. The Department said that the changing supply chain model and move towards online sales due to the pandemic contributed to the rise in interest.&nbsp;

While Kansas is uniquely situated as a distribution hub and I hope that these companies seriously look at our state, we should be doing more. By attributing the increased recent interest to the pandemic, the commerce secretary is noting that outside forces played a large part in this rise. While the department’s new business recruitment staff may have helped by this does not take away from the fact that an unprecedented outside event played a huge role.&nbsp;

At the same time, I see where there is a lot more that our state can do to recruit businesses to our state. During the recent SpaceX launch, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt traveled to the Kennedy Space Center. Governor Stitt made the trip to Florida to personally meet with Elon Musk and talk to him about why Oklahoma made sense for the new Tesla plant. This is proactive leadership coming from the very top of Oklahoma.&nbsp;

Governor Stitt is not alone. Many governors, past and present, have made proactive business recruitment a personal part of their time in office. When Rick Perry was governor of Texas, he traveled across the country cold calling business leaders. When Jeb Bush was governor of Florida, he and Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings were frequently shuttling back and forth to New York to sell Wall Street on Florida. One Wall Street CEO said in 2005 that she “greatly appreciated” that Bush and Jennings took a “personal interest” in her company’s decision to locate 500 jobs in Tampa.&nbsp;

The reason Kentucky recruited Toyota in the 1980s, was due to the proactive cold calling by then Gov. Martha Layne Collins. Collins has said she multiple visits to Toyota in Japan to sell them on Kentucky, along with cold calling other automakers. She had one of her top aides personally deliver papers to Japan about the state’s offer and she staged a dinner at the Governor’s Mansion to sell Toyota on Kentucky.&nbsp;

As a businessman, I have spent my career cold calling other businesses to set up deals. These calls have allowed me to market my businesses’ strengths and build relationships. Relationships are key to driving business and recruiting business and cold calls are an opening. But you need leadership at the top. The governor needs to starting these relationships and serving as a proactive voice to CEOs to open up those doors.&nbsp;

CEOs are receptive to cold calls and receptive to those who are looking for business because that’s their world. At the same time, they want to know that the top of the organization is in support. That why the governor needs to spend time investing in those relationships. A cold call today can mean jobs tomorrow.&nbsp;

Wink Hartman is the CEO of the Hartman Group of Companies in Wichita and the 2018 Republican nominee for lieutenant governor.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By WINK HARTMANA key to Kansas’ economic recovery is having a business recruitment strategy that includes proactive leadership and involvement from the top.&nbsp;The Department of Commerce recently told lawmakers that there has been more interest in recent months from businesses about locating in Kansas. Among the reasons that the department cited were new business recruitment staff and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses. The Department said that the changing supply chain model and move towards online sales due to the pandemic contributed to the rise in interest.&nbsp;While Kansas is uniquely situated as a distribution hub and I hope that these companies seriously look at our state, we should be doing more. By attributing the increased recent interest to the pandemic, the commerce secretary is noting that outside forces played a large part in this rise. While the department’s new business recruitment staff may have helped by this does not take away from the fact that an unprecedented outside event played a huge role.&nbsp;At the same time, I see where there is a lot more that our state can do to recruit businesses to our state. During the recent SpaceX launch, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt traveled to the Kennedy Space Center. Governor Stitt made the trip to Florida to personally meet with Elon Musk and talk to him about why Oklahoma made sense for the new Tesla plant. This is proactive leadership coming from the very top of Oklahoma.&nbsp;Governor Stitt is not alone. Many governors, past and present, have made proactive business recruitment a personal part of their time in office. When Rick Perry was governor of Texas, he traveled across the country cold calling business leaders. When Jeb Bush was governor of Florida, he and Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings were frequently shuttling back and forth to New York to sell Wall Street on Florida. One Wall Street CEO said in 2005 that she “greatly appreciated” that Bush and Jennings took a “personal interest” in her company’s decision to locate 500 jobs in Tampa.&nbsp;The reason Kentucky recruited Toyota in the 1980s, was due to the proactive cold calling by then Gov. Martha Layne Collins. Collins has said she multiple visits to Toyota in Japan to sell them on Kentucky, along with cold calling other automakers. She had one of her top aides personally deliver papers to Japan about the state’s offer and she staged a dinner at the Governor’s Mansion to sell Toyota on Kentucky.&nbsp;As a businessman, I have spent my career cold calling other businesses to set up deals. These calls have allowed me to market my businesses’ strengths and build relationships. Relationships are key to driving business and recruiting business and cold calls are an opening. But you need leadership at the top. The governor needs to starting these relationships and serving as a proactive voice to CEOs to open up those doors.&nbsp;CEOs are receptive to cold calls and receptive to those who are looking for business because that’s their world. At the same time, they want to know that the top of the organization is in support. That why the governor needs to spend time investing in those relationships. A cold call today can mean jobs tomorrow.&nbsp;Wink Hartman is the CEO of the Hartman Group of Companies in Wichita and the 2018 Republican nominee for lieutenant governor.&nbsp;

LETTER: Focusing on business recruitment in Kan.

There is a special irony in unveiling a new state tourism tagline amidst a global pandemic that’s grounded flights, canceled trips, and shuttered travelers in their homes.&nbsp;

But in a providential twist, the new tagline happens to be exactly what we need — a celebration of perseverance in the face of adversity.&nbsp;

I’m pleased to share the new tourism marketing tagline for Kansas is “To The Stars.” This tagline honors and builds upon the state’s motto, Ad Astra Per Aspera, translated “to the stars through difficulty.”&nbsp;

To The Stars reminds us who we are and shows us where to go. It is a salute to the free-spirited. To the rowdy. To the wide-eyed wanderers. To the dreamers. To the stars.

In the upcoming year, we plan to continue the To The Stars campaign with stories and features that capture imaginations and inspire travel. For Kansans and travelers eager to show their state pride in a new way, there is stylish new gear emblazoned with To The Stars designs available now at <a href="https://kansastourism.merchtable.com/">TravelKS.com</a>. &nbsp;

A lot of us are not going far these days, but we still have the chance to embrace the horizon-expanding benefits of travel by exploring fantastic experiences just down the road.&nbsp;

Kansas is home to many revered destinations such as the Brown v Board of Education Historic Site in Topeka, and the newly renovated Eisenhower Presidential Library &amp; Museum in Abilene. We can put those spots on our bucket list as they slowly phase in reopening protocols, as well as finding other ways to explore the To The Stars ideal while maintaining physical distancing. &nbsp;

Take a hike in the Flint Hills and experience the untouched landscape the same way early settlers did. Travel the Santa Fe Trail and imagine coming through in a wagon in search of a better life. Visit Little Jerusalem, the newest jewel in the Kansas state park system, and learn about the dedicated efforts to make it a public land accessible to all.&nbsp;

These are just a sampling of what Kansas has to offer travelers searching for new inspiration and fortitude. Kansas history is rich with people who stopped at nothing to chase their dreams and stake out freedom for themselves and others. There’s plenty of room to roam under the stars and learn how historical figures lived out our state motto. Just be sure to practice safe travels, bring a mask, and check in advance for the most up to date operating information from each stop on your bucket list.&nbsp;

Even though we’re experiencing unprecedented challenges, the answer has been inscribed on the heart of Kansas all along. We will make it through by not giving up. We will keep our eyes toward the sky even when trouble surrounds us. We will push forward To The Stars.&nbsp;

Bridgette Jobe is Director of Tourism with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism. Discover more at <a href="https://www.travelks.com/">TravelKS.com</a>.&nbsp; Connect with Travel Kansas at facebook.com/TravelKS or on Instagram @kansastourism.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593101317773.jpeg" alt="Bridgette Jobe" />
 <figcaption>Bridgette Jobe</figcaption>
 </figure>There is a special irony in unveiling a new state tourism tagline amidst a global pandemic that’s grounded flights, canceled trips, and shuttered travelers in their homes.&nbsp;But in a providential twist, the new tagline happens to be exactly what we need — a celebration of perseverance in the face of adversity.&nbsp;I’m pleased to share the new tourism marketing tagline for Kansas is “To The Stars.” This tagline honors and builds upon the state’s motto, Ad Astra Per Aspera, translated “to the stars through difficulty.”&nbsp;To The Stars reminds us who we are and shows us where to go. It is a salute to the free-spirited. To the rowdy. To the wide-eyed wanderers. To the dreamers. To the stars.In the upcoming year, we plan to continue the To The Stars campaign with stories and features that capture imaginations and inspire travel. For Kansans and travelers eager to show their state pride in a new way, there is stylish new gear emblazoned with To The Stars designs available now at <a href="https://kansastourism.merchtable.com/">TravelKS.com</a>. &nbsp;A lot of us are not going far these days, but we still have the chance to embrace the horizon-expanding benefits of travel by exploring fantastic experiences just down the road.&nbsp;Kansas is home to many revered destinations such as the Brown v Board of Education Historic Site in Topeka, and the newly renovated Eisenhower Presidential Library &amp; Museum in Abilene. We can put those spots on our bucket list as they slowly phase in reopening protocols, as well as finding other ways to explore the To The Stars ideal while maintaining physical distancing. &nbsp;Take a hike in the Flint Hills and experience the untouched landscape the same way early settlers did. Travel the Santa Fe Trail and imagine coming through in a wagon in search of a better life. Visit Little Jerusalem, the newest jewel in the Kansas state park system, and learn about the dedicated efforts to make it a public land accessible to all.&nbsp;These are just a sampling of what Kansas has to offer travelers searching for new inspiration and fortitude. Kansas history is rich with people who stopped at nothing to chase their dreams and stake out freedom for themselves and others. There’s plenty of room to roam under the stars and learn how historical figures lived out our state motto. Just be sure to practice safe travels, bring a mask, and check in advance for the most up to date operating information from each stop on your bucket list.&nbsp;Even though we’re experiencing unprecedented challenges, the answer has been inscribed on the heart of Kansas all along. We will make it through by not giving up. We will keep our eyes toward the sky even when trouble surrounds us. We will push forward To The Stars.&nbsp;Bridgette Jobe is Director of Tourism with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism. Discover more at <a href="https://www.travelks.com/">TravelKS.com</a>.&nbsp; Connect with Travel Kansas at facebook.com/TravelKS or on Instagram @kansastourism.

COLUMN: Kansas’ new tourism tagline as relevant as ever

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

Let’s sit down at a piano keyboard. As fingers start to move across the keys, a beautiful sound is generated from the heart of the piano. Where does this piano come from? Today we’ll learn about a remarkable Kansas business which is selling pianos across the nation and beyond.

Dan Murphy is the founder and owner of Mid-America Piano in Manhattan, Kansas. He grew up near the rural community of Keats, in Wildcat Township which has a population of 834 people. Now, that’s rural. Dan’s grandparents were dairy farmers and apparently that work ethic stayed with him.

Dan grew up in a musical home. “I played piano since I was a little kid,” Dan said. “My grandmothers and my mom played piano, my dad played guitar, and my sister played the saxophone. Sometimes we’d go play music at the nursing homes in the area.”

After graduating from Riley County High School, he attended Cloud County Community College where he played trumpet in the jazz band. His plan was to attend Kansas State University, but he also wanted a part-time job.

“There was a ‘help wanted’ ad in the Manhattan Mercury,” Dan said. “A piano company was looking for a salesman. I applied and started work the same day.”

Dan found he enjoyed the piano business. The company he worked for primarily sold new pianos, and Dan thought there was a niche selling pianos in the used piano market. In 1986, he went out on his own. He called the business Mid-America Piano.

“I rented a little hole-in-the-wall place on the west side of Manhattan,” Dan said. He began with three used pianos, a worn-out church van he had bought at an auction, and a 900-square-foot facility. “I figured I’d be in there five years,” Dan said. “We outgrew that space in six months.”

The business continued to expand through the years. In 1987, Dan moved his business to Poyntz Avenue in downtown Manhattan. In 2002, Mid-America Piano moved into its current location in an 11,000 square foot building on the K-177 highway south of town. This provided more room, higher visibility, and handy access to the interstate.

Today, Mid-America Piano is one of the leading suppliers of pianos across the nation.&nbsp;&nbsp;The company specializes in high quality, previously owned pianos that can be resold or restored as needed. The goal is to provide a quality piano at an affordable price.

The company literally sells pianos coast to coast, border to border and beyond. “I’ve been to every one of the 48 (continental) states multiple times,” Dan said. The company has even shipped pianos to Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, and countries in Africa.

Mid-America Piano offers everything from starter pianos to concert grands, and from new pianos to vintage instruments. There are grand pianos, uprights, digital pianos, organs, automated player systems and more. Product names include Steinway &amp; Sons, Baldwin, Yamaha and others. The company provides national pickup and delivery.

Along the way, Dan also picked up some extra special pianos – even one-of-a-kind treasures. Called art case pianos, these include an ornate 1900 Steinway, a 1913 swan grand Steinway, a 1905 Louis XV Steinway and more. These are on display at the company’s showroom. The finest collection of art case pianos in the world just might be in Manhattan, Kansas.

The company also offers organs for sale. Mid-America Piano is said to have the largest pre-owned Lowrey organ gallery in the U.S.

Dan’s travels have taken him from Seattle in the Pacific Northwest to Key West in Florida. “I love meeting people, and music is the universal language,” Dan said. For more information, go to<a href="http://www.piano4u.com/">www.piano4u.com</a>.

The fingers flow across the keyboard as the piano produces beautiful notes. It’s an example of the fine products at Mid-America Piano. We salute Dan Murphy and the staff of Mid-America Piano for making a difference with entrepreneurship in the piano business. Their niche in the market strikes just the right note. For customers who are seeking a good value in a piano, they can work with Dan Murphy and make beautiful music together.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593004699986.png" alt="Dan Murphy is the founder and owner of Mid-America Piano in Manhattan, Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Dan Murphy is the founder and owner of Mid-America Piano in Manhattan, Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural DevelopmentLet’s sit down at a piano keyboard. As fingers start to move across the keys, a beautiful sound is generated from the heart of the piano. Where does this piano come from? Today we’ll learn about a remarkable Kansas business which is selling pianos across the nation and beyond. Dan Murphy is the founder and owner of Mid-America Piano in Manhattan, Kansas. He grew up near the rural community of Keats, in Wildcat Township which has a population of 834 people. Now, that’s rural. Dan’s grandparents were dairy farmers and apparently that work ethic stayed with him.Dan grew up in a musical home. “I played piano since I was a little kid,” Dan said. “My grandmothers and my mom played piano, my dad played guitar, and my sister played the saxophone. Sometimes we’d go play music at the nursing homes in the area.”After graduating from Riley County High School, he attended Cloud County Community College where he played trumpet in the jazz band. His plan was to attend Kansas State University, but he also wanted a part-time job.“There was a ‘help wanted’ ad in the Manhattan Mercury,” Dan said. “A piano company was looking for a salesman. I applied and started work the same day.”Dan found he enjoyed the piano business. The company he worked for primarily sold new pianos, and Dan thought there was a niche selling pianos in the used piano market. In 1986, he went out on his own. He called the business Mid-America Piano.“I rented a little hole-in-the-wall place on the west side of Manhattan,” Dan said. He began with three used pianos, a worn-out church van he had bought at an auction, and a 900-square-foot facility. “I figured I’d be in there five years,” Dan said. “We outgrew that space in six months.”The business continued to expand through the years. In 1987, Dan moved his business to Poyntz Avenue in downtown Manhattan. In 2002, Mid-America Piano moved into its current location in an 11,000 square foot building on the K-177 highway south of town. This provided more room, higher visibility, and handy access to the interstate.Today, Mid-America Piano is one of the leading suppliers of pianos across the nation.&nbsp;&nbsp;The company specializes in high quality, previously owned pianos that can be resold or restored as needed. The goal is to provide a quality piano at an affordable price.The company literally sells pianos coast to coast, border to border and beyond. “I’ve been to every one of the 48 (continental) states multiple times,” Dan said. The company has even shipped pianos to Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, and countries in Africa.Mid-America Piano offers everything from starter pianos to concert grands, and from new pianos to vintage instruments. There are grand pianos, uprights, digital pianos, organs, automated player systems and more. Product names include Steinway &amp; Sons, Baldwin, Yamaha and others. The company provides national pickup and delivery.Along the way, Dan also picked up some extra special pianos – even one-of-a-kind treasures. Called art case pianos, these include an ornate 1900 Steinway, a 1913 swan grand Steinway, a 1905 Louis XV Steinway and more. These are on display at the company’s showroom. The finest collection of art case pianos in the world just might be in Manhattan, Kansas.The company also offers organs for sale. Mid-America Piano is said to have the largest pre-owned Lowrey organ gallery in the U.S.Dan’s travels have taken him from Seattle in the Pacific Northwest to Key West in Florida. “I love meeting people, and music is the universal language,” Dan said. For more information, go to<a href="http://www.piano4u.com/">www.piano4u.com</a>.The fingers flow across the keyboard as the piano produces beautiful notes. It’s an example of the fine products at Mid-America Piano. We salute Dan Murphy and the staff of Mid-America Piano for making a difference with entrepreneurship in the piano business. Their niche in the market strikes just the right note. For customers who are seeking a good value in a piano, they can work with Dan Murphy and make beautiful music together.

Now That’s Rural: Dan Murphy, Mid-America Piano

How do you protest safely during a pandemic? While there’s no way to 
eliminate the danger, one of the obvious and universally recommended 
measures to mitigate the risk is to wear a mask.

In the past weeks we’ve seen law enforcement pose its own dangers to 
protesters, employing weapons like tear gas and rubber bullets, as well 
as increasing their possibility of contracting COVID-19 by <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/06/police-detention-coronavirus-protests.html" target="_blank">arresting them and packing them into confined spaces</a>. But the most ironic of these actions would have to be the police in Washington, D.C., <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/dc-police-charged-demonstrators-with-wearing-masks-even-though-coronavirus-guidelines-require-them" target="_blank">arresting protesters for wearing masks</a>.

In addition to Washington D.C., 18 states and numerous municipalities
 have anti-mask laws. Many of these laws were passed in the 1940s and 
’50s to target the Ku Klux Klan’s use of masks and hoods. The <a href="https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1169/anti-mask-laws" target="_blank">rationale behind these laws</a>
 — that masks “embolden people to commit crimes and make those crimes 
more frightening” — isn’t necessarily outdated. But what is outdated is 
the fact that while <a href="https://www.icnl.org/post/analysis/anti-mask-laws-covid-19-and-the-first-amendment" target="_blank">most of these laws make exceptions</a>
 for things like Halloween costumes and sporting events, and some have 
exceptions for face coverings worn for religious reasons, none has 
exceptions for masks worn for public health reasons or during protests. 
This ignores the fact that our society has undergone two major shifts 
since these laws were passed that should change our entire analysis of 
them. First, we’re in the midst of a pandemic spread by an airborne 
virus. And second, advances in surveillance technology mean that the 
right to speak anonymously and associate freely is compromised in a way 
that it’s never been before.

The First Amendment protects the right to speak and assemble 
anonymously, with the understanding that those who engage in political 
activism often need anonymity in order to avoid prosecution and 
harassment from those in power. &nbsp;This concept has a long history in the 
United States — Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay
 wrote the Federalist Papers under pseudonyms. During the civil rights 
movement, the Supreme Court found that protecting the anonymity of 
members of controversial groups was necessary to preserve their freedom 
of assembly. The landmark 1958 case <a href="https://www.thefire.org/first-amendment-library/decision/national-association-for-the-advancement-of-colored-people-v-alabama-ex-rel-patterson-attorney-general/" target="_blank">National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) v. Alabama</a>
 arose out of the NAACP’s refusal to turn over lists of its 
rank-and-file members to Alabama authorities. The civil rights 
organization successfully argued that publicizing these lists would lead
 to reprisals against its members, which would dissuade them and any 
potential recruits from associating with the NAACP in the future. The 
court recognized that there is a “vital relationship between freedom to 
associate and privacy in one’s associations.” The Supreme Court has 
upheld this concept repeatedly. As the court wrote in its 1995 decision <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/93-986.ZO.html" target="_blank">McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission</a>,
 “Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. … It thus 
exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights and of the First 
Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from 
retaliation … at the hand of an intolerant society.”

Like tear gas and rubber bullets, invasion of privacy is a weapon 
that authorities can use against advocates for change. Just as there’s a
 long history of anonymous speech in this country, there is perhaps an 
equally long history of government agencies surveilling and targeting 
activists and organizers. It’s happened before. Just think of the <a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/federal-bureau-investigation-fbi" target="_blank">years that the FBI spent monitoring Martin Luther King Jr.</a>, a campaign that included wiretapping, bugging, spying and collecting information about his sex life.

We also know that it’s happening right now. According to a memo 
obtained by BuzzFeed News, the Department of Justice recently expanded 
the Drug Enforcement Administration’s power to<a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonleopold/lawmakers-call-for-halt-to-covert-surveillance-of?mc_cid=904022fcb0&amp;mc_eid=aaeec2ec0" target="_blank"> “conduct covert surveillance”</a> on protesters demonstrating against the police killing of George Floyd.
 The rise of facial recognition technology allows law enforcement 
agencies to do this on a larger scale than during the civil rights era. 
Government initiatives like the <a href="https://www.iarpa.gov/index.php/research-programs/janus#:%7E:text=Program%20Information&amp;text=IARPA's%20Janus%20program%20aims%20to,%E2%80%9Cmedia%20in%20the%20wild%E2%80%9D." target="_blank">Janus program</a> enable them to draw on a database of faces compiled from social media. As Clare Garvie
 of the Center on Privacy and Technology writes, “It enables anyone 
whose face shows up in a photo or video to be identified — or 
misidentified — by the police. Put another way, face recognition is a 
tool that can remove the shield of anonymity from the tens of thousands 
of Americans out in the streets today, protesting the intolerances of 
systemic racism and anti-blackness.”

At this juncture, engaging in political protest without being able to wear a mask is dangerous in multiple ways. As <a href="https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/americas-mask-bans-in-the-age-of-face-recognition-surveillance/" target="_blank">American Civil Liberties Union senior policy analyst Jay Stanley</a>
 says, “[I]t’s the spread of facial recognition that is likely to raise 
the stakes around anti-mask laws the most. The more accurate and 
widespread the technology becomes, the more situations will arise where 
people won’t want to show their faces. The cameras that increasingly 
surround us will allow the police to cheaply and easily identify us — 
and who we’re with, even if part of a giant crowd.”

It’s yet another risk that protesters have to contend with — and where a mask could offer some protection.

Lata Nott is a Freedom Forum Fellow. Contact her via email at <a href="mailto:lnott@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">lnott@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow her on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/latanott" target="_blank">@LataNott</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579206978168.png" alt="Lata Nott is a Freedom Forum Fellow.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Lata Nott is a Freedom Forum Fellow.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>How do you protest safely during a pandemic? While there’s no way to 
eliminate the danger, one of the obvious and universally recommended 
measures to mitigate the risk is to wear a mask.In the past weeks we’ve seen law enforcement pose its own dangers to 
protesters, employing weapons like tear gas and rubber bullets, as well 
as increasing their possibility of contracting COVID-19 by <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/06/police-detention-coronavirus-protests.html" target="_blank">arresting them and packing them into confined spaces</a>. But the most ironic of these actions would have to be the police in Washington, D.C., <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/dc-police-charged-demonstrators-with-wearing-masks-even-though-coronavirus-guidelines-require-them" target="_blank">arresting protesters for wearing masks</a>.In addition to Washington D.C., 18 states and numerous municipalities
 have anti-mask laws. Many of these laws were passed in the 1940s and 
’50s to target the Ku Klux Klan’s use of masks and hoods. The <a href="https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1169/anti-mask-laws" target="_blank">rationale behind these laws</a>
 — that masks “embolden people to commit crimes and make those crimes 
more frightening” — isn’t necessarily outdated. But what is outdated is 
the fact that while <a href="https://www.icnl.org/post/analysis/anti-mask-laws-covid-19-and-the-first-amendment" target="_blank">most of these laws make exceptions</a>
 for things like Halloween costumes and sporting events, and some have 
exceptions for face coverings worn for religious reasons, none has 
exceptions for masks worn for public health reasons or during protests. 
This ignores the fact that our society has undergone two major shifts 
since these laws were passed that should change our entire analysis of 
them. First, we’re in the midst of a pandemic spread by an airborne 
virus. And second, advances in surveillance technology mean that the 
right to speak anonymously and associate freely is compromised in a way 
that it’s never been before.The First Amendment protects the right to speak and assemble 
anonymously, with the understanding that those who engage in political 
activism often need anonymity in order to avoid prosecution and 
harassment from those in power. &nbsp;This concept has a long history in the 
United States — Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay
 wrote the Federalist Papers under pseudonyms. During the civil rights 
movement, the Supreme Court found that protecting the anonymity of 
members of controversial groups was necessary to preserve their freedom 
of assembly. The landmark 1958 case <a href="https://www.thefire.org/first-amendment-library/decision/national-association-for-the-advancement-of-colored-people-v-alabama-ex-rel-patterson-attorney-general/" target="_blank">National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) v. Alabama</a>
 arose out of the NAACP’s refusal to turn over lists of its 
rank-and-file members to Alabama authorities. The civil rights 
organization successfully argued that publicizing these lists would lead
 to reprisals against its members, which would dissuade them and any 
potential recruits from associating with the NAACP in the future. The 
court recognized that there is a “vital relationship between freedom to 
associate and privacy in one’s associations.” The Supreme Court has 
upheld this concept repeatedly. As the court wrote in its 1995 decision <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/93-986.ZO.html" target="_blank">McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission</a>,
 “Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. … It thus 
exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights and of the First 
Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from 
retaliation … at the hand of an intolerant society.”Like tear gas and rubber bullets, invasion of privacy is a weapon 
that authorities can use against advocates for change. Just as there’s a
 long history of anonymous speech in this country, there is perhaps an 
equally long history of government agencies surveilling and targeting 
activists and organizers. It’s happened before. Just think of the <a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/federal-bureau-investigation-fbi" target="_blank">years that the FBI spent monitoring Martin Luther King Jr.</a>, a campaign that included wiretapping, bugging, spying and collecting information about his sex life.We also know that it’s happening right now. According to a memo 
obtained by BuzzFeed News, the Department of Justice recently expanded 
the Drug Enforcement Administration’s power to<a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonleopold/lawmakers-call-for-halt-to-covert-surveillance-of?mc_cid=904022fcb0&amp;mc_eid=aaeec2ec0" target="_blank"> “conduct covert surveillance”</a> on protesters demonstrating against the police killing of George Floyd.
 The rise of facial recognition technology allows law enforcement 
agencies to do this on a larger scale than during the civil rights era. 
Government initiatives like the <a href="https://www.iarpa.gov/index.php/research-programs/janus#:%7E:text=Program%20Information&amp;text=IARPA's%20Janus%20program%20aims%20to,%E2%80%9Cmedia%20in%20the%20wild%E2%80%9D." target="_blank">Janus program</a> enable them to draw on a database of faces compiled from social media. As Clare Garvie
 of the Center on Privacy and Technology writes, “It enables anyone 
whose face shows up in a photo or video to be identified — or 
misidentified — by the police. Put another way, face recognition is a 
tool that can remove the shield of anonymity from the tens of thousands 
of Americans out in the streets today, protesting the intolerances of 
systemic racism and anti-blackness.”At this juncture, engaging in political protest without being able to wear a mask is dangerous in multiple ways. As <a href="https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/americas-mask-bans-in-the-age-of-face-recognition-surveillance/" target="_blank">American Civil Liberties Union senior policy analyst Jay Stanley</a>
 says, “[I]t’s the spread of facial recognition that is likely to raise 
the stakes around anti-mask laws the most. The more accurate and 
widespread the technology becomes, the more situations will arise where 
people won’t want to show their faces. The cameras that increasingly 
surround us will allow the police to cheaply and easily identify us — 
and who we’re with, even if part of a giant crowd.”It’s yet another risk that protesters have to contend with — and where a mask could offer some protection.Lata Nott is a Freedom Forum Fellow. Contact her via email at <a href="mailto:lnott@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">lnott@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow her on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/latanott" target="_blank">@LataNott</a>.

FIRST FIVE: Masks protect protesters in more ways than you think

The 2020 elections for the Kansas legislature could be perilous for moderate Republicans. Their political relevance is at stake, with huge implications for Kansas politics.

Most “moderate” Republican lawmakers in Topeka are actually pretty conservative. Most typically vote against abortion access, LGBT equality, and firearms regulations. Most voted with conservatives to limit Governor Laura Kelly’s Covid19 emergency powers. Most typically vote with conservatives on procedure to block Democratic policy ideas.

Instead, Medicaid expansion, taxes, the budget, and education typically divide moderate and conservative Republicans lately. Conservatives tend to view the Sam Brownback policy legacy more favorably than moderates, but also realize Brownback himself is politically toxic.

Moderate Republicans prospered in 2016 when they had Brownback to run against, but suffered losses in 2018 House primaries. Moderate Republican senators from that 2016 wave face their first reelection this year. Can they win Republican voters again without Brownback looming?

Moderate Republicans have two key electoral challenges facing them lately.&nbsp;

First, their traditional voter base of higher income, higher education whites is disappearing from Republican primaries. Since 2000, whites with college degrees have been trending Democratic, whereas those without have been trending Republican. Even in Kansas, the education gap is a bigger partisan divide among whites than the gender gap.

College-educated whites gravitate toward suburbia and small cities. In these communities, many voters who once supported moderates in Republican primaries now skip those primaries and vote Democratic.

In populous Johnson County, for example, this realignment has hit moderate Republicans hard recently—losses to conservatives in primaries and to Democrats in general elections, and several party switches among lawmakers. Moderate Republicans there can no longer rely on an outdated Y2K status quo where Democrats play second fiddle to them.

Second, rural Kansas has become more Republican. But in many parts of rural Kansas where the primary is now the key election, moderate Republicans have traditionally been weak and reluctant to contest primaries. This has advantaged conservatives.

Take Southeast Kansas. Voters there have veered sharply Republican lately as working class whites realign to the Republicans and increasingly prioritize cultural over economic issues. But despite rising Republican fortunes there, moderates hardly contest primaries. The net result: many rural districts that once reliably sent moderate Democrats to Topeka now reliably send conservative Republicans.

Moderates have fared better in central and western Kansas, but could suffer substantial setbacks there this August.

Why does this matter? Rural and small town Kansas is the main battleground for August Republican primaries. Moderate Republicans are largely on the defense there, especially in Senate races. If conservatives flip those rural seats from moderates in primaries, that likely guarantees conservatives gains in the legislature.

Democrats are gunning for legislative gains in November—mostly against conservatives—when the action shifts to suburbs and small cities.

However, even if Democrats gain seats in November, the Kansas legislature could actually become more conservative in 2021 if moderate Republicans are decimated in rural Kansas primaries. Even with Democratic gains, it could become harder to pass Medicaid expansion or prevent conservatives from resuscitating Brownback-era policies. Topeka could become even more gridlocked.

Moderate Republicans face an immense test in 2020. Their fate in primaries—typically low turnout events—could substantially reshape politics in Topeka and affect the lives of all Kansans. The test date of August 4 is approaching rapidly.

Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575644168170.png" alt="Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>The 2020 elections for the Kansas legislature could be perilous for moderate Republicans. Their political relevance is at stake, with huge implications for Kansas politics.Most “moderate” Republican lawmakers in Topeka are actually pretty conservative. Most typically vote against abortion access, LGBT equality, and firearms regulations. Most voted with conservatives to limit Governor Laura Kelly’s Covid19 emergency powers. Most typically vote with conservatives on procedure to block Democratic policy ideas.Instead, Medicaid expansion, taxes, the budget, and education typically divide moderate and conservative Republicans lately. Conservatives tend to view the Sam Brownback policy legacy more favorably than moderates, but also realize Brownback himself is politically toxic.Moderate Republicans prospered in 2016 when they had Brownback to run against, but suffered losses in 2018 House primaries. Moderate Republican senators from that 2016 wave face their first reelection this year. Can they win Republican voters again without Brownback looming?Moderate Republicans have two key electoral challenges facing them lately.&nbsp;First, their traditional voter base of higher income, higher education whites is disappearing from Republican primaries. Since 2000, whites with college degrees have been trending Democratic, whereas those without have been trending Republican. Even in Kansas, the education gap is a bigger partisan divide among whites than the gender gap.College-educated whites gravitate toward suburbia and small cities. In these communities, many voters who once supported moderates in Republican primaries now skip those primaries and vote Democratic.In populous Johnson County, for example, this realignment has hit moderate Republicans hard recently—losses to conservatives in primaries and to Democrats in general elections, and several party switches among lawmakers. Moderate Republicans there can no longer rely on an outdated Y2K status quo where Democrats play second fiddle to them.Second, rural Kansas has become more Republican. But in many parts of rural Kansas where the primary is now the key election, moderate Republicans have traditionally been weak and reluctant to contest primaries. This has advantaged conservatives.Take Southeast Kansas. Voters there have veered sharply Republican lately as working class whites realign to the Republicans and increasingly prioritize cultural over economic issues. But despite rising Republican fortunes there, moderates hardly contest primaries. The net result: many rural districts that once reliably sent moderate Democrats to Topeka now reliably send conservative Republicans.Moderates have fared better in central and western Kansas, but could suffer substantial setbacks there this August.Why does this matter? Rural and small town Kansas is the main battleground for August Republican primaries. Moderate Republicans are largely on the defense there, especially in Senate races. If conservatives flip those rural seats from moderates in primaries, that likely guarantees conservatives gains in the legislature.Democrats are gunning for legislative gains in November—mostly against conservatives—when the action shifts to suburbs and small cities.However, even if Democrats gain seats in November, the Kansas legislature could actually become more conservative in 2021 if moderate Republicans are decimated in rural Kansas primaries. Even with Democratic gains, it could become harder to pass Medicaid expansion or prevent conservatives from resuscitating Brownback-era policies. Topeka could become even more gridlocked.Moderate Republicans face an immense test in 2020. Their fate in primaries—typically low turnout events—could substantially reshape politics in Topeka and affect the lives of all Kansans. The test date of August 4 is approaching rapidly.Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Wither the moderate Republican in 2020?

Perspective is the most important thing that people can bring to a situation. It’s why we seek diversity in groups and encourage others to tell us their opinions when trying to problem solve. Different perspectives are critical to balance in organizations and why I would encourage anyone to always surround yourself with people from different backgrounds. 
 
A different perspective is what I have brought to the Ellis County Commission. A perspective of a small business owner, first time home buyer, new husband and father, and most importantly to the residents of Ellis County a businessman. 
 
My businessman's perspective has yielded us some great results, including fiscal budget tightening, balanced budgets, over 7 million dollars in grant funding, the Northwest Business Corridor Project, and little to zero loss in services offered by the county. 
 
We still offer the absolute top level of EMS service available in the entire country, we are investing in over 15 million dollars worth of road infrastructure projects over the next 5 years, and we've been able to maintain staffing and tighten budgets throughout county government.&nbsp; 
 
The future is important for me. I'm investing in businesses and concentrating on what Ellis County will look like for my family’s future. I hope to continue to do that as a commissioner and leader. I ask for your vote in the August 4th primary. The best perspective for the future is a businessman who is ready to build a better future for Ellis County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582312931775.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Perspective is the most important thing that people can bring to a situation. It’s why we seek diversity in groups and encourage others to tell us their opinions when trying to problem solve. Different perspectives are critical to balance in organizations and why I would encourage anyone to always surround yourself with people from different backgrounds. 
 
A different perspective is what I have brought to the Ellis County Commission. A perspective of a small business owner, first time home buyer, new husband and father, and most importantly to the residents of Ellis County a businessman. 
 
My businessman's perspective has yielded us some great results, including fiscal budget tightening, balanced budgets, over 7 million dollars in grant funding, the Northwest Business Corridor Project, and little to zero loss in services offered by the county. 
 
We still offer the absolute top level of EMS service available in the entire country, we are investing in over 15 million dollars worth of road infrastructure projects over the next 5 years, and we've been able to maintain staffing and tighten budgets throughout county government.&nbsp; 
 
The future is important for me. I'm investing in businesses and concentrating on what Ellis County will look like for my family’s future. I hope to continue to do that as a commissioner and leader. I ask for your vote in the August 4th primary. The best perspective for the future is a businessman who is ready to build a better future for Ellis County. Dustin Roths, Ellis County commission

LETTER: Roths seeks re-election to Ellis Co. Commission

While uprooted trees and downed power lines caused a lot of damage in the Father’s Day storm that hit Great Bend, it could have been so much worse. I must admit it was a little scary sitting at the dining room table watching significant sized tree limbs fall from our previously well-shaped locust tree. Our power was just off a couple of hours which is a real testament to the power company workers who jumped into high gear and worked tirelessly to restore service.&nbsp;

Not everyone had their power restored so quickly so today I want to share some tips related to food safety during power outages. The temperature and sanitation of food storage areas is crucial to preventing bacterial growth, and severe weather and other emergencies can compromise this. Knowing what to do in these instances can minimize the need to throw away food and the risk of getting sick.

Before the power goes out, have coolers and frozen gel packs or ice on hand to keep refrigerated food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours. When the power goes out, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. A refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if you keep the door closed. A full freezer will keep its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if half-full).

After the power returns, you will need to evaluate each item separately. When in doubt, throw it out. With frozen food, check for ice crystals. The food in your freezer that partially or completely thaws may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Discard any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture, or feels warm to the touch. Never taste a food to determine its safety. Realize too, that while re-freezing foods that still contain ice crystals may be safe to consume, often times the quality of the food product is reduced.

There is an excellent website, Foodsafety.gov that has a list of common foods stored in the refrigerator and freezer with specific guidelines. It would be handy to print it off and keep it close by for the next time the power goes off.

As households get back to normal following the last round of severe weather, remember we’re right in the middle of summer storm season. The neatest thing I saw happen following last weeks’ storm was the number of neighbors helping neighbors with the cleaning up and hauling off of tree debris. So during this time of so much uncertainty, it is good to see the spirit of our Central Kansas communities is stronger than ever!&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578680101176.jpeg" alt="Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>While uprooted trees and downed power lines caused a lot of damage in the Father’s Day storm that hit Great Bend, it could have been so much worse. I must admit it was a little scary sitting at the dining room table watching significant sized tree limbs fall from our previously well-shaped locust tree. Our power was just off a couple of hours which is a real testament to the power company workers who jumped into high gear and worked tirelessly to restore service.&nbsp;Not everyone had their power restored so quickly so today I want to share some tips related to food safety during power outages. The temperature and sanitation of food storage areas is crucial to preventing bacterial growth, and severe weather and other emergencies can compromise this. Knowing what to do in these instances can minimize the need to throw away food and the risk of getting sick.Before the power goes out, have coolers and frozen gel packs or ice on hand to keep refrigerated food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours. When the power goes out, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. A refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if you keep the door closed. A full freezer will keep its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if half-full).After the power returns, you will need to evaluate each item separately. When in doubt, throw it out. With frozen food, check for ice crystals. The food in your freezer that partially or completely thaws may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Discard any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture, or feels warm to the touch. Never taste a food to determine its safety. Realize too, that while re-freezing foods that still contain ice crystals may be safe to consume, often times the quality of the food product is reduced.There is an excellent website, Foodsafety.gov that has a list of common foods stored in the refrigerator and freezer with specific guidelines. It would be handy to print it off and keep it close by for the next time the power goes off.As households get back to normal following the last round of severe weather, remember we’re right in the middle of summer storm season. The neatest thing I saw happen following last weeks’ storm was the number of neighbors helping neighbors with the cleaning up and hauling off of tree debris. So during this time of so much uncertainty, it is good to see the spirit of our Central Kansas communities is stronger than ever!&nbsp;Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research &amp; Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>.

KRUG: Food safety following a power outage

This past weekend while driving to Kansas City, I noticed two highway patrolman sitting in the median and I wondered how difficult their job is now. 

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page (<a href="http://odmp.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">odmp.org</a>), across the country 48 officers were shot and killed in the line of duty in 2019. I don’t know how many were injured. So far this year, 47 have died from COVID, 23 have been fatally shot, another eight were struck by a vehicle sometimes intentionally in their role of keeping us safe.

Yet all we hear from the press is how bad they are based on the actions of a few. After considerable thought and windshield time, I was compelled to stop at the next highway patrolman to share with him how grateful I am that he is still on the job keeping me safe. Ten miles later, I had my chance. He was also parked in the median. I changed lanes and then came to a rather abrupt stop next to the patrolman. 

My perceived aggressive action caused him alarm...swinging the cop car 180 degrees, turning on his lights and, when I exited the vehicle, he forcefully shouted&nbsp; for me to get back in the truck. After a very cautious approach to my vehicle, I apologize to him for my careless and threatening behavior. 

The officer reacted to my poor behavior not based on my truck's color&nbsp; but instead my threatening action. He explained given the current events which has emboldened criminals, all law enforcement are now on hyper alert. After again apologizing profusely for my thoughtless and careless behavior, I explained how grateful I was he is willing to daily put his life on the line for me. He was very encouraged by our conversation and my thoughtfulness to share my opinion; as this was the first time anyone has stopped on the highway to tell him how happy they were that he was there.

After our meeting, I resolved that I will&nbsp; take the time to thank every police officer, highway patrol, National Guard and military personnel for their service and their willingness to put their lives at risk to allow me freedom and security. They are the ones at risk keeping us safe from the predators and thugs that are ruling the streets in some of our larger cities. 

It saddens me to see leaders in our country take a knee in solidarity against the police because of the actions of a few bad actors. Unfortunately, not all officers do what’s right but the vast majority are protecting us from the very dangerous element that exists in our society. Clearly, we need reforms to eliminate and fully prosecute those bad officers but to eliminate, defund and disrespect the entire force?&nbsp; If you share my opinions in this post, I would encourage you to personally share your opinions with law enforcement.&nbsp;

However, I would not ever recommend stopping on the highway to share your opinion with a highway patrol officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>This past weekend while driving to Kansas City, I noticed two highway patrolman sitting in the median and I wondered how difficult their job is now. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page (<a href="http://odmp.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">odmp.org</a>), across the country 48 officers were shot and killed in the line of duty in 2019. I don’t know how many were injured. So far this year, 47 have died from COVID, 23 have been fatally shot, another eight were struck by a vehicle sometimes intentionally in their role of keeping us safe. Yet all we hear from the press is how bad they are based on the actions of a few. After considerable thought and windshield time, I was compelled to stop at the next highway patrolman to share with him how grateful I am that he is still on the job keeping me safe. Ten miles later, I had my chance. He was also parked in the median. I changed lanes and then came to a rather abrupt stop next to the patrolman. My perceived aggressive action caused him alarm...swinging the cop car 180 degrees, turning on his lights and, when I exited the vehicle, he forcefully shouted&nbsp; for me to get back in the truck. After a very cautious approach to my vehicle, I apologize to him for my careless and threatening behavior. The officer reacted to my poor behavior not based on my truck's color&nbsp; but instead my threatening action. He explained given the current events which has emboldened criminals, all law enforcement are now on hyper alert. After again apologizing profusely for my thoughtless and careless behavior, I explained how grateful I was he is willing to daily put his life on the line for me. He was very encouraged by our conversation and my thoughtfulness to share my opinion; as this was the first time anyone has stopped on the highway to tell him how happy they were that he was there.After our meeting, I resolved that I will&nbsp; take the time to thank every police officer, highway patrol, National Guard and military personnel for their service and their willingness to put their lives at risk to allow me freedom and security. They are the ones at risk keeping us safe from the predators and thugs that are ruling the streets in some of our larger cities. It saddens me to see leaders in our country take a knee in solidarity against the police because of the actions of a few bad actors. Unfortunately, not all officers do what’s right but the vast majority are protecting us from the very dangerous element that exists in our society. Clearly, we need reforms to eliminate and fully prosecute those bad officers but to eliminate, defund and disrespect the entire force?&nbsp; If you share my opinions in this post, I would encourage you to personally share your opinions with law enforcement.&nbsp;However, I would not ever recommend stopping on the highway to share your opinion with a highway patrol officer.Don&nbsp; Tillman, Hays

LETTER: The right way to thank law enforcement

“If it looks like we were scared to death Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other You should've seen it in color. A picture’s worth a thousand words But you can’t see what those shades of gray keep covered You should've seen it in color” -- Jamey Johnson, “In Color”

By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher

If you are from the Plains region, your social media feed is probably filled with wheat harvest photos right now.

Hot, dry winds roll across fields of golden waving wheat. Friends and family come together to drive combines, grain trucks, “the old wheat truck” and “the new semi” late into the night to bring in the crop. Famous home-cooked meals are served out of the back of SUVs. Heavenly displays of color created by the dust-filled air as the sun sets over the heart of America.

However, the country song “In Color” is spot on that “seeing it in color” by living through an event is so much more powerful. A picture can’t quite capture an air of excitement, comradery of families and communities working together, or pride in an honest day’s work. No picture, black and white or color, can capture the true heart of the experience.

In recent years, farmers and ranchers have become frustrated with “city people” who have never been on a real farm because they can’t seem understand that even though farming is truly a passion it is full of challenges.

For example, harvest is such a whirlwind because farmers are terrified if they don’t get wheat out of the field hail, fire or bugs could destroy it. An entire year’s income is tied up in each field and farmers aren’t actually rich, they just have larger bills than most other people. It’s not uncommon to go days or weeks without tucking their kids into bed, a proper night’s sleep or a moment of downtime. The seeds, chemicals and other scientifically developed farming practices we use are what we believe to be the best, safest tools to grow healthy food.

A city person scrolling through social media probably doesn’t appreciate (or maybe even care about) all my feelings about wheat harvest. Pictures are informative and can help tell a story, but they can’t provide context, background and first-hand feelings created by seeing the true colors of an experience with your own eyes.

Our national conversation is consumed with Black Lives Matter, protests, race and injustice. I see these stories and feel like an outsider looking at another family’s photo album. I can see what is happening and the emotions of the participants, but I can only guess at what they feel  and have no understanding of each snapshots’ value. I am not part of their experience.

No matter how much I want to understand, I can’t wrap my brain around what it is like to be a black man living in America. However, I do understand some of their emotions: helplessness, frustration, fear and anger.

It’s OK if you aren’t a vocal participant in the national conversation. It is actually very appropriate if you lack experience with the topics. But please, do not dismiss these conversations. They are happening for a reason.

The world is not black and white. Taking a color-blind approach and ignoring race hides so many valuable things in the shades of gray. Our world is full of color and colorful people for a reason.

We have an opportunity to make it better. A moment to ask genuine questions and have uncomfortable conversations, raise our voices against injustice and show compassion for others’ struggles, and seek to understand the cultures of our fellow humans.

Don’t experience life scrolling through other people’s photos. Go see it in color.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service. 

“If it looks like we were scared to death Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other You should've seen it in color. A picture’s worth a thousand words But you can’t see what those shades of gray keep covered You should've seen it in color” -- Jamey Johnson, “In Color”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592834709793.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancherIf you are from the Plains region, your social media feed is probably filled with wheat harvest photos right now.Hot, dry winds roll across fields of golden waving wheat. Friends and family come together to drive combines, grain trucks, “the old wheat truck” and “the new semi” late into the night to bring in the crop. Famous home-cooked meals are served out of the back of SUVs. Heavenly displays of color created by the dust-filled air as the sun sets over the heart of America.However, the country song “In Color” is spot on that “seeing it in color” by living through an event is so much more powerful. A picture can’t quite capture an air of excitement, comradery of families and communities working together, or pride in an honest day’s work. No picture, black and white or color, can capture the true heart of the experience.In recent years, farmers and ranchers have become frustrated with “city people” who have never been on a real farm because they can’t seem understand that even though farming is truly a passion it is full of challenges.For example, harvest is such a whirlwind because farmers are terrified if they don’t get wheat out of the field hail, fire or bugs could destroy it. An entire year’s income is tied up in each field and farmers aren’t actually rich, they just have larger bills than most other people. It’s not uncommon to go days or weeks without tucking their kids into bed, a proper night’s sleep or a moment of downtime. The seeds, chemicals and other scientifically developed farming practices we use are what we believe to be the best, safest tools to grow healthy food.A city person scrolling through social media probably doesn’t appreciate (or maybe even care about) all my feelings about wheat harvest. Pictures are informative and can help tell a story, but they can’t provide context, background and first-hand feelings created by seeing the true colors of an experience with your own eyes.Our national conversation is consumed with Black Lives Matter, protests, race and injustice. I see these stories and feel like an outsider looking at another family’s photo album. I can see what is happening and the emotions of the participants, but I can only guess at what they feel and have no understanding of each snapshots’ value. I am not part of their experience.No matter how much I want to understand, I can’t wrap my brain around what it is like to be a black man living in America. However, I do understand some of their emotions: helplessness, frustration, fear and anger.It’s OK if you aren’t a vocal participant in the national conversation. It is actually very appropriate if you lack experience with the topics. But please, do not dismiss these conversations. They are happening for a reason.The world is not black and white. Taking a color-blind approach and ignoring race hides so many valuable things in the shades of gray. Our world is full of color and colorful people for a reason.We have an opportunity to make it better. A moment to ask genuine questions and have uncomfortable conversations, raise our voices against injustice and show compassion for others’ struggles, and seek to understand the cultures of our fellow humans.Don’t experience life scrolling through other people’s photos. Go see it in color."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: See it in color

Some of them are creepy and crawly. Others can be vicious blood-suckers. Still others slowly whittle away at the wood in your home. But one thing homeowners know about all of the pests they may find is they would rather do without them.

This time of year, that’s nearly impossible, said Kansas State University entomologist Jeff Whitworth, who notes that many of the most common household pests become more active after March each year.

“Arthropods – insects, mites, spiders and others – are our No. 1 competitors for food and fiber, including wooden structures,” Whitworth said. “So, it behooves all of us to know as much as possible about these competitors so that we know which one’s are pests, which one’s are helping us, and the vast majority of which just occupy ecological niches that do not affect us.”

Whitworth is a co-author of the K-State Research and Extension publication,&nbsp;<a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3291.pdf">Household Pests of Kansas</a>, a 112-page guide to the most common pests in the Sunflower State.

“This book will help folks identify pests, or identify that the bug they have found is not a pest,” Whitworth said. “If it is a pest to be concerned about, they can read a little about what to expect and how to best get rid of them or keep them out of the house.”

Termites are one of the most worrisome insects for homeowners.

“It’s been said that every wooden structure has had, has, or will have an infestation of these wood-destroying insects,” said Whitworth, noting that termites have “swarmed a little later this year than usual.”

He added that&nbsp;Household Pests in Kansas&nbsp;includes a good description of how to tell the difference between termites and ants, and a recommendation to call a pest control professional as soon as you realize you have termites.

Some of the many pests that Whitworth said homeowners should be aware of include:

Most household pests are inactive from October through March, Whitworth said, though a few “pantry pests” stay active during that time because they feed on stored foods that are generally kept at temperatures of 50 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. “Cockroaches and bed bugs can certainly be active year-round, anywhere that temperatures are above 50 F,” he said.

In addition to his publication, Whitworth said two other books –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/S131.pdf">Insects in Kansas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/S152.pdf">Crop Insects in Kansas</a>&nbsp;– will help homeowners identify pests.

“Your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/stateandareamaps.html">local extension office</a>&nbsp;can also help,” he said. “Take the best, close-up photos you can, from several angles, and place something beside the specimen so the person making the identification can get an idea of size. You can also take the actual specimen in as good of condition as possible to the local extension office.”

When pest control measures are warranted, Whitworth recommended contacting an established company. “Get several estimates and each company’s tactic to manage your problem,” he said. “They will be different, but they will probably be happy to provide a free estimate. Don’t forget to get a warranty or guarantee, because they should provide these.”

Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592579538317.png" alt="Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>Some of them are creepy and crawly. Others can be vicious blood-suckers. Still others slowly whittle away at the wood in your home. But one thing homeowners know about all of the pests they may find is they would rather do without them.This time of year, that’s nearly impossible, said Kansas State University entomologist Jeff Whitworth, who notes that many of the most common household pests become more active after March each year.“Arthropods – insects, mites, spiders and others – are our No. 1 competitors for food and fiber, including wooden structures,” Whitworth said. “So, it behooves all of us to know as much as possible about these competitors so that we know which one’s are pests, which one’s are helping us, and the vast majority of which just occupy ecological niches that do not affect us.”Whitworth is a co-author of the K-State Research and Extension publication,&nbsp;<a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3291.pdf">Household Pests of Kansas</a>, a 112-page guide to the most common pests in the Sunflower State.“This book will help folks identify pests, or identify that the bug they have found is not a pest,” Whitworth said. “If it is a pest to be concerned about, they can read a little about what to expect and how to best get rid of them or keep them out of the house.”Termites are one of the most worrisome insects for homeowners.“It’s been said that every wooden structure has had, has, or will have an infestation of these wood-destroying insects,” said Whitworth, noting that termites have “swarmed a little later this year than usual.”He added that&nbsp;Household Pests in Kansas&nbsp;includes a good description of how to tell the difference between termites and ants, and a recommendation to call a pest control professional as soon as you realize you have termites.Some of the many pests that Whitworth said homeowners should be aware of include:<ul>
 <li>Mosquitos and ticks.&nbsp;Aside from being blood-sucking nuisances, both can vector diseases.</li><li>Spiders.&nbsp;Most are harmless, but often scare homeowners. All spiders are poisonous but only two – the black widow and brown recluse – may require medical attention for both animals and humans.</li><li>Ants.&nbsp;They are mostly just a nuisance, constantly on the search for food scraps. The exception is the carpenter ant, which may start living in soft woods, insulation or other areas.</li><li>Carpenter bees.&nbsp;These are “always” a nuisance in late June to mid-July, Whitworth said. They don’t eat wood, but do tunnel and nest in it. The males have a habit of “dive-bombing” humans who approach their nests before the females have mated.</li>
 </ul>Most household pests are inactive from October through March, Whitworth said, though a few “pantry pests” stay active during that time because they feed on stored foods that are generally kept at temperatures of 50 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. “Cockroaches and bed bugs can certainly be active year-round, anywhere that temperatures are above 50 F,” he said.In addition to his publication, Whitworth said two other books –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/S131.pdf">Insects in Kansas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/S152.pdf">Crop Insects in Kansas</a>&nbsp;– will help homeowners identify pests.“Your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/stateandareamaps.html">local extension office</a>&nbsp;can also help,” he said. “Take the best, close-up photos you can, from several angles, and place something beside the specimen so the person making the identification can get an idea of size. You can also take the actual specimen in as good of condition as possible to the local extension office.”When pest control measures are warranted, Whitworth recommended contacting an established company. “Get several estimates and each company’s tactic to manage your problem,” he said. “They will be different, but they will probably be happy to provide a free estimate. Don’t forget to get a warranty or guarantee, because they should provide these.”Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.

BOOR: Troublesome pests crawling out of the woodwork

Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson gained a dollar a barrel Friday to start the week at $30. That's up more than three dollars from last week, up more than four dollars from the first of the month, but down more than $21 from the first of the year. Baker Hughes reports 266 active drilling rigs nationwide, a decline of ten oil rigs and three gas rigs. The count in New Mexico was down five. Texas was down three. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports a slight dip in drilling activity in Kansas after a slight increase last week. The Rig Count in Kansas shows two active rigs east of Wichita, which is unchanged from a week ago, and seven in Western Kansas, down two.&nbsp; Regulators approved four permits for drilling at new locations across Kansas last week, 210 so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 25 newly-completed wells during the last week, 492 so far this year. There were 15 completions in eastern Kansas, and ten west of Wichita, including one in Barton County and two in Ellis County. The Kansas Geological Society recognized and named two new oil and gas fields. They are the Buffalo Plains Northwest field in Cheyenne County, and the Lunt East field in Pratt County. The government reported its 15th consecutive weekly decline in U.S. crude-oil production. Average output for the week ending June 12 dropped nearly 600,000 barrels compared to the week before, to 10.46 million barrels per day. The weekly total from a year ago was over 12.1 million barrels per day. Weekly production in the U.S. topped 13 million barrels per day twice, back in February and March. Crude oil inventories increased another 1.2 million barrels last week. The Energy Information Administration says stockpiles are about 15% above the five-year seasonal average. EIA reports imports of 6.6 million barrels per day last week, down more than 200,000 barrels per day compared to a week earlier. The four-week average is down ten percent from the same period last year. U.S. freight traffic is down 15% compared to last year. But oil-by-rail is off by 26% from last year, dropping 236 tanker cars from a week ago. The Association of American Railroads reports 9,436 tankers moved petroleum and petroleum products during the week ending June 13.&nbsp; EIA says gasoline demand has increased 18% since mid-may, pumping up pump-prices by 13% in that time. The national average gasoline price ticked up another half cent Thursday to just over $2.11 per gallon. That's three cents higher on the week, nearly a quarter higher than a month ago, but still more than half a dollar less than last year at this time. Kansas is one of 15 states where the average is below two dollars ($1.92 Monday).&nbsp; Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony has been named to serve his sixth straight term on the National Petroleum Council, a group that advises the Secretary of Energy on matters related to U.S. oil and gas policy. He is one of 8 Oklahoma residents named to the NPC this year, giving Oklahoma the most of any state. The State of North Dakota has confiscated at least 239 "orphaned," or abandoned oil wells and is taking bids to plug those wells thanks to the CARES Act. The Bismarck Tribune says reclamation work starts in July. Regulators plan to use $66 million in federal coronavirus aid, and hope to return 2,200 acres of land to agricultural use, mainly in the state's older, northern oil fields.&nbsp; Federal regulators sided against the state of Washington in a dispute about oil tanker pressure that arose after a string of oil-by-rail accidents. The state will not be allowed to impose its own, stricter vapor-pressure limits on crude oil loading or unloading within its borders. Lawyers for the states of North Dakota and Montana argued that allowing the Washington regs would block their crude from the Pacific Northwest and drive down its value without any proven safety benefit. The government ruled that federal law governs the transport of hazardous materials, preempting stricter regulations imposed by the state.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARKansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson gained a dollar a barrel Friday to start the week at $30. That's up more than three dollars from last week, up more than four dollars from the first of the month, but down more than $21 from the first of the year. Baker Hughes reports 266 active drilling rigs nationwide, a decline of ten oil rigs and three gas rigs. The count in New Mexico was down five. Texas was down three. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports a slight dip in drilling activity in Kansas after a slight increase last week. The Rig Count in Kansas shows two active rigs east of Wichita, which is unchanged from a week ago, and seven in Western Kansas, down two.&nbsp; Regulators approved four permits for drilling at new locations across Kansas last week, 210 so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 25 newly-completed wells during the last week, 492 so far this year. There were 15 completions in eastern Kansas, and ten west of Wichita, including one in Barton County and two in Ellis County. The Kansas Geological Society recognized and named two new oil and gas fields. They are the Buffalo Plains Northwest field in Cheyenne County, and the Lunt East field in Pratt County. The government reported its 15th consecutive weekly decline in U.S. crude-oil production. Average output for the week ending June 12 dropped nearly 600,000 barrels compared to the week before, to 10.46 million barrels per day. The weekly total from a year ago was over 12.1 million barrels per day. Weekly production in the U.S. topped 13 million barrels per day twice, back in February and March. Crude oil inventories increased another 1.2 million barrels last week. The Energy Information Administration says stockpiles are about 15% above the five-year seasonal average. EIA reports imports of 6.6 million barrels per day last week, down more than 200,000 barrels per day compared to a week earlier. The four-week average is down ten percent from the same period last year. U.S. freight traffic is down 15% compared to last year. But oil-by-rail is off by 26% from last year, dropping 236 tanker cars from a week ago. The Association of American Railroads reports 9,436 tankers moved petroleum and petroleum products during the week ending June 13.&nbsp; EIA says gasoline demand has increased 18% since mid-may, pumping up pump-prices by 13% in that time. The national average gasoline price ticked up another half cent Thursday to just over $2.11 per gallon. That's three cents higher on the week, nearly a quarter higher than a month ago, but still more than half a dollar less than last year at this time. Kansas is one of 15 states where the average is below two dollars ($1.92 Monday).&nbsp; Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony has been named to serve his sixth straight term on the National Petroleum Council, a group that advises the Secretary of Energy on matters related to U.S. oil and gas policy. He is one of 8 Oklahoma residents named to the NPC this year, giving Oklahoma the most of any state. The State of North Dakota has confiscated at least 239 "orphaned," or abandoned oil wells and is taking bids to plug those wells thanks to the CARES Act. The Bismarck Tribune says reclamation work starts in July. Regulators plan to use $66 million in federal coronavirus aid, and hope to return 2,200 acres of land to agricultural use, mainly in the state's older, northern oil fields.&nbsp; Federal regulators sided against the state of Washington in a dispute about oil tanker pressure that arose after a string of oil-by-rail accidents. The state will not be allowed to impose its own, stricter vapor-pressure limits on crude oil loading or unloading within its borders. Lawyers for the states of North Dakota and Montana argued that allowing the Washington regs would block their crude from the Pacific Northwest and drive down its value without any proven safety benefit. The government ruled that federal law governs the transport of hazardous materials, preempting stricter regulations imposed by the state.

News From the Oil Patch: Production down for 15th straight week

Well, the out-of-session Legislature watched last week as the governor’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) task force doled out an even $400 million to Kansas counties to help them meet the costs they’ve seen due to the COVID-19 pandemic effects that have swept the world, nation and…well, Kansas…

Legislators, most of whom want to continue spending winters in Topeka, and even those who have had enough and will retire, are wondering just what that money is going to buy. And…if there’s a political upside for them in, well, while not actually having voted for that money for locals, waving as the money went to their home districts.

And, they’re also going to be watching to see just how the county commissions in each of the state’s 105 courthouses divide that money up, since its allocation a few days ago, between cities, townships, rural water districts, school districts…you name it, nearly any outfit that can assert to commissioners that the virus and its stay-home and stay-closed orders have shaken those small local economies.

Problem, of course, is that most legislators, and most Kansans, don’t have any idea of just what the shut-downs, the overtime for some workers, the expenses of working at home and even those face masks actually cost. And, whether those county commissioners are going to distribute their county’s apportionment to real needs or try to find ways to use it to boost their local budgets.

Lots unknown about this initial SPARK federal money distribution, and lots of money going to courthouses to spread across public and private operations.

Did the closure of schools, the shutdown of parts of water districts and of township water departments, the additional security at public buildings, all that moving of COVID-19 testing materials, the actual test specimens and Personal Protection Equipment cost local units of government much money? How much?

Amounts awarded varied, including $340,000 in Comanche County and $25 million in Douglas County. Where is that money to go, and will it stay in just the county budgets or will it be spread to reduce the financial impact on the local schools, hospitals, police and fire departments and everything else we expect government to pay for with our tax money?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592848178110.png" alt="Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report." />
 <figcaption>Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report.</figcaption>
 </figure>Well, the out-of-session Legislature watched last week as the governor’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) task force doled out an even $400 million to Kansas counties to help them meet the costs they’ve seen due to the COVID-19 pandemic effects that have swept the world, nation and…well, Kansas…Legislators, most of whom want to continue spending winters in Topeka, and even those who have had enough and will retire, are wondering just what that money is going to buy. And…if there’s a political upside for them in, well, while not actually having voted for that money for locals, waving as the money went to their home districts.And, they’re also going to be watching to see just how the county commissions in each of the state’s 105 courthouses divide that money up, since its allocation a few days ago, between cities, townships, rural water districts, school districts…you name it, nearly any outfit that can assert to commissioners that the virus and its stay-home and stay-closed orders have shaken those small local economies.Problem, of course, is that most legislators, and most Kansans, don’t have any idea of just what the shut-downs, the overtime for some workers, the expenses of working at home and even those face masks actually cost. And, whether those county commissioners are going to distribute their county’s apportionment to real needs or try to find ways to use it to boost their local budgets.Lots unknown about this initial SPARK federal money distribution, and lots of money going to courthouses to spread across public and private operations.Did the closure of schools, the shutdown of parts of water districts and of township water departments, the additional security at public buildings, all that moving of COVID-19 testing materials, the actual test specimens and Personal Protection Equipment cost local units of government much money? How much?Amounts awarded varied, including $340,000 in Comanche County and $25 million in Douglas County. Where is that money to go, and will it stay in just the county budgets or will it be spread to reduce the financial impact on the local schools, hospitals, police and fire departments and everything else we expect government to pay for with our tax money?Yes, isolating those pandemic-related additional costs is going to be tricky for nearly every local unit of government. Oh, and will counties spread that money to private businesses which suffered economic hardship due to the disease?It’s all out in the counties, but count on it, legislators are going to want to win some credit—and votes?—for at least being at the top of the chain that sent those checks to local units of government.Don’t forget that the money has to be directly tied to additional expenses which are linked to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, at the state level and at some point when the federal government auditors start thumbing through the check stubs to see whether this was actually a pandemic-related cost that counties are distributing money to solve or maybe just some new police and sheriff’s cars that are easier to keep clean—and avoid spreading the disease to the public.Also, remember that the county commissioners are going to want political credit for dispersing that money within the county lines, whether it’s helping defray the cost of those six-foot social distance reminders we see on the floors of nearly every store we’ve entered, or those stacks of facemasks and jugs of hand sanitizer near the doors of those stores and businesses and schools and government offices.Next step, finding out whether those SPARK dollars cause future problems for local units of government. We’ll wait for the auditors to tell us, won’t we…Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/">www.hawvernews.com</a>

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